Happy New Year, everyone. Today’s chapter is an extra update.

(∩_∩)~。。 …… At the side gate of the manor, a spirit beast appeared. It was three to four meters long and over a meter high, majestic and imposing.

Its skin was a deep cyan, almost entirely free of mixed hairs. Its head was enormous, and its tail tapered into a sharp, pointed cone, only to suddenly swell at the very end, trailing a long, horse-tail-like plume of hair.

As its four limbs moved, the long tail whipped back and forth with surprising speed, causing streams of clear, bright azure light to twist and coil in the air. At this moment, the spirit beast was leashed by an iron chain as thick as a man's arm around its neck, led by a burly man.

Behind him, five others led equally magnificent spirit beasts inside. “‘Azure Shadow Bone Beast’?

They are all Second-Grade spirit beasts, ‘Azure Shadow Bone Beasts’!” “What are they bringing these spirit beasts in for? This is the Medicine Competition, do they need these beasts for some kind of demonstration?” “What a beautiful spirit beast!

It’s such a pity it’s chained up like that.” “If you’re going to be charitable, little girl, you should look at the subject! Among Second-Grade spirit beasts, the ‘Azure Shadow Bone Beast’ is the most savage and cunning.

They flee from Spirit Masters, yet they frequently slip out of the forests to prey on ordinary people. Countless people are swallowed by them every year.” “……” The appearance of the six Azure Shadow Bone Beasts caused an uproar throughout the manor.

However, after the initial surprise, the crowd’s curiosity was intensely piqued. They began to chatter, desperately trying to guess what role these beasts would play in the final stage of the medicinal competition.

The six Spirit Apothecaries were equally astonished. Even someone as unschooled as Nie Kong knew that spirit beasts had never been involved in previous Medicine Competitions.

“They’ve even brought out spirit beasts, what trick are they pulling?” Mu Xiaoling muttered to herself, looking back in shock at the composed figures on the judges’ platform. “I heard that grinding the bones of the ‘Azure Shadow Bone Beast’ into powder is the main ingredient for refining the Third-Grade spirit medicine, the ‘Spirit Bone Pill.’ Don’t tell me we have to refine the ‘Spirit Bone Pill’ this time?” The little loli, Gu Qi, widened her eyes in amazement, then her face instantly drained of color.

“So we actually have to kill the spirit beast ourselves to extract the medicine? I faint at the sight of blood!

I’m doomed, doomed, I feel so dizzy, so… dizzy… oh…” Thump! The little loli touched her forehead and collapsed onto the ground.

A Spirit Master who gets dizzy from blood? Nie Kong found it both ridiculous and funny.

He quickly helped her up to sit on the steps behind them and smiled, “Little sister, if we really need to extract medicine, I can handle it for you.” Nie Kong was not as fanciful as the little loli. If they truly needed beast bones for medicine, one Azure Shadow Bone Beast would suffice; why bring out six?

There must be another reason, and it certainly wouldn’t be as simple as refining the Third-Grade spirit medicine, the ‘Spirit Bone Pill,’ as the little loli suggested. “Really?” The dazed little loli heard Nie Kong’s words, and the spinning spots in her eyes vanished instantly.

She leaped up, looking at Nie Kong with a broad smile, but her happy expression quickly tightened. “Hmph, you’re a big liar!

I won’t believe you!” Just teasing her once, and she’d probably hold it against him for the rest of their lives! Nie Kong forced a dry laugh.

“Little sister, I didn't lie to you about that leaf last time, did I?” “I still don’t want your help, I’m still angry!” The little loli puffed out her cheeks, feigning indignation, though a hint of a smile was visible in her narrowed eyes. “Is that so?

Then forget it.” “Huh?” The little loli froze. Shouldn’t he be offering some comforting words, trying to appease her, so she could then graciously forgive him?

That’s what other older brothers did. Why did he give up so easily?

The little loli covered her mouth and coughed a couple of times, trying to prompt Nie Kong on the next step they should take. Nie Kong seemed not to hear her, instead walking back into the line without stopping.

A big liar with absolutely no sincerity! The little loli was furious.

She glared and waved her small fists at Nie Kong’s retreating back, but as her peripheral vision caught sight of the rapidly approaching Azure Shadow Bone Beasts, the world around her seemed to start spinning again. She quickly shook her head vigorously and ran towards him.

Nie Kong only turned his head slightly and saw the little loli staring at him intently, her small face crumpled, and her large, dark eyes seeming to well up with shimmering moisture. She looked like a child abandoned by their parents, her pitiful gaze instantly stirring feelings of compassion in anyone who saw it.

Mu Xiaoling, Qu Xinyi, and Yu Qingguan nearby couldn't help but smile faintly, thinking how amusing this little girl was. Asking someone for help during a competition—if it were them, they couldn't possibly do it, yet she did it so naturally, making it hard to refuse.

“I am a good person, always happy to help others.” Nie Kong was worried that if the little loli kept looking at him like that, he would start feeling guilty. He sighed sentimentally.

The little loli blinked in confusion, then understood Nie Kong’s unspoken meaning in an instant. She immediately burst into a radiant smile, then quickly pouted, “I’m still angry, you know.” Nie Kong was speechless—truly a little loli whose pride was thicker than her skin.

“Everyone!” Mo Xingtu appeared silently before the six Spirit Apothecaries, ghost-like, and smiled heartily. “This fifth and final decisive round is called ‘The Antidote’!” “All six ‘Azure Shadow Bone Beasts’ will ingest a Second-Grade poison.

They will perish ten minutes later. What you must do is detoxify the ‘Azure Shadow Bone Beasts’ within this ten-minute window.

Whether you refine a spirit medicine yourself or use any other method, as long as the detoxification succeeds without external assistance, you win. If multiple people succeed, victory will be decided by the shortest time taken.

Do you have any objections?” As he spoke, the spiritual energy surged within Mo Xingtu, broadcasting his words to everyone in the manor. Nonsense!

What if we have objections? Is he going to listen to advice anyway?

Mu Xiaoling and the others frowned deeply, taken aback. Producing an antidote within ten minutes—how easy could that be?

This round was even harder than the previous one, ‘Compound Medicine.’ These judges really seemed to enjoy torturing people: Refining, compounding, identifying, combining, detoxifying—each stage was more insane than the last. The little loli was dumbfounded once again.

Detoxifying the spirit beasts? That meant they didn't have to kill the ‘Azure Shadow Bone Beasts’ to extract their bones for the ‘Spirit Bone Pill’?

Did that mean she had asked him for help for nothing just now? The little loli glanced over at Nie Kong, only to see him looking back with a mischievous smile.

She tilted her head and instantly understood. “Aha!

So you guessed long ago that the ‘Azure Shadow Bone Beast’ wasn't for refining the ‘Spirit Bone Pill,’ yet you watched me beg you for help! Big liar!

Big meanie! I’m so angry!” The little loli mentally screamed like an enraged little lioness… ……

For more novels, visit storyread.net.