This passage channel, constructed by some unknown means, presented uneven, lumpy ground and walls. As Nie Kong walked, he observed the void bathed in a faint, eerie green, saturated with dense Wood Spirit Energy elements, while the influence of Wind, Fire, Water, Earth, and other elements remained exceedingly thin.

"Aiya ya!"

The little fellow's cry had already sounded, stirring restlessly within the Spiritual Numen Acupoint.

With a mere thought, Nie Kong released it. The little creature instantly became ecstatic, and upon touching the ground, it shook its tendrils and whipped its leaves, sprinting forward with surprising speed.

After several hundred more meters, a fork in the path finally appeared in Nie Kong's sight. The little fellow gave no hesitation, diving straight into the diverging tunnel.

Time slipped away quickly, and the side paths emerging became increasingly numerous. This area resembled the vasculature within a living body, tunnels crisscrossing and intertwining like a fishing net. It was fortunate to have the little creature leading the way; Nie Kong only needed to follow contentedly. Otherwise, he would surely have become hopelessly lost in this labyrinthine place.

"Aiya ya!"

The little fellow suddenly cheered, its speed abruptly increasing.

Already here? Nie Kong felt a surge of energy, yet his wariness intensified. That strange yellow aura possessed the power to invade the Xinxing (Heart-Spirit) and freeze both spiritual power and the Xinxing itself. Caution was paramount; if he were caught unawares like Long Xinyang, the trouble would be immense.

Rounding a bend, Nie Kong's vision cleared considerably. The passage abruptly terminated about ten meters ahead, revealing an open space roughly five or six meters square.

Almost instantly, Nie Kong noticed the yellow vine growing in a corner of this space. It stood about two meters tall, clinging tightly to the uneven wall like a creeper. Its broad leaves resembled open claws, and the tip of the vine bore a somewhat irregularly shaped, golden-yellow fruit.

"That vine looks just like a dragon!" Qing Yue emerged from the Beast Talisman, settled on Nie Kong's chest, and blurted out this comment.

"A dragon?"

Hearing the little one's description, Nie Kong couldn't help but chuckle.

But upon examining it closely again, Nie Kong realized she was absolutely correct. The plant’s relatively sturdy main stem was the dragon’s body, the four broad leaves were the dragon's claws, and the golden fruit was the dragon’s head. Viewed from several meters away, it truly resembled a ferocious, claw-waving yellow dragon.

Wait, a yellow dragon?

Nie Kong searched his memory intently, and after a moment, a spark of inspiration flashed through his mind like thunder: "Dragon Taming Grass!"

Qing Yue’s small face showed skepticism. "The 'Dragon Taming Grass' from the couplet: 'Fire Tree Silver Flower paints the sleepless night, Dragon Taming summons the God Eater to dance'?"

"Exactly!"

Following a brief moment of shock, Nie Kong was ecstatic in his heart. Although he had never seen Dragon Taming Grass before, others had, and they had even sketched its appearance.

In the Medicine Garden of the Flower Butterfly Secret Realm, the Spirit Apothecaries Hua Yaolin and Hua Qiongyu had collected a drawing of the Dragon Taming Grass. Not only that, but drawings of the Fire Tree Silver Flower, the Sleepless Sky, and the God Eater Flower were also listed there. And, of course, a portrait of Hua Pianxian's true form.

By the time of the Tianling Continent, the Pianxian Jade Butterfly Spring was unique and had vanished after leaving behind the lineage of the Flower Spirit Race; the Fire Tree Silver Flower remained only as one unripened seedling, currently residing in Nie Kong's backpack; The God Eater Flower did exist and was immensely powerful; otherwise, it could not have gravely injured Lord Meng Feiyang of Spirit Defense City; As for the Sleepless Sky, rumors suggested someone had spotted its tracks many years ago amidst the icy wastes of the far north of the Tianling Continent, but this was mere hearsay, and its truth remained unknown; as for the Dragon Taming Grass, like the Pianxian Jade Butterfly Spring, it was also rumored to be extinct... and this was also "rumored"!

What Nie Kong had never expected was that the supposedly extinct Dragon Taming Grass would appear in the passage of the Dragon Spirit Clan's Dragon Temple. Could it have been brought in by that progenitor of the Dragon Spirit Clan? If so, the appearance of the Dragon Taming Grass here would finally make sense.

Instantly, Nie Kong calmed his mind and focused on sensing the aura.

The aura of this Dragon Taming Grass was exceedingly peculiar. After only a moment, Nie Kong was entirely certain that this was the culprit behind the blocked passage entrance and the near-fatal ordeal of Long Xinyang.

Since the "Dragon Taming Grass" was causing trouble, then simply uprooting it and placing it in the "Pet Backpack" or having the little fellow consume it would resolve everything.

Amidst his excitement, Nie Kong felt a degree of disbelief; the matter was resolved so smoothly that it felt somewhat unreal.

"Aiya ya!"

The little fellow, already poised for action, could no longer contain itself. Without waiting for Nie Kong's command, it impatiently leaped forward, unleashing copious amounts of its innate medicinal power from its roots, stems, leaves, and flower bud in a sudden burst. This power then wrapped around the base of the Dragon Taming Grass, which was rooted to the floor, spiraling like thick ropes.

"Hoo!"

The little creature exerted all its might and slowly pulled the Dragon Taming Grass free from its roots. It then floated upward and, as if presenting a treasure, dragged it before Nie Kong.

The Dragon Taming Grass was obtained so easily?

Nie Kong grasped the base of the Dragon Taming Grass, turning it over and over, still finding the situation baffling. In his mind, securing such a rare medicinal herb should have required immense effort and extensive planning—its simplicity made him suspicious.

Qing Yue scratched her scalp in confusion, mumbling, "Strange, why does Grandma feel like something is amiss?"

"Brother, it's fake."

Tai Yan, her small body wrapped in a red robe, slipped out from Nie Kong's chest. She spoke immediately after a single glance.

"Fake?"

Nie Kong froze for a second, then gave a slight nod. Because the feeling was so unreal, Nie Kong accepted Tai Yan’s judgment easily. Although this girl could not wield the terrifying power contained within her, and her mind was as pure as a blank sheet of paper, her visual acuity was absurdly strong.

Qing Yue’s eyes brightened, and she immediately pouted, "No wonder I felt something was off; turns out it’s a counterfeit. But the soul power of the person who made this fake must certainly surpass mine. Otherwise, with my mastery of illusions, I would have recognized its true form instantly."

"Aiya ya, aiya ya..."

The little creature flapped its leaves and cried out indignantly, clearly protesting Tai Yan’s and Qing Yue’s assessment. Nie Kong also felt doubtful. Xiang Xiang’s sensitivity and judgment regarding herbs were incredibly sharp; if this "Dragon Taming Grass" were fake, why had it not detected anything?

"Brother, it’s not entirely fake, actually."

Tai Yan squinted, smiling sweetly. "A small part of this herb is real; the rest is a phantom manifestation derived from that core. That's why the aura it emanates is entirely genuine. It’s likely for this reason that Xiang Xiang has insisted it is the true Dragon Taming Grass."

... ...RO