Someone! Bai Yuqing's expression shifted slightly, her delicate body swiftly turning toward the interior of the stone forest. Her full bosom swayed with surging waves.

Her gaze swept sharply across the area. Bai Yuqing flicked her toes, sending the discarded robe on the ground flying into her grasp. Then, with a swing of her arms, her almost completely ** body was enveloped. The view of intoxicating spring scenery was concealed, and even the white light within the stone cave seemed to dim slightly.

"Come out!"

A cold sneer touched Bai Yuqing's slightly immature face, and two hard words snapped from her lips, her tone as unyielding as eternal ice.

Nie Kong had also noticed that the footprint he had left earlier had betrayed his presence.

Since matters had come to this, Nie Kong no longer hid. He simply stood up from behind the rock. Looking at the girl who remained perfectly composed despite the sudden encounter, Nie Kong couldn't help but feel a degree of admiration.

In such a situation, most young women would likely shriek and cover their delicate chests. But Bai Yuqing was entirely different. Her first action wasn't to cover her chest, but to bring the area most likely to conceal someone into her line of sight, thus maximizing her defense against a sneak attack.

Only after ensuring her own safety did Bai Yuqing calmly wrap her bare body with the cloth. To maintain such composure under such sudden circumstances spoke volumes of a mind far beyond the ordinary, no wonder she had achieved the cultivation of the Eighth Grade of Spirit Communication at such a young age.

Bai Yuqing's eyes narrowed slightly, and she spoke coldly, "I recognize you. Nie Kong, eighteen years old, Ninth Grade of Spirit Gathering, the recent genius from the Nie family!"

"Little Sister Bai, my apologies, Ninth Grade of Spirit Gathering was this morning's news; I'm already First Grade of Spirit Communication now," Nie Kong shrugged, delivering the line with a touch of humor. He found himself increasingly enjoying the looks of shock and disbelief people displayed when they learned of his advancement in cultivation.

Was this similar to the sentiment of 'not returning home in rich brocade, like walking through the night'? Both seemed to carry a hint of showing off. Nie Kong felt his temperament was being increasingly influenced by the memories of his predecessor. The original him would never behave this way, but he didn't find fault with it either.

"Oh?"

Indeed, a trace of astonishment flickered in Bai Yuqing's clear, cold eyes, but her tone quickly settled into a terrifying calm. "Ninth Grade of Spirit Gathering, or First Grade of Spirit Communication—it's all a joke to me. You have two paths to choose from: suicide! Or let this lady personally send you home for dinner!"

"I choose neither path."

Nie Kong smiled faintly. "If I wasn't mistaken just now, the injury on your back was caused by a blunt blade, the wound is extremely deep, missing the vital organs by the narrowest of margins. I regret to inform you that you likely lack the capacity to 'personally send me home for dinner' right now."

Bai Yuqing scoffed, "You can certainly try." Despite her words, Bai Yuqing didn't move her feet, and a flicker of anxiety escaped her eyes, though she tried to mask it.

"I forgot to mention, I'm actually something of a semi-Apothecary," Nie Kong chuckled slowly. He had witnessed Bai Yuqing's methods; if she truly possessed sufficient strength, she would have struck him down long ago, instead of engaging in this back-and-forth banter.

"Is that so?"

Bai Yuqing fell silent for a moment, then her eyes suddenly sharpened. "Nie Kong, even if I am severely wounded, killing you is still more than enough for me."

Nie Kong didn't argue. "You are entirely correct. Perhaps you could succeed in killing me, but after that, you'd have to go outside to see tomorrow's sun yourself, which I imagine isn't your wish. It hardly befits a young lady to be constantly engaged in fighting; it's rather jarring. Bai Yuqing, how about we strike a bargain?"

"What bargain?"

Looking at Nie Kong's smiling eyes, Bai Yuqing held an undisguised disgust. "Are you planning to ask this lady to trade her body for your healing? Are all the young men of your Nie family the same sort? Let me remind you, just moments ago, there was someone named Nie Qingyan who was also interested in my body. As a result, I crushed his little piece down to dust, then slowly ground away the rest of his body, leaving only his head."

Nie Kong was quite surprised. Nie Qingyan, Ninth Grade of Spirit Communication? He was the highest-cultivated youth in the Life-Death Illusion Realm. To think he was dealt with so miserably by this little girl in less than half a day? His manhood turned to powder—would that leave a permanent psychological scar, leading to perpetual impotence?

A bizarre thought crossed his mind. Looking at the cold cruelty on Bai Yuqing's beautiful face, so utterly mismatched with her age, Nie Kong chuckled softly. "Little Sister Bai, to be honest, you are indeed quite beautiful, and your figure is excellent. If you were willing, I wouldn't mind letting you experience what it's like to be a woman. However, threats are unnecessary."

Ignoring Bai Yuqing's icy stare, Nie Kong continued, "My bargain is simple: I heal your injuries, and in return, you prepare my daily food and protect my safety."

One drawback of this Life-Death Illusion Realm was its stark realism; hunger was as present here as in the outside world. And having a sixteen-year-old girl protect him felt a bit embarrassing to admit, but wasting such a valuable resource would be a shame.

Most importantly, Nie Kong wanted to cultivate in the stone cave with as little disturbance as possible. The medicinal fragrance emanating from the white jade walls was almost pure Wood Spirit Energy. Once he left the Life-Death Illusion Realm, he might never encounter such a superb cultivation environment again.

Bai Yuqing's gaze flickered, clearly showing a degree of interest.

Nie Kong added another push. "You can rest assured. If by some chance we manage to last until the very end, I will commit suicide first; I won't steal your top