Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

“Even if you aren't anxious, I am!” Because Zi Shang had been so unreliable in the past, Ye Yuxuan did not believe him.

 “Don't even think about cultivating. For now, concentrate on refining your Lightning Snake Magical Whip with the White Bone Flame. You can enhance your fighting abilities just the same.” Zi Shang sounded severe, but his att.i.tude was condescending.

 “Really?” Ye Jiuge took the Lightning Snake Magical Whip from her waist and looked at it.

 After a long period of refining, the demonic weapon had become more intelligent, and the snake eye on the handle flickered and glowed with spiritual lights. The snake body slithered continuously. But there was still some time before it could advance to the next rank.

 “If you can obtain a fourth-level Dark Spirit Herb and temper the Lightning Snake Magical Whip with it, it will not only advance to the next rank, but it will also gain a poison fog ability,” Zi Shang said.

 “The Dark Spirit Herb isn't available for sale in Lei Kingdom. Where am I supposed to find it?” Ye Jiuge huffed angrily.

 The Dark Spirit Herb could only be found in extremely poisonous demonic beasts' cave-nests. These nests were located in the demonic tribe's territory where high-leveled demons resided, it was hard to find this herb.

 “If I could, I would return to the demonic tribe and find a bunch for you.” But this opportunity would only be available sometime later. It was impossible for him to reveal himself to the demonic tribe now.

 “Forget it. I'll find a solution on my own,” Ye Jiuge shook her head, rejecting Zi Shang's offer.

 Zi Shang had been constantly hollering that his demonic power was enough. Unless there were no other choices, Ye Jiuge did not want to ask him for help.

 Ye Jiuge stowed the Lightning Snake Magical Whip, then started preparing the herbs for the pills she planned to produce.

 Previously, Luo Tian had told her about the protective formation that the Bloodthirsty Sect had cast on the mountain.

 The formation was made up of miasma, poisonous gas, and sleeping gas. There was a colony of vicious Blood Mosquitos. The formation was dangerous and lethal.

 Therefore, Ye Jiuge wanted to produce a type of high-level pill to detoxify poison and repel pests.

 But the Spiritual herb required to produce such a pill, Three-star Nether Gra.s.s, could not be obtained in Lei Kingdom. She was considering whether she should get Ye Yu to purchase it abroad.

 Just as Ye Jiuge was organizing her station, Qing Mama called to her from outside the room, “Eldest Miss, the Gong Clan has sent a representative. Would you like to meet with them?”

 “The Gong Clan?” Ye Jiuge put down her brush and glanced at Zi Shang.

 Zi Shang turned his head in the direction of the parlor, then said lazily, “It's Gong Xifan and Gong Honglei. There are also a few other small fries.”

 “What does Gong Xifan want with me?” Ye Jiuge was puzzled. She checked her appearance, then stepped out of the room.

 Of course, Zi Shang was right by her side.

 “Wait!” Ye Jiuge stopped in her tracks, then turned to Zi Shang. “You observe from the wings and play it by ear.”

 Gong Xifan had the cultivation of a Spiritual Master. He was also very experienced and knowledgeable, and she was afraid that Zi Shang would be exposed.

 “Fine.” Zi Shang wasn't bothered by Ye Jiuge's decision and immediately hid himself from view.

 Although Ye Jiuge could not see him, she could still feel his presence by her side. Relieved, she walked toward the main hall.

 There was a tall, thin man in the parlor's seat of honor. His eyes were filled with a deep profoundness, and his aura was like an immovable mountain.

 Between his eyebrows, it was easy to see that he had experienced a lot in his life. A charismatic aura cloaked him, making him very attractive. It was Gong Xifan.

 Sitting next to him was Gong Honglei.

 A little bit further down the line sat a man and a woman. Both had the spiritual cultivation of high-ranked Spiritual Pract.i.tioners.

 The man was wearing a blue robe, and he looked to be around 25 years old. He was fairly handsome, but his eyes roved around endlessly. It didn't seem like he was a forthright person.

 The woman had on a pale-yellow dress and looked to be in her early 20s. She was not tall, and her cheekbones were very high. Her eyes were thin and elongated, and her nose rather flat. Her features were terribly plain, and even a little ugly.

 A high-level Magical Bottomless Bag hung at her waist, and the expression on her ugly face was one of haughtiness. The moment she saw Ye Jiuge appear, she looked at her with open disdain, and even let out a cold harrumph.

 Ye Jiuge was rather baffled by this att.i.tude, but she ignored the woman. Turning to Gong Xifan, she greeted him, “Jiuge greets Great Master Gong. How can I serve the Great Master Gong today?”

 “My visit is nothing of that sort. I was merely in the area and thought to come pay a visit to Eldest Miss Ye.”

 Gong Xifan smiled slightly at her, then pointed to Gong Honglei. “This is my nephew, Honglei. I'm sure you've met.”

 “Yes.” Ye Jiuge nodded, then greeted Gong Honglei, “Young Master Gong, it's been a while.”

 “It has been a while, Eldest Miss,” Gong Honglei laughed, looking at Ye Jiuge with sincerity and grat.i.tude.

 Gong Xifan then introduced the man and the woman.

 “These two are Qiao Shaohua and Yue Lingjun from the Danyang Sect.”

 “Greetings,” Ye Jiuge's addressed them mildly.

 Yue Lingjun rudely sized up Ye Jiuge, then opened her mouth arrogantly and said, “You are Ye Shanshan's older sister, right? The younger sister is shameless, but at least the older sister looks decent.”

 Her words were blunt and fully intended to deride and humiliate Ye Jiuge.

 “What does Miss Yue mean by that?” Ye Jiuge's face darkened.

 Yue Lingjun had already given her a verbal slap in the face. If she did not fight back, it would seem like she was easily bullied.

 “The Danyang Sect's Patriarch, Lingyun, is my grandfather,” Yue Lingjun revealed proudly.

 Danyang Sect? Patriarch Lingyun?

 Ye Jiuge suddenly remembered. Wasn't that where Ye Shanshan had been sent to become a concubine?

 Such a disgusting misunderstanding!

 The younger sister had been sent to be a concubine, and she, the older sister who shared the same last name, was now being looked down on. It was all because of Ye Yuxuan.

 “Miss, Eldest Miss Ye has already become independent. She has nothing to do with the Ye family. You should not treat them as one ent.i.ty.” Gong Honglei frowned, looking at Yue Lingjun with disapproval.

 “If they are not related, then why didn't she change her last name?” Yue Lingjun dismissed Gong Honglei's words.

 “I don't think that has anything to do with Miss Yue!” Ye Jiuge seethed. She barely refrained from telling the woman that she had overstepped by poking into business that wasn't hers.

 “Who said I don't have anything to do with it? Your younger sister is so shameless. She seduced my grandfather! The upbringing in the Ye family is really nauseating.” Yue Lingjun was about to continue her tirade but Qiao Shaohua held her back.

 “Junior, give it a rest!” Qiao Shaohua gave her a hint by moving his eyes in the direction of Gong Xifan.

 Yue Lingjun then realized that Gong Xifan's face had turned cold. His eyes were glacial. It was obvious he was unhappy with her att.i.tude.

 “Humph!” Yue Lingjun did not dare offend Gong Xifan and could only shut her mouth grudgingly.

 “Eldest Miss, we came here today to find out more about what happened in Medicine Refinery City and about the Sorcerers.” Having finally shut up Yue Lingjun, Gong Xifan started speaking again.

 “I a.s.sume that Brother Bai and Brother Wan has already filled you in.” Ye Jiuge had heard from Ye Yu that Gong Xifan had already sought the details from Bai Songling and Wan Ziyang.

 “Indeed, they have spoken with me about the details. I heard that the Sorcerers are formidable at using poison, and the only way to counter their poison is to use the Legendary Venomous Insects that your subordinate cultivates. Here is my request, can you sell them to me?” Gong Xifan's wording was very polite.

 As the individual in charge of leading the taskforce against the Bloodthirsty Sect, he had investigated how to go about performing his duty meticulously. Ye Jiuge's Legendary Venomous Insects were essential items on his preparation list.

 Ye Jiuge's eyes lit up. She suddenly realized that the Gong Clan could exchange the Legendary Venomous Insects for the Dark Spirit Herb.

 The Gong Clan possessed vast wealth. Trading with them would certainly be faster than looking for the herb by herself.