They stayed at Zhang Yang's villa, and when Zhang Keqin learned of this, he made a special trip to visit, though Zhang Daofeng's reception remained cool and indifferent. However, this attitude was already a vast improvement over his previous habit of berating Zhang Yang every time they met. Seven days later, Zhang Yang and Long Feng departed in the Hummer, the only vehicle large enough to accommodate Zhuifeng. If it hadn't been for the difficulty of flying with Zhuifeng and the others, they would have flown directly to the nearest airport. In those seven days, with the combined assistance of Zhang Daofeng and Zhang Yuan'an, the lingering effects of Zhang Yang's acupuncture points had completely dissipated, and his strength had fully recovered to the initial stage of the Fourth Level, which was two-thirds faster than he had anticipated. This was primarily due to Zhang Daofeng's willingness to expend significant internal energy to aid Zhang Yang's recovery. After his recovery, Zhang Yang's internal energy was even more profound than before his battle with Chu Yuntian, subtly hinting at the peak of the initial stage. This significant boost was mainly attributed to the system's reward. Since the mission level had been exceptionally high, the reward was equally substantial. Zhang Yang had allocated all his attribute points to internal energy, which yielded better results than consuming several Essence Blood Pills.

“Xiaoxue, don't worry. Yangyang will be back soon after this trip!” Zhang Yang's car was completely out of sight, yet Mi Xue still stood by the gate, gazing intently at the spot where he had departed. Seeing her like this, Zhang Yuan'an couldn't help but sigh, approaching her to offer some comforting words. “Uncle, it’s fine. I’m not worried!” Mi Xue quickly shook her head, her mouth denying worry, yet her expression completely betrayed her. She knew Zhang Yang was heading out to find medicinal herbs to cure Zhang Keqin's illness. She only knew the herb was hard to find and required a journey to the distant Tianshan Mountains. No matter where he went, whenever Zhang Yang ventured far, Mi Xue’s heart was filled with concern, worrying that he might encounter danger or fail to find what he needed. At this moment, she had completely forgotten Zhang Yang’s formidable strength. She had witnessed firsthand how he single-handedly dealt with dozens of petty thugs. “Let’s go back inside,” Zhang Yuan'an said softly. Mi Xue slowly nodded, turning back three times before reluctantly returning home.

Long Feng drove, while Zhang Yang sat in the passenger seat, eyes closed, quietly sensing the internal energy within him. His current internal energy was far more surging than before. Zhang Yang felt a certainty that if he were to face Chu Yuntian again now, he would certainly not be as battered and defeated as last time. Although he hadn't reached the middle stage of the Fourth Level yet, with the system's augmentation and a divine weapon like the Cold Spring Sword, provided he mastered the Heaven-Shattering Sword Technique, he dared to challenge even a strong practitioner at the middle stage of the Fourth Level, capable of fighting without relying on the power of Long Feng or the Spirit Beasts. The Heaven-Shattering Sword Technique was the Fourth Level sword technique the Huang family had originally promised in trade. It was an exceptionally profound sword art. When Zhang Yuan'an and Zhang Daofeng first viewed it, they hadn't paid much attention, but like Zhang Yang, they grew increasingly astonished the more they studied it, finally regarding it with awe. During these seven days, apart from helping Zhang Yang recover, they dedicated their time to researching this sword technique. After seven days of intense study by the three Fourth Level experts, Zhang Daofeng ultimately confirmed it was an extremely high-grade, supreme-tier sword technique. He was unsure if it broke into the true High-Grade, but among the supreme-tier martial arts he knew, this was the strongest. This sword technique provided immense assistance in improving one's strength. Furthermore, it was as the Huang family had stated: only those at or above the Fourth Level could begin practicing it. Zhang Daofeng even felt that a Fourth Level practitioner would only scratch the surface; only a true Fifth Level expert could unleash the technique's maximum potential. However, he did not voice these thoughts; such a revelation was too staggering, almost unbelievable even to himself.

Following the research, Zhang Yang immediately began practicing the sword technique. Only through genuine practice could one grasp its complexity. Even with his Fourth Level internal energy, cultivation felt arduous and obscure; he still hadn't truly grasped the entry point.

“According to our plan, we should reach the vicinity of Yelang Mountain by tonight!” Long Feng, driving, glanced down at the map and casually mentioned it. They had set out in the morning, traveling northwest exclusively on the highway, so reaching Yelang Mountain by nightfall was feasible. “Let’s push the pace. If we absolutely can’t make it, we’ll stay at a service area tonight!” Zhang Yang nodded. The Yelang Mountain they were passing this time was not the location of their previous hunt; it was the other side of the mountain range, slightly better than the area they visited before. Even passing by, Zhang Yang couldn't afford to stop. His mission this time was to find Snow Lotus Root to save Zhang Keqin’s life; unlike last time, he didn't have the luxury of leisurely traveling. This time, they would rush to Tianshan at maximum speed. Long Feng said no more, fully aware of the gravity of Zhang Yang’s objective. He unconsciously pressed harder on the accelerator.

After two continuous days of driving, Zhang Yang and his companion entered Xinjiang Province. Xinjiang is a vast province in the Northwest. The three Northwest provinces—Qinghai, Xijiang, and Xinjiang—are all sparsely populated regions, and arriving here provided a completely different sensation compared to Changjing. Xinjiang also has grasslands, and Long Feng was currently driving along a highway cutting through them. In two days, they had covered over three thousand kilometers, essentially traveling non-stop except for sleep, given that not all roads were highways. Long Feng handled all the driving, while Zhang Yang slowly contemplated the Heaven-Shattering Sword Technique. This sword art absolutely required the physical manual for practice. Memorizing every line of the manual was useless; if you practiced based solely on memory, you would find the technique incredibly crude and overly simplistic. Only by referencing the manual, practicing it inch by inch, could one perceive the subtle differences. Every time he reviewed the sword technique's contents in the manual felt like a fresh epiphany. Zhang Daofeng had never heard of a sword art like this; its cultivation could only be entrusted to Zhang Yang himself. He had brought the technique manual along on this trip.

“Zhang Yang, we’ve reached Ba Shi County!” On the evening of the third day, after driving all day across the grasslands, Long Feng finally reached a county town, not far from Tianshan, at the foothills of the Tianshan mountain range. Ba Shi County, though called a county town, was little more than a large village, with a total population of only fifty thousand, only about ten thousand residing in the town center. Despite its small size, the town was fully equipped: it had an inn barely qualifying as three-star, along with several decent restaurants and shops. They stayed at this three-star inn that night. The conditions were somewhat rudimentary, but still preferable to sleeping in a tent, as they had been unable to find a safe place to camp the previous night. Unable to drive on the pitch-black grasslands, they had set up a tent and slept outdoors. The inn building stood six stories tall, currently the highest structure in Ba Shi County. Zhang Yang and Long Feng occupied the fifth floor. From the window, they could see the distant peaks, the edge of the Tianshan mountain range.

“Tianshan,” Gazing at the mountains outside the window, Zhang Yang murmured softly. What he needed was there. Once he obtained that item, Zhang Keqin would be saved, and the regrets of ten years prior would not be repeated. “Long Feng, tomorrow morning, Zhuifeng and I will head straight into Tianshan. You wait for me here?” Turning around, Zhang Yang suddenly said this. Long Feng had booked two rooms, but he was currently in Zhang Yang’s room. “You’re going alone?” Long Feng’s eyebrow twitched slightly as he asked. “Yes. It’s still over a thousand li from here to Bawang Peak. By car, it would take another day, perhaps two. For Zhuifeng and me, it’ll take less than half a day, and we can be back by the afternoon.” Zhang Yang nodded. The closer they got to Tianshan, the more desolate the surroundings became. In the city, Zhang Yang couldn't ride Zhuifeng at a reckless speed, but in the uninhabited wilderness, it didn't matter. Even if one or two herdsmen saw them, they would likely regard Zhuifeng as a miracle.

“Hiss!” Zhuifeng, also in the room, let out a few soft breaths through its nostrils, clearly agreeing with Zhang Yang’s suggestion. It hadn't been easy bringing Zhuifeng into the room. The hotel staff were initially amazed by the beautiful horse but refused to allow them to keep it in the guest rooms. This area was different from the interior; many people rode horses, and specialized stables existed. Unfortunately, Zhang Yang absolutely refused to let Zhuifeng stay in those facilities. Without Zhang Yang present, who knew what mischief Zhuifeng might get into. In the end, Long Feng had to toss over a stack of cash before the hotel management consented to let Zhuifeng stay in the room. It seemed that no matter where one was, money served as the universal pass, able to legalize actions that otherwise broke the rules. “Alright, then I will wait for you here. Once you get the item, we’ll head back!” After a moment, Long Feng slowly nodded. His greatest worry was the Huyan family, but he understood that given Zhang Yang’s strength, only the patriarch of the Huyan family posed a real threat. Others, even the elders, did not pose a significant danger to Zhang Yang. With the assistance of Zhuifeng and the three Spirit Beasts, even that elder might not be Zhang Yang's match. After all, the demonic path expert Chu Yuntian had been defeated by them. Like Zhang Daofeng and the others, he placed immense trust in Zhang Yang’s capabilities, which is why he finally agreed.

“Hiss!” Zhuifeng stood up and whinnied happily, glancing toward the window as it did so. Looking at the distant peaks outside, Zhuifeng seemed to become agitated, its hooves tapping restlessly in the small room. Tianshan was also Zhuifeng’s home. The Celestial Warhorse, a Spirit Beast, originated from Tianshan, where it had grown up since childhood. It was unclear how many Celestial Warhorses remained in Tianshan now; perhaps only Zhuifeng itself. In recent times, with the deterioration of the cultivation environment, not only had human practitioners become scarce, but the population of Spirit Beasts had also drastically diminished.

The next day, before dawn, Long Feng opened his eyes. He heard movement from the adjacent room, understanding that Zhang Yang was preparing to depart, setting out alone with Zhuifeng. Standing by the window, he saw a lone figure on a white steed slowly moving into the distance, before the white silhouette seemed to take flight, rapidly vanishing from sight. He wished he could accompany them, but Zhuifeng had not yet fully accepted him. Riding on Zhuifeng’s back and being carried along was impossible for now; Zhuifeng would not carry someone weaker than itself. The thought brought a sense of helplessness, leaving him with no choice but to cultivate diligently and enhance his own power.