Gui Xian couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing this. "Senior truly kept an excellent disguise; even Shui Rou and the others didn't notice. My cultivation is slightly higher, and because you were cultivating here at the time, I sensed the Sea Clan aura within you. However, now that you are a Spirit God, I can't perceive anything at all."

"Is that so."

Nie Kong nodded slightly, yet a sudden thought stirred in his mind—perhaps it was due to that Sea God Pearl.

Strictly speaking, the Fish Spirit Clan was a branch of the Sea Clan, and the Sea God Pearl was their most treasured artifact. Having merged the pearl into himself, he possessed the Sea Clan aura, leading Gui Xian and the others to mistake him for a true descendant of their bloodline. This was perfect; he could leverage this identity to penetrate deeper into the Immortal Qin Sea.

At that, Nie Kong smiled nonchalantly. "I concealed my aura before because I had to traverse the Divine Sky Realm. Now that we are all kin here, there’s naturally no need to hide anything."

With a mere thought, a wisp of chaotic divine power quietly flowed into the Sea God Pearl.

Stimulated by the divine power, the pearl subtly trembled, and instantly, a strange, potent aura began to emanate continuously from within. This pearl, rumored to be forged from the ancestral heartblood of the Fish Spirit Clan founder and subsequently nurtured for millennia by successive Fish Kings, intensified the inherent bloodline aura of the Fish Spirit Clan.

Gui Xian, Shui Rou, and the others immediately registered the shift in Nie Kong’s internal energy, their faces breaking into expressions of astonishment.

"Such a rich bloodline aura! Could Senior be a direct descendant of the Sea King?" Gui Xian exclaimed involuntarily, while Shui Rou and the rest stared at Nie Kong with blazing intensity.

"Who is the Sea King?" Nie Kong feigned confusion.

"Senior doesn't know the Sea King?"

Gui Xian and the others exchanged glances, utter bewilderment etched on their faces. If not for the undeniable Sea Clan aura emanating from Nie Kong, they would have seriously doubted his true identity.

Nie Kong offered a wry smile. "I hope you won't mock me, but though I am a descendant of the Sea Clan, I grew up amidst the fragmented continents of the Divine Sky Realm. My parents never spoke of their origins, only that they came from the Sea Clan. I know nothing else about the Sea Clan. Recently, feeling the imminent breakthrough to the Spirit God realm, I left the continental fragments and headed for the Immortal Qin Sea, simply wishing to see what my parents' homeland is truly like."

Hearing Nie Kong's explanation, Gui Xian, Shui Rou, and the others finally relaxed.

"I never imagined Senior resided in such a harsh environment. No wonder your cultivation speed was unparalleled, achieving the Spirit God realm before the age of fifty."

Gui Xian was profoundly moved, his admiration for Nie Kong deepening. He spoke warmly, "Since Senior wishes to see the Immortal Qin Sea before heading to the 'Grand Supreme Spirit Realm,' why not visit my residence? I have lived in the Immortal Qin Sea for over seven hundred years and know every nook and cranny. I can certainly give you a thorough introduction."

"That would be wonderful, Brother Gui. Let us depart immediately then."

"Senior, please follow..."

"..."

……

Under the enthusiastic invitations of Gui Xian and the others, Nie Kong and Tai Yan’s party left the land and entered the Immortal Qin Sea.

At this moment, the four powerful figures from the Pill Immortal Sect who had escaped finally managed to catch a brief respite and relayed the events at the shore of the Immortal Qin Sea back to their sect.

This news struck every powerful figure in the Pill Immortal Sect dumb with shock.

Once they recovered their senses, they rushed immediately to the Pill Sky Palace to examine the 'Soul Essence Jade Beads' of Tai Shuyan, Wu Hou, and Zhuang Yu. Sure enough, the beads bearing their soul imprints were all shattered.

Although the Grand Elders issued a strict gag order, the news was soon leaked covertly and began to spread like wildfire. In less than half a day, every sect in the Divine Sky Realm was stunned and began secretly speculating on the veracity of the report.

Pill Immortal Sect Master, Tai Shuyan, slain!

Newly ascended Spirit God of the Pill Immortal Sect, Wu Hou, slain!

Newly ascended Spirit God of the Pill Immortal Sect, Zhuang Yu, slain!

Grand Prime Heavenly Abode’s newly ascended Spirit God, Yuan Ru, status unknown!

……

Soon, another piece of information was corrected: Yuan Ru, the latest Spirit God of the Grand Prime Heavenly Abode, was not merely 'status unknown,' but had also been killed, as his 'Soul Essence Jade Bead' was also reduced to fragments.

Three newly ascended Spirit Gods and one cultivator in the Second Tribulation of the Spirit Realm—all annihilated…

This report unleashed a monumental wave across the Divine Sky Realm. While people were awestruck, their innate curiosity burned fiercely, and they scrambled to uncover the hidden details behind the incident.

Before long, two names surfaced in the public eye:

Tai Shuang! Tai Yan!

Some speculated they were siblings; others claimed they were husband and wife; some asserted these were false names concocted solely to defraud the Pill Immortal Sect of a supreme treasure; and some even suggested they were both spies from the Sea Clan, deliberately luring the Spirit Gods of the Pill Immortal Sect and the Grand Prime Heavenly Abode to the Immortal Qin Sea shore for an ambush……

……

While rumors were flying everywhere, Nie Kong and Tai Yan, the very instigators of the chaos, were busy touring Gui Xian’s grotto-mansion.

"Senior, does my humble abode meet your standards?" Gui Xian asked with a beaming smile, his small eyes twinkling with mirth, displaying an expression eager for praise.

"It is quite exceptional."

Nie Kong commended him. Gui Xian’s residence was nestled within the stone walls of a profound underwater trench, its location exceptionally secret, hundreds of miles removed from the Immortal Qin Sea coast.

In this abyssal depth, the surrounding waters were pitch black, yet this grotto was illuminated as brightly as day. All external seawater was expertly isolated, and inside, pavilions, terraces, gardens with flora, and even a small, clear pond teeming with charming little fish had been constructed.

"Senior, please come this way."

Gui Xian, delighted, ushered Nie Kong and Tai Yan into an exquisite small tower.

Before entering the sea, Lan Ling had already returned to the beast token, and the phantom soul had separated to enter the pet backpack. Now, only Qing You, the Gourd, and Xiang Xiang remained outside—some perched happily on Nie Kong’s shoulder, others playfully chasing Tai Yan—enjoying themselves immensely during the journey over.

Once seated, Nie Kong smiled. "Brother Gui, among everyone here, your knowledge is the most extensive. I wish to inquire about one person."

On the journey there, Gui Xian, Shui Rou, and the others had already briefed Nie Kong on much information regarding the Immortal Qin Sea and the Sea Clan.

The vast Immortal Qin Sea was divided into thirty-six regions, each governed by Elders; some areas had as many as six or seven, while others had only one or two. In the region Gui Xian belonged to, there were over a dozen Ninth-Tier Illusionary Spirit Masters, yet Gui Xian was the sole Elder. These Elders were all appointed by the Sea King.

The Sea King was the supreme ruler of the Sea Clan, residing in the 'Heart of the Abyss' at the very center of the Immortal Qin Sea.

The 'Fish Dragon Sea Valley' could be considered the sacred ground of the Sea Clan. Elders from various regions generally traveled to the 'Heart of the Abyss' during the latter half of the year to pay respects to the Sea King.

As an Elder, Gui Xian was intimately familiar with the powerful figures of the Sea Clan.

Yu Longyue’s strength was formidable, and her objective in coming to this region was to discover a method for breaking through to the Spirit God realm. To achieve such a goal, she couldn't remain obscure; having been in the Immortal Qin Sea for so long, she might have already gained some notoriety among the Sea Clan. Inquiring about her to Gui Xian might yield results. Of course, if Gui Xian hadn't heard of her, it was no matter; Nie Kong could always rely on the 'Blood Shadow Puppet' still.

……

……RO