Compared to the previous ingestion of the Black Heart Wooden Butterfly, after consuming the Jade Exquisite this time, Nie Kong didn't even break a sweat, his expression remaining even calmer.

The wisps of green mist steaming upwards coiled back into Nie Kong's body, yet he remained motionless, seated upright in the chair. Seeing this, Long Xuechan’s expression did not ease; instead, it grew increasingly somber, her delicate brows tightly furrowed, unconcealed confusion shining in her eyes.

"Hmm?"

Suddenly, Long Xuechan’s beautiful face drained of color, and she gasped. Her pale right palm shot out and pressed firmly against Nie Kong’s chest, fiery red spiritual energy pouring from her palm, instantly enveloping Nie Kong’s body completely.

Closing her eyes to sense the condition within Nie Kong, a moment later, that mass of crimson energy receded like a tide. Long Xuechan abruptly snapped her eyes open, her face shifting drastically.

"Dead?"

Long Xuechan murmured in disbelief, "How is that possible?"

After standing stunned for a moment, Long Xuechan suddenly gritted her teeth. A flash of green like lightning brought her to the last table, and in an instant, she was back before Nie Kong, a small, crystal-clear jade vial now clutched in her hand. Through the glass, one could vaguely make out half a bottle of yellow fluid within.

Her gaze flickered between Nie Kong and the vial. The stopper popped off with a beng, and Long Xuechan seized Nie Kong’s jaw, pouring the entire contents of the vial down his throat.

The palms Long Xuechan used to hold Nie Kong’s cheeks flushed bright red, instantly sliding down his body from his jaw, across his neck, and settling on his chest. Her palms shook, and a burst of crimson light exploded outward. At that moment, the entire room seemed to grow searingly hot, as countless specks of red light submerged themselves into Nie Kong’s body.

The medicinal power dispersed through Nie Kong’s body at the fastest possible speed...

Having accomplished this, Long Xuechan let out a light sigh of relief.

However, before she could even withdraw her hands, Nie Kong’s eyelids fluttered, and he slowly opened his eyes. Long Xuechan stared at Nie Kong, then at the empty jade vial in her right hand, lost in stupefaction. Although she had forcefully dispersed the medicine's power, even the most miraculous medicine shouldn't allow him to awaken so immediately!

Sensing something was amiss, Nie Kong lowered his head, looked at the snow-white, delicate hand resting on his chest, and asked in surprise, "Sister Chan, what are you doing?"

"You're alright?" Long Xuechan seemed to wake from a dream, withdrawing her hand, her expression frozen.

Nie Kong stood up from the chair, stretched his limbs freely and comfortably, and chuckled, "Do I look like something is wrong with me?"

"Ga?"

Long Xuechan’s rosy lips formed a perfect 'O', and she stared at Nie Kong blankly.

A moment later, the dazed look cleared, and then her beautiful eyes filled with fury. Long Xuechan understood completely: Nie Kong’s awakening had nothing to do with the potion she administered. In fact, even if she hadn't given him the medicine, he would have woken up at this very moment anyway.

"You, you... give me back my 'Yellow Dragon Spirit Dew'!"

Long Xuechan suddenly transformed into a she-dragon, fiercely grabbing the collar of Nie Kong's robe, roaring with her eyebrows arched and eyes wide with rage. Her gaze seemed to wish she could devour him whole.

Stunned by the sudden violent shift in this charming and seductive woman, Nie Kong was momentarily confused, "Yellow Dragon Spirit Dew? What's that?"

Long Xuechan grew even angrier, grinding her teeth as she shouted, "What's that? You dare ask me what it is? Why didn't you open your eyes sooner, hmm? Even if you didn't want to wake up that early, why pretend to be dead when everything was fine, hmm? If you hadn't played dead, would Sister have used 'Yellow Dragon Spirit Dew' to save you? For one second, you only delayed waking by one second, yet it cost Sister half a bottle of painstakingly collected 'Yellow Dragon Spirit Dew'!"

Nie Kong suddenly realized the truth and quickly examined the situation within his body.

In the Yaochi Acupoint, the little fellow, previously fatigued from three uses of "Scent Recognition Medicine," disregarded its exhaustion and continuously sent streams of green vitality throughout Nie Kong's body, gleefully absorbing something. In mere moments, a large clump of yellow fluid materialized within the Yaochi Acupoint.

"Ah-ha-ha!"

The little fellow cheered, holding up the liquid like a treasure with its root tendrils, delivering it into Nie Kong’s acupoints.

"Is this the 'Yellow Dragon Spirit Dew' she was talking about?"

Nie Kong rejoiced inwardly. Though he had never heard of this medicine, judging by Long Xuechan's furious reaction, he could imagine how precious the 'Yellow Dragon Spirit Dew' must be.

It was likely due to the extreme toxicity of the 'Jade Exquisite.' Although the medicinal power had been absorbed by the little fellow, during its process of using "Scent Recognition Medicine," Nie Kong's consciousness was clear, but his body had entered a state of suspended animation. He hadn't expected Long Xuechan to mistake him for dead and use such a precious remedy in an attempt to save his life. It would be untrue to say Nie Kong felt no gratitude.

However, no matter how grateful he felt, Nie Kong had no intention of spitting out the medicine he had swallowed. He could compensate her later by testing a few more poisons for her.

"If I hadn't finally helped you forcefully disperse the medicine's power, even with the 'Yellow Dragon Spirit Dew' inside you now, Sister could have found a way to extract every drop. Oh, the pity, the pity..." Thinking back to the palm strike on Nie Kong's chest, Long Xuechan felt tears welling up.

Even if the medicinal power dispersed, I could still have gathered all the 'Yellow Dragon Spirit Dew,' and in fact, I have already gathered it—I just don't want to give it up!

Nie Kong muttered inwardly. Seeing Long Xuechan looking dejected and upset, he quickly spoke up, gently consoling her, "Sister Chan, please accept my condolences!"

"Condolences to your head! If you don't write up the test results for this Jade Exquisite well, Sister..." Hearing this, Long Xuechan’s eyes immediately flared up again. But before she could finish, Nie Kong thumped back into the chair, seized his brush, and began furiously writing on the paper in bold, sweeping strokes.

Having lost the target for her outburst, Long Xuechan had to swallow the rest of her words. She then turned to observe.

Her gaze followed the freely flowing, perfectly circular tip of Nie Kong's brush, and Long Xuechan’s previously distressed face gradually smoothed out. An irrepressible joy began to float between her brows, unconsciously suppressing the anger and frustration caused by the waste of the 'Yellow Dragon Spirit Dew.'

After Nie Kong filled half a sheet of paper, Long Xuechan began nodding at times, then frowning in deep thought, then breaking into a bright smile, then showing doubt—her expressions shifting rapidly.

Long Xuechan’s mind was completely immersed in the test results for the 'Jade Exquisite,' her eyes fixed only on the lively, dancing characters.

She didn't even notice when Nie Kong put down the brush, gently plucked the Jade Exquisite, the Black Heart Wooden Butterfly, the Snowball, and the Purple Cloud Grass from the jade basin, and then tiptoed out of the room.

"So that's how it is!"

After a long pause, Long Xuechan clapped her hands together, beaming, "Well done, Nie Kong! Nie Kong?" When she received no response after a while, Long Xuechan turned to look only to find herself alone in the room. The jade basin that had housed the 'Jade Exquisite' was empty, and the soil showed clear signs of disturbance.

The Jade Exquisite was gone. The Black Heart Wooden Butterfly was gone. The Snowball and Purple Cloud Grass were also gone...

Long Xuechan’s mouth twitched with every empty basin she spotted. Although according to their wager, all these herbs now belonged to Nie Kong, seeing him casually pull them out and take them away ignited a fierce resentment within her. She cherished these poisonous herbs deeply and naturally hoped Nie Kong would treat them well, but she never imagined...

In that moment, all her new and old grievances surged forth, and a light, crisp, and charming giggle echoed through the room, yet it carried a distinctly chilling undertone...