"Greetings, Senior Brother Zhou!" Zhang Chen saluted Zhou Zhen with cupped fists.
"Greetings, Brother Zhang." Zhou Zhen returned the salute, then slightly reproached him, "You were living well in the mountains, why did you leave without notifying me?"
Upon hearing Zhou Zhen’s words, Zhang Chen smiled, "My stepmother, younger brother, and sister were taken away by distant relatives to arrange for their future. As for me... Although the mountain’s serenity is nice, it lacks a certain human element. Living there is somewhat uncomfortable, and it’s inconvenient for visiting friends and relatives. Now, settling at the foot of the mountain in Jinling City is actually much more convenient."
Zhou Zhen chuckled, "I see, then I won’t insist..."
As they were speaking, a delicate figure, Jiang Nan, with a frail but beautiful appearance, gently approached from the side, "Senior Brother Zhou!"
Jiang Nan softly called out, greeted Zhou Zhen with a bow.
"And you are?" Zhou Zhen asked, surprised as he looked at Jiang Nan.
"I am Jiang Nan, a disciple of the academy," Jiang Nan introduced herself.
Upon hearing her words, Zhang Chen’s face immediately darkened but he kept silent and turned away.
Only then did Zhou Zhen realize, "I remember you now, you were the girl who was with Shen Ling and Zhang Gaoqiu before."
Jiang Nan nodded with joy, "Indeed, it’s me."
Zhou Zhen then turned to Zhang Chen, "So, you and Brother Zhang are related."
Zhang Chen hurriedly spoke before Jiang Nan could claim any relation, "I dare not associate myself with Miss Jiang. I come from a humble background; how could I have any connection to Miss Jiang?"
Zhou Zhen thoughtfully glanced at both Zhang Chen and Jiang Nan. Jiang Nan bitterly smiled, "Zhang Chen, you still refuse to forgive me. How can a big man like you be so petty?"
Now, Zhou Zhen’s attitude grew colder as he said to Jiang Nan, "What brings you here, Junior Sister?"
"I have some academic questions I couldn’t be sure about and wanted to seek your advice," Jiang Nan replied.
Zhou Zhen calmly distanced himself, saying, "Seek my advice? Didn’t you consult the teacher?"
"The teacher wasn’t sure either. Upon thinking further, I realized among the academy, only Senior Brother has inherited the headmaster’s true teachings. Thus, you are the only one I could consult," Jiang Nan hurriedly explained.
Hearing it was an academic inquiry, Zhou Zhen couldn’t refuse, so he said, "What academic question do you have? Tell me."
On the side, Zhang Chen told Zhou Zhen, "I’ll head inside first."
Without glancing at Jiang Nan, he turned and walked into the Exquisite Tower.
About half an hour later, Zhou Zhen entered the Exquisite Tower and went to Zhang Chen, "Brother Zhang, it seems there might be a misunderstanding between you and Junior Sister Jiang Nan?"
"No misunderstanding!" Zhang Chen shook his head and rejected Zhou Zhen’s words. His expression grew severe, "This woman is not simple, Senior Brother Zhou must be cautious."
Hearing this, Zhou Zhen wryly smiled, "As the academy’s chief disciple, I have no excuse to refuse academic questions from others."
He was explaining to Zhang Chen, then dismissively added, "After all, she’s just a young girl. Even if she’s not simple, what can she achieve by approaching me? I have neither wealth nor power, what is there she could possibly seek?"
Zhang Chen shook his head and said no more. What else could he say? Zhou Zhen would suffer in the future anyway.
Besides, he had no way to express his thoughts! Jiang Nan’s pretense of seeking academic advice left no room for criticism. Saying too much would only make Zhang Chen appear petty and mean-spirited, turning him into the villain. Would Zhang Chen do such a thing?
They conversed a while longer before parting ways. Zhang Chen wandered inside the Exquisite Tower, eventually stepping out around noon. He unexpectedly spotted Shen Qiu in a secluded forested area.
Shen Qiu sat numbly in the forest, face swollen and battered, like a puppet, seemingly lifeless. Around him, seven to eight scholars were punching and kicking him, constantly mocking Shen Qiu, who remained curled up, seemingly ignoring their taunts.
As Zhang Chen watched the men surrounding Shen Qiu, he recognized them for what they were—former followers of Shen Qiu, who once flattered him at every turn. Now, with the Shen Family’s decline, these men were finally taking advantage, showing off in front of Shen Qiu.
After some time, the men spat harshly on Shen Qiu before walking away laughing, leaving him alone, sitting there blankly.
Now, Shen Qiu was disheveled and emaciated, entirely unlike his previously spirited self.
Zhang Chen couldn’t help but feel emotional upon seeing this scene, thinking of Wang Xifeng. According to Wang Xifeng’s account, Shen Qiu could be considered his advantageously acquired son, and he and Shen Qiu were in some sense kindred spirits. So, he stepped forward to stand beside Shen Qiu: "As the grandson of the Wang Family, even if the Shen Family has fallen, if you seek refuge with the Wang Family, you wouldn’t end up in such a state, would you? Continue living your life of luxury, growing up under the Wang Family’s protection. It wouldn’t be difficult for you."
"Hmph! The Wang Family is one of the perpetrators behind the downfall of my Shen Family. How could I ever rely on the Wang Family’s charity?" Shen Qiu scoffed coldly and then looked up at Zhang Chen: "Are you here to mock me too?"
"I don’t have the time for that. I just want to advise you to recognize reality. Surviving is the most important thing for you." Zhang Chen stroked the pill formula of the Eight-Treasure Heart-lock Pill inside his sleeve. After hesitating a bit, he ultimately didn’t reveal the formula. The Shen Family deserved their fate for trying to keep his mother’s Six Paths of Reincarnation for themselves; it was his rightful benefit.
"Hmph, save your kindness. Do you think I don’t know your intentions? You’re just here to watch my downfall!" Shen Qiu coldly chuckled: "Don’t laugh at me; you’re a pathetic worm too, always trapped in a nightmare of unrequited love. You were engaged to my younger sister, yet she abandoned you. You fell for Jiang Nan, but Jiang Nan fell for me. You’re just a pathetic worm; what right do you have to mock me?"
Zhang Chen’s face turned strange at these words, and he glanced at Shen Qiu. Countless words rose to his lips, wanting to be spoken, but he swallowed them down and only said coldly: "You really are like a dog barking at Lv Dongbin, not knowing a good person’s heart. I hope you can remain as tough as you are now."
After saying this, Zhang Chen laughed coldly and then turned to leave.
"Pathetic worm!" Shen Qiu spat in the direction of Zhang Chen’s retreating figure, then continued to stare blankly.
When Zhang Chen returned home, he continued his meditation and cultivation after dinner, unaffected by Jiang Nan.
After all, she was just a mere woman. How could she cause a ripple in Zhang Chen’s heart?
The next day
When Zhang Chen entered the Exquisite Tower again, he unexpectedly saw two figures inside: Jiang Nan and Shen Qiu.
"How did they get inside the Exquisite Tower?" Zhang Chen was stunned upon seeing their figures.
Zhou Zhen’s voice came from nearby: "My father was once indebted to the Shen Family. Although the Zhou and Shen Families weren’t close, my father remembered the Shen Family’s favor. Now that the Shen Family is gone, my father hopes the Shen Family’s descendants can rise again, learning some skills to rebuild the Shen Family."
As for the test? It was just a matter of a word from Zhou Qiucheng to have Jiang Nan and Shen Qiu enter the Exquisite Tower.
"Has the teacher come out of seclusion?" Zhang Chen asked quickly.
Zhou Zhen shook his head: "He’s just out temporarily to handle some affairs and took the opportunity to instruct about the Shen Family."
Zhang Chen was thoughtful when he heard this: "How is the teacher’s injury?"
Zhou Zhen responded with a bitter smile: "He can only suppress it with the Treasure Tower; the situation isn’t optimistic. But my father said he wants to quickly perfect his teachings and step into the Yang God realm. As long as he can prove the Yang God, he can reverse the situation."
"Reversing the situation is easier said than done," Zhang Chen thought to himself.
Then the two parted ways to study the scrolls inside the Treasure Tower.
Time slipped by little by little. A month passed in the blink of an eye, and Zhang Chen’s days became leisurely, but Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhen gradually became more acquainted.
Jiang Nan sought every opportunity, day and night, to learn from Zhou Qiucheng, and they gradually began to make contact.
Zhang Chen simply observed coldly. It was true he had been with Jiang Nan, but he had been with many women. He wasn’t responsible for all of them, was he?
A person’s destiny and the path they choose are their own decisions; no one can substitute for that.
One day, while studying mysteries inside the Exquisite Tower, Zhang Chen suddenly felt a nudge in his heart. He looked up into the distance, his eyes showing a thoughtful expression: "The matter with Huang Chao has succeeded!"
He sensed that his own drop of Blood God Child had invaded the opponent’s body, attaching to their Primordial Spirit, and had begun to infiltrate and devour the opponent’s Primordial Spirit’s strength. However, since the opponent was a mighty Eighth Tier, and his Blood Dao was only at the Seventh Tier, it would take some time to completely devour the opponent. But temporarily affecting their mental state, turning them into a mindless madman, was not difficult for Zhang Chen.
Sure enough, when Zhang Chen returned to his courtyard that evening, he saw Huang Chao with a joyful expression, seated in the house with eight small dishes and a pot of old wine in front of him.
Seeing Zhang Chen appear in the courtyard, Huang Chao quickly stood up, rushed out, grabbed Zhang Chen’s hand, his eyes full of fervor: "Brother Zhang, you’ve really helped me a lot! Our plan succeeded! That guy suddenly went mad today, went on a killing spree in the branch, killing dozens of brothers, and was only temporarily subdued by Star God Zhao Lie and detained."
With these words, Zhang Chen understood. The opponent affected by the Blood God Child is becoming an unstable factor and is naturally unfit to continue as the leader of the Yellow Heaven Dao.
If the opponent retreats, Huang Chao would naturally take over, wouldn’t the plan be considered successful?
As for someone from the Yellow Heaven Dao discovering traces of the Blood God Child?
It’s not that Zhang Chen looks down on them; the power of the Blood Dao would require someone at least above the Twelfth Tier to discern even the slightest trace.