"Younger Brother Nie Kong, you truly made a spectacle of yourself today," Long Xuechan said, her figure—curvaceous and exquisitely proportioned beneath her green dress—on full display. A smile played across her fair, luminous face, and a liquid sparkle seemed to flow from her moist, alluring eyes, revealing captivating charm.

"Sister Chan, it seems you’ve already heard the news," Nie Kong replied with a wry smile. The word of him taking first place among the Inner City disciples must have spread with the Outer City disciples who left early. He hadn't expected Long Xuechan to find out so quickly, suggesting she had been closely watching the supplementary assessment.

"Master, you are amazing!" Long Yan and Long Ting nodded happily, their gazes toward Nie Kong filled with admiration.

"With results this outstanding, it would be hard for me not to know, Brother."

Long Xuechan's eyes sparkled brightly as she swayed her willow waist over to Nie Kong, holding a small medicine box. "With the aid of the Inner City's 'Spiritual Cultivation Illusionary Realm,' breaking through to the 'Spirit Fusion Seventh Grade' shouldn't take you long. I can give you the 'Heavenly Dust Pill' ahead of time."

"Uh?"

Nie Kong paused, then chuckled awkwardly. "Sister Chan, there's no need, is there? I'm only at the Spirit Fusion Fifth Grade now. Even cultivating in the 'Spiritual Cultivation Illusionary Realm,' it will likely take me several months to reach the Seventh Grade. It won't be too late for you to give it to me then!"

Nie Kong had initially planned to wait until he reached the Spirit Fusion Seventh Grade, then borrow the 'Heavenly Dust Pill' from Long Xuechan just to examine it, discern the formula, and refine a replacement to return, thus not owing her a favor. He hadn't anticipated her offering it to him so readily today.

"It is necessary."

Long Xuechan smiled sweetly. "Younger Brother Nie Kong, refusing the 'Heavenly Dust Pill' so persistently—are you perhaps afraid of being indebted to me? If I should ask for your help with a truly difficult matter in the future, and you find it hard to refuse, even if you don't wish to act?"

She had pierced his intention with a single sentence, leaving Nie Kong feeling slightly embarrassed.

If that intimate episode hadn't occurred between them, it wouldn't matter if she exposed him now. But since it had happened, even though Long Xuechan acted as if nothing was amiss, Nie Kong still felt awkward in her presence sometimes.

Just like now!

Nie Kong let out a small laugh and said seriously, "Sister Chan, since you see through it, I won't hide anything. Indeed, although I cultivate Wood Spirit Power, I am ultimately just a minor Spirit Fusion Master. My cultivation is too low; I probably can't help you with anything significant!"

Long Yan and Long Ting looked between Nie Kong and Long Xuechan, a look of confusion flickering in their dark, bright eyes, clearly not grasping what kind of "help" they were discussing.

Long Xuechan pursed her red lips, gazed at Nie Kong, and chuckled alluringly, "Younger Brother Nie Kong, why are you so certain that I have something I need your help with?"

Nie Kong sighed softly. "Sister Chan, although we get along well, I am ultimately an outsider to the Red Mansion. You not only provide me with so many precious herbs but also give me Yan Yan and Ting Ting as maids, and now you offer the 'Heavenly Dust Pill.' If you didn't need my help, why wouldn't you even bat an eye when giving me these things? Just because I call you sister and you call me brother? There is no such thing as a free lunch! Since the matter is already out in the open, it's better to be completely clear, to avoid further evasion."

Hearing this, the two little maids, Long Yan and Long Ting, became even more bewildered. Did their Master mean that Sister Xuechan giving them to him had some hidden agenda? Impossible!

"No free lunch?"

Long Xuechan murmured the phrase, then suddenly broke into a smile. "Younger Brother Nie Kong, it seems I was indeed too anxious before. Since you put it that way, I won't hide anything either. As you said, I do have something I need your help with, but not now—rather, in a little over two years."

She paused, then sighed profoundly. "Everything I've done, besides finding you quite likable, has mainly been in the hope of helping you advance your cultivation as much as possible. Younger Brother Nie Kong, you won't blame me for not telling you upfront, will you?"

"Of course not," Nie Kong smiled faintly. "To gain something, one must give. Similarly, if one has given, it's only natural to expect some return. Sister Chan, regarding the matter you need my help with in the future, if it is within my capability, I certainly won't refuse. Otherwise..."

Long Xuechan smiled enchantingly. "In my original plan, if your cultivation hadn't reached the requisite level after two years, I would never have mentioned it. All my previous efforts would have been considered gifts from me. But since you’ve figured it out, I’ll tell you clearly: if your cultivation hasn't broken through to the Spirit Control Realm by then, I will never ask you. If you reach the Spirit Control Realm, that matter might just be a simple gesture for you. What do you think, Younger Brother Nie Kong?"

"Good, Sister Chan, those words are enough!" Nie Kong laughed heartily. He was only at the Spirit Fusion Fifth Grade now; breaking through to the Spirit Control Realm in just over two years was nearly impossible! He wasn't Nie Fenglei, the peerless genius of the Nie family! For him, who was currently in a life-preservation stage, Spirit Control was extremely distant.

Long Xuechan shot him a coquettish glance. "Younger Brother Nie Kong, you shouldn't have any doubts now, so this 'Heavenly Dust Pill'..."

"I accept!" Nie Kong cheerfully took the medicine box.

Seeing Nie Kong no longer push back, Long Xuechan also seemed to let go of a burden. She smiled at Long Yan and Long Ting. "Yan Yan, Ting Ting, go back to your room first. Sister has a few words to say to your Master privately."

The two little girls seemed slightly downcast, their eyes all fixed on Nie Kong. Only after Nie Kong nodded did they slump their small heads and walk toward the room.

The two petite figures quickly disappeared. Long Xuechan said somewhat tartly, "I can't command these two little girls anymore."

Nie Kong chuckled softly. "If you want to take Yan Yan and Ting Ting away, I won't stop you. Since you managed to let them choose to absorb Wood Spirit Power elements when their spiritual bodies showed signs, you must also have a way to resolve the crisis within their bodies?"

Long Xuechan neither confirmed nor denied the latter part of Nie Kong's statement, merely shaking her head with a sense of resignation. "Even if I wanted to, Yan Yan and Ting Ting wouldn't leave with me, their sister... I think these two little girls have fixed their sights on you as their Master; don't even think about shaking them off in this lifetime."

From the way Long Yan and Long Ting looked at him, Nie Kong was certain of that. He had only said that as a joke, mainly hoping to learn from Long Xuechan the method to eradicate the source of their spiritual bodies. Since she wouldn't say, Nie Kong didn't press the issue. After all, a method that could allow a spiritual body to escape the thousand-year fate of being a mere accessory for another would not be easily revealed. Like Long Xuechan, who relied on her own efforts to become a powerful Void Spirit Master at a young age—even the Nie family's peerless genius, Nie Fenglei, was far inferior to her.

A method worthy of eternal inscription in the Annals of Heavenly Spirits would not be casually divulged by anyone. Nie Kong’s thoughts raced, and he smiled, "Sister Chan, is there something you need to say that requires them to leave?"

Long Xuechan did not answer, instead bringing up a completely unrelated topic. "Younger Brother Nie Kong, the Spirit Art you are cultivating now should be called the 'Spring and Autumn Life Creation Art,' correct? It was created by the very first Wood Element Spirit Control Master in the history of the Heavenly Spirit Continent. This set of Spirit Art consumed his entire life's effort; after successfully creating it, he died from sheer exhaustion without ever having the chance to truly cultivate it even once."

"Oh?" Nie Kong was startled; he hadn't expected the 'Spring and Autumn Life Creation Art' to have such a hidden history.

Long Xuechan continued, "For you, still at the Spirit Fusion stage, the 'Spring and Autumn Life Creation Art' is sufficient. But haven't you noticed a massive flaw in this Spirit Art? This flaw will erupt completely once you reach the Spirit Control stage, or even the late Spirit Transformation stage."

Nie Kong exclaimed, "How do you know?"

Long Xuechan chuckled lightly. "That Spirit Control Master was a close friend of my Long family ancestor. After his passing, his cultivation notes and the 'Spring and Autumn Life Creation Art' remained with the Long family. Later, due to some changes, the 'Spring and Autumn Life Creation Art' was lost and eventually acquired by Spirit Control City, while the notes remained with our family. What I just told you was something I recently read in those notes. That senior intended to perfect the Spirit Art, but alas, time ran out."

"I see." Nie Kong finally relaxed. If Long Xuechan possessed the notes left by that Wood Element Spirit Control Master, it was understandable.

In truth, just as Long Xuechan said, the "Spring and Autumn Life Creation Art" did possess a huge flaw, one that Nie Kong had only recently sensed. The "Spring and Autumn Life Creation Art" initially involved absorbing the vitality and spiritual elements of grass and trees. However, if one failed to perfect the Spirit Art by the high-grade Spirit Transformation level, the cultivation process could very likely drain the Spirit Master's own life essence, leading to death.

Long Xuechan frowned. "I only saw those notes recently; otherwise, I wouldn't have advised you to ask Sha Yan for this 'Spring and Autumn Life Creation Art' back then. I've thought about it recently, and there might be a way to help you resolve this crisis."

Nie Kong was moved. "Oh? What way?" If such a method truly existed, he wouldn't have to live in constant dread while cultivating the 'Spring and Autumn Life Creation Art' in the future.

"The key to this method lies with the two little maids, Long Yan and Long Ting," Long Xuechan smiled. "If successful, not only will you no longer worry about the flaw in the 'Spring and Autumn Life Creation Art,' but you won't have to worry about lacking a suitable Spirit Art when your cultivation deepens later on. Furthermore, there's a high chance it could simultaneously help the two little girls escape the fate of their spiritual bodies, allowing them to cultivate like me." This was why she hadn't told you the original method prepared for them. That method could indeed stop their bodies from gathering spiritual energy, but doing so would turn them into ordinary people forever.

Nie Kong nodded in agreement. Although eradicating the source of their spiritual bodies would remove the threat to the girls' lives, judging by their demeanor, they wouldn't be happy if he did that. If there was a way to achieve the best of both worlds, that would be wonderful!

Long Xuechan lightly touched the Tui Zhong point on Nie Kong's chest with her jade finger, her smile enchanting. "The root source where their spiritual bodies gather spiritual energy is right here. Younger Brother Nie Kong, if you can thoroughly understand this, perhaps you can combine it with the 'Spring and Autumn Life Creation Art' to create an even more formidable Spirit Art of your own."

Nie Kong pondered. "That seems difficult."

"Not 'seems difficult,' but 'definitely difficult,'" Long Xuechan giggled coquettishly. "You've spent months with them, so you must know how fast they gather spiritual energy. If you could apply that speed to your own cultivation, breaking through to the Spirit Control Realm in two years would be as easy as turning your hand for you." Nie Kong gave a wry smile. "Sister Chan, you say that lightly."

"Younger Brother Nie Kong, are you backing down just because it's a bit difficult?" Long Xuechan gazed at him with bright eyes, her voice filled with potent temptation. "You must realize, if you truly create such a Spirit Art based on their spiritual bodies, it will undoubtedly be a Spirit Art surpassing the Heaven Grade. Think about it—what an achievement that would be!"

Nie Kong laughed heartily. "Sister Chan, you certainly know how to provoke me. Since you put it that way, regardless of ultimate success, I will certainly give it a good try."

"That’s the spirit," Long Xuechan teased. "I imagine you'll be moving into the Inner City tomorrow. Take Yan Yan and Ting Ting with you. Otherwise, without them nearby, how can you create a powerful Spirit Art surpassing the Heaven Grade based on their spiritual bodies?"

"Take them along?" Nie Kong smiled wryly. "I don't have the prestige to persuade the supervisors in the Inner City to allow me to bring two maids inside."

"You don't, but I do. I already spoke with the Vice City Lord of the Inner City about this, and he agreed!" Long Xuechan said charmingly, producing two waist tokens and two blue badges. "These are their entry and exit tokens and badges for the Inner City. Distribute them later."

"Sister Chan, you were prepared long ago!" Nie Kong took the tokens and blue badges in surprise.

"Since I thought of you borrowing their spiritual bodies to create a Spirit Art, how could I not prepare this for you?" Long Xuechan playfully winked at Nie Kong. "Alright, I won't take up any more of your time. The two little girls know I sent them to you for another reason and seem a bit unhappy." With that, Long Xuechan moved her delicate steps, her slender waist and rounded hips swaying gracefully as she left the courtyard with a lingering, graceful posture.

"..."

Only after her figure vanished from the doorway did Nie Kong quickly enter the room. Long Yan and Long Ting were indeed sitting side-by-side on the small bench like pouting young wives, their mouths downturned, their eyes red-rimmed, worry faintly etched in their brows, as if fearing Nie Kong would make them leave.

Hearing Nie Kong's footsteps, the two little girls looked up, their eyes misty, on the verge of tears. "Master, you won't abandon us, will you?"

Nie Kong felt a pang of pity, and he smiled softly, "How could I? Don't overthink it. Rest well tonight, and I'll take you to the Inner City tomorrow."

"Really?" The two little girls were stunned for a moment, then bounced up excitedly...!