The Ma Shen incident in Weijiang Province—that must have been when Hu Yanfeng was chasing him last time. He hadn't expected that the supernatural phenomena Yan Yefei and his team were studying were all somehow connected to him.

Speaking of Chasing Wind, Yan Yefei heaped on more praise.

A horse as magnificent as Chasing Wind was indeed a rarity.

But if Yan Yefei knew that the so-called Ma Shen he had heard about and was so curious about was this very white horse he was currently complimenting, just how wide would his jaw drop?

They would have to return to the town for lunch; after all, they were deep in the mountains.

Huang Hai and Wu Zhiguo had not followed them into the woods. With the help of the townspeople, several tents had already been pitched, generators set up, and a very nice dining table laid out.

On the table were several ready-made delicacies.

From a distance, even before they arrived, they could smell the enticing aroma. Wu Zhiguo lived up to his reputation as a foodie; he had cultivated excellent culinary skills. The food he prepared was, purely on the basis of its 'fragrance,' already at a master level.

The scent made everyone's appetite sharpen, and they quickly gathered around the table.

There were two extra people, but they paid it no mind; meeting here was fate. Huang Hai brought out the fine wine he had carried, tore open several roasted chickens, and everyone sat down to eat. Even the famous roasted chicken from the hundred-year-old shop seemed slightly inferior to Wu Zhiguo’s cooking.

Yan Yefei and his companion were eating with grease dripping from their mouths, constantly praising Wu Zhiguo.

And then there was Wu Zhiguo’s girlfriend, Ying Ning, the young lady from a prominent family in Fucheng. She looked at her beloved with tender eyes; if they married, at least they wouldn't have to worry about good food in the future.

After eating their fill and drinking enough wine, Zhang Yang and Long Cheng departed again, leaving Yan Yefei behind.

The supernatural phenomena Yan Yefei mentioned had piqued everyone’s interest immensely. Upon learning that he was the president of the Supernatural Research Association, they all pressed him to elaborate on the association’s studies.

This included not just the giant python incident this time, but also the previous Ma Shen affair, among many other things.

For instance, tales of hauntings and alien encounters—Yan Yefei spoke with such coherence that everyone listened, utterly captivated. Even Su Zhantao and the others marveled at how many wondrous and unsolved mysteries still existed in the world.

As they spoke, Zhang Yang had already returned to the spot where the giant python had disappeared.

Now, only three defense team members stood guard beside an empty frame; it served no purpose anymore. The two paused briefly, then headed directly into the forest.

“Zhang Yang, this… this is where you fought the giant python, right?”

The first stop was the battleground littered with fallen trees. Returning here brought a wave of emotion to Zhang Yang; everything that had happened felt like only yesterday, as if that massive battle had just concluded.

“This is it!”

Zhang Yang nodded. Long Cheng felt a slight jolt; this was the first time Zhang Yang had admitted to him that he was the one who killed the giant python.

But thinking of Zhang Yang’s strength, he felt a measure of relief. Zhang Yang possessed the power to confront a Spiritual Beast, unlike himself, who would flee upon seeing one—and whether he could even escape was questionable.

“I’ll search around to see if anything was missed!”

Long Cheng didn't ask further questions and began searching the surroundings meticulously. After a while, he looked up in disappointment. Zhang Yang was also searching, but he was far more capable; in no time, Zhang Yang uncovered three more shell casings buried in the ground. So much time had passed here; many traces had naturally vanished on their own. Aside from what they had left behind, there was no visible sign that anyone had been there.

After finding the shell casings, Zhang Yang located a few scraps of cloth.

These were the remnants left after Long Feng took the main parts away. Because of fallen leaves and rain, they had been buried beneath the soil, and their color had blended almost entirely with the leaves, which was why Yan Yefei hadn't found them.

Once these were cleared away, there was no trace left of Zhang Yang’s presence here.

“Brother Cheng, you should head back first. I want to go inside and take a look!”

After tidying up the other area, Zhang Yang looked deeper into the forest and then spoke to Long Cheng beside him.

Entering Wild Man Mountain was already part of his plan; he was determined to go into the mountains this time. If the giant python’s corpse hadn't been stolen, bringing Long Cheng along wouldn't have mattered at all.

Long Cheng’s strength wasn't formidable, but he was still an Inner Strength cultivator and could certainly look after himself in this deep wilderness.

According to what Zhang Pinglu had said, there was no danger in entering Wild Man Mountain; rather, there would be benefits. In that case, bringing an extra person was inconsequential.

Unfortunately, traces of a Spiritual Beast—a Fourth-Tier one at that—had been spotted near the edge of the mountain. Zhang Yang had no idea how powerful this beast might be and naturally dared not lead Long Cheng into the mountains casually.

Long Cheng also looked toward the depths of the mountain. His brow twitched, and he said with some worry, “Zhang Yang, it’s getting quite late today. If you intend to enter the mountain, perhaps tomorrow?”

He understood Zhang Yang’s intention and knew he wanted to scout the interior.

He knew Zhang Yang was incredibly strong, but this was a primeval mountain range, full of unknown dangers. It was indeed getting late; running all the way and packing things up had taken a significant amount of time.

Of course, he didn't know that a Fourth-Tier expert entering Wild Man Mountain would not only be safe but might actually benefit. If he knew that, he wouldn't be so worried.

“That sounds right. I will enter the mountain alone tomorrow. Please relay this to them for me!”

After a moment’s thought, Zhang Yang slowly nodded. Today was indeed getting late; initially, he hadn't planned to enter the mountain immediately today anyway.

Going back would allow him time to prepare; at the very least, he needed to bring a flashlight, a sleeping bag, and similar supplies. He had no idea how many days it would take to emerge from the mountain this time, and Zhang Yang certainly didn't want to stay awake for days on end or have to sleep on tree branches when resting.

Long Cheng followed, and Chasing Wind slowed its pace considerably.

By the time they returned to the camp, the sky had darkened. A bonfire had been lit beside the camp, and many people were laughing and chatting around it.

Su Zhantao, Li Ya, Wang Chen, Chang Feng, Wu Zhiguo—everyone was there. Along with them were the two girls, Yang Ling and Ying Ning, all listening to Yan Yefei speak, occasionally breaking into laughter together.

“Brother Cheng, Zhang Yang, you’re back!”

Li Ya was the first to spot them and immediately stood up, saying again, “Brother Yan is truly learned. He knows so many things we don’t. Today has truly opened my eyes!”

“Brother Yan?”

Zhang Yang blinked slightly, instantly realizing he meant Yan Yefei.

This Yan Yefei was quite something; in just half a day, he had integrated with the group, calling them brothers.

“Yes, Zhang Yang, come here!”

Li Ya nodded with a smile, pulling Zhang Yang toward Yan Yefei.

“Brother Yan, I’m telling you, don’t doubt me. Don’t let Zhang Yang’s young age fool you; he is a renowned Divine Doctor. In our city, Changjing, especially at the Third Hospital, everyone knows his name. He can cure illnesses that many specialists can’t handle!”

“Yes, Li Ya is right. I can vouch for that. My uncle’s asthma, which hadn't been cured for years, was completely resolved by Zhang Yang!”

Su Zhantao immediately nodded in agreement, and Wang Chen, Huang Hai, and the others chimed in, all praising Zhang Yang’s medical skills.

“Really, Brother Zhang, you’re a Divine Doctor too?”

Yan Yefei seemed slightly surprised, looking Zhang Yang up and down. He clearly remained skeptical of Li Ya’s words.

It couldn't be helped; Zhang Yang was simply too young—so young that upon first meeting him, people couldn't believe he was a capable doctor, let alone a Divine Doctor.

“Of course. I stake my reputation on it. I almost died in a car accident, and it was Zhang Yang who saved me!”

Wang Chen immediately slapped his chest and pulled up his shirt. “Look at me now—can you tell I was in a serious car crash? Nearly every bone in my body was broken. Doctors said I shouldn't have survived the emergency treatment, but Zhang Yang stepped in and rescued this little life of mine!”

“Bones nearly all broken?”

Yan Yefei seemed even more astonished and scrutinized Wang Chen’s body.

Wang Chen had undergone major surgery previously, leaving numerous surgical scars. However, these scars now appeared very faint, not at all like someone who had just finished surgery less than a year ago.

All of this was thanks to the Spirit Medicine. If he hadn’t taken the medicine early, immediately following the surgery, all his scars might have disappeared.

Spirit Medicine was, after all, Spirit Medicine; it couldn't be compared to ordinary drugs.

“I believe that part. Zhang Yang’s medical skills are truly excellent, Brother Yan. You should ask Zhang Yang to treat your wife’s illness. I believe that once he takes action, your wife will surely recover!”

Yang Ling also spoke up with a smile. Seeing everyone hold Zhang Yang in such high regard, coupled with a strange sense of trust she felt for him, she silently nodded.

“There is an illness at home?”

Zhang Yang sat down and asked with a smile. From their conversation, he had already guessed that Yan Yefei had a sick family member, and the condition must be quite troublesome.

The person sick was his wife; if it weren't a difficult ailment, they wouldn't be speaking like this.

“Yes, my wife has a strange skin condition. We went to Beijing, Shanghai, and many big cities, but no one could diagnose it. We even went to America. We consulted countless Traditional Chinese and Western medicine doctors and took many medicines, but none of them worked. To this day, it hasn’t been cured. Because of this, she barely leaves the house!”

Yan Yefei nodded slowly. Mentioning his wife’s illness always brought a heavy weight to his heart.

He and his wife were university classmates, having fallen in love freely; their affection was profound. Her support was crucial to his success today. Five years ago, for some unknown reason, red rashes began appearing on her body.

At the time, they paid it no mind, assuming some ointment or time would make it go away. But unexpectedly, the rashes grew larger and larger, eventually breaking open to leave behind scarred patches.

When they went to the hospital, no one could figure out what was happening.

After that, they visited many hospitals. Some suggested it was a mutated form of eczema; others claimed it was a blood issue, not affecting the skin.

But no matter what they tried or how they treated it, the illness wouldn't heal. After several years, both of them felt disheartened. His wife’s temperament had also changed significantly; now, she spent every day cooped up at home.

It made sense; perhaps no woman could accept having her face covered in scars. Asking her to go out and face people felt worse than death, so naturally, she refused to leave.

Second update, the chapter owed from yesterday will be delivered tomorrow!