The sea of crimson clouds surged, waves crashing like tsunamis. Under the assault of the six "Spirit Intent God Sealing Diagrams," the gap between the two black gates in the void began to widen millimeter by agonizing millimeter. Yet, the tide of blood, surging up from beyond the Sixth Elder and his company, inevitably disrupted the six Heavenly Spirit experts manipulating the "Spirit Intent God Sealing Diagrams."

"Boom!"

Following a violent roar, the six scrolls retracted rapidly, and the strange phenomena that had filled the view vanished without a trace. The four men and two women stretched out their legs, surrounded by surging elemental divine powers that shielded their bodies from the crimson aura that had just flooded over them.

With no divine power bombardment, the two black gates slammed shut with alarming speed; in an instant, the seam disappeared.

A flicker of suppressed anger crossed the faces of the six. It should have taken at most four or five more hours to breach this final obstacle, but this interruption had undone all their efforts. The previous assault on this ninth barrier was rendered completely useless, wasting vast amounts of divine power; they would have to start over, grinding those two gates open inch by painful inch.

"Since this Hua Ling cannot devour divine power, everyone, attack with your full divine force! I refuse to believe she can sustain this indefinitely!"

A towering, fire-aligned Heavenly Spirit expert slammed his feet onto the ground, his expression darkening. Even without rage, his presence commanded respect. Almost the moment the words left his mouth, dark crimson flames coalesced into a torrent, surging upward to tear a massive hole directly through the mass of red cloud above them.

The other five followed suit instantly, striking with grim determination.

Those who had been disheartened earlier suddenly found their spirits lifted and renewed their assault.

There were sixteen Heavenly Spirit experts gathered here from the Spirit God Hall, comprising masters of the six elements: Wind, Fire, Water, Earth, Lightning, and Dark. Sixteen figures attacking simultaneously created a power that shook heaven and earth.

As if mountains were collapsing and the earth splitting, the area around the Spirit Suppressing Stele erupted in deafening noise. Sharp wind blades, scorching flames, turbulent water waves, dense earthen surges, violent purple lightning—and the oppressive black mist—rose and fell in turn, relentlessly tearing the blood-red cloud to shreds.

However, no matter how fierce the assault, the shredded blood cloud would reform with lightning speed, driving the Spirit God Hall's Heavenly Spirit Masters into a frenzy of rage.

"..."

"Tsk, tsk. Even a ninth-grade Heavenly Spirit Master would be utterly annihilated by an attack like that, yet that Hua Ling seems completely unaffected."

"The Spirit God Hall’s plan this time is dashed, but they will never abandon this Illusionary Realm."

"Hmm, they are so close to breaching the final gate. If they break through, the Illusionary Realm is within grasp. Since they couldn't deal with the Hua Ling this time, perhaps that old fellow from the Spirit God Hall will have to descend personally."

"I heard he has already endured the Spirit Tribulation twice..."

"..."

The onlookers had long since retreated dozens of meters, watching the dazzling onslaught around the Spirit Suppressing Stele, their gasps of astonishment escaping involuntarily.

"Ah!"

Suddenly, a sharp shriek cut through the din.

The red cloud, which had previously covered an area dozens of meters wide, contracted violently, entirely enveloping one Heavenly Spirit expert. Within the dense bloody aura, a distinct human shape struggled fiercely. "My divine power within the Thunder God Blood Coral is depleted—save me! Save me!"

"Quickly use the Shadow Slip Technique!"

The Sixth Elder roared, a mixture of fury and alarm in his voice. He had initially hoped to capture this Hua Ling for alchemy, but any greed in his heart had long since dissipated. Before his command had even finished, the crimson aura expanded, and the figure that had just ceased struggling fell stiffly to the ground.

"Zhu Yuan! Zhu Yuan is dead!"

Witnessing this, the faces of the fifteen people sheltered by their divine power revealed unconcealed shock. Especially those Heavenly Spirit experts whose surrounding divine power had grown noticeably thin—their looks of terror were starkly evident. They exchanged nervous glances, their attacks instantly faltering. Zhu Yuan had been the most ferocious during the previous assault, yet he was the first to run out of divine power and be consumed by the Hua Ling, not even managing to deploy the "Shadow Slip Technique." With his fate serving as a stark warning, who dared to continue attacking with full force? Led by a few others, after a brief pause, even the Elders ceased their offensive.

"Finally swallowed one. Come hit me again!" The blood cloud rippled slightly, and a laugh, crisp and sweet like silver bells, drifted out from within.

"The Second Elder?"

Zhu Yuan's demise left Zhan Jiao more skittish than ever. His eyes immediately darted toward the tall, fire-aligned Heavenly Spirit expert. In that instant, the gazes of the other dozen or so individuals snapped toward him in unison.

The Second Elder glanced around. Seeing no fighting intent on anyone's face, he gave the closed black gate in the void a look of deep reluctance, gritted his teeth, and snapped, "Go!"

Hearing that word, the dozen or so experts breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Figures melted into the void, and within mere seconds, they had vanished one after another from the vicinity of the Spirit Suppressing Stele. The Second Elder, his face contorted with fury, narrowed his eyes at the blood cloud. "Enjoy your arrogance a while longer. In a few days, I will personally capture you and refine you into the Nirvana Breakthrough Elixir!"

The blood cloud trembled. Tai Yan chuckled mischievously, "I’ll offer myself up for refinement right now. The Nirvana Breakthrough Elixir... won't you stay?"

"..."

The Second Elder's face darkened, and his figure abruptly vanished.

Yet, only a moment later, a cry of pain echoed across the swamp sky. Everyone quickly turned to look. On the left, several hundred meters away, the green-robed man who had already departed had somehow returned. His right hand, which had been poised in a grabbing gesture, was now recoiling, clutching a dripping, severed arm. And tens of meters in front of the green-robed man, a slender figure was fleeing in panicked disarray toward this location.

This bizarre scene made the onlookers begin to grasp the situation. It seemed that as the Spirit God Hall's Second Elder was using the "Shadow Slip Technique" to depart, the green-robed man had suddenly appeared, intercepting the path he was about to traverse, and with one hand, ripped off his arm. Such a maneuver was truly inscrutable!

The minds of the onlookers could not help but tremble slightly. Whether performing "Body Merging with the Void" or using artifacts to traverse space, almost no aura fluctuation could be detected before they manifested. Yet, even so, the green-robed man could locate them—a terrifying prospect. Fighting someone like this made even escape seem nearly impossible.

The Spirit God Hall's Second Elder likely never dreamed that his threat to the Hua Ling would be immediately answered by the Hua Ling's master exacting vengeance! Although losing an arm would not greatly impact the strength of a Heavenly Spirit expert like him, the accompanying humiliation was far from minor.

As for the one fleeing so miserably, the onlookers recognized him—he appeared to be a Heavenly Spirit expert from the Serpent Spirit Clan. However, seeing his actions, the group felt a surge of confusion. The green-robed man was targeting the Heavenly Spirit Masters of the Spirit God Hall; why was a member of the Serpent Spirit Clan running away so desperately?