Yan He’s words gave everyone a collective pause. Memories long buried began to surface, and only then did Yi Ming, Hai Ying, and the others slowly recall the ancient rumor that had been forgotten for countless ages.

The exact year was no longer clear, only that a piece of news suddenly began circulating: a newly ascended Spirit God named Gu Quan had caught the eye of the Seven-Colored Grand (Supreme Being) and was accepted as his disciple. No one knew what Gu Quan looked like, but his origin from the Tian Ling Continent was hotly debated.

At that time, the Spirit Gods of the Grand Spirit Realm either hailed from the Phantom Spirit Continent of ten thousand years ago or the subsequent Divine Void Realm. The fact that a newly ascended Spirit God from the six Tian Ling Continents became a disciple of the Grand instantly piqued the curiosity of every Spirit God, who yearned to see him.

The Spirit Gods of the Grand Spirit Realm held this thought, and the Star Gods of the Pan Xing Clan felt the same way. However, to the disappointment of all the Spirit Gods and Star Gods, Gu Quan disappeared without a trace after being taken away by the Seven-Colored Grand, as if he had never existed in this world.

Over time, some even dismissed the rumor as hearsay. As years turned into ages, news of Gu Quan gradually faded from the memories of the Spirit Gods and Star Gods of the Grand Spirit Realm, almost never to be mentioned again.

But unexpectedly, the Gu Quan from the old rumor had actually appeared. Moreover, he had reached the realm of a Ninth-Rank Spirit God.

There were many Spirit Gods in the Grand Spirit Realm, yet very few managed to cultivate to the absolute peak of the Spirit God realm; many Spirit Gods from ten thousand years ago were still stuck at the fifth or sixth rank. But Gu Quan reaching the Ninth Rank in such a short time suggested that the ancient rumor was true.

“Are you truly that newly ascended Spirit God from the Tian Ling Continent, Gu Quan? The disciple of the Seven-Colored Grand?” Yi Ming took a deep breath, staring intently at the old man in the white robe, as if searching his expression for any flaw or hoping for a negative reply.

“If I recall my name correctly, that would be me,” Gu Quan replied with a slight smile. “……………” A collective tension tightened in everyone’s chests, and the way they looked at Gu Quan became incredibly complex.

They did not doubt the truth of this Gu Quan’s identity in this world; no Spirit God dared to impersonate a Grand’s disciple, even if this Grand was the Seven-Colored Grand, who ascended in the shortest time. Nie Kong, however, felt a sense of wonder.

In recent times, the Spirit Gods he encountered were either from the current Divine Void Realm or the Phantom Spirit Continent of ten thousand years ago. This was the first time he had met a Spirit God from the Tian Ling Continent.

This wasn't to say there were no Spirit Gods from the Tian Ling Continent in the Grand Spirit Realm, but that they were exceedingly rare. From the memories Nie Kong had absorbed, the majority of newly ascended Spirit Gods from the Tian Ling Continent were affiliated with the "Dark God Sect" of the Dark Night Divine Venerable—like the Spirit Gods in the Spirit God Palace; others were attached to the Grandmist Heavenly Mansion, the Pill Immortal Sect, or other Spirit God forces, with only a small minority cultivating independently.

As for Hua Pianxian, whom Nie Kong was more familiar with, she had attached herself to the Grandmist Heavenly Mansion after entering the Grand Spirit Realm. As a Tenth-Rank Talisman King, Hua Pianxian possessed extremely high renown in the Grand Spirit Realm and held a decent position within the Grandmist Heavenly Mansion.

However, why she suffered a great calamity and fled back to the Tian Ling Continent as a wisp of remnant soul was something Nie Kong did not know; the Spirit God memories he absorbed held no related information. Besides, that was not his immediate concern.

Nie Kong was currently pondering Gu Quan’s true intentions. Since he was the disciple of the Seven-Colored Grand, he shouldn't have misidentified the origin of that leaf.

“Could it be that Gu Quan knows the true origin of the leaf?” Nie Kong’s mind suddenly stirred. “He’s from the Tian Ling Continent; perhaps he knew Old Man Mu Zu.

Seeing Mu Zu’s leaf today, he stepped forward to look after me, an offspring of Mu Zu’s bloodline?” “Splash, splash*…” Just then, Qing You in Nie Kong’s arms suddenly leaped up with excitement, the sound of water reverberating through the void, causing a buzzing in people’s eardrums. Nie Kong was taken aback; the little fellow was agitated beyond measure, looking like a lost child who had suddenly spotted his parents.

Qing You’s strange actions left Nie Kong utterly confused. “The six little ones have finally recognized me,” Gu Quan burst into hearty laughter, his snow-white eyebrows fluttering, pure joy shining unmistakably in his eyes.

“Brother, Qing You knows him?” Tai Yan Qi and the nearby Hu Lu and Yu Long Yue were equally astonished. “Whoosh!” A stream of blue-red luminescence shot out from Nie Kong’s chest.

Qing You leaped onto Gu Quan opposite him; the exquisite, transparent little body transformed into a pool of brilliant, flowing water, circling Gu Quan’s neck merrily. For a moment, the only sounds in that space were the gurgling water and Gu Quan’s unrestrained laughter.

Nie Kong’s Water Spirit had such a close relationship with the Seven-Colored Grand’s disciple. This scene further confirmed that Nie Kong had some connection to the Seven-Colored Grand.

Seeing this, Yan He, Hai Ying, and the others secretly felt a surge of relief. Fortunately, in the final moments, they had all shown leniency toward Nie Kong and hadn't completely offended the Seven-Colored Grand.

Now, even if Nie Kong held deep dissatisfaction toward the Pill Immortal Sect and the Sea Clan, it wouldn't invite the Thunderous Wrath of the Seven-Colored Grand. Yi Ming, Tan Nan, and Zhen Bai Shan exchanged glances.

Taking Nie Kong away today now seemed unlikely. Although an Eighth-Rank Spirit God and a Ninth-Rank Spirit God both counted as peak experts among Spirit Gods, the gap between them was still immense; a Ninth-Rank Spirit God could easily suppress them.

“I know!” After observing Qing You and Gu Quan for a moment, Nie Kong suddenly cried out in his heart. This Gu Quan must be the original master of the “Prison Fire Profound Spring” space, and also Qing You’s original master!

At this moment, the confusion in Nie Kong’s mind completely dissolved. Gu Quan’s appearance was likely not because of the leaf, but because of Qing You.

“Gu Quan, we are taking Nie Kong back to the Grandmist Heavenly Mansion. Do you intend to stop us?” Yi Ming suddenly asked in a deep voice.

After the initial shock subsided, Yi Ming finally steadied his resolve. Despite Gu Quan being a Ninth-Rank Spirit God and the disciple of the Seven-Colored Grand, he wasn't enough to inspire genuine fear in Yi Ming.

“Little fellow, stop fooling around,” Gu Quan seemed to finally recall the situation here. He patted Qing You’s body, urging him to calm down.

“My Master also wishes to see this Nie Kong. What should we do?” Saying that, he looked at Yi Ming and the other two with an expression of feigned helplessness.

A few seconds later, Gu Quan seemed to have thought of an excellent solution; his long eyebrows twitched, and a joyful smile spread across his face, “How about this: we fight a match, and whoever wins takes him. Me fighting the three of you—you’re actually at an advantage.” Gu Quan spoke with growing excitement, rubbing his palms, eager for a clash.

“How about it? How about it?” “You…” Yi Ming was so angry he felt like spitting blood.

For a Ninth-Rank Spirit God to suggest fighting three Eighth-Rank Spirit Gods, and then claim the three Eighth-Rank Spirit Gods had the advantage—how could a person be so shameless! Forcing down the rage boiling inside, Yi Ming stared at Gu Quan with shadowed eyes: “Gu Quan, since you intend to take him away, please do so.

However, the Grandmist Heavenly Mansion will absolutely not let this matter rest so easily! Tan Nan, Bai Shan, let’s go!” He was a decisive man; realizing the situation was hopeless, he immediately left, determined not to invite further humiliation by staying.

In a blink of an eye, the three figures vanished in the direction of Pan Yuan City.