"What are you still mumbling about? Hurry up and get over here!" A middle-aged woman poked her head out of the nearly transparent archway, her bushy eyebrows furrowed in an irritated scolding before her head quickly retreated back inside.

"You..."

Nie Kong was furious. Since arriving in the Divine Void Realm, no one had dared speak to him like that. These inhabitants of the 'Abyssal Sea Core' had clearly been spoiled by the Sea Clan people.

Gui Xian quickly grabbed Nie Kong, repeatedly urging him, "Senior, calm down! Calm down!"

"Fine, I'll endure it! Brother Gui, you take care of yourself."

Taking a deep breath, Nie Kong suppressed the fire in his chest once more, nodded to Tai Yan beside him, "Tai Yan, let's go in."

Watching the two approach the archway, Gui Xian suddenly felt a twinge of doubt: had he done the wrong thing by sending word of Nie Kong and Tai Yan to the 'Abyssal Sea Core'? Although they were Sea Clan Spirit Gods, they had never lived in the Immortal Zither Sea before and held no reverence whatsoever for the Great Divine Master and the others.

If the Great Divine Master and the Divine Master Elders continued to boss them around as they had just done, conflict would be highly likely, leading to an irreversible situation.

As if to confirm his suspicions, Tai Jie suddenly scoffed under his breath, "Brother, if they dare be rude again, we shouldn't tolerate it. I'll slaughter all those bastards."

"Senior, Senior..."

Gui Xian nearly fainted from fright and hurriedly called out, but before he could make a sound, Nie Kong and Tai Yan had already stepped through the archway, their figures vanishing.

Gui Xian rushed a few steps after them but stopped abruptly, pacing back and forth like an ant on a hot pan. That ominous premonition grew stronger: he had forgotten to convey one extremely important piece of information!

Passing through the archway, Nie Kong and Tai Yan's vision suddenly cleared.

At the bottom of the deep, concave valley, amidst swirling mist, stood a peculiar and massive structure that looked as if it were floating among the clouds.

The entire building seemed to be carved from a single, enormous, sapphire-blue gemstone, crystal clear and radiantly colored. Most striking was the building's shape: both the top and bottom tapered increasingly to fine points, while the middle section was exceptionally broad, resembling two conjoined cones.

"Stop gawking and hurry up! His Majesty the Sea King is waiting!"

The middle-aged woman was not far ahead. When she looked back and saw Nie Kong and Tai Yan looking around, a flash of contempt crossed her face, mixed with obvious impatience. Having spoken, she stepped onto the Sky Ladder connecting the strange structure to the land edge of the valley. Twenty or thirty meters ahead of her were the Great Divine Master and the others.

Nie Kong couldn't be bothered arguing with this minor character. Linking arms with Tai Yan, he followed them up.

This Sky Ladder, suspended in the void, spanned over a hundred meters. Walking at an unhurried pace took nearly a minute before they reached the entrance of the bizarre edifice.

The Immortal Zither Divine Palace!

A plaque inscribed with these four large characters hung above the wide entrance. The calligraphy was ethereal, subtly emanating a power that shook the soul; it appeared to be the work of the Sea Dragon Divine Venerable as well.

Nie Kong and Tai Yan continued walking without pause, following the Great Divine Master and the others inside.

Inside was a circular palace hall, several hundred meters in diameter. In this extraordinarily spacious area stood orderly rows of jade pillars. These pillars soared forty to fifty meters high, requiring several people holding hands to encircle one. Countless fine, intricate lines were carved across the surface of the jade—likely wards or illusory formations.

At the exact center of the hall was a throne over ten meters high. The seat was adorned with exquisite carvings, radiating an air of noble majesty. Nie Kong and Tai Yan looked up and immediately saw the massive figure half-reclining on the throne. The figure appeared massive not because of strength, but because of sheer obesity.

From a distance, the person resembled a mountain of flesh.

His limbs were short and stubby; his rotund body nearly filled the entire throne. His thick shoulders merged seamlessly with his enormous head; the neck was completely invisible. Upon his head sat a sapphire-blue crown, making him look comical, like an infant's cap perched on an adult's head.

"This is the Sea King?"

Nie Kong and Tai Yan exchanged a look, both finding it utterly incomprehensible. The fat man's strength was terrible—far from the peak of the Ninth Order, he hadn't even reached it, barely holding at the peak of the Eighth Order. Countless beings in the Sea Clan possessed cultivation far exceeding his.

How could someone of such low cultivation become the King of the Sea Clan?

It seemed the concentration of bloodline was paramount in the selection of the heir to the throne. However, for the Hai Lou, a denser bloodline meant faster cultivation speed. This individual's hair was streaked with white, suggesting he was quite old, yet his strength was only Eighth Order. This suggested his attitude toward cultivation.

"Your Majesty, the newly ascended Spirit Gods of the Sea Clan, Nie Kong and Tai Yan, have been brought." Stopping at the steps beneath the throne, the Great Divine Master bowed.

"Mm."

The ball of flesh on the throne didn't turn its eyes to look, merely emitting a faint sound with closed eyes, then slowly extending its massive right hand. With this slight gesture, the mass of flesh rippled violently, as if a calm sea surface had suddenly churned into roaring waves.

The Sea King hadn't spoken a word, simply beckoning downward with his right hand. Nie Kong and Tai Yan looked at each other, both somewhat bewildered.

Seeing Nie Kong and the other remain motionless, the expressions of those surrounding them immediately darkened.

The Great Divine Master huffed indignantly, "Nie Kong, Tai Yan, quickly present the gifts you have brought for His Majesty the Sea King."

"Gifts?"

Nie Kong was stunned. "What gifts?"

This was the first time he had ever heard of such a thing. Back in Ascending Dragon City, both the Pill Immortal Sect and the Primordial Chaos Heaven Mansion had offered treasures to recruit him—one presenting the 'Chaos Jade Codex' and the other the 'Primordial Chaos Heavenly Scripture.' Now, the Sea Clan Spirit Gods came to pay respects, were treated rudely, and were actually expected to offer gifts?

The Great Divine Master thundered, "No gifts? You dare come to the Immortal Zither Divine Palace to see His Majesty the Sea King without any semblance of etiquette? You truly have guts!"

"Throw them out of the Divine Palace,"

From the throne, the mass of flesh trembled slightly, and a thin, sharp voice rang out.

"Yes!"

The Great Divine Master and the seven Divine Master Elders responded in unison.

"Hey, don't push it too far!" Tai Yan finally lost her temper, her lovely face set in anger, though her voice was exceptionally crisp and melodious. However, her puffed-out appearance lacked any real menace, making her seem only more delicate and charming.

"Oh?"

The Sea King let out a surprised low exclamation, then roared, "Wait!"

The instant these two characters burst from his mouth, the mountain-like figure instantly sat upright. Despite the tumultuous waves of flesh, the movement was surprisingly agile. Beneath his thick eyelids, his two eyes cracked open—two narrow, thin slits, almost negligible.