I picked up skill fragments in the demon world.

Chapter 948: Strange Situation

Zhang Chen has already dug a huge pit for Zhang Gaoqiu and the Third Prince. As for whether they will fall into it, since the net has already been set up, how can we let them choose whether to jump or not?
Zhang Chen put the treasure into his sleeve, then hummed a little tune as he returned to the pavilion and settled down to rest.

With Zhang Chen's order, the Zhang family began to shrink their power and stopped confronting the Gong family head-on. Under the control of the Blood God Child, the Gong family also began to shrink their power and stopped pursuing the attack. For a time, the two sides fell into a strange state of peace.

Imperial Palace
The King looked at the document in his hand, his gaze filled with a hint of seriousness.

"Zhang Chen has some skill! That good-for-nothing Zhang Shenqi actually fell into Zhang Chen's hands so easily? The Zhang family is in trouble now that he's in Zhang Chen's hands. That bastard Zhang Chen is extremely difficult to deal with. From the information I've gathered, this kid is a real troublemaker, and his methods are practically impossible to guard against!" The Great Victory King was feeling a bit of a headache, but Zhang Chen's claim that he could repair the interdimensional passage was too tempting for him.

"This is difficult!" King Dasheng sighed softly. "It's also hard to sow discord among the eight great families! However, the Zhang family wants to settle things peacefully, but I will not allow it. Someone, please summon Gong Xufeng for me."

A cold, murderous glint flashed in the eyes of the Great Victory King. The Zhang family wanted a ceasefire? They'd have to ask those who were secretly playing chess and taking advantage of the chaos if they agreed.

Before long, Gong Xufeng arrived at the royal palace and respectfully bowed to the Great Victory King above, saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

"Take a seat!" King Dasheng pointed to a chair next to him.

Gong Xufeng bowed respectfully to the Great Victory King, then took his seat and said, "I wonder what important matter Your Majesty has summoned me for?"

"How are things going with your Gong family and the Zhang family?" King Dasheng asked.

Upon hearing the words of the Great Victory King, Gong Xufeng said, "The Zhang family is in turmoil, and Zhang Chen has seized power. It will take some time to integrate the Zhang family's resources, so the Zhang family has temporarily stopped its offensive. My Gong family is already willing but unable to cope with the encirclement and suppression of the seven major families. Since the Zhang family has stopped, the Gong family is naturally happy to avoid the war, so that we can take a breather."

"Xufeng, are you confused? The Zhang family is in turmoil right now, it's the perfect time to kick a man when he's down. If you choose to back down, aren't you just giving the Zhang family a chance to breathe?" The Great Victory King looked at the head of the Gong family and rebuked him, his words filled with anger at his incompetence.

The head of the Gong family was stunned upon hearing this, staring blankly at the Great Victory King for a moment before realizing what was going on. He then hurriedly said, "Your Majesty is right. Of course, my Gong family also wants to kick a dog when it's down and completely destroy the Zhang family. However, with the seven major families joining forces to exert pressure, I really can't handle it."

Gong Xufeng wasn't stupid. If the Great Victory King wanted him to continue fighting the Zhang family to the death, how could he not contribute his manpower and resources?
"I can provide you with support, manpower and resources as you wish! As long as you can completely destroy the Zhang family, I will grant you all your requests," the Great Victory King said with burning eyes.

At this moment, the Blood God Child had begun to take effect in Gong Xufeng's body. After hearing the words of the Great Victory King, Gong Xufeng calmly agreed, and then a tug-of-war ensued between the two sides as they negotiated terms.

After the terms were agreed upon, the Great Victory King drove him out of the palace and sat alone in front of the dragon throne, lost in thought.

Inside the pavilions of Chongzheng Academy
Zhang Chen's eyes revealed a thoughtful look: "The Great Victory King still harbors the desire to destroy my eight great families. He is also wary of me. I'm afraid that once I repair the world passage, that will be the time for the Great Victory King to make his move against me. However, I cannot agree to the Great Victory King's desire to have the Gong family and the Zhang family fight to the death! Instead, I can take the opportunity to kill off the royal family's experts and continuously weaken the royal family's power."

Zhang Chen was thinking that if the Gong family and the Zhang family secretly joined forces to kill the royal experts who were coming to the aid of the Gong family, things would get interesting.

Thinking of this, Zhang Chen flashed and reappeared inside the Zhang family's ancestral home. At this time, the people inside the Zhang family's ancestral home were repairing the dilapidated house. Zhang family members kept going in and out to supervise the craftsmen's work, so as not to let anyone tamper with the feng shui.

As Zhang Chen arrived at the Zhang family residence, a disciple greeted him, saying, "Patriarch!"

"Please invite Third Uncle over," Zhang Chen instructed.

Before long, the elderly and frail Third Uncle came over, clasped his hands in a salute to Zhang Chen, and said, "Greetings, Head of the Family."

Third Uncle was very respectful. He knew Zhang Chen was a troublesome and ruthless fellow, so he dared not offend him. His manners were very respectful, and he showed no sign of taking advantage of his age.

The last uncle who relied on his age and authority is already buried in the ground. "What does Uncle Zhang think of the Zhang family and the Gong family?" Zhang Chen helped Uncle Zhang to sit down and asked.

"The eight great families were originally allies, but who would have thought they would end up like this, with someone tearing a hole in them from within? That Gong family, blinded by greed, actually stole the Zhang family's Book of Life and Death. They deserve to die!" Uncle San cursed loudly as he spoke.

"Was the Book of Life and Death really stolen by the Gong family?" Zhang Chen asked, a hint of doubt in his voice.

“The aura of the Book of Life and Death has appeared in the Gong family repeatedly. Who else could it be but the Gong family?” Third Uncle said.

"But no one actually saw the Book of Life and Death appear in the Gong family, is that right?" Zhang Chen said calmly.

Doesn't he know whether the Book of Life and Death is in the Gong family's possession? The Book of Life and Death is sealed within his Heavenly Eye.

“Besides, when we searched the Gong family that day, a fierce battle inexplicably broke out between the seven major families and the Gong family, causing the Gong family to split apart. Doesn’t Third Uncle find that strange? Even if we found the leaves of the Longevity Tree in the Gong family, the Gong family wouldn’t have gone so far as to kill everyone there to silence them, trying to wipe out all the direct descendants of the seven families. Because the combined counterattack of the seven major families after the incident was something the Gong family simply couldn’t withstand! Moreover, is the Longevity Tree really in the Gong family?” Zhang Chenfu asked again, “There are too many suspicious points here! It’s not in the Gong family’s best interest at all!”

"What do you mean?" Third Uncle was stunned upon hearing this, staring blankly at Zhang Chen, his eyes filled with horror.

“Someone deliberately framed and tore the Gong family out of the eight great families, taking the opportunity to split the eight great families. We have all been used as pawns by the mastermind behind the scenes.” Zhang Chen said, “Look who is benefiting now? The Dasheng royal family has gained the Gong family’s support, and with the Gong family restraining the seven great families, the seven great families have suffered great losses as a result.”

The third uncle also sensed something was wrong: "You mean... the Great Victory Royal Family is sowing discord behind the scenes, and all of this was done by the Great Victory Royal Family?"

Zhang Chen did not answer, for his silence was the best response he could give.

"According to your reasoning, the eight great families fought each other, and the Gong family was forced to submit to the Great Victory Royal Family by the other seven. The mastermind behind this must be the Great Victory Royal Family, because they are the only beneficiaries." The Third Uncle's eyes burned with hatred, his teeth clenched. "The Great Victory Royal Family has never given up on destroying our eight great families! The coffin of the Tree of Immortality is in Dugu Qiu's hands, and it's guarded by the divine artifact Judgment. Who can snatch it from Dugu Qiu's jaws? This is clearly a scheme by the Great Victory Royal Family! They've been secretly plotting and scheming! Even the day my Zhang family lost the Book of Life and Death, and our ancestor was resurrected, only to be killed on the spot by three twelfth-tier gods—and those gods were from the Great Victory Royal Family! All of this is too much of a coincidence. The Gong family tied down our forces in the capital, and then three twelfth-tier gods killed our ancestor. It's all a series of interconnected schemes!"

Third Uncle looked at Zhang Chen with his eyes: "If it weren't for the patriarch's meticulous investigation and uncovering of all the clues, we would probably be considered a great victim! The Book of Life and Death was stolen by the Dasheng royal family, and the ancestor was killed by the Dasheng royal family. What else wouldn't they dare to do!"

Upon hearing his third uncle's words, Zhang Chen sighed softly: "It was all because Zhang Shenqi was too incompetent that the eight great families are fighting each other today."

"Is there any chance to salvage the situation? Our eight great families cannot be defeated by the Great Victory Royal Family! Once the Great Victory Royal Family finds a weakness, the eight great families will be in grave danger!" Third Uncle looked at Zhang Chen with hopeful eyes.

After pondering for a long time, Zhang Chen finally spoke: "The Gong family are not fools. They know better than outsiders how wronged they are. If our Zhang family can extend an olive branch, they will definitely seize the opportunity. Most importantly, the friendship between the eight great families has lasted for thousands of years. Even if they are framed by villains and a conflict breaks out, it is still not irreparable."

“But the Gong family has already pledged allegiance to the Great Victory Royal Family…” Third Uncle looked hesitant.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen sighed softly: "That may be true, but the Gong family also knows what the consequences will be if they pledge allegiance to the Dasheng royal family. If they have the opportunity to return to the ranks of the eight great families, they will certainly not refuse."

"I want to secretly go to the Gong family with Third Uncle. If we can find out the truth, it would be better than continuing the killing, which only brings pain to our loved ones and joy to our enemies. I wonder if Third Uncle would be willing to go with me?" Zhang Chen asked.

Upon hearing this, the Third Uncle stood up, his voice excited and his tone high: "I am willing to go! But the Patriarch need not go. As the head of the Zhang family, you bear great responsibility and should not take risks lightly. If the Gong family is truly ambitious and holds you captive there, my Zhang family will be truly finished."

"I will go myself. You stay at home to oversee things and wait for my news. I am old and frail, and I don't have many years left to live. Even if I die in the Gong family, it doesn't matter. The Yellow Springs Water on the patriarch is related to the Zhang family's inheritance, so we must not take any risks." The Third Uncle looked at Zhang Chen solemnly, his words leaving no room for argument.

(End of this chapter)