The Sea King circled Tai Yan with his gaze.
“Yes, this is my wife, Tai Yan,” Nie Kong frowned.
“Silence! I was asking her, not you.” The sound of the fleshy ball was sharp as he rebuked, his cheek fat trembling violently as he spoke.
Damn this fat pig. I’ll hold back a little longer, just need to figure out Aunt Yue’s situation.
Before Nie Kong could suppress the fire raging in his chest, the fleshy ball waved a hand as if brushing away trash. “Hey you, whoever you are, you can scram. When the Divine Venerable’s avatar descends, I will put in a good word for you. Tai Yan, you can stay in my Immortal Zither Divine Palace to cultivate until the Boundary Gate opens next year.”
Tai Yan looked puzzled. “I am already a Spirit God; why do I still need to cultivate here?”
Shi Si Shen smiled slyly. “Cultivation, in this context, simply means serving His Majesty, the Sea King. Tai Yan, it is your utmost honor to be able to serve His Majesty in the Immortal Zither Divine Palace. With His Majesty speaking on your behalf before the Divine Venerable, you will reap immense benefits even when you reach the Grand Venerable Spirit Realm later. Agree quickly.”
“What?”
This fat swine dared to covet Tai Yan?
The anger Nie Kong had held back for so long finally erupted. Hold back? Hold back my foot! His right hand swept across his chest, and the “Underworld Fire Dark Spring” immediately rushed out of the Spirit Sealing Jade Bottle. With a sudden splash, it stood erect before the throne like a mirror, reflecting every person nearby in perfect detail.
Nie Kong pointed at the obese figure reflected in the water and sneered, “Look, what is in here?”
“Isn't that me?”
“So you still know that’s you! A swine like you, why don’t you look in a mirror and see your own wretched appearance? To dare set your sights on my wife—you must be tired of living!” Nie Kong stared coldly at the figure on the throne, his eyes filled with mockery and scorn.
“……………”
As Nie Kong’s voice faded, the palace fell into profound silence.
No matter the time, place, or cultivation level, the Sea King enjoyed the reverence and awe of countless clan members; his words were never questioned. Even the Shi Shen surrounding the Sea King were treated with utter deference by the Sea Clan people, viewed as incarnations of the divine.
Now, Nie Kong suddenly roared insults at the Sea King. Not only was he stunned speechless, but the surrounding Great Shi Shen and Elder Shi Shen were wide-eyed, barely believing their ears.
“You… you… are you cursing me?”
The Sea King pointed to his own nose, his fleshy jowls quivering, and though his overly plump face betrayed no expression, his small eyes revealed sheer disbelief.
Tai Yan covered her mouth and let out a chuckle. “How interesting. My brother isn't cursing you, is he praising you?”
Nie Kong mocked, “Has your body turned into a pig, and your brain turned into pig brains too? You can’t even tell if someone is cursing you?”
“How dare you curse me? You actually dare to curse me? In the entire Sea Clan, no one has ever dared to curse me!” The Sea King’s face suddenly flushed red at a visible speed, and his self-address abruptly downgraded from "This King" to "I." He hissed, “You, you… all of you saw it! This person actually dared to curse me!”
“Nie Kong, you are presumptuous! Do you know what you are doing?” The surrounding figures finally snapped out of their stupor. The Great Shi Shen trembled with rage, his imposing physique swelling instantly like an overinflated balloon, transforming into a small giant several meters tall.
“Of course, I know what I am doing. I called this fellow a stupid pig—his body is pig-like, and his brain is pig-like. Didn't you all hear clearly? Do you want me to say it again?”
Nie Kong mischievously winked at the group. Qing You seemed utterly satisfied, making a rustling sound.
“Insolent dog! How dare he insult His Majesty the Sea King! You deserve death!”
“His Majesty the Sea King is the direct descendant of the ‘Sea Dragon Divine Venerable.’ Insulting His Majesty is insulting the Divine Venerable! Nie Kong, kneel and await death immediately!”
“Daring to anger His Majesty leaves only a dead end.”
Those Elder Shi Shen were like flustered maidens, enraged and leaping about, treating Nie Kong as if he were already a dead man in their eyes.
“Kill him! Kill him!” The Sea King jumped directly off the throne. With a heavy thud upon landing, the entire Immortal Zither Divine Palace seemed to tremble violently.
“Kill me?” Nie Kong looked upon the fleshy mass with a degree of pity.
“Nie Kong, do you dare to resist? Accept your death obediently, and I might grant you a swift one!” The Great Shi Shen roared, his hair and beard bristling. “Immortal Zither Sea Chart, Seal!” The moment these words were uttered, the eighty-one surrounding pillars suddenly burst forth with billions of brilliant azure rays.
“Boom!”
Immediately after, a massive scroll detached from the palace ceiling. In an instant, it unfurled, cloaking Nie Kong and Tai Yan with an intensely terrifying aura.
The scroll was nearly a thousand meters wide and long, covering almost the entire floor of the palace. Furthermore, its descent was incredibly swift, giving Nie Kong and Tai Yan no time to evade. The moment they sensed the aura, the scroll was overhead, and the azure light poured down from above, trapping Nie Kong, Tai Yan, and Qing You within three cages.
“So what if you are a Spirit God?”
The Great Shi Shen sneered. “Once inside the Immortal Zither Divine Palace, even a Spirit God must behave. This ‘Immortal Zither Sea Chart’ was personally drawn by the ‘Sea Dragon Divine Venerable’ in the past, and it seals one-tenth of the Divine Venerable’s power. With these eighty-one Divine Pillars channeling that power, even the strongest Spirit God can be obliterated!”
“Good! Good!”
The Sea King descended the steps one by one. The booming sound of his footsteps seemed capable of crushing the throne itself. “This bastard dared to insult me; he deserves to die a thousand deaths. But do not let him die too quickly. Subject him to all the tortures of our Immortal Zither Divine Palace—make him wish for death but unable to find it.”
The Great Shi Shen grinned wickedly. “Your Majesty, please rest assured. I guarantee you will be satisfied.” Saying this, he turned to the other seven figures. “Go bring out the torture instruments from the Divine Palace.”
“Yes!”
The seven agreed without hesitation and dashed toward the palace gate on the right, their figures vanishing in an instant.
The Sea King nodded with satisfaction and slowly paced toward Tai Yan. He spoke in a high-pitched voice, “This woman is very beautiful; I like her very much. After dealing with that bastard, send her to my harem. Just don't injure her delicate body; disabling her Dharma form will suffice.”
“Understood.”
The Great Shi Shen understood immediately and smiled meaningfully.
The Sea King then ambled over to Nie Kong, looking at the figure inside, unable to move. The fat on his face trembled violently, seemingly overjoyed. “This is the fate of offending me. Did you think you could be arrogant just because you are a Spirit God? I tell you, in the Immortal Zither Divine Palace, besides me, no one can be arrogant!”
“Oh? It seems I am truly the exception!”
A strange, mocking laugh suddenly rang out. Nie Kong’s arm stretched out from the azure prison. His palm instantly expanded dozens of times, grasping the shallow seam between the Sea King’s head and shoulder.