Upon hearing Shen Xu’s words, Zhang Chen gently smiled: "Second Uncle, your words are incorrect. To live in this world, one must constantly strive. Strive for status, money, resources for cultivation; if you want to climb higher, how can you not strive?"
"I don’t know when that relic can be recovered. If it’s thirty years, fifty years later, what use is it to me? I’m a practical person; compared to an elusive future, it’s better to directly seize all the resources I can see." Saying this, Zhang Chen looked at Shen Xu: "I don’t know what relic my mother left behind, but it must be incredibly precious. Otherwise, why would so many members of the Shen Family be so fixated on it? Trading that relic for a spot in the Inner Academy, that’s a fair deal for the Shen Family, isn’t it?"
Shen Xu was speechless, his eyes staring at Zhang Chen, realizing now how difficult this youngster was.
"Since you’ve made up your mind, I naturally cannot persuade you further. At this point, saying more is useless; however, you need to pay close attention to one matter. Shen Qiu is the son of the grand aunt Wang Xifeng, and the spot you are seizing is Shen Qiu’s. I fear neither Shen Qiu nor the grand aunt will let it go easily, not knowing how many complications will arise then. The open and covert struggles are extremely perilous; I’m afraid you can’t withstand them, and even I can’t protect you." Shen Xu’s voice revealed a trace of distance, evidently dissatisfied with Zhang Chen’s self-willed decision to seize Shen Qiu’s spot.
"Let the outside world unleash storms and fire, I will respond with calm. The path is chosen by myself, and I will never regret it." Zhang Chen’s voice revealed a hint of determination.
Upon hearing Zhang Chen’s words, Shen Xu said no more, just sighed lightly, patted Zhang Chen’s shoulder, turned and left.
In the afternoon, Zhang Chen went to Jinling City to scout, explored the temples in Jinling City, and investigated the incense offerings to various divine spirits. By evening, he returned, but upon entering the Shen Family gates, Zhang Chen sensed something was amiss—the Shen Family guards were looking at him in an odd manner.
"Could it be that another problem has arisen within the Shen Family?" Zhang Chen’s mind flickered with thoughts.
Thinking of this, Zhang Chen quickly walked toward the backyard.
Going back a quarter of an hour earlier, at the entrance, a woman dressed as a lady was standing expressionless at the threshold, while a little maid was arrogantly chattering:
"You wild bunch, truly ungrateful. The Shen Family treats you as noble guests, providing for your food, clothing, and lodging as a grace. Now the Shen Family is in trouble, asking you to relinquish Lixiang Garden so the ladies can live there, and you dare to resist?"
"Especially you, you despicable wretch, daring to steal the young master’s jade pendant. You are truly a filthy, ungrateful beast!" The little maid pointed at Zhang Fei, cursing.
Zhang Fei was trembling with anger, eyes red and swollen: "I did not steal the jade pendant, I clearly found it at the doorway, I didn’t steal it!"
"You did steal it! You wild person from the mountains, your hands are truly unclean." The little maid cursed loudly: "People like you, only fit to live in the wilderness, your presence in the Shen Family pollutes the family’s wealth."
Across the way, Zhang Tuowei was unhappy upon hearing this, a fierce light in his eyes, activating his power, and the little maid slapped her own face repeatedly, blood splattering.
"Scoundrel! Dare to show off before me?" Wang Xifeng beside her sensed the mysterious Qi Mechanism fluctuation, her expression turning angry, and the guard next to her charged at Zhang Tuowei.
Beside him, Chengyu put down the parcel in his hand, stepped forward to block Zhang Tuowei, and instantly both sides engaged in a scuffle.
When Zhang Chen arrived, he saw Shen Family guards had subdued the three small ones, pinning them into the dirt. Each had bruised faces and tattered clothes, clearly having suffered greatly.
Wang Xifeng stood with her hands on hips, expressionless as she watched, her beautiful face entirely cold. Beside her, the little maid was cursing, spewing all sorts of unpleasant words like ’bastard,’ ’wild man,’ ’thief.’
Mrs. Zhang was kneeling on the ground, crawling at Wang Xifeng’s feet, pleading with various soft words.
Even with their faces shoved into the dirt, the three small ones exposed stubborn half-faces, refusing to bow.
Zhang Chen was furious seeing this scene, his anger surging: "Quite the display of power, sister-in-law!"
He focused on a guard beside Wang Xifeng, divine light flowing around him, a seventh-level divine spirit, no wonder the three small ones had been overpowered.
With Zhang Chen’s words, the chaotic atmosphere froze for a moment. Wang Xifeng abruptly turned her head, seeing Zhang Chen walking up expressionless: "You returned just in time; you need to discipline your siblings well. At such a young age, but already with sticky fingers. We are family; I disciplined them for you, no need to thank me. If their bad habits aren’t corrected, they’ll cause trouble outside, and regret will come too late."
Gazing at Wang Xifeng’s beautiful face, Zhang Chen knew well why she was there, surprised at how quickly her counterattack had come.
"Just in time, I can take this chance to leave the Shen Family, to avoid causing trouble."
A thought flashed through Zhang Chen’s mind, his gaze swept over the guards holding down the three small ones, and the kneeling Mrs. Zhang. Then he heard Zhang Fei, stubbornly saying: "Big Brother, I... didn’t disgrace you! I didn’t steal anything, nor would I do anything disgraceful."
Chengyu also spoke stubbornly: "They are slandering us, truly exasperating!"
"Chen’Er!" Mrs. Zhang looked toward Zhang Chen with tearful eyes.
Zhang Chen, expressionless, first helped Mrs. Zhang up, then his eyes turned toward the samurai pressing down the three small ones. In the next moment, cold frost flashed through his eyes, instantly enveloping the samurai’s body into a frozen figure, allowing the three small ones to escape to Zhang Chen’s side, each bruised and battered.
"Who all took action?" Zhang Chen gently asked.
The six warriors pressing down the three little ones were now frozen dead, not a sound to be heard.
Those six had refined Huajin, considered competent outside, but against Zhang Chen’s cold aura, they had no resistance.
"What if it was my doing?" The seventh-tier Divine Spirit stepped forward, indifferent in tone.
"I’m glad you admit it." Zhang Chen’s eyes were filled with ice-cold intent. Just a mere seventh-tier Divine Spirit, daring to be presumptuous with his family?
Just as Zhang Chen’s body was surging with cold energy, ready to strike, a shout came from afar: "Stop!"
Zhang Chen’s aura was halted, and he turned to see Zhang Gaoqiu striding quickly over, his gaze sweeping the scene, then looking at the angry Zhang Chen, he hurriedly reached out to restrain Zhang Chen’s shoulder: "Good brother, don’t be impulsive, let me handle the following matters, I will surely give you an explanation."
Zhang Gaoqiu turned to look at Wang Xifeng, a hint of dissatisfaction in his eyes: "Why does Madam Wang do this? To so humiliate my Zhang Family? Even if our Zhang Family is downfallen, we shall not be insulted by a bunch of lowly maids."
Did Zhang Gaoqiu want to stand up for Zhang Chen?
He absolutely did not!
He merely saw a flawless opportunity to put Zhang Chen in a place of death.
Now that Zhang Chen and Wang Xifeng had a conflict, if he seized the moment to fan the flames, Zhang Chen would surely meet a fate without burial.
Seeing Zhang Gaoqiu stand forward, Wang Xifeng’s eyes finally wavered, then she looked at the maid who had been spewing filthy language, her voice coldly commanding: "Remove the head!"
"Madam!" The maid turned pale, body trembling, and immediately knelt to the ground.
"Remove the head!" Madam Wang repeated.
The maid’s body shook, tears in her eyes, and then she suddenly snatched the treasure sword from the guard beside her, slicing it towards her own neck. Blood sprayed, and her body collapsed like cotton.
"Not enough!" Zhang Gaoqiu said coldly.
If he wanted to win Zhang Chen’s trust, how could he not act accordingly?
"You, remove your own heads!" Madam Wang looked at her own warriors.
The warriors’ expressions changed, but without a word, they swiftly drew the long knives from their waists, slicing their own necks.
For them, death was still terrifying, but there were things in this world even more so. Their families, their children, each represented a self-termination opportunity they could not ignore.
"Cousin." Zhang Gaoqiu turned to Zhang Chen, asking: "How about it?"
Now, only Wang Xifeng and that seventh-tier Divine Spirit remained alive, Zhang Chen looked over the spirit, then at Zhang Gaoqiu. Although he didn’t know why this grandson was helping him, there was certainly no good intentions.
Since he wished to seize the chance to leave the Shen Family Mansion, he decided to push the limits. Facing Zhang Gaoqiu’s gaze, he shook his head: "Not enough! Is the Zhang Family’s bloodline so debased?"
"Don’t get carried away!" Madam Wang’s expression changed; she understood what Zhang Chen implied—he wanted the head of the seventh-tier Divine Spirit.
A seventh-tier Divine Spirit would be considered a top-notch expert anywhere.
Zhang Chen sighed softly: "It seems the Shen Family cannot accommodate me! So be it, if I’m not welcomed here, there’s always another place that will. Zhang Tuowei, Zhang Fei, go pack our things. Let’s move out of the Shen Mansion. With such noble relatives, we humble ones dare not associate."
Hearing Zhang Chen’s words, Zhang Gaoqiu panicked. If Zhang Chen left the Shen Mansion, what about his marriage to his cousin?
So Zhang Gaoqiu quickly stopped Zhang Chen: "Brother, don’t act rashly. Watch me stand up for you."
After calming Zhang Chen, Zhang Gaoqiu turned to Wang Xifeng: "Madam Wang, is my Zhang Family so lowly? A mere seventh-tier Divine Spirit also dares to offend?"
PS: Additional update for alliance leader ’Feng Junshi Haoran’ (Part 2).
Thanks for the five hundred-point reward from ’Li Ge 10086’.