For a moment, intense jealousy and hatred surged in her heart. This face, which she had dreamed of destroying, now appeared perfectly before her.

"Nan Gong Huan, are you here to laugh at me?" Nan Gong Qian’er shouted angrily, looking like a madwoman.

"No, I just brought two old friends to see you," Nan Gong Huan said, stepping gracefully into the room, a hint of amusement in her eyes. Behind her, two pale ghostly figures appeared.

They were ethereal, like wisps of smoke, and at first glance, they seemed like an illusion.

Yan Ji and Xue Ji floated behind Nan Gong Huan. After sweeping the floors day and night, their spiritual power had greatly increased. If they wished, they could appear in people’s vision.

"Xiao Qing, Xiao Cha?" Nan Gong Qian’er’s gaze fixed on them, and she took half a step back, unable to suppress the fear rising in her heart.

Weren’t they killed by her? Why were they still here...

"Nan Gong Qian’er, today is your death day!" Yan Ji and Xue Ji didn’t waste any words and immediately pounced on her, tearing at her soul!

Nan Gong Qian’er was lifted off the ground, her feet dangling. Xue Ji reached into her abdomen, her pale hand penetrating her body. When she pulled it out, a blood-soaked spiritual root was in her hand, and Nan Gong Qian’er’s cultivation level dropped by one spiritual life!

"Ah—Stay away, stay away!!" Nan Gong Qian’er couldn’t touch them at all and could only flail her hands in the air.

At that moment, a golden light shone from her storage ring, and a token flew out, repelling Yan Ji and Xue Ji!

Immediately after, the token transformed into a golden teleportation array beneath her feet. In an instant, Nan Gong Qian’er’s figure disappeared.

"Master, she’s been teleported away," Yan Ji said, enduring the pain. The golden light’s repulsion had dissipated some of her spiritual power.

"That elder saved her," Nan Gong Huan naturally remembered. On the day the disciple trials ended, an old woman had given her that token. Now, Nan Gong Qian’er had likely been teleported to that old woman’s side, within the Feng Xuan Royal Academy.

"I pulled out one of her spiritual roots, so it’s not a total loss," Xue Ji said, holding up the spiritual root in her hand. It emitted a faint glow.

But now, for the two spirits, this spiritual root was useless. This root had formed because of the deaths of her sisters, and it was tainted with strong evil energy, making it impossible for most people to absorb.

"Just leave it for now," Nan Gong Huan said, storing the two in the Diming Ring and setting the extra spiritual root aside.

She had originally intended to take Nan Gong Qian’er’s life to eliminate the threat once and for all, but it seemed her luck was strong. With the place now empty, Nan Gong Huan had no choice but to return to her courtyard.

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It was nighttime, and as agreed, Nan Gong Huan disguised herself as Black Lotus and removed the Gu worms from the infected servants in her courtyard.

They were all grateful, kneeling and thanking her, praising both the senior sister and junior sister.

Just as Nan Gong Huan was removing the Gu worm from the last person, Steward Yan helped a disheveled middle-aged man into the courtyard.

The man was covered in dried blood, his steps unsteady, his hair disheveled, and his face obscured. He leaned heavily on Steward Yan, relying on him to walk slowly.

"Black Lotus Master, this is the last one. Please help him," Steward Yan said, panting and sweating. Bringing the man here had taken a lot of effort.

Nan Gong Huan was already somewhat tired, but she still patiently looked at the man.

Hmm... his face was somewhat unfamiliar, yet familiar. He seemed to be from the Nan Gong residence, but why had he ended up in such a state?

Dragging the man to a chair, Nan Gong Huan noticed some unhealed wounds on his body and immediately used them to force out the Gu worms.

Surprisingly, there were three inside him!

The three Gu worms had formed a delicate balance within his body.

One was the Love Gu she had seen earlier in the day, and the other two were Gu worms specifically used for breeding.

Shen Yerong... had been using this man’s body to breed Gu worms!

How terrifying!

His body had been hollowed out, his spiritual roots destroyed. He was in the same state as Nan Gong Huan before she had built her spiritual platform.

"Hehe..." The man let out a strange, low laugh, filled with self-mockery. His voice sounded like wind whistling through a hole, hoarse and grating.

"Young Master," Steward Yan said, his voice trembling with heartache.

"Don’t pity me," the man said, his head hanging low, exuding an aura of despair and desolation.

His dark, lifeless eyes stared at the three wriggling Gu worms on the table. His body began to tremble uncontrollably, and he let out strange hums, laughing like a madman for a while before finally calming down.

"Young Master Shui Xie, Shen Yerong is dead. You’re completely free now," Steward Yan said softly, trying to comfort him.

Nan Gong Huan listened to Steward Yan’s address—Young Master Shui Xie?

After searching her memories for a while, she finally remembered. This was her second uncle, Shen Yerong’s husband, Nan Gong Qian’er’s father—Nan Gong Shui Xie.

When she was a child, this second uncle had been quite kind to her, but she hadn’t seen him in over ten years. She never expected to meet him again in such a state.

"Free... what use is it? I’m... already a cripple," Nan Gong Shui Xie said slowly, raising his head. His dull eyes peered through his disheveled hair at Nan Gong Huan, filled with a lifeless aura.

"Young Master, it’s all that bitch Shen Yerong’s fault!" Steward Yan angrily accused. "She planted a Gu worm in you the first time she met you! Even sending her to the eighteenth layer of hell would be too lenient! The residence still has many treasures. We can definitely help you rebuild your cultivation..."

"Enough," Nan Gong Shui Xie interrupted in a hoarse voice. He leaned on the table, swaying as he stood up, and began to stagger toward the door.

"Shui Xie." At the courtyard entrance, Nan Gong Jing Tian arrived, clearly emotional at seeing his son again. But when he saw his son’s pitiful state, his heart ached.

Nan Gong Shui Xie didn’t respond, silently passing by Nan Gong Jing Tian, heading to an unknown destination.

Nan Gong Huan’s gaze deepened. Another victim of Shen Yerong’s cruelty.

"He’s a born saint. No wonder that Shen woman captured him to breed Gu worms. His body was just a container for the Gu worms," Elder Ling suddenly sighed. He hadn’t even remembered Shen Yerong’s name.

A born saint, a genius with a bright future ahead, had been ruined by a vile woman.

"A born saint, but if his mind turns evil, he becomes an evil saint. Didn’t you just pull out a spiritual root? That root is tainted with evil energy. Giving it to him might have unexpected effects, hahaha." Elder Ling let out an evil laugh, sending shivers down Nan Gong Huan’s spine.

"Elder Ling, what kind of strange preference is this..." Nan Gong Huan’s face darkened. Was this really appropriate...