To Nie Kong's mild surprise, Xiangxiang hadn't absorbed all the medicinal power within him; half remained, likely only enough to last until tomorrow.

The little creature, having eaten its fill and brimming with energy, shook its small leaves vigorously, conveying an intense desire to continue practicing the "Flower Burst." Nie Kong ignored it, instead continuing to knead the golden needles, dissolving the spiritual energy clogging his meridians.

Of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, the Ren, Du, and Chong channels were now clear. This time, Nie Kong's focus was on the Yin Wei and Yang Wei meridians.

In truth, with Nie Kong's Nine Revolutions Golden Needles, he could have cleared all the meridians in a single day. However, his current body had been transformed by the "Muscle and Bone Strengthening Decoction" and was temporarily inferior to a body naturally tempered through years of cultivation. Rushing to clear every meridian at once risked the suddenly melted, vast spiritual energy overstraining his channels and shattering his three spiritual apertures, leaving him utterly crippled.

Advancing gradually day by day was far safer. Nie Kong had ample time to digest the dissolved spiritual energy, allowing his meridians and the three spiritual apertures to slowly adapt to the surge of power.

...

Beneath the eaves, Hua Mei sat before a large wooden block.

On the block rested a half-meter-long wooden carving, barely taking shape. Hua Mei’s right wrist trembled, and the small carving knife moved like a living thing, dancing between her fingers. The sharp tip swiftly traversed the sculpture's surface, sending slivers of wood raining down like fine mist.

Such practiced skill would elicit praise even from advanced Spirit Masters.

Hua Mei lacked the aptitude for cultivating spiritual power, but her carving technique was exquisitely refined. Previously, she couldn't settle down to this work, constantly worrying about Nie Kong's illness. Now that his condition had greatly improved and she had lost her laundry chore, this was the perfect time to focus on carving.

“De de de de...”

The crisp sound of the carving knife meeting the wood was incessant, like a masterful melody echoing through the small courtyard.

Hua Mei slightly pursed her red lips, her dark, bright eyes fixed almost unblinkingly on the block before her, filled with focus and seriousness. In the glow of the setting sun, her jade-like delicate face radiated a faint, luminous sheen—moist, tender, and captivatingly beautiful.

Lost in her work, Hua Mei suddenly realized it had been a long time since she heard her uncle practicing his spirit arts. She couldn't help but glance over in that direction.

The moment she looked, the slight blush already on her cheeks deepened. Why was her uncle practicing in the courtyard with his clothes off?

“Ouch.”

With a soft cry, Hua Mei snapped back to attention. She couldn't help but furrow her delicate brows; the index finger of her left hand had been sliced by the carving knife, and blood welled up profusely.

“Sister-in-law, what happened?”

Not far away, Nie Kong sprang up, his hands sweeping swiftly past his front and back, catching nine golden needles in his palm. Without waiting for Hua Mei’s reply, he hopped over in a few quick steps and took her small hand, saying softly, “Oh, you cut your hand. It’s alright, I’ll handle it.”

“I... I...”

Nie Kong’s bare chest was close, and faintly, a strong masculine scent drifted into Hua Mei’s nostrils. Her face burned crimson, and she was too flustered to speak coherently. Instinctively, she tried to pull her left hand back but couldn't escape Nie Kong's grasp. Her heart hammered wildly.

Heaven knew, although Hua Mei was married, she was practically no different from an unmarried girl, having hardly ever been touched by a man like this—and this man was her uncle.

Nie Kong gave her a slight smile. His right palm flickered, and the extra golden needles vanished into the pet pack, leaving only the slender person-needle. With a pleasant, resonant ‘Weng,’ a burst of emerald green spiritual energy flashed across the needle, and the next instant, it was inserted at the base of Hua Mei’s left index finger.

Hua Mei, already embarrassed, opened her small mouth slightly when she saw this. She had seen Nie Kong needle himself many times and had imagined the sensation of the golden needle entering the body. Now experiencing it firsthand, she realized all her previous suppositions were wrong.

The spot only felt slightly numb; there was absolutely no pain. As Nie Kong continuously manipulated the golden needle, Hua Mei felt as if her left index finger were soaking in a hot spring—warm and soothing. Not only did the wound stop bleeding, but the pain in her finger also began to recede, bringing an unusual comfort.

“There, it will heal in a few days,”

Two or three minutes later, Nie Kong withdrew the needle and smiled with satisfaction. Being able to utilize wood-element spiritual energy made his acupuncture skills feel even more masterful. Hua Mei’s injury was minor, but the cut was over an inch long. In his past life, stopping bleeding with one needle like this would have been unimaginable.

“Mmm.”

Hua Mei responded instinctively, then suddenly remembered Nie Kong had rushed over the moment she made a sound, and worried, “Uncle, did I interrupt your cultivation?”

Nie Kong couldn't help but laugh, “Not at all. Even if you hadn't made a sound, I would have paused. I just broke through to the sixth grade of Spirit Gathering.”

“So fast?”

Hua Mei was both shocked and delighted. She wanted to say more, but her eyes fell upon Nie Kong’s exposed chest. The blush that had barely faded returned to her pretty face, and she swiftly pulled her left hand out of his grasp. “I... Uncle, it’s getting late, I... I’ll go make dinner now.”

“Sister-in-law, keep that finger away from water.”

Still so shy. Nie Kong shook his head with a slight smile, turning his gaze to the wooden carving. Squatting down to look closer, Nie Kong felt a wave of astonishment. What was being carved was an old man whose features resembled a Heaven Spirit powerhouse from the Grand Completion Empire several centuries ago—Nie Kong’s predecessor had seen a portrait of him and remembered it clearly. Though the sculpture wasn't finished, Nie Kong could already sense a towering arrogance radiating from it, an aura that looked down upon the world.

Initially, when he saw Hua Mei holding the carving knife, Nie Kong hadn't paid much attention, realizing now that he had truly underestimated her. Carving, like cultivation, depended on inherent talent; without that gift, even a ninth-grade Heaven Spirit expert couldn't produce anything fine.

He hadn't expected Hua Mei to possess such a hidden skill!

...

Time flowed, and darkness enveloped the entire Jiyang City. In the bedroom, candlelight flickered, occasionally sputtering with a small bip-bop sound.

Nie Kong sat cross-legged on the bed and couldn't help but grumble, “Xiangxiang, you seem full of medicinal power and high spirits. Deploying the ‘Medicine Cauldron Illusory Body’ shouldn't be difficult at all. Why must you rest for a full twelve hours? You’re definitely slacking off on purpose, aren't you?”

“Aiya ya, aiya ya...”

The little creature flailed its limbs inside the Yaochi Acupoint, constantly arguing that it wasn't being lazy.

Nie Kong chuckled secretly. In truth, he already knew the reason, but being bored while waiting, he wanted to tease it. If it didn't rest for the full twelve hours, it would hinder the growth and development of the Ziyuluo Illusionary Spirit Incense. As it leveled up, the interval required to summon the Medicine Cauldron Illusory Body would gradually shorten. Perhaps once Xiangxiang reached the ninth tier, it could summon the cauldron anytime.

“Xiangxiang, how many minutes left?”

“One minute.”

“Good!”

Nie Kong took a deep breath and opened the medicine packages, including the Silk Thread Glazed Root, one by one...