In a flash of thought, Nie Kong opened his eyes, and Long Zhaojun’s voice immediately drilled into his ears: “Well?” “I have a lead.”

Nie Kong smiled. These simple few words almost involuntarily eased the tension in everyone present. Especially the middle-aged couple, whose faces lit up with joy.

“That’s good then.”

Long Zhaojun’s tightly wound mood suddenly relaxed, yet she couldn't help but muse inwardly. She was, after all, a Seventh Grade Spirit Apothecary, yet after investigating for so long, she had discovered nothing. As it turned out, as soon as Nie Kong made a move, he had a lead. Could it be that a Spirit Apothecary cultivating the mutated Wood Spirit Power possesses an extraordinary talent in this area?

This was hardly surprising for Long Zhaojun to lament. Due to the abundance of spiritual energy in the world, creatures here rarely suffered from illness. Thus, the primary role of Spirit Apothecaries was researching various medicines related to cultivation; treating ailments was merely something they did incidentally.

If one were to compare this to Nie Kong’s previous life, a low-grade Spirit Apothecary, once restricted from using spiritual power, would certainly be inferior to a fresh graduate from a medical academy when it came to healing the sick.

At this moment, Nie Kong’s gaze fell upon Long Xinyang.

Under the effect of the “Spring Breeze Dissolving Rain,” Long Xinyang’s body appeared calm on the surface. Sensing Nie Kong’s look, he even managed a forced smile.

“Don’t be nervous; I just need to ask you a question.”

Nie Kong smiled, his voice unusually gentle, seemingly possessing a calming effect on the spirit. Long Xinyang’s expression immediately softened, and he nodded lightly at Nie Kong. Only then did Nie Kong inquire, “Brother, where did you go after dark last night? Were you near the Dragon Temple?”

“Mm.”

Long Xinyang instinctively replied, but then added with curiosity, “How did you know? I was cultivating in the ‘Divine Dragon Cave’ because I was close to a breakthrough, so I stayed there for quite a while after everyone else left. It’s a pity that in the end, I still didn't manage to advance my cultivation.”

Not just him was puzzled; the surrounding Dragon Spirit tribesmen were also somewhat bewildered. What did Long Xinyang’s condition have to do with the location he was at? However, the Dragon King and several elders who possessed the Heavenly Spirit power exchanged glances, seemingly grasping something, and a flicker of worry surfaced on their expressions.

“Divine Dragon Cave?”

Nie Kong sounded somewhat surprised.

Long Zhaojun quickly explained, “The Divine Dragon Cave is suitable for tribesmen below the Spirit Mastery level to cultivate. It is very close to the Dragon Temple, only about two or three li away.”

“I understand.”

Nie Kong gave a slight nod. Just as Long Zhaojun was about to ask more, she noticed Nie Kong’s eyes had closed once more. She quickly swallowed the words gathering at her throat. Long Xinyang and the others, seeing that Nie Kong offered no explanation for his abrupt, contextless question, could only temporarily set their doubts aside.

By following Long Xinyang’s answer, Nie Kong confirmed his previous conjecture.

It seemed likely that after his Spiritual Sense triggered that mysterious call, the strange aura contained within that surge of vitality had undergone some sort of change, subsequently spreading out and infecting Long Xinyang. Long Xinyang’s situation verified the immense danger that aura posed to the Dragon Spirit tribesmen.

“Could the problems on Dragon Island also be because the Dragon Ancestor was invaded by that aura?”

This thought flashed rapidly through his mind, making Nie Kong’s curiosity about the Dragon Temple passage intensify significantly. Still, the immediate priority was to find a way to resolve Long Xinyang’s trouble.

His Natal Medicinal Power continuously sensed the condition of Long Xinyang’s inner spirit… Nie Kong pondered for a long while, then suddenly opened his eyes, reached inside his robe, and after pretending to rummage for a moment, smoothly summoned nine Spirit Patterned Gold Needles from his pet satchel.

“Oh?”

A surprised gasp escaped the crowd as they stared dumbfounded at the nine gold needles of varying lengths. What were these things for?

Suddenly, Long Tiangong’s voice, sharp as clashing metal, rang out in the hall: “Nie Kong, Xuechan told me that these nine gold needles of yours possess miraculous efficacy in healing! Even that Cave Spirit Master from the Nie family of the Great Accomplishment Empire, who suffered from a strange ailment for decades, was cured without medicine thanks to your needles.”

“Indeed.”

Nie Kong immediately understood—Long Tiangong was clearing the crowd’s apprehension on his behalf. Moreover, what he said wasn't untrue, so Nie Kong nodded frankly, though his eyes drifted toward Long Xuechan.

Long Xuechan playfully winked at Nie Kong, a seductive smile curving her lips. Nie Kong had only mentioned the matter of Elder Nie Shenggong of the Nie family briefly to her. Her relaying it to Long Tiangong was intended to deepen the Dragon King’s confidence in Nie Kong, paving the way for him to replace Long Zhaojun and gain access to the Dragon Palace passage.

With Taiyan, the ultimate shield, at his side, she felt absolutely no worry about any danger Nie Kong might face after entering the passage. If Nie Kong could resolve the crisis on Dragon Island, he would instantly gain a lofty reputation among the Dragon Spirit tribe, and if he ever needed assistance, the Dragon Spirit tribe would wholeheartedly support him.

This little woman, immersed in sweet happiness, had long been planning for Nie Kong’s future.

Long Tiangong nodded, “Since that is the case, then you may proceed unrestrained and use your full power without any reservations… While Nie Kong is administering treatment, none of you shall utter any sound to disturb him, lest you face severe punishment.” Upon hearing these words, the assembled people felt a sense of awe while simultaneously becoming filled with anticipation.

“Buzz!”

Nie Kong lightly tapped his hand, picking up a needle with his right hand. With a crisp hum, the spirit patterns on the needle body exploded with dazzling, brilliant light. Immediately following, a flash of golden light erupted, and the needle tip pierced into Long Xinyang’s head. This action instantly caused an outcry. It was then that Long Tiangong’s previous words began to take effect; although some Dragon Spirit tribesmen watched with their hearts pounding in their chests, they rigidly held back their shouts. Golden light flashed continuously, and in the blink of an eye, the first eight gold needles were set in their respective places.

“Buzz!”

With another soft hum, the final, slender Heavenly Needle was inserted by Nie Kong into the Yintang acupoint between Long Xinyang’s eyebrows. The next instant, all nine gold needles vibrated simultaneously. Under the gentle kneading of Nie Kong’s fingertips, a marvelous wave of energy continuously converged toward the mass of vitality within the inner spirit.

At the same moment, Nie Kong circulated the “Yin-Yang Devouring Spirit Art,” causing strands of vitality from the vegetation outside the Dragon Pearl Hall to pierce through the void and gather on his index finger and thumb, which were manipulating the needles.

Nie Kong’s method for saving Long Xinyang was actually very straightforward: first, use the “Nine Revolutions Gold Needle Technique” to sever the connection between that strange aura and Long Xinyang’s body, and then induce a massive influx of vitality into his inner spirit, forcibly driving out the source of the strange aura.

Once it appeared, the little fellow’s Natal Medicinal Power could immediately absorb it.

“Buzz!”

The vast hall was utterly silent, save for the incessant, drawn-out hum of the gold needles.

As time passed, Nie Kong’s “Nine Revolutions Gold Needle Technique” penetrated deeper—one turn, two turns, three turns… five turns, six turns… The fluctuation trembling from the tips of the nine needles grew increasingly intense.

Finally, a yellow object, the size of a mung bean, materialized from within Long Xinyang’s inner spirit!