As Nie Kong stepped over the thirty-sixth stair onto the top floor, his heart surged, a flush of excitement rising on his face. Not only him—Mu Wanqing beside him also had cheeks glowing with a flushed radiance, appearing as delicate and beautiful as a flower, while the little Qing Yue was beaming with color.

Ever since entering the sixth level of the Medicine Pagoda, the little beings within his Spirit Acupoint had never stopped, cheers erupting one after another. The medicinal herbs planted in the inner medicine garden had provided Nie Kong with endless surprises. Aside from the extremely rare treasures of Fire Tree Silver Flower and Dragon-Anchoring Grass, almost every medicinal herb Nie Kong had discovered on the Tianling Continent over the years could be found in the medicine gardens of levels six, seven, and eight of the Pagoda.

Furthermore, starting from the sixth level, the terrain of the medicine gardens was no longer flat like the first five levels, but featured varied landscapes—some rolling with mountains, others crisscrossed by deep ravines, some blanketed in ice and snow, and others scorching hot.

Everything imaginable was present!

For instance, the "Coiled Serpent Blood Lotus," classified as a Seventh-Grade Spirit Herb by the former master of this Spirit Abode, Nie Kong spotted its trace in a scorching canyon within the seventh-level garden—its medicinal power was at least forty percent stronger than the "Coiled Serpent Blood Lotus" he had pulled in the Nie Family's 'Life and Death Illusion Realm.' Before today, Nie Kong had never imagined that the "Coiled Serpent Blood Lotus," which required such an extremely specialized growing environment, could actually be cultivated like this.

Then, on the eighth level, Nie Kong even saw the "Golden-Tipped Tassel," and not just one, but two stalks.

Recalling how much effort it took to obtain that single stalk of "Golden-Tipped Tassel" when leaving the Yin Ruins—having to take exams at the Medicine Platform for a certificate, then treating Dream Sky Sovereign’s illness at the Lin Residence, a long and arduous process—Nie Kong couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion seeing two more potent stalks right before him, within easy reach.

The surprises, growing stronger with each level, made Nie Kong even more eager for the garden on the very last floor.

He could tell from the bright, sparkling eyes of Mu Wanqing and Qing Yue that their curiosity about the ninth-level garden was no less intense than his own.

Using the same method, Nie Kong quickly located the array nexus of the illusion formation on the ninth level of the Medicine Pagoda.

However, when Nie Kong channeled the power of the Natural Origin into it and waited expectantly for the illusion formation to reactivate, an unexpected situation arose.

The illusionary talismans within the array showed absolutely no response!

"What's wrong?"

Mu Wanqing and Qing Yue anxiously asked.

"The illusion formation won't activate."

After testing it once more with no movement from the array, Nie Kong frowned deeply, his chest filled with confusion. Activating the illusion formations on the previous eight levels had been effortless, and the energy consumption each time was minimal; his internal natural origin power was still quite abundant.

Clearly, the failure to activate the formation wasn't an issue of sheer power quantity. His current Natural Origin power was only at the sixth rank of the Cave Spirit stage; perhaps the intensity of the power was insufficient.

"It was working fine before, why won't the last level activate?"

Mu Wanqing and Qing Yue exchanged wide-eyed glances. After a moment, Mu Wanqing’s beautiful eyes sharpened: "Mu Kong, let me try!"

As Nie Kong looked up at her in astonishment, Mu Wanqing’s fair, tender right hand landed upon the formation nexus. A fierce and magnificent aura surged into it like crashing waves.

Alas, it failed to stir even a ripple.

Seeing Mu Wanqing reluctantly raise her right palm, preparing to strike the nexus again, Nie Kong quickly waved his hand, saying with a wry smile, "Auntie Wan, no need to try. The illusion formations of this Spirit Abode were fully activated by my power after they ceased operating for ten thousand years. The formations already bear my aura. Unless I die, I will remain the sole master of all the illusion formations in this Spirit Abode. It's useless no matter who tries."

"There's such a rule?" Mu Wanqing withdrew her hand in surprise.

"Then we can never enter the ninth-level medicine garden?" Qing Yue patted her forehead, sounding dejected.

"Not necessarily."

Nie Kong chuckled. "My estimation is that it’s due to my current insufficient power intensity. When I break through to the Heavenly Spirit Realm, perhaps I will be able to activate this formation."

"Heavenly Spirit?"

Mu Wanqing shook her head helplessly. "You are only at the sixth rank of the Cave Spirit stage right now..." She paused, her eyes widening round, full of astonishment. "Wait? Mu Kong, if I remember correctly, you are already at the sixth rank of the Cave Spirit stage. Your mother told me that the last time you returned to Lingyu City, you were only at the ninth rank of the Well Spirit stage?"

"..."

Nie Kong was left speechless.

He had mentioned his progress when he brought his mother and the others into the Spirit Abode, and it seemed she had remembered, but not truly internalized it, only realizing the implications now. Had her attention perhaps been entirely consumed by the Medicine Pagoda until now? Seeing Mu Wanqing's questioning gaze, Nie Kong could only nod weakly.

"Good!"

Mu Wanqing clapped her hands happily. "Your cultivation speed is truly astonishing. Sixth rank of Cave Spirit now, maybe in a few months you’ll be first rank of Heavenly Spirit. How about this: until you unlock this final medicine garden, Auntie Wan will stay here, helping you plant herbs and look over the garden."

Qing Yue glanced at Mu Wanqing, then at Nie Kong, muttering weakly, "That's too much. Grandma is the garden owner! Even as a grown woman, she's fighting with a child over things!"

"Shoo!"

Mu Wanqing elegantly flicked her index finger, sending Qing Yue tumbling away, then looked at Nie Kong with a wide, beaming smile. "Mu Kong, how about it? Can Auntie have a bite to eat?"

"Pfft!"

Hearing Mu Wanqing say that, Nie Kong almost burst out laughing—Auntie Wan was too wonderfully eccentric! He coughed twice, utterly speechless. "Auntie Wan is the sole Medicine King of our Yin Ruins. If you're willing to stay, I would naturally be overjoyed. However, I must tell you one thing first: there is a very important matter coming up that I will need your help with, and you cannot refuse then."

Mu Wanqing’s eyes darted. "Is it refining an Eighth-Grade Spirit Herb?"

Nie Kong knew this sounded mysterious. "It is related to medicine, but it’s definitely not refining medicine."

"As long as it’s not refining an Eighth-Grade Spirit Herb, everything is negotiable."

Mu Wanqing patted her chest with a cheerful smile, letting out a soft breath, then her gaze shifted.

"Then it’s settled. Mu Kong, I’m going down to the eighth-level garden to explore. Don't bother me unless something important comes up." With that, Mu Wanqing gracefully turned, floating toward the staircase like a gust of wind, disappearing in an instant.

"Nie Kong, she’s not planning to help you plant herbs or look over the garden—she’s clearly coveting the thousands of types of herbs grown here, wanting to use them to improve her alchemy skills. You must not be fooled by her," Qing Yue said indignantly, her hands hooked around Nie Kong's ears.

"I know,"

Nie Kong smiled. "Isn't it a great thing to be able to keep a Medicine King here to help, using the herbs as an incentive? Besides, if Auntie Wan can truly advance her alchemy skills significantly by utilizing the herbs here, it will be beneficial and harmless for both me and the Yin Ruins."

Saying this, Nie Kong turned with a chuckle and headed downstairs. Qing Yue angrily roared into Nie Kong’s ear, "Nie Kong, Grandma is the garden owner!"

"I understand, I understand... Auntie Wan just wants to use the herbs for research. The important task of planting still falls to you."

"Then you have to make her listen to me."

"Such a small matter... you two can just negotiate amongst yourselves!"

"..."