"Disorient her mind with 'Purple Spirit Illusion Heart,' then strike suddenly with 'Mountain Shattering Blow.' Even a Spirit Fusion Master might not withstand it..."

After cultivating the "Wood Yang True Spirit Art" half the night, Nie Kong sat cross-legged, ceaselessly pondering. "If I truly encounter a Spirit Fusion Master, perhaps I can feign weakness with 'Ocean Absorbing All Rivers.' That way, the moment I unleash 'Purple Spirit Illusion Heart' and 'Mountain Shattering Blow,' the surprise will be even greater."

Contemplating the effects of combining these skills, Nie Kong felt a surge of excitement, rehearsing the sequence in his mind again and again. To perfectly execute the skills consecutively would be incredibly difficult without flawless coordination with the little fellow. At this moment, Nie Kong couldn't help but sigh; while these skills were excellent, they still had significant limitations. If the little fellow was in poor condition or fell into slumber, he would inevitably be constrained.

He still needed to find some local Wood Spirit Arts.

"Ah!"

A sudden scream dragged Nie Kong, deep in thought, back to reality. That was Hua Mei's voice! Nie Kong startled, his heart lurching, and without hesitation, he sprang down, rushing out barefoot. Nie Kong blasted out a punch, shattering the door bolt, and burst into Hua Mei's chamber.

"Sister-in-law!"

The room was murky with shadows, where Hua Mei's figure could vaguely be seen. Seeing this, Nie Kong breathed a quiet sigh of relief and hurried over to light the candle sitting on the bedside table. The flickering orange light swayed slightly, illuminating Hua Mei's bedroom brightly and clearly.

Hua Mei’s delicate face was ghastly pale, completely devoid of color, sweat beading on her forehead. She was leaning back against the headboard, propped up by her arms on the mattress, gasping violently. The white quilt had slipped down to her waist, the collar of her garment loose, revealing more than half of two mounds of snow-white, perfect peaks that trembled and swayed with the sharp rise and fall of her chest.

"Another nightmare?"

Nie Kong sighed softly and sat beside Hua Mei. If he lowered his gaze just so, he could almost take in that pair of proud, round fullness entirely, even catching a faint glimpse of the two protruding points of rosy red. This tantalizing glimpse was even more captivating, yet Nie Kong harbored no suggestive thoughts at this moment. Seeing the terror in Hua Mei's eyes, Nie Kong felt a wave of heartache. He raised his hand and gently wiped the sweat from her brow.

"Uncle."

Hua Mei finally seemed to register Nie Kong's presence, and a pair of misty, shimmering pools gathered in her eyes. Then, as if grasping a lifeline, she lunged fiercely into Nie Kong's embrace, her fingers digging deep into the muscles around his waist, terrified that if she let go, Nie Kong would vanish before her eyes.

Nie Kong froze for a moment, then his palm settled onto Hua Mei's back, stroking her softly. Warm, soothing currents of spiritual energy flowed from his palm into her body, helping to calm her agitation.

Nie Kong was at a loss regarding Hua Mei's condition. The last time, he couldn't pinpoint a cause and had assumed he was worrying needlessly. But over the last two days, not only had Hua Mei frequently fallen asleep while in the middle of doing things, but the frequency of her waking from nightmares had also increased—this was clearly abnormal.

"Xiangxiang, 'Spring Breeze Transforms to Rain'!" A thought crossed Nie Kong’s mind, and he suddenly instructed the little fellow who was watering the "Fire Tree Silver Flower."

"Ayaya!"

The little fellow became much more compliant. Hearing Nie Kong’s command, it quickly agreed with delight. A dense medicinal essence from its life source surged out of the Yaochi Acupoint, following Nie Kong's spiritual energy into Hua Mei's body, then dissolving into tiny motes that instantaneously spread throughout every part of her being.

When used in moderation, the little fellow's life-force essence was absolutely beneficial and harmless to the human body. What shocked Nie Kong, however, was that the specks of green, upon adhering to her blood vessels, were absorbed completely in an instant—the speed was so fast that even Nie Kong was left agape. After absorbing the little fellow's medicinal essence, the placidly flowing blood within Hua Mei's body began to surge violently, like suddenly turbulent waves.

"Stop!"

Nie Kong was startled and cried out urgently in his mind.

"Ayaya?"

The little fellow also noticed Hua Mei's anomaly and quickly retracted the second stream of life-force essence back into the Yaochi Acupoint. Thinking it had done something wrong, the little fellow rather guiltily scratched Nie Kong’s "Spiritual God's Three Apertures" with its root tendril, adopting an appeasing posture.

Nie Kong paid no heed to the little fellow. He slammed both palms onto Hua Mei's back, pouring massive amounts of spiritual energy into her like silk threads, striving to help her blood settle down.

At this moment, Hua Mei’s fair face had flushed deep red. Sensing the increased pressure from Nie Kong's hands, she instinctively burrowed deeper into his embrace. The surging blood and the tight pressure against her chest made Hua Mei's emotions volatile: "Uncle, if... if one day I die, you must take good care of yourself..."

"Don't speak nonsense, you won't die." Nie Kong was taken aback by Hua Mei's sudden words, yet his spiritual energy transfer did not pause for an instant.

"Oh."

Hua Mei gave a soft reply, saying no more, but her heart remained a turbulent tide, and deep worry shrouded her brow.

For the past two days, her mind had been consumed by the bizarre dream where she transformed into a flower only to be blasted into pieces. For some unknown reason, she suddenly had a strange premonition that death was drawing steadily closer to her.

She did not fear death, but she did not wish to die like this. She couldn't bear to leave the home she had lived in for three years; she... still wanted to see Nie Kong marry and have children...

After much erratic thought, Hua Mei's mood gradually calmed, and her complexion returned to normal. Sensing the force of Nie Kong's hands lessening, Hua Mei suddenly snapped back to awareness, let out a soft cry, and withdrew from his embrace, lowering her head with a blush of shyness.

"Ah!"

Seeing her chest, almost entirely exposed before Nie Kong's eyes, Hua Mei’s pretty face grew even redder. She gasped in surprise, then with a whoosh, she scrambled back into the quilt, curling into a ball, hiding herself completely, which caused Nie Kong to break into a silent smile.

After some time passed, Hua Mei finally revealed her crimson, glistening face with a burning blush: she stammered, "Uncle, could you please step out for a moment? I... I need to do something..."

"What is it? I can help you do it." Nie Kong was curious when he saw her hesitating.

"Oh, it’s just... just a woman's thing... Uncle, please go out first..." Hua Mei’s cheeks were blazing, her voice a mere whisper as she spoke, laced with a note of pleading.

"Alright." Nie Kong understood suddenly and said gently, "Sister-in-law, I'll leave then. If you need anything, just call out loudly, you hear?"

"Mm."

Nie Kong stood up and left. Upon returning to his own chamber, the smile vanished completely from his face.

Hua Mei's blood had a massive problem, just like that ball of inky green blood inside him; it seemed to contain some sort of peculiar power. But unlike his, his dark green blood could be separated using the "Nine Revolutions Golden Needle Technique." Hua Mei’s power, however, was completely fused with her blood, perhaps even fused with her entire physical being.

Without that power, Hua Mei's life would also end, yet if that power were allowed to erupt, Hua Mei would equally perish.

Hua Mei's frequent nightmares lately were likely the precursor to the imminent explosion of that power!