Throughout the night, Xiao Yan continuously drew out toxins from the magical poison spot and refined them using the Lirui Lotus Heart Fire. By the time the morning light began to filter through, he finally slowly opened his eyes within the stone cottage. The continuous refinement did not leave him at all fatigued; rather, the abundant infusion of Qi had elevated his condition to a perfect peak. With each blink of his eyes, a subtle gleam of brilliance shimmered—evidence of the overwhelming surge of internal Qi that could not be contained. He glanced down at the magical poison spot on his chest, now noticeably smaller in size. Yet, despite drawing out nearly ten distinct streams of toxins during the night, Xiao Yan was somewhat dissatisfied, shaking his head. To his surprise, this amount still represented only a small fraction of the entire poison spot. After fully absorbing the qi from the ten toxin streams, Xiao Yan could subtly sense a refinement in his strength. Though this sensation was not particularly pronounced, it was still remarkable—since each star of a Douzong required immense energy. If Xiao Yan had followed the conventional path of cultivation, even with his speed, it would have taken him nearly three or four months to reach this level. Yet now, he achieved it in just one night—an impressive accomplishment. Among the Douzong cultivators, there exists a significant gap between each star level, resulting in a more refined hierarchy for Douzong practitioners on the Zhongzhou continent. Each star is generally divided into four stages—initial, mid, high, and peak—though this level of detail is often too fine-grained for most people to apply consistently. Nevertheless, it serves well as a means of self-assessment. Based on Xiao Yan's estimation, after absorbing the qi from the Magi-Toxin Spot, he now resides at the mid-level of the first-star Douzong rank. "Oh, the rank of Dou-Zong truly proves difficult to advance—no wonder Elder Su Qian has been refining his cultivation for so many years yet has only seen modest progress..." With a light sigh, Xiao Yan donned his robe. Now his body's Dou Qi was fully saturated, requiring a brief period of adaptation before he could once again draw upon it from within the Maggot-Toxin Spots. Fortunately, with his current strength, the Maggot-Toxin Spots no longer posed a serious threat, and in fact, he had come to regard them as his mobile Dou Qi reservoir. "It seems time to set off now—the Grand Assembly at the Four Directions Pavilion should be taking place within the next few days..." After a brief pause, Xiao Yan stepped down from the bed, gathered his belongings, and made no further停留. He opened the door and stepped out. Perched above the sky, Xiao Yan gazed down upon Tianmu Mountain, a smile playing on his lips. Floating effortlessly through the air—something he had long dreamed of—now, he truly found himself realizing it. As Xiao Yan ascended, two figures hurried to join him. "Xiao Yan, are you leaving now?" Jin Shi stepped forward, eyes fixed on him, and quickly asked. Xiao Yan nodded, smiling, "I still have matters to attend to, so I can't stay any longer. Thank you both for your warm hospitality. I'll be sure to come back and catch up with you when I have the time." Hearing this, Jin Shi and Jin Gu both found themselves unable to offer further words of persuasion, only sighing in resignation. Then, with a steady voice, Jin Shi said, "Xiao Yan, you have done us great favors with the Shijin Mouse Clan. Should you ever face difficulties in the future, please don't forget us old bones." Xiao Yan nodded gently, his expression warm. The Shijin Mouse Clan was numerous and well-informed throughout Zhongzhou. To cultivate such a strong relationship with them was truly a blessing. "Heh, seeing your hurried demeanor, we won't linger any longer. Let us wish Xiao Yan the best of luck on his journey," Jin Gu smiled and bowed. "Then, thank you, Elder Jin, and goodbye!" Xiao Yan smiled, bowed to the two, and didn't stay long. With a swift motion, his figure transformed into a streak of light, shooting off toward Tianmu Mountain. In mere moments' time, he had vanished from Jin and Shi's sight. His figure halted atop a mountain outside the Tianmu Mountain range. Xiao Yan withdrew the northern realm map he had purchased in Hua Guo City from his storage seal and began searching for the location. According to Mu Qinglun's description, the Four-Directional Hall gathering would take place at Dong Ge, the headquarters of Fenglei Hall. As indicated on the map, Dong Ge should be situated near the border between the northern realm and the central region of Zhongzhou. "It's surprisingly far away. Just making the journey will take nearly five days..." After returning the map to his seal, Xiao Yan chuckled. Fortunately, he had now reached the level of Dou Zong; otherwise, without at least ten to fifteen days of travel, he wouldn't have made it to Dong Ge in time. By then, the gathering would likely have already dispersed. "We'll have to hurry up and make progress, or else we'll be in trouble if we miss it..." With a sigh, Xiao Yan turned his gaze toward the eastern sky, where a brilliant silver glow slowly emerged from his feet. Then, a deep, resonant thunder rolled out, and his figure vanished like a ghost. The Si Fang Pavilion Gathering, as the name suggests, is naturally hosted by the four pavilions across the continent. Though the true protagonists of each gathering are these four pavilions themselves, every edition of the Si Fang Pavilion Gathering becomes a grand event throughout Zhongzhou. While it may not quite match the prestige of Dan Ta's Dan Gathering, it remains one of the rarer and more significant events in the region. Of course, the Zhongzhou continent is brimming with talent—no one can predict where a sudden upstart might emerge. Yet, every time the Si Fang Pavilion Grand Assembly is held, it draws numerous factions and countless young contenders who believe themselves to be strong. While the Si Fang Pavilion naturally takes the spotlight, it does not exclude other participants. Nevertheless, to ensure quality, a rigorous selection process is always in place—indeed, it is said to be increasingly stringent, which has already eliminated several merely token participants. After all, in the younger generation's competitions, the Si Fang Pavilion Assembly holds considerable prestige, and even some seasoned elders find it difficult to reach such a level. As for the venue of the Si Fang Pavilion Assembly, it is typically determined by the winning faction of the previous year’s event. Since the previous assembly was won by the Feng Lei Pavilion, this year’s gathering will be held at the Feng Lei East Pavilion. … The Eastern Pavilion of Fenglei Pavilion is nestled in the Fenglei Mountain Range, located at the edge of the Northern Realm. The region is remarkably unique—likely due to its elevated terrain—where thunder rolls constantly and the weather shifts unpredictably. What was once bright and sunny may suddenly turn into a storm of thunder and rain at any moment. The entire Fenglei Mountain Range falls under the influence of the Eastern Pavilion's domain, much like their private garden. Other less powerful factions dare not encroach upon this territory. In recent times, the Fenglei Mountain Range has been bustling with activity, as countless people from all directions converge upon the mountain range, drawn to the Thunder Mountain where the headquarters of the Eastern Pavilion—Fenglei Pavilion—stands. The one who had journeyed with weary steps was naturally Xiao Yan, who had been steadily accelerating his pace these few days, with little time to rest along the way. Even with such a hurried journey, it took him four days to reach this location.