The man in black and the youth in blue opened their eyes simultaneously, finding the morning light already present. They exchanged a glance, feeling a subtle awkwardness mixed with a faint surge of anger.

Earlier, both had been blinded by the game, deeply immersed in the predator-and-prey chase. Now, sobered, they realized this wasn't a cat playing with a mouse; it was the mouse amusing the cat. The targets had deliberately exposed themselves to pique their interest, buying crucial time, and they had played right into the trap.

Thus, an entire night had slipped away effortlessly.

"So be it."

Though rage simmered within, the man in black’s expression remained unchanged.

Even though the entire night yielded no capture, the continuous drain of divine power by the three had successfully compressed the blood-red cloud by nearly half. It was clear the Flower Spirit’s rate of recovery was slowing. If this stalemate continued, the two figures inside would eventually be snared.

However, he no longer wished to waste any more time.

"It is time to end this."

The man in blue narrowed his eyes, his demeanor cold. The gently fluctuating blood cloud appeared to him as a trapped beast struggling within a snare.

Seeing that both High Gods had consented, Kou Xi-lai, who had felt useless all night, finally let out a breath of relief.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh..."

The next moment, Kou Xi-lai and the two High Gods flickered and vanished strangely. Streaks of afterimages appeared around the blood cloud. In mere seconds, the area spanning dozens of meters was filled with their three forms.

The nets of lightning, the scorching flames, and the cutting wind blades vanished instantly. They were replaced by countless fine threads woven from the condensed divine power of lightning, fire, and wind. These numerous silken strands crisscrossed, interlacing into a vast net that layered upon layer enveloped the blood cloud.

"Hiss! Hiss..."

The crimson aura, upon contact with the threads, dissolved into wisps of red smoke.

"What in the blazes is this 'Three Gods Cohesion Formation'?" Nie Kong inwardly gasped.

As the grand net, formed of pure divine power, manifested, Nie Kong immediately noticed that the slow circulation between him and Tai Yan had abruptly ceased. His connection to the surrounding heaven and earth was completely severed. While Tai Yan’s inherent source power could still resist external divine intrusion through the instinctual consumption of the 'Hui Mou Grass,' Nie Kong’s natural source energy proved utterly useless, let alone assisting Tai Yan in recovery.

This situation had not occurred since the Illusory Array resumed operation.

"Does this damned formation also possess the effect of Spirit Sealing?" Nie Kong felt a knot of anxiety tighten in his chest. Not only could he not employ his source power, but even his spiritual perception was blocked. Absorbing the vitality from the divine power was out of the question; the spirit-apertures within his body felt completely frozen.

"The 'Three Gods Cohesion Formation' truly lives up to its origin in the 'Supreme Spirit Realm.' Once deployed, it can solidify any form of energy within the body." Kou Xi-lai’s form paused abruptly. Feeling the Flower Spirit’s power rapidly draining, a satisfied smile spread across his rugged face.

"My thanks to the two High Gods." Seeing the man in black and the blue-robed youth also stop, Kou Xi-lai bowed slightly.

The man in black waved a hand dismissively. "No need for formalities. This Flower Spirit is indeed quite peculiar. Even under the 'Three Gods Cohesion Formation,' her source power can still function. My guess is that she must have previously achieved Spirit God status but lost the Spirit God Insight for some reason. Now, she possesses the raw power of a Spirit God but cannot wield it effectively, only activating it defensively when attacked."

The youth in blue nodded in agreement. "Precisely. If not for that, even if our true bodies were here, we might not necessarily be her match."

"She was once that powerful?" Kou Xi-lai sounded surprised.

"No need to worry."

The man in black smiled. "No matter how strong she was, it is useless now. She can only submit as we wear down the hidden power within her. In less than a quarter of an hour, both she and her master will have absolutely no means of resistance. However, a quarter of an hour is too long. I shall add fuel to the 'Three Gods Cohesion Formation.'"

As his voice fell, the man in black flicked his middle finger, and a dark red flame, the size of a fingernail clipping, erupted, plummeting like a meteor onto the ever-shrinking net of divine power.

"Whoosh!"

The net reacted as if doused in gasoline. The moment the flame touched it, it surged outward. In an instant, the tiny spot expanded countless times, tightly wrapping the entire grand net. Fierce flames shot up twenty to thirty meters high, accompanied by continuous, intense hissing sounds.

Even from dozens of meters away, the scorching heat was clearly palpable. Witnessing this, everyone's expression paled slightly, especially Gu Changgong, whose brow furrowed deeper and deeper. He subconsciously shuffled forward. If things truly went awry, he would have no choice but to intervene! Based on Nie Kong’s performance in the preceding days, a few seconds of distraction should be enough for them to escape.

Seeing Gu Changgong’s movement, Yang Tian and Hou Tu exchanged a look, their confusion deepening. Having known Gu Changgong for many years, they could tell from his expression that he intended to rescue the green-robed bandit and the Flower Spirit trapped by the Spirit God Hall. Once Gu Changgong made a move, they would have to advance or retreat with him.

Yuan Xunyu hesitated for a moment, then signaled left and right, quietly following in his footsteps. Seemingly sensing their actions, the surrounding Heavenly Spirit experts also made minute adjustments. If a clear leader emerged, they wouldn't mind exploiting the chaos. In any case, disrupting this situation benefited all major sects and harmed none. The Spirit God Hall was already powerful; if they also acquired the Medicine Spirit Illusory Realm, what then?

The adage that the law does not punish the masses applied here. No matter how displeased the Spirit God Hall might be, they would have to swallow their anger. Did they truly dare provoke all the sects on the Heavenly Spirit Continent? If so, the Spirit God Hall would be forcing all scattered factions and clans into unity, ultimately bringing about their own downfall.

"Brother, I can't hold on much longer."

Inside the blood cloud, the intense flames vastly increased the net's power. The crimson aura, saturated with dark source power, continued to shrink, and Tai Yan’s anxious voice echoed in Nie Kong’s mind. Nie Kong sensed that with the appearance of that dark red flame, Tai Yan's power could sustain them for only a few more minutes at best.

Once the blood cloud dissipated, their physical bodies would be directly trapped by the 'Three Gods Cohesion Formation,' and even the 'Gui Ling Jade Pendant' would be unusable.

Hua Mei hadn't arrived yet. Should he give up now? If he quit, the Spirit God Hall would immediately deploy those six 'Spirit Intent God Sealing Diagrams.' With the Hall Master and the two High Gods present, the speed at which the Spirit Residence’s final barrier would be broken would increase dramatically. Especially if they abandoned the fight now, it would likely become impossible to even approach this Spirit Sealing Stele again, let alone sabotage the Spirit God Hall members.

But if he didn't retreat in time, they would soon be captured by the Spirit God Hall. No matter how precious the Spirit Residence, one's life was paramount. To lose one's life for a mere dwelling was not worth it.

Just as Nie Kong struggled with his decision, a voice suddenly rang out: "You added a fire to the 'Three Gods Cohesion Formation,' so let this old man add a gust of wind to the 'Three Gods Cohesion Formation'!"

... ...RO