The instructor’s face turned pale with shock as he swiftly raised his sword to cut through the roots. But the remaining roots coiled around his body continued to move!

  Their sharp tips pierced into his internal organs!

  "Ah—!" The instructor let out a blood-curdling scream before collapsing to the ground, drawing Nan Gong Qian’er’s attention.

  "Instructor!" Nan Gong Qian’er exclaimed in disbelief. She abandoned her pursuit of the divine beast and turned her furious gaze toward Nan Gong Huan.

  How could this waste possibly kill the instructor?

  "Be careful... magic..." The instructor managed to choke out these final words before his soul departed from his body.

  From just these two moves, the instructor could only deduce that Nan Gong Huan had learned wood-element magic. There was no other explanation for her ability to control trees.

  At the moment of the instructor’s death, Nan Gong Huan saw a wisp of gray-white energy dissipate from his body. She knew it was his soul. As a spirit communicator, she could often see things that ordinary people couldn’t.

  Nan Gong Qian’er stood frozen in shock. Had this waste really started cultivating? She had even killed the instructor!

  The Nine-Moon Dragon watched Nan Gong Huan with wide, curious eyes. Although humans were usually despicable, this one didn’t seem so bad! Her scent was also quite pleasant!

  At that moment, Elder Ling’s voice echoed in her mind. "Earthly spiritual energy is a great temptation for these divine beasts."

  Nan Gong Huan’s eyes lit up. Seeing the Nine-Moon Dragon peeking at her, she gathered spiritual energy at her fingertips and beckoned to it. "Come here, little one."

  "Argh argh!"

  The Nine-Moon Dragon’s eyes instantly lit up like light bulbs!

  It sprinted toward Nan Gong Huan, its pink tongue flailing wildly, saliva flying as it ran with all its might!

  In less than three seconds, the Nine-Moon Dragon had reached Nan Gong Huan. It leaped into her hand and bit her finger!

  The light of a contract formation burst forth!

  The Nine-Moon Dragon had recognized its master!

  "Master!" The Nine-Moon Dragon’s innocent voice echoed in Nan Gong Huan’s heart, its soft tone instantly melting her heart.

  It blinked its big eyes adorably, nuzzling against her palm.

  "You’re so cute. I’ll call you Little Nine," Nan Gong Huan said with a warm smile, stroking the fluffy little creature in her hand. Its fur felt wonderful.

  "Master, there’s a bad bug in your body. Little Nine will get it out!" The Nine-Moon Dragon stuck out its tongue and spat out a tiny white parasite the size of a grain of rice!

  Stolen story; please report.

  Nan Gong Huan’s gaze sharpened. This was the parasite that Nan Gong Qian’er had planted in her body during their childhood. The black blemish on her face was its doing.

  For three years, she had been searching for a way to remove it, but to no avail. Yet Little Nine had extracted it effortlessly!

  "Well done, Little Nine," Nan Gong Huan said, wrapping the parasite in spiritual energy. She was about to crush it when her eyes caught sight of Nan Gong Qian’er, and her expression darkened.

  The parasite would die within a quarter of an hour if it couldn’t find a new host. But if it could infest a new host, it would continue to thrive. So...

  "Ah—!" At that moment, Nan Gong Qian’er finally snapped out of her shock and let out a piercing scream.

  This ugly freak had not only killed the instructor but also contracted her divine beast!

  "Nan Gong Huan, you! You!" Nan Gong Qian’er pointed at her, too furious to form coherent words.

  But when she saw the instructor’s gruesome corpse, all her anger choked in her throat, turning her face red.

  If Nan Gong Huan could kill the instructor, she could definitely kill her too!

  "What about me, hmm?" Nan Gong Huan’s voice rose with a hint of threat as she stepped forward.

  A cruel smile spread across her face, and the sunlight cast her black blemish in sharp relief, like a wolf shedding its sheep’s disguise.

  Nan Gong Qian’er’s heart trembled, and she involuntarily took two steps back, her legs shaking.

  "Y-you stay back! I’ve already called Brother Yu Gong. He’ll be here soon!" Nan Gong Qian’er made a last-ditch effort to resist.

  Brother Yu Gong? Nan Gong Huan raised an eyebrow. Oh, that would be Wei Yu Gong, the fiancé she had been betrothed to since childhood.

  The original owner of this body had been infatuated with him, but Wei Yu Gong had been in love with Nan Gong Qian’er.

  If Nan Gong Qian’er hadn’t mentioned him now, she would have almost forgotten his existence.

  "What, you think he can save you?" Nan Gong Huan’s lips curled into a cruel smile as she advanced with an overwhelming presence, stopping right in front of Nan Gong Qian’er.

  Before Nan Gong Qian’er could say another word, Nan Gong Huan reached out and grabbed her by the neck!

  Little Nine perched on Nan Gong Huan’s shoulder, sticking out its tongue at Nan Gong Qian’er.

  Nan Gong Qian’er’s face turned red as she struggled to breathe, her hands clawing at Nan Gong Huan’s arm. Her sharp nails dug into Nan Gong Huan’s skin, but Nan Gong Huan didn’t flinch, standing as steady as a rock.

  In the next moment, Nan Gong Huan dragged Nan Gong Qian’er to the nearby lake and forced her head underwater!

  At the same time, she threw the parasite into Nan Gong Qian’er’s mouth, letting it slide down her throat as she choked on the water.

  "Gurgle... Nan Gong Huan... cough... you’ll die a horrible death... gurgle..." The shadow of death loomed over Nan Gong Qian’er, but she still couldn’t stop her mouth from running.

  Nan Gong Huan remained expressionless, repeatedly dunking Nan Gong Qian’er’s head underwater and pulling her back up just before she drowned. Over and over again, Nan Gong Qian’er felt as though she had already met her ancestors.

  "Please... gurgle... help... I’m sorry... gurgle..." Nan Gong Qian’er’s face was drenched, and it was impossible to tell whether it was lake water or tears. She was terrified!

  This constant teetering on the edge of death was worse than being killed outright!

  "Huh? What? Speak louder," Nan Gong Huan said with mock mercy, lifting her head.

  Finally able to breathe, Nan Gong Qian’er immediately groveled. "Sister, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have tried to take the divine beast from you. It’s perfect for you."

  But in her heart, Nan Gong Qian’er was cursing. If I survive this, I’ll skin you alive and drive a hundred nails into your body!

  "Sorry, I’m not interested," Nan Gong Huan sneered, seeing through her thoughts, and pushed her head back underwater.

  Suddenly, a furious shout rang out!

  "Nan Gong Huan, what are you doing!"

  Nan Gong Huan sensed a spiritual blade flying toward her from behind and swiftly dodged it.

  When she steadied herself, she saw Wei Yu Gong in his white robes lifting Nan Gong Qian’er and cradling her in his arms, comforting her.

  Nan Gong Huan gave Wei Yu Gong a once-over. This handsome young man was indeed her fiancé, and he looked quite dashing.

  But compared to the white-robed boy she had seen earlier, he fell short by more than a margin.