He had long understood that the colorful bridge was less a consideration for him and more a ladder intended to elevate his cultivation. Now, though this was their first meeting, Nie Kong was immensely grateful to the Seven-Colored Grand Venerable, especially since he had been instrumental in Nie Kong’s smooth escape outside Panyuan City.

As he straightened up, Nie Kong realized the Seven-Colored Grand Venerable possessed no eyes.

However, for a powerhouse beyond the Spirit God realm, the absence of eyes—or even the loss of all four limbs—would have no impact on their actual strength.

But in the next instant, Nie Kong was truly stunned.

He could sense absolutely no divine power radiating from the Seven-Colored Grand Venerable... as if he were an ordinary person who had never cultivated. No, even an ordinary person possessed a unique aura, yet the Seven-Colored Grand Venerable lacked even that trace of human presence! He sat there, resembling nothing more than a pocket of air.

The sensation was profoundly unsettling.

Gu Quan was a Ninth-Rank Spirit God; even if he concealed his form, Nie Kong could sense his existence. But with the Seven-Colored Grand Venerable, if he chose to hide, Nie Kong had zero confidence in his ability to locate him.

"Sit!"

The Seven-Colored Grand Venerable’s expression was gentle. He gestured toward a cushion opposite him, smiling warmly. "Nie Kong, do you know how long you spent traversing this 'Spirit Leaf Seven Realms Bridge'?"

"I do not."

Nie Kong shook his head, suppressing the astonishment in his chest, and sat down with a flicker of curiosity.

On that colorful bridge, Nie Kong had either battled opponents conjured from spirit leaves or refined and absorbed pure streams of divine power. He had been largely oblivious to the outside world, only learning the bridge’s name, "Spirit Leaf Seven Realms Bridge," at this very moment.

"Three months." Gu Quan, standing just behind and to the rear-left of the Seven-Colored Grand Venerable, spoke first, raising three fingers with a grin.

"Three months?"

Nie Kong was slightly taken aback. "That much time has passed?"

"Three months, and you think that’s a long time?"

The smile on Gu Quan’s face instantly froze. He widened his eyes in an expression of extreme consternation, and after a moment, gritted his teeth slightly. "Nie Kong, I passed the 'Spirit Leaf Five Realms Bridge.' You cleared two fewer stages than I did. Do you have any idea how long it took me?"

Nie Kong casually asked, "How long?"

"Thirty years!"

Gu Quan held up three fingers again, his face turning somewhat dark. The difference between three months and thirty years was not slight; it was monumental.

"Th-thirty years?"

Nie Kong stammered, looking at Gu Quan with utter disbelief. The opponents manifested by the spirit leaves were indeed difficult to handle, but surely not that time-consuming. It was entirely abnormal!

The Seven-Colored Grand Venerable seemed to read Nie Kong’s thoughts: "The realm bridges I established are rather unique. Even if a Spirit God conjured from a spirit leaf is shattered, it can instantly draw divine power from the void to reform itself. However, each time it is broken, it suffers a slight loss of power."

"Back then, Gu Quan defeated his opponents countless times, grinding away their divine essence before he could continuously break through the spirit leaf spaces. Thirty years to complete the 'Spirit Leaf Five Realms Bridge' was already incredibly fast. As for you, little fellow, you have far exceeded my expectations."

"Originally, I thought you would take at least half a year to cross the realm bridge, but to do it in just three months is astonishingly quick. Still, your cultivated Chaos Divine Power can dissolve any energy in this world, which cannot be compared to Gu Quan's mutated Water Divine Power; a faster pace is only natural."

Pausing briefly, the Seven-Colored Grand Venerable smiled. "Nie Kong, you obtained two spirit leaves on the Heavenly Spirit Continent, and now you have passed the 'Spirit Leaf Seven Realms Bridge.' Are you willing to become my disciple?"

"Of course, I am willing."

Nie Kong’s face lit up, and he agreed without thinking, but quickly, a hesitation crept in. "However, I have offended the major powers within the Grand Venerable Spirit Realm. Each of those powers has a Divine Venerable, and behind the Primordial Heaven Mansion, there is even a Void-Piercing Grand Venerable. I… I worry…"

The Seven-Colored Grand Venerable waved his hand with a smile. "No matter. If you become my disciple, those Divine Venerables will not dare to move against you lightly. Moreover, once you advance to Ninth-Rank Spirit God in a short while, even if Dark Night, Zi Wei, Dan Tian, and Hai Long were to act personally, they might not be able to handle you. As for the Void-Piercing Grand Venerable, you need not worry at all. Matters this minor are beneath the notice of someone like him; you need not fear that becoming my disciple will bring me trouble."

"Then I am relieved," Nie Kong sighed. He realized he might have been overthinking things. Although Spirit Gods were powerful, perhaps compared to a master like the Void-Piercing Grand Venerable, they were truly nothing more than ants.

"Junior Brother Nie Kong, since that is the case, quickly perform the discipleship rites," Gu Quan said, his smile returning to his eyes.

"I have one more thing to mention," Nie Kong said sheepishly. "Senior Seven-Colored, I once entered the 'Abyssal Deep,' which was sealed beneath the sea, and there I acquired many Red Star Race..."

Before he could finish, the Seven-Colored Grand Venerable burst into laughter. "Nie Kong, you need not have any concern about this either. Not long ago, Dark Night reported to the Void-Piercing Grand Venerable that some Star Gods of the Red Star Race, who were thought to have perished on the Heavenly Spirit Continent, had not completely died, and he requested the Void-Piercing Grand Venerable to open the realm gate."

Nie Kong’s heart tightened, and he did not interrupt.

The Seven-Colored Grand Venerable continued: "At that time, the Void-Piercing Grand Venerable neither agreed nor refused; for him, this was also an insignificant trifle. In the end, Dark Night invited Zi Wei, Dan Tian, Hai Long, and Le Shan to act together. Unfortunately, the realm gate to the Heavenly Spirit Continent was completely blocked. Even if the Void-Piercing Grand Venerable acted personally, it would take a considerable amount of time to open it, let alone the five of them."

"Nie Kong, if I am not mistaken, the sealing of that gate has something to do with the Wood Ancestor?"

"Precisely."

Nie Kong did not hide anything, briefly explaining his discovery of the Dark Night Divine Venerable conducting a 'Soul Sacrifice' on the Heavenly Spirit Continent and how the Wood Ancestor sealed the realm gate with a soul orb.

Gu Quan raised an eyebrow slightly, looking surprised. "That Dark Night fellow truly has daring! To actually attempt to advance to the Grand Venerable realm using 'Soul Sacrifice.' The Spirit God who created this method was killed not just because the technique is incredibly cruel, but more importantly, even if one successfully ascends to the Grand Venerable realm using such a method, their humanity is extinguished, turning them into demons who only know slaughter."

"Dark Night has a deep connection with the Thunder Dragon Grand Venerable. Even if this matter were spread around, without concrete proof, it would ultimately fizzle out. It is fortunate that you thwarted his scheme; this matter can be set aside for now and addressed later," the Seven-Colored Grand Venerable mused. "Nie Kong, do you have any other concerns?"

"None at all," Nie Kong said, finally putting his mind at ease.

"Excellent."

The Seven-Colored Grand Venerable clapped his hands and laughed. "Becoming my disciple involves no great ceremony. Nie Kong, starting today, you are my second and final disciple. Gu Quan, spread the word of my acceptance; those people will finally have to give up hope once they hear this news."

"Yes," Gu Quan quickly affirmed.

"Disciple Nie Kong pays respects to Master."

Nie Kong was even more grateful. Although the Seven-Colored Grand Venerable was casual about formalities, Nie Kong could not be careless. He respectfully kowtowed three times to the Seven-Colored Grand Venerable.