It stung her deeply that this fellow disciple, upon seeing her clearly being held captive, hadn't even asked a single question.

Yet, come to think of it, her relationship with this junior sister was never particularly good. She was likely gloating right now, pleased to see her in trouble and taken away.

Snapping back to the present, she glanced again at Zhang Yang and Long Feng, her eyes filled with profound awe.

The lineage of the Medical Saint, the Xuanyuan Family.

She had suspected they weren't ordinary people before, but she never imagined their origins were so significant.

The Medical Saint lineage was a mysterious family long renowned in the cultivation world. Though small in number, every member produced was a master.

In ancient times, people of the Medical Saint lineage rarely involved themselves in worldly affairs, but when they did emerge, they were inevitably revered as divine physicians. Now, Qu Meilan understood perfectly why the Gu poison she had administered had been seen through. With a successor of the Medical Saint lineage present, concealment was impossible.

As for Long Feng's background, it inspired even greater dread.

She knew Long Cheng belonged to the Long Family, an external branch of the Xuanyuan Family. The Long Family already gave her pause; how much more so the true disciples and members of the genuine Xuanyuan Family. At this moment, Qu Meilan felt only one sensation: she had truly stirred up a hornet's nest.

A short while later, the woman who had run inside returned, her expression now bearing a hint of deference.

"Two young sirs, my master requests your presence!"

The woman's tone was acceptable, but Zhang Yang and Long Feng both frowned slightly. They exchanged a look, each recognizing a flicker of worry in the other's eyes.

Logically, having announced their distinguished identities, the master of this place should have come out to greet them personally. This wasn't arrogance; it was protocol, especially since they represented two ancient, established families. Even given their youthful appearance, someone of substance should have been sent if the master wouldn't appear. Having the mere gate guard from the previous communication deliver the message suggested either the master looked down on them or was excessively arrogant. Either possibility was unwelcome news.

However, since they had come this far, retreat was not an option. Zhang Yang nodded and strode forward.

Long Feng escorted Qu Meilan, following closely behind. Having fought powerful spirit beasts together, a small Gu sect from the Southern Border was hardly something to fear.

Among the dozen or so wooden huts, one stood out as the largest and the only two-story structure. Two guards, both women, stood before this hut.

Inside was a large hall, starkly simple. Directly opposite the entrance was a high platform holding a single chair draped with animal hides.

Zhang Yang and Long Feng entered and immediately positioned themselves in the center of the hall. They surveyed their surroundings, both shaking their heads internally. The place resembled the roughest sort of bandit lair, utterly barbaric, not at all the dwelling one would expect from internal energy cultivators.

Seated on the chair atop the platform was a woman, perhaps in her fifties, rather short, studying them intently. Below the platform, three tables were set up, occupied by three women of varying ages, also watching them with curiosity. The oldest among these three was around forty, the youngest at least thirty. Apart from these four, a few others stood in the hall; they lacked the status to be seated.

"You two are the guests from the Medical Saint lineage and the Xuanyuan Family?" the woman on the platform stated directly, a trace of haughtiness coloring her tone.

Long Feng glanced at Zhang Yang. If Zhang Yang hadn't remained silent, he would have already considered striking the old woman a few times with his Snow Whip. To not come out in greeting was one thing, but to have them stand in the center of the hall after announcing their names and families—which meant he represented the Xuanyuan Family—was utter disrespect toward the Xuanyuan Family.

Zhang Yang stared directly at the woman on the platform, nodding slightly with a gentle smile, acknowledging her question. His ears, however, were working diligently, discerning details. Without direct physical contact, he couldn't gauge their strength, but their breathing and other minute details allowed him a preliminary assessment.

The standing women had uniform, albeit rapid, breathing patterns and somewhat unsteady footing; even with internal energy, they appeared to be only initial-stage cultivators, no stronger than Qu Meilan. They posed no threat; Long Feng could handle them easily.

The three seated women had light, almost imperceptible breathing; their internal energy was likely somewhat accomplished, possibly having reached the second layer of internal energy. They demanded attention, but Zhang Yang didn't truly fear them; if pushed, he could neutralize all three with a flash of lightning.

The one Zhang Yang found most inscrutable and cautious was the old woman in the center. Despite her arrogance, she possessed the basis for it. Zhang Yang could not hear her breathing, nor could he discern any telling details; she presented an aura of utter impenetrability. However, to cultivate three masters at the second layer of internal energy, alongside numerous first-layer practitioners, meant this woman was far from simple—at minimum, she had to be a third-layer internal energy expert.

"Insolent! Master asks you a question, why do you not answer?" one of the standing women suddenly cried out. Both Zhang Yang and Long Feng frowned.

The old woman on the platform immediately turned and fixed the speaker with a fierce glare. At that single look, the woman's face turned ashen, her body went slack, and she immediately dropped to her knees.

"Who taught you to treat honored guests this way? Go out and accept the punishment of two Gu!" the old woman said mildly. The kneeling woman's face paled further, and she began kowtowing profusely in thanks before quickly leaving the hall.

Qu Meilan, along with the other standing women, cast a glance of shared sympathy her way. The punishment of two Gu meant accepting two venomous creatures into the body to consume their essence. While not fatal, enduring the entry of two Gu was excruciating, not to mention the sacrifice of vital essence. This single punishment would require a month of recuperation and severely damage her foundation.

"You two are both honored guests. Someone, bring seats!" Only after the woman departed did the old woman smile toward Zhang Yang and his companion, signaling for chairs to be brought.

The chairs arrived, but they were placed somewhat lower and further away than those of the three seated women. Zhang Yang paid it no mind and sat down directly. Long Feng took a seat beside him, while Qu Meilan remained standing behind them.

"May I ask what business brings two honored guests to our Ling Shen Mountain?" Once they were seated, the old woman inquired softly, her voice slightly stiff. Her Mandarin was also non-standard, and her deliberate attempt to adopt a martial world tone sounded bizarre. She acted as if Qu Meilan, who had followed Zhang Yang in, did not exist.

"We are here to resolve a misunderstanding. A friend of mine, framed by his cousin, was afflicted by a Spirit Gu from your mountain. We have come to request the master's assistance in removing the Spirit Gu!" Zhang Yang clasped his fists and addressed the old woman. Since she wished to engage them in the manner of the martial world, Zhang Yang decided to respond in kind. (Ling Gu, Spirit Gu, was the Southern Border people's term for Gu poison; they believed Gu possessed sentience, no less than spirit beasts, hence the descriptor 'Spirit').

"Afflicted by our Spirit Gu? What sort of matter is this?" The old woman feigned astonishment, as if she were truly ignorant.

Zhang Yang smiled slightly. "This, I believe, is best explained by one of your own people!" With that, he turned to look at Qu Meilan. After the previous hypnosis, he had planted a seed within her—a seed of perpetual awe and inability to resist him.

At Zhang Yang’s gaze, Qu Meilan trembled and hurriedly stepped forward, kneeling on the ground to slowly recount the events. She shifted all responsibility onto Wu Zhiliang, denying her own involvement in the attempt to harm others, claiming her master had sent her to help someone, and that it was Wu Zhiliang who had deceived them, leading to Zhang Yang's friend being poisoned.

Everyone knew the truth of those words, whether fact or fiction. But no one exposed her. Zhang Yang could not yet gauge the strength of this Southern Border sect, and he preferred a peaceful resolution unless absolutely necessary. Their primary goal, after all, was curing Wu Zhiguo.

"So that is how it was. That Wu Zhiliang truly deserves death for deceiving us!" The old woman smiled with satisfaction after hearing Qu Meilan's account.

After speaking, Qu Meilan's body slumped slightly. She dared not defy Zhang Yang, yet she harbored an instinctive fear of her own master. In her panic, she had concocted this lie, her heart trembling as she spoke it. For now, it seemed the falsehood had temporarily served its purpose, allowing both parties to save face without an immediate confrontation.

"Since it was a misunderstanding, we should proceed to remove this Spirit Gu!" the old woman said slowly. Zhang Yang felt a slight easing of tension; it was good that she agreed. Once Wu Zhiguo was cured, Zhang Yang had no intention of pursuing the crime of administering the Gu further. Wu Zhiliang, the principal culprit, had already faced justice.

"However, you two may not know, Spirit Gu venom is always easy to administer but difficult to dispel, and the Gu worm in question is a superior grade. Removing it is quite challenging!" The old woman's tone shifted abruptly, imbued with an indescribable, grating quality.

Zhang Yang's brow furrowed sharply, a hint of coldness entering his eyes. He glanced at the old woman on the platform before slowly speaking, "May I ask what your mountain intends? How can you help my friend recover?" Zhang Yang was perfectly aware of the implication behind her words. She was clearly signaling a demand for compensation; if dispelling the Gu was difficult, they wouldn't do it for free.

"Haha, straightforward! I like straightforward people like you. How about this: I hear the Medical Saint lineage's formulation methods are unmatched. Young friend, you must possess many spirit medicines. I won't ask for too much—give me ten spirit medicines. The Xuanyuan Family is wealthy; surely producing a few divine weapons won't be difficult. Give me five divine weapons, and I will help your friend remove the Spirit Gu!"

The old woman laughed loudly, but before she finished speaking, Zhang Yang and Long Feng's faces were already shrouded in cold fury.