The tranquility of Lizhou resumed for a few days after Zen Master Zhe Guo departed the critical juncture.

Rocking the enemy forces, Luo Kedi led his army to a breakthrough, utterly shattering the punitive expedition sent by the Great Tang. Without the stabilizing presence of top-tier cultivation masters, the Tang army, though containing some cultivators, offered no real resistance under the crushing pressure exerted by Mou Canglang and his peers. This campaign, once again, proved utterly futile.

Feng Zikang emerged from several days of secluded meditation. Hearing that the Tang army had retreated was well within his expectations, and he merely offered a slight smile, unconcerned.

Now that the impending Heavenly Tribulation had become clear, the struggle between the Three Religions and the Nine Streams formed the central conflict. Furthermore, the demon hordes from the Unreturned Sea and other demonic forces from beyond the domains seemed intent on infiltrating, yet the proverb held true: a strong dragon does not oppress the local snake. Compared to the Three Religions and the Nine Streams, which dominated the Central Plains cultivation world, these external entities were ultimately not the main players.

He still harbored doubts regarding two specific points.

The first was why the Three Religions—Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism—had handed the Investiture of the Gods list to him. Given the circumstances at the time, Master Yuanyuan and the others could not possibly have failed to see that the Nine Streams would inevitably stand opposed to the Three Religions during this great calamity.

Why, then, entrust the Investiture of the Gods list to him, a disciple of the Military School of Mount Longhu?

After learning the truth of the Ancient Investiture of the Gods, he had also begun to suspect the nature of the list in his possession.

Could this particular Investiture of the Gods list possess some extraordinary feature?

Regardless of the machinations of the Three Religions, having the Investiture of the Gods list in hand had certainly brought him significant benefits. After all, even the omnipotent Master Yuanyuan could not have foreseen that he possessed a complete Miniature World.

With the aid of the Investiture of the Gods list coordinating with the Miniature World, his development had accelerated rapidly. Feng Zikang’s path of cultivation had become vastly smoother.

With the foundation of his burgeoning Miniature World, his confidence grew substantially.

Even if unforeseen changes were to occur within these realms, Feng Zikang would always have a fallback position.

Therefore, while the matter of the Investiture of the Gods list was suspicious, it could wait; the immediate priority was the identity of Mr. Xu Wan.

Feng Zikang, having already reached the Core Formation cultivation stage, still could not discern the depths of Mr. Xu Wan.

This meant that Mr. Xu Wan’s cultivation was at least at the Core Formation level, or higher! Recalling his own performance before Mr. Xu Wan back when he was at the Foundation Establishment stage, Feng Zikang couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat!

Moreover, his intuition warned him that this military advisor, to whom Wu Ji so readily obeyed, was anything but simple!

"Mr. Xu Wan..."

Feng Zikang smiled faintly, having already formed a plan in his mind. No matter what, this potential threat needed to be resolved somehow.

Just as he was preparing to deal with Mr. Xu Wan, the man unexpectedly appeared at his door!

"Senior Brother Feng, are you inside?"

Xu Wan’s voice drifted in from outside the door. Feng Zikang paused slightly.

Could this Mr. Xu Wan truly possess the ability to foresee the future? He sneered coldly, "Mr. Xu Wan, please come in!"

The curtain lifted, and Mr. Xu Wan walked in with a smile, bowing slightly to Feng Zikang. "I heard from Ke Di that Senior Brother Feng has concluded his seclusion, so I came to pay my respects. I hope I’m not being presumptuous?"

Feng Zikang returned the courtesy, his expression unchanging, and he smiled, "Mr. Xu Wan, where is the presumption? I was actually planning to visit you myself."

Mr. Xu Wan chuckled, then his expression suddenly shifted.

"Senior Brother Feng, you weren't perhaps intending to seek me out to question my origins?"

His tone was casual, yet Feng Zikang’s pupils instantly constricted!

He had guessed correctly!

Who exactly was this Mr. Xu Wan? He seemed to have anticipated every move, always acting with calculated assurance, as if truly possessing foresight for every contingency!

"Senior Brother Feng, do not be nervous,"

Mr. Xu Wan smiled faintly, his gaze sharp as needles, fixed tightly on Feng Zikang.

Feng Zikang’s heart tightened. He collected his composure and also smiled lightly, "Since Mr. Xu Wan has already anticipated this, I will be direct. Mr. Xu Wan is not one of the Three Religions, nor are you among the demon clans of the Unreturned Sea, yet you are so deeply involved in this Heavenly Tribulation. Even if I didn't seek trouble with you, would the people of the Three Religions and the Nine Streams simply watch you occupy the high seat of Lizhou?"

His words were entirely logical.

Mr. Xu Wan was certainly not of the Confucian, Buddhist, or Taoist Three Religions—that went without saying. Even if the Three Religions were shameless enough to hedge their bets, they could never hide it from the world. Nor was he one of the Nine Streams.

Now that the Nine Streams were allied, sharing intelligence, if Xu Wan belonged to the Nine Streams, he could only be from the elusive, world-wandering Jia family. However, members of that family held no interest in fame, profit, or power; they were detached and would never hide in the shadows manipulating everything as Mr. Xu Wan did. He was also unacquainted with Mou Canglang, leaving no room for pretense here, so he was not one of the demons of the Unreturned Sea either.

He belonged to none of the three major factions involved in the Heavenly Tribulation, yet he had extended his influence so deeply, reaching a secular position of power in Lizhou almost second only to Wu Ji—a position of commanding tens of thousands. How could the other powers tolerate this?

Feng Zikang’s words were half threat, but they contained a significant measure of truth!

Mr. Xu Wan offered a wry smile. "Senior Brother Feng, I know I am like an ant on a hot pan right now—a fish on the chopping block. That is why I have come specifically to beg for Senior Brother Feng’s help!"

His expression suddenly filled with panic, and he threw himself to his knees, repeatedly kowtowing to Feng Zikang!

This sudden turn utterly bewildered Feng Zikang.

What in the world was happening?

"Mr. Xu Wan, please rise. I am merely a humble pawn of the Military School of Mount Longhu. What ability could I possibly have to save you? If you do not clarify your origins, the cultivators of the Central Plains will all come after you!"

Feng Zikang extended a hand to help him up.

Though his doubts remained unresolved, he showed no sign of it on his face, maintaining a faint smile as he observed Mr. Xu Wan’s expression, which was one of profound distress and was utterly flawless in its portrayal.

"Hah, quite a formidable opponent!"

Feng Zikang had faced many enemies since beginning his journey, but the only one truly worthy of the title 'opponent' was this Mr. Xu Wan. His background was profoundly mysterious, his cultivation unfathomable, and most critically, his planning and stratagems were meticulous, making him difficult to handle.

Now, the two stood facing each other, each trying to decipher the other's thoughts while maintaining their own carefully constructed facades.

"Senior Brother Feng, if you cannot save me, I fear no one in this world can," Mr. Xu Wan repeatedly bowed, though he no longer knelt.

"Tsk," Feng Zikang smiled lightly. "Mr. Xu Wan, even now, I do not know your origins. If you don't tell me, how can I possibly help you?"

Mr. Xu Wan was momentarily stunned. "Senior Brother Feng, things have reached this point, why play games? You are the only one in this world who can discern my origins, and I am the only one who can discern yours. Since we have converged here and the conversation has reached this depth, why must you still pretend?"

Feng Zikang was startled.

He understood instantly: Mr. Xu Wan had mistaken him for someone else!

Feng Zikang's true origin was that of an outer-domain Celestial Demon. In this world, absolutely no one could recognize this; by extension, he also knew nothing of Mr. Xu Wan's origins.

The only conclusion was that Mr. Xu Wan believed him to be a specific person.

What the relationship between that person and Feng Zikang was, remained unclear, but Feng Zikang had no intention of exposing himself.

"That may be so, Mr. Xu Wan, but it would be better if you explained things clearly. Otherwise, a mistaken identity could lead to unnecessary trouble," he said with a faint smile, maintaining an unhurried demeanor.

Mr. Xu Wan glared at him, grinding his teeth. "Fine! Senior Brother of the Eastern Sect, I concede defeat this time. There's no need for further fuss. I genuinely did not anticipate that Senior Brother could infiltrate the Military School of Mount Longhu, gain the trust of the Three Religions and Nine Streams, and seize command of this Heavenly Tribulation! It truly exceeded my expectations! Compared to you, I am confined to a corner of Lizhou, falling short by more than a little."

He shook his head. "From the first time I met Senior Brother, I wanted to admit defeat, but due to the honor of our Western Sect, I could only grit my teeth and persevere. Now, with the Three Religions and Nine Streams, along with the demons of the Unreturned Sea, all gathered in Lizhou City—with the sharp eyes of the seniors above and the petty struggles of the juniors below—if I don't receive Senior Brother's aid, my identity will be exposed sooner or later. Since it has come to this, I have no choice but to surrender to Senior Brother!"

Surrender?

Feng Zikang's mind raced, calculating the implications.

Clearly, Mr. Xu Wan and the person he mistook Feng Zikang for belonged to the same faction, yet they were in competition—the Eastern and Western Sects. Since the goal involved infiltrating the Military School of Mount Longhu, it was evident this power was certainly no righteous faction.

If they weren't from the Demon Realm, they might belong to the forces of the borderland Fiends.

Feng Zikang nodded inwardly; this was highly probable. Demonic Sect disciples were drawn to profound demonic qi. If they detected the immense demonic qi within him, they would very likely mistake him for a fellow sect member. Moreover, his actions—infiltrating the Military School of Mount Longhu to sow chaos—aligned with such objectives. Given the coincidences, Xu Wan's certainty was understandable.

Though deep in thought, his face remained unchanged, showing only a slight smile. "Junior Brother Xu Wan, you certainly have sharp eyes!"

The other party had consistently addressed him as 'Senior Brother,' leading Feng Zikang to finally understand that Mr. Xu Wan clearly did not view himself as part of the Three Religions or Nine Streams, but rather recognized a relationship within their own power structure.

Mr. Xu Wan gave a bitter laugh. "Why joke, Senior Brother? As members of the same lineage, there is a natural resonance between us."

Feng Zikang inwardly scoffed; perhaps Xu Wan felt a resonance, but he felt absolutely nothing.

Of course, he could not voice this. Feng Zikang smiled faintly, "Since Junior Brother has come to admit defeat, so be it. But tell me, what must I do to assist Junior Brother?"

He actually longed to press further about this shared lineage, but Mr. Xu Wan was extremely cunning. If he let his guard slip carelessly, he might never be fooled again. Thus, Feng Zikang proceeded cautiously, probing indirectly.

Mr. Xu Wan, however, was momentarily taken aback, then forced a wry smile. "Senior Brother is being surprisingly agreeable today. I did not expect a brother from the Western Sect to agree so readily."

Feng Zikang's heart tightened; he realized his easy agreement might have aroused Xu Wan's suspicion.

What exactly was the relationship between their Eastern and Western Sects? Whether he should agree to the request of a disciple from the Western Sect was entirely unknown to him, lacking any reference point. He could only speak offhand and rely on luck.

However, Mr. Xu Wan's remark could also be a deliberate trap to see if he would fall for it.

Any response risked exposure.

Feng Zikang snorted coldly. "If you have something to say, then say it. Stop with the nonsense, Junior Brother Xu Wan. I don't have much time!"