Before even returning to his quarters in the Red Mansion, Nie Kong tucked the two medicine boxes into his pet pack, taking out the "Eight-Starred Conch" separately. For such a miraculous medicine, keeping it in the pet pack was safer; if its medicinal properties were altered while confined in the spirit-patterned jade box, the loss would be immense.

He hurried back into the courtyard, secured the door, and, unable to wait any longer, summoned the jade box. He carefully removed the small paper tube from the vial within.

The powder of the "Jade Leaf Glazed Pill" was poured entirely into his palm. It was just a tiny pinch, likely weighing less than a gram, but its appearance was exquisite—a shimmering azure dust that, under the refraction of light, danced with a blue glow, resembling a small, tranquil spring.

"This is a million gold coins..."

Looking at that speck of powder, Nie Kong felt a profound sense of awe. After a whole day of frantic effort, he had spent a million gold coins only to obtain this minuscule thing. If a million were converted entirely to coins, this courtyard might not even hold them all. If it were translated into gold notes from thousands of years ago, it would be a stack thick enough to be impressive.

Nie Kong made up his mind: even if he managed to identify the two remaining unknown components of the "Jade Leaf Glazed Pill" later, he wouldn't report back to the Alchemist Guild Hall to complete the mission. As long as he secured the formula and successfully refined even a single "Jade Leaf Glazed Pill," its value would far exceed a million. As for the five hundred points deducted for failing a Grade Five mission, that was no issue at all; lost points could simply be earned back through more tasks.

Furthermore, Nie Kong suspected that the person who posted the request for the spirit medicine formula didn't actually expect anyone in Spirit Imperial City to complete it. They were likely just using the name "Jade Leaf Glazed Pill" to lure a fool into taking the bait, hoping to pocket a million gold coins for their troubles.

With the powder in hand, Nie Kong did not immediately experiment. Instead, he let the little fellow continue absorbing the residual medicinal power from the poisonous herb in the pet pack, which had already been nearly half depleted. As for the Wood Spirit elemental energy contained within that herb, Nie Kong could no longer afford to worry about it; in a moment like this, speed was paramount.

Two streams of green light extended from Xiangxiang's body, like two sentient vines, dancing rapidly around the poisonous herb and the "Fire Tree Silver Flower."

Drops of venom were poured onto the leaves of the "Fire Tree Silver Flower," and occasionally, red secretions could be seen oozing from the herb's roots. This secretion was crystal clear, and upon emerging, it didn't disperse but rather coalesced into a single mass, resembling tiny, encapsulated liquid spheres.

Only after the poisonous herb withered completely did the two green streams retract into the Yaochi Acupoint. Disappearing along with this green light were a dozen drops of blood-red fluid. After absorbing them all, the little fellow, which had been somewhat listless, suddenly became energized, as if it had been given a stimulant.

"Xiangxiang, now it’s up to you," Nie Kong said with a smile.

"Ah-ya-ya!"

The little fellow raised its three leaves high, its two root tips striking its own stem with a sharp pa-pa sound, mimicking a human pounding its chest to make a promise.

"Good!"

Nie Kong couldn't help but chuckle. "This time, we must succeed, we cannot fail!" The little fellow pounded its chest again, while Nie Kong settled his mind. With a thought, the small pile of azure powder began to diminish rapidly. In the blink of an eye, his palm was completely empty.

Smelling the fragrance to discern the medicine!

"Ah... ya-ya..."

The little fellow’s roots, stem, and leaves thrashed violently, its tender, sweet cries erupting in succession, as if it were exerting every ounce of strength it possessed. Nie Kong could feel how difficult it was for Xiangxiang to re-separate the fused medicinal powers from that tiny amount of "Jade Leaf Glazed Pill" powder.

If it were absorbing the entire "Jade Leaf Glazed Pill" instead of such a negligible amount, the process of employing "Smelling the Fragrance to Discern the Medicine" would be much easier.

Time ticked by, and the little fellow’s branches and leaves were still struggling to twist. Soon, Nie Kong saw wisps of green energy evaporating from the little fellow's surface, and instantly, the Yaochi Acupoint was saturated with vibrant green vitality. Waves of inexplicable aura fluctuations spread out.

The little fellow was consuming its innate medicinal power!

Nie Kong startled and abruptly summoned the "Eight-Starred Conch." Gritting his teeth, he tore off one of its stalks and held it between his palms.

The three apertures of his spirit essence vibrated, and the "Wood Yang True Spirit Art" began to circulate wildly. In an instant, an almost tangible fragrance permeated from the Eight-Starred Conch stalk, flowing endlessly into Nie Kong’s body before ultimately being transformed into pure medicinal power that entered the Yaochi Acupoint.

"Ah-ya-ya!"

The little fellow’s spirits soared, and it suddenly shrieked with excitement. It flicked a root, and a tiny, pitiful cluster of medicinal power appeared in Nie Kong's acupoint.

"This is... Sword Leaf Ten Thousand Year Spring!"

The name of the corresponding herb flashed through Nie Kong's mind in a reflexive moment. Among the four herbs Long Xuechan had mentioned, Nie Kong had personally tasted White Goat Grass, Earth Dragon Lotus, and Sword Leaf Ten Thousand Year Spring. As for Immortal Bell Orchid Bud, this was the first time he had ever heard of it.

While thinking, Nie Kong continued to absorb the medicinal fragrance from the "Eight-Starred Conch."

After about a minute, the little fellow cried out, "Ah-ya-ya," flicked its root, and flung another small cluster of medicinal power into Nie Kong’s spirit essence apertures.

"White Goat Grass!" Nie Kong mused inwardly.

The speed at which the little fellow separated the medicinal power grew slower. When the third cluster of power appeared in the acupoint, it was already two or three minutes later.

"This is..."

He did not find a corresponding herb name in his memory—it must have been the Immortal Bell Orchid Bud or the other two unknown substances. Nie Kong was not anxious and kept supplying the little fellow with energy from the "Eight-Starred Conch."

When the medicinal fragrance permeating from the "Eight-Starred Conch" in his hand showed signs of fading, the little fellow's roots moved again, simultaneously flinging out two different clusters of power.

"Earth Dragon Lotus!"

Nie Kong only recognized the first cluster; as for the second, he had no memory of it. At this point, Xiangxiang's roots began to tremble; it was clearly on the verge of exhaustion. Nie Kong felt a pang of distress. "Almost there, almost there, just hold on a little longer, and it will be enough."

"Ah-ya-ya."

Five or six more minutes passed. The medicinal fragrance from that "Eight-Starred Conch" stalk was completely absorbed, and the little fellow finally flung out the last cluster of power.

This round of "Smelling the Fragrance to Discern the Medicine" was finally over!

Nie Kong felt a great weight lift from his chest. However, in the next moment, his heart tightened again, because the little fellow’s stem, leaves, and roots continued to twist, albeit weakly. He could sense the little creature still trying to collect the scattered medicinal residues.

Could it be that the herbs required to refine the "Jade Leaf Glazed Pill" were not six, but more?

With this thought, Nie Kong tore off another stalk of the "Eight-Starred Conch" and placed it in his palm. The intense medicinal fragrance flowed ceaselessly into the Yaochi, causing the little fellow's spirit to subtly lift, its movements quickening slightly. But extracting new medicinal power from those minute, scattered residues was incredibly arduous.

Seconds dragged by. After the previous surge of vitality, the little fellow became weak again. Nie Kong felt anxious. The "Jade Leaf Glazed Pill" was important, but compared to Xiangxiang, it was insignificant. If something untoward happened to the little one while trying to identify its formula, the loss would far outweigh any gain.

It felt like millennia had passed before the fragrance from the second "Eight-Starred Conch" stalk was also absorbed.

"Ah-ya-ya..."

The little fellow groaned softly, and a cluster of medicinal power, so small it was nearly negligible, entered Nie Kong's spirit essence apertures.

"Eight-Starred Conch!"

The moment the power entered the acupoint, the four words flashed through Nie Kong’s mind. Having nearly been incapacitated by the Eight-Starred Conch at the Alchemist Guild Hall earlier, Nie Kong’s memory of its properties was sharp. Although the energy separated by the little fellow was faint, it allowed Nie Kong to identify it instantly.

What a remarkable coincidence! He had just tasted the Eight-Starred Conch, and now he discovered its power within the "Jade Leaf Glazed Pill"!

After a brief moment of shock, an irrepressible wave of euphoria surged through Nie Kong's chest.

However, his elation was short-lived. He quickly put the two drained stalks of the "Eight-Starred Conch" into his pet pack and dashed outside. The little creature was now limp, curled into a ball, extremely weak and depleted, desperately needing a large infusion of energy.

Leaving the room, Nie Kong circulated his spiritual power and ran toward the Red Mansion Pharmacy.

In the Sixth Courtyard, Long Xuechan sat quietly beneath the eaves, swinging her slender, graceful legs. Her gaze was fixed intently on the proud, blooming flower in her hands. Her crescent-shaped eyebrows would furrow and relax as she appeared deep in thought.

Creak. The courtyard gate was suddenly pushed open, startling Long Xuechan from her reverie. She looked up to see Nie Kong rushing in breathlessly.

"Chan Jie, do you have any good spirit herbs? Non-toxic, a large quantity, needed urgently!"

Reaching Long Xuechan, Nie Kong dispensed with pleasantries, gripping her soft, fair hand and pulling her up from the chair. At a time like this, Nie Kong had no mind to appreciate the delicate, smooth sensation beneath his fingertips. He dragged the still bewildered Long Xuechan and strode toward the courtyard exit.

Long Xuechan was momentarily stunned by Nie Kong's frantic demeanor. By the time she snapped back to reality, she was already at the courtyard entrance.

She didn't immediately ask why he urgently needed a large quantity of non-toxic herbs. Instead, her right hand suddenly slipped free from Nie Kong's grasp. As Nie Kong stared in surprise, Long Xuechan seized his arm, stepped forward, and the air before them shimmered intensely, quickly enveloping both of them.

In an instant, Long Xuechan and Nie Kong vanished from their spot.

"..."

Outside a room on the second floor of the pharmacy, the void undulated again. Two figures materialized. Long Xuechan stepped forward, her slender jade fingers tracing lines onto the spirit-patterned door panel. Her fingertips flashed like darting serpents, moving so fast that even the trajectory of her fingers was indistinguishable.

"Hum, hum, hum..."

The air vibrated with subtle hums intermittently, and the spirit patterns on the door continuously flickered with dazzling red light.

Behind her, Nie Kong stared at Long Xuechan's graceful back, his eyes fixed. Her sudden action had left him completely dumbfounded.

Dissolving into the void—this was the signature technique of a Void Spirit Master.

Long Xuechan executed it with such ease. Could it be that she was actually a Void Spirit Master? Nie Kong had once jokingly asked Long Xuechan her age; she claimed to be only twenty-six. Now, it seemed clear she couldn't be that young; otherwise, how could she have cultivated to the Void Spirit realm?

Nie Kong had always assumed Long Xuechan was at most a Spirit Transformation Master, but now he realized how drastically wrong he had been; the ability to merge with the void was undeniable.

He was astonished that the "Chan Jie" he had called for so many days was actually a master hiding her true strength, her actual cultivation far exceeding his expectations!

Nie Kong found it utterly unbelievable. Seeing the door ahead swing open and Long Xuechan beckoning him from the threshold, he quickly collected his thoughts and stepped inside.

The room contained several individual small wooden shelves, each holding a box of varying sizes. The materials used for the boxes were diverse: jade, porcelain, wood, stone... some boxes were etched with spirit patterns, while others were plain. There were sixty or seventy such containers in total.

"Everything stored here is non-toxic spirit herb. Forty-five types can be used to refine Grade Five spirit medicines, eighteen for Grade Six, and three for Grade Seven. Nie Kong brother, is that a large enough quantity?" Long Xuechan's lips curved slightly, smiling radiantly.

"Enough! Enough!"

Nie Kong nodded dazedly, his eyes slightly unfocused. In terms of spirit herbs, the Nie Family of Jiyang City could not compare to the Red Mansion. The Nie Family possessed only one herb capable of refining Grade Six spirit medicine—the "Electric Light Vine"—yet the Red Mansion had eighteen types here, including three capable of refining Grade Seven spirit medicines!

And this was merely a branch of the Red Mansion in Spirit Imperial City. If all their branches were combined, the inventory would be astonishing.

Nie Kong wondered what kind of spirit pattern was etched onto this room. Back in Jiyang City, the little fellow could detect the "Fire Tree Silver Flower" even within the Spirit Nullifying Jade, yet it had frequented this pharmacy daily without noticing the multitude of spirit herbs stored on the second floor. This was truly surprising.

"Ah-ya-ya..."

The little fellow let out a faint whimper, its roots moving slightly, its stem and leaves lifting a bit.

Nie Kong snapped back to attention, taking a deep breath. "Chan Jie, could I first have ten stalks of those herbs usable for refining Grade Five spirit medicines?"

"Nie Kong brother, don't be polite. Sister can give you ten stalks that refine Grade Six spirit medicines," Long Xuechan cajoled with a bright, eager smile.

"Ahem, I don't need anything that good for now," Nie Kong chuckled sheepishly. Herbs like the "Electric Light Vine" were rare and priceless; ten stalks combined would cost tens of millions, possibly even over a hundred million.

How many Grade Two spirit medicines like "Purple Li Pills" would it take to repay such a debt? Even if he successfully refined the "Jade Leaf Glazed Pill," clearing a debt in the hundreds of millions would not be easy. If he truly accepted her generous offer, he might end up working for the Red Mansion as indentured labor in the future.

"Fine, as you wish."

Long Xuechan looked slightly disappointed. A green shadow flickered inside the room for a moment, and when she returned to Nie Kong's side, she held ten boxes in her hand.

Crack!

Opening the latch on one box, Nie Kong directly retrieved the herb, crushed it into a ball, and tossed it into his mouth. After a few chews, he swallowed it down.

Given the little fellow's current state, letting it absorb the power itself was somewhat unrealistic. Nie Kong had to revert to being a caretaker, feeding the energy directly into the Yaochi Acupoint. If it were the "Eight-Starred Conch," it would have been much easier—direct absorption of the fragrance. However, since he had discovered the "Eight-Starred Conch" power within the "Jade Leaf Glazed Pill," Nie Kong naturally wanted to keep that herb aside for future research.

Seeing Nie Kong's actions, the corners of Long Xuechan's lips twitched slightly.

This fellow had not only eaten poisonous herbs directly but was now consuming spirit herbs with such bluntness. Muttering to herself, Long Xuechan suddenly noticed Nie Kong reaching into his robes, seemingly fumbling for something. A moment later, his right hand emerged, holding nine gold needles of varying lengths and thicknesses between his fingers.

"Are those Spirit Pattern Gold Needles?"

Long Xuechan's eyes held a hint of confusion. "What is he taking those needles out for?"

Just as the thought crossed her mind, a green flash appeared. Nie Kong picked up a needle and inserted it through his clothes into his chest. This bizarre action nearly made Long Xuechan cry out. As the needle sank deeper into Nie Kong’s body, Long Xuechan’s eyes widened further.

One after another...

Nie Kong inserted the needles with astonishing speed. In just a few seconds, all nine needles were embedded in his body, leaving Long Xuechan utterly speechless.

"Buzz..."

Nie Kong lightly manipulated the Heavenly Needles and began employing the "Nine Revolutions Gold Needle Technique." The needles vibrated incessantly, drawing out threads of medicinal power from the herb, guiding them toward his Dantian, and finally channeling them through the fine tips of the needles into the "Yaochi Acupoint," where the little fellow absorbed them with ease.

Before long, the medicinal power of that herb was entirely absorbed by the little creature.

"Chan Jie, another stalk!" Nie Kong called out, his right hand never ceasing its manipulation of the Heavenly Needles.

Long Xuechan hastily opened the medicine box, mimicking Nie Kong's movements, kneading the stalk of vibrant green herb in her hand into a ball and feeding it into his mouth.

"Next one!"

"Next one!"

"..."

Soon, six of the medicine boxes were empty.

When she first saw Nie Kong swallowing spirit herbs raw, Long Xuechan had felt a pang of loss, but now she felt nothing. Her entire focus was captivated by the nine gold needles Nie Kong wielded.

Long Xuechan realized Nie Kong was using the needles to extract and gather the medicinal energy, and she sensed that energy entering his three spirit essence apertures. However, once the power reached that region, its aura vanished without a trace, as if the acupoints were a bottomless pit, constantly devouring energy.

"Could it be that the medicinal power is being converted into the Wood Spirit energy he cultivates?" Long Xuechan wondered inwardly, but then immediately shook her head.

Where was the medicinal power going?

By the time Nie Kong consumed the tenth herb, Long Xuechan had stopped pondering that question. Her dark, shining beautiful eyes roved over Nie Kong. "Nie Kong brother is truly hiding his depth. I didn't realize he possessed such a means; it seems I haven't dug deep enough!"

Long Xuechan, capable of overseeing the Red Mansion branch in Spirit Imperial City, was certainly experienced. She had witnessed many strange and unusual methods employed by spirit alchemists, but this was the first time she had ever seen someone stimulate their body with spirit-patterned gold needles to extract herbal energy. What was even more peculiar was that this method seemed capable of extracting nearly all the inherent power from the herb. If one were to consume highly integrated spirit medicines this way, wouldn't the effect be even more miraculous?

"Chan Jie, I need a little more, ten more stalks, please!" Nie Kong’s voice suddenly cut through.

"Alright! Let alone ten stalks, I can find a way to get you a hundred, provided you thank Sister properly afterward," Long Xuechan playfully winked at Nie Kong, a captivating, enchanting smile blooming on her face, making her appear even more bewitching and charming...