"Gu Mingyue has acquired the divine position of the Yangtze River Water God, I’m afraid Yellow Heaven Dao’s foundation will be emptied," Zhang Chen looked towards the distant void. As the earth of Jinling City closed, the continuous dark clouds finally dispersed, and Jinling City welcomed the long-awaited sun.
The big sun shone on his face, and the entire mountain and river welcomed a long-awaited clear sky. A big rainbow stretched across the entire sky.
"It’s a pity, some people can see the rainbow, while others will never see it again," Zhang Chen caressed the alchemy furnace and couldn’t help but sigh lightly.
At this moment, a humming sound came from his alchemy furnace. Zhang Chen quickly activated the incantation and then withdrew the Sun True Flame. The next moment, he saw strands of medicinal fragrance erupting from the furnace. When Zhang Chen opened the furnace and looked inside, his eyes immediately brightened. He saw seven elixirs glistening with a pure white luster, flying out from the furnace, about to transform into a stream of light and flee.
But Zhang Chen had long used the Water Control Technique to form a shield, sealing the void within a hundred meters. The seven marble-sized elixirs were detained back by the water stream and held in Zhang Chen’s hand.
Zhang Chen lowered his head to inspect them, looking at the elixirs in his hand with a thoughtful gaze. The elixirs felt like they were made of white jade, containing mysterious, unfathomable Qi mechanisms, and various runes faintly appeared on the white jade’s surface. If ordinary people saw them, they would only think they’re beautiful earthly jade, never considering them as elixirs.
"Far superior to the elixir Shen Ling gave me initially, incomparably so, one is in the heavens, the other on earth," Zhang Chen caressed the elixir in his hand, a curious expression appearing in his eyes. Then he took out a prepared jade bottle and carefully placed the Eight-Treasure Heart-lock Pill into it.
With a wave of his hand, the alchemy furnace flew up automatically, landing in Zhang Chen’s hand. Zhang Chen felt as if his furnace had undergone some mysterious transformation, though he couldn’t tell if it was good or bad, only that the furnace changed from a mere alchemy tool to a treasure capable of suppressing enemies.
Zhang Chen caressed the alchemy furnace for quite a while before putting it away, "Now that the Innate Water God has retreated, Gu Mingyue has broken through the Eleventh Tier, and the entire Jinling City is completely under Yellow Heaven Dao’s control. Everything will return to order. I should find a house down the mountain; always residing in the mountains isn’t ideal."
He had too many secrets, even if he didn’t bring the trio and his stepmother down the mountain, he had to open a house down there for residence.
When Zhang Chen returned to the Exquisite Tower, he immediately sensed the unsettling atmosphere in the mountains, with people gathering in threes and twos, secretly gossiping.
After listening for a while, Zhang Chen heard that Shen Ling and Zhang Gaoqiu were all driven down the mountain, accompanied by Princess Chai Wenji.
"Zhang!"
A voice called from afar, and Zhang saw Tushan Qing approaching from a distance, greeting Zhang Chen.
Looking towards Tushan Qing, Zhang saw an inexplicable Qi mechanism swirling around him. It seemed that every move affected the Material Realm, and it was evident that his cultivation had greatly advanced.
"I’m leaving!" Tushan Qing pulled Zhang Chen aside, lowered his voice, and bid farewell.
"Leaving? Where are you headed?" Zhang Chen inquired.
Tushan Qing replied helplessly, "It’s all because of Chai Wenji. Zhang Gaoqiu was driven down the mountain, and Chai Wenji is following him, deciding to return to Kyoto. But the journey to Kyoto is thousands of miles, filled with countless dangers. Chai Wenji issued a rallying call to the royal bloodline members, and although I’ve surpassed five generations, I nonetheless must obey the call."
Observing Tushan Qing, Zhang Chen thought he didn’t seem like the type to obediently follow commands. The fact that he adhered to Princess Chai Wenji’s decree might have more to it.
Given Tushan Qing’s opportunistic nature, how would he simply comply with Princess Chai Wenji’s command?
After glancing around, Tushan Qing lowered his voice and said, "I heard that long ago, a Tree of Life Coffin capable of extending life from that goddess’s ancient tomb in the Northern Land has been covertly transported to Jinling City. Princess Chai Wenji is responding to the royal summons, secretly guarding the coffin..."
Chai Chuanxin paused to survey his surroundings, then whispered, "How about it? Want to try something big? It’s a treasure capable of extending life. Since the establishment of the Great Victory Dynasty, it’s the first time a life-extending treasure has emerged. If we can intercept that coffin, imagine the Great Creation we might achieve."
"The Tree of Life Coffin reached Jiangnan?" Zhang Chen’s face showed surprise. Long ago, after the old eunuch Dugu Qiu took the Tree of Life Coffin away, its whereabouts were unknown. Even after secretly using the Heaven and Earth Treasure Mirror, Zhang Chen couldn’t find its trail, assuming Dugu Qiu had taken it to Kyoto. It was unexpected that it was still on the road.
"Are you sure about this information? After all this time, Dugu Qiu hasn’t transported the Tree of Life Coffin to Kyoto?" Zhang Chen found it hard to believe.
"What do you know? That Tree of Life Coffin is a mysterious Supreme Treasure, even a Yang God True Man can’t easily bear it, needing gradual transport to Kyoto. Reaching Jinling City is quite normal," Tushan Qing chuckled, "No matter if it’s true or not, better to aim for it first."
"I won’t get involved. If you want that coffin, think of a way to act yourself," Zhang Chen refused Tushan Qing’s invitation. Before acquiring the skills to extract lifespan, Zhang Chen might have desired the Tree of Life Coffin, but he now had means to seize vitality from vegetation, rendering the Tree of Life Coffin unnecessary.
Of course, acquiring it and turning it into points would be quite profitable. But for Zhang Chen, the input wouldn’t equate to the output. He preferred to stay cautious, digesting the benefits gained in the Water God Tomb, rather than venturing everywhere. Many eyes are certainly on the Tree of Life Coffin, so why should Zhang Chen randomly expose himself?
Tushan Qing showed disappointment but didn’t insist further.
After some more conversation, Tushan Qing left with a carefree smile, disappearing into the mountains.
Watching Tushan Qing’s departing figure, Zhang Chen felt that this Fox Spirit would surely suffer a great loss. That was a treasure capable of extending life, and it was uncertain what kind of trouble it would cause. Many dignitaries of the Great Victory Dynasty had their eyes on the Tree of Life Coffin, so Tushan Qing’s attempt to reap benefits won’t be easy.
"I hope this guy can succeed, then I’ll sneak up and hit him from behind..." Zhang Chen thought to himself, having ambushed Tushan Qing more than once.
Zhang Chen made his way to the Exquisite Tower, where he spent half a day studying the mysterious scroll before heading towards the back mountain. Before he reached there, he saw Fox Fairy Nannan already waiting mid-way.
"There’s been chaos at the foot of the mountain lately, with many dignitaries escaping, and I’ve taken the opportunity to choose a courtyard. The one you wanted has been bought for you." said Fox Fairy Nannan.
"How much did it cost?" Zhang Chen asked.
Fox Fairy Nannan held up five fingers: "Five hundred thousand taels! I bought a large estate covering an area of thirty acres."
"Where did you get the money?" Zhang Chen was startled.
"Left by Zhang Xiaohua," said Fox Fairy Nannan.
"How about the concealment?" Zhang Chen asked.
"I used the Enchantment Technique to confuse a mortal, buying it under his name," replied Fox Fairy Nannan.
Zhang Chen pondered briefly then shook his head: "It’s not quite appropriate. After all, this has left traces. Tomorrow, I will use the Blood God Child to control two cultivators of the Yellow Heaven Dao, then you will transfer the property to them. Thus, using the Yellow Heaven Dao’s name to hide it will be a truly foolproof plan."
"Alright!" Fox Fairy Nannan said, "Would you like to come down the mountain with me to see the house?"
Zhang Chen nodded and followed Fox Fairy Nannan down the mountain. Using the Escape Technique, they arrived in Jinling City, where order amidst the chaos had started to restore, with men in yellow turbans patrolling the streets.
"The courtyard I bought is a villa of the Shen Family. After its downfall, the property was seized by the Yellow Heaven Dao, becoming their asset and placed on the market for sale," Fox Fairy Nannan explained to Zhang Chen as they walked.
"Turns out, I’m benefiting from the Shen Family’s fortune," Zhang Chen remarked in surprise.
They arrived at the courtyard, which indeed covered thirty acres—a spacious estate comparable to a prince’s mansion of later times.
Inside, there were rockeries, lakes, and various buildings arranged according to Feng Shui, displaying opulence and luxury.
Various precious flowers and plants were grown, along with numerous curious stones collected from all over the world, giving an extraordinary impression.
Having satisfied himself after a tour, Zhang Chen said to Fox Fairy Nannan: "I want to control two Blood God Children; do you have suitable candidates? They must be from the Yellow Heaven Dao!"
Not wanting to kill innocents, Zhang Chen had no qualms about eliminating members of the Yellow Heaven Dao, whom he considered his adversaries, destined to clash eventually.
"There are two!" Fox Fairy Nannan replied.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen smiled: "Lead the way."
He didn’t ask about their cultivation, confiding in Fox Fairy Nannan’s wisdom as a clever fox to introduce appropriate opponents.
Moreover, having mastered an Eleventh Tier skill, Zhang Chen doubtless surpassed anyone they could throw at him.
The individuals Fox Fairy Nannan introduced were mid-tier cultivators of the Yellow Heaven Dao, only possessing a seventh-tier cultivation, powerless against Zhang Chen, who easily possessed them through the Blood God Child.
"Now, I’ve infiltrated the Yellow Heaven Dao. If there’s any disturbance in the future, I can sense it early and make necessary arrangements," Zhang Chen mused, knowing that preemptive planning was crucial.
That night, Zhang Chen stayed in the courtyard, choosing the master bedroom. Yet the vast estate felt significantly empty with only him occupying it.
"Tomorrow, I’ll have those two Yellow Heaven Dao puppets complete the formalities, then instruct them to recruit some guards and gather capable experts to furnish the estate," Zhang Chen contemplated future tasks.