The hall was graced by two girls who were mirror images of each other, standing poised and elegant.

They appeared to be fourteen or fifteen years old, dressed in flowing white robes. Their jet-black hair cascaded down their backs like waterfalls, brows arched delicately as new moons, eyes dark and luminous with a depth that seemed to hold galaxies. Their noses were upturned in soft perfection, lips the color of ripe cherries, faces heart-shaped and flawless, skin porcelain-like, flushed with a rosy hue that made them seem almost translucent.

Nie Kong hadn't expected his residence to suddenly house two radiant twin girls, but even more astonishing events awaited him.

"Master!"

Upon seeing Nie Kong, both girls bowed simultaneously, their synchronized voices melodic as they called out. When they straightened up, their cheeks flushed faintly, like peaches brushed by spring rain.

"Master?" Nie Kong blinked in confusion. "You—"

The girl on the left blushed deeply, interrupting with a trembling voice: "Master... we are your attendants."

"Atendants? When did I get them?"

His words hung mid-air as realization struck. He recalled the cryptic remarks Long Xuechan had made when he first arrived here. His throat tightened. Had she truly assigned servants to him alone in residence? A bitter smile tugged at his lips, "Did Xiaochan... er, Long Xuechan send you?"

"Yes," they answered in unison.

Exactly as suspected!

Nie Kong waved dismissively, "Return to her then. I don't need attendants." Without waiting for their reaction, he strode into his private chamber.

Having two beautiful twin maids by his side would be pleasant, but Nie Kong needed to prepare elixirs, which required summoning pet storage spaces and using the "Medicinal Cauldron Illusion" frequently. At first they might ignore it, but repeated appearances of these phenomena could raise suspicions.

The girls followed close behind him without hesitation.

When Nie Kong heard their footsteps trailing into his room, he turned to find them watching him with wide innocent eyes, lips pouted in helpless vulnerability. The younger girl blinked up at him, voice small and fragile: "Master... Xuechan had already given us away. If you reject us, my sister and I will have nowhere else to go." Her companion nodded frantically, lashes trembling as tears threatened her eyes.

Nie Kong stared at them, half-amused frustration in his tone. "You call her 'older sister' yet she just gave you away like trinkets?"

"Xuechan is a kind person!" they declared together.

The absurdity of their loyalty left him speechless. These girls had been handed over as easily as commodities and still praised the giver? Nie Kong shook his head in resignation, bypassing them to exit the courtyard.

"Master!"

"If you won't listen," he called back without turning, "then I'll go find your so-called 'kind person' myself."

When Nie Kong arrived at the Sixth Hall of Herbalist Institutes, Long Xuechan wasn't there. As he prepared to leave, a ripple in the courtyard's air heralded her sudden appearance. Her figure materialized with a playful smirk curling the corners of her lips: "Nie Kong, my dear little brother, are you satisfied with your birthday gift?"

"Gift? You mean those twin maids?" He laughed mirthlessly. "Xiaochan, send them back to their place. I don't need attendants."

Long Xuechan swayed toward him like willows in the wind, her sultry form brushing his shoulder as she giggled, "My little Nie Kong, doesn't a single man feel lonely?"

"Of course lonely!" He smiled wryly. "I've always hoped Xiaochan would move here with me instead of assigning me these... children."

Her smile abruptly faded into something sorrowful. "Nie Kong," she murmured, voice suddenly serious, "do you truly wish to see them die?"

"What are you implying?" Nie Kong's playful attitude vanished as he studied her face. Had the twins fallen ill? But they showed no symptoms of poisoning or illness...

Long Xuechan sighed softly, "Have you heard of spirit bodies?"

"Are these girls..." Nie Kong trailed off. Master Nie had once mentioned that spirit bodies were tragically unique humans. Without the three soul acupoints of mediums, yet their spiritual energies still coalesced uncontrollably within their bodies at speeds surpassing even skilled mediums. This paradoxical condition made every moment a countdown to self-destruction without proper intervention.

Long Xuechan continued, "These sisters couldn't practice cultivation until two years ago when spirit body symptoms suddenly appeared. Now their energy accumulation reaches dangerous levels..." Her delicate brows furrowed with genuine concern.

Nie Kong frowned, "Xiaochan, I thought to assist such cases required a complete soul resonance..."

Long Xuechan tilted her head, "Those with spirit bodies feel immediate kinship when encountering compatible mediums. The girls had already seen you before, so they knew."

Nie Kong exhaled slowly, "If all that's needed is for me to absorb their energy, why the charade of making them maids?"

Long Xuechan burst into laughter, "Because only a male medium can help female spirit bodies? My little Nie Kong, do you know why compatibility isn't gender-specific but here it is specifically male? Because..." She let the implication hang.

Nie Kong's throat tightened as realization dawned. The method of energy absorption hadn't been covered by Master Nie when he'd interrupted their lessons.

Long Xuechan's gaze slid slowly over his face, her voice dripping with honeyed mischief, "You've figured it out already, haven't you? Yes, this is the only way to save them."

"No other options?"

She shook her head firmly, "None. They have no cultivation acupoints so conventional methods won't work. This time I'm not joking, Nie Kong. Ask any Herbalist Institute instructor and they'll confirm it."

Nie Kong felt an eerie dissonance. Helping these girls through such intimate means was akin to the ancient legends of yin supplementation—except this wasn't harmful. Their bodies would regenerate energy each time without damage. This revelation unsettled him more than he cared to admit.

Long Xuechan winked at him, "My dear Nie Kong, those poor girls are counting on you now. Don't take too long deciding—they might get heartbroken waiting."

"Cough... I'll be going then," he mumbled awkwardly.

In previous lives, Nie Kong never shunned carnal desires and held no rigid moral boundaries about such matters. Yet here in the celestial realm of mediums, expectations were different. These girls were barely teenagers by human standards, and societal norms regarding relationships were far stricter than his old world. He couldn't treat them as disposable playthings even if they were already commodities to Long Xuechan.

"Wait," Long Xuechan's voice stopped him at the courtyard gate, "Have you taken your Jade LeafDan yet?"

Nie Kong turned, "No. I planned to take it after reaching Tongling seventh rank..." The elixir could boost two ranks if taken before fifth stage, but results became uncertain afterward as energy demands increased while the pill's potency remained fixed. However...

He ran his fingers over the talisman in his robe pocket—he'd felt its fusion was over 95%, which meant the effects would be exceptionally potent.

"You should start preparing," she advised, "If you take them tonight, reaching seventh rank is certain and you might even approach eighth. Then after taking the pill, ninth rank will finally be yours."

"Wood energy?" Nie Kong's eyes gleamed at her words about their elemental affinities. The regeneration process of spirit bodies meant each subsequent absorption would yield greater returns... But no—the thought died swiftly. Principles still mattered. He needed to find a way that preserved both the girls' purity and his own ethics.

According to Master Nie, spirit body conditions were incurable. If he truly formed this bond with them, they'd be bound to him forever—never able to marry or live normally. Was becoming their lifelong slave better than this? He wasn't some monstrous predator.

Nie Kong sighed heavily. It felt as if Long Xuechan had already ensnared him in a moral dilemma with no escape. The girls were only thirteen, after all—he'd wait until they grew older before making such decisions...

With that resolve, he turned away from the courtyard and exited. Only then did he remember he hadn't asked about today's events at the institute. But since it was nearby, there was no urgency to press her now.

Later, back in his residence hall, Nie Kong sat on a chair while the two girls stood before him side by side. Their heads were slightly bowed, porcelain cheeks flushed under his gaze like overripe peaches ready to burst with juiciness. Occasionally lifting their eyes to peek at him through lashes, they quickly looked away when caught, their shyness laced with an innocence that made each glance a silent invitation.

They were budding beauties now—by the time they matured... Nie Kong shook his head to dispel such thoughts before asking, "What are your names?"

"Long Luoshu."

"Long Ting."

Their heads remained bowed as they answered in unison, their voices trembling slightly from prolonged eye contact. Both shared the same surname. Noting their identical appearances—identical hairlines, identical curves across their chests—he asked carefully, "Is Luoshu the elder?" The younger one had spoken first initially, but now that he'd returned with Long Xuechan's explanation...

She nodded.

"Thirteen years old," Nie Kong mused when they answered age question. Their youthful appearance made him believe them to be older—now proven otherwise. After brief conversation, his gaze lingered until he suddenly ordered: "Luoshu, extend your hand."