The first day of the first lunar month, if it were in Nie Kong’s previous life, would have been the Spring Festival. However, on the Tianling Continent, there was no such concept as Spring Festival. Instead, the "God's Birth Festival" on the second day of the second lunar month held a significance for the people of the Tianling Continent comparable to the New Year in his former world.

Now, Nie Kong was becoming increasingly integrated into this new world. After dinner, Nie Kong sat cross-legged on the [Note: Placeholder for specific location], briefly recalling the scenes of New Year celebrations from the past, before settling his mind to cultivate the "Wood Yang True Spirit Art" until he was awakened by the little fellow’s cries the following morning.

With a mere thought, the "Electric Light Vine" appeared in his palm. This time, Nie Kong sent all the medicinal power he had absorbed to the little fellow as nourishment. After eating his fill, the little one remained sulky, its two small leaves drooping listlessly, while its roots coiled and tangled into a knot.

Nie Kong found it quite amusing; Xiangxiang always expressed its emotions so vividly through the tender sprout. He knew the little thing was still fixated on the "Fire Tree Silver Flower" it had seen at the auction. Right now, it was acting like a spoiled child who hadn’t gotten the candy it begged its parents for, pouting in defiance. Of course, since Xiangxiang had no mouth, it could only pout its tiny leaves and tangle its few tender roots.

“Aiya ya…”

Seemingly sensing Nie Kong was teasing it, the little fellow grew angry, its roots jumping up to whip against the side wall of Nie Kong’s "Spirit Acuity Aperture."

Nie Kong was somewhat speechless. This little one was truly too greedy, wanting to possess any good thing it saw. But what it had taken a liking to this time was the "Fire Tree Silver Flower," one of the Five Great Miracle Medicines of the Tianling Continent! Who knew how Cheng Feiliu and the others were protecting it right now? How could he possibly procure it for the sprout?

Shaking his head, Nie Kong pushed off the bed board with both palms, springing up and exiting the room. By that time, only the faintest hint of dawn was breaking across the horizon…

… North of Jiyang City, the unrest had raged all night. The wealthy households and powerful merchants living nearby were all terrified by the commotion emanating from the Imperial Estate, suffering sleepless nights, fearful that the fighting would spill over onto their properties. Finally, as the sky began to lighten and the disturbances seemed to subside slightly, everyone hastily packed their belongings and, taking their families and servants, evacuated to other estates within Jiyang City, intending to return only after the dust had settled.

By this time, the Imperial Estate was in utter disarray. Cheng Feiliu and Cheng Feihong sat cross-legged atop a pile of rubble, their faces etched with exhaustion.

Last night, the two of them had continuously dealt with dozens of varied harassments. Fortunately, they had been prepared and never left the main hall a single step. However, almost all the guards outside were injured, though none were killed. This wasn't due to the attackers' kindness; rather, they worried that causing fatalities might provoke interference from the Nie Family, so they had pulled their punches. Otherwise, those nearly one hundred guards would have been annihilated long ago.

After all, rumors circulating outside suggested that the First Elder of the Nie Family, Nie Shenggong, was already a Heaven Spirit Realm expert. Even if the rumors were false, Nie Shenggong was at the very least a Cave Spirit Realm expert. Last night, those assailants might have had reservations, but tonight, knowing the Imperial reinforcements were drawing nearer, they likely wouldn't care about restraint anymore. The temptation of the "Fire Tree Silver Flower" was too immense—so immense that it could make some individuals disregard any obstacle in their path.

“Eh, a message from the Emperor Brother!”

Cheng Feihong’s face lit up with joy, and he held up a white jade slip. A stream of yellow light entered it via intent, but within a mere moment, Cheng Feihong’s expression drastically changed, and he exclaimed in disbelief, “Imperial Brother says in the spirit slip that he has been constantly intercepted since leaving the capital. It will take an estimated three to four days before he can reach Jiyang City.”

“What?”

Cheng Feiliu was startled, a shadow of worry falling over his features as his brow furrowed. “This is troublesome. What else did Imperial Brother say in the spirit slip?”

Cheng Feihong replied, “Imperial Brother said that if we truly cannot hold out, we should seek aid from the Nie Family. As established clans of the Great Success Empire, they won’t find it easy to stand idly by if we ask. To ensure their full assistance, we can even promise to give the Nie Family a few silver flowers once the ‘Fire Tree Silver Flower’ has matured.”

“It seems we have no choice but to proceed this way,” Cheng Feiliu sighed helplessly after a long silence. “However, before we request the Nie Family’s help, the ‘Fire Tree Silver Flower’ cannot remain here.”

Cheng Feihong paused. “Third Brother means we should secretly move the ‘Fire Tree Silver Flower’ to another secure location, and we two stay here to draw attention away from it?”

“Yes, that’s a decent plan. It prevents any accidents while allowing us to confidently ask the Nie Family for help, without worrying that they might take advantage of the chaos to steal the ‘Fire Tree Silver Flower.’ But before that, we still need to find a way to isolate the ‘Fire Tree Silver Flower’s’ aura, lest it leak out and be detected…”

“…”

In the biting cold, with ice and snow piling high, after several continuous days of gloom, the heavens were graced with a rare appearance of a crimson sun. Although the slanted sunlight offered little genuine warmth, the clear, bright sky could make one’s mood feel clearer and more expansive.

In the morning, Nie Kong walked toward the Spiritual Treasure Pavilion. According to custom, the "Thousand Spirits Herb Meet" began on December 30th and concluded on January 4th. It was currently the third day of the meet, and Spirit Masters were still hurrying in from various places, carrying herbs and spiritual medicines.

Nie Kong wanted to see if he could find any rare and unfamiliar medicinal herbs at the meet. This was akin to how antique enthusiasts in his previous life would frequent flea markets hoping to find a hidden gem—perhaps there was one or two excellent items undiscovered by predecessors or unverified by Spirit Pharmacists for their medicinal properties.

Such occurrences had happened at previous "Thousand Spirits Herb Meets." Of course, Nie Kong’s main motivation for doing this was to keep the little fellow occupied, preventing it from crying “Aiya ya, aiya ya” over its longing for that "Fire Tree Silver Flower." Nie Kong was genuinely troubled by the sprout's obsession.

“Aiya ya…”

The little fellow suddenly cried out with urgency.

What he feared most had come to pass!

Nie Kong stumbled, nearly falling. Amitabha, Wuliang Tianzun, Good Lord Almighty… Nie Kong slapped his forehead, reciting every deity, divine, and god from his past life, praying for the little one to quiet down for a moment, but his recitation was clearly insincere, and the little one’s cries grew even more agitated.

Immediately afterward, Nie Kong realized something was amiss. At this moment, the little fellow’s cries were clearly not the spoiled tantrums of sulking. It made this exact sound at the auction; was it possible that there was a rare medicinal herb nearby comparable to the "Fire Tree Silver Flower"?

Instinctively, Nie Kong quickened his pace.

Just as he reached the alley entrance about ten meters ahead, a young man dressed as a hunter emerged from a side door of a residence in the alley to his left, carrying two woven baskets.

“Aiya ya!”

The little fellow shrieked with excitement upon seeing the hunter.

The hunter closed the door and began walking forward with his load. A thought struck Nie Kong: perhaps the medicinal herb was inside the hunter’s baskets. Just as Nie Kong was about to step out of the alley to call back the hunter who was about to move further away, a sharp alarm froze him just as the sound reached his throat.

The hunter’s silhouette and the way he walked gave Nie Kong an overwhelming sense of familiarity! Nie Kong instinctively shrank back into the alley, and the young men he had met since arriving on the Tianling Continent flashed through his mind like a quick-reeling lantern.

“The Fourth Prince!”

The three words suddenly blazed through his mind.

Nie Kong’s spirit trembled as an unbelievable guess surfaced: perhaps that person wasn't a hunter delivering game to the city at all, but was in fact the Fourth Prince, Cheng Zixuan, and what he was carrying in those baskets wasn't just any herb, but that very "Fire Tree Silver Flower" they had bid on yesterday!

… P: Seeking votes for the new week! Don't forget to cast a few votes after reading, okay? (∩_∩)~ The more votes, the faster the Fire Tree Silver Flower will be obtained, haha. According to the protagonist's law, good things belong to the protagonist, and even if they aren't his temporarily, they will eventually be his. The protagonist's halo is mighty. (^^)/.

… [bid=1826571,bnme=《Cold-Blooded Dao of Punishment》]