Zhang Chen’s lineage was exiled; it’s not so easy to return if one wishes!
The two conversed for a while, after which Zhang Gaqi took his leave, looking somewhat forlorn and desolate, his tall figure slumping down.
"You want to return to the Zhang Family in Shangjing? It’s not that simple. That imperial edict alone is a mountain weighing down on the Zhang Family. However, if you secretly go to the Zhang Family in Shangjing to acquire the inheritance, there’s still some hope. As long as you don’t cause any major disturbances in the future, alerting those above, you can rely on the Zhang Family’s bloodline abilities to live incognito as a wealthy man, and it’s still possible to be rich beyond compare in one area," said Xie Lingyun.
"What’s the relationship between Zhang Family in Prince Pingbian’s Mansion and the Zhang Family in Shangjing?" Zhang Chen asked.
"The Zhang Family in Shangjing came from the Northern Land! But hundreds of years ago, the Northern Land Zhang Family was just a branch of the Shangjing Zhang Family. Back then, the main lineage of the Northern Land Zhang Family went to Kyoto, while the branch filled the vacancy left by the main lineage and took its place. The rise of the Northern Land Zhang Family in the old days was supported covertly by the eight great families. Even your father’s lineage was probably involved in this matter. I don’t know the specific details; a hundred years have changed much, the whole affair is a tangled mess, and all those who knew the truth have turned into bones," Xie Lingyun replied.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen fell silent, as if there was an invisible weight pressing heavily on his heart.
Xie Lingyun departed, leaving Zhang Chen sitting there for a long time before he took a deep breath: "It’s just a bit of frost and wind, I can endure! No matter what hardships the future holds, I have to cut through them. I only need to focus on strengthening my power; everything else is just illusion in the face of absolute power."
While his mind was racing with thoughts, a fox with fiery red fur appeared in Zhang Chen’s courtyard, like a ball of flame.
"Zhang Chen, something big has happened!" the Fox Fairy Nannan exclaimed as she entered Zhang Chen’s courtyard, her soul emerging as she shouted loudly at Zhang Chen.
"What big event?" Zhang Chen was startled by the words, his mind immediately thinking: "Could it be that Zhang Xiaohua is causing trouble again?"
"Tushan Qing is here!" said the Fox Fairy Nannan.
Hearing this, Zhang Chen’s pupils shrank; he recalled the troublesome Gambling Fox Tushan Qing. That Fox Spirit was no good, especially when attached to Chai Chuanxin, mingling among the Human Race. It’s likely bad news this time.
The two looked at each other; Zhang Chen asked, "Which courtyard is Tushan Qing in?"
"In the courtyard marked Bizi number. You must be very careful; that guy is too strange and not easy to provoke," advised the Fox Fairy Nannan.
Zhang Chen nodded, showing he understood the Fox Fairy Nannan’s advice, and watched her turn and leave. He stood in the courtyard with a sullen expression: "Really, all kinds of riffraff have come."
In the next moment, Zhang Chen transformed into flowing water, seeping underground and silently maneuvering, his form disappearing without a trace.
Reappearing in Tushan Qing’s courtyard, he saw Tushan Qing, under the guise of Chai Chuanxin, reading a book. Zhang Chen hid carefully beneath the earth, tiny droplets of water seeping up to form eyes watching Tushan Qing’s every move.
"Tushan Qing, have you prepared everything you were supposed to?"
At that moment, Chen Sanliang appeared in the courtyard.
Tushan Qing was startled and quickly stood up: "Sir, please rest assured. Once the battle breaks out, when it’s time to decide victory or defeat, I’ll crush the Jade Dew into powder and scatter it from upwind, boosting the power of our Fox Race experts hidden in ambush to ensure we capture all Northern Land experts in one fell swoop, enhancing our Fox Race’s chance to dominate the Northern Land."
"Once the experts of each family perish here, all Northern Land experts are captured, Prince Pingbian’s Mansion can only rely on our Demon Race to resist the court, forcing them onto a path they cannot retreat from," Tushan Qing respectfully explained.
Chen Sanliang nodded: "That Divine Position is a must-have for our Demon Race. If we can acquire it, researching how to enthrone a Divine Spirit will greatly boost our power, potentially allowing us to sweep through the Human Race’s Divine Land and unify the world."
After advising Tushan Qing, Chen Sanliang turned and left the courtyard, leaving Tushan Qing sighing heavily: "Oh heavens, those Jade Dew Petals are critical, the last chance prepared by our Demon Race for a turnaround, but I’ve actually lost them. If the patriarch finds out I messed up, wouldn’t he kill me?"
"Damn it, what should I do now?" Tushan Qing circled anxiously in the courtyard. Ever since waking up in the underground chamber and finding the Jade Dew Flower missing, he felt like the sky was falling.
No matter how hard he searched, he couldn’t find a trace of the Jade Dew Flower.
After thinking for a long time, Tushan Qing stomped his foot, harboring a glimmer of hope: "I’ll have to go down to that underground tomb again; maybe I missed something during the last inspection."
With that thought in mind, Tushan Qing used Void Transformation and slipped through the earth to escape.
Meanwhile, Zhang Chen underground heard Tushan Qing’s words, his eyes gleaming and a sneer curling at his lips: "The Demon Race wants to take advantage? Ha, it’s an opportunity for me."
Zhang Chen stealthily left the Daoist Temple, transformed into a bat, and flew swiftly, arriving ahead of Tushan Qing at the tomb, seeping into the tomb as a stream to place a flower within.
Zhang Chen hid a Golden Wind Flower within, quickly transformed into a stream, seeped away, and hid behind a stalactite to spy.
Soon after, a figure emerged from the earth and entered the depths of the tomb. Upon seeing the Golden Wind Flower, he was overjoyed: "Heavens have mercy; I’ve actually found the Jade Dew Flower. Now I have an explanation for the patriarch."
The Golden Wind Flower closely resembled the Jade Dew Flower, almost identical, and Tushan Qing couldn’t discern the subtleties.
After seeing the Golden Wind Flower, thinking it was the Jade Dew Flower, he quickly plucked it into his arms and turned to leave.
Once Tushan Qing left, Zhang Chen revealed himself in the underground cavern, his eyes filled with mockery: "Ha, the Demon Race wants to scheme against the Human Race? This time, I’ll give them a taste."
He eagerly anticipated the Demon Race using the Golden Wind Flower to bolster their power, plotting to kill all Human Race experts, only to end up weakening themselves and losing troops.
Stealthily departing, Zhang Chen’s form vanished into the stone cave.
The day before the enthronement ceremony, Zhang Chen’s form disappeared from the courtyard, having already arrived at the underground chamber, transformed into a stream to hide.
At this time, various martial artists and experts from the great families were arriving one after another. With the crowds, who would notice the insignificant Zhang Chen?
Liu Feng and the other elders were busy with their own affairs, sparing no attention to Zhang Chen’s whereabouts.
Hidden in the underground chamber, Zhang Chen constantly absorbed points, regardless of future changes, knowing his power was the foundation.
Meanwhile, undercurrents surged throughout Huangli Temple.
In a small courtyard at the temple’s rear, Liu Feng carrying a jar of wine, walked in slowly: "Senior Brother Ma Zhou, are you comfortable staying at my Daoist temple?"
A fifty-something Yellow Heaven Daoist was reading books and seeing Liu Feng bringing wine, exclaimed joyfully: "Junior Brother Liu, you know my tastes; come in quickly."
Liu Feng, smiling, opened the wine jar, took out prepared snacks, and both sat at the table drinking heartily.
"Junior Brother Liu, how are the preparations for the enthronement ceremony?" Ma Zhou asked after taking a hearty swig of wine and glanced at Liu Feng.
Liu Feng patted his chest: "Senior Brother Ma, rest assured, can you really not feel secure with me in charge? Everything’s arranged; you just wait for tomorrow’s enthronement ceremony and become a Divine Spirit."
Ma Zhou was overjoyed, patting Liu Feng on the shoulder: "Don’t worry, your contributions are remembered. Once I’m enthroned, you’ll certainly be rewarded. I’ll make sure there’s a place for you in my Miluo River’s Water Official Divine Position, allowing you to join me in immortality."