I picked up skill fragments in the demon world.

Chapter 989 A Letter from Chen Sanliang

Zhang Chen did want to lend the Zhong family a hand. Since the Zhang family had already decided to abandon their businesses in the capital and leave, the secret passage was useless to them; it would be better to give it to the Zhong family as a favor. However, Zhang Chen was worried that if the Zhong family escaped the city through the secret passage, they might run straight into the monster army and become monster snacks.

Zhang Chen didn't know how far the Zhang family's underground tunnels had been dug, but looking at the endless beast tide on the horizon, he felt that no matter how far the Zhang family's tunnels had been dug, it couldn't possibly be farther than that beast tide.

After hearing Zhang Chen's words, Grandpa Zhong hesitated for a moment before rejecting Zhang Chen's suggestion: "If we had escaped through the secret passage before the monsters besieged the city, we might have been able to do so. But now that the monster army is at the city gates, I'm afraid your secret passage isn't long enough. If we just rush into the middle of the monster horde, wouldn't that be suicide? Our only way out now is to unite and charge out together. Perhaps we can find a glimmer of hope."

“The beast tide is not so easy to overcome!” Zhang Chen had witnessed the dangers of the beast tide in Jinling City, so he did not agree with Grandpa Zhong’s decision to charge into it: “If you trust me, Grandpa, why don’t you wait a little longer? I have some connections with the Tiger Power Immortal of the demon race. Even if the capital city falls, I can protect the Zhong family.”

"You have a connection with Tiger Power Immortal?" Old Master Zhong looked at Zhang Chen with a shocked expression.

Who is Tiger Power Immortal? He is a top expert of the demon race, the ancestor of the Tiger Clan, and one of the supreme rulers of the demon race. If Zhang Chen has a relationship with the ancestor of the demon race, even if the capital falls in the future, he can still live well in the demon race.

"We do have some acquaintance," Zhang Chen replied with a smile.

Upon hearing Zhang Chen's words, Old Master Zhong said solemnly, "In that case, we entrust the Zhong family to you."

Most of the powerful and wealthy in this world don't actually have much resistance to integrating into the demon race, after all, the demon race is just a general term, and humans are also part of the demon race.

Just as the demon race includes all animals such as wolves, insects, tigers, and leopards, humans are also a part of all animals.

"I wonder what the royal family's reaction will be?" Zhang Chen asked.

"This world belongs to the royal family, and its destiny belongs to the royal family. The royal family will never hand over its five-thousand-year-old foundation to others, so the royal family will never give up the fight and will definitely fight to the death. However, among the powerful and noble people in the capital, there are probably not many who have the will to resist. Most people are already outwardly united with the royal family but inwardly alienated. The royal family's situation in the capital is very difficult," said Old Master Zhong.

“Yes, this world belongs to the royal family. Who would risk their life for the royal family?” Zhang Chen sighed softly. This is not a democratic republic. Everyone has their own interests. Who wouldn’t want to preserve their own usefulness?

For ordinary people, simply surviving is enough; they don't care who rules them.

As for the powerful and wealthy, since the country doesn't belong to them anyway, why should they risk their lives? As long as they can remain useful, protect their own interests, and ensure the continuation of their family line, changing the ruler is not a big deal for them.

Only the Chai family must fight desperately, because this world belongs to the Chai family, and their destiny belongs to the Chai family. Once they lose the throne and the protection of the nation's fortune, all the karmic consequences of the evil deeds committed by powerful figures in various places and the various karmic consequences of the outbreak of war will fall on the Chai family. At that time, the Chai family will surely fall into an abyss of no return.

For the Chai family, there was no other choice but to either fight the demon race to the death or wait to lose the protection of the nation's destiny and suffer the karmic consequences that would lead to their demise.

After discussing many matters with Mr. Zhong, Zhang Chen returned to his own courtyard. As orders were issued from Zhang Chen's mouth, the power of the Zhang family began to shrink continuously.

Countless troops were being mobilized in Kyoto, and in the afternoon a document was delivered to Zhang Chen.

"This is a document issued by the imperial court, ordering all the major families in the capital to send their direct descendants to participate in the defense of the capital and join the army to fight against the demon race. Each family must send at least three hundred direct descendants, three thousand collateral descendants, and thirty thousand followers!" Zhang Gaqi handed the document to Zhang Chen.

Zhang Chen took the document, glanced at it, and then casually tossed it aside like a piece of waste paper: "What do you think?"

"The royal family still has three twelfth-tier deities. At this time, the demon race is besieging the capital, and the people are filled with fear. Their faith is becoming even purer, and the strength of those three twelfth-tier deities will reach an unprecedented peak. In addition, the royal family also has two twelfth-tier innate spiritual treasures, as well as the treasures of the six major families that they have seized, and some hidden experts. They still have the upper hand against the demon race. We must not go too far, lest the royal family take the opportunity to retaliate and call on the major families to attack our Zhang family under the slogan of 'pacifying the internal before resisting the external.' Although our Zhang family is strong, it is impossible for us to contend with the entire human race," Zhang Gaqi said.

The major families of Kyoto represent the entire human race.

Upon hearing Zhang Gaqi's words, Zhang Chen silently calculated and compared the situation in his mind. After some calculation, he felt that the Great Victory Royal Family truly still held the upper hand against the demon race.

The human race has managed to drive the demon race out of the land for hundreds of thousands of years, preventing the demon race from setting foot in the human realm. This demonstrates their considerable resources and strength. The disparity in power between the two sides is vast, with the human race holding an absolute advantage. Furthermore, the Great Victory Royal Family's ability to subdue and unify the human race across the land is truly astonishing.

“But the demon race is not to be trifled with either. This is the first time in hundreds of thousands of years that the demon race has invaded the heart of the Divine Continent. They came with overwhelming force, leaving no place untouched. The demon race is also at its strongest in hundreds of thousands of years. They have the confidence to attack the capital.” Zhang Gaqi said.

After a moment's thought, Zhang Chen said, "We don't need to pay attention to the royal decree. Our Zhang family will just stay out of it."

“The royal family…” Zhang Gaqi hesitated.

“If the royal family could kill me, they wouldn’t have stood by and watched me tear Chai Wenxin to pieces,” Zhang Chen said with a cold smile.

Zhang Gaqi was stunned upon hearing this, and then asked Zhang Chen tentatively, "Just what level has your cultivation reached?"

“Enough to save the Zhang family,” Zhang Chen replied. Of course, he wouldn’t tell the truth and reveal his true strength. Even when facing a fellow blood relative of the Zhang family, he would never reveal his trump card.

Upon hearing Zhang Chen's words, Zhang Gaqi knew that Zhang Chen did not want to say more, so he could only give up.

As Zhang Chen issued his orders, the Zhang family members, who had been somewhat uneasy, quickly calmed down, finding their anchor. The entire Zhang family returned to peace, but the other major families were in complete chaos, as not every family had the courage to defy the imperial court.

Zhang Chen walked into the house and added oil to the lamp for his master, Han Suzhen. Looking at Han Suzhen's fragmented soul in the lamplight, Zhang Chen's eyes revealed a hint of eagerness: "Now that I have mastered the complete Six Paths of Reincarnation, I should be able to use the power of the Six Paths of Reincarnation to gather Han Suzhen's soul together, right?"

Thinking this, Zhang Chen pointed a finger, activating the power of Yama and the Six Paths of Reincarnation. A strange power landed on the Soul-Binding Lamp, and an invisible wave spread out from the lamp, disappearing into the endless void and transmitting to the Great Thousand Worlds. In just a moment, a fragment of soul was summoned by the power of the Six Paths of Reincarnation, flying directly out of the void and landing inside the Soul-Binding Lamp.

Zhang Chen's face lit up with joy: "It really works! Judging from the current results, I can rebuild Master's soul in just three days."

Zhang Chen's eyes were filled with joy. At this moment, a torrent of magical power poured into the Soul-Binding Lamp to help it summon Han Suzhen's soul.

As time passed, fragments of Han Suzhen's soul, like all streams returning to their source, were continuously summoned from the void, falling into the Soul-Binding Lamp. They were then pieced together and reassembled by Zhang Chen's Yama authority, gradually transforming into Han Suzhen's blurry human form.

On the third day of the siege by the demon army, the Soul-Binding Lamp trembled slightly, then went out, and a blurry figure appeared inside.

Zhang Chen has reconstructed Han Suzhen's soul, but Han Suzhen has not yet awakened. Although her soul has been reconstructed, it still needs time to recuperate.

Looking at the soul within the Soul-Binding Lamp, Zhang Chen's eyes lit up with joy: "Master, you can finally see the light of day again."

As for how to nourish Han Suzhen's soul and awaken her quickly, Zhang Chen pondered to himself. He knew he had many good things that could repair souls. First, there were the pills personally refined by the Queen Mother of the West. Second, there was the Three Lights Divine Water. Third, there was the Soul-Nourishing Wood.

“Whether it’s the pills refined by the Queen Mother of the West or the Three Lights Divine Water, they are all too powerful. Master’s soul is too weak. If he uses them, he might be too weak to handle them and burst. After thinking it over, the best thing to use right now is the Soul Nourishing Wood.” Zhang Chen took out the Soul Nourishing Wood. It was about the size of a fist and emitted a dark luster. It looked mysterious and profound.

Zhang Chen extracted Han Suzhen's soul from the Soul-Binding Lamp and transferred it into the Soul-Nourishing Wood, instructing the wood to nourish her soul. Finally, he sealed it with the Six-Syllable Mantra and sent Han Suzhen's soul and the Soul-Nourishing Wood into his own icy hell.

To be honest, Zhang Chen has never acquired any treasures like spatial bags during his cultivation journey, thus holding back all other cultivators.

Not only Zhang Chen, but the entire world had never heard of anyone possessing the ability to manipulate the void.

"Now I can say that I have given my master and Chen Sanliang an explanation. Chen Sanliang treated me well, and my master treated me well too. Now I can say that I have repaid them." Zhang Chen let out a breath.

As he stepped out of the house, he saw guards already waiting outside. Upon seeing Zhang Chen, they quickly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Master, a scholar has come to the door. He says he has a letter to deliver to you personally."

"Scholar? Please come in," Zhang Chen instructed.

Before long, an unassuming scholar walked in from outside and bowed respectfully to Zhang Chen: "Are you Young Master Zhang Chen?"

Zhang Chen looked at the scholar and couldn't help but show a surprised expression. "Why is that?"

Although the person in front of him was in human form and looked like a real person, Zhang Chen could still sense a strong demonic aura emanating from him.

"This is a powerful demon from the demon race. I don't know what secret method it used to conceal its demonic aura. If my dragon aura hadn't been able to sense it, I'm afraid I would have been deceived as well." Zhang Chen was secretly surprised that the demon race had such methods.

However, a chilling thought soon crept into his mind: if even he couldn't detect the demonic aura emanating from the other party, how could the experts in Kyoto possibly detect it?
Could it be that many powerful demons have already hidden themselves in the capital?

“It’s me!” Zhang Chen nodded in response.

"This is a letter from my master to you, young master. Please check it." The scholar respectfully handed over the document and then turned to leave.

Zhang Chen watched the messenger leave, then opened the letter and glanced at it, a look of surprise on his face: "No wonder the sender is from the demon race, it turns out it's a letter from Chen Sanliang."

Then, in a flash, he disappeared into the courtyard.

Ten miles outside Kyoto lies Mount Moyun, a mountain three thousand meters high, shrouded in mist that pierces the clouds. Chen Sanliang stands atop the mountain, his eyes gazing down upon the entire city of Kyoto, a deep-seated hatred etched into his gaze.

(End of this chapter)