Hai Ying mused, "Perhaps Nie Kong was just lucky, obtaining an artifact crafted by the Seven-Colored Grand Master back in the Divine Sky Realm?" But even as he voiced the thought, Hai Ying himself didn't truly believe it. That leaf Nie Kong possessed could effortlessly repel the frenzied assault of one Eighth-Rank Spirit God and two Seventh-Rank Spirit Gods; it was utterly marvelous.

To forge such an artifact required an immensely powerful cultivation base. Clearly, that leaf could not have originated from the Seven-Colored Grand Master of five thousand years ago, but only from the Grand Master after he had broken through the peak Spirit God realm.

An artifact forged by a Grand Master was not something anyone could simply acquire. Nie Kong must have a connection to the Seven-Colored Grand Master!

Having reached this conclusion, Hai Ying's mind, previously clouded by shame and anger, instantly cleared. Yan He had guessed this long ago, yet not only did he fail to warn him, he actively stoked the flames nearby.

His intention could only be to push the Sea Clan into irrevocably offending the Seven-Colored Grand Master. That old scoundrel, what a vicious mind!

Hai Ying gritted his teeth fiercely and roared, "Yu Feng, stop!" Yu Feng, like Hai Ye, had also harbored similar suspicions. Hearing Hai Ying's command, he ceased his attack without hesitation.

The void, which had been surging violently like tidal waves, immediately settled into tranquility, and the figure of Nie Kong, shrouded in seven-colored radiance, reappeared clearly tens of meters away. "Nie Kong, for the sake of the Seven-Colored Grand Master, the grievances between you and my Sea Clan are written off today!" Hai Ying paused, hovering in the void, and stated solemnly.

"Say it again, I do not know the Seven-Colored Grand Master." The distance between them instantly stretched to several hundred meters as Nie Kong's voice drifted over. You say you don't know him?

Hai Ying sneered internally. Nie Kong's reaction solidified his judgment.

If he didn't have the Seven-Colored Grand Master backing him, how could Nie Kong have dared to so brazenly refine the avatars of the Primordial Heaven Mansion, the Pill Immortal Sect, and the three major forces of the Sea Clan in the Divine Sky Realm? He even produced an artifact made by the Seven-Colored Grand Master, yet still refused to admit it?

This Nie Kong, just like Yan He, harbored ill intentions! Cursing silently, Hai Ying withdrew his gaze, narrowed his long, thin eyes, and coldly glanced toward Yan He and the others, who had also ceased their pursuit.

"Elder Hai Ying, are you just giving up like that?" Yan He smiled broadly like a pampered bun, ceaselessly urging, "That Nie Kong, merely a remnant of the Scarlet Star Clan from the Heavenly Spirit Continent, could never possibly have any ties to the Seven-Colored Grand Master. Hurry and chase him; if you delay, he will escape.

We've come this far; just one more push, and you can surely dissolve that leaf. Without the leaf for protection, capturing Nie Kong will be as easy as turning over your hand.

Don't let such a golden opportunity slip away." Hai Ying was itching to smash that smiling face with a single punch, but he coldly retorted, "This Nie Kong emerged from the Northern Domain you guarded. This fine opportunity should naturally be left to your Pill Immortal Sect." "Elder Hai Ying may not be aware," Yan He sighed, "but we suffered heavy losses capturing Nie Kong previously; now we have the will but lack the strength.

It's up to your Sea Clan now. Nie Kong cultivates Chaos Divine Power; his hope of achieving the status of a Grand Master is extremely high.

If you can completely control him, the Sea Clan will surely gain another Grand Master in the future." "A Grand Master? Heh..." Hai Ying let out a sarcastic chuckle, but before the rest of his words could escape his throat, they were crushed by a deep, resonant voice: "Since your Pill Immortal Sect and the Sea Clan are being so deferential, then we shall not stand on ceremony.

This future Grand Master, the Primordial Heaven Mansion will claim!" Hai Ying, Yan He, and the others were startled by the sudden voice and quickly turned to look, seeing three figures flying toward them. Whoosh!

Whoosh! Whoosh!

In an instant, the three flashed past above the crowd like streaks of flowing light, pursuing Nie Kong, who had become a small speck of seven-colored light in the distance. "Yi Ming, Zhan Nan, Zhen Baishan—the three Eighth-Rank Spirit Gods of the Primordial Heaven Mansion!" Yu Feng muttered.

"..." No one spoke, but the astonishment in their eyes was impossible to conceal. Although those three appeared soundlessly, revealing no aura whatsoever, the onlookers immediately recognized their identities.

While the Grand Master Spirit Realm was vast beyond measure, Eighth-Rank Spirit Gods were few and far between, and they were all intimately familiar with the few possessed by the Primordial Heaven Mansion. What nobody expected was that the Primordial Heaven Mansion would dispatch three Eighth-Rank Spirit Gods for Nie Kong's sake.

The guesses Hai Ying and the others had just made about Nie Kong and the Seven-Colored Spirit Venerable, Yi Ming, Zhan Nan, and Zhen Baishan must have heard every word. Yet, they continued the relentless pursuit, clearly showing no intention of giving up.

In truth, with the assurance of the Void-Penetrating Grand Master, the Primordial Heaven Mansion truly had little to fear. Among all the Spirit God powers in the entire Grand Master Spirit Realm, only the Primordial Heaven Mansion possessed such audacity.

"Let's go see," Hai Ying moved, flying forward, followed closely by Hai Hua and Yu Feng. "Go." The dozen or so Spirit Gods of the Pill Immortal Sect moved almost simultaneously.

Yan He's figure darted like lightning as he stared at the three figures nearly a thousand meters ahead, his expression turning quite peculiar. This matter was becoming increasingly fascinating: a newly ascended Spirit God had entangled the Pill Immortal Sect, the Sea Clan, the Primordial Heaven Mansion, and the Seven-Colored Grand Master all at once.

He wondered how this would ultimately resolve. "Damn it, those bastards from the Primordial Heaven Mansion really showed up too!" Nie Kong darted swiftly through the thick mountain forests of Mao Wei.

The commotion behind him made Nie Kong realize that his earlier speculation had materialized. Especially since those three Spirit Gods from the Primordial Heaven Mansion seemed far less hesitant regarding the Seven-Colored Grand Master than the Pill Immortal Sect and the Sea Clan.

Moreover, their speed was not in the least bit slower than his own, making it even harder for Nie Kong to shake them off. "Nie Kong, you cannot escape." That powerful voice echoed again, "Do not worry, we will not kill you; we are merely under the command of the Ziwei Divine Venerable to bring you back to the Primordial Heaven Mansion." To become their puppet once inside the Primordial Heaven Mansion?

Nie Kong sneered inwardly, feeling a headache coming on. This leaf could protect him from all harm, yet it acted like a massive beacon, clearly guiding his pursuers.

"Nie Kong, what do we do now?" Yu Longyue and the others also sensed the gravity of the situation and grew anxious. "Let me think..." Nie Kong's mind raced at high speed.

After a few seconds, Nie Kong's eyes lit up, and an idea instantly surfaced in his mind. Given the circumstances, he had no choice but to try that method; if it succeeded, he should be able to ditch them.

Without delay, Nie Kong took action, immersing his consciousness into the Pet Backpack. "Whoosh!" Suddenly, faint tremors emanated from above, and the leaf began to fade rapidly, the surrounding seven-colored radiance quickly dissipating along with it.

Qing You cried out, "Bad! The leaf is disappearing!" "..." Nie Kong was startled awake.

The change in the leaf made him pause slightly, and his speed involuntarily slackened. But in that single moment, the three Spirit Gods of the Primordial Heaven Mansion closed the final hundred-meter gap between them, surrounding Nie Kong in a triangular formation—a burly, strong man, a short and thin old man, and a stunningly beautiful woman with a graceful figure.

Yi Ming! Zhan Nan!

Zhen Baishan!