From the beginning of Swordsman, he created a legend in the martial arts world.

Yilin clasped her hands together, softly chanting Buddhist prayers, her eyes filled with sincere supplication: "Young Master Meng is blessed with good fortune; he will surely turn misfortune into good luck and find the antidote in Miao territory!"

Monk Bujie waved his hand and said, "Alright, since you've made up your mind, I won't stop you. You should rest here for a couple of days and recuperate. Otherwise, forget about going to Miao territory, you'll probably be blown over by the wind before you even take two steps outside."

Meng Fei knew that although the monk Bujie seemed rude, he actually meant well, so he did not refuse and cupped his hands, saying, "Then I will trouble you and Master Yilin."

Upon entering the guest room arranged by Monk Bujie, Meng Fei's composure and calmness vanished instantly, replaced by deep exhaustion and suppressed pain between his brows.

He staggered two steps to the bedside, then sat cross-legged on the bed. After his breathing calmed down a little, he sank his mind into the depths of his consciousness.

With the summoning of his mind, the Martial Arts Roulette slowly appeared in his consciousness, clearly displaying the number of draws available—one.

Looking at the number of lottery draws that symbolized hope and the unknown, Meng Fei hesitated for a moment before giving up.

The journey to Miao territory is long and fraught with danger; in my current state, it is tantamount to facing nine deaths out of ten.

If one could obtain a miraculous elixir from this mysterious roulette wheel before setting off, which could directly neutralize or powerfully suppress the poison of the "Bone-Eating Heart-Piercing Needle," it would undoubtedly be the greatest turning point for oneself!

With this in mind, Meng Fei resolutely landed.

"Start the prize draw!"

Suddenly, a dazzling light burst forth from the martial arts roulette wheel, and then it began to spin rapidly.

On the roulette wheel, countless flashing icons in the "Secret Manuals," "Essences," and "Weapons" sections spun wildly, exuding temptation.

Meng Fei's mind was fixed on the rapidly passing "medicine area," and he secretly gathered his strength, even feeling a rare glimmer of hope: "Antidote pills... preferably top-grade spiritual pills that can suppress the strange poison and strengthen the body's foundation! Just one, even if it's only to temporarily suppress the poison, so that I have the strength to go to Miao territory..."

As the roulette wheel slowed its rotation, Meng Fei held his breath, staring intently at the increasingly clear trajectory of the pointer, silently chanting in his mind, "Pills! Pills!"

However, Lady Luck did not seem to be on their side!

The pointer swept across the edge of the "elixir area" and finally stopped slowly on a blue halo representing "secret manuals".

The roulette wheel stopped completely.

As the light faded, a simple, yellowed thread-bound book floated quietly above the roulette wheel.

"The secret manual..."

Meng Fei looked at the booklet, his brows furrowing involuntarily, his eyes revealing undisguised disappointment.

Not drawing the most urgently needed antidote was already frustrating, but the color of the light when the manual appeared and the rank indication on the roulette wheel clearly showed it was only a "green" third-rate manual, which further dashed his hopes.

[Quanzhen Principles: Green, the introductory method of the Quanzhen School, the orthodox foundation-building method of the Taoist school.]

A cold, impersonal message entered my consciousness.

"The Introductory Methods of the Quanzhen School..."

Looking at the instructions for this manual, Meng Fei's disappointment deepened.

He naturally knew that this "Quanzhen Sect Introductory Mind Method" was a foundational cultivation method of the orthodox Taoist school. It was balanced and peaceful, with a solid foundation. The internal energy cultivated was pure and long-lasting, which would be of great benefit to the future path of martial arts. It could be said to be one of the top internal cultivation methods most suitable for building a foundation.

If he were to obtain such a solid and reliable, authentic mental cultivation method under normal circumstances, he would be overjoyed and treasure it like a precious gem.

But at this moment, this manual is like a useless trifle to him, even carrying a hint of irony.

What he lacks most right now is not profound internal energy cultivation techniques, nor future potential and foundation, but an antidote that can immediately save his life and resolve the current crisis.

Even the best foundation-building techniques require time to cultivate, and what he lacks most is precisely time!

"It seems... a trip to Miao territory is inevitable!"

Meng Fei slowly opened his eyes, looked at the simple ceiling of the guest room, and a bitter smile appeared on his lips.

He then stored the illusory image of the "Complete True Heart Method" deep within his consciousness. Although he was somewhat disappointed, he would not abandon it.

This mental technique may not be useful for immediate detoxification, but its characteristics of "moderation and balance" and "purity and longevity" may help him stabilize his internal energy and slow the spread of toxins to some extent, which can be considered a small help in this unfortunate situation.

He then stopped dwelling on the lottery results, calmed his mind, and began to follow the breathing techniques recorded in the "Complete True Heart Method," combined with his understanding of the internal energy circulation of the Thirteen Deadly Swords, to try to guide the chaotic true energy in his body, which was being turned upside down by the toxins, back to normal, even if it was only temporary and resulted in a calm expression.

After three days of quiet rest and initial practice of the "Complete True Heart Method," Meng Fei's internal energy, which was on the verge of collapse, finally stabilized somewhat.

Although this orthodox Taoist foundation-building technique progresses slowly, the internal energy cultivated is balanced, pure, and continuous, like a gentle stream that silently nourishes his riddled meridians.

Although the initial cultivation of the Quanzhen Heart Sutra was far from enough to remove the residual poison of the "Bone-Eating Heart-Piercing Needle" or to resolve the internal injuries caused by the Zixia Palm Force, it at least stopped the injury from worsening.

Although Meng Fei's face was still pale, it was no longer ashen, and his breathing had recovered somewhat. He knew that this was the limit he could do at the moment, and the trip to Miao territory could not be delayed any longer.

After bidding farewell to Monk Bujie and Yilin, Meng Fei embarked on the long journey to Miao territory.

However, the turmoil in the martial arts world doesn't seem to intend to let him off the hook.

Less than a day after leaving the town, as they walked into a dense forest, Meng Fei keenly sensed something unusual behind him.

Not far behind, there always seemed to be a faint sound, like a persistent ailment, following closely behind.

Someone is following us!

Meng Fei felt a chill run down his spine, but remained outwardly calm, only glancing behind him out of the corner of his eye while tidying his luggage.

The forest was deep and the leaves were thick, so no one could be seen clearly, but the feeling of being watched, like a thorn in one's back, became clearer and clearer.

Meng Fei's mind raced. Whoever it was, they were certainly not well-intentioned. Given his current state, if he were to get entangled or fall into a trap set by the other party, the consequences would be unimaginable.

He then kept his feet on the ground but slightly adjusted his direction, no longer following the obvious path, but gradually deviating and heading deeper into the desolate mountains where the forests were denser.

The faint sense of being followed seemed to hesitate for a moment, but quickly caught up again, albeit at a greater distance, indicating that the follower had become more vigilant.

About half an hour later, when Meng Fei arrived at a relatively open rocky area deep in the dense forest, five figures, like cheetahs that had been lying in ambush, suddenly appeared and blocked his way.

At the same time, there was a slight noise behind him, and his retreat was also silently blocked by the two. The seven people surrounded Meng Fei and trapped him in place.

The leader, of medium build, wielded a long, thin-bladed sword. His eyes were sharp as hooks as he sized Meng Fei up and down. His voice was hoarse and cold: "Young Master Meng, please wait. We have been waiting here for quite some time!"