When retrieving the waist token from that giant Dragon Stone Gate, six points had already been deducted. Nevertheless, the progress Nie Kong had made cultivating in the Illusory Realm today brought him considerable pleasure. By the time he returned to the attic in the inner city, it was completely dark, and the building glowed brightly with lights.
“Master.”
Long Yan and Long Ting had spotted Nie Kong’s silhouette long ago. As soon as he entered, the two girls cheerfully brought the food trays up. Nie Kong had spent the better part of the day in the Spirit Cultivation Illusory Realm and felt quite hungry, just preparing to feast when Gu Yi suddenly popped up from God knows where again.
Nie Kong rubbed his forehead, frowning, “Little sister, why haven't you left yet?”
“I told you, if you don't tell me the method to attract spirit beasts, I’ll stay here every day. Hmph, I’ll sleep with Sister Yan and Sister Tingting.” The little loli grinned with a hint of cunning.
“Sister Yao, we are supposed to sleep with Master tonight,” Long Ting quickly interjected.
“Mmm-hmm,” Long Yan nodded repeatedly.
“Traitors!”
The little loli was instantly stunned speechless, then her little face flushed red with anger, “Didn’t we agree? We’d all sleep together tonight… Wait, Sister Yan, Sister Tingting, what did you just say? Did I hear that wrong? You… you are going to sleep with the big liar?”
“That’s right.”
The two little girls nodded, their cheeks slightly flushed, yet their expressions were matter-of-fact. “We are Master’s handmaidens, after all.”
The little loli looked a bit dizzy, grabbing the arms of the two girls, “You… you, count me in! I don’t care, you have to sleep with me from now on.”
“Sister Yan, Sister Tingting, come here.”
Nie Kong smiled warmly and beckoned the two girls over.
“Mm.”
Long Yan and Long Ting pulled their hands free from Gu Jing’s grasp and obediently came to Nie Kong’s side.
“Traitors, big traitors, and I even called you older sisters.” Seeing this, the little loli gritted her teeth, feeling as if her lungs were about to explode from anger.
“Sister Qi, it was you who kept insisting; neither Sister nor I ever agreed,” Long Ting mumbled quietly.
“Mmm-hmm.”
Long Yan nodded in agreement again.
Nie Kong laughed heartily, “Little sister, Long Yan and Long Ting are my handmaidens. If they aren't accompanying me, their Master, but go accompany you instead, what kind of propriety is that? So, you had better hurry home. It’s so late; if your grandfather doesn't see you return, he’ll worry.”
“I won’t go back!”
The little loli pouted, two little clouds of mist gathering in her eyes, tears on the verge of falling. “Big liar, you are all bad people, bullying me together… Waaah, wuwu…” As she trailed off, the little loli could hold it in no longer, squatting on the ground and sobbing heartbrokenly.
“…”
Long Yan and Long Ting were momentarily stunned. Seeing her streaming tears, their hearts felt a pang of reluctance. They glanced at Nie Kong, their lips moving slightly, but ultimately remained silent.
“Ahem! Ahem!”
Nie Kong coughed twice. The nearby attics housed other inner-city disciples. If they heard her crying, they might think he had done something to this little girl, and by then, it would be impossible to clear his name, even if he were innocent. His eyes darted around, and Nie Kong suddenly chuckled, “Gu Qi, it’s not impossible for me to tell you the method for attracting spirit beasts, it’s just that…”
“Just what?”
The little loli heard a shift in the situation and her crying stopped instantly. She leaped in front of Nie Kong, staring at him pitifully with those watery eyes.
“Attracting spirit beasts requires two extremely special spirit medicines, and refining them is very troublesome. I might not succeed every time. Moreover, based on my original intent, even if I could refine them, I would never give those two spirit medicines to anyone.”
Seeing the little loli’s mouth begin to pout again, Nie Kong abruptly changed his tone. “However, seeing as the Hall Master is your great-grandfather, and Bai Yuqing is so close to you, plus Sister Yan and Sister Tingting call you sister, I will make an exception just this once for you. But, you can't expect me to take a loss, can you!”
The little loli’s eyes lit up. She wiped the corners of her eyes, looking excited and somewhat eager. “Big liar, what do you want?”
“What do you have?” Nie Kong asked with an unhurried smile.
“You are a Spirit Master and also an Alchemist, so what you want certainly won’t be spirit medicine, but rather medicinal herbs.” The little loli’s eyes darted around. “Wait for me!”
Before the words even fell, she had bolted out of the attic. The two little girls exchanged glances. Long Ting asked curiously, “Master, are you really going to give her those two spirit medicines?”
“If she can truly offer me what I want, what’s the harm in giving her a few?” Nie Kong laughed heartily. “Come, eat, eat.”
“Oh.”
Long Yan and Long Ting sat down, puzzled.
After dinner, the two little girls cleaned up the bowls and chopsticks while Nie Kong leaned back on the recliner, closing his eyes to rest.
“Aiya ya!”
The little thing suddenly stiffened, curling up into a ball like a cat smelling fishy scents, its tendrils standing erect and its roots whipping back and forth.
“Huh?”
Nie Kong sat up straight, looking at the little thing’s excited demeanor—could it have sensed something good? The thought barely crossed his mind when footsteps sounded outside. Gu Yi’s small figure rushed in like a gust of wind, carrying a sack on her back that was larger than her own body.
“Aiya ya!”
The little thing cried out even more excitedly.
Is the good stuff in that sack? Nie Kong looked over suspiciously…
Perhaps due to running too vigorously, the little loli’s cheeks were flushed, and she was slightly breathless. She dropped the sack onto the floor and waved her hand confidently. “Big liar, all my things are right here. You can pick whatever you want.”
“But, you can only pick one at most, otherwise, Great-Grandpa will scold me,” the little loli’s tone suddenly became timid, as if afraid Nie Kong would change his mind because of it.
“Let me see!”
Anything that could capture the attention of the little thing must be an herb on the level of the Lightning Vine or the Serpent Coiled Blood Lotus. Nie Kong suppressed the stirring greed in his heart, opened the sack, and the fragrance of medicine immediately wafted out. Looking down, he saw that it was stacked layer upon layer with boxes of various materials and shapes.
He casually pulled out a wooden box, released the latch, and a magnificent crimson light suddenly burst forth. Lying quietly inside the box was a blood-red medicinal herb, about a foot long. Fine, thread-like leaves crisscrossed densely, extending from the root to the tip like a tightly rolled net.
That cluster of crimson light emanated from the gaps between the net-like leaves. Even though the herb had been processed and dried, it still appeared incredibly lifelike and exceptionally vibrant.
“Crimson-Backed Heaven Net!”
Nie Kong snapped back to reality and exclaimed the name aloud. He had heard of this ‘Crimson-Backed Heaven Net’ from Nie Xingyun, though this was his first time seeing it. It, like the ‘Serpent Coiled Blood Lotus,’ could be used to refine the sixth-grade spirit medicine, the ‘Blood Condensing Divine Fire Pill.’ He hadn't expected such a precious herb to be casually taken out by her.
“Mmm-hmm, this was Great-Grandpa’s gift to me for this year’s Divine Birth Festival,” the little loli said, her face breaking into a wide smile upon seeing Nie Kong recognize it.
A Divine Birth Festival gift?
Nie Kong couldn’t help but smile bitterly. His master had searched for years without finding an herb like the ‘Crimson-Backed Heaven Net,’ yet the Medicine Heart Hall Master, Gu Chang-gong, used it as a gift for this little girl. But this little girl was truly extravagant, taking out such an item just for two spirit medicines that attract spirit beasts.