Mo Tianxing's face twisted into a savage mask, his hysteria growing more pronounced. Yet, the only reply he received was the crash of thunder, relentless and unending.

Like a wounded beast, Mo Tianxing roared with even greater frenzy, "Nie Kong, you scurrying rat who only knows how to hide! If you have any guts, face me squarely!"

"Do you even qualify?"

Nie Kong's mocking laughter cut sharply through the dense peals of thunder, but he gave no sign of revealing himself, seemingly unfazed by Mo Tianxing's shouted insults.

"You..."

Mo Tianxing had never been so utterly underestimated. He trembled with pure rage, his evasion movements growing sluggish, nearly allowing a bolt of lightning to strike him down.

However, just as he was awkwardly weaving between two massive arcs of lightning, a mass of milky-white aura suddenly materialized directly in front of him.

"War God Star Seal!"

Mo Qiaoxing immediately recognized the technique of the Scarlet Star Clan. Like a raging bull spotting red cloth, his body charged forward instead of retreating, lunging straight toward the Star Seal.

Almost simultaneously, a dark shadow erupted from within Mo Tianxing's body with a furious roar—it was the Dharma Aspect he cultivated, the "Ink Kun."

The Ink Kun was one of the fiercest spiritual beasts in the Immortal Zither Sea region of the Divine Void Realm.

Completely inky black, it submerged itself in the abyssal depths, blending seamlessly with the darkness, making it undetectable even to most newly ascended Spiritual Gods. Mo Tianxing's "Ink Kun" Dharma Aspect inherited all the characteristics of this spirit beast: fangs sharp as saw blades, and eyes gleaming with bloodthirsty cold light.

Still, Mo Tianxing had not allowed his fury to completely cloud his judgment.

A normal "Ink Kun" Dharma Aspect was colossal, hundreds of meters long, easily capable of occupying the majority of this lightning-filled space. But the "Ink Kun" manifested now was condensed countless times over, yet the Water God Power contained within it was far more surging and turbulent. The moment it appeared, Mo Tianxing merged into it.

"Whoosh!"

The Ink Kun shot forward like a black streak of light, striking the mass of white aura with lightning speed. With a loud bang, the "War God Star Seal" was instantly pierced through, then gradually faded away.

"A trap?"

Just as Mo Tianxing's startled cry echoed from within the Ink Kun, nine "War God Star Seals" shimmered into existence out of thin air, stacking heavily upon the Ink Kun's body.

"Boom!"

The Ink Kun Dharma Aspect shattered instantly.

Mo Tianxing's body separated from the wreckage and slammed hard onto the bottom of the lightning space. Gritting his teeth against the intense pain wracking his frame, Mo Tianxing stared up at the high heavens with a mixture of shock and fury just as Nie Kong’s figure reappeared.

"I said you didn't qualify, and you truly didn't. You couldn't even weather that single blow, and you dare ask for a fair fight with me?"

"Nie Kong..."

That sneer flushed Mo Tianxing's face crimson as he roared hoarsely, but before the rest of his words could escape his throat, a wave of blood-red sword shadows whistled down.

Snap!

Mo Tianxing’s pupils contracted violently, his features distorting as he crushed the Lightning Jade talisman—a shred...

Swish!

A sound of air being torn apart echoed sharply, and another figure shot out from the main doors of the "Great Thunder Sound Hall," moving as fast as an arrow loosed from a bowstring.

Mo Tianxing!

A Ninth-Rank Spiritual God of the Sea Clan.

Upon recognizing the face, the taut expressions of Divine Venerable Ziwei and Divine Venerable Dantian relaxed slightly, a fleeting, imperceptible smile crossing their eyes.

The Ninth-Rank Spiritual Gods competing for the quota this time, apart from Nie Kong, all hailed from the Primordial Heaven Mansion, the Pill Immortal Sect, and the Sea Clan.

The four Ninth-Rank Spiritual Gods—Yi Yang, Qi Xian, Du Su, and Yan Luo—had all been eliminated by Nie Kong. This was already somewhat embarrassing for the Primordial Heaven Mansion and the Pill Immortal Sect. If the Sea Clan's Ninth-Rank Spiritual God had managed to defeat Nie Kong and last until the end, the embarrassment for the other two factions would have been profound.

Now that Mo Tianxing had also fallen, the three major powers shared the disgrace, which at least prevented the Sea Dragon Divine Venerable from making sport of them. Ziwei and Dantian thus felt considerably more satisfied than before.

In contrast, the Sea Dragon Divine Venerable’s brow furrowed even tighter.

Swish!

Only a few seconds later, Nie Kong also burst out of the Great Thunder Sound Hall.

Outside the domain boundary, the silence was so profound one could hear a pin drop.

The moment Nie Kong landed, nearly every Ninth-Rank Spiritual God’s gaze fixed upon him.

In the eyes of Yi Yang, Qi Xian, and the other four, there was a potent mix of rage, humiliation, and unwillingness. They looked as if they wished they could tear Nie Kong to pieces, and only the presence of the Seven-Colored Supreme Elder nearby kept them from immediately lunging forward.

"How are everyone's injuries?"

Nie Kong glanced at the five, asking with exaggerated sincerity.

Then, Nie Kong added apologetically, "I only ascended to Ninth-Rank Spiritual God a month ago, and my control over Divine Power is still quite clumsy. I accidentally injured everyone here; I truly apologize. Fortunately, your foundations are solid, and there are no major issues, otherwise, my transgression would have been immense."

Nie Kong’s words sounded like an apology, but they were pure mockery.

The five did not speak, but their faces bloated to a purplish-red hue, deepening their resentment toward Nie Kong. It was no wonder they were furious; to be injured by Nie Kong despite having 'solid foundations,' and to have it happen accidentally? If he were to be only slightly more 'careful,' what chaos would ensue?

Divine Venerable Ziwei and the others frowned, clearly displeased with Nie Kong’s manner of claiming a victory while feigning regret.

Nie Kong maintained his smile, seemingly unconcerned by the reactions around him.

In truth, Nie Kong had no reason to care about their responses. The events in the Divine Void Realm had already forged an irreconcilable enmity between him and the Primordial Heaven Mansion, the Pill Immortal Sect, and the Sea Clan. It was only out of consideration for the status and strength of the Seven-Colored Supreme Elder that the three factions had refrained from taking action recently.

But once they entered the 'Primal Beginning Grotto-Heaven,' that restraint would vanish instantly.

Therefore, for Nie Kong, offending them once or offending them twice yielded essentially the same result—almost no difference at all.

"Senior Brother Lei Long, the sparring has concluded. Can we confirm the sixth quota now?" The Seven-Colored Supreme Elder floated up, shattering the slightly tense atmosphere.

"Indeed."

Grand Venerable Lei Long also rose, letting out a hearty laugh. "Everyone, in this sparring competition, Nie Kong has secured the final victory. The sixth quota is his. After the Boundary Outer Heaven opens, he, along with Ziwei, An Ye, Dantian, Hailong, and Leshan, will enter the 'Primal Beginning Grotto-Heaven.'"

As he spoke, Grand Venerable Lei Long made a gesture with his right hand. The "Great Thunder Sound Hall" lifted into the air, rapidly shrinking until it merged into his palm.

"Thank you all for yielding," Nie Kong said, ignoring the darkening faces of Yi Yang and the others as he bowed with a cheerful smile. He then turned to Divine Venerable Ziwei and the others, "Once we enter the Grotto-Heaven, I will have to rely on the five Divine Venerables for much guidance."

"You are too kind! Brother Nie Kong’s strength is unparalleled; why would he need our guidance?" Divine Venerable Dantian said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"..."

Grand Venerable Lei Long’s brow tightened slightly. He spoke with stern authority, "Ziwei, An Ye... the six of you prepare yourselves first; Yi Yang, you should return to your respective sects... The members of the Star Clan are likely arriving soon."

"Yes!"

The assembled group replied in unison.

Divine Venerable Ziwei and the others sat down, closing their eyes to calm their minds. Nie Kong stopped his verbal sparring and sat cross-legged, quietly circulating his 'Chaos Divine Art.' Although the battle in the 'Thunder Sound Hall' was brief, it had consumed a significant amount of his Divine Power, and he needed to recover quickly.

Yi Yang, Qi Xian, and the remaining four shot indignant glances their way before leaving one by one, filled with lingering resentment.

The area outside the boundary once again settled into its previous tranquility.