Suddenly, Nie Kong's laughter echoed from the verdant growth, "A mere poison can't do anything to me!"

Almost the instant Tai Yan reminded him, Nie Kong keenly detected wisps of toxic gas spreading, rapidly drilling into his body through his pores.

However, just as Nie Kong had said, ordinary poisons truly couldn't harm his physique, which had been tempered by the 'Heart-Stirring Drum Sound' and had pushed the 'Crimson Star Battle Body' to the fifth level. Even if he truly encountered a poison his body couldn't neutralize, there was still the little fellow waiting inside.

Nie Kong and Xiang Xiang shared a spiritual link; if an external attack occurred, the little fellow wouldn't react.

But if Nie Kong’s body was corroded by the poison to a life-threatening degree, the little fellow would absolutely absorb it all without hesitation.

This was just like feeding the Fire Tree Silver Flower and the roots of the Dragon-Taming Grass; it had become its instinct. Even while deep in slumber, this instinct persisted.

It was just that before advancing to the sixth tier, the little fellow would instinctively feed its native medicinal power to the herbs, trying to instinctively rescue Nie Kong, but it was currently lacking the strength. However, in such a moment of extreme danger, the little fellow would interrupt its advancement process and awaken prematurely.

Now that the little fellow had reached the sixth tier, it completely didn't need to concern itself with… Snap! Crackle!

Like popcorn popping, a crisp sound of cracking erupted from Nie Kong's bones. The bones agitated the viscera, muscles, blood, and skin. The moment those toxic gases entered, they were immediately expelled through the pores of Nie Kong's skin, thread by thread, along with the fluctuation of his body.

The toxic gas dispersed into the surrounding space.

Nie Kong felt no worry for Tai Yan, but things were less certain for Qing Yue. With a thought, Nie Kong directed the little one back into the Beast Plaque.

Seeing Nie Kong safe and sound, Tai Yan finally let down her guard. Less than two seconds later, she softly called out again, "Brother, be careful, he attacked again!" [Provided by Po Xiao Shen Ling, First Release on Baidu]

Indeed, Nie Kong was hit by another, even fiercer wave of toxic gas.

Just like the previous time, the gas was forced out of his pores in the blink of an eye. Not long after, the faint vitality contained within the gas was absorbed by Nie Kong’s 'Yin-Yang Spirit Devouring Art.' Finally, this vitality, along with the life force emanating from the red walls, merged into Nie Kong’s Spirit Treasure Essence Qi.

However, the Medicine Spirit was not giving up.

The third type of toxic gas arrived in succession, followed by the fourth, the fifth, the sixth… the eighth…

The tenth! The twentieth…

The fiftieth!

In about three to four hours, Nie Kong endured nearly a hundred assaults of toxic gas. The properties of these gases were all different, and their medicinal power grew stronger, their methods of attack becoming increasingly bizarre. Especially the later ones, which had completely merged with the surrounding vitality. After being drawn into his body, they didn't invade Nie Kong’s flesh but silently dissolved into the Spirit Treasure Essence Qi. It wasn't until about fifteen minutes later, when the spiritual power circulating in his meridians began to run sluggishly, that Nie Kong finally realized with a shock that he had been poisoned!

When his spiritual power was almost completely stagnant, the little fellow’s native medicinal power was finally stimulated. It circulated once through Nie Kong’s 'Spirit Treasure Essence Qi,' extracting and completely absorbing all the toxic gases. This allowed Nie Kong’s Spirit Treasure Essence Qi to resume its flow.

But regardless of the toxic gas harassment, Nie Kong’s absorption of the surrounding vitality never stopped. The strength of the Spirit Treasure Essence Qi gradually increased, making the invisible barrier at his Spirit God Aperture thinner and thinner, seemingly about to be shattered by the surging spiritual power in his meridians at any moment.

"Brother, it's coming again."

Tai Yan happily transmitted her observations to Nie Kong, her tone quite relaxed. Now she felt no concern at all. From start to finish, the number of attacks launched by the Medicine Spirit had astonished her, yet it had failed to inflict any actual damage on Nie Kong.

Conversely, after each failed poison attack, the Medicine Spirit’s emotions fluctuated significantly. This situation greatly amused Tai Yan, causing her to observe even more closely.

"..."

Just like the previous two times, Nie Kong didn't sense the presence of any poison gas.

Nie Kong couldn't be bothered to pay attention to it anymore and absorbed the surrounding vitality even more ferociously. A hurricane seemed to rise in his meridians, the Spirit Treasure Essence Qi surging like monstrous waves, bombarding the Spirit God Aperture wave after wave, the powerful sense of fluctuation constantly rushing outwards in all directions.

That invisible barrier trembled even more violently…

"I'm about to break through!"

Nie Kong felt a surge of excitement, but just as this thought crossed his mind, the Spirit Treasure Essence Qi flowing into the Spirit God Aperture became intermittent. Furthermore, this time the Essence Qi didn't just stagnate; it showed signs of dissolving. Nie Kong understood that this must be a new poison created by the Medicine Spirit’s machinations.

This time, it took nearly half an hour before the little fellow’s native medicinal power was triggered.

When the toxic gases that had invaded his body were completely absorbed, Nie Kong’s Spirit Treasure Essence Qi also dissolved, and the impact it launched against the invisible barrier naturally came to nothing.

If not for these recent poison attacks, Nie Kong would have already broken through to the second rank of the Cave Spirit realm!

This situation gave Nie Kong a real headache. [Provided by Po Xiao Shen Ling, First Release on Baidu]

Fortunately, as the 'Yin-Yang Spirit Devouring Art' continued to operate, Nie Kong could clearly feel the vitality within the six-sided red walls gradually diminishing; it was now about one-third dissipated. When its vitality dropped to only half remaining, perhaps he could try the 'War God Star Seal' again, and at that time, he might be able to shatter the red walls.

The aperture trembled, and vitality flowed in torrents.

As time passed, Nie Kong’s meridians once again became fully replete. The majestic Spirit Treasure Essence Qi, like a bursting flood, once again charged toward the invisible barrier.

"Brother, be careful."

Tai Yan's leisurely reminder once again reached his ears, but Nie Kong's focus remained unshaken. The Spirit Treasure Essence Qi surged forth endlessly, the roaring sound echoing thunderously within the Spirit God Aperture. This time, Nie Kong made a firm decision: no matter how powerful the poison gas was, he had to complete the breakthrough first.

"Boom!"

Several minutes later, another violent roar erupted. The invisible barrier, which had been long prepared to shatter, finally vanished into thin air. The Spirit Treasure Essence Qi rushed out of the Spirit God Aperture, passing through the dark green spiritual cave, and the spiritual power intensity increased like lightning. In a mere moment, Nie Kong sensed the growth of his strength.

Cave Spirit Second Rank!

He had finally succeeded. Now, he could let whatever the Medicine Spirit threw at him happen.

Nie Kong’s mood relaxed. The 'Yin-Yang Spirit Devouring Art' didn't stop, and a smile involuntarily spread across his face. However, just as he waited for the invading poison gas to take effect, he felt his eyelids growing heavier and heavier, a profound drowsiness sweeping over him.

In less than a few seconds, the 'Yin-Yang Spirit Devouring Art' abruptly ceased.

Thud!

Nie Kong fell backward, faintly seeming to hear a childish, pouting voice: "Ninety-eight types of poison gas couldn't touch you, but what about this tenth-grade, Drunken God Fragrance?"

...(To be continued)