Hua Mei withdrew her gaze from the palace gate, and the thought of Hua Pianxian’s humiliating departure brought an irrepressible smile to her lips, turning her beautiful eyes into a pair of enchanting crescents. However, the moment she realized Nie Kong was gazing at her with a sly grin, Hua Mei’s delicate face flushed crimson. She chided him petulantly, “You were being truly wicked just now.”

Nie Kong laughed heartily, pulling Hua Mei up from where she sat cross-legged and immediately embracing her slender waist tightly. “I only promised to help her reshape her physical body and separate you two completely. I never promised that after reshaping her body, I’d also have to dress her.”

Even as he said it, Nie Kong found the situation slightly amusing. Hua Pianxian’s entire form had been condensed by him; he had seen everything, whether it was meant to be seen or not. What was there for her to be shy about?

“You are a complete villain, deliberately enjoying her misfortune,” Hua Mei huffed softly.

“Fine, I’m a villain. But, I want to be even wickeder…”

“Huh?”

Hua Mei didn’t immediately understand, raising her eyes doubtfully to look at him, only to meet his fiery gaze. Her delicate body trembled, her heart pounding wildly, and her pretty face became as alluring as a perfectly ripe persimmon. She stammered incoherently, “Do whatever you want… I… I want a child…”

“A child we shall certainly have.”

Ripples stirred in Nie Kong’s heart. He lightly kissed the lobe of her ear, and his figure vanished instantly from the Medicine King Palace, reappearing in the pavilion not far from the Medicine Pagoda the next moment.

That night, nothing physical happened.

They simply held each other in tender affection for a long time before Nie Kong finally held Hua Mei as he drifted into a deep sleep.

With the meddlesome Hua Pianxian gone, there were no more obstacles between them. With mutual affection flowing freely, everything seemed destined to happen naturally. However, Nie Kong did not want to claim her right then. Once he had settled all matters, he would give her the most magnificent wedding the Tianling Continent had ever witnessed.

At that time, she could become Nie Kong’s true bride without any regrets.

That was the only compensation he could offer her.

In the early morning, Hua Mei was still sleeping soundly, clutching Nie Kong’s arm tightly, as if dreaming of something wonderful, a sweet smile occasionally curving the corners of her lips.

Nie Kong stroked her cheek with loving affection before slipping free from the tangle of her limbs.

Whoosh!

Moments later, Nie Kong stepped out of the void, landing on the peak of Cai Mei Peak.

“So much power of faith!”

A hint of pleasant surprise flashed across Nie Kong’s eyes. The sculpture had been entirely transmuted to gold, and within it, the power of faith was intensely concentrated to its utmost limit.

During his intimacy with Hua Mei the previous night, Nie Kong had already learned about the changes on the Tianling Continent over the past two or three years.

Not long after he had departed, Mu Zhonglou, Mu Wanqing, Meng Feiyang, and Gu Changgong had mobilized. After receiving the power of the Medicine Platform from the Spirit God Hall, it took them only a short year to establish medical academies of various levels across the entire Tianling Continent. Coupled with the operations of the Red Mansion, various editions of the Compendium of Materia Medica spread increasingly quickly. The medical academies, along with that pharmacopeia, ensured Nie Kong’s influence reached every corner of the continent.

Even the high-grade spirit beasts that had already developed sentience found ways to obtain the Compendium of Materia Medica for serious study.

It could be said that Nie Kong was now revered as the God of Medicine in the minds of everyone on the Tianling Continent. Because of this, the sculpture had gathered such an enormous accumulation of faith power. Nie Kong harbored a vague premonition that this faith power might assist him in taking that final half-step to becoming a true Grand Sovereign.

However, haste makes waste; this was not something to rush.

Before absorbing this power of faith, Nie Kong still had a task to complete: fulfilling the trust bestowed upon him by Grand Sovereign Zhu Yin. Of course, he also had to visit the Sea God Palace to relay news of Yu Longyue to Yu Tinglei, ensuring she knew her mother was safe and preventing her from worrying.

Furthermore, that lingering doubt from years ago needed to be resolved with Yu Tinglei.

Beyond that, Nie Kong absolutely had to go to Dragon Island to check in. He had been away from the Tianling Continent for so long; Long Meixian must have given birth by now. That was his first child; he wondered if it was a boy or a girl.

The thought alone sent an uncontrollable surge of excitement through his heart…

On a certain island.

“Waaa, waaa, waaa,” a series of exceptionally loud cries suddenly broke the silence among the dense bamboo grove.

“Giggle, this little lass has wet herself again.”

Looking at the squirming little one in the bamboo basket, Long Xuechan chuckled delightedly, yet her hands never paused, swiftly pulling out the damp diaper and expertly replacing it with a clean one. The little one immediately quieted down, her dark eyes darting around, reaching out both tiny arms toward Long Xuechan.

Not far away, Long Meixian reclined on a lounge chair, a faint, almost imperceptible smile gracing her usually cold features.

“Six little treasures, be good, Mother is coming to hold you now.” Long Xuechan’s face beamed with joy. She carefully lifted the girl from the basket, pressed her lips against her chubby cheek, and the loud smack sound made the little girl giggle even more happily, her small hands waving more vigorously.

“Xuechan, you are her aunt; I am her mother,” Long Meixian reminded her weakly.

“Are you her mother? I hadn’t noticed. Why don’t you try holding her? Let’s see if she cries or laughs?” Long Xuechan rolled her eyes and gave a mischievous pout.

“You…”

Long Meixian was left speechless.

Whenever Long Xuechan brought up the subject, a sour feeling would well up in her heart. This little girl was clearly her child, yet aside from staying quiet while nursing, she would wail the moment anyone else held her. In stark contrast, Long Xuechan could hold her and the baby would smile. This intense disparity left her quite frustrated.

“It’s a pity her father isn’t here now, otherwise, he’d surely dote on this adorable little girl,” Long Xuechan said, planting another kiss on the baby’s cheek with a hint of regret.

“That scoundrel, don’t mention him to me!” Long Meixian’s pretty face darkened, and she snorted coldly.

“Why not mention him? He’s the girl’s father.”

Long Xuechan said with a gentle smile, her gaze shifting from the baby to Long Meixian, teasingly, “My dear Meixian sister, why the sudden temper? Yesterday, wasn't it someone whispering to the little girl, ‘Why hasn’t your father come back yet? When he returns, neither of us will pay him any mind!’”

“Who? ‘Us’?” Long Meixian’s cheeks flushed faintly, and she pretended to be indifferent. “You said that yourself. Aren’t you the girl’s mother?”

“Hey, hey, wasn’t it you just now who repeatedly stressed that I was the child’s aunt and you were the child’s mother?” Long Xuechan couldn't help but let out a soft snort, shaking with laughter until her body trembled, and the infant in her arms seemed to join in with its own silly “ee-ee-aa-aa” laughter.

“That’s right, I am the girl’s mother, but so what? I am me, and he is him. This child has absolutely nothing to do with Nie Kong.” Long Meixian could no longer hold back, her eyebrows raised and teeth clenched, speaking through gritted teeth, though her face was as red as newly dyed scarlet cloth.

“Ahem, without me, could you have given birth to this child?” As Long Meixian’s words faded, a cough echoed through the bamboo grove.