Nan Gong Huan didn’t speak. Her eyes, hidden beneath the bamboo hat, stared intently at Song Qingcheng. An eerie atmosphere began to spread, causing the previously arrogant princess to lose her confidence and her fiery temper to cool down.

"Just tell me, what do you want to go?!" Song Qingcheng’s voice softened considerably. If Black Lotus refused, wouldn’t she lose all face in front of that bitch Ye Sang?

"Your Highness, please leave," Nan Gong Huan said again, using a cleansing spell to wipe away the bloodstains on the table.

Song Qingcheng, stifling her anger, knew that Black Lotus wouldn’t budge. She could only let out an angry huff, picked up the extra one million spirit herbs she had tossed on the table, and stormed out of the room.

The people outside saw Song Qingcheng leave in a rage. They had all heard her shouting and naturally knew that she had tried to invite Black Lotus to her palace but was rejected, leading to her humiliation.

They secretly laughed in their hearts. In their eyes, the Black Lotus Potion Master was of such high status that even the third princess couldn’t afford to invite her.

The process went quickly after that. People lined up in an orderly manner, and the Gu worms were extracted one by one.

The Ye family’s steward also came by, bringing five million spirit herbs and some magical herbs to express his gratitude for saving the children of the Ye family from suffering.

As the line of people dwindled, Nan Gong Huan removed the last Gu worm from the final disciple. After he left, she prepared to pack up and leave.

But at that moment, a familiar figure walked in. It was one of the three stewards of the Nan Gong residence, Steward Yan. He had previously been on good terms with the second branch. Had Shen Yerong also targeted him?

Nan Gong Huan remained seated, watching as Steward Yan half-covered his face with his collar, looking around cautiously as if afraid of being recognized.

He placed a storage bag containing one million spirit herbs on the table and laid his hand flat on the surface, whispering, "Black Lotus Master, are you Senior Sister Huan’s senior sister?"

"Yes," Nan Gong Huan admitted. This was something everyone knew after that day.

She placed her fingers on Steward Yan’s pulse and found that there was indeed a Gu worm inside him!

It seemed Shen Yerong’s reach was quite extensive, even infiltrating the residence’s staff. No wonder Steward Yan had been so loyal to her—it was likely out of coercion.

As she worked on removing the Gu worm, Nan Gong Huan observed Steward Yan’s troubled expression. He gathered his courage and said, "Black Lotus Master, the truth is, many people in the Nan Gong residence have been infected with Shen Yerong’s Gu worms. We’ve been forced to serve her. Since you’re Senior Sister Huan’s senior sister, could you possibly make an exception and help us..."

Steward Yan knew this was a difficult request, so his voice trailed off with uncertainty.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Black Lotus Master charged one million spirit herbs per person, and there were many servants in the Nan Gong residence who had been infected. They didn’t have that kind of money to remove the Gu worms. Only he, as a steward with a higher position and monthly salary, had managed to save up one million spirit herbs after a long time.

The Gu worm in his body broke through the wound at that moment. The worm was white and grain-like, the simplest type of Gu. Those infected needed to regularly obtain a special antidote from Shen Yerong to prevent the Gu worm from acting up.

Now that Shen Yerong was gone, without her special antidote, it wouldn’t be long before the Gu worms acted up, tearing through their hosts’ bodies and leaving no survivors.

Nan Gong Huan knew Steward Yan’s character well. Although he had served Shen Yerong on the surface, he was honest and kind-hearted. He had secretly helped her many times, even slipping her two buns when she was hungry.

She sighed softly in her heart, deciding to help him as a way to repay his past kindness.

"My junior sister hasn’t been treated well in the residence. I’ve always stood by her side," Nan Gong Huan said as she cleaned the table with a cleansing spell, seemingly speaking out of the blue.

But Steward Yan was shrewd and quick to pick up on her hint.

"I understand, I understand. Thank you, Black Lotus Master, for the advice. I’ll go find Senior Sister Huan right away," Steward Yan repeatedly bowed in gratitude. The hint was clear enough.

As long as they pleased Nan Gong Huan, she could ask her "senior sister" to remove their Gu worms.

"You only have today," Nan Gong Huan reminded him. She would be leaving tomorrow, so they didn’t have much time.

"Yes, yes," Steward Yan agreed, then hurried off to the residence to find Nan Gong Huan.

After leaving the certification association, Nan Gong Huan removed her disguise and quickly returned to the Nan Gong residence.

Naturally, as soon as she arrived, Steward Yan brought a group of people to her courtyard, bringing treasures and speaking sweetly. The guards and maids even brought out their most prized possessions, hoping to win her favor.

Seeing that most of them were innocent, Nan Gong Huan told them to return to her courtyard in two hours, and she would invite her senior sister, Black Lotus, to help them.

While Nan Gong Huan’s courtyard was lively and warm, Nan Gong Qian’er’s courtyard was as cold and desolate as an abandoned palace.

Even though the news of her being the Ziwei Star had spread, the truth about her planting Gu worms had also come to light. No one dared to approach her, fearing they might be infected again.

Of course, the Gu worms had been raised by Shen Yerong. With her death, Nan Gong Qian’er no longer had any Gu worms to use.

*Crash—*

Nan Gong Qian’er smashed almost everything in the room that could be broken. The floor was a mess.

She trembled with anger, having stayed up all night since yesterday. Her eyes were bloodshot as she replayed the events of the disciple trials in her mind. Her hair was disheveled, and dark circles hung under her eyes, making her look like a madwoman.

The two new maids she had hired didn’t dare to approach, quietly squatting outside the courtyard, not saying a word.

"Nan Gong Huan, Nan Gong Huan, why didn’t Mother kill her sooner..." Nan Gong Qian’er turned and saw her reflection in the shattered mirror on the floor. The fragmented images showed her face, the black spots prominent, and her bloodshot eyes like a monster’s. At this moment, she looked nothing like a human.

She had become even uglier than that ugly freak... Nan Gong Qian’er trembled as she half-covered her face with her hand. After staring at the mirror for a while, she punched the shattered fragments, turning them into dust, making it impossible to see her reflection.

Mother had said that the toxins released by the Gu worms in their final struggle would stay with the host forever, never to be removed!

"Ah—" Nan Gong Qian’er screamed in anger, "Nan Gong Huan, I will definitely kill you!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk."

A clicking sound came from the doorway.

Nan Gong Qian’er turned sharply and saw Nan Gong Huan standing there!

She was dressed in a simple black outfit, her hair tied up in a high ponytail, neat and tidy. The faint black spots on her face had completely disappeared. Her lips were moist, her eyebrows like distant mountains, and her clear peach-blossom eyes carried a natural charm. Her fair and delicate face, free of makeup, was nothing short of a breathtaking beauty.

Nan Gong Qian’er was stunned for a while before she recognized her. "Nan Gong Huan?"