Time ticked by, and Brandon Jiang's throat had long gone hoarse from screaming, his nerves numb, leaving him without the strength to even cry out in pain.

Yet, whether he had grown accustomed to it or for some other reason, Brandon gradually felt the pain on his body begin to lessen. Even his injuries seemed to be improving significantly.

He had a vague sense that he was moving further away from death.

"Hmm? What's going on?"

Just as Brandon was pondering this, the Scabby Head Taoist let out a surprised exclamation.

Then, Brandon saw the Taoist's head poke into the cauldron, first with a look of confusion, then transforming into one of utter shock.

"This... how is this possible! My cauldron didn't refine you; instead, it helped you refine my Qi Gathering Pill?!

Impossible! How could a mere mortal achieve such a feat?! Could it be that you've fully awakened your Spiritual Root?!"

The Scabby Head Taoist's face suddenly changed: "This is bad! If this kid has awakened his Spiritual Root, it will surely attract those annoying women from the Heavenly Lotus Sect!"

In a panic, he gathered a cloud of black mist, retrieved the cauldron, and turned to flee, not even caring about the still-living children.

"Trying to run now? Too late!"

With a majestic voice, a holy figure walked in.

A woman in a white long dress, her figure graceful and indescribably noble.

Her face was covered with a thin veil, making it impossible to see her features clearly, but even the faint outline revealed that she was a woman of unparalleled beauty.

With each step she took, a pure white lotus flower bloomed beneath her feet.

Wherever she passed, all filth melted away like snow meeting fire. The dark snakes, insects, and rats were all terrified by this aura, retreating into their holes, not daring to show themselves.

A Celestial Being! A Celestial Being has come!

Brandon was overjoyed.

He had won the bet!

He had a Spiritual Root, and a Celestial Being had come to save him!

The Scabby Head Taoist, upon seeing the Fairy's true face, was so frightened that his legs went weak, and he knelt down, begging for mercy:"Spare me, Celestial Being! Spare me, Celestial Being!"

"All evil must be eradicated."

The Fairy from the Heavenly Lotus Sect spoke calmly, waving her hand, and a beam of life-giving celestial light enveloped the Scabby Head Taoist.

In an instant, black smoke rose from the Taoist's body, and he let out a blood-curdling scream. In the blink of an eye, only a skeleton remained.

The surviving children, seeing this scene, immediately showed expressions of wild joy.

Some cried tears of joy, some were filled with satisfaction.

"Great! We're saved!"

"Serves him right, serves him right!!!"

"Hahaha, there's always a way out! That demon is finally dead!"

But whether it was an illusion or not, Brandon clearly saw that at the moment the Scabby Head Taoist fell, he gave Brandon a strange smile!

Even as he lay on the ground, Brandon distinctly saw his mouth moving, clearly forming the words—"I will return."

Brandon's heart trembled, so shocked that he forgot about the excruciating pain of his injuries.

However, when he rubbed his eyes and looked again, he found that the Scabby Head Taoist had indeed turned into fragments of bones, dead beyond any doubt.

Could it have all been his imagination?

The Fairy from the Heavenly Lotus Sect looked Brandon up and down, a hint of surprise flashing in her phoenix eyes:

"Though you are a mortal, your Dantian and Spiritual Root can accommodate so much medicinal power. You indeed have good potential."

"This trip was not in vain."

She gently waved her hand, revealing an elegant smile:"Everyone, follow me. I will take you out of this demonic lair."

With that, she gracefully moved towards the outside.

The children quickly responded with joy, following closely behind the Fairy.

"Great! I'm finally getting out of here!"

"Mother, wait for me, I'm coming home."

The children were filled with excitement.

At the same time, they noticed that after following the Fairy from the Heavenly Lotus Sect for a while, their bodies were cleansed by the holy aura, even the filth on their bodies, including the bloodstains on Brandon, was washed away.

Originally, they were all disheveled, indistinguishable between male and female, but now they all had rosy lips and white teeth, their skin even more delicate than before.

This filled them with immense gratitude. A boy among them spoke up first:"Thank you, Fairy, for saving our lives. Your great kindness and virtue, I have no way to repay!"

Hearing this voice, the Fairy suddenly paused and turned around.

She glanced at the twenty clean and surviving children, her eyebrows slightly furrowed.

"I didn't notice earlier, but there are eleven boys among these children.

I don't like men. Men's vitality and Fortune are too foul, not tasty."

She muttered to herself.

The boy who had just expressed his gratitude was stunned:

"Fairy, what do you mean by that..."

But before he could finish, the holy light enveloped him.

In an instant, the boy's flesh melted away, leaving only a skeleton, just like the Villain of the Blood Sea!

Then, the light continued to spread, and all the boys it touched died!

The girls, however, remained unharmed.

A more frenzied chaos erupted!

"Demon! You're a demon too!"

"Why are you killing us? What did we do wrong?!"

"No, don't, please don't!"

Screams and curses rang out, but these sounds grew fewer and fewer.

What the hell! What kind of world is this!

Brandon was horrified.

Why is this Fairy also so ruthless?

I've just escaped the wolf's den, only to fall into the tiger's lair!

In his terror, he retreated, trying to avoid the light, but how could a mortal's speed compare to transcendent means?

Finally, he too was enveloped in the light, the fear of death rising in his heart.

The pale skeletons on the ground ahead were like a grim warning.

However, one breath passed, then two, and Brandon was still standing in the light, unharmed.

He paused, suddenly realizing something was amiss:"The Fairy said there were eleven boys, but the numbers don't add up.

There should be twelve males including me. Wait, could it be..."

Brandon looked down in astonishment, seeing that his body had become more petite, his skin more delicate, and even his chest slightly swollen.

"I... I've turned into a girl?! How can this be! How did I suddenly become a girl, when did this happen?!"

Brandon stared at his fair hands, completely bewildered.