Long Xuechan, her smile blooming like a flower, pressed the paper into Mei Xian's hand. Then, with a soft thud, her delicate body collapsed onto the lounge chair, stretching out without a trace of decorum. The twin peaks straining against her bodice widened, exposing a vast expanse of milky-white, smooth, and delicate skin on her bosom.

Seeing Long Xuechan’s utterly casual posture, Mei Xian shook her head in resignation, clearly not encountering such a scene for the first time.

Flipping through the three sheets of paper, Mei Xian nodded slightly: "…Snowflake Ball… Black Heart Wood Butterfly… Jade Linglong… It seems you’ve finally found someone to test the medicines for you… Hmm, such detailed testing results! Xuechan, where did you find such an outstanding tester? To write results like this, the tester must possess Spirit Control cultivation—a Fifth Grade Spirit Alchemist, perhaps even a Sixth Grade Spirit Alchemist!"

"I knew you would say that!"

Seeing a flicker of astonishment cross Mei Xian’s usually placid features, Long Xuechan chuckled charmingly, sounding quite smug. "Mei Xian, you are entirely mistaken this time. The fellow who tested these for me only has Spirit Awakening cultivation, and he’s merely a Second Grade Spirit Alchemist."

"Oh?"

Mei Xian’s delicate eyebrows furrowed, her expression laced with confusion.

Long Xuechan comfortably rolled over on the lounge chair, smiling brightly. "This time, it’s all thanks to Long An. I didn't expect that after his trip to Zhaoyang Town the day before yesterday, he would recruit such a strange phenomenon back to our Red Chamber. He consumed these poisonous herbs as easily as eating and drinking water."

A thought passing through her mind, Long Xuechan added, "According to Long An, this fellow cultivates Wood Spiritual Power, and it's a mutated form of Wood Spiritual Power!"

"Mutated Wood Spiritual Power?" Mei Xian murmured the phrase, then her gaze flashed suddenly. "Xuechan, the person you speak of—is his surname Nie and his given name Kong?"

"Exactly, how did you know?" Mei Xian naming Nie Kong instantly brought a new layer of surprise to Long Xuechan’s eyes.

Mei Xian stated calmly, "A few days ago, news arrived from the Red Chamber in the Great Success Empire. It said that at the 'Thousand Spirit Medicine Assembly' competition hosted by the Mu Family in Luo City, a Second Grade Spirit Alchemist appeared. His ability to discern herbs was exceptional, and his detoxification methods were novel. He ultimately won first place in the competition. That person was also named Nie Kong, hailing from the Nie Family of Jiyang. I presume the Nie Kong who tested your medicine is the same person. I didn't expect him to have arrived in Spirit Control City."

"So that's his background."

Long Xuechan was quite taken aback. However, recalling the scene during the testing today, she couldn't help but sit up straight, slapping the lounge chair in irritation, gritting her teeth. "This Nie Kong is indeed formidable when it comes to identifying the properties of toxic herbs, but that fellow is equally detestable."

"Oh?" Mei Xian seemed uninterested in this, slowly pacing around the room, deep in thought about something else entirely.

Long Xuechan was used to this and merely snorted a couple of times to herself. "Mei Xian, you have no idea. After consuming the 'Jade Linglong,' he was perfectly fine, yet his body suddenly lost all signs of life. It panicked me into thinking he had died, so I quickly brought out the 'Yellow Dragon Spirit Dew' to save him. But less than a second after the medicinal power began to disperse, he woke up on his own. Not only did I waste the 'Yellow Dragon Spirit Dew,' but that man actually uprooted the four medicinal herbs I gifted him... It infuriates me to no end."

By the end, Long Xuechan was speaking with anguish, her face etched with distress.

Mei Xian stopped pacing. "Forget your half-bottle of 'Yellow Dragon Spirit Dew'; even giving him my bottle of 'Purple Spirit Jade Liquid' would have been worth it. Looking at his test report, he seems to have identified every medicinal property contained within the herbs. Perhaps… he can be of great help to us."

"You mean…"

Long Xuechan sprang off the lounge chair, a flash of astonishment crossing her eyes. "Mei Xian, that seems unlikely. He is, after all, only a Second Grade Spirit Alchemist with Spirit Awakening cultivation."

Mei Xian countered, "What about those high-grade Spirit Alchemists? They were powerless, weren't they? Sometimes, perhaps a low-grade alchemist like him can produce an unexpected miracle. But there's no need to rush. We still have a three-year deadline; let's see how much he can grow in that time. However, preparations can begin now."

Long Xuechan mused thoughtfully. "Mei Xian, are you suggesting we need to properly secure his loyalty right now?"

Mei Xian nodded. "It would be best to keep him in the Red Chamber permanently. Of course, if he is unwilling, we must not force him; coercion spoils things."

Long Xuechan’s beautiful eyes darted around, and that mesmerizing, seductive charm returned to her exquisite face as she giggled. "Mei Xian, leave this matter to me. I guarantee that I will make Nie Kong genuinely willing to stay with our Red Chamber."

Mei Xian frowned. "Don't act recklessly; I will handle this. Also, you need to learn to be more dignified and steady in the future. Flirting with men all day—what kind of bearing is that!"

Long Xuechan drooped her head miserably, mumbling quietly, "Who flirts with men all day? I was merely teasing that little virgin boy. He only entered the world a tiny bit before me, yet he always assumes the role of an elder sister to discipline me. Truly a bitter fate!"

Mei Xian raised an eyebrow. "What did you say?"

"Nothing, Elder Sister. Your little sister will obey. Alright, little sister must take her leave now. You continue cultivating your Heart Phase!" Long Xuechan pouted her small, tender red lips, her smile bewitching. With a serpentine sway of her waist, she walked out gracefully.

"This girl!"

Mei Xian shook her head slightly. Once Long Xuechan closed the door, she leaned back onto the lounge chair. The crystalline, beautiful illusory image of the White Dragon shot out from above her head, once again suspending itself over her body…

…

The quiet courtyard was suddenly broken by a faint sound of laughter. It was Nie Kong, inside the room, who abruptly opened his eyes, sprang up from the bed, and floated lightly to the floor with a beaming smile.

"Finally, Spirit Awakening Sixth Grade!"

Nie Kong’s internal spiritual power was surging, vibrating violently like a tidal wave. The Wood Spiritual Power elements contained within the "Yellow Dragon Spirit Dew" had been completely absorbed by Nie Kong, but the medicinal power that had dispersed throughout his limbs and bones had not yet fully integrated; much of it still remained in various parts of his body.

At this moment, just from the portion of the "Yellow Dragon Spirit Dew" he had absorbed, Nie Kong felt as if he had undergone a complete transformation. His outward physique hadn't changed, but his internal structure had been completely remolded. His bones, muscles, blood, organs, and fascia had all undergone a tremendous metamorphosis.

The Yellow Dragon Spirit Dew was indeed incomparable to the low-grade "Muscle Strengthening and Bone Fortifying Soup."

That miraculous medicinal power had immediately elevated Nie Kong's physical foundation to the next level, and for a considerable time to come, his body would subtly continue to change under the influence of the "Yellow Dragon Spirit Dew's" power…