I picked up skill fragments in the demon world.

Chapter 937 Aftermath
Amidst the crowd, Zhang Chen watched the three twelfth-tier gods and Dugu Qiu depart, inwardly cursing, "What a load of bull!"

Want to wipe out the Zhang family? Don't they even look at the state they've been in?!
Although the three twelfth-level gods can be reborn continuously, their strength has been greatly reduced. They are no longer at the twelfth-level combat power. It would be good if they could maintain the sixth or seventh level. How could they want to destroy the Zhang family?
Besides, are the eight great families easy to mess with? If they want to destroy the Zhang family, the other seven families will definitely not stand idly by. Each of those seven families has a clan-protecting artifact, like the Book of Life and Death. Is it not a pipe dream to destroy the Zhang family with just three seventh or eighth-rank 'Little Karami'?

Moreover, the Zhang family now possesses fragments of the Great Luo True Spirit, and their control over the soul has reached an unbelievable level. They can break through the suppression of the dragon energy and unleash their bloodline abilities. It's just that the attack range is small under the suppression of the dragon energy, not that the power is weak.

For example, Zhang Gaqi's Heavenly Ghost, after being blessed by the fragment of the Great Luo True Spirit, can now travel a zhang (approximately 3.3 meters) through the void, whereas it was originally unable to use its bloodline power to traverse the void within the imperial city. Can we say that its combat power is small?

Within this imperial city, traversing a mere ten feet of void is already extremely rare!
The Gong family members who came to besiege the Zhang family had all been wiped out by Hei Wuchang. It could be said that the direct descendants of the Gong family in the capital were almost completely wiped out. Only those disciples who went to attack the Zhang family's property survived because they were not present at the scene.

At this moment, everyone looked at each other, and Zhang Shenqi revealed a fierce look in his eyes: "All Zhang family disciples, follow me to slaughter the Gong family! The Gong family caused the death of my Zhang family ancestor and the loss of the Book of Life and Death. We swear that we will never let the Chai family rest in peace!"

"Kill! Slaughter the Gong family!" The disciples of the Zhang family, nourished by the fragments of the Black Impermanence's true spirit, had all greatly increased in strength and were already able to use their bloodline power in the capital. They were full of confidence, but upon hearing Zhang Shenqi's words, their faces turned fierce, and they grabbed their weapons, ready to go and fight the Gong family to the death.

"By order of the King, no fighting is permitted within the capital city. All must cease hostilities immediately!"

Just then, the sound of armor was heard in the distance, and countless soldiers in iron armor came in formation like a tide, their bows and crossbows clicking, sending chills down one's spine.

"That's an armor-piercing crossbow developed by the imperial court. Even martial artists above the Qi and Blood Realm would be riddled with holes if they encountered it, and even their steel bones would be pierced through." The fox spirit Nannan appeared in Zhang Chen's sleeve and explained to him.

Zhang Chen glanced at the armor-piercing crossbow with a serious expression. The crossbow carts were pushed over from a distance, the arrows gleaming with cold light and circulating with innate Geng metal energy. Even Zhang Chen was secretly amazed: "The Great Victory Dynasty's foundation is indeed profound. They actually found innate Geng metal! Let alone copper skin and iron bones, even if Zhou Chuan had not condensed his martial arts golden body, he would not be able to withstand that Geng metal energy."

With the appearance of the armor-piercing crossbow, Zhang Chen knew that this conflict could only come to a temporary end. Although the Zhang family could use their bloodline power within the imperial city, the distance was no more than three feet around them, and they couldn't reach the shadow of the armor-piercing crossbow at all. Faced with the armor-piercing crossbow, they could only give up.

Although the Zhang family possessed the power of their bloodline, their physical bodies were still as fragile as ordinary people. Let alone armor-piercing crossbows, even a volley of ordinary crossbow bolts would turn them all into hedgehogs.

Zhang Shenqi looked at the Imperial Guards arrayed in formation, a hint of embarrassment in his eyes, but he had no choice but to stop what he was doing and turn to his own men: "Go back and put out the fires and salvage your family's property. As for the Gong family's debt, we'll settle it another day."

Faced with armor-piercing crossbows and the Imperial Guards, the Zhang family members, not wanting to suffer a loss, could only retreat in defeat.

The conflict came to an abrupt end, but Zhang Chen knew that the real battle had only just begun.

He glanced at the raging fire burning the Zhang family's old house, a hint of emotion in his eyes, and slowly walked away, preparing to return to the academy. However, he had only gone halfway when he met an acquaintance, Zhu Xun, who was eating mutton soup at a roadside stall!
"This oddball has actually emerged from seclusion, and he's not far from the Yang God realm!" Zhang Chen was startled when he saw Zhu Xun. The literary aura on his body was gathering, and he was showing some signs of power.

Of course, what impressed Zhang Chen the most was the scene where he ate the mutton soup that Huang Chao spat out in a slum without changing his expression, and then pinned Huang Chao down and beat him up.

Zhang Chen had no desire to associate with this oddball, but just as he was about to leave, Zhu Xun called out to him. Zhu Xun waved to Zhang Chen from afar, and Zhang Chen had no choice but to go over and greet him, since he was now a disciple of the academy and Zhu Xun was the sixth teacher of the academy.

"Greetings, Mr. Liu." Zhang Chen bowed respectfully.

"Don't stand on ceremony, have a bowl of mutton offal soup with me." Zhu Xun said to Zhang Chen, then turned to the owner and said, "Another bowl of mutton offal soup, please."

Seeing this, Zhang Chen could only sit down: "Sir, you've been in good spirits these past few years; you're not far from achieving the Great Dao of Yang Shen."

“How easy is it to break through the Great Dao of Yang Shen? My knowledge is not yet fully understood, and it will take some time before I can prove the Dao of Yang Shen.” Zhu Xun said, looking at Zhang Chen from head to toe for a while before saying with curiosity, “I have heard that you have caused quite a stir since you arrived in the capital and have become a prominent figure in the capital.”

Zhang Chen glanced at Zhu Xun, realizing he wasn't familiar with him, then lowered his head to drink his mutton soup, lazily saying, "It's just that circumstances are beyond our control."

Seeing Zhang Chen's indifferent expression, Zhu Xun was not angry. Instead, he leaned forward and said, "I heard you have a way to solve the two final tribulations on the way to the new world?"

Zhang Chen nodded upon hearing this: "That is indeed the case."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Xun's eyes flashed with a sharp light. Before he could say anything more, a figure appeared in the distance, passing through the crowd and sitting down at the table. "Zhang Chen, your Zhang family has suffered a calamity. How can you still have the mind to drink mutton soup here?" The newcomer was dressed in white and was Xie Lingyun. She called out to the waiter, "Bring me a pot of mutton."

He then looked at Zhu Xun: "Why did you come out of seclusion, sir? I didn't even receive the news."

Zhu Xun glanced at Xie Lingyun and said with a smile, "Two major events have occurred in the academy, so of course I have to come out and join in the fun."

"You guys keep eating, I'm leaving!" After saying that, Nagisa Shun put down his chopsticks, stood up, and gradually walked away.

Watching Zhu Xun's departing figure, Xie Lingyun said, "Stay away from that old guy in the future, he's a bad person!"

Zhang Chen nodded upon hearing this. Judging from the methods the other party used to seize Chen Sanliang's teachings, this person's character was indeed questionable.

"I'm just curious, we're not familiar with each other, and we even have a grudge, so why did he take the initiative to greet me?" Zhang Chen asked while drinking his mutton soup.

"Hehe, this old fellow won't do anything without a profit. The fact that you were able to overcome the last two difficulties has already spread throughout the academy. This old fellow came out of seclusion today specifically to wait for you here," Xie Lingyun said.

"How did he know I was here?" Zhang Chen wondered.

“This old fellow has a knack for divination, and he’s incredibly skilled at it. He can predict almost anything in the world,” Xie Lingyun said.

Zhang Chen was stunned upon hearing this; there really were people in the world who could predict the future and foresee the future.

"Are you aware of the calamity that befell the Zhang family today?" Xie Lingyun asked Zhang Chen after taking a bite of mutton.

Zhang Chen nodded upon hearing this: "Of course I know! I'm not deaf, I heard about the huge commotion caused by the Zhang family a long time ago."

He not only heard it, but he was also the one in charge; he was the mastermind behind it all.

"If you want to seize the position of Zhang family head, your chance has come! Zhang Shenqi lost the Book of Life and Death first, and then the Zhang family patriarch died. With such a huge mess occurring during his tenure, removing him from the position of patriarch is a natural consequence." Xie Lingyun stared intently at Zhang Chen.

“I can even lend you a hand temporarily and ask the Inspectorate to use the current turmoil in the Zhang family as an excuse to detain Zhang Shenqi, so that it will be easier for you to move around outside.”

Upon hearing Xie Lingyun's words, Zhang Chen stopped drinking his mutton soup: "In the Zhang family, I am ultimately a junior, without any reputation or merit. Although I bear the title of a direct descendant of the Zhang family and have the support of some elders, it is still somewhat difficult for me to depose Zhang Shenqi and seize the position of family head. It is too early to plot for the position of family head at this time. I need to wait a while longer, and then I can naturally seize the position of family head of the Zhang family."

Zhang Chen's grand plan has been laid out, and what follows is a series of interconnected steps. Zhang Chen's next step could be to use the Yellow Springs Water to stir up trouble in the Zhang family and make use of it.

It should be known that the water of the Yellow Springs is Zhang Chen's trump card, and it is an irresistible temptation for the Zhang family disciples.

Especially now that the Zhang family has lost the Book of Life and Death and cannot awaken their bloodline, it can be said that the foundation of the Zhang family's inheritance has been severed. If Zhang Chen were to use the Yellow Springs Water to help the Zhang family members awaken their bloodline, he wouldn't have to worry about those old guys not supporting him.

Zhang Chen told Xie Lingyun about his plan, and Xie Lingyun nodded upon hearing it: "Your plan is feasible. When the time comes, all the major branches of the Zhang family will definitely do everything they can to curry favor with you for the sake of their lineage. However, the Yellow Spring Water is extremely precious. The Zhang family has hundreds of thousands of disciples and clansmen. How much Yellow Spring Water will that consume? It's a pity to waste such a good thing. If we used the same amount of Yellow Spring Water to recruit martial arts masters, it would be enough to rebuild another Zhang family."

Upon hearing Xie Lingyun's words, Zhang Chen's lips curled up: "I gathered the Zhang family not to build up my power, but to invade the eight great families and bring them under my control to guard against the Great Sheng royal family. After I open the world barrier, I'm afraid the Great Sheng royal family will settle accounts with me for my crimes and won't let me off easily. I need to add some bargaining chips for myself and leave myself a backup plan."

"News has just arrived from the palace that the Gong family has pledged allegiance to the royal family. Your attempt to win over the eight great families will face numerous difficulties," Xie Lingyun warned.

(End of this chapter)