Guan Ya, the queen, Jiang Jingwei, Li Chunfeng, and Xie Lingxi followed him into the hospital building. Wei Yuanzhou glanced over the patrol team from Songhai, a subtle surprise flickering in his calm, gentle eyes. They wore uniform operational attire, led by Yuan Shi Tianzun and that mixed-blood beauty. While Yuan Shi Tianzun was unremarkable, the mixed-blood woman—her hair slightly wavy—was strikingly stylish and vibrant. High-calf military boots, tactical long pants tucked into the boots, a black stretch vest, and a light-colored outer coat. Her long legs, slender waist, and full, ample figure were displayed with grace, yet she carried a strong, spirited presence, neither overly delicate nor soft. The other young woman, adorned with silver earrings, wore the same outfit but appeared more graceful and delicate, with less of a commanding air. As for the two younger girls, full of youthful energy, they looked more like high school students fresh out of military training or female influencers who enjoy dressing up for cosplay. Of course, Wei Yuanshou was not surprised by the beauty of the female members of the patrol team. What struck him was that he had watched the match arena performances and knew both Guan Ya and Jiang Jingwei—knew their standing. A team with three Sages in its ranks was no small feat. ... In the special care ward, Zhang Yuancheng met Bai Hu Wansui. The young man he remembered as resolute and spirited now lay unconscious on a hospital bed, wearing a patient gown, with an oxygen mask and IV lines, his face pale and lifeless. His warm, wheat-colored skin lacked luster and vitality. Guan Ya, Li Chunfeng, and Wei Yuanshou entered the ward together, while the others remained outside. "How is he?" Zhang Yuancheng asked, looking at the handsome and gentle Jinghai City team leader. "The external injuries are manageable," he replied. "The real challenge lies with the parasites and their toxins. The parasites that have taken up residence in his organs have been successfully eliminated, but there are still large numbers of eggs circulating in his blood. We now have to exchange his blood every day." Wei Yuanzhou sighed, "The venom has been largely expelled, though a small portion remains in the body, requiring time for elimination." His voice was low, as if afraid of disturbing the sleeping White Tiger Emperor, and he gently handed over a document, speaking softly, "The first attack occurred at his home. The assailant had obtained his address and set up a ambush there. When the White Tiger Emperor burst out of the room, the attacker pursued him for several kilometers. The commotion became too great, so they were forced to abandon the pursuit and flee. Here is the investigation report. Please review it. Should you have any questions, feel free to ask me." The saint's tone was gentle and his actions meticulous. Zhang Yuancheng sensed a natural grace and refinement—'a gentleman of quiet dignity, smooth and polished'—that immediately endears him to others. Unlike the attendants from Songhai and Hangcheng, who carried an undercurrent of reserve and superiority. "Thank you!" Zhang Yuancheng smiled warmly, took the document, and without opening it, passed it on to Guan Ya. Guan Ya unfolded the file, looked down, carefully read through the investigation report, and furrowed her brows. "The killer is a Level 4 spirit-medium, not someone from the evil organization. He's likely an independent practitioner with a deep grudge against Bai Hu Wan Shi. Who has he offended?" The second part of the sentence she asked directly to Wei Yuanzhou. Wei Yuanzhou shook his head. "I'm not sure." "Then how do you know the killer is an independent practitioner?" Guan Ya scoffed. "If the killer were a member of the evil organization, he could easily have collected DNA samples from Bai Hu Wan Shi's residence and borrowed a curse artifact from the organization. Even though the curse wouldn't work directly through blood, it would still severely weaken Bai Hu Wan Shi. With that, he could then strike again, ensuring Bai Hu Wan Shi's certain death. Yet the killer chose to enter the home, spreading the venom and insect eggs on the door handles and dispersing them into the air, then fought Bai Hu Wan Shi while he was poisoned. This clearly shows the killer is not from the evil organization—he doesn't have access to a curse-effective artifact." The curse is a skill that only a 6th-level sage can master. Wei Yuanshou nodded slightly, agreeing with her assessment. Zhang Yuancheng asked, "What about the second attack?" Guan Ya replied, "During the second attack, he infiltrated the hospital, closely detonated the larva inside Bai Hu Wan Shi's body, then broke through to the special care ward, attempting to kill him. But he was intercepted by Wei's team." Wei Yuanshou sighed, "Unfortunately, he managed to escape. "Let me describe the spiritual healer's basic characteristics: medium height, middle-aged to elderly. Though he was wearing a mask and hat at the time, his hair along the temples was noticeably white, and his face bore clear signs of wrinkles. His physical abilities were average; the type of parasitic condition he caused was toxin-based, with moderate speed and strength. Additionally, the killer demonstrated exceptional expertise in the art of using insect eggs and tiny parasites, skillfully dispersing them into the air. "One simply has to be careless to fall victim to them." "Guan Ya added, 'Based on the killer's actions, he might launch a third attack—or he might choose to retreat. It all depends on the depth of his resentment toward Bai Hu Wanyi.' It seems we need to wake Bai Hu Wanyi first. Honestly, I'd rather not have to use him... Zhang Yuanqing immediately reached out and grasped the air, drawing forth a staff woven from vines, its tip set with a jade-green gemstone. With Fei Yuanzhou's astonished gaze, he pointed the staff toward Bai Hu Wanyi, activating the healing properties of the artifact. The jade-green gemstone emitted a pure, gentle glow of green light, enveloping Bai Hu Wanyi on the hospital bed. A few seconds later, black streaks of blood began to rise on Bai Hu Wanyi's face, and beneath the skin, countless small insects surged and writhed, as though startled and eager to escape their host. 'Oof!' Bai Hu Wanyi's head tilted to one side, and he collapsed onto the bedside, retching violently, spewing out thick, foul-smelling blood. Within the blood, countless tiny worms wriggled and moved. This process lasted several minutes, the once-clean tiles now streaked with blood and writhing worms. Guan Ya turned and stepped out of the special care ward, calling for Jiang Jingwei. "Hmm, truly repulsive!" Jiang Jingwei's face showed no disgust; instead, he gently tapped a worm with his foot. "You're the one who's making things unpleasant—hurry up and eliminate the pests," Guan Ya urged. Jiang Jingwei nodded, then exhaled sharply, sending a stream of hot flame that licked at the worms, making them thrash wildly before settling down in quiet, smoky ruin, filling the ward with a pungent, charred aroma. "Hmm..." Bai Hu Wan Shui groaned, his eyes slowly opening with a sense of drowsy confusion, gazing blankly at Guan Ya and Zhang Yuanqing. After a few seconds, a visible glow of joy spread across his pale face: "Lord Tianzun, Guan Ya, how have you both come to be here..." Just as he finished speaking, the strain of his wound caused his voice to shift into a soft groan. "They say you've been assassinated. The Jinghai branch has requested assistance from Songhai, and upon hearing this, I've volunteered to come and help you. Rest assured, as long as I'm here, no one can harm you." Zhang Yuanqing stood by the bedside, speaking seriously. Bai Hu Wan Shui stared at him, his eyes flashing with emotion—surprise, gratitude, and a sense of being honored—before quickly masking them and murmured, "Thank you." "With both of you here, I feel secure. Otherwise, I might have been killed without any clear reason—completely unprepared for what happened. I didn't even know that man had any grudge against me, and he was constantly watching me like he was going to strike." Upon hearing this, Zhang Yuanqing and Guan Ya exchanged glances. Zhang furrowed his brow and said, "So you're saying you don't know who the attackers are? That's right—we've investigated and analyzed the situation, and we suspect the killer may have a personal grudge against you. It's not simply a matter of a typical evil organization targeting the lawful faction. Have you recently developed any conflicts with anyone?" The White Tiger, his head rocking gently on the soft pillow, said: "He's covered in a veil—I can't see his face. But I should be unfamiliar with the attacker. Think about it: I've only just been promoted to the Saint rank for less than a month. If there were an enemy at the Saint level, could I have survived to reach the Killing Instance? Most astonishingly, he even knows exactly where I live. I'm a scout, after all. If someone were following me, I wouldn't have failed to notice." This is interesting—though I dream of becoming a detective like Sherlock Holmes, I'm really only half the job. Zhang Yuanqing felt both headache and delight. Cases of this modest complexity yet surprisingly unusual were ideally suited for him to play the detective, yet in reality, he was quite an underachiever. Well, at least—though the big detective's assistant soldier has left, there's still a young, beautiful female assistant. Zhang Yuanqing glanced at the mixed-race, graceful woman with a round face. "What do you think?" Guan Ya was both exasperated and amused. "Don't you want to emulate the great detective solving cases?" "This case I can't handle—it has to be you who looks into it!" The scouts are never fooled, but I mustn't say anything—otherwise, I'll feel awkward... Ah, what Guan Ya really means is that I should use astrological observation to examine the facial features of the "Ever-Long White Tiger." If any signs of misfortune or bloodshed appear, it would indicate that the murderer is likely to strike again soon. Oh well, this kind of investigation method lacks real technical depth. Zhang Yuanqing sighed, his eyes glowing with a brilliant radiance, like the Milky Way condensed within. Instantly, the twelve zodiac houses of the White Tiger's face came into sharp, clear focus. All twelve houses appeared normal, with no signs of cloudiness or ill omens in the sector of adversity. It seems the attacker has been quietly observing from the shadows... Zhang Yuanqing felt a slight sense of disappointment. That would be difficult—how could he stay in Jinghai City indefinitely, only to have the spirit-medium return with a surprise attack when the suspects finally leave? As he thought this, he turned to Guan Ya beside him, and suddenly paused. Dark clouds loom between Guan Ya's eyes, foretelling an injury in the near future. Jiang Jingwei, standing beside her, shows the same sign—clouds of gloom hovering over his eyes. This… Zhang Yuanqing ponders for several seconds, then forms a judgment. The assassin will still launch a surprise attack on the White Tiger Immortal, but due to his own small team's interception, the White Tiger Immortal will remain unharmed. However, the expressions of Guan Ya and Jiang Jingwei indicate an impending hard-fought battle. "What grudge or grievance?" he murmurs, astonished. The assassin must surely be aware—after two attacks, the official forces would surely strengthen their defenses, even establishing a network of comprehensive protection. Yet, despite all that, they still choose to strike the White Tiger Immortal? This cannot be mere marital or familial vengeance—it simply doesn't hold water. He fixes his serious gaze upon the White Tiger Immortal, asking: "What have you recently done? Not necessarily after your promotion to the Saint rank. Before entering the killing quest, did you commit any offenses against others, or breach any disciplinary rules?"