Long Xiao and the other two followed Zhang Minlan, enjoying themselves on the island for three days. They visited all the scenic spots and had seafood feasts every day, making Xiao Ming exclaim that lobster was tastier than roast duck.
Each day upon returning to the Zhang family manor, Long Xiao would check on Zhang Yantong. For three days, no one had made a move against him.
On the fourth day, just as Long Xiao and his companions drove away, a Honda car entered the Zhang family manor.
A short man from the island nation alighted from the car. As soon as he stepped out, Zhang Huan, the second brother of Zhang Yue, and his family rushed to greet him.
"Mr. Matsumoto, you're here! That's wonderful," Zhang Huan said, eagerly extending both his hands with a smile.
Matsumoto Tianyi shook hands with Zhang Huan and said in a low voice, "Has someone cured your father's poison?"
Zhang Huan nodded and replied, "Yes, a divine doctor named Long Xiao came from the East Sea and cured him. However, my father's cultivation was not preserved."
Matsumoto Tianyi's face broke into a radiant smile. "Long Xiao is only capable of so much. In the East Sea, the Chinese regard him as a medical immortal."
"You know Long Xiao?" Zhang Huan asked.
Matsumoto Tianyi nodded. "I've met him twice, but we don't interact much. He's very famous in the East Sea, quite an arrogant fellow."
"Mr. Matsumoto, shall we go see my father first?" Zhang Huan asked impatiently.
Matsumoto Tianyi nodded. "Alright, I've long wanted to see your father, but I've been very busy and haven't had the time."
Zhang Yantong was drinking tea when he heard footsteps outside. Seeing people approaching from the window, he quickly got into bed and closed his eyes.
"Dad, Mr. Matsumoto is here to see you," Zhang Huan called out as he entered.
Matsumoto Tianyi placed the gifts he was carrying on the table. "Old Zhang, I heard your poison has been cured."
Zhang Yantong opened his eyes and looked at Matsumoto Tianyi. "Yes, Divine Doctor Long cured me. You needn't have bothered."
Matsumoto Tianyi smiled, pulled a chair to the bedside, and sat down. "Old Zhang, you are my senior brother and my best friend. Of course, I'm worried when you're in trouble. It's good that the poison is gone, but you don't seem happy."
Zhang Yantong sighed. "Of course, I'm not happy. The poison is gone, but all my cultivation is lost. All these years of practice have been in vain."
Hearing Zhang Yantong confess that his cultivation was entirely lost, Matsumoto Tianyi was secretly pleased.
"Senior Brother, we're both of this age. It's fine if cultivation is lost. Enjoying our old age is what matters most."
Zhang Yantong nodded. "You're right. Even with cultivation, I wouldn't live many more years. Everyone dies eventually. As long as one is happy while alive, that's better than anything."
After a brief chat, Matsumoto Tianyi said, "Old Zhang, you have no cultivation anymore, so you shouldn't bother with Zhang family affairs. Pass the patriarch position to your son and enjoy your twilight years."
Zhang Yantong looked at Matsumoto Tianyi. "Matsumoto Tianyi, this is our Zhang family's business. You don't need to worry about it."
Matsumoto Tianyi chuckled. "I'm just looking out for you. We're friends, and your affairs are my affairs."
"No, my affairs are my affairs. I have my own plans for who will become the Zhang family patriarch. You don't need to dictate."
Matsumoto Tianyi sighed. "Alright, I won't interfere with your Zhang family matters. Let's talk about something important."
"What important matter?" Zhang Yantong asked.
"Senior Brother, Master passed all the cultivation techniques to you. Now that you've lost all your cultivation, those techniques are useless..."
Before Matsumoto Tianyi could finish, Zhang Yantong interrupted him. "Stop thinking about those cultivation techniques. Master instructed me not to pass them on. I would rather take them to my grave than give them to anyone."
"Senior Brother, are you not even going to pass them to your own family?" Matsumoto Tianyi asked.
Zhang Yantong glanced at Zhang Huan, who had been standing aside silently. "No. No one will obtain these cultivation techniques."
Zhang Huan and his two brothers only received the Xuan arts, medical skills, and basic cultivation methods taught by Zhang Yantong. They never obtained any of the profound techniques.
The conversation ended unpleasantly. After Matsumoto Tianyi and Zhang Huan left, Zhang Yantong wanted to go out, but two bodyguards at the door stopped him.
"What are you doing?" Zhang Yantong asked, displeased.
The two bodyguards looked at Zhang Yantong but said nothing. As Zhang Yantong tried to move towards the door, the two bodyguards dragged him back into the room and threw him onto the sofa.
Long Xiao and his group had spent the morning playing. As soon as they returned to the Zhang residence, Zhang Minlan was summoned to the conference hall.
This hall was specifically for family gatherings. It was large and ornately decorated.
Entering the hall, Zhang Minlan saw all the Zhang family members present. She didn't dare to ask what was happening and lowered her head, going to her father Zhang Yue's side.
Zhang Huan, seeing all the Zhang family members assembled, casually took the central main seat and announced loudly, "Everyone is here. I have an announcement to make: Father has passed the position of Zhang family patriarch to me."
Hearing that the Zhang family patriarch had given his position to the second son, Zhang Huan, all the Zhang family members were stunned. It was too sudden, and the patriarch himself hadn't even appeared.
"Second brother, what do you mean? Father is perfectly healthy. How could he pass the patriarch position to you?" Zhang Yue asked.
"Third brother, how can you even ask? The divine doctor your daughter brought back, claiming to have cured father's poison, actually only suppressed it. Today, his condition suddenly worsened, and in my haste, he passed the patriarch position to me."
"Nonsense! Father's poison was clearly cured. How could it have relapsed?" Zhang Kai, the eldest brother, glared at Zhang Huan.
The Zhang family members in the hall began to murmur amongst themselves. Except for Zhang Huan's family, none of the other Zhang family members believed that the patriarch position had been given to Zhang Huan.
Long Xiao, seeing Zhang Minlan suddenly called away, felt it was strange. He quickly brought Xiao Ming to see Zhang Yantong.
As they reached the doorway, they were stopped by two bodyguards.
Long Xiao sensed something was amiss and said, "Xiao Ming, deal with them."
Xiao Ming used the bone-dislocating and tendon-pulling technique, subduing the two bodyguards in a few moves and throwing them into the room.
Seeing Long Xiao arrive, Zhang Yantong smiled and asked, "Long Xiao, is something going on?"
Long Xiao nodded and told Zhang Yantong that Zhang Minlan had been called to a hall, indicating that something was happening in the Zhang family.
Zhang Yantong stood up, intending to go and see. Long Xiao quickly said, "Old Mr. Zhang, don't move for now. Let's see what they do next."
Zhang Yantong nodded, sat back down on the sofa, and told Long Xiao about Matsumoto Tianyi's visit with Zhang Huan.
Long Xiao pondered for a moment, then took out some pills from his pocket and examined them, but couldn't find an antidote.
"Xiao Ming, do you have any antidotes?"
Xiao Ming nodded, took out an antidote pill, and handed it to Long Xiao.
Long Xiao gave the antidote pill to Zhang Yantong. "Old Mr. Zhang, Matsumoto Tianyi is skilled in poison. Keep this antidote with you."
As Long Xiao and Xiao Ming were leaving, they took the two bodyguards out of the room, leaving them standing guard at the door again.
"Listen carefully. If you dare to say we were here, I'll chop you both up and feed you to the dogs," Xiao Ming said, brandishing his Xuan Iron cleaver in front of the two bodyguards.
Seeing Xiao Ming's fierce demeanor, the two bodyguards quickly assured him that they would not reveal any information.