I picked up skill fragments in the demon world.

Chapter 1048 The traitor
Upon hearing this, the henchman's heart skipped a beat. He knew that Zhang Yu was probably going to be in deep trouble today, the kind of bad luck that was bound to happen. It was a huge trap!
If a grandson beats his grandfather, wouldn't that cause an uproar?
The leader quickly left, and soon Zhang Yu arrogantly led a group of people over. He immediately spotted Zhang Guan standing in front of the prison and his face darkened: "You wretch, what are you doing here? Are you here to oppose me?"

"Brother, he was innocent, why do you have to drag innocent people into this?" Zhang Guan's usually calm face finally showed a hint of panic.

"You have two choices now. The first is to back down, and the second is for me to beat you up too!" Zhang Yu's eyes were full of gloom, revealing a look of eager anticipation.

Zhang Guan turned to look at Zhang Chen, who said expressionlessly, "You may leave. I want to see how arrogant and domineering he can be."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Guan hesitated for a moment and looked at the jailer. The jailer nodded slightly to him, and Zhang Guan and the jailer stepped aside. He wasn't stupid; he naturally realized that Zhang Yu must have offended someone he couldn't afford to offend. He was happy to see Zhang Yu suffer misfortune and get his comeuppance.

"Oh ho, you're quite arrogant, aren't you? Want to see how arrogant and domineering I am?" Zhang Yu laughed after hearing Zhang Chen's words, a ferocious smile on his face. He snatched the whip from his subordinate, walked into the cage, and then began to smash it down on Zhang Chen's head.

Zhang Chen looked at the whip that was being lashed out at him and couldn't help but shake his head inwardly, his face filled with disappointment. If the future heir of the North was this kind of person, then what was the point of all the hard work he had put into building the North?
Zhang Chen's skin turned to steel. The whip cracked as it lashed his clothes, tearing them, but leaving no mark on his skin.

"Hmm? You don't mean you've practiced hard qigong?" Zhang Yu's eyes showed a hint of surprise when he saw Zhang Chen's snow-white skin revealed under his tattered clothes, without the slightest injury. He hadn't thought of superpowers, after all, mysterious powers had disappeared for decades in this era, and as a new generation of humans, mysterious powers were nothing more than legends to him.

Upon seeing Zhang Chen's unharmed clothes, a look of surprise appeared in his eyes. He assumed that Zhang Chen was practicing hard qigong, so he said to his subordinates, "Bring a chisel and a hammer. I want to see if the chisel can break through the protection of hard qigong."

Before long, his men brought chisels and hammers, and Zhang Yu began to chisel and chisel at Zhang Chen's body. Sparks flew from Zhang Chen's body, but there was no damage to Zhang Chen's skin.

When Zhang Xiang and Zhong Shi arrived at the prison, they saw Zhang Yu holding a chisel, chiseling at Zhang Chen's head until sparks flew from it.

"You wretch! Stop it!!!" When Zhang Xiang saw this scene, he felt his brain buzzing and his blood rushing to his head uncontrollably. He finally understood what Zhang Gaqi meant by "the sky has collapsed".

The sky has truly fallen!
I've never seen a grandson shove his grandfather's head like that!
"Father, why are you here?" Zhang Xiang, who was chiseling his head, was stunned and stared blankly at Zhang Chen, a look of astonishment in his eyes.

Zhang Xiang rushed forward and slapped Zhang Yu across the head with such force that Zhang Yu spun around. Zhang Yu heard Zhang Xiang's thunderous rage: "You beast, kneel down now!"

Zhang Yu's head was buzzing. Although she didn't know what had happened, she immediately knelt down in the face of Zhang Xiang's authority.

However, the words Zhang was about to say next made Zhang Yu's mind explode:
“Father, your son is unfilial for raising such a beast who betrays his master and ancestors. Please punish me.”

Hearing Zhang Chen's words, Zhang Yu was completely dumbfounded. He stared blankly at his father, trying to recall how he was addressed, his head buzzing: 'Father?'

The person whose father he calls "Dad" is surely his grandfather, isn't he? Is he rumored to be the last mysterious and supreme being?

Looking at Zhang Chen's tattered clothes and disheveled hair, he felt the chisel in his hand was so hot that he quickly threw it to the ground.

Zhang Guan, who had been watching the drama unfold, was also stunned. He stared blankly at his own father kneeling on the ground and the young man sitting upright in the cell: "My grandfather? He's so young! He doesn't look much older than me! If my father hadn't knelt down, who would have thought that the young man in front of me was actually my grandfather?"

All he could say at that moment was: "My brother deserved to be defeated!"

"Zhang Xiang, what a fine son you've raised." Zhang Chen coldly snorted, activated the Five Elements Power, and his tattered clothes instantly returned to normal. His skin turned into liquid metal, and the rubber bands binding his hands fell off.

Zhang Chen slowly stood up, threw the rubber band in front of Zhang Xiang, then glanced at the kneeling queen behind him, coldly snorted, and disappeared into the cell.

Seeing Zhang Chen disappear from the spot, Zhang Xiang's head was buzzing, and he felt like the sky was about to fall. Especially when he saw the axe and chisel on the ground, his head felt like it was going to explode.

"You wretched child! I'll teach you a lesson for your bad behavior. Now you've caused such a huge mess, making me look so bad in front of my father. Today, I'll use this chisel to crack open your head and see how your brain works!" Zhang Xiang angrily picked up the chisel and axe from the ground and charged at Zhang Yu with red eyes.

"Your Majesty, you mustn't! Yu'er is your own flesh and blood, you absolutely cannot do such a cruel thing!" The Queen panicked upon seeing this and rushed forward to pull Zhang Xiang away.

"You spendthrift woman, I haven't even settled accounts with you yet! If you hadn't spoiled him so much, how could he have done something so outrageous today?" Without another word, Zhang Xiang slapped the Queen across the face, sending her staggering. Chaos erupted as people jostled and pushed. Zhang Gaodan, who had caught up, rushed forward to mediate: "Stop arguing! Now that things have happened, the most important thing is to find a solution. The first priority is to appease your father's anger. You've all heard about his ruthlessness; countless lives have been lost at his hands. If you can't quell his rage, you're in big trouble."

As Zhang Gaodan finished speaking, Zhang Xiang gradually regained his composure, stopped what he was doing, panting, and looked at Zhang Gaodan: "Uncle, what advice do you have? Things have already gotten this far, what else can we do?"

Zhang Xiang didn't really know his father. Although he had been with his father since childhood and his father had accompanied him as he grew up, in his memory his father was always cheerful. Everything about his father came from legends. However, the father described by others was not the same as the father he saw with his own eyes.

Only today, when he faces the angry Zhang Chen directly, can he feel how much pressure he is under from his father.

"Go find your mother, Chief Xie, Mr. Zhong and others to persuade him!" Zhang Gaodan sighed. Looking at Zhang Xiang, who was terrified and panicked, he couldn't help but feel sorry for him. This kid was really unlucky to have caused such a mess.

"Yes! Go and plead with Mother! Go and plead with Leader Xie and the others!" Zhang Xiang suddenly realized what was happening and immediately turned and ran out of the prison.

The Queen was about to run out as well, but Zhang Yu rushed up and grabbed her leg, crying, "Mother, you must save me! You must save me!"

"You wretched child, you've caused a huge mess this time. Now you've run into your grandfather's hands, and you'll be lucky to escape with your life. Come with me now to see your grandmother and beg her to save you." The Queen's face was full of helplessness, and her eyes were filled with bitterness. The trouble her unfilial son had caused was simply too great.

Now, let's talk about the Zhang family mansion.

In Zhang Chen's usual room, Zhang Chen walked into the courtyard and sensed Zhong Xiang's presence. Zhong Xiang was standing in the courtyard practicing standing meditation to maintain his internal energy.

Time has inevitably left its mark on Zhong Xiang. Twenty years have passed in a flash, and Zhong Xiang has become a woman in her forties. Although she has been taking care of herself, many wrinkles have appeared around her eyes.

Zhong Xiang was in a meditative state, and his perception of the outside world was extremely keen. He could be described as a cicada sensing the autumn wind before it even moved. As soon as Zhang Chen appeared in the courtyard, Zhong Xiang sensed him. He opened his eyes, and a look of joy appeared in them: "My lord?"

Then, like a fledgling swallow returning to its mother's embrace, she flew into Zhang Chen's arms.

"You're back? Did you take care of things outside?" Zhong Xiang asked with a concerned expression.

"Of course it's all taken care of. Now that I'm back, I can send you into the Longevity Secret Realm. You can continue your cultivation there. You can't stay in the material world any longer. If you stay there any longer, the years will be irreversible. It will be too late to go in when your lifespan reaches its limit." Zhang Chen stroked Zhong Xiang's head.

Breaking through a cultivation level also takes time.

“Grandpa Zhong and the others have been waiting for this day for a long time.” Zhong Xiang released Zhang Chen and stroked Zhang Chen’s face: “Twenty years have passed, and you are still the same as before, without any change.”

Zhang Chen smiled upon hearing this: "Of course, after all, I still possess extraordinary power."

"But your hair doesn't look very neat, it looks a bit messy. How did you end up looking so disheveled?" Zhong Xiang glanced at Zhang Chen's hair and looked at the messy strands before speaking.

Although Zhang Chen used the power of the five elements to restyle his hair, his skills were mediocre and looked rather sloppy in Zhong Xiang's eyes.

Upon hearing Zhong Xiang's words, Zhang Chen's face darkened immediately, but he was too embarrassed to admit that his grandson had hit his head. Instead, he subtly changed the subject: "How has the manor been developing in recent years? Has it been peaceful?"

Zhong Xiang pulled Zhang Chen to sit on a stool, took out a small comb and began to tidy Zhang Chen's hair. Hearing Zhang Chen's question, he replied with a smile, "Everything is fine, don't worry. Zhang Xiang is in charge of the North with ease. With your reputation, what difficulties could there be? As for his children, they are all well-behaved and filial, rare good children. When I call them here, you will surely be delighted."

Upon hearing Zhong Xiang's words, Zhang Chen's face darkened, but feeling the gentle touch of his hair being combed, which made him drowsy, he simply closed his eyes and didn't want to speak.

He was furious that his family had produced such a spoiled and dissolute grandson; his anger was barely contained.

(End of this chapter)