At this very moment, the majority of the toxins within the old woman's body had been sealed off by Zhang Yang's acupuncture needles, confining them to her gastrointestinal tract. Once this concentrated cluster of poison was dealt with, the residual toxins could be completely eradicated with medicine alone.

"Lightning!"

From this point on, Zhang Yang wouldn't need to use any more needles. Regarding the toxins inside the old woman, he knew that Lightning's effect would be far greater than that of acupuncture or medicinal broth.

Hearing Zhang Yang call out, Lightning zipped out of his canvas bag in the blink of an eye and leaped to the side of the old woman's lounge chair.

"Chirp chirp chirp!"

Lightning knew precisely why Zhang Yang had summoned it; it had already perceived everything while inside the canvas bag. Opening its mouth, it bit down on the old woman, carefully injecting its own venom into her body.

Neither the initial Yin Blossom Toxin nor the other poison ingested afterward to counteract it could compare to Lightning's venom. Under Lightning's deliberate control, its toxins were perfectly suited to annihilate the two mixed poisons lingering inside the old woman.

"Ah, this, this is—!!"

Lightning had moved too swiftly; Tang Xiaolan hadn't clearly seen it emerge, but when it stood beside the old woman, she finally saw what it was. Witnessing Lightning sink its teeth in, she let out a sharp scream, so panicked that she couldn't even finish saying Lightning's name!

"Fei'er, stop her, quickly!"

Tang Xiaolan instantly recognized Lightning as the most notorious of the Ten Great Poisons of the World: the Fox-Tailed Sable. Not only would ordinary people be incapable of enduring a bite from such a creature, but even masters of Neijin (Internal Strength) might not survive it.

But before Tang Xiaolan could rush over to restrain Lightning, a small mountain rodent blocked her path.

"Squeak squeak squeak!"

It turned out to be Shadow, standing in Tang Xiaolan's way to prevent her from interfering with Lightning’s treatment of the elder. Although Shadow and Lightning often bickered, the two little creatures shared a profound private friendship. Seeing Tang Xiaolan treat his good friend like a mere venomous beast and move to harm Lightning, Shadow was naturally unwilling to allow it.

Tang Xiaolan’s eyes widened. She realized that once this small rodent stood before her, she simply could not get past. This mountain rodent was clearly also a spirit beast, exuding immense pressure that made Tang Xiaolan feel overwhelmed. She even had the distinct feeling that if she dared to take another step forward, this small rodent would unhesitatingly bite her to death.

Yan Liangfei stood frozen nearby, unsure why his mother was reacting so intensely upon seeing Lightning and Shadow. It wasn't surprising, as when Yan Liangfei first saw Lightning and Shadow, he had only recognized them as exceptionally cute spirit beasts that were extremely close to Zhang Yang.

As for Lightning, Yan Liangfei had never once connected it to the famously infamous Fox-Tailed Sable.

Everything had happened so rapidly that the old woman failed to notice the delicate situation. The moment Lightning delivered its bite, the old woman’s complexion improved dramatically, almost simultaneously, and a trace of color returned to her sallow face.

Zhang Yang withdrew the three silver needles piercing near the old woman’s navel, then addressed Yan Liangfei and Tang Xiaolan, "It’s done. The toxins in the old woman's body are basically under control. From now on, a course of Traditional Chinese Medicine, taken on schedule, will completely eliminate any residual poison."

"It's over!" Yan Liangfei anxiously looked toward the old woman, indeed noticing that her complexion was much better than before.

"Over?" Tang Xiaolan stiffened, staring at Lightning in disbelief, confusion swirling within her.

Zhang Yang naturally understood the source of her doubt. After all, anyone aware of the Fox-Tailed Sable's fearsome reputation would never believe that such a venomous creature could be used to heal and save lives.

"Shadow, come here." Zhang Yang called to Shadow, who stood before Tang Xiaolan. Upon hearing the call, Shadow immediately ran back and nestled up beside Lightning.

"Squeak squeak squeak."

Shadow looked at Lightning with an air of smugness; it was indicating that it had successfully shielded Lightning from the woman who was about to intervene.

"Chirp chirp chirp!"

Lightning chattered back at Shadow a few times, specifically to thank it. It understood that Shadow had acted on its behalf.

Seeing the two spirit beasts communicate this way, Tang Xiaolan’s gaze glazed over in shock.

She hadn't recognized the small mountain rodent immediately, but she recognized Lightning with absolute certainty. Now, her mind simply couldn't process the situation; she couldn't fathom what other creature could show such mutual respect toward a Fox-Tailed Sable. Could it be that this little rodent was also some sort of famous toxic beast?

"Mom, these two spirit beasts are both Brother Zhang’s pets. One is named Lightning, and the other is Shadow," Yan Liangfei explained, understanding why his mother was so unnerved. He recalled his own extreme shock when he first saw Lightning and Shadow, which was far greater than his mother’s current reaction.

Yan Liangfei added, "Oh, and there’s another spirit beast outside in the courtyard. His name is Chasing Wind. Brother Zhang and I were able to rush home from Changjing in just over half an hour thanks to that beast."

Having confirmed his grandmother was safe, Yan Liangfei had unconsciously begun to view Zhang Yang as an elder brother. Not only had his form of address changed, but the very thought of competing with Zhang Yang had vanished from his mind.

"Half an hour from Changjing to the Northern Suburbs?" Tang Xiaolan repeated the information in disbelief. The spirit beasts Chasing Wind and Shadow were already startling enough; Zhang Yang possessed another one? Who exactly was this young man?

"I believe it."

Unexpectedly, the old woman lying on the lounge chair opened her eyes and declared with absolute certainty, "Ma'am!"

"Grandma!"

Hearing the old woman speak, Yan Liangfei and Tang Xiaolan rushed forward.

"Good children, good daughter-in-law, I am fine now..." The old woman grasped both Yan Liangfei’s and Tang Xiaolan’s hands, speaking with deep emotion. Then, she struggled to sit up.

Seeing this, Tang Xiaolan and Yan Liangfei quickly helped the old woman rise from the lounge chair. However, no one anticipated that the first thing the old woman did upon standing was to pull Tang Xiaolan and Yan Liangfei toward Zhang Yang, intending to kneel before him!

"Ma'am, what are you doing!"

"Grandma, what is this!"

Tang Xiaolan and Yan Liangfei hastily supported the old woman. Once held firmly by them, she couldn't manage the kneel and flared up in anger, ordering, "Let go!"

Although recently ill, the old woman still carried an air of command. Both Tang Xiaolan and Yan Liangfei momentarily weakened, allowing her to sink to her knees.

"Elder, this absolutely cannot happen!" Zhang Yang was startled and quickly moved to support her. He hadn't expected the old woman to try and kneel to him.

Zhang Yang treating her poison was a small effort, and more importantly, he intended to question her next about the Jiang family and the Yin Blossom Toxin. He certainly didn't deserve such an act of reverence.

"Benefactor, descendant of the Yan family, I thank you once more for saving my life!" The old woman’s next words stunned all three of them—Tang Xiaolan, Yan Liangfei, and Zhang Yang!

"Benefactor!" Tang Xiaolan and Yan Liangfei exclaimed in unison, their shock evident. Even Zhang Yang was completely bewildered by this turn of events.

Zhang Yang first helped the old woman up, asking with confusion, "Elder, are you perhaps mistaken about who I am?"

"Impossible, how could I be mistaken? Such familiar Neijin, such miraculous needling techniques—only someone from the Zhang Family of the Medical Saints possesses such superb medical skill combined with such formidable strength!" The old woman glanced at Lightning and Shadow before speaking with certainty.

"Ma'am, is this young man truly a descendant of the legendary Zhang Family of the Medical Saints?" Tang Xiaolan asked uncertainly upon hearing the old woman's declaration.

The old woman nodded, firm in her conviction.

"The Zhang Family of the Medical Saints!" Yan Liangfei, however, first paused, then leaped up excitedly, grabbing Zhang Yang's arm. "Brother Zhang, are you really a descendant of the Medical Saint Zhang Family?"

Zhang Yang nodded, though he couldn't fathom why Yan Liangfei was so overjoyed by the mention of the Zhang Family of the Medical Saints.

Yan Liangfei’s reasoning was simple: the Zhang Family of the Medical Saints was legendary among all traditional Chinese medicine families. It was perfectly natural that he, Yan Liangfei, would be inferior to a descendant of that lineage. With that thought, Yan Liangfei naturally became ecstatic.

Since childhood, his grandparents had often recounted the stories of the Zhang Family of the Medical Saints. A senior figure from the Zhang family back then had not only saved the Yan family's ancestor but had also taught them the Neijin cultivation method that the Yan family now inherited, along with a set of medical skills. In truth, the Neijin Yan Liangfei practiced and the medical arts his family used were inextricably linked to the Zhang Family of the Medical Saints; one could even say the Yan family was an external branch of them.

While Zhang Yang was still wondering how the Yan family elder recognized him so immediately, Yan Liangfei explained the historical connection between the Yan and Zhang families. Only then did Zhang Yang understand the long-standing relationship between the two clans.

"A member of the Zhang Family of the Medical Saints has arrived! They have finally come! Our Yan family is saved!"

The old woman threw her head back, unable to conceal the intense emotion welling up inside her. Two streams of aged tears immediately began to flow. The elder from the Zhang family had left behind some medical insights and Neijin cultivation methods before never returning to this obscure place called the Northern Suburbs. Generations of the Yan family had held this debt sacred, never daring to forget it.

Considering the current plight of the Yan family, the old woman couldn't help but kneel toward Zhang Yang again. Zhang Yang swiftly moved to support her. With tears streaming down her face, she pleaded, "Mr. Zhang, I beg you, you must save our Yan family!"

"Elder, please rise, stand up and speak," Zhang Yang gently pulled the old woman upright and inquired, "The difficulties facing your Yan family now—are they because of the Jiang family?"

The old woman nodded quickly. "It is the Jiang family! The Jiang family intends to utterly annihilate my entire Yan clan!"

"What!"

Yan Liangfei, standing nearby, was utterly shocked by his grandmother's words! He had known nothing of these matters before. Did this mean... Yan Liangfei, suddenly frantic, seized his grandmother's arm and pressed urgently, "Grandma, does this mean the poison in your body was administered by the Jiang family?!"