In the afternoon, a sudden discovery in Lou Tian City—that the powerhouses from Ling Yu City had all departed towards the west—spread through the city with alarming speed. While ordinary Spirit Masters were eager to venture out, they dared not actually trespass into the swamp, fearing the displeasure of the Spirit God Hall, which would surely bring immense trouble.

However, those Heavenly Spirit Masters who had been observing the situation within the city had no such reservations. Almost the moment they received the news, they understood: a far mightier presence from the Spirit God Hall must have appeared. Moments later, streaks of light shot into the high heavens, speeding rapidly westward.

Just then, three figures, their robes flowing elegantly, drifted toward the center of the Forbidden Spirit Swamp as if taking a leisurely stroll.

The elder on the right was tall and powerfully built, his long hair snow-white, his chin adorned with a dense, flowing beard; this was Kou Xilai, the Hall Master of the Spirit God Hall. To his left were two young men, both with refined features—one clad in black, the other in blue robes, appearing no older than their early twenties. Yet, within their bright, dark eyes lay the profound weariness of those who have seen through the world, as if beneath their youthful exteriors resided souls that had endured countless eons.

After a pause, the three figures came within sight of the three-meter-high Forbidden Spirit Stone Tablet. Upon the tablet, the dark gateway continued to shimmer with an inky luminescence.

"Two honored Gods, that is the entrance to the 'Medicinal Spirit Illusory Realm Day'!"

Kou Xilai raised his right arm, pointing toward the black gateway, and smiled with a hint of deference. Even as the Hall Master of the Spirit God Hall, and having already passed through the Double Spirit Tribulation, he maintained the utmost respect for these two young men, for within them resided the souls of two Spirit Gods from the 'Grand Supreme Spirit Realm,' both of whom had originated from the Spirit God Hall and, like Kou Xilai himself, had once served as its Hall Master.

"Oh?"

The two young men inclined their heads slightly, but after only a few seconds, the man in black let out a low sound of surprise. He scrutinized the black gateway closely for a moment, a faint smile touching his lips, and an ancient voice emerged from him: "Xilai, this is not an Illusory Realm, but a Spirit Manor."

"A Spirit Manor?"

Kou Xilai froze in astonishment.

The man in the blue robe also showed a flicker of understanding, smiling faintly. "A Spirit Manor surpasses an Illusory Realm. Ten thousand years ago on the Illusory Spirit Continent, many sects possessed Illusory Realms, but those with a Spirit Manor were exceedingly rare. According to the intelligence I gathered in the Grand Supreme Spirit Realm, in the western part of the continent back then, only the Pill Immortal Sect possessed one."

Kou Xilai instantly grasped the implication: "So, this Spirit Manor likely belonged to the 'Pill Immortal Sect' of ten thousand years ago? No wonder so many medicinal herbs are found here."

The man in black nodded lightly. "You are fortunate. If you can possess this Spirit Manor, the strength of the Spirit God Hall will surely climb another rung."

"This Spirit Manor, my Spirit God Hall claims it!" Kou Xilai roared with laughter. "Honored Gods, please wait a moment; I shall descend to inspect the situation!" With that, Kou Xilai’s burly figure plummeted from the thousand-meter height like a meteorite crashing from the heavens, landing with a 'boom' before the steps of the tablet.

"Hoo."

As Kou Xilai was about to step forward, a blood-red aura surged up from the ground, wildly churning and spreading outward. In the blink of an eye, the area spanning several meters around the stone tablet was completely engulfed in a massive crimson cloud.

"Are you that Flower Spirit?"

Kou Xilai’s eyes blazed with divine light, yet he stood firm and unyielding. Just as the crimson aura was about to swallow him, a flash of violet light burst from his body, flickering violently around him, accompanied by incessant crackling sounds, like countless tiny electric serpents.

"Are you the Hall Master of the Spirit God Hall?"

A voice emerged from the ball of crimson mist—surprisingly, a man's voice.

Kou Xilai could not help but be slightly taken aback. The intelligence relayed from Wei Tian City clearly stated that the Flower Spirit was a woman; why was a man speaking now?

"Hall Master, that is the voice of the Flower Spirit Master," a clear shout suddenly arrived. Hundreds of meters above, more than a dozen figures were streaking toward them—precisely the fifteen strong experts from the Spirit God Hall. The man who spoke had his right sleeve empty, fluttering in the wind, and an intense killing aura emanated from his entire being.

"Flower Spirit Master?"

Kou Xilai's pupils contracted, his gaze instantly sharpening like two swords piercing the blood cloud. Despite his cultivation, he had not sensed another person hidden within this blood-red aura. He wondered about the origins of this Flower Spirit Master, who possessed such astonishing concealment techniques?

Not only him, but the two young men high in the sky subconsciously exchanged a look, faint traces of astonishment flickering in their eyes.

"Greetings, Honored Gods!"

The Second Elder and the others arrived swiftly, bowing respectfully. Seeing this, the Heavenly Spirit Masters who had trailed them from afar exchanged bewildered glances, their hearts filled with astonishment.

The two young men merely waved their hands, remaining silent.

The Second Elder and his contingent seemed accustomed to this and settled down behind Kou Xilai.

"Today, our Spirit God Hall Master and two Earth Gods have come in person. I’d like to see what power you have left to stop the Spirit God Hall from deploying the 'Spiritual Intent God Sealing Diagram'!" Facing the undulating blood-red aura opposite him, the Second Elder's face contorted viciously as he roared, his voice like thunder exploding over the swamp.

"Oh? Isn't this the pathetic wretch whose arm I tore off when he was fleeing in disgrace?" The male voice emerged again, laced with mockery.

"Silence! You dare boast when death is upon you!"

Veins bulged on the Second Elder's forehead; he was incandescent with rage. The incident that day was a profound humiliation that he could never truly wash away—to have his tracks discovered while deploying the 'Shadow Spirit Escape Talisman,' and to have his right arm ripped off at the shoulder under surprise attack. Such a misfortune had only ever happened to him in the Spirit God Hall’s millennia of history.

Recalling the astonished looks from the other elders and fellow disciples when he reappeared back then, the Second Elder’s old face still burned with shame. Now, this green-robed bandit was ripping open his scar in public, describing his retreat as "fleeing in disgrace," and calling him, a grand Ninth-Grade Heavenly Spirit expert, a "wretch." How could he possibly endure this?

"I only have two here, yet you arrive nineteen strong, even with the Spirit God Hall Master, who has passed the Double Spirit Tribulation, gracing us with his presence. Calling you wretches is an overstatement. But if you weren't wretches, how could you accentuate my greatness? Hahaha..." the voice continued to taunt cheerfully.

"You..." The Second Elder's eyes snapped wide open, and the Heavenly Spirit experts behind him displayed undisguised fury.

"No need for further talk with him!"

Kou Xilai's expression was calm. With a slight wave of his hand, the curses that had been boiling up to the lips of the Second Elder and the other Heavenly Spirit experts were swallowed back. "Six of you, prepare the 'Spiritual Intent God Sealing Diagram.' After the two Honored Gods and I subdue them, strike immediately! We must blast open the gate before nightfall!"

"Yes!"

The Second Elder and the others responded in unison.

...