The group couldn’t resist the temptation. Originally, they had planned to keep the wind sparrows for the mission, but now, eating one or two wouldn’t hurt.

  Nan Gong Huan suspected that these wind-element spirit beasts were captured to serve as snacks for the elders.

  "These are the potions I brewed. I’ll share them with everyone. I didn’t contribute much today; it was all you guys fighting," Jiang Huairou said with a hint of self-reproach. The seniors had protected her well, especially Nan Gong Huan.

  Adhering to the principle of mutual support among girls, Nan Gong Huan had taken good care of her.

  She took out several bottles of second-grade Spirit Recovery Potions and Healing Potions, all with a fusion rate of around 70%. Such talent was already considered genius-level among alchemists.

  The seniors each took one bottle, not taking more, just in case of emergencies.

  "With the potions you brewed, we’ll be just fine! Besides, alchemists who take on such dangerous missions get extra credit bonuses, so don’t worry," the seniors reassured her.

  "Nan Gong, this Spirit Recovery Potion is for you, as a token of my gratitude," Jiang Huairou handed over a bottle of Spirit Recovery Potion with both hands, her smile warm.

  Nan Gong Huan glanced at it for a moment before accepting it. "Thank you."

  "I need to go relieve myself," Jiang Huairou stood up and walked into the dark forest.

  "Don’t go too far," Nan Gong Huan nodded, not paying much more attention.

  But a minute later, a scream echoed from the darkness!

  "Ah—"

  Everyone looked up sharply and rushed toward the source of the scream!

  "Junior Jiang! Are you okay?" Gao Luo shouted.

  When they arrived at the spot where Jiang Huairou had been, they saw a dozen or so people trying to flee. Jiang Huairou had already fainted and was being carried over the shoulder of a fat man.

  "Blood God Temple?!" Gao Luo exclaimed in shock, recognizing the distinctive clothing of the Blood God Temple.

  The leader of the group sneered and said, "Well, well, this little lady has friends after all."

  "Put her down!" one of the seniors shouted. Everyone drew their staffs, on high alert and ready to fight.

  "Boss, they’ve got another girl, and she’s even prettier than this one!" The fat man’s eyes lit up, and he immediately set Jiang Huairou down by a tree, leering at Nan Gong Huan.

  "She is pretty. Let’s grab her too! Tonight, we’ll have some fun! Hahaha!" The boss gave the order, and six members of the group pulled out bottles of blood, quickly drinking them.

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  The six of them immediately began to transform.

  "Attack! Don’t let them succeed!" Gao Luo shouted, charging forward with his sword. The other four seniors raised their staffs and began chanting spells.

  Nan Gong Huan stayed back, on guard. Taking advantage of the enemy’s focus on the seniors, she quietly retreated, blending into the darkness and becoming almost one with the forest.

  A fierce battle broke out. One of the Blood God Temple members noticed Nan Gong Huan’s disappearance and quickly whispered to the boss, "Boss, the girl’s gone."

  "Gone? Find her now! She’s our target!" The boss kicked the underling aside while scanning the shadows.

  Did she abandon her comrades and run away?

  The boss frowned, his eyes darting around the darkness, but he couldn’t spot Nan Gong Huan.

  Just then, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up, as if a wild beast were staring at him from behind. A chilling sensation swept through his body, freezing his blood.

  The boss spun around and saw Nan Gong Huan leap out from the bushes, her Radiant Blade aimed straight for his neck!

  Her movements were as swift as a tiger’s, with explosive power.

  But the boss, a seasoned fighter, wasn’t an easy target. He drew his large knife and blocked, the two of them locked in a fierce struggle. With his Four Spirit Life cultivation, he fought Nan Gong Huan to a standstill.

  "Qi Kong, Yue Shan, focus on the snake-man and the leopard-man first! Jia Shenyu, Hua Ning, keep the others at bay!" Gao Luo observed the situation and took command, leveraging their teamwork.

  It had to be said, Gao Luo’s tactics were effective. With Qi Kong’s high-explosive fire magic, Yue Shan’s wind-enhancing spells, and Gao Luo’s close-quarters swordsmanship, they took down two enemies in less than half a minute.

  With two of their comrades gone, the Blood God Temple’s morale took a hit.

  But the Blood God Temple team had over a dozen members. Those who had been sent to find Nan Gong Huan, seeing her engaged in battle with the boss, turned back and drank the blood to transform, joining the fight against the seniors.

  Meanwhile, Jiang Huairou, who had been lying unconscious, slowly woke up. Seeing the terrifying scene before her, she crawled behind a tree, hiding in the shadows and peeking out with a frightened expression.

  Her eyes scanned the battlefield, searching for something. Finally, her gaze settled on Nan Gong Huan, watching her agile movements and combat skills. Her fingers gripped the tree bark tightly, leaving marks from the friction.

  Fireballs, wind blades, and explosive flames flew everywhere. But after drinking the blood, most of the Blood God Temple members had reached the Four Spirit Life level. Two of them, wind-element eagle-men with wings on their backs, quickly captured Qi Kong and Hua Ning with their speed.

  Most mages lacked self-defense abilities, and once they were caught in close combat, they were easily defeated. Qi Kong and Hua Ning were no exception.

  Gao Luo quickly took down two more enemies, but despite their injuries, the Blood God Temple still had the numbers advantage.

  "Don’t move! Or I’ll kill her!" A snake-man, cleverer than the rest, wrapped his tail around Jiang Huairou, who had been hiding, and coiled her tightly.

  "Seniors, run! Don’t worry about me!" Jiang Huairou trembled as she shouted.

  Gao Luo and the others froze. They couldn’t just abandon her and run. Reluctantly, Gao Luo, Yue Shan, and Jia Shenyu stood back-to-back, surrounded by the beast-men.

  "Tie them up! You’d better not move, or I’ll kill her right now!" The snake-man threatened, holding a knife to Jiang Huairou’s neck.

  "Don’t hurt her!" Gao Luo shouted. Under the threat, all the seniors were tied up.

  "How despicable!" Hua Ning spat.

  "Hmph, you know exactly what the Blood God Temple is like, don’t you?" The fat man’s limbs transformed into thick tiger paws as he sneered.

  Now, only one person remained. Everyone’s eyes turned to Nan Gong Huan. Only Jiang Huairou and Gao Luo exchanged a glance, unnoticed by the others.

  The snake-man repeated his tactic, pressing the knife to Jiang Huairou’s neck. The repeated threats had already left a bloody mark. Jiang Huairou trembled like a frightened rabbit.

  "Hey, girl! Surrender now, or I’ll kill them all!" The snake-man shouted, catching Nan Gong Huan’s attention.