To make Zhang Chen travel thousands of miles to kill a poor child, Zhang Chen couldn’t do it!
Zhang Chen cannot join the Inspection and Supervision Department. Once he joins, will he have control over his own fate?
Haven’t you heard: In the Martial World, a person is not in control of themselves?
As for going to the Border Region to kill enemies and build a career, Zhang Chen directly rejects it. Those aristocrats and landlord bigwigs are unwilling to go to the frontline and only hide behind like parasites, asking him, a poor child, to risk his life to protect their assets? Zhang Chen would rather die himself than serve the court.
Unless he becomes a noble, one of the beneficiaries, part of the establishment, a member of the gentry, a person with assets, otherwise asking him, a poor man, to risk his life on the frontline is absolutely impossible.
But now, it’s clear that Zhang Chen can’t even return to Kyoto, that system can’t accommodate him. His dream of becoming part of the gentry is nothing but wishful thinking.
Instead of chasing after those worldly possessions, he prefers to choose immortality.
"Is there any other news?" Zhang Chen asked again.
Xie Lingyun said, "The remaining news is about the Zhang Family in Shangjing, one of the Eight Great Clans of Shangjing, with a thriving and majestic presence. However, in recent years, they’ve faced a lack of successors, with younger generations struggling to become substantial. The Eight Great Clans are intertwined, and their influence is mainly spread throughout the military. It’s said that the vast majority of the world’s armies are intricately connected with the Eight Great Clans."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen couldn’t help but gasp. These Eight Great Clans are truly remarkable—aren’t they afraid of provoking the Royal Family’s fears?
"Above, there are three mysterious forces suppressing. The Great Victory Royal Family fundamentally doesn’t care about controlling the army. No matter how many troops you have, you can’t live in the barracks forever; there are times of insufficient protection. At that moment, a mysterious power suddenly suppresses, striking with thunder, and causes you to turn into ashes," Xie Lingyun said.
Zhang Chen nodded at the words. The emergence of mysterious forces indeed changed the world’s structure. Although having a massive army is terrifying, it’s definitely not the only factor for victory in war.
"By the way, how is the preparation for that matter? You know there are a hundred thousand troops guarding below, their Qi Mechanism is condensed. Even if a Yang God True Man comes, they will be suppressed and begrudged in this place," Zhang Chen asked.
Xie Lingyun smiled, "You’ve got it wrong. Do the hundred thousand troops only suppress us? Even Huangli Temple will be suppressed. As long as the hundred thousand troops are there, with the impact of the military’s Qi Blood and Evil Qi, Divine Enthronement can’t be completed. Therefore, before Divine Enthronement, Prince Pingbian will surely order the hundred thousand troops to retreat."
Zhang Chen suddenly understood, "How confident are you?"
"Eighty to ninety percent." Xie Lingyun said confidently, "After Divine Enthronement and obtaining a Divine Position, it doesn’t mean immediately gaining Divine Power. The Divine Spirit must return. And the distance of thirty miles from Huangli Temple’s altar to the Miluo River is the best opportunity for us to act."
While Zhang Chen and Xie Lingyun were discussing, a voice came from outside the door: "Sir, someone from the Zhu Family is visiting."
Xie Lingyun’s keen eyes looked at Zhang Chen. Seeing this, Zhang Chen tactfully retreated, leaving through the backyard.
On the way back to his residence, Zhang Chen thought of his own family background and the distant Shangjing, shaking his head secretly, "It’s really killing me. Father is dead, but he left such a huge mess. I’m afraid there are too many secrets and taboos involved in what happened back then, even Xie Lingyun can’t probe the information."
Zhang Chen quietly contemplated the issue of the underground secret room when he reached his own small abode: "If Yellow Heaven Dao conducts the God Sealing Ceremony, and the Godslayer War breaks out, everyone’s eyes and attention will certainly be drawn there. I might have a chance to sneak into the secret room to investigate."
When Huangli Temple holds the God Sealing Ceremony, incense faith will be heavily extracted. At that time, the incense Qi attached to the stone wall of the secret room will also begin to weaken; perhaps I can penetrate the barrier on the stone wall and use the opportunity to sneak inside.
With these thoughts, Zhang Chen stealthily ventured out again, trying to find pangolins in the mountains. He didn’t have the power to penetrate the stone wall, so he needed to prepare pangolins in advance.
In the mountains, as water streams converged, Zhang Chen appeared in the mountain range. This time, he gazed around, seeing that one hundred thousand troops from Prince Pingbian’s Mansion were already orderly retreating.
Zhang Chen glanced at them and no longer paid attention. The facts turned out as Xie Lingyun predicted.
Meanwhile, Zhang Chen secretly roamed, found ten pangolins, and had them quietly hide in cave, before returning to the Daoist Temple to peacefully indulge in reading and practicing calligraphy.
"Zhang Chen."
As Zhang Chen was grinding ink, preparing to practice calligraphy, Xiaodouding came downstairs with disheveled hair, her eyes red like a little rabbit.
"What happened?" Zhang Chen paused his ink grinding and asked.
"My heart feels uneasy, an inexplicable sense of fear. I can’t sleep. Hold me while I sleep." Chengyu’s voice was filled with horror.
Upon hearing Chengyu’s words, Zhang Chen frowned and put down the inkstone. He dared not underestimate Xiaodouding’s intuition. Cultivators have a certain spiritual sense in the dark, especially those who practice Yin Spirit. That mysterious intuition, sensing the slightest change in the wind, was comparable to the Great Divine Techniques.
"Why?" Zhang Chen held Chengyu, his eyes revealing contemplation: "Could it be related to the upcoming God Sealing Ceremony of Yellow Heaven Dao?"
Zhang Chen felt puzzled.
"That thing is flickering." Xiaodouding pointed to her head.
Zhang Chen’s pupils constricted as he looked deeply at Xiaodouding, stroking her head, "Don’t be afraid, I’m here! Rest assured, even if the sky falls, I’ll bear it for you."
Zhang Chen’s comfort had an effect, and Xiaodouding quickly fell asleep in Zhang Chen’s arms, snoring.
Zhang Chen stroked Xiaodouding’s head, carefully holding her, strolling in the yard until the sky grew dim again, the night transitioned into day, and the morning bell rang, waking Xiaodouding from her sleep. She stood up, sleepy-eyed: "Zhang Chen, I’m so tired."
"You slept the whole night, how can you still be tired?" Zhang Chen stroked Xiaodouding’s head, simultaneously stimulating the blood flow within his body, alleviating the slightly numb sensation of his skin.
"I don’t know, I’m just tired. I want to go back upstairs to sleep. You go to the morning class by yourself today." Xiaodouding yawned and returned upstairs to sleep, exhausted.
Watching Xiaodouding’s back, Zhang Chen couldn’t help but worry: "Hopefully, Huangli Temple’s God Sealing Ceremony won’t impact Chengyu too much, otherwise..."
With these words, Zhang Chen paused. He seemed helpless against Huangli Temple. The gap between the two sides was too large, and although Huangli Temple was merely a branch temple, its strength was beyond Zhang Chen’s capability to challenge.
Zhang Chen did the morning class, had breakfast, returned to the yard, and stood in front of Xiaodouding’s door.
Zhang Chen came to the second-floor doorway, shouted into the room several times: "Senior sister, breakfast is ready, come out to eat."
"Senior sister, stop sleeping! This morning we’re having buns! Hurry and get up!"
"Senior sister, if you don’t get up, I’ll eat all the buns myself."
"..."
Standing outside the room, Zhang Chen teasingly called.
Unfortunately, after Zhang Chen yelled a few times, there was no response from inside, making him tense. He looked at the closed door, feeling a growing urgency. Could something be wrong?
Xiaodouding was a martial artist, no matter how deep in sleep, such loud calls should have woken her.
Who ever heard of a martial artist sleeping like a pig?
"Senior sister? Are you okay?"
"Three-inch nail? It’s time to get up and eat!" Zhang Chen’s calls outside grew bolder.
Zhang Chen grew anxious; if something happened to this girl inside the room, delaying treatment would be unfortunate, missing the optimal time?
But the girl repeatedly warned not to enter the second-floor room herself, so Zhang Chen hesitated.
But at this moment, the situation inside was unclear. He feared Xiaodouding encountered mishaps; delaying treatment would ruin things. So, after slight hesitation, the Water Control Technique activated, and the door latch inside opened, revealing the mysterious second-floor room of Xiaodouding to Zhang Chen.