In a scream, Hong Guang's clothes were torn, a deep bloody groove ripped across his back by the sharp claws of a spirit beast.

Immediately following, another shadow flashed into view—the tail of that massive python swept over with the force of a thousand pounds, slamming heavily into Hong Guang's chest.

"Bang!"

Hong Guang spewed a mouthful of blood and was sent flying backward. Ignoring the pain, he spun up, fumbling a green jade sphere from his robe, and fiercely crushed it. A beam of green flame shot straight into the sky.

"Not good, he's signaling the other Inner City disciples!" Miao Ge exclaimed.

Although it looked like a jade sphere, it was actually a type of pill, though one devoid of medicinal properties. The light scattered when the pill was crushed served as a means of communication. Before entering the Illusionary Space, Miao Ge had prepared a few to carry, but hadn't used them yet.

This item could both gather companions and invite danger. If any Inner City disciples were nearby, crushing such a pill was tantamount to openly announcing one's position.

Nie Kong burst into laughter. "Signal them well! I was just worried they wouldn't come." As he spoke, dozens of green lights began flickering sequentially in the sky overhead.

"You're sick!"

Miao Ge gritted her teeth in frustration. "Nie Kong, put me down quickly! How much longer do you intend to carry me?" Hanging upside down, her buttocks facing forward and her head backward, the posture was not only undignified but extremely uncomfortable. If the abnormal behavior of these spirit beasts hadn't startled her into silence for so long, she would have spoken up sooner.

Nie Kong patted Miao Ge's small bottom, grinning. "Senior Sister Miao Ge, I advise you not to get down yet. The ground is extremely dangerous, truly, I'm not kidding you."

Miao Ge’s delicate body trembled. With a mix of annoyance and shame, she snapped, "Dangerous my foot! Let go now, or I'm not finished with you!" Not get down? Continue letting you take liberties with me perched on your shoulder? Miao Ge bit her lower lip, cursing inwardly, but forced herself not to speak the words aloud.

"It's truly hard to be a good person! Very well, don't say I didn't warn you." Nie Kong shook his head helplessly, then shrugged his shoulders, instantly flinging Miao Ge’s delicate form into the air. Nie Kong’s two large hands shot out, firmly grasping her slender waist and setting her down on the ground.

"A good person?"

Miao Ge pouted and quickly sat cross-legged.

"Roar!"

A spirit beast charging past suddenly stopped, roared fiercely, and lunged toward Miao Ge. Miao Ge cried out in alarm and instantly sprang up, instinctively striking toward the beast’s head, forgetting that the after-effects of taking the 'Jade Softening Pill' would take some time to dissipate.

As expected, faint azure spiritual energy merely flickered around her palm. All the bones in Miao Ge’s body felt as if they had been extracted; her delicate frame went limp and collapsed toward the ground. She could only watch helplessly as the beast’s head drew closer, able to clearly see the putrid flesh between its teeth.

At this moment, the other spirit beasts nearby seemed to notice Miao Ge’s presence as well. They too turned their heads, their eyes glinting with fierce malice.

"Sigh!"

With a sigh, Nie Kong’s arm suddenly stretched across, catching Miao Ge’s body just as it was about to hit the ground. He gently pulled her towards him, and Miao Ge fell into Nie Kong’s embrace, her round, firm breasts colliding squarely with his chest.

A foul, putrid smell washed over her. The spirit beast’s head abruptly halted a meter from Nie Kong’s face. A flicker of confusion crossed its eyes, and in the next instant, it roared violently, surprisingly letting go of Nie Kong and Miao Ge, and pouncing instead toward Hong Guang’s increasingly miserable and pathetic figure nearby.

Miao Ge ignored how intimately close she and Nie Kong were, utterly perplexed by this bizarre scene. She stammered, "Wh-what’s going on?"

Nie Kong chuckled. "Perhaps my personal charm is too strong; the spirit beasts are a bit reluctant to take a bite."

Miao Ge glared fiercely at him. "I'm asking why, when I was close to you, the spirit beasts ignored me, but the moment I moved away, they attacked immediately?"

"Haha, perhaps they thought you were my woman, so they spared you as well. In the end, it’s all down to my overwhelming charm." Nie Kong rubbed his chin, laughing dryly.

"Go to hell!"

Miao Ge’s pretty face flushed deeply. Having been repeatedly touched by Nie Kong, she had long lost her composure and the elegance she possessed outside in Spirit Control City. Hearing such a joke again, her large, watery eyes shot up, making her teeth itch with anger.

However, feeling the posture they were in—like a couple locked in a tight embrace—Miao Ge felt overwhelmingly awkward, her cheeks burning hot.

Moments later, regaining a bit of strength, Miao Ge quickly pulled away from Nie Kong’s hold.

"It really is dangerous outside," Nie Kong reminded her with a smile.

"I don't believe it," Miao Ge bit her lip and walked to the side. She hadn't even taken five steps before two spirit beasts roared and leaped towards her. Startled, Miao Ge rushed back, only to see Nie Kong waiting with a broad, smiling embrace, inviting her back. Feeling unwilling, she rushed a few more steps and hid behind Nie Kong.

"Awoo!" The two spirit beasts in front did not stop their charge, and several more rushed over from behind. In an instant, Miao Ge felt the foul wind rushing towards her.

"Just standing there is useless! You have to hug me! Hug tight!" Nie Kong ordered. "You!"

Miao Ge gritted her teeth and wrapped her arms fiercely around Nie Kong's waist. The eyes of those spirit beasts once again flashed with a look of confusion, and then they joined the fray, surrounding and attacking Hong Guang.

Miao Ge couldn't help but open her small mouth in astonishment. If the retreat of the spirit beasts the first time could be attributed to coincidence, the second time was impossible. There must be something on this fellow that the spirit beasts feared, and the most likely candidate was medicine.

"Nie Kong, what spirit medicine are you carrying?" Miao Ge asked involuntarily.

"What spirit medicine? Didn't I tell you? My charm is so strong even the spirit beasts can’t bear to bite, and you get to benefit from it by staying close to me."

Nie Kong continued his nonsense, but inwardly he smiled. This little girl reacted quite quickly, having thought of spirit medicine so soon.

In reality, it was indeed due to the 'Blood Zen Pill' Nie Kong had consumed. The closer one got to Nie Kong, the stronger the scent of the 'Blood Zen Pill' became. Physical contact with Nie Kong could maximally mask the fragrance of the 'Blood Scale Thorn' within Miao Ge’s body, causing the spirit beasts to regard her as one of their own. Otherwise, she would face the same fate as Hong Guang—being besieged by the beasts.

The 'Blood Scale Thorn' was peculiar like that. If Nie Kong ran while holding it, the spirit beasts, attracted by the medicinal scent, would ignore anyone else they encountered. But if Nie Kong stopped, and the beasts couldn't attack him, they would attack any human nearby who had been tainted by the 'Blood Scale Thorn's' fragrance.

Previously, during the period when Nie Kong had put away the 'Blood Scale Thorn,' the spirit beasts scattered. Several disciples nearby who had been exposed to the scent suffered dearly, not daring to engage with so many beasts, and ultimately had no choice but to use their 'Jade Patterned Butterfly' to escape the Illusionary Space.

"What nonsense!"

Miao Ge gave Nie Kong an irritated sidelong glance. Although curious about his medicine, she knew he wouldn't reveal it easily, so she stopped pressing the issue.

Adjusting her posture slightly, Miao Ge hunched her back and contracted her chest, trying her best not to let her chest press against Nie Kong's back. As the contact surface shrunk, it attracted the attention of quite a few spirit beasts. Sensing their vicious gazes, Miao Ge had no choice but to press herself tightly against Nie Kong again.

Miao Ge was beginning to miss the times when Nie Kong carried her or held her in his arms. Although those situations caused her deep embarrassment, they also eased much of the awkwardness because she was passively receiving the contact. But now? Now she had to actively hug a grown man tightly. Despite the level of physical intimacy being similar, the feeling of being passive versus active was entirely different. Having to hold onto a man like this was almost unbearable for her! Soon, Miao Ge’s pretty face turned crimson, appearing exceptionally alluring.

Her eyes darted, and Miao Ge suddenly released Nie Kong and walked a little to his side. However, when spirit beasts were drawn over, Nie Kong only glanced at them and ignored them. Miao Ge could only retreat behind Nie Kong and tightly embrace his waist again, inwardly fuming.

Nie Kong secretly chuckled, knowing Miao Ge's move was an attempt to entice him into holding her. Unfortunately for her, her intentions were destined to fail. For Nie Kong, having Miao Ge pressed against his back was far better than against his chest, as being in front would easily allow her to discover the presence of the 'Blood Scale Thorn.' Furthermore, Nie Kong didn't want to expose the secret of the 'Blood Zen Pill'; otherwise, giving her one pill would completely negate the spirit beast attacks.

Pouting with humiliation and anger, Miao Ge's attention was drawn to the screams coming from ahead.

Hong Guang possessed tremendous vitality. Even after being severely injured and besieged by spirit beasts for such a long time, he was still clinging on without using his 'Jade Patterned Butterfly.' However, his appearance grew increasingly tragic. His azure robe was reduced to rags hanging off his body, which was crisscrossed with bloody wounds.

"Ah!"

Another scream—the fierce black python had found another opportunity to strike. Its steel-whip-like tail swept across Hong Guang’s legs. This heavy blow shattered both his legs, causing him to writhe on the ground in agony. Finally, a thick green cocoon covered his battered body.

Instantly, his green form was submerged by a mass of spirit beasts. However, their attacks could not penetrate the defense of the 'Jade Patterned Butterfly.' After a few seconds, a column of green light shot down from the sky into the throng of beasts.

Another Inner City disciple dealt with! Nie Kong smiled faintly, looking into the distance, wondering where the other Inner City disciples had gone.

"Nie Kong!"

Suddenly, a chilling, sharp shout—as if materialized—shot out like an arrow from the distance. Over there, a black dot flashed above the treetops, moving with astonishing speed. In the span of a breath, the black shadow transformed into a man in black, gliding over the tree canopy like drifting willow fluff.

"Jiang Sheng!"

Nie Kong let out a long laugh. "You've finally arrived! I've been waiting for you for a long time!" Almost as Nie Kong's voice fell, several more figures rushed out from the surrounding forests. Faint glints of white and gold could be seen on their robes, indicating they were all Inner City disciples summoned by Hong Guang!

Luo Sheng and these few people were only the first batch of Inner City disciples to arrive!