After a pause, Huang Longshi asked Zhang Yang and Zhang Pinglu softly, "I heard there is a unique method of communication within the cultivation world, one that can notify all friends in the realm?"

Zhang Pinglu was taken aback. The communication method Huang Longshi mentioned certainly existed; otherwise, the major powers couldn't have coordinated in advance to besiege the Long family after it lost its protector.

A sharp glint suddenly flashed in Zhang Yang’s eyes. Huang Longshi asking such an unrelated question at this moment clearly suggested an ulterior motive.

Huang Longshi’s eyes flickered slightly. Saying this seemed unbecoming of his status, but he extended a hand, adjusted the hood of his cloak, partially masking his unease, and finally murmured almost inaudibly, "Alas, reporting this matter up the chain and waiting for layers of approval to receive a concrete policy response will take quite some time. If, during this period, those cultivators scheming ill within our Huaxia territory provoke our Huaxia cultivators and end up killing each other in internal strife, we will truly be helpless..."

In the study, there were three Great Perfection cultivators present. No matter how quietly Huang Longshi spoke, how could his words escape their ears? Zhang Yang and Zhang Pinglu heard everything Huang Longshi said with perfect clarity.

As if complaining, Huang Longshi looked up at Zhang Yang and Zhang Pinglu, his face etched with worry as he lamented, "In truth, our personnel are very few. There aren't many experts above the third layer. Of course, this is mainly an issue of loyalty; those who join us must possess absolute patriotic sentiment—we do not enroll just anyone. Once the higher-ups approve the policy, it will fall to people like us to handle those foreign cultivators across various parts of Huaxia. Huaxia is vast, and we are so few. Sigh..."

Zhang Pinglu's eyes brightened. He suddenly burst into loud laughter, then forcefully clapped Huang Longshi on the shoulder and said, "You rascal!"

Huang Longshi's meaning was crystal clear. His earlier question about a means of inter-cultivator communication was a way of telling Zhang Pinglu that as long as he notified the various aristocratic families and sects across Huaxia to handle the foreign cultivators with caution, and if the foreigners made any rash moves, to strike them down directly—this would count as personal disputes within the cultivation world, not a national issue, thus having nothing to do with Huang Longshi and his peers.

And Huang Longshi’s final remark further implied that he would deliberately turn a blind eye to handling the situation, ensuring that no foreign cultivator who dared to act presumptuously on Huaxia soil would meet a good end!

Huang Longshi maintained an innocent expression, appearing completely oblivious to why Zhang Pinglu had suddenly changed demeanor. Yet, in his heart, he knew that Zhang Yang and Zhang Pinglu had grasped the full extent of his intended message.

"Senior, what exactly do you mean? I truly do not understand."

Huang Longshi replied with a placid smile, playing the fool.

Only the old Sect Master of the Spirit Beast Gate did not grasp the silent communication happening between Huang Longshi, Zhang Yang, and Zhang Pinglu. He had no objection to the decision to expel the foreign cultivators, but what troubled his heart were the Spirit Beasts currently suffering in Korea.

"I wonder how many Spirit Beasts they have already hunted down before this!"

Sighing deeply, the old Sect Master grieved for those Spirit Beasts, thinking about how many innocent lives must have been sacrificed to successfully obtain one mutated Spirit Beast...

"Oh right, Elder, I intend to take a trip to Korea."

Zhang Yang frowned. He understood the old Sect Master's feelings; the cultivators in Korea were certainly stained with the blood of many Spirit Beasts. His purpose in going to Korea was to rescue those Spirit Beasts... and incidentally, to punish those heinous Korean cultivators.

"Absolutely not!"

Hearing Zhang Yang, Huang Longshi suddenly broke out in a cold sweat. That person had specifically instructed that given Zhang Yang’s current strength, it was not yet time for him to seek revenge abroad!

"What’s wrong?"

Zhang Yang looked at Huang Longshi strangely, not understanding the source of his shock.

"You cannot go to Korea yet!"

Huang Longshi could not reveal the identity of that person. As he spoke, his mind raced furiously. He knew he needed a very solid reason, otherwise, Zhang Yang would certainly not heed him.

"You should know Park Seung-eun, the one you killed, right?"

Huang Longshi pointed at the Nine-Tailed Spirit Fox and continued speaking to Zhang Yang, "That Korean who brought this Nine-Tailed Spirit Fox to Huaxia—he was the direct eldest son of the Park family, the true power behind the Park Chaebol Group in Korea. The Park family is also the number one cultivating family in South Korea, and currently, they have two Great Perfection cultivators, Park Seung-hyun and Park Yi-eun. These two are the only Great Perfection experts in Korea right now. Of course, Park Seung-eun, whom you already killed, was considered the genius cultivator in the Park family most likely to advance to become the third Great Perfection expert."

"Only two Great Perfection cultivators? What is there to fear?"

Zhang Pinglu sneered disdainfully upon hearing this, then turned to Zhang Yang and said, "Yangyang, it's fine. When the time comes, we'll call your maternal grandfather Zhang Daolin and your uncle Zhang Yun’an back from the Long family. Our Medical Saint Zhang family will go to Korea together. Are we really afraid of a mere Park family that only has two Great Perfection cultivators?"

Huang Longshi’s face turned extremely grim upon hearing this. That person couldn't possibly be unaware of the strength of the Medical Saint Zhang family. In Huang Longshi's estimation, Zhang Yang's entire family constituted aberrant presences in the cultivation world; if they went to Korea, they certainly had the power to overturn the entire nation. Huang Longshi didn't know why that person objected to Zhang Yang and the others going abroad for revenge, but since it was that person who spoke, there must be a valid reason. Huang Longshi had to dissuade Zhang Yang and the others from leaving the country.

"It’s not just for that reason."

Huang Longshi gritted his teeth and was forced to say, "Within the Park family in Korea, there is an elder who controls all the family's power from behind the scenes—the Old Patriarch of the Park family. We have exerted great effort, yet we still haven't been able to ascertain his true strength. Therefore, we have estimated that this person has very likely cultivated to the fifth layer of Inner Strength, an absolutely formidable existence."

"What, the fifth layer?"

Zhang Pinglu was greatly shocked. If Korea harbored a fifth-layer expert, they definitely couldn't rush over there rashly, unless... Zhang Yang also broke through to the fifth layer of Inner Strength.

"How could a place like Korea produce a fifth-layer expert?"

The old Sect Master of the Spirit Beast Gate also understood what the title of a fifth-layer expert implied and exclaimed in disbelief.

Huang Longshi nodded and said bitterly, "We Huaxia cultivators value solid foundations, progressing step by step—from the first layer of Inner Strength to the late stage of the fourth layer, the Great Perfection, and then finding an opportunity to break through to the fifth layer. However, the cultivators in Korea and Japan are somewhat different from us."

"Initially, I didn't understand why two Great Perfection cultivators suddenly appeared in Korea in recent decades, but after seeing this Nine-Tailed Spirit Fox, I think I understand. It seems the cultivators of the Park family in Korea are promoting themselves to the Great Perfection realm by raising Spirit Beasts, creating fallen, mutated ones, and consuming their inner cores!"

Huang Longshi’s tone was highly uncertain; this statement was purely his conjecture, but this guess was very close to the actual truth. Otherwise, why would Korean cultivators risk such danger to poach Spirit Beasts in Huaxia?

"Brother Zhang, you are the most gifted cultivator I have seen in Huaxia over these years. You are still so young. In Huaxia, a gentleman’s revenge is not too late even after ten years; you must not act impulsively out of momentary anger!"

The sincerity in Huang Longshi’s persuasion of Zhang Yang was entirely heartfelt. Given Zhang Yang’s current demonstrated strength and talent, Huang Longshi believed Zhang Yang would absolutely become the first fifth-layer expert in Huaxia in recent years. Such a genius must not suffer any mishap!

Zhang Yang frowned. According to Huang Longshi, this trip to Korea was out of the question for now. Even if he went, it would have to wait until he was strong enough to contend with a fifth-layer expert before he could rescue the Spirit Beasts.

"Yangyang, don't be discouraged. It might not be long before we don't have to worry about Korea having a fifth-layer expert!" Zhang Pinglu suddenly remembered something and said to Zhang Yang with confidence.

There was a world-shaking treasure about to emerge. If they could obtain that artifact, given Zhang Yang's current strength, he might be able to break through to the fifth layer immediately upon acquiring it. This was what Zhang Pinglu was thinking of, but since this peerless treasure hadn't shown any signs yet, he hadn't told Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang shook his head, indicating he wasn't in a hurry. Cultivation itself required steady progress, step by step. Those cultivators of the Park family in Korea, using such crooked methods—how powerful could they truly be even after reaching the Great Perfection?

This was evident from Park Seung-eun. Park Seung-eun was at least a mid-stage fourth-layer cultivator, but how much actual combat power did he possess?

Zhang Yang’s thinking differed from Zhang Pinglu's. In his view, the Sacred Hand System within his body was undoubtedly a hundred times more potent than any heavenly treasure or miraculous elixir. Every subsequent advancement after the fourth layer was exceptionally difficult, but for the Sacred Hand System, it only required completing a few more tasks. Directly adding the task rewards to his Inner Strength Qigong yielded Inner Strength gains far more effective than many years of traditional cultivation!

It seemed the focus now should be on completing more system tasks to accelerate his advancement.

"Rest assured, without absolute certainty, I will not easily venture abroad. Since the time is not right, Zhang Yang will drop the idea of going to Korea."

Hearing Zhang Yang agree, Huang Longshi breathed a sigh of relief. However, he suddenly recalled another matter and quickly said to Zhang Yang, "Oh right, Brother Zhang, there is something I need to confirm with you."