Just as everyone was still discussing who exactly would win or lose, Leng Ruxiang took the initiative to withdraw her palm. "I lose."
She looked at her palm, where a faint burn mark resided. "If Fellow Daoist Li had struck with her full strength just now, my palm would have been crippled."
Li Nanzhu withdrew her sword and returned the salute. "Thank you for the match."
"Arena eleven, Li Nanzhu of the Five Elements Dao Sect wins!"
Three matches, and the Five Elements Dao Sect was once again completely victorious!
Li Nanzhu finally breathed a sigh of relief. That final exchange had been incredibly perilous; she had even utilized the Eight Principles of Yong to unleash enough power to contend with Leng Ruxiang.
Had her opponent not admitted defeat, she wouldn't have had the strength for another attack; her spiritual energy had been completely drained in that instant.
As she walked down the arena, Li Nanzhu's steps were somewhat unsteady.
"Little Junior Sister!" Duan Xianxing was the first to rush up and support her. "Are you alright?"
Li Nanzhu shook her head. "I'm fine, just excessive spiritual energy consumption."
Jiang Yifan handed over a pill. "Take this; it can quickly recover your spiritual energy."
Mu Wenyan looked at Li Nanzhu's pale face and whispered, "That just now..."
Li Nanzhu directly shook her head. "We'll talk back at the residence. Seeing to Sixth Senior Brother is more important."
On the high platform in the distance, Cang Dongqing silently watched the group from the Five Elements Dao Sect, a flicker of complex light in her eyes.
Beside her, Immortal Venerable Ling Xiao's face was grim. "Dongqing, if you face that Li Nanzhu in the next round..."
"Rest assured, Master," Cang Dongqing said softly. "This disciple will surely take the champion's spot in the Foundation Establishment stage."
...
Back at their residence, everyone surrounded the unconscious Feng Weilan.
Zhu Yinxi was busy neutralizing the poison, his brow furrowed. "This poison is quite complex. The pills left by Third Junior Brother aren't enough to completely detoxify him."
"It's lucky Weilan often takes Third Senior Brother's pills, or he wouldn't have lasted until the end of the match." Feng Qingping showed a rare expression of melancholy as she gently wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.
"The Shenmu Sect is indeed not simple," Mu Wenyan remarked. "For a sect primarily focused on alchemy to cultivate such a disciple."
Li Nanzhu said softly, "Sixth Senior Brother only won through sheer willpower."
Jiang Yifan nodded. "Zhou Ziling's strength is indeed extraordinary. If not for Sixth Junior Brother's incredible perseverance, the outcome would have been uncertain."
As they spoke, Feng Weilan suddenly opened his eyes and asked weakly, "...Did I win?"
"You won!" Duan Xianxing grinned. "Sixth Senior Brother, you were so cool!"
Feng Weilan managed a faint smile before falling back into a deep sleep.
"Where is Master?" Li Nanzhu pursed her lips. "Master will surely have a way to detoxify him."
"I can't reach her." Feng Qingping shook her head. "I've rung the bell many times, but Master hasn't replied."
Li Nanzhu was also rapidly searching through her storage bag for any potentially useful pills, but there were simply too many pills from Xiao Yan's alchemy room; she couldn't find the right one immediately.
Suisui was crouched beside Feng Weilan, a ghostly light emanating from its soul fire. Bursts of life force slowly flowed into Feng Weilan's body, achieving a strange balance between the toxin and his vitality.
"Thank you, Suisui." Feng Qingping gave a forced smile and took out a jar of candied fruit to give to Suisui. For once, the little skeleton didn't take it directly but instead pushed the jar toward Feng Weilan's pillow.
"Can't we just ask the Shenmu Sect for the detoxification method?" Duan Xianxing scratched his hair irritably.
"If they really wanted to give it, they would have done so the moment they stepped off the stage." Jiang Yifan's expression was dark. After all, in previous matches, contestants poisoned by Nan Ziling had received the antidote immediately.
Just as everyone was at their wits' end and Mu Wenyan was planning to go to the Shenmu Sect himself, there was a soft knock at the door.
"Who is it?" Duan Xianxing alertly gripped his sword hilt.
A familiar voice came from outside. "It's... it's me... Lin Xiaowan."
Li Nanzhu quickly opened the door to see the young girl they had once saved standing nervously outside, clutching a jade bottle to her chest.
"Xiaowan? Why are you here?" Li Nanzhu asked in surprise.
Lin Xiaowan quickly shoved the jade bottle into Li Nanzhu's hands. "This... this is the antidote! Quickly, give it to Senior Brother Feng!"
Upon hearing this, Mu Wenyan immediately took the bottle and cautiously checked it. The pill inside was emerald green and emitted a faint herbal fragrance, exactly the antidote corresponding to the toxin in Feng Weilan's system!
"The pill is fine." Mu Wenyan immediately took it out, gently pried open Feng Weilan's mouth, and fed him the medicine.
The pill dissolved instantly. Feng Weilan's furrowed brow gradually relaxed, and the purplish-blue hue on his face began to fade.
Li Nanzhu sighed in relief and turned to Lin Xiaowan. "Did the Shenmu Sect send you?"
Lin Xiaowan shook her head and lowered her voice. "Senior Brother Zhou and a few of us got it secretly." She looked around nervously. "I just saw people from the Sword Heart Sect visiting our elder; they seemed to be plotting something... I was afraid they might do something against you..."
Li Nanzhu's heart tightened. "The Sword Heart Sect?"
"Yes!" Lin Xiaowan nodded vigorously. "They've met before, but they always avoided us. If I hadn't happened to be looking for my master that day, I wouldn't have known."
Mu Wenyan's brow furrowed. "Junior Sister Lin, did you hear the specifics of their plan?"
Lin Xiaowan bit her lip and shook her head. "We weren't allowed near... I came looking for you as soon as I stole the pill." She looked worriedly at Feng Weilan on the bed. "The poison Senior Brother Feng was struck with is very potent; without the antidote, it would have damaged his foundation..."
Li Nanzhu took Lin Xiaowan's hand. "But you stole the antidote; won't you be punished when you go back?"
Lin Xiaowan gave a sly smile. "Actually... our master already knows. Although he said Senior Brother Nan shouldn't have used poison so recklessly, he severely criticized him in private, saying it was too much for a competition—there's no need to damage someone's foundation..." She lowered her voice. "And Senior Brother Nan was very regretful after he woke up; he just couldn't bring himself to apologize..."
Duan Xianxing stood there dumbfounded. "So your master implicitly allowed you to bring the antidote?"
"Yes!" Lin Xiaowan nodded firmly. "Master said that since you saved us in the Forest of Demonic Beasts, we couldn't leave this debt of gratitude unpaid."
As they spoke, Feng Weilan suddenly coughed a few times and slowly opened his eyes. Though his gaze was still a bit unfocused, he was clearly much more awake.
"Sixth Senior Brother!" Li Nanzhu rushed forward in surprise.
Feng Weilan weakly quirked the corner of his mouth. "...I've worried everyone."
Zhu Yinxi immediately checked his pulse. "Most of the toxin has been cleared. With a few more days of meditation, he will fully recover."
Seeing this, Lin Xiaowan hurried back a few steps. "Ah! I have to go back! It'll be bad if I'm caught!"
"Wait!" Li Nanzhu took several bottles of pills from her storage bag. "These are essence-nurturing pills; they will help with your cultivation."
Lin Xiaowan waved her hands repeatedly. "No, no need..."
"Take them," Mu Wenyan said gently. "Consider it our thanks."
Lin Xiaowan medicine-thief accepted them with a blush, and before leaving, she warned once more, "You must be careful of the Sword Heart Sect; they might have even more tricks up their sleeves later..."
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