"Bitch! How dare you insult me?" Zhang Xiaohua’s face turned red, and without a word, she bolted after him.
"Stop right there!" Zhang Xiaohua shouted angrily at Chengyu, never expecting that Chengyu’s short legs would be so swift that even she couldn’t catch up for a moment. Her heart burned with fury, unwilling to let go of Chengyu’s back view, and Chengyu couldn’t shake her off.
She fled and he chased; she could not escape even with wings.
Meanwhile, Zhang Chen was delving into the art of talismans when suddenly he heard cries from outside the door of Xiaodouding calling for help: "A ghost! There’s a ghost in the Daoist Temple, it’s terrifying. Junior Brother, save me! Junior Brother, save me!"
Chengyu, with tear stains on his face, ran in crying from outside the courtyard, hiding behind Zhang Chen’s chair, wailing like a wolf.
Zhang Chen put down the book, turned his head to look at the tear-stained Xiaodouding, and said in surprise, "Is there a ghost in Huangli Temple too? What scared you like this?"
"Of course there’s a ghost, you saw the taunted ghost in the Daoist Temple before. Now that ugly ghost came out in broad daylight, chasing me to eat me, you must save me, don’t let it eat me." Chengyu crouched behind the chair, full of terror.
Hearing this, Zhang Chen raised his guard, for it wasn’t the first time there had been ghostly disturbances in the Daoist Temple, and if indeed there was an evil ghost, it wouldn’t be surprising.
"This ghost dares to come out in broad daylight to harm people, it must be ruthless and wicked, I need to deal with it cautiously." Zhang Chen raised his vigilance inwardly, just as he was about to comfort Xiaodouding, he saw a familiar figure gasping for breath from outside the courtyard.
When Zhang Xiaohua heard Xiaodouding calling out ghost repeatedly, she was seething with rage and rushed into the courtyard, then saw the face of Zhang Chen, a face he could never forget even in his dreams.
In his dreams, he had shredded this face alive millions of times, he wished he could find this villain, flay him alive, but unfortunately, this kid was like a slippery eel, evading the searches of Prince Pingbian’s Mansion several times, despite his anxiety and anger, he was helpless.
Who would have thought after all the twists and turns, hope would emerge in despair, having thought he’d never find Zhang Chen in this lifetime, and now he encountered his arch enemy here?
"Ah, Junior Brother, run quickly, the ugly ghost is chasing us! We must run, quickly fetch the Observatory Master to subdue this evil ghost." Xiaodouding, seeing Zhang Xiaohua chasing in, jumped up in fright, tugging at Zhang Chen’s clothes to escape, but was hooked by Zhang Chen by the collar and lifted up:
"Senior Sister, don’t be afraid, this is a living person, not the evil ghost you mentioned."
"A person? How on earth could there be such an ugly person, frightening just like an evil ghost from hell." Hearing it wasn’t a ghost, Xiaodouding immediately regained some courage, turned to look at Zhang Xiaohua, eyes filled with surprise and curiosity.
Xiaodouding kept calling him an ugly ghost, as if driving a knife again and again into Zhang Xiaohua’s heart, making it bleed incessantly.
"Zhang Chen! I finally found you! I’ve missed you so much, thinking of you day and night, restless at meals and sleep." Zhang Xiaohua clenched his fists tightly, his facial features twisted with excitement, looking indeed like an Asura crawling out from a Sea of Blood.
"I never expected after we parted that you missed me so, not in vain of our years as neighbors." Looking at Zhang Xiaohua, Zhang Chen’s mind whirled with countless thoughts, feeling the situation was quite thorny and troublesome, unsure if he could still stay at Huangli Temple.
"Hahaha, indeed, indeed! When you moved, you didn’t mention it, making it so hard for me to find you." Zhang Xiaohua’s voice was full of excitement: "I never thought you’d hide at Huangli Temple, no wonder I couldn’t trace you in the mountains."
At this point, Zhang Xiaohua began to retreat, aware of Zhang Chen’s skills, knowing how difficult he is to deal with. Though itching to tear Zhang Chen to pieces, he understood he was no match for Zhang Chen.
The only correct move now is to exit the courtyard and then summon experts to beseige Zhang Chen.
As Zhang Chen watched Zhang Xiaohua retreating, a hint of murderous intent appeared in his eyes, but after pondering, he chose not to act.
If he acted now, he might have a chance to escape, but what about Chengyu? The girl would certainly incur the wrath of Prince Pingbian’s Mansion.
"You know that ugly ghost?" Chengyu inquired curiously, watching Zhang Xiaohua retreat.
Chengyu’s innocent call of ugly ghost made Zhang Xiaohua stumble, trembling with anger, striking right where it hurt.
"Senior Sister, don’t speak nonsense! He’s indeed ugly, but he’s a person, not an evil ghost, don’t be so rude." Zhang Chen patted Chengyu’s head.
"Oh~," Chengyu scratched his head at the words, watching Zhang Xiaohua exit the door, especially noting his pair of eyes full of murderous intent, causing Chengyu’s heart to tighten: "You have enmity with that kid?"
"Deep hatred, life and death! This person is the prince of Pingbian, narrow-minded, you must keep away from him in the future." Zhang Chen patted Xiaodouding’s head.
"I see in his eyes he wants to kill us, we should strike first to prevent him from retaliating," Chengyu seemed calm as he spoke.
"No need to worry, he is after me. So long as you keep a low profile, with the Observatory Master mediating, you won’t be implicated. After all, he is the Crown Prince of Prince’s Mansion, why would he target a child?" Zhang Chen sighed softly: "Only, I fear I can no longer stay at the Daoist Temple."
Now that Zhang Xiaohua knows his whereabouts, he will surely dispatch people to hunt him down later, staying here would only place his own in a disadvantageous position.
"Girl, I must leave!" Zhang Chen gently touched Xiaodouding’s head.
"Leave? Where are you going? Take me with you!" Xiaodouding widened her eyes, her watery eyes fixating on Zhang Chen, clutching tightly to his hem: "I’m going with you."
Looking at the little hands clutching his hem, Zhang Chen was filled with helplessness. He couldn’t even bring along his own sister, let alone Xiaodouding?
He barely managed self-preservation as it stands.
"Alas, if you come with me, I fear I won’t be able to protect you, not knowing what trouble might ensue on the road, you could even die along the way." Zhang Chen stroked Xiaodouding’s head warmly: "Stay in the mountains, I’ll come back for you after I settle things down the mountain, is that alright?"
"No! Not alright at all!" Xiaodouding clung tightly to Zhang Chen’s collar, eyes filled with stubbornness, unwilling to let go. Her voice was on the verge of tears: "Please, take me with you! At worst, I won’t be a Senior Sister anymore, let you be the Senior Brother, is that not okay?"
Xiaodouding’s words made Zhang Chen both laugh and cry: "You silly girl... we’re not parting forever, I’ll come back to see you in some time, then we can travel the world together and never part again, alright?"
Zhang Chen softly negotiated while stroking Xiaodouding’s head, though his heart was anxious as fire, knowing Zhang Xiaohua must have bodyguards, if he didn’t escape before Zhang Xiaohua summoned reinforcements, he feared a great deal of trouble.
"No! Not at all! Even if it’s on the road, you have to take me along." Tears continuously streamed down Xiaodouding’s face: "You’re the one who treats me best in this world, if you leave, the Temple will only have me all alone again, might as well die here."
"Besides, you don’t know Martial Dao, how can you escape the pursuit? My Martial Dao Cultivation isn’t bad, I’m considered quite adept, we’ll flee together, I can protect you." Xiaodouding sobbed uncontrollably.