Qiao Hongyi was a man steeped in pride; at thirty-nine, reaching the late stage of the third level of Inner Strength was not solely attributable to the miraculous ancestral martial arts manual of the Qiao family, but also to his own relentless diligence and tenacity. How agonizing the cultivation of Inner Strength truly was—a bitterness Qiao Hongyi, after over thirty years of practice, knew intimately.

Yet, before him stood a youth barely out of boyhood. Thus, after uttering the words, "Zhang Yang, you are now the foremost figure in the cultivation world," a sensation beyond description, a profound sense of loss mingled with utter powerlessness, overwhelmed Qiao Hongyi.

Zhang Yang was momentarily stunned by Qiao Hongyi’s answer. How did his status as the number one in the cultivation world concern these Koreans?

“What exactly do these Koreans want?” Zhang Yang keenly sensed that the Koreans’ true purpose in coming to Huaxia was far more complex than mere medical exchange; they were certainly scheming for something else. “They offered payment, and I agreed to monitor you and report on your condition.

Everything else is none of my business.” Qiao Hongyi offered a deliberately evasive reply, yet it failed to satisfy Zhang Yang. The fact that he claimed 'it wasn't his business' suggested he knew more than he admitted.

Getting Qiao Hongyi to disclose everything he knew was, in fact, quite simple. Zhang Yang lifted his gaze, glancing past Qiao Hongyi to the back, and suddenly spoke: “Do you realize that by doing this, you are actually endangering that child?” “What!” Qiao Hongyi was startled, turning just in time to see Qiao Hu shrinking back behind the door upon meeting his eyes, hastily retreating as if certain Qiao Hongyi hadn't noticed him.

“What are you trying to do!” Qiao Hongyi’s demeanor instantly grew agitated. He leaped up, blocking Zhang Yang’s view toward the door of the small bungalow with his entire body, tensing up completely, staring vigilantly at Zhang Yang, poised to fight to the death should Zhang Yang dare to make a move!

“Didn’t you already promise me you would spare Qiao Hu?” Qiao Hongyi knew he was no match for Zhang Yang. Moreover, Zhang Yang had remained silent initially; that silence could imply agreement or disagreement, which was why Qiao Hongyi resorted to a loud outburst, attempting to seize the initiative, hoping to make Zhang Yang hesitate even slightly.

Zhang Yang frowned. He hadn't expected such a drastic reaction from Qiao Hongyi.

Judging by his current stance, he was prepared for a fatal confrontation. Did he truly not know?

“You have already revealed your employers; you’ve effectively betrayed those Koreans. Even if you continue to keep their secrets, do you think they will spare you—or spare that child?” “What do you mean by that!” Qiao Hongyi remained alert, refusing to relax his guard, but Zhang Yang’s words left him completely bewildered.

“It seems you really don't know,” Zhang Yang raised his hand, pointing to the small boy hiding near the iron gate of the bungalow. “Haven’t you noticed that the child has been poisoned?” “Poisoned!” Qiao Hongyi gasped, completely unprepared for such an accusation.

He turned and shot a dubious glance at the small, thin figure peeking through the slightly ajar iron door. He couldn't fully believe it, yet he dared not dismiss it entirely.

Who was Zhang Yang? Qiao Hongyi knew perfectly well.

Even setting aside the rumors of him being the foremost figure in the cultivation world, he was the heir to the Zhang family, venerated as the Medical Sage throughout Huaxia for millennia! “Qiao Hu, come here!” After careful deliberation, fearing some unforeseen consequence, Qiao Hongyi turned and called out.

He knew Qiao Hu was hiding behind that iron gate, definitely not having returned to the house as instructed. “Uncle…” Hearing the call, Qiao Hu assumed he had been discovered spying, so he walked out from behind the iron door with his head lowered, his face etched with guilt.

“Huzi, come here.” Qiao Hongyi beckoned. Now, surprisingly, he felt no fear whatsoever.

Since Zhang Yang was so formidable, Qiao Hongyi accepted escape was impossible. Even if he could flee, he would never abandon Huzi.

In this scenario, Zhang Yang would have no need for the clumsy tactic of using poison to threaten him. Qiao Hu obediently walked to Qiao Hongyi’s side and respectfully called out, “Uncle.” Qiao Hongyi was utterly ignorant of medicine, let alone how to determine if Qiao Hu had been poisoned.

He quickly checked the boy but found nothing amiss. “Is my Huzi really poisoned?” Qiao Hongyi, forced into a corner, could only look at Zhang Yang, all previous assertiveness completely gone.

Zhang Yang nodded. The reason he hadn't immediately pursued Qiao Hongyi onto the rooftop was precisely because he had noticed something abnormal about the child.

After a brief exchange with Qiao Hu, Zhang Yang had casually examined the boy. At that time, he noted the child’s unusual physical state but hadn't given it much thought.

Now, connecting the dots, Zhang Yang was certain that Qiao Hu’s abnormality was no accident, but the result of being poisoned—or, more precisely, being administered only half a poison. “Have you ever heard of the Yin-Yang Grass?” Seeing Qiao Hongyi unable to detect anything, Zhang Yang spoke directly.

“The poison Qiao Hu has suffered is derived from this toxic herb.” “Yin-Yang Grass? What is that?” Qiao Hongyi was utterly confused, having no idea what Zhang Yang was talking about.

Zhang Yang smiled faintly and began to explain to Qiao Hongyi. Zhang Yang’s knowledge of this poison, unseen in Huaxia, was entirely thanks to that peerless Poison Scripture, which contained a passage detailing a peculiar toxin.

In the deep mountains of Goryeo, there existed an herb called Yin-Yang Grass. It grew only in Goryeo, with only two plants appearing within a ten-li radius.

The reason it was called Yin-Yang Grass was that the two specimens growing in the same location became intertwined underground like braided branches. Furthermore, only one of the two plants would ever flower.

The one that flowered was called the Yin-Grass, and the one that did not flower was called the Yang-Grass. If a person ingested the poison derived from the Yin-Grass alone, or the Yang-Grass alone, the victim would show no adverse reaction; on the contrary, they would feel refreshed and unusually energetic for a period.

However, the most astonishing property of this herb was that once taken, the individual must not spend prolonged periods near someone who has taken the other counterpart. If they did, the mixing of their exhaled gases would transform into a slow-acting poison, causing both to die under mysterious circumstances.

Since this herb only grew in Goryeo, that meant present-day South Korea and North Korea. The identity of the poisoner was glaringly obvious.

Zhang Yang looked again at Qiao Hongyi. If the Koreans discovered Qiao Hongyi had betrayed them, they could simply trick him into taking the poison derived from the remaining counterpart.

Within three months, the two individuals living closely with Qiao Hu—he and the boy—would certainly meet violent ends, and no amount of post-mortem examination would ever reveal the cause. “Impossible!

If it was them, they have never even met Qiao Hu. How could they have poisoned him—was it those candies from that day?” Qiao Hongyi initially refused to believe Zhang Yang, but suddenly, something seemed to click, and his face instantly drained of color!

Thud! Qiao Hongyi’s legs buckled, and he collapsed onto his knees, his eyes vacant!

“Uncle, what’s wrong!” Qiao Hu, unaware of what had transpired, only saw his uncle Qiao Hongyi suddenly drop to his knees, so he rushed to grab him and shouted loudly, but being small and weak, he couldn't budge him. “Those bastards!” Kneeling on the ground, Qiao Hongyi clenched his fists so tightly that his teeth gnashed, trembling with rage.

“Don’t worry too much. As long as you are careful and don't let the Koreans trick you into taking the other half of the poison, you and Qiao Hu are still quite safe,” Zhang Yang offered a word of comfort upon seeing Qiao Hongyi’s distraught state.

“Mr. Zhang, since you know about this Yin-Yang Grass, can you cure my nephew’s poison?” Qiao Hongyi looked up sharply, his voice bordering on pleading.

“That’s no problem at all.” Zhang Yang nodded. Qiao Hu had only ingested the poison from a single plant.

The simplest remedy for the after-effects of the Yin-Yang Grass was, naturally, to have Wuying bite him. While the Yin-Yang Grass might be potent in Korea, compared to Huaxia’s myriad poisons, it was hardly a threat.

For Wuying, the Yin-Yang Grass was mere child's play. Hearing Zhang Yang agree to his request, Qiao Hongyi displayed an expression of immense gratitude.

“This Sino-Foreign Medical Exchange event is nothing but a sham. The reason those Koreans came to Changjing is to hunt our Huaxia’s Spirit Beasts!” Qiao Hongyi immediately stopped concealing anything and told Zhang Yang everything he knew.

“What? To hunt Spirit Beasts?” Zhang Yang stared at Qiao Hongyi in astonishment; he hadn't expected the Koreans to harbor such grand ambitions.

“Yes. Those Koreans seem to have discovered the presence of Fourth-Level Spirit Beasts in Huaxia, and they came specifically for them this time,” Qiao Hongyi stated with absolute certainty.

“I once overheard Kim Hyun-shin making a call back to Joseon. Everything I told you earlier was what Kim Hyun-shin said himself over the phone.” “What about those Japanese people?” Zhang Yang recalled the group he encountered at the Western restaurant—they were also attending the medical exchange, and they too were practitioners of Inner Strength.

“I don’t know the purpose of those Japanese in Changjing, but I do know that Kim Hyun-shin was extremely pleased upon hearing about the conflict between you and those Japanese.” Qiao Hongyi laid out everything he knew for Zhang Yang.

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