The mocking expressions on the faces of the two before her filled Nan Gong Qian’er with rage. Suddenly, she noticed the black spots on Nan Gong Huan’s face and remembered the Gu worms.

  Nan Gong Qian’er relaxed, a sinister smile spreading across her face as she took a few steps closer to Nan Gong Huan and Ye Wan Jun.

  "Sister, do you know what it feels like to wish for death rather than live?" Nan Gong Qian’er lifted her chin, returning to her usual haughty demeanor.

  The Gu worm was in her control. With just a thought, she could make Nan Gong Huan writhe in pain and beg for mercy!

  "I don’t know. Would you like to demonstrate it for me?" Nan Gong Huan smiled brightly, though she remained on guard, unsure of what Nan Gong Qian’er was planning.

  Just as Nan Gong Qian’er gritted her teeth, about to activate the mother worm, a loud, frenzied roar erupted from the forest nearby!

  "Roar—"

  Instantly, birds scattered from the trees, and the ground trembled slightly as something massive approached the three of them.

  All three turned their heads and saw five disciples running frantically in their direction. Ye Wan Jun recognized three of them as members of the Ye family.

  "Qi He, what’s going on?" Ye Wan Jun stopped one of the Ye family disciples, who happened to be one of his younger brothers.

  "Boss!" Ye Qi He clung to Ye Wan Jun’s sleeve like a lifeline, crying out, "Boss, run! There’s a two-life Red-Tailed Gorilla over there! It ate one of the Chi family members and then went berserk. Its strength is now at three-life level!"

  "Roar—"

  The Red-Tailed Gorilla burst out of the forest, pounding its chest as it roared.

  Its eyes were bloodshot, its teeth bared, and its mouth was smeared with blood. Its fur stood on end, and its aura had reached its peak.

  Seeing the gorilla appear, everyone quickly hid behind Ye Wan Jun.

  "Hey..." Ye Wan Jun’s face darkened. Why were they hiding behind him? He was scared too!

  Not far away, Nan Gong Qian’er suddenly became a turtle, shrinking back. She glanced at Nan Gong Huan and noticed her attention was also on the Red-Tailed Gorilla.

  If this wench could summon so many spirit beasts, she could surely handle the gorilla. With a single command, she could have the gorilla finish her off.

  But that wouldn’t be worth it!

  Revenge could wait! There were still two and a half days left, and she had something her mother had given her. Who would have the last laugh was still uncertain!

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Thinking this, Nan Gong Qian’er tiptoed away, slipping out of sight unnoticed.

  Just as everyone was terrified, Nan Gong Huan stepped forward, standing in front of the group.

  In their eyes, her image instantly became towering, radiating the holy light of a savior.

  "Miss Huan!" someone couldn’t help but call out, tears streaming down their face.

  Nan Gong Huan raised her hand, releasing a soothing wave of spiritual energy. The gentle power rippled out in waves, and the Red-Tailed Gorilla, which had been about to charge, suddenly stopped in its tracks.

  It tilted its head, looking at Nan Gong Huan, and slowly lowered its raised arms. Its frenzied aura gradually calmed, and its body shrank slightly. Its bloodshot eyes returned to normal.

  "Whimper..." The gorilla whimpered softly, moving closer to Nan Gong Huan, its expression almost pitiful.

  Nan Gong Huan understood its whimpers. It was saying it had a stomachache.

  "A-Huan, be careful!" Ye Wan Jun warned, his voice filled with concern. The gorilla’s fists were bigger than his head!

  "It’s fine," Nan Gong Huan said softly, then reached out her hand to the gorilla. "Does it hurt? Let me see."

  The gorilla obediently approached, and Nan Gong Huan placed her hand on its arm, sending her spiritual energy into its body.

  To her surprise, she found Gu worms inside it!

  Thinking quickly, Nan Gong Huan turned and asked, "Did the person it ate drink the potion auctioned last night?"

  "Yes, we all drank it!" a Chi family disciple nodded. "That was our Chi family member. Our two teams were planning to work together to get the flags, but we accidentally provoked it. It ate our companion and then went even more berserk..."

  He spoke with guilt, his face filled with remorse.

  Nan Gong Huan understood. Since the disciple had drunk the potion, the Gu worms inside it had entered his body. Now that the gorilla had eaten him, the worms had also entered its body.

  The discomfort caused by the worms had driven the gorilla into a frenzy.

  Another Chi family disciple, however, was filled with anger. "It ate our companion! It must pay with its life!"

  The others quickly covered his mouth and dragged him back, whispering warnings.

  "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

  "Be careful, or it’ll eat you too!"

  "You’re lucky to be alive!"

  The gorilla glared at him fiercely, growling low in its throat. If they hadn’t tried to kill it, it wouldn’t have resorted to such measures!

  "Don’t worry, it’ll be fine soon," Nan Gong Huan patted the gorilla and released Xiao Jiu.

  In no time, Xiao Jiu forced the Gu worms out of the gorilla’s body. The blood-red worms, the size of rice grains, wriggled on the ground, making everyone’s skin crawl.

  The gorilla slammed its fist down, its powerful spiritual energy crushing the worms into a pulp.

  It snorted, nodding in thanks to Nan Gong Huan, then tossed the flag from its waist to her before turning and heading back into the forest.

  Nan Gong Huan glanced at the flag in her hand and then tossed it to the two Chi family disciples as compensation for their fallen companion.

  "Those Gu worms are disgusting!" Ye Qi He’s face twisted in disgust, then he turned to Ye Wan Jun. "Thank goodness you told us not to drink the potion, Boss. Otherwise, we’d be in the same mess."

  The previous night, Ye Wan Jun and Ye Sang had warned all the Ye family disciples not to drink the auctioned potions. They had also collected the potions and sent them to the certification association for inspection, keeping their identities hidden.

  "What Gu worms? What potion?" The Chi family disciples suddenly realized something was wrong. What were they hiding?

  Ye Wan Jun snorted. "The potions Madam Shen auctioned last night—each one contained Gu worms! You drank them, so you have them inside you too!"

  "We... have them inside us?!" The two disciples turned pale, clawing at their mouths as if they could vomit out the potion they had just consumed.

  But after a few dry heaves, nothing came out.

  Soon, they remembered how Nan Gong Huan had forced the worms out of the gorilla and immediately ran to her, kneeling and clutching her legs.

  "Miss Huan! Please save us!"

  "Forgive us, Miss Huan, for our earlier rudeness. Please save us!"

  "We’ll give you spirit herbs! How many do you want?"

  The thought of having Gu worms inside them made the two burst into tears, their bodies itching uncontrollably.