I picked up skill fragments in the demon world.

Chapter 302 Past Events

When Zhang Chen arrived at Xie Lingyun's cottage, Xie Lingyun was making tea, holding a book in her hand, dressed in men's clothes, with one hand lazily resting on her knee and an incense burner burning in front of her, looking quite poetic.

"This is life." Zhang Chen looked at Xie Lingyun's leisurely and comfortable appearance, and was extremely envious. This is fucking life.

If one can be rich and prosperous from birth, who would be willing to work hard?
Xie Lingyun can be said to be a person who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, born with immense wealth. Her current quality of life is something that Zhang Chen would have to work very hard, even work very hard for his entire life, to achieve.

"Why are you here?" Xie Lingyun put down the book and looked at Zhang Chen with his black and white eyes.

Zhang Chen came and sat down opposite Xie Lingyun. After a little hesitation, he spoke: "I came here today because I want to ask you for help with something."

"What's the matter? Why do you say it so formally?" A look of surprise appeared on Xie Lingyun's face.

"Sister, please help me investigate my background." Zhang Chen looked at Xie Lingyun and said.

Xie Lingyun paused after hearing this, then picked up the teapot on the table and poured a cup of tea for Zhang Chen: "As early as when I met you, I had already investigated your background and everything about your past."

Zhang Chen was not surprised when he heard this. Instead, he thought it would be strange if Xie Lingyun did not investigate him privately.

"So I made the right decision to come here today, and I will definitely return with satisfaction?" Zhang Chen looked at Xie Lingyun, his voice full of anticipation.

Xie Lingyun shook his head upon hearing this: "You will be disappointed, because the information about your father's identity is a top-secret file, and even I was blocked. I only vaguely found out that this matter is related to the change of imperial power in the past, and your father made a big mistake in that turmoil."

Zhang Chen's pupils shrank when he heard this, and he finally realized the seriousness of the matter. Anything involving the succession of imperial power would result in disastrous consequences if there was any negligence.

So Zhang Chen's expression was very serious at this time, and he looked at Xie Lingyun with a pair of eyes: "So what is my background?"

"Direct descendant of the Zhang family." Xie Lingyun said.

Zhang Chen's eyes showed a hint of surprise: "Zhang family?"

He didn't remember anything about his family. He only remembered that he lived in a very big yard when he was a child.

"It's one of the eight major families in Shangjing. Although it's in the lower third, it's still a first-class existence." Xie Lingyun said.

Zhang Chen fell silent upon hearing this. Such a huge Zhang family in Shangjing could not even protect his father, wife and children. It can be seen how severe the turmoil was back then.

"You'd better not go to the capital for the rest of your life, and never enter that vortex. With your current talent, it's not difficult to stay dormant quietly and become a rich man. It's also good to live a life of wealth and glory." Xie Lingyun warned Zhang Chen: "Once you go to the capital and reveal your identity, I'm afraid that the storm that subsided that year will rise again. The waves will be enough to smash you to pieces and put you in an irretrievable situation."

"But I want to go to the academy and see the mysteries of this world." Zhang Chen said.

Seeing mystery is an illusion, picking up skills is the real thing.

"I think staying alive is more important! And the academy will open branches all over the country. If you really want to see the achievements of the Jixia Academy, you can go to Jiangnan. I heard that the branch of the Jixia Academy has already started secret construction in Jiangnan." Xie Lingyun said: "You can first plan an identity in Jiangnan, and then use the reputation of a Jiangnan scholar to have a chance to go to the academy for exchanges."

It can be seen that the matter back then was a big deal, and this was the best choice given by Xie Lingyun after careful consideration!

Zhang Chen fell silent upon hearing this. He stared at the kettle in front of him and suddenly pointed with his finger: "The water is boiling again."

Xie Lingyun picked up the teacup and poured a pot of water for Zhang Chen: "My suggestion is that you join the Inspection Office. I can make a fake identity for you. As long as you don't stand out and don't attract the attention of the capital, I can guarantee that you will be a rich man for the rest of your life and die peacefully. If you want to make achievements, the neighboring Dai Yue Kingdom has been making moves recently. I have some connections in my family. I can forge an identity for you and put you in there to make achievements. I can ask you to become a general guarding a place in the border army, but you must not do too much, lest you be summoned to the court and expose your identity."

Zhang Chen shook his head and rejected Xie Lingyun's invitation. His goal was to achieve immortality and to acquire the skills that could lead to immortality. How could he have the mind to work for the imperial court?
He had long seen through the game of dynastic hegemony. The so-called struggle for royal power and patriotism were nothing but lies woven by those in power. After all, the pen was in the hands of those predators.

The essence of war is for everyone to unite to protect their own property. Zhang Chen is penniless, so what property does he have to protect?
Asking Zhang Chen to risk his life to protect the property of those nobles and landlords, Zhang Chen must be a fool, right? Any smart person would not do such a thing.

So what if neighboring countries come knocking?

Zhang Chen has no property, so what could he lose?
Zhang Chen was just a citizen of Da Sheng who became a citizen of Dai Viet. What was the change? In the past, there were five thousand years of history and hundreds of dynasties. The identities of the people changed all the time. Apart from the nobles, what impact could it have on the people below?
Asking Zhang Chen to travel thousands of miles to kill a poor man's child, he couldn't do it!
Zhang Chen cannot join the Censorate. Once he does, how can he control his own destiny?
Haven’t you heard that once you enter the world, you have no choice?

As for going to the border to kill the enemy and make achievements, Zhang Chen directly rejected it. Those nobles and landlords were unwilling to go to the front line and hid behind as parasites. They asked him, a poor child, to risk his life to protect their assets? Zhang Chen would rather die than work for the court.

Unless he becomes a powerful person, a vested interest, a part of it, a beneficiary, a first-class gentry, or a capitalist, he will never be willing to go to the front line to risk his life as a poor man.

But now it is obvious that Zhang Chen cannot even go back to the capital. That system may not be able to accommodate him. His desire to become a part of the gentry is simply a fantasy.

Instead of pursuing those yellow and white things, you should choose immortality.

"Is there any other news?" Zhang Chen asked again.

Xie Lingyun said, "The rest is about the Zhang family in Shangjing. As one of the eight major families in Shangjing, it is very prosperous and majestic, but in recent years, there has been a lack of successors, and it is difficult for the younger generation in the family to achieve success. The eight major families are closely related, and their influence is mainly spread in the military. It can be said that 99% of the armies in the world are inextricably linked to the eight major families."

When Xie Lingyun said this, Zhang Chen couldn't help but take a breath. These eight major families are so powerful. Aren't they afraid of arousing the royal family's suspicion?

“There are three mysteries suppressing them. The Dasheng royal family doesn’t care about the control of the army at all. Even if you have thousands of troops, you can’t always live in the military camp. There will be a time when you are not well protected. At that time, the mysterious power will suddenly suppress you, send down thunder and strike you, and turn you into ashes.” Xie Lingyun said.

Zhang Chen nodded when he heard this. The mysterious appearance had indeed changed the situation in the world. Although the vast army was terrifying, it was by no means the only factor for victory in the war.

“By the way, how are the preparations for that matter going? You know, there are a hundred thousand troops guarding the mountain, and their energy is condensed. Even if Yangshen Zhenren comes, he will be suppressed and die here.” Zhang Chen asked.

Xie Lingyun smiled and said, "You've got it wrong. Can't the 100,000 troops only suppress us? Even Huang Liguan will be suppressed. As long as the 100,000 troops are there, with the blood and blood of the military formation, the deification will not be possible. So before the deification, King Pingbian will definitely order the 100,000 troops to retreat." Zhang Chen suddenly realized, "How confident are you?"

"Eight or nine points." Xie Lingyun said confidently: "After being deified, obtaining the position of a god does not mean that you will immediately gain divine power. The spirit of the god must return to its position. The altar of Huangli Temple is thirty miles away from the Miluo River. That thirty miles is the best time for us to take action."

Just as Zhang Chen and Xie Lingyun were talking, a voice came from outside the door: "Sir, someone from the Zhu family is here to visit."

Xie Lingyun looked at Zhang Chen with her beautiful eyes. Zhang Chen tactfully said goodbye and left through the backyard.

All the way back to his own residence, Zhang Chen thought about his family's life experience and the distant Shangjing, and couldn't help but secretly shook his head: "This is really going to kill me. My father died, but he actually left behind such a big mess. I'm afraid that the things that happened back then involved too many secrets and taboos. Even Xie Lingyun couldn't find out the information."

After Zhang Chen came to his own small building, he secretly thought about the underground secret room: "If Huang Tiandao holds a ceremony to confer the title, once the God-Slaying War breaks out, everyone's eyes and attention will definitely be attracted to it. I may have a chance to sneak into the secret room and find out what's going on."

When the Huangli Temple holds its conferring ceremony, it will surely draw a large amount of incense and faith. At that time, the scent of incense attached to the stone wall of the secret room will begin to weaken. I may be able to penetrate the protective barrier on the stone wall and take the opportunity to sneak in.

Thinking of this, Zhang Chen hid out again and began to look for pangolins in the mountains. He did not have the strength to dig through the stone wall, so he had to prepare the pangolins in advance.

A stream of water converged among the mountains, and Zhang Chen's figure appeared in the mountains. At this time, he looked around from a distance and saw that the 100,000 troops of the Pingbian Palace had begun to retreat in an orderly manner.

Zhang Chen took a look and ignored it. The fact was just as Xie Lingyun said, the situation developed in the direction the other party had envisioned.

It is said that Zhang Chen hid himself along the way and found ten pangolins, which he had hidden quietly in a cave. Then he returned to the Taoist temple to continue reading and practicing calligraphy leisurely.

"Zhang Chen."

Just when Zhang Chen was grinding ink and preparing to practice calligraphy, little Douding came down from upstairs with disheveled hair and a pair of red eyes like a little rabbit.

"What's wrong?" Zhang Chen stopped grinding ink and asked.

"I feel a little uneasy and have an inexplicable sense of fear. I can't sleep, so you hold me in your arms when I sleep." Cheng Yu's voice was full of horror.

Hearing Cheng Yu's words, Zhang Chen frowned and put down the inkstone. He didn't dare to underestimate the little kid's intuition. People who practice cultivation have a kind of mysterious spiritual perception, especially the strong people who practice Yin God. The mysterious intuition of the cicada feeling the coming of autumn before the wind blows is comparable to great supernatural powers.

"Why?" Zhang Chen held Cheng Yu in his arms, his eyes showing a hint of contemplation: "Could it be related to Huang Tiandao's upcoming Conferred God Ceremony?"

Zhang Chen was a little confused.

"That thing is flashing." The little kid pointed to his head.

Zhang Chen's pupils shrank, and he looked at the little kid deeply, stroked his head and said, "Don't be afraid, I'm here! Don't worry, I'll hold up the sky for you even if it falls."

Zhang Chen's comfort worked, and the little kid soon fell into a deep sleep, snoring in Zhang Chen's arms.

Zhang Chen stroked the little kid's head, then carefully held him in his arms and strolled around the yard until the sky darkened again. Then the morning bell rang, and the little kid was awakened by the morning bell. He stood up with sleepy eyes: "Zhang Chen, I'm so sleepy."

"You've slept all night, why are you still sleepy?" Zhang Chen stroked the little kid's head and at the same time mobilized the blood circulation in his body to relieve the soreness and numbness of his skin.

"I don't know, I'm just very sleepy. I'm going back upstairs to sleep. You can go to the morning class by yourself." The little kid yawned and went back upstairs to sleep weakly.

Zhang Chen looked at the little boy's back and felt a little worried: "I hope that Huang Liguan's enthronement ceremony will not have too much impact on Chengdu and Chongqing, otherwise..."

Zhang Chen paused at this point, he seemed to be unable to do anything to Huang Li Guan. The gap between the enemy and us was too big, although Huang Li Guan was only a branch temple, its strength was not something Zhang Chen could shake.

Zhang Chen went to do his morning lessons, then got his breakfast, returned to the yard and came to the door of Xiaodouding.

Zhang Chen came to the door of the second floor and called out to the room a few times: "Senior sister, breakfast is here, come out and eat."

"Senior sister, don't sleep! We had steamed buns this morning! Hurry up and get up!"

"Senior sister, if you don't get up, I'll eat all the buns by myself."

"..."

Zhang Chen stood outside the house and knocked on the door, his voice full of teasing.

Unfortunately, after Zhang Chen howled a few times, there was no response from inside the house. Zhang Chen's heart tightened, and as he looked at the tightly closed door, he couldn't help but feel a little anxious. The situation seemed a little bad.

Xiaodouding is a martial artist. Even if he is in a deep sleep, he should wake up after hearing such a loud knock on the door.

Who has ever seen a martial artist sleeping like a pig?
"Senior sister? Are you okay?"

"Three-inch-long guy? It's time to get up and eat!" Zhang Chen's shouting outside the door became more and more outrageous.

Zhang Chen was a little anxious. What if this girl was alone in the room and something happened, and she was delayed? Wouldn't that be bad? Would she miss the best time for treatment?
But the girl repeatedly warned him not to enter the room on the second floor by himself, so Zhang Chen was a little undecided for a moment.

However, the situation of the little bean in the room was unknown at this time. Zhang Chen was afraid that the little bean had an accident. If the treatment was delayed, wouldn't it be bad? So he hesitated for a moment, and the next moment the water control technique was activated, and then the door in the room was opened, and the mysterious room on the second floor of the little bean was slowly unveiled in front of Zhang Chen.

(End of this chapter)