In an instant, the darkness enveloped the three figures differentiated from Nie Kong’s soul, a deep, abyssal black hole seeming capable of assimilating everything.

Nie Kong gave a cold sneer within. With a flicker of thought, the left and right figures simultaneously moved, tracing a bizarre path as they swiftly traversed the void around the central body. The golden divine power within the "War God Star Seal" and the purple aura from the inner heart-image of the "Purple Phantom Spirit Incense" surged into the central physique like a tide.

As the "Yin-Yang Spirit Devouring Art" spun madly, in the mere blink of an eye, the central figure transformed into a massive Spirit God Aperture. Within it, twenty pairs of minor apertures vibrated rapidly, as the golden divine power and the purple aura continuously poured in.

"Trifling skill."

The cold laughter of the Dark Night God Venerable echoed through the void. The two deep black holes had already swallowed Nie Kong's "Crimson Star Battle Body" and heart-image physique separately.

"Is that so? Take a look at this."

Nie Kong's laughter emerged from the Spirit God Aperture, his tone betraying no hint of panic.

As he spoke, thick, lustrous beams of golden and purple light suddenly shot out from the bottom of the Spirit God Aperture. Like soaring dragons, they carved two graceful arcs through the emptiness. These two streams of energy actually tore through the black holes and reconnected with the two figures that had been consumed.

"Boom!"

A soft, muffled explosion sounded, after which a strange, potent force rippled outwards like shockwaves. The surrounding darkness broke away from the void in large swathes, plunging into the massive Spirit God Aperture.

"This is..."

The Dark Night God Venerable let out a soft exclamation.

Nie Kong interjected with a sly smile, "The Coiling Dragon Soul Transformation Array!"

"Coiling Dragon... This is something from the Panxing Clan! Nie Kong, you actually obtained the inheritances of the two great Star Clans of the Supreme Spirit Realm!" The Dark Night God Venerable could no longer maintain his composure, his tone laced with unconcealed astonishment. "Where did the Crimson Star Clan and Panxing Clan inheritances come from on the Tianling Continent... I understand now. You entered the sealed Abyss of Fallen Guardians. Are those Star Gods who perished ten thousand years ago still not dead?"

"You guessed correctly."

Nie Kong laughed out loud. "Coiling Dragon Soul Transformation—differentiating one's own soul to form an array, and then using the array's operation to differentiate the enemy's soul. Under this array, the enemy has nowhere to escape. Dark Night God Venerable, you exhausted your efforts collecting my aura to create this Dream Shadow Space, yet you never imagined that not only could you not devour my soul, but your own soul is about to become my tonic!"

In the short time it took to speak, the golden and purple radiance grew even brighter and more magnificent, and the black essence detached from the void at an ever-increasing speed, being sucked into the apertures.

"Nie Kong, you are celebrating far too soon!"

The Dark Night God Venerable laughed in fury. The two black holes vanished suddenly, and a black figure flickered into existence like a phantom. In an instant, the shadow crossed several dozen meters of space, its five hook-like fingers grasping fiercely at the purple ray connecting Nie Kong's heart-image and the Spirit God Aperture.

"Hiss!"

It sounded as if a red-hot iron rod had been plunged into cold water, a bizarre noise erupting instantly. Under that grasp, the Dark Night God Venerable's entire right palm dissolved into black essence and was absorbed and devoured by that radiant light. The Dark Night God Venerable cried out in pain, his body staggered, and he merged back into the void.

Nie Kong drawled mockingly, "Dark Night God Venerable, how does it taste?"

"Hmph!"

Nie Kong’s response was the cold snort of the Dark Night God Venerable. Immediately after, streams of sharp black arrows pierced the void, shooting toward Nie Kong like meteors. Their speed was terrifyingly swift, and each arrow carried a fierce power, seemingly intent on destroying every obstacle within this Dream Shadow Space.

The arrows came like a swarm of locusts, dense and countless.

In the blink of an eye, the Crimson Star Battle Body, the Spirit God Aperture, and the heart-image were riddled like porcupines. However, although these dense black arrows clung to Nie Kong's three figures, they failed to inflict significant damage to his soul; instead, the black arrows were continuously dissolved by the "Coiling Dragon Soul Transformation Array."

As time passed, the black arrows visibly diminished in length.

The Dark Night God Venerable also realized this method was insufficient to deal with Nie Kong. After a moment, the arrow rain abruptly dissipated, and infinite darkness squeezed in from all directions. A chillingly tyrannical aura struck Nie Kong’s mindwaves like raging tides.

"Hmm?"

Nie Kong's heart trembled. The "Coiling Dragon Soul Transformation Array" showed a minute flaw; the frequency of the Spirit God Aperture's vibration rapidly decreased, and the two radiant beams connecting the Crimson Star Battle Body and the heart-image suddenly dimmed. With this ebb and flow, the cold, tyrannical aura grew even more ferocious.

"Nie Kong, I have cultivated for countless years. Even though I can only wield a fraction of my soul power right now, it is not something a mere Celestial Spirit Master like you can resist!" The Dark Night God Venerable's voice was low and sinister. "This soul of yours, I am determined to have it."

"You have miscalculated again!"

Nie Kong’s mind quickly calmed. With a thought, the sculpture on the peak of Cai Mei Peak outside suddenly burst with golden light. Immediately, wisps of golden energy, almost imperceptible to the naked eye, rose from the sleeping crowd on the plaza steps and rushed madly into Nie Kong’s body.

Inside the Dream Shadow Space, Nie Kong's turbulent heart immediately settled, and that chillingly tyrannical aura could no longer shake him in the slightest.

A moment later, the decelerating "Coiling Dragon Soul Transformation Array" began to operate at an even faster pace.

"Eh?"

The Dark Night God Venerable's figure materialized, looking around in astonishment, yet he could see nothing. "What strange power is this? What is it?"

"That is the Power of Faith," Nie Kong chuckled inwardly.

Because the Power of Faith originated from him, others could not see it until it fully condensed on the peak of Cai Mei Peak—the Dark Night God Venerable was no exception. If his main body were present, he might have been able to detect it, but unfortunately, he was currently only a small portion of his soul descending via a divine messenger.

With the support of the faith from so many people on the plaza steps, Nie Kong no longer needed to worry about the Dark Night God Venerable's spiritual attacks. He subsequently immersed all his focus into the "Coiling Dragon Soul Transformation Array." As long as this array continued to operate, the Dream Shadow Space would become the Dark Night God Venerable's prison.

The Dark Night God Venerable likely never dreamed of this outcome beforehand.

Time slipped by like flowing water...

"That spot... it seems to have faded a little!"

At the edge of the plaza, Hua Mei’s eyes lit up, and she cried out instinctively. Her previously hazy consciousness suddenly became clear.

Among everyone present, she was arguably the only one without Celestial Spirit power who could barely prevent herself from falling into slumber. This was largely thanks to Hua Pianxian; although Hua Mei was the primary consciousness in this body, Hua Pianxian was, after all, once a Spirit God.

As Hua Mei spoke, Long Tian Gong, Mu Xueyi, and the others simultaneously noticed the subtle change, and faint smiles appeared on their faces, their tightly strung nerves relaxing slightly. Now, not only had the ink-black color in the center of the plaza faded, but the sleepiness continuously assailing their minds was also gradually receding. This clearly indicated that in the contest between the two, Nie Kong held the upper hand.

"How could this be?"

Kou Xilai, Lu Rong, and the five High Gods exchanged glances, their brows knitting tightly, expressions filled with incomprehensible doubt.