“Damn him, damn his father, damn his mother, damn his aunt…”

In the empty corridor, the "Wraith Hawk King" paced back and forth like a sullen child. Its sharp beak opened and closed without emitting a sound, only hurling endless curses internally: “I, a dignified Ninth-Rank Guardian Spirit Beast, am reduced to standing guard here? Is there any justice left in this world!”

“Thump! Thump!” When its claws struck the ground, the "Wraith Hawk King" deliberately amplified the sound. Its two round, hawk eyes secretly darted toward the main hall, but alas, they saw nothing.

At this moment, the hall was utterly silent.

In this vast space, there were only Nie Kong and Hua Mei.

Hua Mei had yet to awaken. She lay flat on her back, her delicate, fair face so soft it seemed capable of yielding water. Due to her posture, her proud twin peaks appeared even more prominent and lofty, like two inverted jade bowls. Beneath her full, soft breasts lay a flat abdomen, and her slender legs were perfectly revealed beneath her white skirt.

Nie Kong sat cross-legged quietly beside Hua Mei.

Looking at her exquisite form, Nie Kong felt little inclination for appreciation; instead, his brow furrowed deeper, and his mood grew heavy. The words Hua Tang had spoken to him not long ago echoed repeatedly in his mind.

Hua Mei’s bloodline had successfully awakened, but a problem had arisen with her soul—something he had not anticipated at all.

Just now, Nie Kong had asked Qing Yue to probe Hua Mei’s soul and was genuinely startled. A brand-new soul had actually sprung forth within Hua Mei’s spirit. Though this soul was dormant, it was gradually devouring Hua Mei’s original soul. If this continued, all that would remain inside Hua Mei would be this newly born soul.

What troubled Nie Kong most was that this nascent soul was unlike the situation where the “Wraith Hawk King” forcibly attached itself to Meng Tian Jun’s soul, nor was it like the spiritual thought of the “Great Evolution Spirit Venerable” clinging to Mu Qing Yi. Instead, it had integrated perfectly with Hua Mei’s physical body…

It was as if this new soul and the body had been one entity from the start!

In reality, that was precisely the case. Hua Mei’s body now harbored two mutually dependent souls. Hua Mei’s original soul seemed to be the gestational matrix for the new soul, which resembled an infant nurtured by the host soul. However, once this infant fully matured, the cost would be the complete demise of the mother body. Facing this predicament, Nie Kong’s “Yin-Yang Soul Devouring Art” was rendered useless.

Now, Nie Kong vaguely understood why Hua Tang and the others desired the “Nether Fire Deep Spring.”

With the “Nether Fire Deep Spring,” Hua Mei could condense a second incarnation. This incarnation would also require a soul to anchor it. At that point, transferring Hua Mei’s primary soul there would halt the new soul’s consumption. But doing so would turn Hua Mei’s second incarnation into a puppet of her primary body.

Under such desperate circumstances, this method from the Flower Spirit Clan was indeed a life-saving measure to preserve Hua Mei’s soul. Yet, this body was inherently hers; in the future, she would become its mere puppet.

Nie Kong absolutely could not stand by and watch this happen. Even if Hua Mei were willing, he would never agree.

“What should I do?”

Nie Kong’s mind raced. Alchemy? There seemed to be no spirit medicine effective against such twin souls. Nine Revolutions Golden Needle Technique? Such methods couldn't even act upon the soul… After systematically eliminating every technique he knew, about an hour later, Nie Kong remained completely stumped, having exhausted all options.

He glanced at the “Nether Fire Deep Spring” on his shoulder, sensed the little fellow within the Jade Pool space, and finally focused his attention on Qing Yue. The little medicine spirit was swinging from Nie Kong’s ear, her tiny fingers occasionally reaching out to playfully poke the rattling “Water Spirit.”

Sensing Nie Kong’s gaze, Qing Yue hastily let go of his earlobe and zipped to the back of his neck. “Don’t glare at me! Grandma has no idea what to do.”

“If you have no idea, you must think of something, or you won’t get any spirit treasure essence for a year,” Nie Kong grumbled.

“That’s going too far!” Qing Yue zipped past his face, hands on her hips, her two eyes glaring fiercely at Nie Kong.

“When you’re under someone else’s roof, you have to keep your head down,” Nie Kong said slowly.

“Hmph, fine, I’ll think.”

Qing Yue was infuriated but helpless, as she still relied on Nie Kong’s spirit treasure essence to recover her soul power and consolidate her true form. Under someone else’s roof, she had to bow her head! Pouting angrily, Qing Yue’s little eyes darted around. A moment later, a sly smile flashed in her eyes. “Nie Kong, Grandma is so smart! I’ve thought of a plan right away. Isn’t that other soul asleep? Wake it up, talk to it, see what exactly it is. Didn’t you once say a phrase about knowing this and knowing that…”

“Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated in a hundred battles.”

Nie Kong nodded. “But waking up a soul in deep slumber won’t be easy. Hua Mei’s situation is much different from that Meng Tian Jun.”

Qing Yue giggled, prodding him playfully. “That’s simple. Just give her a strong stimulus.”

“Stimulus?” Nie Kong was momentarily stunned.

Qing Yue said proudly, “Exactly. Since that soul is destined to replace Hua Mei’s original soul and become the master of this body in the future, if you strip off Hua Mei’s clothes right now, kiss her, touch her… and take her virginity, I don’t believe that soul can possibly stay asleep.” By the time she finished, Qing Yue was waving her hands excitedly, beaming, like the Big Bad Wolf grandmother inciting the wolf to bully Little Red Riding Hood.

Nie Kong was dumbfounded listening. What was going through this little creature’s mind?

“Always coming up with terrible ideas!”

Nie Kong, somewhat annoyed, pinched Qing Yue’s waist and sharply flicked her forehead.

“Ouch!” Qing Yue clutched her forehead, crying out in pain. She immediately bristled, about to launch a verbal retort, but before she finished speaking, she zipped away, shrinking into a wisp of green energy back toward Nie Kong’s chest.

Nie Kong blinked in surprise. Looking down, he saw Hua Mei’s eyelashes flutter slightly as she softly opened her eyes, her gaze somewhat hazy.

“Oh dear.”

After staring blankly at Nie Kong for a moment, Hua Mei seemed to come fully awake. She let out a soft cry, sat up with a blush, and asked timidly, “Uncle, did you save me? I’ve burdened you again.”

Nie Kong chuckled wryly. “You looked after this sickly weakling of mine for three full years. By your logic, didn’t I burden you for three years too?”

“No, no…”

Hua Mei quickly waved her small hands, but seeing the clear smile on Nie Kong’s face, her voice grew weaker until she finally lowered her delicate head, her small face flushed, murmuring, “Taking care of Uncle… it was my duty.”

It had been nearly two years since they last met, and this girl was still so shy!

Nie Kong smiled faintly, but the thought of the mother-child souls within her made his heart ache even more. “Saving you is also my duty. Remember, we are family.” As he spoke, Nie Kong subconsciously took Hua Mei’s soft, delicate hand and began to gently stroke it.

“Un… Un…”

Hua Mei tried to pull her hand back but found she couldn’t, immediately becoming flustered and tongue-tied, softly calling out the first syllable. Her cheeks burned like fire, yet the words Nie Kong had just spoken filled her heart with sweetness, and a gentle warmth involuntarily welled up inside her.

“Right, stop calling me Uncle from now on. How about Brother?” Nie Kong suggested with a smile.

In truth, Hua Mei wasn’t really a daughter-in-law of the Nie family. It was only after Nie Qiong died of illness and Nie Qingyang fell in battle, leaving Nie Kong as the sole, sickly dependent, that Hua Mei moved in under the guise of being Nie Kong’s sister-in-law to care for him. Now that circumstances had changed, the form of address naturally needed adjustment.

Hua Mei’s pretty face grew even redder. She stammered, “I… I’m… older than you… by a year…”

“Then what should I call you?”

Nie Kong pinched his chin. “I’m certainly not calling you Sister-in-law anymore. Do you remember what I called you right before Hua Yan Lian took you away?”

Hua Mei quickly glanced up at Nie Kong, then just as quickly dropped her gaze, her voice thin as a mosquito’s buzz. “You… you called me… Hua Mei…”

“Exactly.”

Nie Kong’s eyes flickered mischievously. “Just calling you Hua Mei might not be right either. How about ‘Mei Mei’ (Little Sister)?” Hearing those two words, Hua Mei’s entire face flushed crimson, and even the roots of her ears and the nape of her neck were stained with a faint rosy hue, making her appear even more exquisitely lovely.

Seeing her face full of bashful charm, Nie Kong’s heart stirred slightly. He couldn’t resist reaching out and gently drawing Hua Mei’s slender waist toward him.

“Un…”

Not expecting Nie Kong to make such a move, Hua Mei’s delicate body stiffened, like a startled fawn. She cried out the familiar address in panic. However, before the last syllable could escape her throat, Hua Mei watched Nie Kong’s familiar face grow larger in her pupils.

“Mmm.”

Her lips were firmly sealed by Nie Kong’s mouth. Hua Mei’s body trembled, and she let out a small huff. Her pair of watery, beautiful eyes instantly widened roundly, and her heart felt as if it had skipped half a beat, immediately followed by an even faster thumping, bang-bang-bang-bang, as if desperate to burst free of her chest cavity.

The instant their four lips met—soft, warm, moist, and sweet…

Every wondrous sensation transmitted straight to her core. Nie Kong acted like a novice who had never known a woman, experiencing a dizzying sense of intoxication. His arms instinctively drew Hua Mei’s delicate frame tighter until their chests were pressed firmly together, their heartbeats seemingly synchronized.

“Hoo.”

Suddenly, the space within a few meters around them began to fluctuate slightly. Nie Kong snapped out of that intoxicated feeling instantly, realizing the fluctuation was originating from Hua Mei’s soul!

His heart lurched. Nie Kong abruptly recalled Qing Yue’s recent words. If subjected to intense stimulation, the nascent soul developing within Hua Mei might indeed awaken. If they made true contact, perhaps they could discover why that soul had emerged.

In that moment of realization, Nie Kong delayed no longer. His tongue tip silently slid out, gently brushing across Hua Mei’s lip.

…