After Situ Yunfeng was flung out, he fell heavily to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"Pah, pah, pah!"
He spat out the dust from his mouth, looking at Ye Lingyuan with a wronged expression and saying, "Ah Yuan, your move is truly vicious! You almost knocked out this young master's teeth."
Ye Lingyuan's expression turned cold. "Hmph! This is a lesson for you. Next time you dare to call her 'Little Lingling' again, I will surely knock out one of your teeth!"
Situ Yunfeng couldn't help but shiver, looking at Zi Linling for help. "Linlin, won't you say something to him!"
Zi Linling chuckled. "Situ, your welcome gift is very special. I like it very much."
Situ Yunfeng was stunned. "You... you both value love over friendship!"
How could he forget that these two were both more cunning than the other?
"Hm?"
Ye Lingyuan let out a hum and glanced at Situ Yunfeng with raised eyebrows.
Zi Linling looked at him dangerously. "The welcome gift was nice. How about another round?"
"Since Lin'er likes it, then..."
Ye Lingyuan stretched his ankles, ready to kick at any moment for the sake of his beauty.
"Stop, stop, stop! This young master admits he's wrong, alright!"
Situ Yunfeng quickly called out to stop.
He was sure that Ye Lingyuan, this wife-pampering maniac, would definitely sell him out as a brother just to make his beauty smile.
Zi Linling teased. "Are you really wrong?"
Ye Lingyuan also threatened Situ Yunfeng.
Situ Yunfeng nodded with a pained expression.
Others might say a powerful dragon cannot overpower a local snake, but for him, it had become a local snake unable to overpower a dragon crossing the river.
Fine!
A wise man doesn't fight a battle he can't win.
He, a dignified man, felt no shame in admitting fault to avoid embarrassment!
"Just nodding and not speaking? Are you dissatisfied with this family head?"
Seeing Situ Yunfeng's glum face, Zi Linling couldn't resist teasing him again.
"Hm?"
Ye Lingyuan hummed again, and his foot slowly lifted.
Situ Yunfeng quickly interjected with a joke. "How dare I! This young master has prepared a feast for the beautiful and generous Patriarch Zi. Please, Patriarch Zi, move inside the valley."
He smiled obsequiously, slightly angled his body, placed his left hand behind his back, and extended his right palm, making a standard gesture of invitation.
Of course, if he had bowed at a forty-five-degree angle, it would have been more like the gentleman's bow of Zi Linling's previous life.
"Since Young Master Situ's invitation is so sincere, this family head will not refuse! Little Fengzi, lead the way!"
Zi Linling chuckled and walked forward with an air of pride.
"Little Fengzi?"
Ye Lingyuan's lips curved slightly into a joyful smile.
Situ Yunfeng's obsequious smile froze on his face.
Little Fengzi—Little Madman!
Why did the nickname "Little Fengzi" make him so infuriated?
However, it was worth it for the sake of making his beauty smile!
Of course, only Zi Linling dared to call him that. If it were another woman, Situ Yunfeng would have beaten her so badly that her own grandmother wouldn't recognize her.
Situ Yunfeng was so anxious waiting for the two that the place where he met them was still two li away from the valley entrance.
The three walked towards the entrance, half-joking.
At the valley entrance stood a two-meter-tall stone tablet, inscribed with the words "Medicine King Valley" in bold, powerful strokes that were as vigorous as a startled dragon, yet also unrestrained and elegant, forming a unique style.
Beneath the stone tablet stood an old man.
The old man, dressed as a butler, saw the trio and stepped forward, bowing respectfully. "Young Master!"
Situ Yunfeng said, "Elder Sun, I told you to go back first."
Elder Sun smiled bitterly. "With the Young Master still outside the valley, how could this old servant dare to leave first?"
After speaking, he bowed to Ye Lingyuan. "Sun Miao greets His Royal Highness, the King of Hell!"
Ye Lingyuan smiled faintly. "Elder Sun, long time no see!"
Elder Sun was flattered. "Long time no see! Your Royal Highness, the King of Hell, seems much more cheerful."
He said this because over ten years ago, when Ye Lingyuan had stayed at Medicine King Valley for a while, he had a perpetually stern expression and never smiled.
Before Ye Lingyuan could speak, Situ Yunfeng interjected. "Elder Sun, Ah Yuan has a beauty by his side, so of course, he's in an excellent mood."
"Congratulations to His Royal Highness, the King of Hell, then!"
Elder Sun bowed again, his gaze falling on Zi Linling.
He smiled kindly. "This must be the recently renowned Patriarch Zi, and the King of Hell's Consort, Miss Zi, correct?"
Zi Linling nodded and smiled faintly. "Hello, Elder Sun, I am Zi Linling!"
Elder Sun's expression turned serious. "Medicine King Valley's butler, Sun Miao, greets Miss Zi!"
Zi Linling quickly helped him up. "Elder Sun, you are too kind!"
Although Sun Miao called himself a butler, Zi Linling observed that he was far more than just a butler.
Or rather, Situ Jing Lei and Situ Yunfeng didn't treat Elder Sun as an outsider at all.
Elder Sun smiled. "Your Royal Highness, the King of Hell, Miss Zi, please!"
As he spoke, he pressed a spot next to the stone tablet, and something at the valley entrance was removed.
Situ Yunfeng explained to Zi Linling, "There's a protective barrier at the valley entrance to keep out unwanted visitors."
"Mm!" Zi Linling nodded.
Indeed, Medicine King Valley was not a place anyone could just enter.
Ye Lingyuan was not surprised by any of this. He had stayed at Medicine King Valley before and knew these things.
Situ Yunfeng led the way, followed by Ye Lingyuan and Zi Linling, with Elder Sun at the rear.
As the four entered, the barrier that had just been removed reappeared.
Beyond the valley entrance was a large open area.
The open area was divided into many medicinal fields, planted with different herbs.
There were small paths in between the fields for management and for people to walk.
At this moment, many people were moving about in the fields.
Some were weeding, some were harvesting, and some were planting.
"Eh! Young Master is back! Look, the two behind him, the man is so handsome, and the woman is so beautiful!"
Someone shouted, and everyone stopped their work, looking towards the four.
No, to be precise, they looked towards the three. Elder Sun, of course, was naturally excluded.
Situ Yunfeng's charming, alluring eyes flicked up, and he smiled, waving his hand. "Thank you all for your hard work!"
His demeanor was somewhat like a leader inspecting his subordinates.
Ye Lingyuan's mouth twitched, and he almost kicked Situ Yunfeng, that embarrassment, away.
Zi Linling looked strangely at Situ Yunfeng, then pulled Ye Lingyuan back a few steps, as if saying, "I don't know this guy."
The butler, Sun Miao, chuckled and shook his head, saying nothing.
Situ Yunfeng continued to shout slogans as he led the three along the small paths through the medicinal fields.
"Young Master Situ is here to encourage us!"
The people in the medicinal fields heard Situ Yunfeng's words, their faces lit up with joy, and they chorused, "Thank you, Young Master, for your concern. We are not tired!"
Then, everyone watched as Situ Yunfeng and the other three disappeared from view before continuing their work.