There was no intimate physical harassment, and Long Ting’s rigid body gradually relaxed. Soon, she fell into a sweet sleep. Nie Kong, however, could not sleep for a long time. What occupied his mind was not the tender bodies of the two young girls—bodies ripe for plucking—but the anomalies within their meridians.

The magical and terrifying speed at which they absorbed spiritual energy made Nie Kong intensely curious. Thus, for several consecutive days, in between his own cultivation and refining the "Jade Leaf Glazed Pill," Nie Kong would produce low-grade spiritual herbs for Long Xi and Long Ting to absorb, then meticulously observe the activity within their meridians.

Ultimately, Nie Kong discovered only one thing: as the spiritual energy condensed within their meridians increased, the vortex-like suction, while still present, became less pronounced. As for the reason behind the strange suction generated by the meridians, Nie Kong still could not figure it out.

However, Nie Kong remained unwilling to give up.

Through these repeated trials, the weather in Lingyu City began to warm, and the accumulated snow on the mountains and plains gradually melted. Time quickly advanced to the fifteenth day of March.

This day was the busiest day of the month for the Medicine Heart Hall, where almost all disciples gathered in the spacious main hall to participate in the monthly assessment competition. This was also a day eagerly anticipated by the vast majority of Medicine Heart Hall disciples, and one that caused headaches for a select few.

The headache stemmed from the fact that, apart from disciples who had been newly admitted for less than a year, all other disciples were required to participate in this monthly assessment. New disciples could also register, but once registered, they were bound to attend every subsequent monthly assessment; there was absolutely no option to withdraw.

Whether a disciple had been admitted for more than a year or was a newly registered participant, absence from the assessment resulted in a score of zero for that round. A single zero score put one in a precarious position when the final cumulative scores were calculated at the end of the year, with an extremely high probability of landing in the bottom ten slots.

According to the rules of the Medicine Heart Hall, the bottom ten were all eliminated.

But for the outstanding disciples of the Medicine Heart Hall, these monthly assessments were prime opportunities to acquire superior medicinal herbs and precious spiritual resources. Over time, this arrangement inevitably led to a polarization among the disciples: the excellent grew ever more exceptional, while the ordinary remained just that.

And this was precisely what the Medicine Heart Hall intended.

Each monthly assessment held by the Medicine Heart Hall attracted significant attention throughout Lingyu City. By watching repeatedly, people could easily discern the unique refining specialties of the most accomplished disciples, allowing them to seek out the specific spiritual pharmacist they needed for future refining work.

In the early morning, the area outside the Medicine Heart Hall was already thronged with people, their clamor echoing loudly, surrounded by numerous Lingyu City disciples from various branch halls like Qingfeng and Zilei.

While the outside world was noisy, Nie Kong arrived at a side hall of the Medicine Heart Hall. Over a hundred Medicine Heart Hall disciples were already inside—all unfamiliar faces. They were gathered in small groups, some engaged in loud discussions, others whispering secrets, all centered on the impending assessment.

After finding a meditation cushion to sit on, Nie Kong continued to watch figures stream into the hall.

Listening to the discussions of his fellow disciples for a while, Nie Kong couldn't help but feel a knot of anxiety in his stomach. The monthly assessment presented only one question, but the topic was always wildly unpredictable. Rumor had it that even the most accomplished disciples of the Medicine Heart Hall had stumbled during these evaluations before.

Nie Kong felt genuine resentment toward Luo Ren, who had signed him up. Initially, hearing Luo Ren’s words, Nie Kong had assumed the man held him in some kind of “special regard” for gaining entry to the Medicine Heart Hall through the Red Chamber’s backdoor, and he hadn't held much against him.

But discovering that Luo Ren had registered him sparked suspicion. There was no love without reason, just as there was no hate without cause.

Nie Kong had easily passed the "Nine-Colored Chain Lock," and upon his very first attempt at the "Two Dragons Playing with Pearls," he had refined a medicinal power that earned praise even from the Vice Hall Master. Even if he had entered through the back door, he was fully qualified to be a Medicine Heart Hall disciple. Logically, after witnessing his capabilities, Luo Ren’s hostility should have lessened.

Later, Nie Kong managed to find an opportunity to inquire about Luo Ren’s background and suddenly understood everything. Ten years ago, Luo Ren was an unlucky candidate who had been edged out of a spot in the Medicine Heart Hall recruitment list by a disciple recommended by the Red Chamber. It was likely that, in this man's heart, the hatred for the Red Chamber far surpassed any feeling he had for Nie Kong, who was recommended by them.

Since Luo Ren could do nothing about the behemoth that was Hong Leng, he took his anger out on Nie Kong, even going so far as to register him for the monthly assessment.

Instructors had limited authority, but recommending a self-proclaimed outstanding new disciple to participate in the monthly assessment fell precisely within Luo Ren’s permissible scope. Although final approval was needed from the Hall Master, perhaps because the Master had witnessed the ball of medicinal power Nie Kong condensed using the "Two Dragons Playing with Pearls" technique, Luo Ren succeeded in registering him, ensuring the name "Nie Kong" appeared on the monthly assessment roster. This method was rather insidious.

Nie Kong had only been practicing as a second-grade Spiritual Pharmacist for a short time, while his opponents were young experts who had studied in the Medicine Heart Hall for at least a year, with many already being third-grade Spiritual Pharmacists. The competition would undoubtedly be fierce, and if Nie Kong performed poorly, he could easily be eliminated within a year.

“This challenge is truly significant.”

Nie Kong rubbed his sleepy, gritty eyes and sighed inwardly. But then he suddenly noticed that the noise in the side hall seemed to have dropped considerably. The unrestrained laughter vanished, leaving only soft murmuring behind.

“The monthly assessment is about to start. Our Medicine Heart Hall’s most outstanding female spiritual pharmacists have finally shown up.”

“Hmph, isn't this what happens every time?”

“No need to say, the top spots in this monthly assessment will certainly be taken by them again! Tsk tsk, I’m so envious. If only I could make it into the top five once!”

Absorbing the grumbles from his surroundings, Nie Kong couldn't help but look toward the hall entrance. Four graceful figures walked in.

These four women were exceptionally beautiful; the moment they appeared, they became the focal point of everyone in the hall. Like a brilliant landscape, they advanced deep into the side hall, their soft footsteps accompanying the sway of their delicate forms, as if treading upon everyone's hearts.

As expected of the top disciples of the Medicine Heart Hall—each one as proud as a phoenix. This Medicine Heart Hall, much like that Spirit Herb Gathering previously, seemed to suffer from an imbalance of Yin energy over Yang energy!

Nie Kong shook his head with a slight smile, then his gaze paused. He actually recognized a rather familiar figure among the four young, beautiful women.

One had sapphire-blue eyes, one wore her elegant hair piled high, one sported a ponytail, and the last was Miao Ge—whom he had met several times in the Pharmacist Guild Hall and who had once helped him record test-drug results. The beauty mark at the corner of her lip made her appear even more alluring today.

Sensing she hadn't noticed him, Nie Kong refrained from greeting her. His gaze swept over their faces and then retracted, settling back as he waited quietly.

Before long, Nie Kong’s eyelids began to grow heavy.

Last night, under some instigation from Long Xuechan, the two little girls, Long Zhuo and Long Ting, who normally slept contentedly clinging to his arms, had suddenly changed their demeanor. They wrapped their silky, soft limbs tightly around him like vines.

Even though Long Ting hadn't fully developed, the intimate entanglement of their bodies was enough to stir desire. As a young man full of vigor, Nie Kong stood no chance of sleeping well under those circumstances. As a result, he woke up feeling drained. He was reluctant to waste the little ones’ innate medicinal power for his own replenishment, so he had to force himself to stay awake.

Fortunately