With Jiang Nan’s shout, all eyes immediately turned towards him, everyone casting a gaze of spectatorial interest.
"There’s going to be a good show." Tushan Qing whispered to Zhang Chen beside him.
Zhang Chen glanced at Tushan Qing, showing no sign of schadenfreude on his face, because he thought of Madam Shen, the Eight-Treasure Heart-lock Pill formula, and Madam Shen’s instructions.
"Jiang Nan, do you know what you’re doing? Do you dare meddle in my affairs?" Zhang Gaoqiu glared angrily at Jiang Nan, under the barely visible glances of the crowd, Zhang Gaoqiu felt as if he was being peeled alive, exposing his filthy schemes in broad daylight.
"You have to give Shen Ling an explanation!" Jiang Nan’s eyes were full of defiance.
"Pa~" Zhang Gaoqiu slapped out, Jiang Nan couldn’t dodge it and directly fell to the ground, feeling dizzy with blood flowing out of his mouth, unable to speak for a moment.
Under the pointing eyes of the crowd, Little Princess Chai Wenji’s face suddenly turned icy, abruptly shaking off Zhang Gaoqiu’s hand and getting up to leave. Only her cold words echoed in Zhang Gaoqiu’s ears: "This is your last chance! Sort out your affairs!"
Watching Chai Wenji leave, and seeing the dizzy and starry-eyed Jiang Nan, Zhang Gaoqiu’s eyes flashed with coldness: "Bitch, what right do you have to meddle in my affairs?"
While speaking, his foot reached out to kick Jiang Nan’s head, but Jiang Nan felt as if the world was spinning and had no power to avoid it.
The foot abruptly burst forth, sending Jiang Nan flying, spitting out a mouthful of blood, and convulsing on the ground.
Zhang Chen just stood by coldly watching. Although he had been close with Jiang Nan before, the relationship had ended. She didn’t think much of him, so why would Zhang Chen play the hero?
He’s no fool!
As for physical intimacy, does Zhang Chen care? In past lives, who knows how many women he’s slept with, how many one-night stands he’s had? Should he be responsible for all of them?
From the moment he gave her the Academy quota, the favor was repaid.
Though Zhang Gaoqiu’s bloodline power was wasted, his Martial Dao cultivation wasn’t bad. He had achieved Dark Force, definitely not something a weak woman like Jiang Nan could resist.
"Wenji..." Zhang Gaoqiu didn’t have time to tangle with Jiang Nan, quickly chasing after, just as he reached the door of the Exquisite Tower, he saw Shen Qiu blocking his path.
Zhang Gaoqiu stopped his steps, looking at Shen Qiu with a grim face.
"Zhang Gaoqiu, you have to explain to my sister! To the Shen Family!" Shen Qiu’s eyes were filled with anger, his hand pressing on his treasure sword.
Upon seeing Shen Qiu, Zhang Gaoqiu couldn’t help but pause. Shen Qiu is a Bloodline Practitioner; although Zhang Gaoqiu has refined Dark Force, he utterly stands no chance against Shen Qiu.
"My sister gave herself to you, persuaded me to give you the Inner Academy quota, although you’re from the Zhang Family in Shangjing, if you don’t give me a satisfactory explanation today, I won’t let you off! The Shen Family is already vanquished, do you think Shen Family can be bullied by you so easily? Even if I die here, I must seek justice for my sister!" Shen Qiu’s voice was icy, chilling without warmth, all the rain turning to ice nearby him before hitting the ground.
Seeing the ice shattering on the ground, Zhang Gaoqiu panicked, now without his bloodline power, he’s just an ordinary person, how can he stand against a Bloodline Practitioner?
If he gets handled by Shen Qiu, everyone will see his weakness, he’ll be doomed, the Little Princess won’t let him go.
"Need to find something eerie to protect myself, or maybe get the Little Princess pregnant, once she has a child, there’ll be no turning back for her." Zhang Gaoqiu’s heart was somewhat collapsing, who knows why his bloodline power suddenly disappeared, even his Nine Heavens and Ten Earths Demon-Extinguishing Shuttle was gone.
So now, for him, the most important thing is to calm Shen Qiu, absolutely can’t let him attack.
"Shen Qiu! Between me and your sister, it’s not as simple as others think." Zhang Gaoqiu looked at Shen Qiu opposite, his voice softened, attitude sincere: "This is something between me and your sister, let us resolve it ourselves! Give me seven days, I promise a satisfactory explanation."
"Seven days?" Shen Qiu asked.
"Just seven days! I will surely give you a satisfactory answer!" Zhang Gaoqiu replied.
Shen Qiu’s eyes were fixed on Zhang Gaoqiu, fingers tightly grasping the sword, despite many thoughts churning in his mind, he finally chose to endure.
Because the words from Zhang Gaoqiu conveyed a sense: there is still a chance between him and Shen Ling.
He knew how deeply Shen Ling loved Zhang Gaoqiu, if a good future could be given to them, he didn’t mind stepping back.
So Shen Qiu stepped aside: "I’ll wait for seven days! After seven days, if you don’t give my sister a resolution, then we’ll die together."
Seeing Shen Qiu, Zhang Gaoqiu couldn’t help but frown: ’The Shen siblings truly became a big trouble for me.’
Hearing the words, Zhang Gaoqiu walked forward, patting Shen Qiu’s shoulder: "Rest assured, seven days later, I will definitely give you a satisfying answer."
After stabilizing Shen Qiu, Zhang Gaoqiu held the oil-paper umbrella, quickly disappearing into the rain, leaving everyone murmuring in the rain.
Zhang Chen and Tushan Qing walked along the mountain path, Tushan Qing holding an oil-paper umbrella, watching the droplets sliding off the edge: "A good show this time! Zhang Gaoqiu and the Shen siblings, yet another dramatic clash."
Zhang Chen remained silent and expressionless, walking the mountain path, one hand holding the umbrella, the other quietly touching the Eight-Treasure Heart-lock Pill formula.
"If this matter is not handled well, the Kyoto Zhang Family and the Great Victory Royal Family will lose face greatly," said Tushan Qing.
"Perhaps," Zhang Chen replied.
"Jiang Nan is the one truly unfortunate. I saw her teeth fall out; Zhang Gaoqiu really infuriated her," Tushan Qing said.
"Although Jiang Nan is snobbish, she does have some humanity and loyalty," Zhang Chen replied. He didn’t blame Jiang Nan for looking down on him; everyone wants to climb up, trying to find a better life. Everyone has the right to choose.
However, Zhang Chen was unwilling to help Jiang Nan.
Zhang Chen made his way back to the small courtyard; the three little ones were meditating. Sitting by the lamplight, Zhang Chen felt his mind uneasy, pondering the Eight-Treasure Heart-lock Pill formula.
When the sky had completely darkened, Zhou Qiucheng’s steward, Chen Qi, arrived at Zhang Chen’s door.
"Young Master Zhang, someone wishes to meet with you from the foot of the mountain," Chen Qi respectfully bowed to Zhang Chen, water vapor clinging to him.
"Who wants to see me?" Zhang Chen put away the Eight-Treasure Heart-lock Pill formula and looked in surprise at Chen Qi, as he had no acquaintances in Jinling City.
"Madam Wang Xifeng of the Shen Family!" Chen Qi said.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen was stunned, sitting silently in the lamplight for quite a while before saying, "I understand."
Chen Qi withdrew, and Zhang Chen stood in the room, pondering briefly, then stepped into the rain, and with the Water Escape Technique, vanished without a trace.
When Zhang Chen reappeared at the foot of the mountain, he saw Wang Xifeng standing in the torrential rain, under an oil-paper umbrella and wearing a raincoat, her face pale.
The rain twisted momentarily, and Zhang Chen’s figure appeared, holding an oil-paper umbrella behind Wang Xifeng:
"What do you want from me?"
His voice passed through the rain curtain into Wang Xifeng’s ears, making her turn to look at the youth in the rain, suddenly pressing her lips silently.
Zhang Chen observed Wang Xifeng, the former Madam of the Shen Family, still in luxurious clothes, seeming unaffected.
Indeed, the Wang Family is the foremost lackey under Yellow Heaven Dao; though the Shen Family was destroyed, Wang Xifeng is the young mistress of the Wang Family. Though married, she is a direct bloodline of the Wang Family, her father still in power.
"The Shen Family was annihilated!" Wang Xifeng said, her face pallid.
"I know!" Zhang Chen responded.
"Thanks to the protection of the Wang Family, I’m able to survive," Wang Xifeng said.
"And then?" Zhang Chen retorted.
"I’ve heard about Shen Ling’s issues in the mountains. Now that the Shen Family is destroyed, everyone feels they can trample on the Shen Family," Wang Xifeng spoke as if she hadn’t heard Zhang Chen, expressing what she wished to say.
Zhang Chen looked at Wang Xifeng, unsure of her motives.
"I want Zhang Gaoqiu dead! Dead without a place to be buried!" Wang Xifeng turned to Zhang Chen, "You must kill him for me!"
"You’re dreaming! Why should I help you?" Zhang Chen coldly hummed.
"You will help!" Wang Xifeng extended her arm from under her raincoat, letting the pale arm be exposed to the rain.
Her wrist was fair as snow, like congealed fat, but when Zhang Chen saw this, his heart skipped a beat, an unsettling premonition surfaced.
"What? Don’t dare to grasp my wrist?" Wang Xifeng coldly looked at Zhang Chen.
Thoughts raced in Zhang Chen’s mind; ultimately, he extended his hand and grasped Wang Xifeng’s wrist. In that moment, Zhang Chen’s expression turned even grimmer; his eyes shifted to her abdomen, the realization hit him like thunder.
Seeing Zhang Chen stupidly standing there, Wang Xifeng slowly withdrew her hand, looking at him with her eyes: "It’s your child!"
Zhang Chen naturally knew it was his; from the moment he touched Wang Xifeng’s skin, he had sensed the faint bloodline connection.
He mastered the Blood Dao; how could such things elude him?
At this moment, Zhang Chen only felt his mind buzzing, filled with disbelief—how could this happen?
"What are you trying to say?" The cold rain fell on Zhang Chen’s wrist; he gradually regained his composure, his eyes fixated on Wang Xifeng, icy in tone.
"I want Zhang Gaoqiu dead!" Wang Xifeng reiterated her request.