I picked up skill fragments in the demon world.

Chapter 956 Betrayal
Third Uncle's words were domineering, and his voice was full of menacing intent.

Upon hearing Third Uncle's words, the Lei family patriarch sneered: "Your Zhang family has lost its clan's sacred artifact, and you are no longer worthy of being a member of the Eight Great Families. Since you say you disregard the friendship between the Eight Great Families, then let me make this clear today: the Pingbian Prince's Mansion is the last bargaining chip of our Eight Great Families against the Northern Lands. How can we allow your Zhang family to act recklessly? If your Zhang family hands over Zhang Chen and quells the anger of the Pingbian Prince's Mansion, then all will be well. Otherwise, we will expel your Zhang family from the Eight Great Families!"

Upon hearing the words of the Lei family patriarch, Zhang Chen, who was holding a wine cup, had a flash of inspiration and immediately understood what the other party meant.

With the Zhang family under their control, offending the Pingbian Prince's Mansion was a foregone conclusion. The Pingbian Prince's Mansion would inevitably side with the Dasheng Royal Family. Without the support of the Pingbian Prince's Mansion, how could the eight great families contend with the Dasheng Royal Family? Therefore, the other families were probably thinking of expelling the Zhang family from the eight great families. In that case, the other six families could still maintain good relations with the Pingbian Prince's Mansion and still regard the Pingbian Prince's Mansion as their last pawn.

The Gong family has already sided with the Great Victory Royal Family. If the Zhang family, which has lost its Book of Life and Death, is also removed from the Eight Great Families, the remaining six families, if united with the Pingbian Prince's Mansion, might very well continue to cause trouble.

After Zhang Chen figured out the key point, he raised his hand to interrupt his uncle. His eyes swept over the people from the six major families in the room, and a cold smile appeared on his lips. Finally, he looked at the head of the Lei family: "This is not just your own idea, is it? It should be a decision made by all six of your families together, right?"

"That's right, it was a decision made jointly by the six families. Your Zhang family now only has one choice: either we send you out to apologize to the Prince of Pingbian, or the Zhang family will be expelled from the six families from today onwards and will no longer be a part of the eight great families. All the elders and young masters of the Zhang family, you should think carefully. Once you are expelled from the eight great families, without the support of the six families and without the backing of the Prince of Pingbian's mansion, your Zhang family will face the encirclement and suppression of the Dasheng Royal Family and the Gong family. Can you survive it!"

Zhang Chen glanced at the head of the Lei family, then swept his gaze over the members of the six major families, and finally over the unmoving elders of the Zhang family. A smug smile appeared on his lips. In the past, if the other six major families had forced him to abdicate, the Zhang family would have had no choice but to submit in order to stick together and be expelled from the Zhang family and handed over to the Pingbian Prince's Mansion for punishment. But now he controlled the Yellow Springs Water and held the future lifeline of the Zhang family in his hands. If he died, the Zhang family would disintegrate on the spot.

"There's no need to consider it anymore. From this day forward, my Zhang family and your six great families are drawing a line. From now on, you go your way and I'll go mine. We are no longer part of the eight great families. Our friendship of ten thousand years ends here. Please go back." The Third Uncle stepped forward, his voice filled with firm rebuttal.

"You Zhang family are truly insane! For an insignificant clansman, you're willing to abandon your very foundation. You'll regret this sooner or later!" After receiving the reply, the Lei family head's eyes revealed disbelief. The other five families also tried to persuade him, but they were all turned away by Third Uncle and the others. In the end, they could only leave the Zhang family with a helpless and dejected expression.

With the departure of the six major families, their subordinate forces also left one after another, leaving the Zhang family almost entirely empty.

"They're nothing but clowns, you all needn't take them seriously. I can even suppress the Pingbian Prince's Mansion, let alone the mere six great families. Ever since the Gong family pledged allegiance to the Dasheng royal family, the eight great families have already existed in name only. Please drink this cup to the brim and continue the banquet. I'll take care of everything, there's no need to worry." Zhang Chen confidently reassured the Zhang family guests.

The remaining guests were all direct descendants of the Zhang family, so Zhang Chen naturally wanted to win them over.

Then he turned to his third uncle and said, "Third Uncle, please comfort the guests and make sure nothing goes wrong."

"Don't worry," the Third Uncle replied to Zhang Chen, "the rest are all loyal to us, bound to the Zhang family forever. Our fates are intertwined; if the Zhang family falls, they won't escape either. They will face retribution. So you don't need to worry about their thoughts. Whatever they may be thinking, it doesn't change the fact that they are bound to the Zhang family." He paused after saying this, then continued:
"What you need to consider is the pressure brought by the Great Victory Royal Family. My Zhang family has now been squeezed out of the eight great families. How can we survive in the chaos of the future?"

"I might as well give you a heads-up: I've already planned everything for the Zhang family. No one can shake the foundation of my Zhang family, not even the royal family!" Zhang Chen's voice amplified slightly, loud enough for everyone in the room to hear:

"Besides, I am on good terms with Chen Sanliang, and I have long prepared a way out for our Zhang family. If we can't survive among humans, we can simply go and join the demon race. The demon race has already occupied half of the land of Shenzhou. Even if we join them, we can still maintain our superior status and ensure that our Zhang family will never perish."

Zhang Chen's words were full of smugness. Although he pretended to lower his voice, he actually used a trace of the laws of sound, enough to transmit the sound waves to everyone's ears.

Upon hearing Zhang Chen's words, all the guests of the Zhang family secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It was good that the Zhang family was prepared. As for the idea of ​​joining forces with the demon race, no one had any objection. For aristocratic families, there was no concept of race.

The mainstream ideology of large families is to continue the family line and pass it down for thousands of years. They are willing to pay any price for the continuation of this lineage.

At this moment, the anxious atmosphere in the room gradually quieted down, and Zhang Chen continued to toast. He saw Xie Lingyun, and there seemed to be something different flickering in Xie Lingyun's eyes, but unfortunately Zhang Chen did not understand it.

"Congratulations!" Xie Lingyun said to Zhang Chen.

"Hahaha, a person only gets married once in their life, so Miss, you must drink more of my wedding wine!" Zhang Chen poured Xie Lingyun a full glass of wine and congratulated her, "I also wish Miss eternal life and that you will be able to see the scenery above the Great Dao."

"Thanks!" Xie Lingyun smiled bitterly upon hearing this.

After Zhang Chen finished toasting, he turned and left. Xie Xuan sat down next to Xie Lingyun, his eyes fixed on her, catching a fleeting change in her expression: "Do you regret it?"

Upon hearing this, Xie Lingyun raised her head and glanced at Xie Xuan, then firmly shook her head: "For me, the path to immortality is the only pursuit, and I have never regretted it on this path."

Xie Xuan shook his head upon seeing this, knowing that his girl was stubborn and only she knew how uncomfortable she was.

Zhang Chen went to the old Grand Tutor's table again and saw the old Grand Tutor and Ji Feihua. After more than a month of recovery, Ji Feihua was no longer the skeletal figure she once was. She had become fuller-figured, with a tall and shapely figure forming a perfect curve. Her appearance was also top-notch, no less than Zhong Xiang and Xie Lingyun. Especially with the golden robe she wore, she looked extremely noble. Ji Feihua was dressed as a man. Her eyes swept over Zhang Chen, and looking at Zhang Chen, who was dressed in a bright red wedding robe, a hint of unwillingness flashed in her eyes: "Brother Zhang, congratulations."

"Haha, it's my honor that Miss Ji could come and support us. Please have another drink." Zhang Chen poured Ji Feihua a full glass of wine.

Ji Feihua took a breath, picked up her wine cup, clinked it with his, and then drank it all in one gulp.

"Young Zhang, congratulations!" The old Grand Tutor also congratulated Zhang Chen at this moment.

"I thought you wouldn't come," Zhang Chen said.

The old Grand Tutor smiled and said, "I have served three dynasties and am not afraid of rumors. Besides, I can clearly distinguish between public and private matters."

Zhang Chen nodded upon hearing this, but did not say anything more to the Grand Tutor. At this time, Zhang Chen was still serving the Great Victory Royal Family, and the two sides could be considered allies in the same camp for the time being.

Beside Ji Feihua, the big black dog stared blankly at Zhang Chen, as if it had seen a ghost, and stood there dumbfounded: Zhang Chen had actually mastered the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique!

Zhang Chen also saw the big black dog. This scoundrel was sitting in the seat next to Ji Feihua, with Ji Feihua serving him food. He had actually taken a seat.

Ever since the big black dog relieved Ji Feihua of her suffering, Ji Feihua has treated the big black dog like an ancestor.

"Dog Master, want a drink?" Zhang Chen walked up to the big black dog and looked at it with a smile.

The big black dog was awakened by Zhang Chen's voice. It looked at Zhang Chen as if it had seen a ghost. The next moment, it stretched out its neck to bite Zhang Chen, but was held down by Ji Feihua who was standing to the side.

"You black dog, you really don't know what's good for you." Zhang Chen tapped the dog's head and continued to toast the next person.

After offering a round of toasts, Zhang Chen walked towards the backyard, leaving Ji Feihua holding onto the big black dog by the neck, staring blankly at Zhang Chen's back in his bright red robe.

In this era, a woman's reputation was of paramount importance. Zhang Chen had already seen her naked body; how could she possibly get married?
"Stop looking! He's already a married man! My Ji family's girl can't possibly become someone's concubine, not even a secondary wife!" The old Grand Tutor, being wise and experienced, noticed the infatuation in Ji Feihua's eyes and whispered to her from the side.

"Grandpa," Ji Feihua said, immediately lowering her head in shame, "I didn't mean that."

"How could I not know you?" Grand Tutor Ji Chuan sighed softly, his voice filled with emotion.

Then the old Grand Tutor said in a low voice, "Besides, the eight great families have already been divided by the Great Victory Royal Family. It's only a matter of time before they are purged. As a member of the Zhang family, Zhang Chen will definitely be implicated. You'd better not get involved."

Ji Feihua remained silent upon hearing this.

In the backyard

Zhang Chen arrived at his new house and lifted Zhong Xiang's veil. He saw Zhong Xiang dressed in a bright red robe, more beautiful than any flower, making people unable to resist having all sorts of desires.

"I heard something happened in the front yard? Did those seven major families come to disrupt our wedding?" Zhong thought, lacking the usual shyness of a woman, and took the initiative to ask.

"The seven major families are nothing but clowns, easily wiped out in the blink of an eye, not worth mentioning!" Zhang Chen smiled and said, "Let's not worry about them. Let's finish our wedding night first. After all, a moment of bliss is worth a thousand pieces of gold."

Zhang Chen stepped forward, hugged Zhong Xiang tightly, and then pressed her onto the bed.

After a night of passion, Zhang Chen opened his eyes and looked at Zhong Xiang, who was still fast asleep. A subtle look appeared in his eyes: "It's really fate playing tricks on people. I was wondering why I agreed to marry Zhong Xiang without hesitation after meeting her. I didn't expect there was another reason. Zhong Xiang is actually a fragment of Biyun Niangniang's broken true spirit."

(End of this chapter)