"I need to find someone in the county town, a person named Chen Sanliang. Go and gather some information for me, then report back once you find Chen Sanliang’s whereabouts," Zhang Chen said to the Fox Spirit.
"What does this person do?" the Fox Spirit inquired.
Zhang Chen relayed what Zhang Qingyan had told him, and the Fox Spirit confidently guaranteed, "Just you wait, I’ll have news by later."
The Fox Spirit departed, leaving Zhang Chen alone in the forest, staring at the thatched hut in the distance, thinking unhurriedly about the day’s events. Ever since his encounter with Zhang Xiaolan, Zhang Chen dared not underestimate any woman.
"Zhang Qingyan must have figured out my identity, but why does she still help me? Why hasn’t she reported my whereabouts to claim a reward from Zhang Xiaohua?" Zhang Chen pondered.
When I first came to apprentice, I didn’t hide my identity, and Zhang Xiaohua lives right on the mountain beside me. As Zhang Xiaohua’s double, she must be secretly observing my every move, and she must also know about the conflict between me and Zhang Xiaohua.
"Prince Pingbian is truly cunning, having Zhang Qingyan serve as a double while also having them both study under Mr. Wuliu, fostering their relationship, and allowing them to exchange information. Once Zhang Xiaohua returns home, she can smoothly take over everything from Zhang Qingyan."
The fog in Zhang Chen’s mind gradually cleared, forming a clear line of thought: "With such a big conflict with Zhang Xiaohua and having never hidden my identity from Zhang Shicheng, Zhang Shicheng’s Yang God must have informed others about me. If Zhang Qingyan knows my methods, secretly aiding me to create opportunities for my growth, she must be pleased if I get a chance to kill Zhang Xiaohua or create trouble for Prince Pingbian’s Mansion."
No one willingly becomes a puppet or someone else’s shadow.
"The prettier the woman, the more deceitful she is. Zhang Qingyan is breathtakingly beautiful like a fairy, but who knew her thoughts could be so deep. Women are truly not to be trifled with!"
Zhang Chen secretly muttered, then went into the cave to take out the slingshot frame, binding it with Dragon Tendon, and a slingshot appeared in Zhang Chen’s hand.
This is a True Dragon’s tendon, not the Pseudo Dragon type from Zhang Shicheng.
Zhang Chen waited in the cave for half a day, and as dusk fell, the Fox Spirit finally rushed back excitedly, "I’ve found him."
"So quickly?" Zhang Chen was a bit surprised.
"After all, that Chen Sanliang is quite a celebrity in the Northern Land," the Fox Spirit said smugly.
"It’s too late to visit today. Let’s head back first to avoid raising suspicion with Xiaodouding. We can come back later at night," Zhang Chen looked at the sky, the moon had already emerged. The next moment, Zhang Chen spread his wings and transformed into a Vampire Bat, disappearing among the mountains.
The Vampire Bat that Zhang Chen transformed into was unnoticeable in the mountains, and bats have very few natural predators, especially in the sky.
In the sky, aside from eagles, no other animals prey on bats.
Moonlight sprinkled down, landing on Zhang Chen’s bat wings like moisture-absorbing sponges, absorbing the moonlight inside and channeling it into the Crystal Core within the bat’s body.
Not only did Zhang Chen transform into thirty-six bats, but the Crystal Core also split into thirty-six pieces, distributed among the thirty-six bats.
With the nourishment of moonlight, Zhang Chen seemed tireless, and when the sky completely darkened, he returned to the Daoist Temple.
The temple was crowded with disciples, mostly busy with their martial arts practice, leaving little time to notice that Zhang Chen had been gone for most of the day, except Xiaodouding.
Zhang Chen revealed his presence in front of the statue, opened his Dharma Eye to examine it, finding no mystery or circulating divine energy. It was just an ordinary clay statue.
In the hall Zhang Chen cleaned, there was only a single female statue, her face vague but a slender, graceful figure could be discerned.
Zhang Chen glanced at the statue, then closed his Dharma Eye, and walked toward his room after exiting the hall.
From afar, he saw a flickering candle in the courtyard, where Xiaodouding paced with a lantern, anxiously back and forth.
Upon seeing Zhang Chen’s silhouette, Xiaodouding approached in a huff, with a hint of agitation in the voice, "Zhang Chen, you sure are something, disappearing all afternoon without waking me up, making me miss my practice and oversleeping. You really are a jerk."
"Where did you go this afternoon? Why are you coming back so late?" Xiaodouding examined Zhang Chen, worry showing in their eyes.
Zhang Chen didn’t answer Xiaodouding’s question but instead patted Xiaodouding’s head, "Is senior sister worried about me? I’m inside the Daoist Temple; how could anything happen?"
"I fear you might run off and risk your life foolishly." Xiaodouding rolled their eyes, repeatedly admonishing, "Zhang Chen, don’t even think about sneaking away if you don’t want to stay here. Since you know the Daoist Temple’s secret, it won’t allow you to leave alive. Wait until I take charge, then I’ll let you go safely. That’s the prudent plan."
Xiaodouding’s voice was filled with concern, worried Zhang Chen might act recklessly and attempt to escape.
"I’m not stupid. There’s food and drink here in the temple; who would escape?" Zhang Chen touched Xiaodouding’s head, picked them up, and walked into the house, "Go to sleep; there might be meat when you wake up."
"Really?" Xiaodouding’s eyes brightened at the words, but they were still full of worry, "Zhang Chen, you’ve stolen meat twice now. The kitchen is bound to be heavily guarded, not giving you another chance. Don’t take risks, or they’ll break your bones if caught. We can skip a meal; it’s not a big deal."
"I know what I’m doing." Zhang Chen stroked Xiaodouding’s head.
After coaxing Xiaodouding to go upstairs, Zhang Chen once again summoned the Fox Spirit, "This time, be gentler. Don’t hurt them."
Zhang Chen knew well that the Fox Spirit could be heavy-handed.
The Fox Spirit retorted with annoyance, "I’m doing this for you. If I don’t knock him out till morning, and someone barges in during your meal, how do you explain?"
The logic was sound, and Zhang Chen had no reason to argue, so he let the Fox Spirit proceed.
Before long, the Fox Spirit happily returned, this time bringing a ready-cooked pig head, with its rich aroma wafting through the air.
"I arrived perfectly as the kitchen Daoist was secretly cooking for themselves. I caught them and knocked them out with a stick each. They’ll sleep till morning; this pig head should feed you for days," the Fox Spirit said eagerly.
Zhang Chen took the pig head, then put away the Fox Spirit, grabbed a stick, and poked at the ceiling above. Next, a rush of footsteps could be heard, and then Chengyu came down barefoot, immediately spotting the steaming pig head.
"Zhang Chen! How did you manage this?" Chengyu quickly shut the door upon seeing the pig head, rushed over, and began tearing at the pig’s face with enthusiasm.
This girl had no table manners at all.
"Just eat!" Zhang Chen retorted with a bit of annoyance, then tore off some pig ear, ravenously devouring it.
The two indulged with relish, finishing their meal in an hour with half a pig head remaining.
"Hide it, we’ll have it for lunch tomorrow." Zhang Chen instructed the Fox Spirit to stash the pig head outside the Daoist Temple.