He understood the inherent danger posed by true Neijin experts; the more he learned about them, the more fearful he became. If such an expert decided to seek retribution, no number of bodyguards or hired thugs under his command would offer any real defense.

This was only true unless he also had a Neijin master aligned with him, which was patently impossible. He knew well enough that he lacked the influence for such a connection. Although he appeared to serve the Huyuan family, in truth, he was merely a minor functionary, a servant operating on the periphery of the family structure. It was unthinkable that the family would afford him such significant consideration.

Zhang Yang shot him a cold glance and continued walking forward. The fact that Boss Wang was connected to a Neijin practitioner was indeed somewhat unexpected for him.

However, regardless of who he was involved with, Zhang Yang had no intention of letting the current matter rest. Forget the Huyuan family; even if it were the Long family, Zhang Yang intended to secure justice for Hu Tan. Anyone who bullied his friends would pay the price.

This villa was substantial, far larger than the residence Zhang Yang currently occupied, and the Neijin practitioner resided on the first floor. Upon entering the living room, Zhang Yang suddenly halted.

"Go and invite this Neijin practitioner out here. I will wait here," Zhang Yang requested softly. Boss Wang opened his mouth, his face etched with astonishment, yet he nodded reluctantly. In his estimation, these Neijin masters were intensely peculiar, and he dared not refuse their requests. However, the man currently inside was also odd, and he genuinely worried he might not be able to coax him out.

Alas, he had no choice. He could only steel himself and go invite him, as he was counting on the man inside to protect him. Only if the resident master could awe this young man named Zhang Yang would his own safety be assured. Otherwise, the thought of being targeted by a Neijin master made him anticipate sleepless nights. This realization sent him mentally cursing the subordinates who had investigated Hu Xin’s background. Why hadn't that subordinate discovered that Hu Xin had such a formidable friend? Had he known sooner, he would never have even dared contemplate taking that action. Yet, he understood that his subordinates lacked the capability to uncover such sensitive intelligence; he could only attribute this situation to bad luck.

Standing before the door of the Huyuan family’s Neijin master, Boss Wang took a deep, centering breath before reaching out to knock.

Inside the living room, Zhang Yang stood calmly, a slight smile gradually spreading across his lips. He had not followed Boss Wang, but nothing happening inside could escape his hearing. He distinctly heard Boss Wang carefully tell the person inside that a Neijin master had come to pay a visit out of admiration.

Out of admiration? The smile on Zhang Yang’s lips broadened. There was indeed a touch of admiration involved—the Huyuan family and his own Medical Sage lineage were both venerable clans boasting millennia of heritage; a meeting was not entirely unwarranted.

However, his intentions this time were far from friendly. His ultimate goal remained dealing with Boss Wang and securing justice for Hu Xin. Moments later, footsteps echoed from within. Boss Wang’s steps were heavy, while the other person’s steps were remarkably light. Boss Wang led the way, and the two figures appeared in Zhang Yang’s line of sight, one following the other.

Seeing the person accompanying Boss Wang, a flicker of surprise crossed Zhang Yang’s face. This individual was unexpectedly young—no older than Long Feng, perhaps even younger. If he wasn't older than Long Feng yet had reached the second layer of Neijin, and not merely the early stages, his cultivation speed was extraordinarily fast, surpassing even his own pace in his previous life and Long Feng’s.

In his past life, he had only reached the middle stage of the second layer in his thirties, a significant underachievement compared to this young man. This was due to his previous life's mediocre aptitude; the talent of this current body far exceeded it. Long Feng possessed fine aptitude, yet when he emerged, he was only in the early stage of the second layer, even then ranking among the top three younger generation members of the Long family. This suggested that the young man before him possessed an aptitude comparable to the finest talents in the Long family’s younger generation.

Of course, Zhang Yang was merely surprised by the talent; he felt no real concern for the youth. The current Zhang Yang was not the same as before; through fortunate encounters, he had already ascended to become a great master in the late stage of the third layer, vastly superior to this youngster.

As Zhang Yang observed the young man, the young man was observing him in return. The surprise in the young man’s heart was no less than Zhang Yang’s. He had only been told by Boss Wang that a Neijin master was visiting, but he hadn't expected the visitor to be so young, even younger than himself.

Youth aside, this Neijin master stood there like an immovable mountain, his presence impossible for the young man to fathom. This sensation was one he had only ever felt around the elder masters of his own family; never before had he encountered it in someone his own age. Could this possibly mean that the young man before him was as formidable as his family elders? This notion surfaced, only to be immediately discarded. He refused to believe it, unwilling to accept it. He was already acclaimed as a genius within the family, the most outstanding of the younger generation. How could there be someone superior to him? This young man must be employing some secret technique to achieve such a bearing.

"I am Huyuan Aobo, from the Huyuan family. May I inquire as to your honored name?" Despite his internal musings, the young man’s expression remained perfectly neutral. He clasped his fists and offered a formal greeting to Zhang Yang. He was wearing a white, antique-style shirt. The weather was already quite cold, and while the room was somewhat warmer, the temperature was not high. Dressed this way in such weather felt inherently strange.

Zhang Yang could also dress lightly and use his Neijin to ward off the cold, but he saw little need for it; dressing warmly simply felt more comfortable. "Medical Sage lineage, Zhang Yang!" Zhang Yang returned the salute with clasped fists and replied softly. Now, he could confidently declare himself the successor of the Medical Sage lineage to the outside world. Since reclaiming his ancestry, he was the direct heir of the Medical Sage line. Though the lineage was not numerous, it commanded respect in any era, and the Medical Sage line frequently produced peak masters at the fourth layer of Neijin.

"So, Brother Zhang from the Medical Sage lineage!" Huyuan Aobo nodded, and his expression eased considerably. The Medical Sage lineage, like the Huyuan family, possessed a heritage spanning over a thousand years; the Medical Sage lineage’s history was even longer. The identity of the visitor was, at least, something he could accept.

He also knew that the Medical Sage lineage possessed the most profound medical skills and an array of bizarre cultivation methods, which could easily explain any secrets surrounding the visitor. "Brother Zhang, please be seated!" Huyuan Aobo said with a smile, taking a seat on the nearby sofa himself. Here, he exhibited no pretense of formality, while Boss Wang stood respectfully nearby, behaving like a servant.

"Is Brother Zhang passing through, or have you been in Changjing all along? Why the sudden visit to my humble abode?" Once seated, Huyuan Aobo asked with curiosity. His question was not without reason. Successors of the Medical Sage lineage often traveled extensively; it was plausible that Zhang Yang was simply practicing medicine and happened to pass through this area.

"I reside in Changjing. My purpose in coming today is simply to reclaim a measure of justice!" Zhang Yang smiled faintly. With the principal party present, there was no need for further pleasantries. If the Huyuan family chose to grant him face, so much the better, but he was unafraid if they did not. This was an ancient family spanning a millennium; if things proceeded conventionally, they could not truly threaten him.

Furthermore, being a young master in the late stage of the third layer, they would need to carefully consider the ramifications before incurring the wrath of someone like him. "Justice? What justice?" Huyuan Aobo paused, looking genuinely perplexed. Beside him, Boss Wang’s face turned ashen, his heart hammering violently.

"Senior, I truly meant no offense, it was a misunderstanding! I am willing to compensate, to offer compensation!" Boss Wang was so terrified he nearly collapsed to his knees. He had not anticipated that this young Neijin master would bring up such matters immediately upon meeting someone of his own caliber, which instantly filled him with a sense of impending doom.

"What is going on?" Huyuan Aobo turned back and glared at Boss Wang, his tone far less measured than it had been with Zhang Yang. At this moment, Huyuan Aobo was genuinely annoyed. It seemed Boss Wang had stirred up trouble on his own, involving a Neijin practitioner and bringing the conflict here. Even so, the fact that he hadn't mentioned this when they first met put Huyuan Aobo at a disadvantage now.

"Yes, it was a misunderstanding, a complete misunderstanding!" Boss Wang wiped the cold sweat from his brow and slowly recounted the events. He deliberately skirted the most severe aspects, claiming the dispute arose from failed business negotiations. He insisted that at the time, he had been unaware of Hu Xin’s connection to Zhang Yang and was now prepared to offer compensation upon learning of it.

Boss Wang’s demeanor was reasonably good; while he shifted some blame, he didn't entirely evade responsibility, at least admitting that the fault lay partly with him. However, this was also due to Zhang Yang's forceful presence. If Zhang Yang had been an ordinary person, Boss Wang certainly wouldn't have behaved this way.

After listening, Huyuan Aobo shot Boss Wang another severe look. He would settle scores with Boss Wang later; for now, his priority was managing Zhang Yang. He now understood that the visitor hadn't come for cordial acquaintance but for confrontation. Unfortunately, since his side had already admitted fault, he could only follow the conversation's lead for the moment.

"Brother Zhang, my apologies; this is due to our lax management. How do you propose we settle this?" Huyuan Aobo spoke slowly. By asking Zhang Yang to propose a solution, he was executing a form of internal Tai Chi: if Zhang Yang’s terms were reasonable, he might agree; it wasn't worth offending another Neijin practitioner over a minor issue. If the terms were unacceptable, he could then refuse, as he hadn't committed to anything yet.

Zhang Yang lowered his head in contemplation before raising it slightly and stating coolly, "One million, sell fifty percent of your company's shares, and sever one of your arms. With that, this matter will be considered closed!" His voice was soft, yet both Huyuan Aobo and Boss Wang froze in shock. Neither had expected Zhang Yang to propose such terms.

Boss Wang found the conditions utterly unacceptable. His company was his everything; he relied on its operations to serve the Huyuan family. If he could not bring benefits to the family, they might not even spare him a glance. Without the Huyuan family's protection, how could he have built such an extensive network and accumulated such wealth in such a short time? Moreover, the company was the product of his hard work and sweat; selling half of it for a mere million—a price lower than what he'd pay for wilted greens—was impossible to accept. At this moment, he completely forgot that he frequently used "cabbage prices" to forcibly acquire other people's companies, having done so just recently. Now, the very actions he had inflicted upon others were being turned back upon him; Zhang Yang was exacting retribution in kind. (To be continued)