Chapter 1308 - 936: Entering the Zhang Family

Zhang Chen felt that if he could use the Third Prince to open the space portal and then fish in troubled waters, he could best protect himself. After all, opening the Zhang Family’s secret space was extremely perilous. If it weren’t for the three Twelfth Tier deities from the court shielding him, he might have ended up clashing with the Black Impermanence, forcing him to ascend to the Dao Fruit realm.

Black Impermanence was in the Daluo Realm, and Zhang Chen didn’t believe he could withstand the final backlash of a master in such a realm.

Thinking of this, Zhang Chen envisioned his Primordial Spirit inspecting his family’s Tree of Life, seeing a leaf fall from the tree into his hand, held tightly by him.

Silently harnessing his magical power, he recalled the runes and techniques from the Kunlun period, forming seals with his hands, and soon a map appeared on the leaf of the Tree of Life in his hand.

The map wasn’t straightforward; it was ’encrypted’ by Zhang Chen. As he noticed the freshness of the leaf, Zhang Chen added the Power of Time onto it.

"One day can add one hundred and eighty years; I just need to enhance it to ten thousand years, and then I can set the stage." Zhang Chen whispered to himself.

In just over a month, he’d completed a map from the Ancient Era. To add mystique, Zhang Chen had endowed it with Immortal Dao techniques and had inscribed Innate Texts on it. Once Zhang Chen found an opportunity for it to ’conveniently’ fall into the Third Prince’s hands, he would have accomplished his goal. The Third Prince was sure to decode the map and discover the location of the last path of Reincarnation, and Zhang Chen doubted the prince could resist pursuing it at all costs.

The Six Paths of Reincarnation was a Spiritual Treasure and a Divine Technique. To the Third Prince, gaining a path of Power of Reincarnation wouldn’t grant him the Human King Fruit Position but would establish a Changsheng family, allowing him to become a powerful Duke.

"Heh, once the Third Prince causes chaos in Chongzheng Academy, the Human King will certainly not forgive him. I just need to determine whether the Six Paths of Reincarnation were placed here by an ancestor of the Great Victory Dynasty or if it’s hidden by someone at this location, and the Chai Family descendants who established the Academy never discovered its existence." Zhang Chen stared at the void location of the Six Paths of Reincarnation for a long time, as the Celestial Measuring Ruler in his sleeve began to stir, then heard footsteps and saw a familiar figure running towards him from afar:

"Zhang Chen, something major has happened! Orders from the ancestral hall demand all Zhang Family disciples in the Academy to descend the mountain. You should come with me."

Zhang Chen turned his head and saw Zhang Gaodan, who was panting heavily with sweat dripping from his forehead.

Zhang Chen looked at Zhang Gaodan with a hint of surprise in his eyes: "Has the Zhang Family’s situation deteriorated to this degree? Even disciples from the Academy are being recalled to help?"

Zhang Gaodan smiled wryly upon hearing this: "We’ve lost the Life and Death Record, and the ancestor was forced to commit suicide. The Zhang Family’s situation has reached a critical point. All Zhang Family disciples must return to fight for the family."

"How’s Fourth Uncle?" Zhang Chen seemed to ask almost casually.

"My father went to the main family to discuss matters and is strategizing the next steps on how to confront the Gong Family and reverse Zhang Family’s decline. Zhang Family’s newborns can’t awaken their bloodlines, making the family’s continuation akin to a tree without roots. If we engage in a war of attrition with the Gong Family, we can’t afford it. Currently, the only option is to resolve everything in one decisive battle with the Gong Family." Little Fatty Zhang Gaodan said.

Zhang Chen examined Zhang Gaodan; Gaodan, son of Zhang Gaqi, was trustworthy. Seeing Little Fatty panting heavily and wiping sweat from his forehead, Zhang Chen found him straightforward.

Zhang Chen glanced at Zhang Gaodan, not doubting him, and said: "Let’s go. I’m part of the Zhang Family, and if the family is in trouble, of course, I have to return. Besides, there are matters I need to discuss with Fourth Uncle, which might help reverse the decline."

As they descended the mountain, they indeed saw silhouettes of Zhang Family disciples heading down from the Academy, their eyes filled with fierce determination.

Hundreds of Zhang Family disciples greeted one another as they passed, forming groups with acquaintances.

However, most were from Zhang Shenqi’s lineage. Although they greeted Zhang Gaodan, they disregarded Zhang Chen, as if they hadn’t seen him at all.

"Don’t worry about it. We’re all Zhang Family members; they’ll eventually accept you," Zhang Gaodan followed Zhang Chen onto a carriage and tried to console him.

Seeing Little Fatty Zhang Gaodan’s cautious demeanor, Zhang Chen chuckled: "I, of course, don’t mind; they’re just a bunch of small fry. Why would I bother with them? Those truly worth my attention are their elders."

Zhang Chen knew that he had ruined his reputation by angrily criticizing a group of elders at the Zhang Family ancestral hall last time. Many Zhang Family disciples avoided associating with him due to the influence of their elders, but Zhang Chen was entirely unconcerned.

"What’s the current situation of the Zhang Family? Did Fourth Uncle leave any instructions?" Zhang Chen asked Zhang Gaodan in the carriage.

Zhang Gaodan shook his head, "Don’t ask me, I know nothing. I’ve been cultivating in the Academy all along. Suddenly, the Zhang Family sent a message, and I frantically went to find you. This summons from the Zhang Family is the highest level. If you don’t arrive within the time limit, you’ll be expelled from the family. I’m afraid Second Uncle is plotting something sinister, so I hurried to find you. If you can’t return in time due to lack of information, he might use it as an excuse to expel you."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen patted Little Fatty’s shoulder and said, "Thank you," before starting to chat casually. Little Fatty talked about Zhang Chen and Zhong Xiang’s marriage, his eyes swirling, "Big Brother, what were you thinking, marrying that female dragon Zhong Xiang? That woman not only lacks feminine grace but is like a female dragon. Countless students have had their legs broken by her in the academy. Marrying her, you’ll be in for a rough time."

"Though she comes from a good family, has high cultivation, and looks beautiful, she’s like a man wearing a woman’s skin, not to be trifled with!" Zhang Gaodan kept ridiculing Zhong Xiang.

Zhang Chen turned his head to look at Zhang Gaodan thoughtfully and asked, "Has she wronged you?"

Zhang Gaodan’s face instantly turned red, "It’s all in the past, what’s the point in bringing it up."

Zhang Chen glanced at Zhang Gaodan; it seems this Little Fatty has suffered a great loss at Zhong Xiang’s hands.

The carriage headed towards the old Zhang Family residence, and Zhang Chen alighted with Zhang Gaodan, watching numerous Zhong Family disciples enter the gate, heading towards the Zhang Family ancestral hall.

Zhang Chen’s eyes glanced toward the old Zhang Family residence, his ears perked up slightly, his face suddenly showing a mysterious smile, and he glanced meaningfully at Zhang Gaodan.

"Zhang Gaodan, come over here, I have something to tell you!" At this moment, a Zhang Clan member called out to Zhang Gaodan.

Zhang Gaodan stopped in his tracks and looked at the Zhang Family member, "The Patriarch has summoned the Zhang Family members to gather, whatever you have to say, say it later. If you delay, you’ll pay for it."

"It’s an urgent matter concerning your little sweetheart. If you miss it, don’t blame me." The Zhang Family member replied.

Hearing this, Zhang Gaodan hesitated slightly and ultimately said to Zhang Chen, "Big Brother, you go in first, don’t worry about me."

After speaking, he dragged the disciple aside, and the two began whispering.

Zhang Chen witnessed this and stayed silent, expressionlessly heading into the old Zhang Family residence. Along the way, observing the Zhang Family members gathering, he noticed a detail—all were disciples from Zhang Shenqi’s line, not a single familiar face from those close to him.

"Zhang Shenqi is up to something again!" Zhang Chen’s ears kept twitching, activating the Law of Sound. As he walked down the corridor, his figure gradually became blurry. After a few breaths, he vanished, reappearing in a room somewhere in the backyard.

Two Zhang Family servants stood idly at the door, guarding the room. Suddenly, two flames flickered, and the two servants instantly turned to ash.

Zhang Chen removed the Invisibility Rune, pushed open the door, and walked inside, seeing Zhang Gaqi bound by iron chains, his mouth gagged, struggling against a pillar.

Upon seeing Zhang Chen enter, Zhang Gaqi stopped his struggling movements, and Zhang Chen smiled as a thought crossed his mind. The chains on Zhang Gaqi disintegrated into dust and fell to the ground.

Zhang Gaqi removed the cloth from his mouth and urgently urged, "Zhang Chen, you must leave! This family gathering is a conspiracy against you. These people have gone mad; they want to capture you and deliver you to Prince Pingbian. Let him rebel and hold back the Great Victory Dynasty, then the Zhang Family will exert all efforts to annihilate the Gong Family."

Zhang Gaqi continually urged Zhang Chen to leave.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen remained unfazed. When he stepped into the Zhang Family estate, he had already heard the secret conversations in the courtyard using the Law of Sound Waves. To him, these conspiracies were already exposed.

"Escape? Why would I escape?" Zhang Chen smiled at Zhang Gaqi, "Their gathering plays right into my hands, but it’s quite rude of them not to invite our people. Please, Fourth Uncle, invite those who support me. I also have some things to announce publicly."

Zhang Gaqi was stunned and hesitated, "Your best choice is to leave immediately. If you invite the clan elders supporting your father, the Zhang Family’s internal conflict will erupt today. Before the Gong Family makes a move, our family may already be fractured."

"I’ve already come to the Zhang Family’s ancestral home. The old residence is now sealed tight. Do you think I can still leave?" Zhang Chen chuckled softly.