"Duck, it's going to release poison!"

Ling Zhenfei was startled. Although he didn't know who shouted, he knew that the creature being referred to was the snake in his hand. He hurriedly threw the snake aside, and just then, he saw a puff of white smoke suddenly spray from the snake's mouth. Without thinking, he knew that the white smoke must be snake poison.

Typically, snake poison is a liquid and sprays out from the teeth. Who would have thought this snake's poison was in the form of a mist? If it weren't for that person's shout, he would have been caught off guard and struck for sure.

The snake responded quickly. After being thrown to the ground by Ling Zhenfei, it immediately lunged at him again with speed that resembled a spring. By then, Ling Zhenfei had made adequate preparations, and naturally wasn't afraid of the creature. He dodged the snake's attack with a swift movement, found himself behind the snake, and grabbed its tail.

The scales on this snake were extremely fine and hard as iron. Ling Zhenfei even doubted that ordinary swords could harm it. However, having grown up in the mountains, he knew how to handle a snake. With a forceful grip, he swung the snake into the ground several times. Normally, a snake would likely have died from this treatment, but this snake appeared unscathed.

Ling Zhenfei inwardly sighed at the extraordinary nature of the snake, but knew killing it was simple. He gathered some Northern Spiritual Energy in his hand and directly channeled it into the snake's body. The impact of the Spiritual Power instantly severed the snake's veins and arteries from within; there were no external wounds, but its internal pathways were completely destroyed, and it immediately stopped moving, evidently dead.

Ling Zhenfei threw the dead snake to the ground and looked toward the direction of the earlier voice, only to see a man standing in the open field. This man was rather dark in complexion, merging with the night, yet Ling Zhenfei still recognized him.

"Zhang Duo, is that you?"

Ling Zhenfei knew this man, named Zhang Duo, a year or two younger than himself and also a villager. His father was Hunter Zhang in the village, also somewhat skilled in Medical Arts. They lived by the forest, sustained by hunting and gathering herbs; during childhood visits to the mountains, Ling Zhenfei had even dined at their home.

"You are?"

It had been a long time since Zhang Duo had seen Ling Zhenfei, combined with the dim light, he didn't recognize him at first.

"I'm Ling Zhenfei. Have you forgotten? We used to chase wild chickens together in the mountains when we were kids."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Duo remembered: "It's really you! I haven't seen you in so many years, and yet your skills have become so impressive. You even managed to kill the Iron Dragon."

This bizarre snake was actually called the Iron Dragon, such a strange name.

"Impressive nothing. If you hadn't warned me about its poison, I probably would have been hit. What are you doing appearing so suddenly at this late hour?"

Ling Zhenfei found Zhang Duo's appearance very strange; appearing in these mountains so late at night surely meant there was a reason.

"We are the Zhang hunters; appearing in these mountains at night is normal. But what brings you up here so late?" Zhang Duo found Ling Zhenfei's arrival strange as well.

Ling Zhenfei laughed: "The Xishan Manor at the foot of Xi Shan is my property, and I've contracted this entire area of Xi Shan. Coming to the mountains at night shouldn't be a problem, right?"

After hearing this, Zhang Duo was somewhat surprised: "The people who have been paving the road up the mountain recently, are they your men?"

Ling Zhenfei confirmed: "Yes, I instructed them to pave the road, for future ease of access."

Zhang Duo didn't respond, but his face bore a hint of disgust. People who lived by the mountain detested those who cut down trees.

Zhang Duo didn't speak, but walked past Ling Zhenfei and picked up the dead Iron Dragon: "Impressive skills, all its meridians are shattered."

Ling Zhenfei hadn't expected Zhang Duo to be so observant and quickly changed the subject, "You haven't said why you're out so late?"

Zhang Duo pointed to the Iron Dragon in his hand and said, "I came for this. I need its gallbladder to make medicine for my father."

"Uncle Zhang is sick?" Ling Zhenfei immediately caught the implications in Zhang Duo's words.

"Yes, my father fell ill. Not long ago, while picking herbs outside, he was ambushed by an Iron Dragon just like the one that attacked you. My dad, lacking your skills, was sprayed by the snake's venom. This Iron Dragon's venom is extremely poisonous; if my dad didn't know some Medical Arts, he would have probably died by now."

"So, how is Uncle Zhang now?" Ling Zhenfei knew Uncle Zhang was a good man, always helping anyone who went up the mountains and sometimes even shared his game with villagers when he had extra. He didn't expect him to fall ill.

"What can I say, he's practically half-dead in bed. He wrote the prescription himself; we have all the ingredients except for this Iron Dragon's gall as a Medicinal Primer."

As he spoke, Zhang Duo began to handle the Iron Dragon, whose scales were as tough as iron. It would be impossible to cut through without a technique. However, Zhang Duo knew exactly what to do, shoving a dagger into the snake's mouth and finding the right spot to easily slice open its skin, much like unzipping a zipper.

While Zhang Duo was busy with the Iron Dragon, Ling Zhenfei had already picked the Moon Holding Flower. It was truly a waste to leave such a rare treasure here.

"Let's go, take me to see Uncle Zhang; I might be able to cure him." Seeing Zhang Duo extract the snake's gallbladder, Ling Zhenfei hurriedly said.

Zhang Duo looked at Ling Zhenfei and said, "You've got to be kidding. When you were a kid, it was my dad who taught you hunting. You think you can cure illnesses?"

"Whether I can cure him or not, trying will do no harm to Uncle Zhang."

Zhang Duo led Ling Zhenfei over a mountain ridge to his home. His house was entirely made of wood. From a distance, the small cabin was pitch black, except for a faint light shining from one of the rooms.

Zhang Duo opened the door and walked in; Ling Zhenfei followed him inside.

Upon entering, they saw Hunter Zhang lying on the bed, extremely frail with a slightly purple complexion—clearly deeply poisoned by the gas. Hearing someone enter, Hunter Zhang slightly opened his eyes, proving he was still alive.

"Uncle Zhang, do you remember me? I'm Ling Zhenfei; I once ate the wild boar meat you stewed when I was a child," Ling Zhenfei approached Hunter Zhang and gently greeted him.

Hunter Zhang looked at Ling Zhenfei with a dim expression, trying hard to remember who Ling Zhenfei was, but his poisoned mind was clearly too slow to recall.

Ling Zhenfei knew that every minute delayed in treatment increased the danger, as the spread of the toxin was rapid.

"I have studied Medical Arts; let me examine you." As he spoke, Ling Zhenfei grasped Hunter Zhang's wrist to take his pulse.

"Uncle Zhang, don't worry, I will definitely cure you,"

Zhang Duo kept preparing the medicine, completely ignoring Ling Zhenfei's words, as if he knew Ling Zhenfei was just talking nonsense.

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