Nie Kong continued, "That Medicine Spirit suddenly tossed out so many herbs, it must be to draw a large number of Spirit Masters into the 'Forbidden Spirit Swamp' to gather herbs or search for the Illusory Realm. His motive for doing this is still unknown. It’s fine if I snatch a harvest or two, but if I take too much, it will undoubtedly cause the number of Spirit Masters entering to drastically decrease. It seems what I did today must have gone directly against his plan, otherwise, he wouldn't have been angry!"

Taiyan nodded so vigorously her head bobbed like a chicken pecking grain: "Mm-hmm, it must be like that."

"Grandma, what if I told you your guess made no sense?" Qingyue grabbed Nie Kong's collar, rolling her eyes.

"I wouldn't believe it!" Nie Kong laughed heartily.

"If Lu Ran doesn't believe it, then why even ask?" Qingyue glared at Nie Kong crossly. "Nie Kong, what are you planning to do next?"

"Isn't that Medicine Spirit angry? Then let's make him even angrier!" Nie Kong said slyly.

"What do you mean?" Qingyue instinctively asked.

"We'll keep snatching herbs tomorrow!" The words popped out of Nie Kong’s mouth with absolute certainty. He stood up, drawing Taiyan with him, while simultaneously sending a thought to the Soulhawk King circling thousands of meters overhead.

"Being a bandit, Grandma loves it!" Qingyue immediately grew excited.

"I like it too," Taiyan said with a beaming smile.

"Whoosh!"

Immediately following, the Soulhawk King swooped down from the heights, its black silhouette rapidly enlarging in the pupils of the three. Nie Kong waved his hand grandly: "Back!"

As the word fell, Taiyan quickly dove into the man's embrace, while Nie Kong sprang up, leaping onto the Soulhawk King's back. With a flap of its wings, the Soulhawk King carried Nie Kong soaring back into the sky—in an instant, it became a tiny black dot, disappearing into the dim night sky...

"Damn it, I must have hit the worst luck of my life today. I just got the herbs and they were snatched away. Otherwise, selling them at the Spirit Treasure Pavilion would fetch at least three hundred thousand gold coins."

"Thirty thousand? My herb was worth at least a million gold coins!"

"That bandit actually has a conscience; seeing me fall into the swamp, he even ran back to save me. Otherwise, my life would have ended right there."

"Exactly! Even if that scum of a bandit saved me, I wouldn't be grateful to him!"

"I wonder if that bandit will go to the Forbidden Spirit Swamp again tomorrow? If he does, I'll just stay in the city, lest I toil all day only to make wedding clothes for him."

"Then you better not leave the city, because he’s definitely going tomorrow!"

"..."

Inside Loutian City, in a tavern opposite the Spirit Treasure Pavilion, there was intense chaos. Angry curses constantly drifted out, causing passersby to shake their heads from time to time.

"It seems I have incurred the wrath of the masses."

Listening to the grumbling from the tavern, Nie Kong rubbed his chin, a wry smile on his face.

Taiyan lowered her voice, smiling sweetly: "Brother, not only must we snatch the good herbs tomorrow, we must snatch every single ordinary herb too!"

"That's right! Let's snatch until they dare not set foot in the Forbidden Spirit Swamp anymore!" Glancing mischievously at the tavern, Nie Kong and Taiyan entered the Spirit Treasure Pavilion across the street.

"Nie Kong, Taiyan, you've finally returned."

The moment she saw them, Mu Xiaoling rushed out from behind the counter, an expression of relief washing over her face. "At noon, I heard Spirit Masters returning from buying herbs saying that green-robed bandits were haunting the Forbidden Spirit Swamp. I'm glad you two are alright; otherwise, I would regret telling you about the Forbidden Spirit Swamp."

Nie Kong quickly smiled, "We did run into the bandit you mentioned, but don't worry, that bandit only snatches herbs, he doesn't harm lives. It's just a pity about those two excellent herbs."

"You think that bandit is really that kind-hearted?"

At that moment, a burly man who had just sold his herbs sneered from the side, "He’s afraid that if he hurts people, everyone else will be scared away, and then he’ll have to work hard to find herbs himself, instead of just running up and robbing anyone he sees now, which is much easier. Just wait and see, lots of fools will fall into that bandit’s hands tomorrow. I'm not going anyway."

Sighing, the burly man walked out.

Nie Kong was left speechless. Although he hadn't had any such intentions, he had to admit that what the man said just now made perfect sense.

Mu Xiaoling comforted him with a gentle smile: "Nie Kong, don't feel bad about it. It's good that you came back safely. Don't go to the Forbidden Spirit Swamp tomorrow; just tell me what you need. Most people who find herbs will sell them at the Spirit Treasure Pavilion, and if I find any, I’ll set them aside for you."

"Thank you."

Nie Kong showed gratitude, but then added fiercely, "However, I still have to go to the Forbidden Spirit Swamp tomorrow. I don't believe our luck can be so bad to run into that bandit every single time." Seeing his determined look, Taiyan’s beautiful eyes instantly narrowed into crescents, and the corners of her lips curved into a smile.

Nie Kong noticed this and, worried about exposing their secret, quickly squeezed her shapely, rounded hip hard. Taiyan snapped back to reality, her expression immediately becoming extremely strange, her cheeks puffed out, and her face wrinkled.

Mu Xiaoling thought she was upset and couldn't help but say, "Nie Kong, maybe you shouldn't go. I heard that the bandit can move freely in the swamp; if you run into him, you won't be able to dodge. Moreover, Taiyan is so beautiful... and spiritual power doesn't work in the Forbidden Spirit Swamp." She spoke very tactfully, but her meaning was quite clear: with Taiyan's stunning looks, if that bandit became lecherous, it would be too late for regrets.

Nie Kong said solemnly, "No, we must go!"

"..."

Mu Xiaoling was left speechless by Nie Kong's stubbornness but could only secretly hope nothing untoward happens to them tomorrow. Nie Kong, however, felt quite ashamed seeing the worry etched on Mu Xiaoling’s brow, but since he couldn't reveal the truth, he had to keep it hidden from her.

The next morning, just as dawn broke, Nie Kong and Taiyan left Loutian City.

This time, Nie Kong did not directly ride the Soulhawk King into the Forbidden Spirit Swamp. Instead, like the other Spirit Masters, he advanced along the canyon west of the city. After several dozen li, they could see the wide, cut-out side path on the southern cliff face. Following this path southwest for another ten or so li brought them to the perimeter of the "Forbidden Spirit Swamp."

To enter the swamp the fastest way, this side path was the best option.

When Nie Kong and Taiyan reached the wide gully outside the swamp, hundreds of Spirit Masters had already gathered there. Many hovered at the edge of the swamp, clearly hesitating. However, some still entered the swamp, holding onto a sliver of luck and carrying the equipment they had prepared.

What was particularly interesting was that Nie Kong saw many familiar figures in the crowd—these were the very people whose herbs he had relieved them of yesterday.