"Nie Kong, the matter concerning the second one, you must have guessed it long ago?" "..." Nie Kong let out a light laugh, exchanging a knowing look with Xian Zhuyin. While the two were playing this guessing game, Tai Yan, Mu Hongling, and Hulu were utterly bewildered.

"Master, Nie Kong, just who is this second Grand Venerable you are talking about?" Mu Hongling finally couldn't hold back her curiosity. "It's just speculation for now.

You will know in time." Nie Kong smiled mysteriously, which only made Mu Hongling roll her eyes in exasperation. She bared her teeth and made a threatening gesture towards him.

Pretending not to notice Mu Hongling's little movements, Nie Kong looked at Xian Zhuyin and said, "Senior, I understand your plan. You want me to refine the 'Chaos Immortal Qi' here and then return directly to the Heavenly Spirit Continent." "Precisely." Xian Zhuyin nodded approvingly.

"Speaking of which, I must thank Hongling. If it weren't for this girl stumbling into the sixth layer of this 'Primal Beginning Grotto-Heaven' by chance, I wouldn't have known there was a passage between this space and the Heavenly Spirit Continent.

However, this further confirms that you are the apostle chosen by him." Although Nie Kong did not believe in Xian Zhuyin's 'theory of destiny,' the coincidence of the matter was too pronounced. The Heavenly Spirit Continent had countless inhabitants, yet only Mu Hongling found that passage to the 'Primal Beginning Grotto-Heaven.' Nie Kong was the same; initially instructed by the Seven-Colored Grand Venerable to infiltrate the 'Divine Heaven Absolute Domain' to refine the Chaos Immortal Qi, he never expected that upon refining the Immortal Qi, the entrance to the sixth layer of the Grotto-Heaven would manifest.

Most marvelous of all, Nie Kong and Mu Hongling happened to be old acquaintances. If Mu Hongling's jade pendant hadn't appeared at precisely the right moment, it was highly uncertain whether Nie Kong, for safety's sake, would have been tempted by the 'Chaos Immortal Qi' to risk entering this place.

If Nie Kong had been a native of this world, he likely would have been thoroughly convinced by Xian Zhuyin's theory of destiny. "Senior, I have another question.

Can the 'Primal Beginning Divine Crystal' truly grant one the opportunity to advance to the Grand Venerable realm?" Pan Ling and Lei Long achieved the Grand Venerable rank because of the 'Primal Beginning Divine Crystal'—this was what Nie Kong had learned from the Seven-Colored Grand Venerable, and he had believed it implicitly before. But today, so many of his ingrained perceptions had been overturned that he couldn't help but doubt the veracity of the 'Primal Beginning Divine Crystal.' Upon hearing Nie Kong mention this, Tai Yan, Mu Hongling, and Hulu instantly pricked up their ears.

Xian Zhuyin's expression turned rather peculiar. "The Primal Beginning Divine Crystal does indeed exist, and it can indeed aid one in ascending to the Grand Venerable realm—that is absolutely true.

Back when the 'Chaos Immortal Spirit' advanced from the Grand Venerable realm to the Grand Unity realm, it expelled impurities from its body twice. These solidified into form, becoming the 'Primal Beginning Divine Crystals.'" "Pfft!" Nie Kong could no longer contain himself and burst out laughing.

Tai Yan and Hulu hadn't fully grasped it, but Mu Hongling's face suddenly became incredibly expressive. She pointed a finger at the infant body, her bright, dark eyes widening to their limits, and stammered, "Master, that 'Primal Beginning Divine Crystal' is this little guy's...

poop?" It was no wonder Mu Hongling asked this; the word 'expelled' used by Xian Zhuyin easily sparked such an association. Xian Zhuyin coughed lightly.

"Hmm, you could put it that way." "Poop?" Hulu held his distended little belly, laughing so hard on Nie Kong's shoulder that he nearly tumbled over. Tai Yan was more reserved, but the smile tugging at the corners of his eyes was impossible to conceal.

After a long while, as they left the pavilion, Nie Kong's expression was still somewhat strange. If Xian Zhuyin hadn't admitted it personally, Nie Kong would never have imagined that the 'Primal Beginning Divine Crystal' sought by experts like Ziwei Divine Venerable was actually the excrement of the 'Chaos Immortal Spirit.' He wondered what Ziwei Divine Venerable and the others, as well as Pan Ling and Lei Long who had already become Grand Venerables, would think if they knew.

Perhaps even if they knew the origin of the 'Primal Beginning Divine Crystal,' Pan Ling and Lei Long would still have absorbed it without hesitation upon obtaining it. After all, for a Ninth-Rank Spirit God, the temptation of the Grand Venerable realm was too immense, too great to allow even a flicker of abandonment.

It was a pity that there were only two 'Primal Beginning Divine Crystals,' and they had already fallen into the hands of Pan Ling and Lei Long. Even if Ziwei Divine Venerable and the others searched the Grotto-Heaven ten thousand times, they would never find a third one.

Their hope of advancing to the Grand Venerable realm through the 'Primal Beginning Divine Crystal' was ultimately destined to fail. "Disciple." Upon exiting the pavilion, Mu Hongling winked repeatedly at Nie Kong, lowering her voice to ask, "What's going on between you and Hua Mei?

Has her strange illness cleared up? And Bai Yuqing, how is that girl doing now?

You haven't been away from the Heavenly Spirit Continent that long; do you know how my parents and Great-Grand Ancestor are doing?" Mu Hongling rattled off questions like popping corn, a rapid-fire barrage emerging all at once. "Don't rush, I'll tell you slowly..." "..." Grotto-Heaven Fifth Layer, at the end of the yellow sands.

Two colossal pillars of snow-white stone pierced the sky, and a vortex spun serenely between them. This scene was almost identical to the entrances of the previous layers of the Grotto-Heaven, except that the vortex here was not an entrance, but the exit from the 'Primal Beginning Grotto-Heaven.' Through it, one could return to the outer Primal Beginning Palace.

At this moment, nine figures were already gathered before this exit vortex. They were the three Divine Venerables—Ziwei, Dantian, and Leshan—along with six Ninth-Rank Star Gods, including Pan Lie and Pan Lin; as for Hai Long Divine Venerable, he had already departed.

"Buzz." Suddenly, the two sky-supporting pillars trembled slightly. "Three months have passed..." Ziwei Divine Venerable lifted his eyelids slightly and murmured.

"Everyone, there's no need to wait any longer. Nie Kong must have already left the 'Primal Beginning Grotto-Heaven.'" Pan Lie glanced at the giant pillars and sprang up in one motion.

Since leaving the 'Divine Heaven Absolute Domain,' the nine of them had rushed to this exit point. They had formed groups of three, taking turns standing guard, while the others searched the Fifth Layer of the Grotto-Heaven for the 'Primal Beginning Divine Crystal.' However, those keeping watch never saw any sign of Nie Kong.

In that case, there was only one explanation. After ambushing and severely injuring Leshan Divine Venerable, Nie Kong immediately left the 'Divine Heaven Absolute Domain,' arrived at this vortex exit, and slipped out of the Primal Beginning Grotto-Heaven.

"It's a pity we couldn't eliminate him inside the Grotto-Heaven," Pan Lin sighed regretfully, then also stood up. Pan Yan and the other three followed suit.

"Seniors, we shall depart first." After bowing slightly to the three Divine Venerables of Ziwei, Pan Lie and the six others entered the vortex one after another. At this moment, the trembling of the two sky-supporting pillars intensified.

In just a few seconds, the humming sound became deafening. Immediately afterward, the two pillars began to converge toward the center, as if intending to crush the vortex.

"Leshan, Dantian, it's time for us to go too." Ziwei Divine Venerable rose gracefully and smiled faintly. "Nie Kong may have escaped the 'Primal Beginning Grotto-Heaven,' but he cannot escape the Grand Venerable Spirit Realm.

Sooner or later, he will fall into our hands." Dantian also nodded slightly and was about to speak when Leshan Divine Venerable interjected, "Ziwei, Dantian, why do you think the Seven-Colored Grand Venerable allowed Nie Kong to enter the 'Primal Beginning Grotto-Heaven'? He surely could have guessed that once Nie Kong entered, he would be hunted by us, leaving him no time to search for the 'Primal Beginning Divine Crystal.'" "..." Hearing this, Ziwei and Dantian were both momentarily stunned.

The implication in Leshan Divine Venerable's words was that the Seven-Colored Grand Venerable had a different motive for letting Nie Kong enter the 'Primal Beginning Grotto-Heaven'? "Let's go; the exit is about to close." In an instant, Leshan Divine Venerable's voice snapped them back to reality.

The speed at which the two giant pillars closed increased, and the vortex had already shrunk by nearly half. With no time to ponder further, they followed Leshan Divine Venerable and leaped into the exit vortex...