About fifteen minutes later, Lei Long Taizun, who had been sitting with his eyes closed, suddenly stood up, his eyes flickering with electric light that seemed to emit a low, resonant sound.

Qi Cai Taizun, Zi Wei Shenzun, and the others all turned their heads toward the west of the Boundary Domain.

Nie Kong also opened his eyes immediately. The cultivation during this short period had completely restored his spent strength, his internal Chaos Divine Power surging mightily.

Then, Nie Kong released his spiritual sense.

His range of perception had now expanded to a radius of a hundred li. After just a moment, Nie Kong clearly sensed six exceedingly massive auras. Having absorbed Pan Hu's heart in the Netherworld, Nie Kong had inherited the legacy of the Pan Xing Clan, and he instantly recognized the identity of those six individuals.

They were all Star Gods of the Pan Xing Clan.

Each one was no weaker than the Five Great Shenzuns—all were Ninth-Rank Star Gods.

Besides these six, there were two other auras that were faint and elusive, like faces obscured by thick veils, vague and indistinct.

"They must be the two Taizuns from the Pan Xing Clan, Pan Gu and Pan Ling!"

Nie Kong’s heart stirred, and he instantly retracted his spiritual sense.

He noticed that the spiritual senses of Zi Wei Shenzun and the others had made the same choice as his own, refraining from probing the reality of those two auras, clearly sharing the same judgment.

The eight auras sped toward the central Boundary Domain...

The hundred-li distance vanished in an instant. In just a few short minutes, eight small dots appeared on the western horizon. In the blink of an eye, the eight dots transformed into eight figures standing at the edge of the Boundary Domain.

Nie Kong’s gaze immediately settled on the first two individuals.

The one on the left was an elder, remarkably burly, clad in a grey robe, with hair and beard bone-white. His face was deeply lined, and his back seemed somewhat stooped, giving him the appearance of old age and approaching the twilight of his years.

The one on the right was a woman who appeared to be around fifty, tall, with ordinary features, yet her eyes sparkled like flowing streams of light, possessing profound charm.

According to the information Nie Kong possessed, the elder should be Pan Gu Taizun, and the woman, Pan Ling Taizun.

The six elders behind the two Taizuns—some young, some aged, varying in height—were, without exception, powerfully built.

"Two Taizuns, you've arrived a bit late this time," Lei Long Taizun stepped forward, laughing heartily.

"It’s not that we are late, but that you and Qi Cai arrived too early," Pan Ling Taizun spoke with a gentle smile, her gaze sweeping over Lei Long Taizun and Qi Cai Taizun like flowing water.

"Indeed, Lei Long. Where is Chong Xu?" Pan Gu Taizun’s wrinkled face seemed to curve into a smile.

"..."

While Lei Long exchanged pleasantries with Pan Gu and Pan Ling, the six Ninth-Rank Star Gods of the Pan Xing Clan greeted Zi Wei Shenzun and the others; they all seemed quite familiar with each other. Only Qi Cai Taizun gave slight nods to Pan Gu Taizun and Pan Ling Taizun, looking somewhat out of place in the otherwise harmonious atmosphere.

As Nie Kong observed secretly, he suddenly noticed Pan Gu Taizun’s gaze fall upon him: "Brother Qi Cai, is this the disciple you recently accepted, Nie Kong?"

"Precisely," Qi Cai Taizun replied calmly.

"Truly fine aptitude."

A slight smile emerged from Pan Gu Taizun's ancient eyes. "To advance to Ninth-Rank Spirit God in under two years—in the two-thousand-year history of the Taizun Spirit Realm, he is the only one."

Pausing, Pan Gu Taizun looked back at Nie Kong and abruptly shifted the conversation, "Little fellow, if this old man is not mistaken, the armor you are wearing should be the 'Lingxi Battle Robe'?"

"Lingxi Battle Robe?"

The moment those four syllables were uttered, a bizarre silence fell. Astonished gazes landed on Nie Kong, especially those of Pan Ling Taizun and the six Ninth-Rank Star Gods.

They had long heard rumors of Nie Kong obtaining the inheritance of the Chi Xing Clan, but they hadn't expected him to possess the "Lingxi Battle Robe" as well. Ten thousand years ago, when the Chi Xing Clan still existed, the "Lingxi Battle Robe" had served as their symbol, worn only by successive Clan Chiefs.

"Reporting to the Taizun, this is indeed the 'Lingxi Battle Robe,'" Nie Kong smiled slightly. "When I was still on the Tian Ling Continent, I visited the entrance to the 'Abyss of the Fallen' and picked up this robe. At that time, a trace of an unconscious, fragmented soul remained on it. I exerted great effort to refine that trace of the fragmented soul before I could claim the robe for my own use. From that mass of soul, I also obtained two cultivation techniques: 'Chi Xing Battle Body' and 'God of War Star Seal.'"

Nie Kong’s words were half-true and half-false, leaving the crowd skeptical.

"So that's how it is," Pan Gu Taizun, however, nodded slightly. "With Chi Lian's abilities, it wouldn't be entirely unexpected if a wisp of remnant soul escaped the seal had she not died back then, but I never imagined it would ultimately be refined by you. Little fellow, although the 'Lingxi Battle Robe' has no grand practical use, it was indeed a treasure of the Chi Xing Clan in those days. Cherish it well."

"Yes!" Nie Kong bowed in response.

Pan Gu Taizun did not press further regarding the "Lingxi Battle Robe" and instead smiled, "Brothers Lei Long and Qi Cai, it’s getting late. Let us begin."

With that, Pan Gu Taizun's figure flashed, and he entered the Boundary Domain. Pan Ling Taizun and the six Pan Xing Clan Star Gods glanced at Nie Kong, then followed suit.

"Let's go!"

With Lei Long Taizun’s command, Zi Wei Shenzun and the others also began to move.

In mere seconds, the dozen or so figures had arrived before the two giant pillars on the left. The vortex Gate of the Boundary beyond the heavens lay between this pair of pillars.

Hiss! Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!

The four supreme figures—Pan Gu, Pan Ling, Lei Long, and Qi Cai—all waved their hands simultaneously. Four streams of divine power tore through the void, plunging into the vortex like lightning.

Immediately, the vortex seemed to come under immense constraint; its rotational speed slowed increasingly, and in an instant, it became completely still.

"Open!"

Pan Gu Taizun roared, his body suddenly swelling to several hundred meters high. Two gigantic arms reached directly into the depths of the vortex and gently pried outward. It was as if a tightly locked door had been suddenly thrown open, revealing a pale white fissure as the vortex gradually dissolved into the void.

"Brother Lei Long, Brother Qi Cai, this old man will take the first step."

Before Pan Gu Taizun's robust laughter could fade, his colossal form rapidly condensed, transforming into a grey shadow that plunged into the white gate.

Lei Long Taizun also burst into laughter, entering the Gate second.

Pan Ling Taizun, Zi Wei Shenzun, and the others followed one by one.

In a flash, only Qi Cai Taizun and Nie Kong remained outside the Gate. The pressure squeezing in from all directions of the Boundary Domain grew stronger and stronger.

Nie Kong smiled, "Master, let’s go in as well."

Qi Cai Taizun, however, hesitated slightly. "Nie Kong, your Master is already feeling some regret now. If you enter the 'Taishi Cave Heaven,' not only will Zi Wei and the others become your enemies, but those six from the Pan Xing Clan likely won't spare you either. To rise from a mere Spirit Gathering Master to a Ninth-Rank Spirit God in just a few years—a speed unheard of in all history—your brilliance is enough to make any cultivation genius feel ashamed..."