After not speaking for decades, Xiao Feng couldn't be sure if his language ability had deteriorated.

However, he remembered watching a movie where a man and a cow lived on a mountain for many years, and when the man came down, he indeed had a language barrier.

If what the old man said was true, that no one had spoken to him for decades, it would be understandable if he lost the ability to express himself verbally.

However, this wasn't what attracted Xiao Feng the most.

What intrigued Xiao Feng the most was the pen and ink on the table. The ink wasn't the usual black, but an ink green.

In addition, the brush's hair and the texture of the paper were quite unusual.

Seeing Xiao Feng's confusion, the old man wrote: "The paper is made of sheepskin, the ink is made by me using bamboo leaves, once it dries on the sheepskin, the writing disappears."

Xiao Feng nodded in understanding, "May I know your honorable surname, sir?"

"No need for honorifics, my surname is Sun, with the given name Zhong." The old man dipped the brush in ink and wrote in traditional characters.

"Surname Sun?" Xiao Feng was taken aback, a suspicion emerged in his mind.

Could this elder named Sun Zhong be related to Sun Shijie?

Or could he outright be kin to Sun Shijie?

Just as he was about to ask, Sun Zhong gently nudged Xiao Feng's shoulder and wrote on the paper, "Try the tea leaves this old man has fried."

Xiao Feng didn't refuse, picked up the teacup, looked at the emerald green tea, put it to his nose, and immediately his pupils contracted.

The tea had a faint herbal medicine scent.

Judging from this discovery, his suspicion might be right, that the other party, like Sun Shijie, was skilled in using medicines.

Realizing this, Xiao Feng held his breath, not daring to inhale more of the 'tea aroma'.

The incident of being poisoned by Shao Wenxing in Huangshu Village still left Xiao Feng with lingering fears, so when facing this group, he instinctively became more cautious.

"Smells nice, tastes good," Xiao Feng casually praised, nonchalantly placing the teacup down without drinking the tea.

Sun Zhong chuckled, writing, "If it smells good, you might as well taste it."

Xiao Feng suddenly felt an urge to laugh. So eager to make someone drink tea, wasn't it obvious there was something wrong with the tea?

However, he might as well go along with the act and see what the other party's real intention was.

"Okay, okay!" Xiao Feng smiled and lifted the teacup again, but midway, he shook his head and frowned, "Why do I feel dizzy?"

"Crash!"

The teacup slipped from his hand and spilled the tea on the ground, and because it was dirt, the cup didn't break.

Leaning back in the chair, Xiao Feng held his head, looking pained.

He didn't know if the other party had done something to make people feel dizzy, but this was somewhat of a gamble.

The next moment, the other party snorted coldly, wrote a series of words on the sheepskin, and spread it out in front of him.

Xiao Feng knew he had bet correctly, but the scene looked like a police officer handing out an arrest warrant.

Feigning a dazed look, Xiao Feng read the words.

"Who are you?

Who sent you?

If you don't want to die, answer honestly."

Feigning weakness, Xiao Feng replied, "It's... It's Sun Shijie... who sent me."

Sun Zhong looked shocked, implying clearly that he knew Sun Shijie.

"Wait, I'll get the antidote." Sun Zhong wrote on the paper.

Just as Xiao Feng was about to explain it was unnecessary, he suddenly felt his neck being strangled, tightening more and more.

The old hunchback man who was just in front of him suddenly appeared behind, clutching a hemp rope with both hands, increasing force.

Xiao Feng was astonished, for the force at that moment wasn't something an old man in his eighties could possess.

He couldn't continue the charade!

Xiao Feng yanked the rope with his hand, causing Sun Zhong to lose control and crash into the chair back.

"Ah!"

After a painful cry, Sun Zhong fell to the ground, struggling to get up but failing repeatedly.

Those five words, 'Time spares no one', were thoroughly exemplified at this moment.

"For your age, your brain works pretty well." Xiao Feng flexed his neck, rubbed it, knowing it was no major issue, but couldn't avoid a superficial injury.

Though he didn't know the exact reason for the sudden attack, it must be some flaw he showed.

However, now was clearly not the time for these concerns.

Before Xiao Feng could speak, Sun Zhong coldly chuckled, "The... rope... is... poisoned."

He knew his language shortcomings, so he made his words as concise as possible.

Looking at the rope by his feet, Xiao Feng was dumbstruck.

Good heavens!

Not great at saving people, but when it comes to harming, you're quite adept. What's the deal with your family?

There's no denying, Xiao Feng was somewhat flustered, quickly fetching the antidote Sun Shijie gave him, regardless of its effectiveness, tossing two pills into his mouth.

Then, he turned to leave the courtyard.

Priority was to regroup with the main team.

Following the route he recalled, Xiao Feng soon found Lin Zhiyan and the others, feeling no discomfort along the way.

"Xiao Feng Gege, what happened to your neck?" the young girl asked concerned.

Xiao Feng shook his head, looking at Sun Shijie, "Does your family have someone named Sun Zhong?"

"Sun Zhong?" Sun Shijie looked incredulous, "How do you know Sun Zhong? Could it be..."

"That's right, I've just met him." Xiao Feng confirmed with a nod.

"Where? Take me there!" Sun Shijie urged excitedly.

Xiao Feng held out his hand, "Let's solve my issue first. That old guy poisoned me."

Sun Shijie took a deep breath, suppressing his impatience. After checking Xiao Feng's pulse, he frowned, "Your pulse is normal, you're not poisoned."

Xiao Feng breathed a sigh of relief, then briefly recounted his encounter.

"It's not a big issue. Sun Zhong was my Scholar's Assistant when he was young. He didn't originally have the Sun surname, but after being bought, he took on our surname. His skills are quite poor, only knowing those few inherited tricks, my antidote can cure them," Sun Shijie said.

Xiao Feng glanced at Su Yuzhuo, feeling Sun Zhong's story was somewhat akin to Iwakami Shigehiro's, both changing their original surnames after joining the main family.

"Take me to him quickly, over time something might happen," Sun Shijie urged anxiously.

Xiao Feng nodded in agreement, signaling everyone to follow as he led them towards Sun Zhong's bamboo house.

However, at the moment of turning, he couldn't help but pause.

Because at that moment, a thick fog had risen in the woods.

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