"In just a little while longer, less than two months, I will certainly be able to burn the restraints on this sphere to nothingness, completing the sacrificial refining of my treasure." Zhang Chen was secretly delighted, never expecting such a boon to be waiting for him.
"Good, good, good. Once I refine the God-Beating Whip, my power will rise to another level, adding more protective means to my arsenal." Zhang Chen was overjoyed, and after confirming everything, he left the cave and turned back to the Daoist Temple.
At this moment, Chengyu had already woken up and was practicing Martial Dao in the courtyard. Her every move was methodical and impressive.
Zhang Chen came out from the house, watching Chengyu practice Martial Dao, and couldn’t help but clap his hands in praise: "Senior sister’s Martial Dao skills are indeed impressive."
Chengyu stopped her movements and looked at Zhang Chen with joy: "When did you come back?"
Zhang Chen grinned and said: "Just now."
"Come here, I’ve brought you something good this time," Zhang Chen beckoned to Chengyu.
Chengyu followed Zhang Chen eagerly, her eyes filled with curiosity: "What good thing have you come up with this time?"
She knew Zhang Chen well; whatever he called good was bound to be good.
Zhang Chen chuckled and took out a bottle of Ba Snake Blood, saying: "Ba Snake Blood! If you use this blood to refine your body, it might help you to refine Martial Dao Qi Blood."
"You actually got your hands on something like this; you’re really something!" Xiaodouding’s eyes lit up as she took the jade bottle and asked: "How do I use it?"
"Apply it on your body and let it be absorbed bit by bit, but do not swallow it." Zhang Chen instructed.
The Ba Snake Remnant Soul was still alive, and Zhang Chen felt that directly ingesting Ba Snake Blood might invite trouble. If the Ba Snake Remnant Soul schemed against them, it might not be worth the risk.
Hearing this, Xiaodouding’s face showed delight, and she carefully put away the bottle, then looked earnestly at Zhang Chen: "Junior brother, you’re really good to me. Don’t worry, when I achieve Great Success in Martial Dao, I’ll surely protect you."
Zhang Chen ruffled Xiaodouding’s hair: "Alright, I’m just waiting for senior sister to achieve Great Success in Martial Dao to take care of me."
"I’m hungry now, senior sister. Will you prepare something for me to eat?" Zhang Chen said.
"Wait here, I’ll go to the kitchen to find something for you." Xiaodouding turned and ran off quickly.
Zhang Chen watched Xiaodouding’s departing figure with a smile, then returned to the house and lay on the bed, contemplating combat skills.
Martial Dao is Martial Dao, and combat skills are combat skills. One is the Dao, the Fundamental Technique. The other is technique, the Killing Technique.
Though he didn’t plan to cultivate Martial Dao, he still wanted to learn killing techniques.
Unfortunately, without an appropriate master, and having offended Prince Pingbian’s Mansion, no one in the Daoist Temple dared to get involved.
Zhang Chen was utterly baffled. Reluctantly, he could only temporarily give up, waiting for Prince Pingbian’s Mansion’s next move, as well as mysterious news from the Northern Land, so he could seize the opportunity and make a move.
It was on the third day of Zhang Chen’s secluded cultivation in the Daoist Temple that the Observatory Master, Xu Wei, came to see him.
"Greetings, Observatory Master." Zhang Chen respectfully saluted Xu Wei.
Xu Wei wore a gentle smile, looking as friendly as a neighborly uncle: "Are you comfortable living in the Daoist Temple? Is the environment satisfactory?"
Zhang Chen replied: "As a disciple who comes from humble origins, just having food to eat is already a blessing, how dare I be dissatisfied?"
Xu Wei nodded in satisfaction after hearing this:
"Our Daoist Temple has a task for you, which cannot simply be called a task, but a way to resolve the grudges between you and Prince Pingbian’s Mansion. I’ve heard of your grudge with Prince Pingbian’s Mansion, which is the ruler of the Northern Land. In the Northern Land, you can’t circumvent the power of the Mansion. Offending the Mansion does you no good, and even with the support of the Inspection and Supervision Department, there are many things they can’t handle. There’s a saying, ’more trouble is not as good as less trouble.’ How convenient is it to resolve animosity? Now, Prince Pingbian’s Mansion wants to build a Daoist Temple on their ancestral land to collect incense and serve the Mansion by praying for its ancestors day and night. This is also an opportunity for you to resolve these grudges, so I took the liberty to assign this task to you to improve your relationship with Prince Pingbian’s Mansion."
Hearing this, Zhang Chen thought to himself: "Prince Pingbian’s Mansion acts so fast, already plotting against me in just three short days."
Looking at Xu Wei, he inwardly grumbled: ’If I didn’t know the truth, I might have believed your nonsense. You wretched thing, you’re really detestable—detestable to the extreme!’
Zhang Chen quickly bowed in gratitude, shedding tears of thanks: "Thank you, Observatory Master, for your care. I am deeply grateful and will surely repay your great kindness in the future."
Seeing Zhang Chen’s expression, Xu Wei’s eyes briefly flickered with coldness and disdain before he quickly concealed it, saying unemotionally: "Tomorrow, you will go down the mountain to Prince Pingbian’s Mansion and report to Mr. Wuliu. The Mansion will naturally assign you the task then."
Zhang Chen hesitated for a moment: "Observatory Master, I have a deep-seated grudge with Mr. Wuliu of Prince Pingbian’s Mansion. If he takes the opportunity to kill me inside the Mansion..."
"Rest assured, I’ll be mediating from within; such a thing will not happen." Xu Wei reassured Zhang Chen briefly before swiftly leaving, his figure disappearing outside the door.
Watching Xu Wei’s departing figure, Zhang Chen sneered to himself, thinking: ’The enmity between us is indeed solidified now. But since there’s no more wool to be gathered in this Daoist Temple, I’ll gladly go and gather from Prince Pingbian’s ancestral tomb. It’s their own fault for delivering themself to me.’
Meanwhile, as Xu Wei was heading to the back courtyard, he saw Mr. Wuliu waiting there. Upon seeing Mr. Wuliu, Xu Wei quickly stepped forward and respectfully bowed:
"Sir, everything is arranged. Zhang Chen will go down the mountain tomorrow, except..."
Xu Wei paused here, looking at the back of Mr. Wuliu with some hesitation: "Zhang Chen mustn’t die on the mountain. Otherwise, if Xie Lingyun questions it, Huangli Temple won’t be able to account for it."
He had served Prince Pingbian’s Mansion for a long time; how could he not know what kind of people they are?
Listening to this, Mr. Wuliu smiled: "Rest assured, if Zhang Chen truly dies, it will surely be after Xie Lingyun."
Upon hearing this, Xu Wei’s pupils shrank with disbelief, and he bowed his head even lower.
In the small courtyard,
Xiaodouding watched as Xu Wei left and looked at Zhang Chen sideways:
"Zhang Chen, are you really going to reconcile with Prince Pingbian’s Mansion?"
"Of course not! My hatred with Prince Pingbian’s Mansion is irreconcilable, how could I possibly reconcile?" Zhang Chen patted Xiaodouding’s head.
"Then why?" Xiaodouding looked at Zhang Chen, eyes full of confusion.
Zhang Chen smiled lightly: "Haha, this is called maneuvering, Prince Pingbian’s Mansion harbors ill intentions to harm me, but little do they know that I too want to harm them. Ultimately, which of us is more skilled will depend on our abilities."
Zhang Chen stroked Xiaodouding’s head: "You stay in the Daoist Temple and practice carefully. Don’t go down the mountain easily, and never interact with people from Prince Pingbian’s Mansion. In fact, even people in the Daoist Temple are not to be trusted!"
With a glint of cunning in her eyes, Xiaodouding replied: "Don’t worry, I will definitely not listen to them and will remain vigilant against them."
Zhang Chen continued stroking Xiaodouding’s head, as if petting a dog’s head, his eyes filled with worry. He was not worried about anyone except for Xiaodouding.
Thinking for a moment, Zhang Chen took out an Invisibility Rune and handed it to Xiaodouding: "You must hide this talisman. It has the power of invisibility, only seen through by Yang God Level masters. Perhaps in times of crisis, it can help you."
He was genuinely concerned about Xiaodouding. Yellow Heaven Dao had laid too intricate a plot on Xiaodouding. Although he had broken Yellow Heaven Dao’s plan for now, they would certainly not rest easy.