Feng Zikang offered a slight smile; how could such a common Zhong beast warrant the title of "treasure"? He surveyed the area. An alien woman stood holding a dart, clad in strange garments, her eyes wide as she stared at him, fury blazing on her face.

She wore a headdress of pure silver, from which tassels hung, lending a touch of youthful innocence to her features. Her attire was a blue quilted jacket and skirt, adorned with various jingling trinkets, the most arresting being the large silver mirror protecting her chest.

"Hey! Outsider, I'm talking to you!"

Her voice was crisp and sweet, carrying a slight, raspy lilt, yet her tone was decidedly fierce.

"Oh?" Feng Zikang chuckled. Having just arrived, he saw no reason to needlessly make enemies. His manner became quite amiable. "So, this was bred by the Scorpion Maiden. I had assumed it was a wild demonic beast, which is why I struck it down. I ask for your pardon." The scorpion was hideous and terrifying; any normal person would naturally dispatch it. Feng Zikang’s explanation held a certain logic. However, the woman was willful and refused to concede. Seeing the Five Venom Scorpion Beast she had painstakingly nurtured destroyed just like that, her anger mounted, and she refused to listen to his explanation.

"Hmph! Easy for you to say. Since you killed my Five Venom Treasure Beast, pay with your life!"

She fiercely gestured with her hand, and suddenly, an earthen-yellow giant serpent phantom materialized between her fingers, lunging directly for Feng Zikang’s throat.

"Oh? How interesting!"

Feng Zikang had already discerned the opponent's cultivation level—mere Yin Qi stage. Furthermore, she seemed entirely steeped in poison, apparently without having mastered any formal cultivation techniques, leaving no hope for Zhuji. Yet, this offensive divine ability was remarkably potent; even a Zhuji cultivator, caught unprepared, might easily fall victim to it.

However, Feng Zikang’s current cultivation was profound, and he naturally paid it no mind. With one arm around Luo Lianxin, he flicked his other hand lightly, sending the phantom giant serpent recoiling.

The great serpent cried out in pain, writhing wildly. Its eyes were blood-red, seemingly enraged further. Without waiting for the woman's command, it lunged at him again ferociously!

"Overestimating yourself!"

Feng Zikang’s expression turned cold. He flicked his index finger, and a streak of sword light shot out, shattering the phantom serpent's head!

The woman grunted and stumbled back two steps. Thwarted, she grew even more infuriated. Clapping her hands together, an eerie purple energy emanated from her body, as if preparing to unleash a ultimate move.

"Hua Nu, stop!"

Just then, another woman’s voice echoed from the woods. Though this voice was gentle, it carried an irrefutable authority. The woman called Hua Nu shivered violently, instantly withdrawing the malevolent purple energy and standing rigidly, hands clasped.

"Welcome, Saintess!"

She instantly shifted her demeanor. Feng Zikang smiled faintly and turned his gaze. Emerging slowly from the woods was a middle-aged woman holding a green snake scepter, draped in a blue brocade cloak, with a floral crown atop her head.

This woman appeared to be around thirty years old, possessing striking beauty, yet her eyes held a gentle warmth and peace that instantly charmed anyone who looked upon her.

"In this land of potent poisons, how could such a woman arise?"

Feng Zikang was inwardly startled. He watched as the woman approached, bowed respectfully, and said, "Outsider, your strength is breathtaking, yet I do not know who you are, where you come from, or where you are headed?"

Her speech was quite stiff, but her inquiry was polite.

Feng Zikang sensed her cultivation was already at the Ningdan stage, so he dared not show disrespect. He revealed his name and briefly explained his origins. However, the concept of the Xuanjie was too unbelievable, so he merely said he was traveling with a friend. He claimed they were injured and mistakenly entered this place, injuring the Five Venom Scorpion Beast, and apologized again.

"No matter. Given the appearance of the Five Venom Scorpion Beast, such a reaction is normal. However, Mr. Feng, slaying that venomous scorpion with a single sword strike is indeed remarkable."

The Saintess was also inwardly shocked. While the Five Venom Scorpion Beast was not particularly formidable in her eyes, they were created through the method of Zhong refinement. The defense of the Five Venom Scorpion was the most astonishing; even she would find it difficult to pierce its hard shell and end its life in a single blow.

This stranger's strength was unfathomable. Were they friend or foe?

"Your companion is injured?"

The Saintess’s gaze shifted to Luo Lianxin, and she gave a sudden start, rushing over and reaching out to take Luo Lianxin's wrist.

Feng Zikang felt no malice in her action, so he did not intervene. He watched as she took Luo Lianxin’s pulse, her expression shifting through numerous changes.

"Marvelous! Truly marvelous!"

The Saintess cried out in surprise. "There is such poison in this world? I have studied poisons for half my life, yet I have never encountered anything like it."

Feng Zikang knew that Luo Lianxin had been wounded by the Nielong blood. Although the Saintess was versed in all manner of poisons, the Dragon’s Scourge was extinct. Perhaps only the peak of Great Cang Mountain in that other Xuanjie held an example—naturally, she would never know.

"Saintess, is there any method to treat this?"

Since she had never seen the poison, the hope of a cure was slim, but Feng Zikang asked casually, not holding out much expectation.

The Saintess’s expression was strange. First, she shook her head, then fell into thoughtful silence, then nodded again, but finally began shaking her head ceaselessly.

"Is it curable or not?" Feng Zikang, puzzled by her ambiguity, pressed her for an answer.

The Saintess sighed. "Mr. Feng, if I said it was curable, I would be lying. However, it is not entirely impossible to treat. But it is not by the means of us, Yu Luosha, but rather through a divine artifact passed down through generations of our Miao people: the Qilin Fat!"

"Oh?"

Feng Zikang had never heard of this substance. But since he had entered this Trial Tower, he knew that each Xuanjie possessed unique marvels, and there was much he did not know. He patiently maintained a humble student’s demeanor.

"May I ask what this Qilin Fat is?"

"This Qilin Fat was transformed from the flesh and blood of the first Qilin, born after the Chaos Dragon Worm split the heavens. Back then, in the great battle of ten thousand beasts, they fought fiercely, and those who gained merit perished in the great calamity of heaven and earth. When they fell, they left behind a piece of flesh that transformed into a jade-like fat, landing in the Ten Thousand Great Mountains of our Miao region. Countless years later, a hero of our Miao people named Huang You stumbled upon this Qilin Fat by chance and discovered it could neutralize all poisons and cure any injury. With this single object, he dominated the Central Plains. Later, Patriarch Huang You was defeated by the Yellow Emperor of the Central Plains, resulting in his death and the annihilation of his clan, but the Qilin Fat remained passed down within our Miao people..."

Feng Zikang was, of course, familiar with the tale of Huang You battling the Yellow Emperor, but he never expected the Miao people in this Xuanjie to be descendants of Huang You.

"Since the Qilin Fat can resolve all poisons, please, Saintess, help heal my friend."

The Saintess showed an expression of embarrassment. "Under normal circumstances, upon seeing such a strange poison, even if Mr. Feng hadn't asked, I, Yu Luosha, would certainly procure the Qilin Fat to detoxify this young lady. But now..."

She gave a wry smile and shook her head slightly.

"What is the situation now?"

Feng Zikang thought to himself that it wouldn't be that easy; there must be some complication.

He heard the Saintess sigh, "Mr. Feng, since you have traveled so far, I will hide nothing. This is a shame of my Miao people. In truth, a hundred years ago, the Miao people split into two factions: the White Miao and the Flower Miao. We are the White Miao branch. Although we inherited the art of Zhong refinement, we lost the Qilin Fat."

"You mean the Qilin Fat is in the hands of the Flower Miao?"

Feng Zikang frowned; it seemed he would have to make a trip. "Precisely. But..."

The Saintess's speech was full of turns and lacked straightforwardness. Feng Zikang patiently continued to inquire.

"But what?"

"Actually," the Saintess sighed again. "Our Miao people have been divided for a hundred years, and hearts desire unity, but the Flower Miao are domineering and refuse to submit. Therefore, our two sides have agreed upon a decisive battle three days hence. The loser will join the victor’s side, and the Qilin Fat is the prize for this battle."

"A decisive battle?" Feng Zikang nodded. "So that is why you are intensifying the training of the Five Venom Beasts here."

He calculated that if he went to the Flower Miao now, there might still be lengthy discussions, and he'd have to wait for the battle to conclude before obtaining the Qilin Fat to heal Luo Lianxin. If he forcibly seized it, he had no idea of the true strength of this locale, which might be rash.

He pondered for a moment and asked, "Saintess, how does the strength of your White Miao compare to that of the Flower Miao?"

The Saintess gave a bitter smile. "With the aid of the Five Venom Beasts, the overall strength of our White Miao naturally surpasses the Flower Miao by a large margin. However, the Flower Miao leader, Lei Jinwang, aided by the Qilin Fat and Huang You's cultivation method, possesses profound cultivation. I am no match for him. In the battle three days from now, the situation will likely remain the same."

"His cultivation is higher than yours?"

Feng Zikang wasn't worried about their Ningdan cultivation level, but these Miao exotics possessed strange arts that became even more terrifying when deployed at the Ningdan stage. It seemed forceful seizure was not the best strategy. Should he intervene and help the White Miao win against the Flower Miao? If the Flower Miao leader Lei Jinwang was formidable, perhaps if he and the Saintess acted together to hold him off, the rest of the White Miao, aided by the Five Venom Beasts, could quickly defeat Lei Jinwang. Then the Qilin Fat could be obtained to save his friend.

Or should he help the Flower Miao? With his strength alone, slaughtering the White Miao tribesmen, and once Lei Jinwang and the Saintess concluded their duel, he could naturally emerge victorious... however, it depended on how tough Lei Jinwang was to fight.

"There are various ways to acquire the Qilin Fat; it depends on one's choice."

Feng Zikang smiled faintly. The situation was still unclear, so there was no need to rush a decision. He weighed the options in his mind, raised a hand, and said with a smile, "If that is the case, Saintess, would you permit me to assist the White Miao in defeating the Flower Miao? If you win, may I borrow the Qilin Fat to heal my friend?"

The Saintess was both astonished and overjoyed. "I never expected Mr. Feng would be so generous as to offer his aid! Our chances of defeating the Flower Miao have greatly increased. After we win, I shall certainly present the Qilin Fat to treat this young lady!"

Feng Zikang nodded his thanks. The White Miao people, recognizing his power, were extremely pleased and invited him back to the city for a feast in his honor.

Feng Zikang drank until he was slightly tipsy before returning to his room to rest.

The moment the door closed, the pleased expression vanished from his face. His body shimmered slightly as he unleashed the divine ability of the Formless Heavenly Demon Incarnation.

After the banquet dispersed, the Saintess summoned Hua Nu to her room for questioning.

Feng Zikang’s incarnation slipped silently into the room, carefully listening to their conversation.

"Saintess, do you truly trust that person?"

Hua Nu's tone suggested her anger had not yet subsided; this woman seemed quite petty.

The Saintess shook her head. "What choice do we have if we don't trust him? His cultivation is higher than mine, not lower. Seeing how easily he destroyed the Five Venom Scorpion Beast and shattered your 'Great Serpent Strike,' if we truly fought, I might not fare well without using my ultimate move. At a time like this, why would anyone risk their life for him?"

Hua Nu looked sullen, clearly unconvinced. "Then, could this person be a spy for the Flower Miao?"

The Saintess shook her head. "If this person truly sided with the Flower Miao, he wouldn't need to act as a spy. He could simply attack head-on. Lei Jinwang and I are, at best, evenly matched. If he assisted the Flower Miao attack from the side, how could you possibly resist?"

The Saintess stood up and sighed. "I heard that Lei Jinwang has been diligently cultivating the Huang You Demonic God technique recently. I fear there may be other variables when the time comes. We can only hope this outsider can lend us a hand. Perhaps he was sent by the Heavenly Mother to help us."

Hua Nu fell silent, her face turning pale. "If Lei Jinwang truly masters the Huang You Demonic God technique..."

"We shall not fear!"

The Saintess's expression became resolute. "If it truly comes to that..."

Both women fell into silence.

Feng Zikang quietly withdrew. Indeed, both the White Miao and Flower Miao factions had hidden methods. Forcible seizure would be difficult if both sides were united against him. It seemed better to help one side against the other.

With this thought, the Formless Heavenly Demon Incarnation drifted away, heading towards the Flower Miao encampment.

This Xuanjie was slightly larger than the previous one, but still limited. The Flower Miao settlement was only about a hundred li from the White Miao. Feng Zikang's incarnation slipped into the Flower Miao territory silently, completely undetected.

With only two or three days left until the decisive battle, the Flower Miao city was also tense and solemn.

Feng Zikang wandered until he located the residence of the Flower Miao leader, Lei Jinwang, and slipped straight inside.

This man was also in conversation, facing a black-robed sorcerer whose face was deeply lined and expression profoundly grim.

"What news from the White Miao side?"

"We received word today that an external expert has joined the White Miao, intending to assist them against our Flower Miao..." the black-robed mage said, shaking his head repeatedly with obvious disdain.

"Expert, hehe."

Lei Jinwang gave a cold laugh. "Are there truly experts left in this world? In the path of cultivation, only Huang You and the Female Deity have truly orthodox paths. I have obtained one, and that wench has the other. As long as that wench lives, no real expert can emerge—merely clowns jumping about."

Feng Zikang nodded. He recognized the strangeness of this Xuanjie. Under normal circumstances, only the Saintess and Lei Jinwang—the leaders of the White Miao and Flower Miao—would possess cultivation inheritances, meaning only these two experts existed. But since Feng Zikang came from another Xuanjie, Lei Jinwang's limited insight meant he wouldn't know.

"What about that wench?"

Lei Jinwang laughed for a moment, then pressed again.

The black-robed mage shook his head, a hint of confusion in his voice. "It is strange; Yu Luosha has stopped cultivating and spends her days in contemplation, a stark contrast to the King’s urgent cultivation of the Huang You Demonic God technique... We don't know what scheme she is plotting."

"Hmph!" Lei Jinwang snorted coldly. "What scheme could she have? That wench must see that she cannot defeat me and has given up, preparing to abandon this battle. After the White Miao and Flower Miao are unified, they will all be my subordinates!"

"But her subordinate Hua Nu and others are intensifying the refinement of the Five Venom Beasts; we don't know..."

"Hmph! What do mere Five Venom Beasts matter!"

Lei Jinwang slammed the table. "If it weren't for the final stage of my Huang You Demonic God technique being impossible to break through, why would I tolerate those little bugs acting arrogantly!"

His face contorted in rage.

"Your Majesty, calm your anger..." The black-robed mage prostrated himself, trembling in fear. Then he saw blood-red light burst from Lei Jinwang's eyes. He reached out, grasping the sorcerer, and lifted him up.

"Trash! Why do I keep you around?"

With a tear of both hands, he ripped the black-robed mage in half. Blood sprayed everywhere, but he didn't seem to care, merely laughing aloud, seemingly quite pleased.

"Madman!"

Feng Zikang quickly formed his judgment. This black-robed mage hadn't provoked him at all, but because Lei Jinwang was in a foul mood due to his stalled cultivation, he simply tore the man in two. This person, if not mad already, was close to it.

Thus, although Lei Jinwang's cultivation was indeed a notch higher than the Saintess's, Feng Zikang truly did not wish to deal with a madman. Whether this man would willingly hand over the Qilin Fat was debatable, and even if he agreed, he might not honor the promise after the battle. It might lead to another fight, in which case, outright seizure would be easier.

"There’s no choice then; I suppose I have to help that woman."

Feng Zikang shrugged. Seeing that this man had failed to pass the final stage of his so-called Huang You Demonic God technique, his mind was settled. He would wait three days, destroy the Flower Miao, seize the Qilin Fat, and resolve the situation here.

His body flickered, and he returned to the White Miao city.

"Cough,"

As soon as he entered the room, he heard Luo Lianxin's incessant coughing. Feng Zikang stepped forward to examine her. Luo Lianxin's eyes were tightly shut, and there was a trace of blood at the corner of her mouth. Although still unconscious, she was coughing relentlessly.

The poison from the Nielong blood was extremely Yin and cold. A high-level cultivator at the Ningdan stage should be immune to mundane cold or heat, so this condition was unexpected. However, Luo Lianxin's presentation clearly indicated that the Yin poison had invaded her lungs and damaged her internal organs.

Feng Zikang was secretly alarmed. If Luo Lianxin, with her extremely high cultivation, suffered this much, it seemed even he might not fare well if afflicted by this Nielong blood.

He frowned, then dissolved several pills in water and fed them to Luo Lianxin, but it was completely useless.

"Mr. Feng, has Miss Luo's condition worsened?"

The Saintess's voice inquired from outside the door. Feng Zikang opened the door and nodded. "Saintess, yes, it has. The poison afflicting my friend is peculiar. My pills are entirely ineffective. I wonder..."

The Saintess smiled slightly. "I came precisely for this!"

She flipped her wrist and produced a bronze bowl. With a shake of her sleeve, five small items fell into the bowl. Feng Zikang’s sharp eyes clearly distinguished them: a snake, a centipede, a spider, a toad, and a scorpion—the five creatures commonly known as the Five Venoms.

However, the colors of these five venomous creatures were unusual, clearly indicating they were not ordinary specimens.

The Saintess moved with lightning speed, crushing the five venoms in the bowl, then dousing them with wine, which emitted a strange fragrance.

"I have thought long and hard, and perhaps this Five Poison Wine can temporarily suppress Miss Luo's condition." The Saintess pushed the bronze bowl forward and placed it into Feng Zikang's hands.