I picked up skill fragments in the demon world.

Chapter 481 News from Jinling
Zhang Chen was stunned when he heard what his stepmother said: "Jinling? Mother?"

This was the first time he heard any news about Jinling, and also the first time he knew about his mother's situation.

"The Shen family of Nanjing is one of the richest families in the world. They control half of the world's silk industry, and 30% of the grain transport is also managed by the Shen family. You can imagine how powerful the Shen family is, otherwise they would not have been chosen by the Zhang family to form an alliance with your father. Your mother, Shen Lian, is the legitimate daughter of the Shen family. Throughout the generations, the Shen family has had women enter the palace as concubines. From this, you can imagine how complicated the family's power is." Zhang's tone was full of solemnity.

"The Shen family is such a huge family, I'm afraid I won't be accepted if I go there. After all, I'm a criminal, how could the Shen family take the risk of angering the emperor to take me in?" Zhang Chen's words were full of doubt.

After hearing what Zhang Chen said, Zhang smiled and said, "You are wrong! You are totally wrong! If you go to the Shen family, they will not only accept you, but also properly settle you down, and even protect you under the pressure of the court."

"Why? No matter how powerful the Shen family is, they can't go against the imperial court, right?" Zhang Chen's eyes were full of confusion.

"Because your father made a deal with the Shen family and left a mysterious object in the Shen family. That object is of great importance. If the Shen family wants to unlock its secret, they must have your help." Zhang said with a smile, "Besides, your mother is the beloved daughter of the old lady of the Shen family. If you go to Jinling, the old lady will definitely protect you at all costs."

After hearing this, Zhang Chen looked at Zhang. He never thought that his father had such a resource and had paved the way for him so early.

"Besides, you are engaged to the eldest daughter of the Shen family, so you have to go to the Shen family." Zhang continued.

"Engagement?" Zhang Chen was stunned again when he heard this, and an inexplicable feeling surged in his heart.

"This is the order of our parents and the words of the matchmaker. It is not up to you to decide." Zhang said.

"It seems that I must go to Nanjing." Zhang Chen said helplessly.

"You have to go! And your mother left some things for you, stored in the Shen family in Jinling, unless you don't want to know what your mother left for you. Besides, the cause of your mother's death was quite strange. Although your father didn't tell me clearly, I know a little bit when we chatted on weekdays." Zhang stared at Zhang Chen with burning eyes, "Before his death, your father repeatedly told you to go to Jinling if you have the chance in the future, because there is a big secret hidden there."

"I understand." Zhang Chen nodded in response.

"If you go south, will the Censorate let you go?" Zhang asked again with a worried look on her face.

Zhang Chen looked at Zhang. Although she was born in the countryside, she was not stupid. Far from being stupid, she was extremely intelligent.

"The Procuratorate is in the same group with us." Zhang Chen said, "Captain Xie is my sister."

Zhang looked at Zhang Chen deeply and did not ask any more questions. The family sat in the cabin and chatted about family matters.

At noon, Xie Xuan sent someone to invite them to the banquet. The family accepted the invitation and went. Xie Xuan was very polite to Zhang, without any arrogance of an official family. After three rounds of wine, Zhang tactfully took the two children and left first, leaving Xie Xuan, Xie Lingyun and Zhang Chen sitting in the hall.

Looking at the backs of Zhang and the two children leaving, Xie Xuan said admiringly: "Your stepmother is a smart person."

"I also think she is very smart." Zhang Chen agreed with Xie Xuan's words.

"If we can get through this disaster safely, and you have a way to save the 50,000 troops of the Censorate, then I will personally write to the court and try my best to negotiate for you and help you clear your sins." Xie Xuan made a promise to Zhang Chen.

Zhang Chen was delighted when he heard this: "Can it really be rehabilitated?"

"It's very difficult! I need you to join the Inspection Office and accompany me to Shangjing City to meet the king in person." Xie Xuan said.

In Xie Xuan's opinion, if Zhang Chen could turn the tide in the north, no matter how serious the crime he committed, he should be rehabilitated.

After hearing what Xie Xuan said, Zhang Chen tapped his knees lightly with his fingers. After a long while, he spoke up: "What if I can't redress my wrongdoing?"

Although he didn't know exactly what his father had done, he knew it must have been extremely serious.

"Then your magical powers will be abolished and you will be exiled again." Xie Xuan said with a wry smile.

Zhang Chen heard this and shook his head: "Then it would be better for me to die in the North."

Zhang Chen didn't want to pin his hopes on others' pardon. As long as his cultivation was strong enough, why would he need the court's pardon when he reached the twelfth level?

He doesn't even need to reach the twelfth level. As long as he reaches the eleventh level, it might be enough to make the court change its attitude towards him.

Although the twelfth level is far away, it is not out of reach for Zhang Chen.

"You have made such great contributions in the North, this is a rare opportunity." Xie Xuan whispered, "Why do you have to be a shady person if you can live a clean life?" Zhang Chen smiled and responded, "Perhaps you have a point, but I don't want to bet all my opportunities on the court. It is absolutely impossible for me to lose my magical powers and be exiled."

Seeing Zhang Chen's determined expression, Xie Xuan felt a trace of regret in his eyes, but he did not continue to persuade him. At the same time, he was also a little worried. Zhang Chen was so outstanding and his methods were so extraordinary. If he caused any trouble in the future, the harm caused would be much greater than that of the King of Pingbian.

He felt that even ten Zhang Shichengs could not compare to the Zhang Chen in front of him.

Unfortunately, the ministers in the court would not listen to him, and the emperor would never believe that a mere exiled hostage had such potential.

"All the credit goes to you. I hope Commander Xie can reach a higher level in the future. You have to protect me in the future." Zhang Chen said with a smile.

"I can't protect you, so you should protect me." Xie Xuan sighed helplessly. How could he dare to say that he would protect Zhang Chen? If Zhang Chen hadn't helped him several times, the tens of thousands of troops of the Jianxiusi would have been wiped out by Zhang Shicheng long ago.

"Ling Yun said that you know how to control water and can control the flow of water. What are your plans for dealing with King Pingbian's army next?" Xie Xuan asked tentatively.

"They are nothing but chickens and dogs. If I want, even if Zhang Shicheng has a million-strong army, I can make them drown and become bait for fish and shrimp. But..." Zhang Chen said this, looking at Xie Xuan with concern, "The navy is the last trump card of the Pingbian Palace and the last living force in the north. Once the navy is completely submerged, the demon clan will no longer have a check and balance. Isn't that equivalent to handing over the entire north to the demon clan?"

There was a hint of hesitation in Zhang Chen's eyes. As long as he activated the water control technique and transformed all the water flows within his control range into weak water, no matter how many troops there were in Pingbian Palace, they would not be enough for him to kill.

But then?

The demons will no longer be afraid of the North, and the situation in the North will be completely controlled by the demons. As for the 50,000 troops of the Inspection Office, I am afraid it will be difficult to compete with them. Facing the endless army of the demons, even self-preservation will become a problem.

After hearing this, Xie Xuan frowned, with a hint of doubt in his eyes: "King Pingbian's army is protected by dragon energy, how can it be so easy to be killed."

In that situation, it is not possible for a cultivator with great supernatural powers to act at will. Facing the dragon energy of the Pingbian Palace, even a twelfth-level strongman would not dare to rashly destroy a million-strong army. After all, even a twelfth-level strongman could not withstand the backlash of the destiny of heaven and earth.

"I have my own way." Zhang Chen said, "What I am worried about now is that if the Pingbian Palace's army suffers too much damage, the demon tribe will lose its checks and balances, and the people of the north will suffer."

Xie Xuan frowned upon hearing this. Xie Lingyun said, "Brother, your worry is unnecessary. Do you think that the millions of troops of the Pingbian Palace can balance the demons? The demons have already formed an alliance with the Pingbian King. Even if the demons are rampant, the Pingbian King will not order his troops to attack them."

Zhang Chen smiled bitterly and said, "In that case, I don't have to worry about the Pingbian Palace army. I can just go and kill the enemy."

"That's right! The situation in the north has deteriorated to this point. The human race no longer has any chance." Xie Lingyun said.

Zhang Chen couldn't help but fall into deep thought when he heard this. Even if he had to kill people, he had to maximize the benefits. For example, if he used millions of soldiers to feed the Blood God, he couldn't let those millions of soldiers die in vain. He had to make the best use of them.

"If I devour the millions of troops of the Pingbian Palace and then devour the millions of troops of the demon clan, my blood control skill should be able to increase by two more levels, right?" Zhang Chen felt a little unsure.

The main reason was that his blood control skill consumed too much "experience points" to upgrade. Now upgrades were measured in billions. Zhang Chen had no idea how many lives he would have to sacrifice to upgrade his blood control skill.

"When does King Pingbian plan to take action?" Zhang Chen asked.

He wanted to occupy the moral high ground and did not want to be the first to take action.

There is a cycle of cause and effect in this world. If King Pingbian takes action first and starts killing our side, then our side will be the army of justice. At that time, even if we kill King Pingbian's army, we should not suffer the consequences. After all, this is a passive counterattack, and we cannot wait for the other side to kill us.

Logically speaking, this is the truth, but Zhang Chen is not sure whether his theory is applicable in this world.

"My logic should still work. How can I allow others to kill me but not allow me to fight back?" Zhang Chen comforted himself.

When he thought about killing millions of people, Zhang Chen suddenly felt a huge pressure. Those were millions of lives, not just chickens and ducks. Even if they were chickens and ducks, killing millions of them would cause a mental breakdown.

Those are all living things, not lifeless soil and rocks.

As for Xie Lingyun and Xie Xuan, they would not ask Zhang Chen why he did not take the initiative to attack, because in their eyes, Zhang Chen was a smart man, and an extremely smart one, and his methods were naturally better than theirs.

"According to the news from the Inspector General of Water Ghosts, the navy of the demon tribe will arrive in the north and join the battlefield in about seven days." Xie Xuan said.

The demon clan's navy is not comparable to that of humans. The demon clan's navy are all underwater demons who are born to control water currents and can breathe underwater. Rivers and streams are their main battlefields.

(End of this chapter)