Wuhou roared, and the already massive medicinal cauldron expanded by nearly double. A fiery vortex spread from the mouth of the cauldron, its immense suction enveloping an area of several tens of meters.

The blood mist, like a surging torrent, was violently pulled toward the cauldron.

However, the blood mist engulfing Zhuang Yu did not weaken; instead, it grew thicker. The speed at which Wuhou absorbed the mist was far outpaced by the rate at which it erupted from the Huímóu Flower.

"Disperse!"

Zhuang Yu spat out these two characters, his voice like rolling thunder. The giant sword in his hand split into two, and those two into four...

In an instant, sixteen giant swords surrounded him, lightning flickering along their blades. The expanse of violet light fractured the surrounding blood mist into pieces. A clear space opened around Zhuang Yu, and then all the giant swords simultaneously reversed their tips, shooting out toward the Huímóu Flower opposite him, seemingly cleaving the very void itself.

But at that precise moment, Zhuang Yu's expression drastically changed.

An extraordinarily vast power struck him silently from behind. Before he could fully register it, the vanguard of that force was about to graze his spine.

Almost instinctively, Zhuang Yu flickered to the right.

"Bang!"

The power followed him like a shadow, merging into the void alongside him, and with blinding speed, it slammed into his back.

"Ugh!"

Several meters away in the void, a muffled groan sounded. Zhuang Yu stumbled, his figure instantly separating from the void, his internal organs vibrating violently, and his vital energy surging.

"Nie Kong!"

Zhuang Yu instantly realized that the one who attacked him was Nie Kong, operating under the alias "Tai Shuang." Rage boiled in his chest, his hair bristling. "You shameless sneak attack—" Before he could finish, Tai Yan had shattered his sixteen giant swords, and a surging, crimson aura immediately enveloped his body once more.

"Nie Kong, die for this old man!"

Yuan Ru detected Nie Kong's movement even faster this time. His body shifted, and a turquoise water dragon burrowed into the blood mist, churning it violently.

Nie Kong had only materialized behind Zhuang Yu before vanishing immediately.

"Whoosh!"

The roaring water dragon missed its target but did not abate its attack, savagely slamming into Zhuang Yu's back.

Yuan Ru’s eyes were blood-red, consumed by fury. He continued to track Nie Kong’s movements, ignoring the trajectory of the water dragon. In his view, once the dragon lost control, its contained power could no longer threaten a Spirit God.

And so it seemed.

Sensing Yuan Ru's attack was about to brush past him, Zhuang Yu's figure abruptly dissolved, shifting sideways. But by sheer misfortune, the water dragon, condensed from divine power, did not merely rush past. Upon reaching the spot Zhuang Yu had just occupied, it seemed to meet an invisible resistance.

"Boom!"

Water spray exploded, and divine power raged, constantly tearing apart the surrounding void and blood mist.

A shrill scream pierced the emptiness just as Zhuang Yu’s figure materialized out of thin air, flung forward like a broken kite, spitting up mouthfuls of bright red blood.

"What happened?"

Yuan Ru paused in bewilderment. Wuhou, still locked in stalemate with the blood mist nearby, was also momentarily stunned. Though his eyes were closed, he knew the situation clearly. With Zhuang Yu’s cultivation, even if wounded by Nie Kong's sneak attack, he should have easily evaded that out-of-control assault.

Zhuang Yu had indeed done so, but why, after dissolving into the void, had he momentarily halted, allowing Yuan Ru’s water dragon to strike him squarely?

"Thump!"

Zhuang Yu’s body slammed heavily onto the ground. The surrounding blood mist surged, completely submerging him and obscuring Yuan Ru's vision, even disrupting Wuhou’s formidable senses.

Just then, Nie Kong’s figure appeared beside Zhuang Yu without warning, his palms brimming with Chaos Divine Power, striking his back with lightning speed.

"It was you playing tricks!" Zhuang Yu instantly realized, shock and rage overwhelming him.

Before he could even stand up, brilliant purple lightning erupted from within his body. When he had merged into the void just moments ago, his body had inexplicably frozen for a fraction of a second—but that instant was enough to allow Yuan Ru’s water dragon to hit him before he could even react to dodge.

Now, it was clear that momentary pause had been Nie Kong’s doing.

"Indeed!"

Nie Kong uttered the two words, his voice trembling, as his Chaos Divine Power surged forth.

The current Zhuang Yu, having suffered successive blows from him and Yuan Ru, was gravely injured. Especially after bearing Yuan Ru's infuriated blow head-on, his internal Dharma Form had nearly been scattered, significantly diminishing his strength. Now, not only were his attacks instantly nullified, but his body was also immobilized.

Nie Kong hesitated for no reason. Grasping the hands coated in Chaos Divine Power, he yanked fiercely, rapidly pulling a segment of a purple-hued giant sword from Zhuang Yu’s body.

This was Zhuang Yu’s Dharma Form!

Feeling his power draining rapidly, Zhuang Yu struggled violently, yet he could not escape Nie Kong's grasp. Recalling the fate of Tai Shuyan, an unconcealable horror dawned on his face. "Nie Kong, you... you dare absorb my Dharma Form?"

"Why should I not dare?" Nie Kong’s lips curled into a sneer. "This is my second great opportunity; since you delivered it to my doorstep, how could I refuse to accept it?"

"Riiip!"

Suddenly, two turquoise claws tore open the solid blood mist, and a ferociously grimacing water dragon lunged forward again. Behind the dragon was Yuan Ru, his eye sockets blazing red, looking like an enraged lion.

Having been toyed with repeatedly by Nie Kong, the newly ascended Spirit God of the Grandmist Heavenly Palace was utterly humiliated and furious. Glaring at Nie Kong, who stood tens of meters away, he gritted his teeth and roared, "You little beast, when I capture you, I will ensure you suffer ten thousand tortures, unable to live or die!"

"Old bastard, say that after you manage to capture me!"

Glancing dismissively at Yuan Ru, a mocking smile flickered in Nie Kong's eyes. He grabbed Zhuang Yu by his robes with his right hand, hoisting his body and hurling him toward the dragon’s maw. The moment Zhuang Yu was released, the purple giant sword was completely extracted from his core, wrapped tightly in Chaos Divine Power.

Zhuang Yu let out a wretched cry, seeming to age several decades in an instant.

Yuan Ru dared not rush forward recklessly.

The water dragon’s assault paused slightly. Its right claw extended gently, carefully grasping Zhuang Yu's body. After tossing him outside the blood mist's range, Nie Kong had vanished again. Yuan Ru’s face was ashen, and he roared in exasperation, "Little brat, if you dare run again, I swear I will slaughter every single spiritual creature you possess!"

"Boom!"

As if in direct response to his shout, a massive sound erupted several hundred meters away. A column of pale white smoke pierced the sky, tearing through the dust and settling clouds.

Beneath the white pillar, Nie Kong’s silhouette was vaguely visible. His aura was intensifying and growing wildly. Such a monumental disturbance shocked everyone nearby once more.

Second Stage Spirit Tribulation!

Nie Kong was charging toward the Second Stage Spirit Tribulation!

Witnessing this scene, members of the Pill Immortal Sect and the Sea Race powerhouses instantly understood, their eyes wide with shock. Nie Kong had overcome the First Stage Spirit Tribulation only moments ago, and now he was immediately attempting the Second. This speed was simply too fast.

Yuan Ru’s eyelids twitched uncontrollably. This Nie Kong could actually enhance his cultivation by absorbing and refining others' Dharma Forms. The Fire Vulture Dharma Form of Tai Shuyan had helped him pass the First Stage Tribulation; Zhuang Yu’s lightning sword Dharma Form of a Spirit God would surely allow him to pass the Second Stage. As for the Third Stage Tribulation...

"He absolutely cannot be allowed to continue!"

A chill crept into Yuan Ru's heart, and he shivered involuntarily. He shot toward Nie Kong like an arrow. Wuhou, dozens of meters away, seemed to sense the same feeling stirring within Yuan Ru. His fiery medicinal cauldron exploded with a bang, abandoning Tai Yan and hurtling toward Nie Kong at breakneck speed.

Two figures, one chasing the other, moved faster than flowing light.