Why did you provoke that old man? He's a reincarnation of a deity!

Hearing footsteps, Zeng Yuanqiao looked up and saw Xiao Fei leading Xiao Nian in. He was taken aback at first, then a delighted smile appeared on his face.

"Why have you come today, sir? I was planning to visit you tomorrow."

He suddenly stopped mid-sentence.

His gaze fell on Xiao Nian, sizing him up from head to toe. A deep smile played on his eyes as he nodded repeatedly.

"Very well, sir, you've come at the perfect time. Come and take a look at this painting. I was just getting into the swing of things when I was wondering what to add."

Xiao Nian stepped forward, her gaze falling on the sheet of Xuan paper.

The outline of Phoenix Mountain stands majestically, shrouded in clouds and mist. An old man with a white beard stands with his hands behind his back on the cliff, his clothes fluttering in the wind. He has his back to the onlookers, exuding an aura of aloofness.

Is it yourself?

"I couldn't sleep after returning from Phoenix Mountain yesterday, so I picked up a brush and drew this," Zeng Yuanqiao said with a smile.

"I can't forget your silhouette, sir. I've drawn seven or eight drafts, but I'm not satisfied with any of them. This one is barely acceptable. What do you think, sir?"

Xiao Nian was stunned at first, then almost couldn't help but laugh. But considering Zeng Yuanqiao's serious expression, he looked at him carefully for a moment, then said calmly:

"Your brushwork is vigorous but lacks elegance. It comes from traditional landscape painting, which emphasizes grandeur, but the mountains here are actually more delicate and ethereal, and your brushstrokes fail to convey the solidity of Phoenix Mountain."

Zeng Yuanqiao was taken aback. He looked down at his painting, picked up his brush, and made a few changes to the texture of the stone wall, adding a bit of force.

Upon closer inspection, it did indeed look much better.

"Wonderful!" Zeng Yuanqiao exclaimed, slapping the table in admiration. "Sir, not only is your skill profound, but you also understand the principles of painting! I am truly impressed!"

Xiao Nian smiled but didn't reply.

In his previous life, he had some knowledge of painting techniques and was more than capable of guiding an ordinary painter.

"Mr. Zeng, there's no need for such formalities. I've come today for two reasons: first, to keep your appointment, and second, because I truly cannot cure your poison at the moment." He paused slightly.

Zeng Yuanqiao's smile faltered slightly: So I just flattered the wrong person?

Zhang Yong walked over from the side and frowned slightly when he heard what Xiao Nian said.

"However, I can now use my internal energy to suppress the fire poison in your body, preventing it from flaring up again for a month. But to truly cure it completely, we need some things," Xiao Nian said, changing the subject.

He held up two fingers: "First, I need jade or crystals rich in spiritual energy, as I need to set up an array to attract them. Second, medicinal herbs. A ginseng root over 500 years old, a 100-year-old lingzhi mushroom, a wild polygonatum root over 50 years old, a 100-year-old snow lotus from the Tianshan Mountains..."

He mentioned seven or eight kinds of medicinal herbs, each of which was a rare and hard-to-find item.

Zeng Yuanqiao noted them down one by one and responded repeatedly:

"These are indeed hard to find, but the Zeng family has put in a great deal of effort to search, so we might be able to gather them all. How long will it take you, sir?"

"Check if everything is complete. If it is, set up the formation and refine the medicine; it should cure you completely in half a month."

Zeng Yuanqiao was overjoyed and repeatedly cupped his hands in greeting:

"Thank you, sir! I'll leave the suppression to you for the next month."

Xiao Nian nodded slightly, gesturing for him to sit down.

He walked behind Zeng Yuanqiao, placed one palm on Zeng Yuanqiao's Dazhui acupoint on his back, and slowly channeled spiritual energy through his palm, causing a blue light to shine on Zeng Yuanqiao's back.

Zhang Yong stood to the side, his eyes wide open.

He had cultivated for over thirty years, but his control over spiritual power was only superficial, limited to releasing and withdrawing it.

When the old man in front of him channeled his spiritual energy, it was as fine as silk threads, precisely bypassing Zeng Yuanqiao's damaged meridians and reaching the place where the fire poison was entrenched, without wasting a single bit of spiritual energy.

The level of sophistication in his use of spiritual power was even... higher than that of his master, Zhang Tianshi!

Zhang Yong was startled, and almost dropped the compass in his hand.

The old man's cultivation level may not be as high as his master's right now, but his control over spiritual power has already transcended the realm of the mortal world.

A moment later, Xiao Nian withdrew her hand.

Zeng Yuanqiao breathed a sigh of relief, feeling the burning pain in his chest that had lingered for years subside significantly, his back pain was gone, and his legs were no longer sore.

He stood up, both surprised and delighted, wishing he could demonstrate some martial arts techniques on the spot. Remembering that everyone was still there, he sincerely bowed deeply to Xiao Nian:

"Sir, your kindness is beyond my ability to repay."

Zeng Yuanqiao turned and walked to the rosewood table, took out an ebony box from the drawer, and presented it with both hands: "This is a small token of the Zeng family's appreciation. Please accept it, sir."

Xiao Nian took it, opened it, and saw three neatly stacked thread-bound books inside, with the following words written in neat regular script on the cover:

[Zeng Family True Qi Secrets] [Zeng Family Insights] [Imitation Boxing]

"Uh..." Xiao Nian thought to himself that all the cultivation techniques and spiritual skills in his mind were a million times better than these. It would be more practical to give money than to take this thing.

After all, he was really short of money right now, and out of respect for Zeng Yuanqiao's earnestness, Xiao Nian hastily put the three books away.

These three books are all martial arts manuals from the Zeng family, which would be highly sought after anywhere in China, but they are of no use to Xiao Nianhuai.

Zeng Zixuan's pupils suddenly contracted. She hadn't even finished reading these three books yet, and her grandfather had already given them away like this?

She blurted out, "Grandpa, this is the martial arts manual that Great-Grandpa poured his life's work into! So many people outside would beg for a glimpse of it. You've been so badly fooled by this old swindler; he'll sell it to buy more wine later."

"Shut up! Don't be rude to the master!" Zeng Yuanqiao said sternly. She had always spoiled her granddaughter, which had led to her current arrogant and willful behavior.

"Hmph, Grandpa, you're scolding me again for the sake of outsiders." Zeng Zixuan said, her eyes filled with tears, and ran out without looking back.

"The child is ignorant, please forgive him, Master."

"You call an eighteen-year-old a child?"

"Don't always casually say that children are ignorant. If you don't educate them, someone else will." Xiao Nian was a little angry. This woman named Zi Xuan was always targeting him. He was not one to be insulted.

Just as Zeng Yuanqiao was about to kneel down, Xiao Nian blocked his knees with her cane.

Xiao Nian waved his hand, "Alright, alright. The matter of healing you is over. However, Elder Zeng, Master Zhang Yong, I have some questions I'd like to ask you."

"I will answer any question I have the answer to." Zeng Yuanqiao was a little scared afterward.

Xiao Nian then inquired about some of the most accomplished people and secrets circulating in the Great Xia Dynasty.

Their status in the Great Xia Dynasty was already considered upper-middle. Strictly speaking, the Great Xia Dynasty today has two types of people: martial arts practitioners, who become powerful through self-cultivation;

Another type is known as the "Outcast Cultivator," who uses various strange and unusual techniques and family secrets to become powerful, including those who use spiritual power.

According to current rumors in the Great Xia Dynasty, there are three strongest individuals in the Great Xia.

First, there is the leader of the extraordinary beings, the Old Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain; second, there is the martial artist Li Hongzhong, who has reached the limit-breaking realm; and third, there is the martial artist Zhang Baiqi, who has also reached the limit-breaking realm.

As for Master Zeng, he was once the strongest martial artist, and Li Hongzhong was his proudest disciple.

After the martial arts academies opened, a new generation of powerful young people emerged like mushrooms after rain, among whom the most prominent was Xiao Nian, the Martial Emperor who had broken through the limits.

Legend has it that he once reached the peak of breaking limits, but unfortunately he perished last year in Kunlun Mountain, the most dangerous place.

Everything seemed to be the same as after he disappeared in his previous life. Seeing that there was no useful information, Xiao Nian suggested leaving.

"Since Elder Zeng has nothing else to do, I'll take my leave now. It's getting late, so I'll head back to Mizhou City."

Xiao Nian did not linger. He had already achieved his goals: first, to obtain some information he did not know in his previous life; and second, to get the Zeng family to help him collect spirit stones and Foundation Establishment Pill ingredients.

Spirit stones are used to store spiritual energy. Xiao Nian can use them to set up various formations and replenish his energy. Medicinal herbs can be used to refine useful pills to accelerate his cultivation.