The burly man turned his head, and as his gaze met the other's, the smugness on his face instantly froze, his eyes widened as if he saw a ghost, "How… how is this possible?"
A wave of overwhelming fear swept over him, his legs trembled, and he was about to flee, but Zhiyan had anticipated this move. With a sweep of her arm, the sound of cutting through the air resounded, and before everyone's eyes, a flash of cold light passed, and the man in green was fixed in place.
"Now that you know this man is the chancellor, you should know what to do next, right?" Zhiyan said to the innkeeper, her voice soft yet ominous.
"Yes, yes, I will send someone to report this immediately, many thanks to the divine healer for the rescue, I am endlessly grateful!" The innkeeper mopped up a cold sweat and kept thanking her. Poisoning the current chancellor could lead to a crime implicating his entire family; he could not afford such a thing. If it were not for Zhiyan's intervention, his life would have been over.
Zhiyan nodded and then walked over to the elder man, "If I'm not mistaken, you've been poisoned with Throat-Sealing Powder. Your life is saved, but the remaining toxins are still a problem. Go home and bathe according to this prescription, and come back to see me in three days."
Zhiyan wrote down the prescription and address on a piece of paper with charcoal and tucked it into the elder's burning gaze.
"Throat-Sealing Powder?" everyone exclaimed in unison. It was a poison ranked in the top ten on the Mainland's deadly poisons list, rumored to seal the throat upon contact with blood, with death certain if ingested—a poison of reaper-level notoriety—and she had cured it?
"His body will not recover movement for another half an hour. Until then, you had better ensure his safety, or if something goes wrong..." Zhiyan approached the innkeeper, her gaze narrowed slightly as she reminded him faintly.
"Yes, yes, I will ensure the chancellor's safety, even at the cost of my life!" The innkeeper bowed and scraped, trying to ingratiate himself with Zhiyan. Today was his unlucky day, stumbling upon such a situation. Now, he only hoped that the person sent for message delivery would return quickly and take the chancellor away, so he could be at ease sooner.
Upon leaving the tavern, Zhiyan returned to the Ouyang Residence with Ouyang Peng, thinking that what will be, will be. If fate could not be avoided, then one must face it head-on. Zhiyan was silently planning how to address any potential issues. No matter what, she would not betray Faye, although he truly didn't consider those people significant.
At the entrance to the Ouyang Residence, two guards waited anxiously, almost stepping up to the lookout platform on the right side of the gate every two minutes. The Ouyang Family Head had given strict orders to report to him the moment Ouyang Zhiyan returned, without the slightest delay.
"Quick, go and report that the young master and Ouyang Zhiyan have returned!" One guard was suddenly alert, speaking excitedly to his companion below. They had returned; at last, they could take a breath of relief.
No sooner had Zhiyan returned to the Southern Gardens than Ouyang Feng followed, bringing a group with him, including Situ Ba and Xiahou Kong. They were originally interested in Zhiyan's talent, and after witnessing the disappearance of the room, their curiosity about her had climbed to an unparalleled peak.
Seeing Zhiyan again, Ouyang Jin's eyes brightened, unable to look away. She had become even more beautiful in the half-month they hadn't seen each other, her features artistic, her skin white and jade-like, radiating Spiritual Energy throughout her being. Her gaze was cool and distant, her pupils shaded with an unfading coldness that kept him at an aloof distance, causing his heart to stutter for a moment. The next second, his eyes darkened, and a hint of anger rose on his handsome face. Why should she look at him like that?
"Father, Yanyan is tired. I'm going to my room to rest," Zhiyan said, exasperated as Ouyang Feng remained silent for too long. She did not have the time to continue this standoff with him.
"Hold on, why don't you greet the Family Head when you see him?" Ouyang Feng's expression darkened, and as he released his Spiritual Power, Zhiyan was instantly immobilized on the spot.
Intimidating her the moment they met?
Truly splendid!
Zhiyan's complexion turned icy cold, and a trace of displeasure flashed across her delicate and smooth cheeks, "I've taken to heart the lessons from Spiritual Technique Hall—I would never impersonate anyone, least of all from the Ouyang Family. Oh, and I forgot to tell you, my surname is Leng, Leng Zhiyan. Considering you're nobody to me, why should I greet you?"
Her body was under his control, leaving her uncomfortably rigid where she stood, yet she didn't have the slightest intention of bowing her head. What Ouyang Aristocratic Family? What Ouyang Zhiyan? From this day forward, they could all go to hell!
"Ha ha, so the girl's surname is Leng, not bad, not bad, indeed it suits your character," Situ Ba chimed in, his face beaming with joy. Nothing pleased him more than seeing his old friend lose face. With an Ouyang Jin terrifying enough, and now adding another nine-year-old Advanced-level Sage, tsk tsk, did the Situ Family even have a chance in Jincheng?
"Little one, since you're not from the Ouyang Residence, would you care to be a guest at my house? I promise you the finest silk and jade to wear, Elixirs and tonics in abundance, and if you're willing, I could even recommend you to study at Youlan Academy, a place everyone dreams of..."
Seeing Situ Ba taking the initiative to talk, Xiahou Kong suddenly became anxious. He couldn't care less about any issues of principles or face, and even in the presence of Ouyang Feng, he began to poach talent right away. A talent such as this was a once-in-a-millennium find. Gaining such a person would strengthen a clan, only a stubborn fool like Ouyang Feng would clash with a talent.
Xiahou Kong spoke in a gentle tone, presenting an image of kindness and benevolence, feeling immensely proud of his action. Geniuses are human after all, and humans desire nothing more than fame and opportunity. Ordinary fame and fortune might not interest a freakish genius like Ouyang Zhiyan, but what about Elixirs and tonics?
It's well known that the more freakish the genius, the more Elixirs they consume. Seeing Ouyang Feng's attitude towards her, it was evident she hadn't enjoyed such treatment. Moreover, the opportunity to enter Youlan Academy, a gathering place for young geniuses from across the Mainland, and a paradise for young Sages—as well as a hunting ground for talents from various countries. It could not be said for certain that every graduate of Youlan Academy would be highly regarded by the government, but at least eighty percent would be utilized, with some even becoming rulers in their own right, becoming famous throughout the world.
"Aren't you two going a bit too far?" Ouyang Feng huffed coldly, his face filled with displeasure as he looked towards the two, "Why did you suddenly disappear half a month ago, and what exactly is going on with this room?" Ouyang Feng was out of patience. He unleashed his oppressive power without mercy, attacking Zhiyan. He refused to believe that he, as a Grandmaster, couldn't handle a mere girl. If there truly was a mysterious Expert protecting her, then why not force them out?
"Don't!" Ouyang Peng cried out in panic, lunging towards Zhiyan.
"Grandfather, you mustn't!" Ouyang Jin felt an inexplicable tightness in his chest, his chiseled, elegant features tinged with panic as he too threw himself protectively in front of Zhiyan. For the first time, the father and son stood resolutely on the same side. While Ouyang Feng was surprised, a flame of anger was burning within him. It was one thing for Ouyang Peng to join in the folly, but since when had Jinjin begun to oppose him as well?
As the Head of the Ouyang Family, he would not tolerate resistance from others and certainly did not want to see Ouyang Jin, the family's future heir, standing against him. It was all because of her, this girl. He valued talent, but he valued his face even more. If she couldn't be used by him, then she would have to be destroyed.