Long Xiao had originally planned to retrieve the Ice Marrow after resolving the matter in Mianyang City.
With the Zhang siblings now accompanying him, Long Xiao felt it would be inconvenient, so he decided to head to the Zhang family in Nan Hai Province first, to see Zhang Minlan's grandfather.
Upon learning that Long Xiao and his companions would be returning to the Zhang family with her, Zhang Minlan was so excited that she couldn't sleep well. The next morning, she woke Long Xiao and the others early to set off.
The Zhang siblings' car led the way, with Long Xiao and his group following behind. They expected to get on the highway directly, but instead, the car drove towards the Linzhou City Airport.
At the airport entrance, Zhang Minlan made a phone call. Soon, someone opened the gate for them, and the two cars drove directly onto the tarmac, next to a small transport plane.
Zhang Minlan got out of the car and looked at the transport plane, saying, "The two cars should fit."
Long Xiao looked at the transport plane and felt speechless, thinking, "Are the Zhang family people brainless? Selling those two old cars wouldn't even cover the fuel cost for the transport plane."
Soon, someone came down from the plane and helped them load their cars onto the transport plane.
As Long Xiao and his companions were about to board, Zhang Minlan hurriedly said, "We're not taking this one."
A few minutes after the transport plane took off, a small passenger jet slowly taxied over.
After boarding the plane and settling in, Long Xiao remarked, "Minlan, your Zhang family is truly wealthy and powerful, traveling by plane."
Zhang Minlan smiled and replied, "Not at all. My grandfather is impatient, otherwise, they wouldn't have sent a plane to pick us up."
The plane landed smoothly at the Nankou City Airport, where two Rolls-Royce Phantoms were already waiting on the tarmac.
As Long Xiao and his group disembarked, a burly middle-aged man, leading a few people, walked towards them.
"Dad, I missed you so much," Zhang Minlan rushed forward and hugged the burly middle-aged man.
The middle-aged man hugged Zhang Minlan and said, "Is the esteemed Doctor Long here?"
Zhang Minlan tugged at her father's arm and said, "Dad, let me introduce you. This is the renowned Divine Doctor Long Xiao of the East Sea."
Long Xiao extended his hand and said, "Hello, Mr. Zhang."
Zhang Minlan's father, Zhang Yue, shook hands with Long Xiao and said, "Hello, Divine Doctor Long. Time is tight, let's talk in the car."
Long Xiao nodded and got into a Rolls-Royce Phantom with Zhang Yue.
In the car, Zhang Yue told Long Xiao that his father had been poisoned for three months. They had consulted six or seven doctors and prescribed a lot of medicine, but it could only temporarily suppress the poison, not eliminate it.
In the past few days, the poison had flared up multiple times, and the medication was barely effective. Last night, his father had even vomited blood, and his condition was extremely critical.
After Zhang Yue's explanation, Long Xiao asked, "Tell me about the other details. How old is your father, and who poisoned him?"
Zhang Yue informed Long Xiao that his father, Zhang Yantong, was eighty-three years old and had practiced metaphysics, martial arts, and medicine since childhood. In his youth, he had roamed the martial world and offended many people.
In recent years, Zhang Yantong had lived a reclusive life, cultivating his mind and spirit, attempting to break through to the Heavenly Realm to extend his lifespan, but he had not succeeded.
More than three months ago, someone claimed to have an longevity pill that could extend life by ten years and came to see Zhang Yantong with it, asking for ten billion yuan.
As soon as Zhang Yantong took the longevity pill, he felt as if he had truly become ten years younger. Unexpectedly, three days later, the poison began to act. He hastily concocted an antidote to detoxify himself.
However, his medical skills were insufficient, and he couldn't expel the toxins. Consequently, the Zhang family sought out all the renowned doctors they knew, but they could only expel a small amount of the poison and suppress the remaining toxins.
"Longevity pill?" Long Xiao asked curiously, "Are you sure the person who sold it to your Zhang family was a longevity pill?"
Zhang Yue nodded and said, "I was present during the transaction. The person definitely said it was a longevity pill."
"Can you describe the person's appearance?" Long Xiao asked.
Zhang Yue meticulously described the appearance of the person who sold the pill. Long Xiao pondered for a moment, but he couldn't recall anyone he knew matching that description.
The Zhang family estate was vast, spanning a thousand mu, nestled against the mountains and water. In the front were several buildings, housing the estate's management staff and guests who had dealings with the Zhang family. Behind them lay a serene landscape of small bridges, flowing water, lush flowers, and trees, with scattered Chinese-style houses.
The car stopped at the parking lot in front. Xiao Ming and the others went to the guest rooms to rest. Long Xiao followed Zhang Yue around the front buildings, walking along a quiet path for a while before arriving at a large Chinese-style house.
Before reaching the door, Zhang Yue called out, "Dad, Divine Doctor Long has arrived."
A graceful middle-aged woman opened the door and welcomed Long Xiao and Zhang Yue inside.
The room was filled with the scent of Chinese medicine. Two electric heaters were placed on the floor. On the bed lay a gaunt, tall elder.
As Long Xiao entered, he felt a chilling cold. Although Nan Hai had no winter, it felt like winter inside the room, and the two electric heaters were ineffective.
"The cold is so severe," Long Xiao said, sitting on a chair by the window.
Zhang Yantong weakly opened his eyes. He looked at Long Xiao and tried to recall something, but a slight movement caused him to fail.
"Old man, don't move. Let me take your pulse first."
As Long Xiao spoke, he reached out and grabbed Zhang Yantong's wrist. A surge of coldness entered Long Xiao's body.
Long Xiao's vital energy entered the elder's body, and he carefully observed the situation within Zhang Yantong.
Zhang Yantong's internal organs were enveloped by an icy aura. Long Xiao found it strange, as poisoning didn't manifest like this.
"Mr. Zhang, your father isn't just poisoned, is he?" Long Xiao asked.
Zhang Yue nodded and said, "My father's cultivation technique is inherently cold. After being poisoned, the cold energy he cultivated dispersed, which is why the room is filled with such coldness."
Long Xiao nodded and said, "Detoxification is not difficult, but after detoxification, the cold energy within the elder cannot return to his Dantian, rendering all his years of cultivation futile."
"Divine Doctor Long, as long as he can be detoxified and his life saved, his lost cultivation is unimportant."
Long Xiao shook his head and said, "What worries me now is that after detoxification, if this cold energy cannot return to his Dantian, it will all enter your father's internal organs. At that point, even an immortal couldn't save him."
"Then what should we do?" Zhang Yue asked, looking at Long Xiao with deep anxiety.
Long Xiao released his hand and said, "Let me think of a way. Before I begin detoxification, do not give your father any more detoxifying medicine."
Long Xiao emerged from Zhang Yantong's room and quietly asked, "Mr. Zhang, who else have you invited to see your father?"
Zhang Yue listed the names of six people. Long Xiao then said, "Send someone to investigate these individuals. One of these six people poisoned your father, otherwise, his poisoning wouldn't be this severe."
"How could they possibly poison him? I had them investigated before inviting them here."
"Investigate them again. It's certain that one of them poisoned your father. There's no mistake about it. This person knows your father very well, knows what cultivation technique your father practices, and knows your father's past."
"My father's past?" Zhang Yue asked, puzzled.
Long Xiao nodded and said, "Yes, your father's past. For a long time, your father was exposed to things with a cold aura. The person who poisoned your father should be very familiar with this period of history, otherwise, they wouldn't have administered this kind of poison."
In reality, Long Xiao could detoxify him immediately and could also have the 'Crimson Flame Worm' absorb the cold energy within Zhang Yantong. However, he still wanted to know where the cold energy within Zhang Yantong originated.