Evening descended as the sun began its slow retreat.

From a ripple in the otherwise still air of the lush green valley, Nie Kong stumbled out, running a few uneven steps before finally regaining his composure.

“The sun!”

He swiftly scanned his surroundings. Seeing the magnificent sunset painting the distant horizon and the crimson orb on the verge of sinking, an inexplicable excitement surged through Nie Kong.

The sky, the sun, the mountains, the varied flora, and the faint sound of flowing water in the distance—"A place like this, this is a truly complete world, unlike the bare, flat ground where I used to be, with only a single, immensely huge tree standing solitary."

However, what surprised Nie Kong was learning, just before being sent here by the Wood Ancestor, that he had spent a full eight days in that verdant, shadowy space.

“Eight days…”

Nie Kong murmured the words, his right hand unconsciously drifting up to touch his forehead.

Like others of the Spirit Race, Nie Kong possessed an imprint in the same location on his body. The shape of this mark was identical to the core form of the Azure Moon Phantom Orchid. While the Wood Ancestor could not truly grant Nie Kong a Heart Aspect, he had managed to extract a sliver of Qing Yue’s soul power and bestow upon Nie Kong a "Phantom Aspect Shadow." For Nie Kong, already approaching twenty without having awakened his bloodline—yet surviving—this fact, if exposed publicly, would certainly draw stares. The "Phantom Aspect Shadow" derived from the Azure Moon Phantom Orchid would serve perfectly to disguise him as a native of the Yin Xu Tribe who had awakened their lineage.

With this Phantom Aspect Shadow, Qing Yue’s soul could fully integrate into Nie Kong’s body, allowing him to borrow her cultivation at the Virtual Spirit Realm anytime, anywhere, without fear of draining her soul power.

But the "Phantom Aspect Shadow" was not a true Heart Aspect; it would dissipate in one year.

This meant Nie Kong had only one year to utilize it!

Because the center of the Wood Ancestor’s domain, the core of Yin Xu, was a relatively independent space. Ever since Yin Xu was occupied by Mu Qingyi twenty years ago, the entrance had been sealed. Any Half-Spirit Tribe member wishing to enter the giant tree's core to awaken their bloodline required rigorous scrutiny. In short, if the "Phantom Aspect Shadow" vanished after a year, Nie Kong would have no chance to re-enter and ask the Wood Ancestor to grant him another one.

Recalling Mu Xueyi, trapped by the "Nightmare Spirit Black Demon Vine" in the Wood Spirit Hall, Nie Kong’s heart clenched. He grit his teeth fiercely, thinking to himself, "One year it is, then! I have to fight for it! To have finally entered Yin Xu only to fail in awakening my bloodline—what a waste!"

“…”

Suddenly, a clear burst of laughter drifted over, mingled with the sound of rushing water.

“Someone’s here!”

Nie Kong felt a slight joy and quickly headed toward the edge of the valley.

The right side of the valley was densely overgrown with trees. A small river, dozens of feet wide, meandered out from the woods, and the laughter seemed to be coming from downstream. Following the rushing current downward, the laughter grew louder and louder; it sounded like several women were playfully frolicking.

A hundred yards further, Nie Kong rounded a low ridge, and the view opened up instantly. A wide lake lay before him, its clear blue waters rippling gently. At the lake's edge, six young women were bathing—a chorus of sweet voices and constant laughter. All were beautiful with graceful, slender figures, entirely naked, their delicate features alternately revealed and concealed, exceedingly alluring.

“There’s a man!”

It wasn't clear which woman cried out first, but the bathing scene instantly fell silent. Six pairs of eyes snapped toward Nie Kong. Staring at the expanse of pale skin of the six bodies not far away, Nie Kong felt a flush of awkwardness at having stumbled upon a private moment.

“…”

“Wow, it really is a man! Hehehehe,” “So young, so handsome! How long has it been since we’ve seen a man?”

“Sisters, let’s go! Don’t let this man run away!”

“…”

After seeing Nie Kong’s face clearly, the six young women, instead of screaming like ordinary females, burst out of the lake laughing. They quickly snatched up their clothes, wrapped themselves up, and shot toward Nie Kong like arrows.

Nie Kong was dumbfounded; this situation was far beyond his expectations. By the time he recovered his senses, the six delicate women had surrounded him. Twelve eyes scrutinized him from head to toe, their gazes shimmering with intense curiosity, as if they were observing some rare treasure.

His eyes darted around, and Nie Kong saw an even more ** scene…

The thin skirts of the six women were plastered to their skin by water droplets, revealing every curve. Due to their rapid movement, their delicate breasts were shaking slightly. Nie Kong could even clearly make out the round, full shapes of their bosoms and the slightly erect pink tips beneath the damp cloth.

Facing Nie Kong’s gaze, these women, all around twenty years old, showed no shyness at all. Instead, they covered their lips with their hands and giggled softly as they approached. Seeing this, Nie Kong relaxed internally; if they didn't care about being seen, why should he be squeamish?

A beautiful woman with an oval face, slightly fox-like in charm, stepped forward, chuckling sweetly, “Hey, man, where did you come from? How did you end up here?”

“I’m not called ‘man’; my name is Mu Kong!” Nie Kong adopted the surname “Mu,” common among the Yin Xu Half-Spirit Tribe, and smiled. “I was training in the Yin Moon Mountain Range and accidentally strayed into a boundary realm, which sent me here. Miss, may I ask where this place is? And how far is the nearest town?”

Regarding this scenario, the Wood Ancestor had already warned Nie Kong while they were inside the great tree's core. In Yin Xu, tribespeople below the Virtual Spirit Realm all chose the Yin Moon Mountain Range for their training grounds. That range held many illusionary realms connected to different parts of Yin Xu; stepping into one would lead to disorientation. Upon exiting, one would find themselves far from the Yin Moon Range. This was common knowledge, so his explanation wouldn't raise suspicion.

Indeed, his explanation elicited no unusual reactions from them.

“Little brother Mu Kong, if your big sister tells you, how will you repay her?”

The oval-faced woman said coyly, moving closer to Nie Kong. After speaking, her prominent bosom nearly brushed against Nie Kong’s chest, her red lips less than half a foot away.

The woman exhaled a breath like fragrant orchids, the scent sweet in the air…

Nie Kong looked down, taking in the sight of her almost exposed, soft chest. In Spirit Imperial City, Nie Kong had experienced many such situations with Long Xuechan, so he felt no particular reaction now, only a touch of speechlessness: “How do you want me to repay you?”

A flicker of seductive charm crossed the woman’s eyes, and she slowly uttered two words: “I want…”

“Ah!”

Nie Kong gasped sharply. His lower region had just been grasped. He had never expected this woman to suddenly ambush his private area. He cursed inwardly in exasperation, but before he could react, the woman let go, retreating several yards, and giggled sweetly, “Sisters, he really is a man! Just as Elder Xin Ye said, he has two little balls and a soft stick down there.”

“…”

Nie Kong was rendered speechless.

Did she only attack him just to confirm that? Have these women never seen a man before? Could Yin Xu be a kingdom of women? Unlikely. If Yin Xu were populated entirely by females, what about the two male infants—himself and Nie Qiong—from back then? Or perhaps men are simply rare creatures in Yin Xu?

Nie Kong regretted not asking the Wood Ancestor more clearly before leaving the tree core today.

“…”

“Really? Really? I want to touch them too…”

“Piaopiao, how big are those two little balls? And how big is the stick?”

“Elder Xin Ye said it was hard! How could it be soft? Piaopiao, you didn't squeeze it too hard and break it, did you?”

“…”

Hearing Mu Piaopiao’s words, the other five women’s eyes lit up instantly. They delicately pinched their slender fingers, looking eager to try.

“Damn it all!”

Nie Kong finally couldn't help but curse under his breath. Their words made him feel a chilling sensation below and sweat beaded on his forehead. What kind of people inhabited this Yin Xu? Nie Kong had no doubt that if he stayed any longer, these women would swarm him, and if he were ruined here, what chance would he have of awakening his bloodline!

Nie Kong’s eyes darted around. Suddenly, he broke into a smile, “Ladies, it seems you are very curious about me. As a man, I’d feel bad if I couldn't satisfy your wishes. How about this: you all take turns. What do you say?”

“Really?”

Not only did the other five women’s eyes gleam, but Mu Piaopiao also looked unsatisfied.

“Really!”

Nie Kong nodded with a smile. “Who wants to go first?”

“Me!”

“Me!”

“…”

All five women spoke at once.

“Whoosh!”

At that moment, Nie Kong executed a "Flower Shifting Evasion," darting through the gap between two women and speeding away into the distance, covering dozens of feet in the blink of an eye. The women were stunned for a moment before realizing Nie Kong had broken his promise. Their faces flushed red with anger.

“That man is too cunning!”

“Chase him! Don’t let him get away!”

“…”

Angry shouts followed him from behind. But as Nie Kong’s speed increased, their voices gradually faded until they were safely out of earshot. After flying a distance, Nie Kong glanced back; the forest was empty. Only then did he slow down and let out a breath of relief.

The sun had already set; the sky would soon grow dark. Nie Kong surveyed his surroundings and noticed a smooth, bare path nearby.

It seemed he had chosen the right direction when escaping. Following that path should lead him to a nearby town. Nie Kong hesitated for a moment before finally stepping onto the path. He had much to accomplish and couldn't hide indefinitely in the wilderness just to avoid female harassment. He could only hope that the other women in Yin Xu didn't possess the same vigorous curiosity as the six he’d just met, or he would have serious headaches in the future.

The path grew wider. As Nie Kong navigated a winding canyon, a cluster of dense buildings instantly came into view. Judging by the scale, the small town had at least several hundred households. At this hour, smoke was already curling lazily from many roofs.

“Qing Yue!”

Nie Kong called out softly.

Qing Yue chuckled sweetly, “Nie Kong, why run away from such good fortune? If I were a man, I’d take as many as came, never refusing.”

“Be quiet!” Nie Kong snapped back irritably. “Do you think it was one or two women? If I’m drained dry, you, a thousand-year-old spirit herb, won't survive either!”

“Fine, I’ll listen to you,” Qing Yue huffed helplessly. A dense cyan mist drifted out from Nie Kong’s chest, continuously infusing his brow. Instantly, Nie Kong felt his power growing madly. When the cyan mist was completely absorbed into his body, Nie Kong’s spiritual power had reached a terrifying level.

“Virtual Spirit!”

After merging with Qing Yue’s soul, Nie Kong’s spiritual power intensity had risen to the Virtual Spirit level, although his current realm remained at the Spirit Transformation level.

At this point, if Nie Kong used fourth-tier skills like the "Flower Shifting Evasion," their effect would certainly increase geometrically. However, advanced techniques like ‘Body Merging with the Void,’ which could be grasped at the Virtual Spirit level, were still beyond his current reach, as his realm had not yet transformed.

But even so, the explosion in spiritual power intensity greatly boosted Nie Kong’s confidence. Although he was not yet a true Virtual Spirit Master, he no longer needed to fear one, and at the very least, securing his life would be easily achievable. Furthermore, he still had many treasures in his pet pack, gifted by Ancestor Xu Ba and the Six Hall Masters from Spirit Imperial City.

“Let’s go!”

Nie Kong moved like a shooting star, speeding away…

Inside the town, the streets were quite wide, with houses neatly arranged on both sides.

When Nie Kong entered, there were still many pedestrians on the street—all women. The oldest looked about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, at their most mature. Besides the young women dressed colorfully, there were many rosy-cheeked little girls playing by the roadside. Nie Kong’s appearance caused a stir in the street. Some stared with curiosity, others whispered amongst themselves, some giggled sweetly, and some threw flirtatious, soul-capturing glances—their expressions varied greatly. After walking nearly a hundred yards down the street, Nie Kong’s suspenseful heart finally settled.

Though intensely curious about men, the brazenness displayed by Mu Piaopiao and her companions was the exception, not the rule. As Nie Kong walked, he soon noticed a problem: there wasn't a single elderly person to be seen on these streets. Could the humans of Yin Xu not age?

Thinking of the Yin Xu Half-Spirit Tribe’s ancestor, the terrifying "Ancestral Heaven Divine Luo Tree," Nie Kong found this possibility highly probable. That tree lived for ages and remained evergreen; it was quite normal for the Half-Spirit Tribe descendants, even at a hundred years old, to show no signs of aging.

Lost in thought, Nie Kong traversed all the intersecting streets in the town. By the time lights were flickering on in every household, Nie Kong had still not found an inn or restaurant, nor any shop selling food. Commercial activity seemed completely absent here.

“Knock, knock!”

Glancing back at the women trailing him from a distance, Nie Kong finally knocked on the door of a roadside house. Borrowing lodging for the night seemed the most prudent option. Solving the food issue was secondary; the main goal was for Nie Kong to find an opportunity to gather information on the current state of Yin Xu.

The door creaked open, revealing a woman in white, appearing to be around twenty-five or twenty-six, with a beautiful face and a tall, curvaceous figure. Seeing Nie Kong, the woman in white paused, a slight surprise and astonishment coloring her delicate face: “It’s actually a man.”

Nie Kong vaguely sensed a familiarity in the woman’s features, but this was not the time to stare closely. He smiled, “Big sister, I…”

“You’re looking for a place to stay? Come in!”

The woman in white smiled gracefully and turned back into the house.

“Thank you, big sister.”

Nie Kong followed her in. From outside came a crisp voice, “Mother, I’m back. Why are so many people gathered outside? I heard them talking about a man—did that man come to our town…”

The voice trailed off abruptly.

Nie Kong stared in astonishment at the woman who had just rushed into the room…

The charming oval face, the voluptuous, well-proportioned figure, the light pink skirt—it was none other than the beautiful woman, Mu Piaopiao, who had first ambushed his little brother in the woods that evening! It made sense that the woman in white looked familiar; she was Mu Piaopiao’s mother!

He hadn't expected that after wandering around, he would end up back in the wolf’s den! Nie Kong couldn't help but laugh wryly. However, since he had already been invited in by the mistress of the house, turning back now would be impolite.

“Mu Kong?”

Mu Piaopiao was equally stunned to find Nie Kong at her home. After a moment of blankness, a coquettish smile spread across her oval face, her eyes holding a hint of playful teasing. Late at night.

The town was utterly silent. Nie Kong lay on the bed, wide awake. Over dinner, Nie Kong finally understood his location. This town was called Phoenix Yi Town, subordinate to the "South Pillar City," one of the five major cities of Yin Xu, still hundreds of miles away from the city center.

The Five Great Cities—Nie Kong had heard about them from the Wood Ancestor.

Yin Xu was vast. Based on the Wood Ancestor's information, Nie Kong deduced that this space likely spanned over a million square kilometers. However, much of this vast area was uninhabited. Most Half-Spirit Tribespeople were clustered in the five cities surrounding the Yin Moon Mountain Range. These five cities were East Willow City, West Filth City, South Pillar City, North Pine City, and Yin Moon City.

“Yin Moon City—that’s where my mother and Mu Qingyi are!”

Nie Kong sighed inwardly. With the ‘Dark Fragrance’ to restrain Mu Qingyi’s ‘Nightmare Spirit Black Demon Vine,’ and the methods taught by the Wood Ancestor, he might actually succeed in controlling her. However, to control her, he first had to get close to her, which would be extremely difficult!

“Creak!”

The door was gently pushed open, and a graceful silhouette slipped inside.

Nie Kong closed his eyes, his guard instantly up. Based on the figure, it should be Mu Piaopiao. Why was she sneaking into his room so late?

“Little brother Mu Kong?”

Mu Piaopiao leaned close to Nie Kong’s ear and whispered softly. Finding no reaction, she unexpectedly murmured with a seductive chuckle, “It’s good that you’re asleep. I want to see what a man really looks like. Tomorrow, I’ll tease those other few girls, hehe.” Her figure then slipped under Nie Kong’s covers.

Feeling a fiery, exquisite body pressed tightly against him, Nie Kong was both speechless and amused. Was this woman sneaking in late at night just for this? At this moment, Nie Kong didn't know whether to continue pretending to sleep or to wake up immediately. “

“Huh?”

Nie Kong felt quite taken aback. That Princess Qingying was actually putting on some sort of marriage-seeking performance.

As for the so-called “Heart Canon,”

Nie Kong had indeed heard of it from Mu Zu. It was the coming-of-age ceremony held by the Yin Ruins Half-Spirit Clan when they turned twenty. As he pondered this, Nie Kong’s heart gave a slight jump. Since she was a princess, Mu Qingying must be Mu Qingyi’s daughter, and perhaps this presented a rather good opportunity.

“Ah, you’re a man too, so that means you’re also going to Yin Yue City for Princess Taoying’s ‘Heart Canon.’ That’s fine, you can go after we have our child. I’ll go ask Sister Xinyè right now how to have a baby. Hee hee…”

Mu Piaopiao pushed off Nie Kong’s chest, jumped off the bed, and darted out of the room in a flash.

This Mu Piaopiao, did she really think having a baby was as simple as eating and drinking water? Nie Kong chuckled inwardly, suppressed the heat rising in his abdomen, and his mind began to race…