"Young Master Fang, please rest a while in one of our finest rooms."
"I will fetch the Bodhi Fruit right away to repay your great kindness!"
Bai Jiang emerged from the room with reddened eyes and bowed deeply to Fang Ling.
"Young Master Fang, please follow me!" Bai Bo hurried forward to lead Fang Ling to a guest room to rest.
Along the way, every servant and guest retainer of the White Family who witnessed this was stunned.
The White Family's usually haughty second master was actually treating this young man with such courtesy.
Meanwhile, in the small hall where the physicians were discussing the illness.
Not much time had passed since Fang Ling left.
They were still deep in a heated discussion, trying to identify the poison afflicting the White Family's young lady.
Just then, Bai Jiang walked in.
Bai Jiang was a renowned figure in the Southern Sun Kingdom's cultivation world.
Although the physicians present all had some standing themselves, none dared slight him.
As soon as they saw him, they rose to greet him.
"White Family Head, has there been a change in your daughter's condition?" asked Physician Dou, the most authoritative among them.
Unable to conceal the joy on his face, Bai Jiang replied, "Yes, the poison afflicting my daughter has been dispelled."
"But I would still like you to examine her, Physician Dou. Sorry for the trouble."
"Please prescribe something to help my daughter regain her health as soon as possible."
The physicians present were all rather surprised to hear this.
They had examined her only a short while ago. The poison had clearly sunk deep beyond curing and thoroughly become one with her.
How had it suddenly been dispelled just like that?
"White Family Head, what exactly happened?" the gray-robed elder hastily asked.
He had come to the White Family for that Bodhi Fruit.
Now that the young lady's poisoning had been cured, he would have no chance of obtaining that treasure.
"All the credit goes to Divine Physician Fang. His miraculous hands restored her to health and removed the toxins accumulated in her body," Bai Jiang replied.
"Divine Physician Fang? Is there a divine physician surnamed Fang in our Southern Sun Kingdom?"
"I've never heard of him!"
"What remarkable skill, to dispel such a strange poison."
The physicians whispered among themselves, intensely curious about this Divine Physician Fang.
"White Family Head, might I ask where this Divine Physician Fang comes from?" the gray-robed elder pressed.
"I'm not entirely sure myself," Bai Jiang said mildly. "But he was here earlier. You should all have seen him."
"Could it be that young man from earlier?" Physician Dou murmured, her beautiful eyes widening.
Fang Ling was the only person who had left this reception hall earlier. No one else had stepped outside.
Many of them also recalled Fang Ling, whom they had previously overlooked. They had never expected someone so young to possess such skill.
The disciple beside the gray-robed elder looked utterly incredulous. "Impossible! That fellow was about my age, and he didn't smell of medicinal herbs at all. One glance was enough to tell he was an amateur."
"White Family Head, don't let him deceive you."
"Have my master examine your daughter right away. That fellow might have used some sleight of hand."
Bai Jiang snorted coldly. "Silence! Do you think I lack the discernment to tell whether my daughter has been cured?"
Fang Ling had saved his daughter and was already a great benefactor in his heart. He would not tolerate anyone speaking ill of him.
Bai Jiang's rebuke frightened the arrogant young man pale. He hid behind the gray-robed elder and hastily lowered his head, not daring to say more.
Seeing Bai Jiang's anger, the gray-robed elder quickly said, "Please calm yourself, White Family Head. I have failed to discipline my disciple."
"Zi Sheng, do you know where you are? Is it your place to speak?"
"This disciple admits his mistake!" he hastily confessed.
Given his standing, Bai Jiang naturally would not pursue the matter.
He immediately led Physician Dou, the gray-robed elder, and the others to his daughter's bedchamber.
Physician Dou sat beside the bed and personally took her pulse.
The others sensed her aura through the bed curtains.
"How is my daughter?" Bai Jiang asked softly after a while.
Although he was confident in his own judgment, he still wanted to hear what these renowned physicians had to say.
Physician Dou withdrew her hand and nodded gently. "There are indeed no toxins remaining in your daughter's body."
"But this bout of poisoning damaged her health. Once she has recovered a little, she will need proper nourishment."
"I will write a prescription now to help restore her health."
"Thank you for your trouble, Physician Dou." Bai Jiang was completely reassured.
He then looked at the gray-robed elder and the others, whose conclusions were the same.
His daughter's breathing had now returned to normal, though it was still somewhat weak.
"By the way, is Divine Physician Fang still in the residence?" Physician Dou suddenly asked.
"I would like to pay him a visit."
"He is in the guest room next to yours and your disciple's," Bai Jiang replied.
Seeing that the other physicians also wanted to visit, he turned to them and said, "Divine Physician Fang is currently a guest in my residence. If you wish to visit him, please choose an appropriate time."
"If you all swarm over at once, you will inevitably disturb his peace."
The physicians gave sheepish smiles and murmured their agreement, then each left in embarrassment.
"Master, do you think the Netherworld Beast in the inn's stable could be Divine Physician Fang's mount?" Physician Dou's disciple asked as they walked along the covered corridor.
"Even you said the poison afflicting Sister Bai was troublesome, yet he dispelled it with a mere wave of his hand."
"That means he must be more skilled than you, Master, so there's a good chance he owns that Netherworld Beast."
The beautiful woman also thought it highly likely. Otherwise, how could such a coincidence exist?
"Don't come inside with me in a moment. I'm afraid your loose tongue will offend him," she said.
"I wouldn't! I... this disciple obeys!" The girl had wanted to argue, but when the beautiful woman shot her a fierce glance, she lowered her banners and stilled her drums.
Before long, the two arrived at Fang Ling's guest room.
The beautiful woman gave her disciple a look, and the girl immediately headed back to her own room.
After the girl returned to her room, the beautiful woman raised her hand and knocked gently on the door.
"Come in!" Fang Ling's voice came from inside.
After entering, she bowed gracefully to Fang Ling. "I am Dou Qin. My respects to you!"
"Fang Ling," he said, introducing himself as well. "May I ask what guidance you have for me, miss?"
"I wouldn't presume to offer guidance. I'm merely curious about what poison afflicted Miss Bai Ying," Dou Qin asked.
"Although I am no sage of the healing arts, I have studied medicine for many years."
"I have encountered more strange poisons than I could count, yet I have never seen such a bizarre and potent toxin."
Fang Ling smiled. "She wasn't actually poisoned. A venomous insect had taken up residence in her body."
"The symptoms she displayed were already the result of that insect doing everything it could to suppress its poison."
"What venomous insect could be so formidable?" Dou Qin asked, somewhat surprised.
"I have cultivated the medical arts for five hundred years, and my spiritual power has already developed considerable detoxifying properties."
"Yet even so, my spiritual power had no effect whatsoever on that insect's toxins."
"If, as you say, this was merely poisonous vapor that leaked out despite the insect deliberately restraining itself, then under normal circumstances..."
"The Seven-Colored Heavenly Butterfly. Have you heard of it?" Fang Ling asked.
"Never." Dou Qin shook her head. "Is the insect still alive? Could you let me broaden my horizons...?"
"There's no need," Fang Ling said. "I'm afraid you'll be poisoned to death. It should be quite irritable right now."
"Very well!" Dou Qin did not press the matter. "Then I won't disturb you any further. Farewell!"
Before you continue