Xie Lingyun's words were firm and domineering. Zhang Chen actually wanted to tell Xie Lingyun that he was really not afraid of the Gong Family, but seeing Xie Lingyun had already stepped in, he chose to keep his mouth shut.
"Xie Lingyun, your Inspection and Supervision Department is now like a clay bodhisattva crossing the river, unable to protect itself. Do you still want to offend my Gong Family?" Elder Hei appeared at the bow of the ship at some unknown time, looking down at Xie Lingyun, his voice filled with evil qi.
"Then you should know better that since my department has fallen to such a state, there's nothing to be afraid of anymore." Xie Lingyun turned to look at Gong Hei.
Upon hearing this, Gong Hei took a deep breath. He was also helpless, knowing that the Inspection and Supervision Department was at the end of its rope and didn't mind going for broke. If they fought to the death before the decisive battle with Prince Pingbian's Mansion, he would face the last counterattack of the Inspection and Supervision Department, making it impossible for the Gong Family experts to leave the Northern Land.
So, facing the aggressive Xie Lingyun, Gong Hei chose to swallow his anger: "Since Hundred Households Xie has stepped forward, my Gong Family will definitely give you face. However, I still need to ask this kid a question. Once I've asked, this person can leave with Hundred Households Xie."
Xie Lingyun heard this and remained indifferent, but saw Gong Hei turn to Zhang Chen: "Kid, let me ask you, where did Gong Bai go?"
That day he and Gong Bai were hunting Zhang Chen and Zhou Chuan. Later, he himself was severely injured by Zhou Chuan, and Gong Bai lost track. Gong Bai is a top expert of the Gong Family, a crucial figure in maintaining their fate, and there must be no mishap.
"Your question is strange. I don't even know this Gong Bai you speak of, so how would I know where he went?" Zhang Chen stood on the bow and replied indifferently.
Of course, he knew where Gong Bai went. Gong Bai had already been controlled by the Blood God Child to lurk at the White Bone Great Wall. When the Demon Race army invaded, he would quickly slaughter to enhance his power, striving to evolve into a Fruit Realm expert as soon as possible.
"You're talking nonsense! That day Gong Bai went to kill you, but now you're fine, and Gong Bai has disappeared. Who would believe you don't know his whereabouts?" Gong Hei cursed in anger, pointing at Zhang Chen.
"See, I said it and you don't believe me, what can I do?" Zhang Chen replied with an annoyed tone.
Then Zhang Chen shut his mouth and remained silent. Xie Lingyun glanced at Zhang Chen, somewhat surprised by his entanglement with the Gong Family, then turned to Gong Hei: "Since my brother says he doesn't know Gong Bai and doesn't know where Gong Bai went, ancestor, please let us pass."
Gong Hei's face turned livid with rage, and the Gong Family disciples beside him were also furious, chomping their fists with eyes wide open, eager to rush out and start a massacre. However, Gong Hei remained rational in the end, waved his hand for the Gong Family disciples to clear the path, and issued a cold laugh: "I hope during the decisive battle between your department and Prince Pingbian's Mansion, you'll still be so tough."
"No need for your concern, no one in this world has been born who can challenge my department!" Xie Lingyun retaliated calmly.
Zhang Chen was someone she had to protect. Zhang Chen mastered the Water Control Technique, and if the Inspection and Supervision Department wanted to fight their way out, they would need Zhang Chen's help with the Water Control Technique.
With Zhang Chen's method of the Water Control Technique, if he was willing to lend a hand, even if Prince Pingbian had millions of troops, the Inspection and Supervision Department could still break through the siege.
Xie Lingyun took a step out, landing on the bow of Zhang Chen's boat, and then Zhang Chen urged the ice ship to sail away, leaving behind the angry Gong Family members.
"Ancestor, the Inspection and Supervision Department is just a post-autumn grasshopper. Are we just going to let them go?" A steward from the Gong Family complained with an indignant tone.
"Heh, the Inspection and Supervision Department's elite is still intact. If we attack now, we will face their death throes, which isn't worth it. When Prince Pingbian's Mansion and the Inspection and Supervision Department settle accounts, that will be our time for revenge. We will help Prince Pingbian's Mansion toss the Inspection and Supervision Department into the river to feed the turtles." Gong Hei sneered coldly, watching the distant ice ship with murderous intent in his eyes.
Meanwhile, Zhang Chen and Xie Lingyun maneuvered the ice ship further away, Xie Lingyun turned to Zhang Chen: "My younger brother, you're finally back. If you hadn't come out, I would have had to go underground to find you."
"Doesn't my sister know my methods? Why worry about me?" Zhang Chen replied.
"I'm not worried about you; I'm seeking your assistance. You see, Prince Pingbian's three hundred thousand troops are gathering and have vaguely surrounded our fleet. Once the Demon Race breaks through the pass with the Water Demons, it will be a deadly attack on our department. Our fifty thousand troops are already trapped here. If you don't come out now, you might never see me again." Xie Lingyun didn't hide her purpose:
"I need to borrow your Water Control Technique to give our department a fighting chance."
Zhang Chen looked at the dense warships in the distance. The warships of Prince Pingbian's Mansion surely numbered in the tens of thousands, while the department's army had only a hundred ships, with the disparity in strength vast.
Zhang Chen gazed at the distant large ships, a hint of compassion in his eyes: "I do have a way to carve a path for the department, but it would be a pity for Prince Pingbian's millions of troops. After all, they are the elite of the Human Race. If they all perished in the river water…"
A trace of reluctance was in Zhang Chen's voice. He was not someone with a heart of stone. Although their positions differed, those were indeed the living forces of the Human Race.
"Do you think Prince Pingbian's Mansion will spare you? When their blade is at your neck, you won't be feeling compassionate." Xie Lingyun retorted impatiently:
"Originally, Prince Pingbian's advantage was merely about soldiers, but now with the support of experts from the Demon Race and Yellow Heaven Dao, all their shortcomings have been filled. Even an Eleventh Tier expert would not gain from coming to the Northern Land. If you don't cooperate with the department, you too won't make it out of the Northern Land." Xie Lingyun earnestly advised.
Zhang Chen looked at Xie Lingyun. What could he say?
There was nothing he could say!
Now both sides are like grasshoppers tied to the same rope, if one falls, the other won't fare well either.
"The Northern Land is flooding, how's my family?" Zhang Chen asked.
"They're with the fleet now," Xie Lingyun said. "Currently, the Inspection and Supervision Department and Prince Pingbian's Mansion have torn faces, and it's unsafe to keep your parents in the city. Moreover, Goulan County has become a land of marshes, submerged by floods, and I'm also worried something might happen to your family."
Zhang Chen glanced at Xie Lingyun, "Now I have no choice but to help you!"
If the Inspection and Supervision Department were defeated, he might have a chance to escape using his Escape Technique, but he couldn't escape with his little brother and sister.
"I didn't mean to force you," Xie Lingyun quickly explained. "The city is completely chaotic now, with major forces taking advantage of the flood to burn, kill, and loot in Goulan County. It's unsafe for your family to stay in the city."
While speaking, they arrived in front of the fleet of the Inspection and Supervision Department. Zhang Chen's eyes flickered with golden light, watching as Dragon Qi enveloped the fleet. The Dragon Qi appeared purple, different from that of Prince Pingbian's Mansion.
"That's the Dragon Qi of the Great Victory Court," Zhang Chen thought to himself. Compared to the Great Victory's Dragon Qi, Prince Pingbian's Mansion's Dragon Qi seemed mediocre; they simply couldn't be compared.
Unfortunately, Dragon Qi cannot directly kill enemies; it can only suppress the Ten Thousand Techniques. Otherwise, if they were to compete in Dragon Qi, the Inspection and Supervision Department wouldn't even need to take action to win.
"Get on board," Xie Lingyun gestured invitingly.
A stream of water rose beneath Zhang Chen's feet, instantly disassembling the ice ship. The water stream lifted the Earth's Primordial Magnetism wrapped in iron and deposited it on the deck.
The guards of the Inspection and Supervision Department's weapons hummed continuously, and their armor vibrated, leaving everyone astonished as they looked at the iron hunk with a hint of suspicion in their eyes.
"Are you going to meet my father first or your family?" Xie Lingyun asked.
"It's been a long time since I've seen my little brother and sister," Zhang Chen didn't answer Xie Lingyun directly, but sighed with emotion in his voice.
Upon hearing Zhang Chen's words, Xie Lingyun understood the unspoken intention: "Follow me."
The two proceeded toward the central warship. Naturally, the large ship of the Inspection and Supervision Department was connected by chains. As they passed through more than twenty large ships, they heard laughter in the distance. Zhang Chen followed the laughter and saw a dozen children kicking a shuttlecock on the deck.
Among them, one was about six or seven years old. Although he hadn't seen him for years, Zhang Chen instantly recognized him — it was his little brother, Zhang Fei.
Now, Zhang Fei wore luxurious silk, decorated with intricate patterns, clearly fine needlework and embroidery, not cheap garments.
But what made Zhang Chen frown was Zhang Fei was fair-skinned and had become round as a ball, like a little rubber ball bouncing there, making Zhang Chen's eyelids twitch.
He could tell Zhang Fei had lived comfortably these years, without suffering any hardship, but how had he gotten round like a ball?
Zhang Chen's eyes scrutinized Zhang Fei up and down, then turned to look at Xie Lingyun, about to ask, when he heard Xie Lingyun say, "Don't blame me; your little brother eats a roast chicken and a roast goose daily, and no one can dissuade him. Fortunately, I found a doctor to prepare some digestive aids, otherwise, his spleen and stomach would have been ruined."
"Ridiculous! Why doesn't mother manage him a bit?" Zhang Chen's voice was filled with displeasure.
"You know your stepmother's temperament; she spoils him to bits, unwilling to restrain him," Xie Lingyun said helplessly.
Zhang Chen shook his head: "Next, we'll have him start martial arts training, otherwise, if his weight increases, it'll be too late to train."
Zhang Chen called out to the distant little fatty: "Zhang Fei!"
The little rubber ball paused, turned to look at Zhang Chen, eyes filled with disbelief, rubbing his eyes hard: "Big brother!!!"
Then he saw the little rubber ball sprinting, rushing toward Zhang Chen.
"Slow down, don't fall!" Zhang Chen saw his bouncing manner, worried he'd fly out like a rubber ball.
"Big brother, where have you been all these years? Why haven't we heard anything from you!" The little fatty shouted while rushing over.