If one were to ignore the innkeeper's wide, furious eyes, the atmosphere could actually be described as harmonious.
"Do you take me for a three-year-old child?"
Even if one were to deceive, one should at least fabricate a credible lie. This reason, which was clearly fabricated out of thin air, treated him like a fool?
The Poison Elder stroked his chin, looking Gu Santu up and down.
A three-year-old child? Your bearded face looks at least thirty!
Nan Shiying had originally intended to conceal her identity and stay in the town to inquire about her mother's whereabouts, but she didn't want to bring trouble upon herself. Since the secret guards had investigated for months without finding anything, how could she expect to find clues as soon as she arrived? Since she couldn't find anything, why invite unnecessary trouble over an issue of identity?
The inn's guards stood behind the innkeeper, holding clubs, poised to strike. As soon as the innkeeper gave the order, these suspicious individuals would be driven out of Medicine King Valley's territory.
Was this a place where they could run rampant!
Nan Shiying gave a wry smile, took out a jade pendant from her embrace, and threw it over. The innkeeper caught it and looked down.
The innkeeper might not be able to recognize whose jade pendant it was, but he recognized Medicine King Valley's mark. However, his family had been subservient to Medicine King Valley for generations, and this inn had been open for decades. He dared not claim to know many people from Medicine King Valley, but the two before him were utterly unfamiliar. Even with the jade pendant from Medicine King Valley in their hands, it couldn't dispel the innkeeper's suspicion.
Clutching the jade pendant, he clasped his hands together, cupped them, and bowed to Nan Shiying and the other two. His tone softened as he asked, "Are you honored physicians from Medicine King Valley?"
Honored physicians?
A physician is a physician. Why add "honored"?
Perhaps it was due to the influence of the Longevity Sect that Nan Shiying was particularly disgusted by words like "honored."
Her brows furrowed slightly, and the innkeeper's heart tightened.
He signaled to the guards beside him. The guard at the very back quietly retreated. He thought his movements were unobserved, but Nan Shiying and the other two had seen everything.
Nan Shiying spoke, her voice clear, "We are physicians."
The difference between a physician and an honored physician was a thousand miles apart.
The jade pendant was smooth and fine, with the mark of Medicine King Valley clearly visible. When touched with a fingertip, one could faintly feel some of the unique granular texture of the mark. When warmed by the hand, it emitted a scent of fragrant lily.
Fragrant lily was a unique herb found in the mountains of Medicine King Valley. While not extremely rare in the world, only people from Medicine King Valley used this fragrance to soak their jade pendants. The jade pendant was genuine, but whether these two before him were genuine could not yet be determined.
The Poison Elder had been gone for seven to eight years. In these years, tormented by蛊虫 day and night, his appearance had aged considerably. Those who were not familiar with him would indeed find it difficult to recognize him. Seeing that the innkeeper did not respond, Nan Shiying said no more. Since the other party had gone to summon people, they would wait.
"Innkeeper, a pot of tea."
Nan Shiying did not ask for the jade pendant back, but instead called out, walked directly to the table in the center of the lobby, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
...
The inn's guards emerged from the backyard and galloped towards the mountain entrance. The entrance to Medicine King Valley was located at Half-Sky Abyss at the foot of the mountain. It was named Half-Sky Abyss because there were two sheer rock faces, each 15 feet high, that curved to meet at the top, leaving only a narrow crevice. The area was surrounded by water, and entry required a boat. After entering Half-Sky Abyss and traveling fifteen feet by boat, one would truly enter the mountain gate.
Medicine King Valley had guards stationed at Half-Sky Abyss. If they were outmatched and unable to resist, they could retreat to the mountain gate by boat, and with abundant supplies, they could hold out for a hundred years.
Gui Sha Sect's advantage lay in the terrain; Medicine King Valley's advantage was also in its terrain.
...
"Sir, someone is impersonating an honored physician from Medicine King Valley."
The guard, panting heavily, had not yet stopped. Upon seeing the green figure standing at Half-Sky Abyss, he immediately shouted.
This cry was carried by the wind and echoed back by the rock faces. Those with robust health and keen hearing could hear almost all of it. Hearing that someone dared to impersonate a person from Medicine King Valley here, everyone felt that the other party was courting death. Such behavior was undoubtedly self-destructive.
The green figure heard this and slowly turned around, revealing a face with broad eyes and a serene expression.
He held out a cup of water to the guard. His every movement exuded elegance and peace, instantly washing away the guard's haste. "Have some water, and speak slowly."
He didn't believe that anyone would dare to impersonate someone from Medicine King Valley at their doorstep. There were thousands of ways to seek a path in this world, but this was the most foolish and blind.
The guard's back slightly bent as he took the cup with both hands, thanked him, and drank the water in one gulp. The sweet, cool water flowed down his throat, and the guard let out a sigh. After putting down the cup, he began to speak, "It's like this..."
He described the strange demeanor of the three individuals and the matter of the jade pendant. Upon hearing about the jade pendant, the man's eyes lit up. A week prior, there had been rumors that Feng Luan and the Poison Ancestor had passed through Xiling Commandery on their way to Medicine King Valley. Qing Zhu and Qing Yuan had been sitting on the broken bridge on the mountain every day, looking to and fro like waiting wives. Now they had finally arrived. However, he couldn't understand why, if they had already arrived, they didn't ascend the mountain directly.
He frowned, then relaxed.
Since their identities had been revealed, no one could criticize when they entered the mountain.
"You go back first and inform your innkeeper to treat them with utmost respect. If my guess is correct, those three are the Poison Elder, the long-absent esteemed physician and poison master of Medicine King Valley, and his only disciple, Feng Luan. I will go inform the honored physicians in the valley now."
Upon hearing that the individuals were indeed honored physicians from Medicine King Valley, the guard trembled. The sweat that had subsided instantly reappeared. However, it was sweat from running before, and now it was cold sweat.
"Yes, yes, I'll go back now."
The guard turned and galloped back, fearing that the innkeeper might have truly acted roughly towards the honored physicians. They had lived at the foot of Medicine King Valley for generations and knew the reputation of the esteemed physician and poison master of this generation very well.
He was the junior disciple brother of the current Valley Master of Medicine King Valley. He had entered the mountain gate in his teens and left the mountain in his early twenties, possessing unparalleled talent, so much so that even the current Valley Master could only look up to him.
As for his disciple, although he had not heard of her before, being taken in by him, she was likely a genius rarely encountered in a century. However, he couldn't understand why the disciple seemed to be in charge, and it was the disciple who spoke.