After spending less than three days with these Spirit Beasts, Qian Duoduo gained significant insights into Artifact Refining by observing them.
Purifying the dark Qi from their bodies granted him a status comparable to that of the Four Unlike.
He put away the Golden Winged Bird and the Four Unlike, waved goodbye to the Spirit Beasts, and plunged into the formation membrane.
The moment he entered the formation membrane, he heard a sigh.
That voice was so similar to the one he heard when he exited the Refining Saint Wall…
Inside the second trial, Zeng Zifang was anxious.
She and Zhao Yanran were currently seated on a high platform of a Martial Arts Stage, each guarding an end, facing each other from afar.
They had directly entered the second trial and had been waiting there for nearly three hours.
One hour in this trial was equivalent to one day in the previous trial.
Zeng Zifang panicked slightly when she saw Zhao Yanran's guards.
Her temper was explosive; she would be forceful even when unreasonable, and if she was in the right, she would push people to their limits. Her mood changed faster than flipping a book, earning her an extremely poor reputation within the Sect.
The Cultivation Technique she practiced, which used charm to bewilder people's minds, made some Cultivators disdain her even more.
Some lecherous individuals also tried to take advantage of her, but Zeng Zifang was extremely proud. She would always compare herself to her own brother, and if someone couldn't measure up to Zeng Ruohai, they wouldn't even get a chance, let alone any benefits.
Her bad temper and unwillingness to offer benefits made it very difficult for Zeng Zifang to recruit guards.
Cultivators who had reached Foundation Establishment Great Perfection and whose strength was comparable to Golden Core were all seasoned, Xiong Jun figures in the Sect, each with their own personality and pride.
If Zeng Zifang had been able to treat subordinates with respect or offer substantial wealth, given her status as Ancestor Zeng's granddaughter and the Grand Elder of Nose Peak, she might have been able to recruit some strong individuals.
However, Zeng Zifang was accustomed to being overbearing and was unwilling to lower herself.
Most of the wealth she accumulated went to her own brother, and she was reluctant to give it to others, which made recruiting these twenty guards truly difficult for her.
Later, Ancestor Zeng secretly intervened and offered some benefits, which helped her gather the people.
However, such a forced assembly was certainly no match for Zhao Yanran's.
Zhao Yanran's personality was extremely cold; she never engaged in ambiguous relationships, but she was reasonable in her actions, trustworthy, and, more importantly, willing to spend heavily.
As soon as the news of her recruiting guards was released, over fifty qualified individuals actively signed up.
Zhao Yanran easily formed her team by selecting the best of the best.
Before the Zongshi War, in the main hall of Nose Peak, Zeng Zifang's heart sank when she saw Zhao Yanran's guards.
"Zhao Yanran, instead of us competing for Sect Knight, why don't we just fight directly? Without relying on others' strength, the winner goes directly to the third trial."
As soon as they entered the second trial, Zeng Zifang provoked Zhao Yanran.
Zhao Yanran knew Zeng Zifang's intention and couldn't be bothered to respond to her.
"In terms of age, I am older than you. In terms of cultivation, I am stronger than you. In terms of position, you rank after me. Why must you contend with me for Sect Knight…?"
Seeing Zhao Yanran remain silent, Zeng Zifang continued to persuade her.
"If you agree, I guarantee to arrange for you and my brother to become companions. In that case, we will be one family, and who becomes Sect Knight won't matter, so why fight to the death?"
Zhao Yanran originally didn't want to bother with her, but seeing that she had no bottom line, even resorting to a honey trap for Sect Knight, it instantly touched her pride.
"Zeng Ruohai? Your precious brother?"
"That's right." Zhao Yanran's reply made Zeng Zifang happy.
"He is devoted to martial arts and has never been involved with women. I guarantee he is a virgin. Whether in terms of appearance or background, whether in his current cultivation or future prospects, he is a hundred times stronger than those guards you found."