Thoughts flickered through Zhang Chen’s mind, and he raised his guard: "I just don’t know if Zhang Gaqi will harbor any inappropriate thoughts."
If Zhang Gaqi remains well-behaved, it’s fine, but if he doesn’t, my True God Golden Light happens to perfectly restrain him.
The most crucial point is that my Light of the True God has already made tenth-level evil spirits retreat; although that Celestial Ghost is strong, it definitely doesn’t reach the power of the tenth level.
"If he wants to pull any tricks, I’ll just give him a little surprise," Zhang Chen muttered to himself.
As for so-called familial affection, he didn’t believe in it at all.
"The Zhang Family’s talent superpower seems to be related to the Underworld, which is quite interesting."
In the next moment, Zhang Chen transformed into mist and slipped away, returning to the Daoist Temple. From a distance, he saw the entire temple ablaze, with sounds of battle constantly emanating from within.
The army of Prince Pingbian was fighting outside the temple with a group of people in black, while inside, the temple was already engulfed in flames. Numerous figures in black had charged in, and the disciples within were all fiercely resisting.
Because the army of Prince Pingbian was present, the Yin God Strong Person could not emerge, and there were also Qi Blood Martial Artists roaming during the night, causing the Yin God presence to be on edge. Therefore, the battle at Huangli Temple was confined to the realm of the Mortal Martial Artists.
"Goodness, where did so many experts come from to indulge in a killing spree within the Yellow Heaven Dao?" Zhang Chen transformed into a stream of water and burrowed into the soil, returning to his small abode unchallenged. After all, it was merely the residence of a regular disciple, not the target of those in black.
Zhang Chen stood on the rooftop, taking in the entire view of the Daoist Temple. He saw chaos everywhere, though the main force was engaged in the hall housing the main observation point of Huangli Temple and the back courtyard’s secret chamber. It seemed these men in black had a clear target, driven by rumors of the Tree of Life Coffin.
Those who came to kill were by no means ordinary. There were over a hundred experts who had solidified their Qi Blood, hundreds who had reached Power, along with thousands from various factions of the Martial World, indulging in slaughter and looting within the temple.
Though Prince Pingbian’s Mansion had surrounded them with tens of thousands of troops, the experts of the Martial World, especially the Qi Blood Martial Artists, proved to be a formidable challenge.
Firstly, the terrain of the temple was perilous, making any battle formations impossible. Secondly, the army’s Evil Qi had no effect on the Qi Blood Martial Artists, failing to suppress them in any way.
Zhang Chen, witnessing this scene, exhibited a hint of surprise in his expression: "No wonder so many people go to great lengths to pursue the path of a Martial Artist. Qi Blood Martial Artists indeed have no natural enemy. Yin God Strong Persons cannot emerge before them, and armies cannot suppress them. Qi Blood Martial Artists represent a perfect cultivation path, formidable without flaw."
As Zhang Chen marveled inwardly, the sound of footsteps suddenly broke through the battle cries. Five men dressed in black broke away from the battlefield, carrying torches to set fires within the temple, further escalating the chaos.
In no time, the temple was in flames, accompanied by cries of murder, transforming the entire site into a living hell.
Zhang Chen watched for a moment and chose to hide away like a turtle withdrawing its head, unwilling to fight those men in black.
Sensing Xiaodouding’s aura, he noticed it was calm and steady as the child continued to sleep soundly inside, which reassured him. So he quietly sat by the window, waiting for the battle to end.
He knew the fighting would certainly cease before dawn, and once it did, the heavy siege weaponry of Prince Pingbian’s Mansion would be transported up the mountain. By then, the army would gain an absolute advantage. The men in black were merely holding a temporary edge through geographic advantage, but once the reinforcements of Prince Pingbian’s forces arrived from all directions, coordinating with the war machines, the men in black would ultimately be defeated.
Quietly hiding away now was the best choice.
Zhang Chen sat in his courtyard, contemplating what course to pursue in the future.
"I still need to stay at Huangli Temple. After all, it has a continuous supply of Incense Faith, providing me with a stable source of points. I’ll stay here for a year or so to fully hone all my skills before descending the mountain to search for the Tree of Life Coffin. Currently, my abilities are insufficient to contend with Dugu Qiu for it," Zhang Chen formulated his strategic plan, deciding to continue lying low in the mountains for now.
Yet he still needed to investigate the rumors regarding the Tree of Life Coffin, covertly seeking out clues behind the scenes.
As Zhang Chen contemplated his next moves, footsteps sounded from the darkness. His mastery of the ultrasound skill allowed him to pick up the sound amidst the deafening shouts and cries, amplifying the footsteps to thunderous proportions in his ears.
Upon hearing the footsteps, Zhang Chen immediately raised his guard, focusing towards the gate. The steps stopped outside, followed by a voice calling out, "Zhang Chen, are you there?"
Upon hearing the familiar voice, Zhang Chen was quietly surprised: ’Is it Zhang Gaqi?’
However, confident in his abilities, especially as the True God Golden Light Heavens counter Zhang Gaqi, he felt no fear and responded calmly, "I’m here!"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Gaqi sighed in relief: "Good, as long as you are there. I heard the clamor outside, knowing the temple was in peril, so I came to protect you."
Saying this, he pushed the door open and entered the courtyard, seeing Zhang Chen sitting under the eaves.
Though it was night, Zhang Gaqi possessed night vision abilities, and his gaze fell upon Zhang Chen, who remained calm and unperturbed. Zhang Gaqi couldn’t help but feel impressed. This nephew was indeed extraordinary; even with the temple under siege, he remained composed—clearly no ordinary person.
Zhang Chen also turned his gaze to Zhang Gaqi and slowly stood to offer a polite bow, "Thank you, benefactor."
"What’s with the formalities? When we’re alone, just call me Uncle. Your father may have been expelled from the family roster, but that was due to circumstances beyond our control. The roster is just a formal document; the blood coursing through your veins cannot lie. We are kin connected by blood," Zhang Gaqi said.
Saying this, he unceremoniously took a seat on a nearby bench, prompting Zhang Chen to also sit down in response.
"Last time, with Xie Lingyun present, I had many questions but refrained from speaking. Now, tell me in detail about your grievances with Prince Pingbian’s Mansion," Zhang Gaqi inquired.
Zhang Chen, hearing this, didn’t hesitate. He recounted the grievances between himself and Zhang Xiaohua, including the scheme of Prince Pingbian’s Mansion to replace him secretly.
Although it was night, Zhang Chen’s mastery of ultrasound allowed him to notice, as he recounted, Zhang Gaqi’s face growing stern, his fists clenching within his sleeves, and the blood in his veins flowing faster.
"How despicable! Prince Pingbian’s Mansion resorting to such disgraceful means! How infuriating! Prince Pingbian dares to interfere with the direct lineage; he deserves to have his soul extracted and refined, suffering a thousand cuts," Zhang Gaqi’s voice was ice-cold.
Silently, Zhang Chen shifted his gaze to Zhang Gaqi, his eyes clear and bright even under moonlight, emanating a chilling calmness.
After a long while, Zhang Gaqi sighed helplessly, releasing his clenched fists from within his sleeves, "I am powerless to avenge you. Now that you have a vendetta with Prince Pingbian’s Mansion, it’s best you leave the Northern Land soon. Do not continue to confront them; prolonging this is to your disadvantage, and you are courting death."
Hearing this, Zhang Chen remained silent. How could he agree to leave the Northern Land in such a disgraceful fashion?
Moreover, Zhang Chen did not believe Prince Pingbian’s Mansion unbeatable. As long as he continued collecting points to enhance his skills, he was convinced he could one day overthrow Prince Pingbian’s Mansion and demand justice for himself.
Observing Zhang Chen’s determined expression, Zhang Gaqi hesitated a bit and then said:
"Things have come to this point, so I won’t hide it from you. Behind Prince Pingbian’s Mansion stands the Eight Great Clans of Shangjing, primarily our Zhang Family from the capital. You know, ever since the founding, our Zhang Family has been in decline, and we had to support Prince Pingbian’s Mansion at the border area. The relationship between Prince Pingbian’s Mansion and our Zhang Family in Kyoto is one of mutual gain or loss. As long as Prince Pingbian’s Mansion exists, our Zhang Family will not fully fall, and the Eight Great Clans backing us will maintain a foothold in Kyoto. Should Prince Pingbian’s Mansion decline, the Eight Great Clans will lose our final trump card and face the exclusion from the rest, risking demotion from primiership overnight. Of course, there are deeper connections and reasons that I cannot explain in detail, but you should know that you must not continue provoking Prince Pingbian’s Mansion."