I picked up skill fragments in the demon world

Chapter 202: Let's All Become Toads Together

To have a perfectly healthy, living person transformed into a toad, and completely, utterly changed into one, whether in body or soul, becoming a true toad, unable to unleash even a shred of their former power, how could Zhang Chen not feel disgusted?

Most crucially, it was as if his very senses were distorted, always finding the female toad across from him quite attractive.

In truth, it wasn't just Zhang Chen who felt disgusted; Zhong Xiang across from him was even more disgusted to the extreme, wishing he could just bash his head and die right there.

Time slowly flowed by, and as the hour of midnight just barely slipped past, Zhang Chen and Zhong Xiang's bodies twisted for a moment, and the two of them returned to their human forms.

At this moment, the two of them stood within the dark underground tomb, looking at each other, both with faces full of speechlessness.

"What do we do next?" Zhang Chen asked, "You are a noble, with a deep family foundation, do you have any way to counteract this curse?"

Zhong Xiang scratched his head, his face full of bitterness: "Noble families aren't omnipotent, they just possess power beyond that of ordinary people. What does that amount to in the face of these ancient gods and demons?"

Hearing this, Zhang Chen's mind raced. He felt that if they wanted to break the curse, they could only start from within the tomb, finding a way to break the curse from its source.

The one who tied the bell must untie it. If they wanted to break the curse, they still needed to start with that pool of water.

"What do we do now?" Zhong Xiang asked, his family was unreliable, and he had no good ideas.

"The way to break the curse must start from within this tomb. If we want to find a method to break it from the outside, I haven't heard of anyone having such means," Zhang Chen said.

"But who can deal with that pool of water? That black mist is impossible to defend against," Zhong Xiang looked at Zhang Chen with an expectant expression, pinning his hopes on his bizarre methods.

Hearing this, Zhang Chen helplessly shook his head: "Don't place your hopes on me, I'm still hoping you can break this curse."

The two of them stared at each other, both frowning and unable to think of a way to break it. At this moment, the two of them no longer bickered, showing a trend of reconciliation.

The two of them looked at each other, and finally Zhang Chen spoke first: "I'll go first. When I find a way to restrain it, I'll come back to explore that pool of water."

"What about this tomb? Now that we've dug through the tomb, sooner or later it will be discovered…" Zhong Xiang said hesitantly.

"I'd rather have someone come in and be as unlucky as we are!" Zhang Chen suddenly brightened up, and smiled sinisterly: "Actually, I've come up with a plan that might break our curse."

"What ideas do you have? I will definitely cooperate with you," Zhong Xiang said quickly.

Hearing this, Zhang Chen said: "We two don't have a way to break the curse, that doesn't matter, but if we get more people to come in and be infected with the curse, hehehe…"

Zhang Chen let out a strange laugh, his voice full of lewdness: "Then there will be strength in numbers, maybe someone's family has a hidden method and will directly break the curse."

Hearing this, Zhong Xiang shuddered. This lowly commoner was really too vicious, no wonder he was a vile and venomous scoundrel with sores growing on the soles of his feet.

However, at this moment, Zhong Xiang thought Zhang Chen's idea was brilliant!

It didn't matter that the two of them were at their wits' end. If they could make everyone else unlucky with them, then everyone would be in the same boat, and they could all think of a way together.

The two of them looked at each other, and Zhong Xiang said: "This matter still needs to be carefully considered. Once we act, we must involve everyone, instead of letting them come in one by one, lest the news of the curse leaks out."

According to Zhong Xiang's idea, it was best if everyone discovered it together, rushed in together, and were cursed together. Otherwise, if just one person was cursed, and then leaked the news, it wouldn't have the desired effect.

Everyone had to be unlucky together, everyone had to bear the burden together.

"First, block the entrance. I will send people to station here, using tents to cover the entrance, and then we'll think of a perfect plan to lure everyone here at once." Speaking of this, Zhong Xiang paused: "The task of guiding them still needs you to come forward, after all, it's inconvenient for me to show my face."

Zhong Xiang's background was a large family, and it was also connected to the Confucian school. Once this matter was exposed, he, Zhong Xiang, would definitely have a bad reputation, and his family would be implicated.

"You are just timid and afraid of trouble, always thinking ahead and behind, completely lacking the boldness of a real man," Zhang Chen said unhappily: "But I'm not afraid, just leave this matter to me."

The two of them discussed again, and then walked out of the cave side by side.

At this moment, Zhong Xiang withdrew the flames around him, and was completely relieved about Zhang Chen, while Zhang Chen was no longer wary of Zhong Xiang. The two of them looked like a pair of good friends, and there was no trace of the tense atmosphere before.

But both of them knew clearly that they were in trouble now, and they had to temporarily unite. Once the curse was resolved, the two of them would definitely turn against each other again.

At this moment, the two of them were brothers in distress, both grasshoppers on the same rope, and they looked very harmonious.

The two of them walked out of the cave, and saw Chen Xu was standing in front of the cave, pacing back and forth, his eyes full of worry.

Hearing the sound from the cave, he quickly turned his head and looked over. When he saw Zhang Chen and Zhong Xiang climbing out of the cave in harmony, he couldn't help but be slightly stunned, wondering why the two people who had been at each other's throats had actually reconciled at this time. He quickly greeted them, looking at Zhong Xiang with a flattering expression: "Your Excellency, you're out? Did you gain anything in the underground tomb?"

Hearing this, Zhong Xiang's face darkened, and then he took out a token and handed it to Chen Xu: "Go and dispatch my five hundred armored soldiers."

Chen Xu took the token, and subconsciously looked at Zhang Chen. Seeing Zhang Chen nodding slightly, he smiled and said: "Your Excellency, please rest assured, this little one will take care of it for you."

Chen Xu walked away, and Zhang Chen's gaze followed Chen Xu's back as it disappeared into the darkness before he retracted his gaze: "What do you plan to do with him?"

"This person is considered a figure in the martial world, and he does have some skills. It would be a pity to kill him, but if my embarrassing situation today is spread, it would ruin my reputation. It's better to temporarily take him under my command, which can be considered making the best use of him." Zhong Xiang looked at Zhang Chen, his voice full of unquestionable authority: "I know you caught him first, so logically he should be your man, but since he knows my embarrassing secrets, I can't possibly let him leave my side alive. If you insist on taking him away, then his only end is death!"

"I'm not interested in him!" Zhang Chen smiled freely, turned around and walked down the mountain: "I'll go first. You keep an eye on the entrance, and when I think of a way to lure everyone here, I'll come back and notify you."

"How do I contact you?" Zhong Xiang looked at Zhang Chen's back, his heart itching with hatred, his fists clenched tightly in his sleeves, and asked without showing any emotion.

If Zhang Chen disappeared into the vast sea of people, with that kid's abilities, how could he find the other party's whereabouts? He was afraid that there would be no hope of revenge in this lifetime.

Zhang Chen paused, turning his head to look at Zhong Xiang. His eyes made Zhong Xiang feel a little guilty, and he quickly explained, "Don't misunderstand. I was just thinking, if there's any situation inside the tomb, or if I find a way to resolve the curse, or if I figure out how to lure everyone to the underground tomb, how should I notify you?"

"I think you'd better not contact me. Not seeing you is the greatest peace of mind for me. If there's anything, I'll naturally contact you. After all, you're so flamboyant in your actions, with a large entourage following you. It's not difficult to find your tracks." After Zhang Chen finished speaking, his figure disappeared into the darkness, leaving Zhong Xiang standing there, itching with hatred.

"What's the background of this kid? I wonder if Chen Xu knows." Zhong Xiang muttered to himself as he stood there.

Meanwhile, Zhang Chen walked in the darkness. He knew in his heart that Chen Xu knew his identity. If there was really an emergency, it wouldn't be difficult for Zhong Xiang to find him.

He had just concealed his identity to deliberately provoke the other party. As long as they didn't touch Huangli Temple, he would be safe.

As for his parents and younger siblings, with the protection of the Surveillance Division, Zhong Xiang would never dare to attack them.

Moreover, since Zhong Xiang knew his methods, with his intelligence, he should know that if he didn't capture him and attacked his parents, he would be in even bigger trouble.

After all, the Zhong family was large and influential, with clansmen all over the Great Victory Empire. If he were to assassinate them, countless people would die. The other party would never dare to break the rules first.

"This curse is really a big trouble." Zhang Chen strolled through the mountains and forests, his mind filled with countless thoughts.

"I say, if one is cursed by the Curse Demon God, how can the curse be broken?" Zhang Chen asked the Great自在天魔. This kind of thing could only be asked of the Great自在天魔.

The Great自在天魔 emerged from Zhang Chen's palm, transforming from lotus petals into a human form, looking at Zhang Chen with schadenfreude. "Boy, why are you suddenly asking this question? Could it be that you've been cursed by the Curse Demon God?"

"I'm asking you a question. You seem to have forgotten the power of the Nine Bends Yellow River Formation." Zhang Chen's eyes stared at the Great自在天魔.

The Great自在天魔's smile vanished upon hearing this. Meeting Zhang Chen's cold gaze, his whole body trembled, and he said with a bitter smile, "Once cursed by the Curse Demon God, there are only two ways to break the curse."

"Which two?" Zhang Chen asked.

"The first is for the Curse Demon God to personally dissolve your curse. The second is to find the legendary Jade of Blessing."

As the Great自在天魔 spoke, he secretly observed Zhang Chen's expression, thinking to himself, "Good for you, Zhang Chen, you've finally met your nemesis, haven't you? Serves you right for causing so much trouble for this old ancestor!"

"Jade of Blessing? What's that?" Zhang Chen asked.

The Great自在天魔 spread his hands. "I haven't seen the Jade of Blessing either. I've only heard people say that the Jade of Blessing can dissolve the power of the Curse Demon God."

Zhang Chen pressed, "Where is the Jade of Blessing?"

"It is said that the Jade of Blessing is the treasure of the 'Nuhe Yuemu Kingdom'. This divine jade can bestow fortune upon living beings and also strip away the fortune of gods and demons. It can bestow blessings, eliminate disasters, and pray for blessings, possessing incredible miraculous uses. Later, the Nuhe Yuemu Kingdom was destroyed by the Shegu Kingdom, and the Jade of Blessing disappeared without a trace."

The Great自在天魔 didn't hide the information, because the Nuhe Yuemu Kingdom had long disappeared into the dust of history. With the continuous division and destruction of dynasties, the treasure of the Nuhe Yuemu Kingdom had long disappeared into the dust of history. Even he didn't know, so how could Zhang Chen find it?

"Nuhe Yuemu Kingdom?" Zhang Chen pondered upon hearing this. The next moment, he transformed into a bat and disappeared into the mountains. When he reappeared, he had already arrived in the city.

The inn had already closed, and the entire street was under curfew. Zhang Chen simply went directly to the county government office, found a room, and slept. When dawn broke the next day, when the county government was cooking, he ordered the fox spirit to bring all the meals prepared for County Magistrate Gou Chun. After eating his fill, he transformed into mist and left freely, arriving at the inn and opening a room, thinking about how to attract the various human experts over.

"The aura of that Feng Shui formation has leaked out, already alarming the experts in the city. Everyone must have noticed the anomalies, but because of the thunderclouds in the sky, everyone hasn't had a chance to enter the tomb. What I need to do now is to provide everyone with a clear coordinate, and then attract everyone over."

Thinking of this, Zhang Chen had a sinister idea in his mind. "Perhaps I can take the opportunity to坑 Zhong Xiang."

"I might as well spread rumors, saying that Zhong Xiang has discovered the entrance to the tomb and has already dug through the tomb passage, which Zhong Xiang has hidden with his camp. At that time, those guys will definitely go to Zhong Xiang to verify. With Zhong Xiang's personality, he will never let them open the camp for inspection. When the two sides clash, it can also bring countless enemies to Zhong Xiang, the pretty boy, and add some trouble to the Zhong family. If I fight with Zhong Xiang in the future, it can also reduce a lot of pressure." The corners of Zhang Chen's mouth curled up, revealing a smug look.

Zhong Xiang, who was setting up a tent in the mountains, would never have imagined that Zhang Chen was so insidious. Otherwise, he would have devoured Zhang Chen alive. He asked Zhang Chen to find a way, but he didn't expect Zhang Chen to directly dig a big pit for him.

"But how to spread the news, and make everyone believe it?" Zhang Chen racked his brains. "Three men make a tiger. As long as the rumors spread enough, someone will naturally go to verify it."

"But how to spread the rumors is a technical job." Zhang Chen's mind flashed with figures, and he first thought of Xie Lingyun. With Xie Lingyun's ability, it wouldn't be difficult to spread the rumors all over the sky.

But if I ask Xie Lingyun to take action, Xie Lingyun will definitely have some associations. If the court intervenes in the creation in the tomb, what will be left for me?

"Why not ask a few storytellers to promote Zhong Xiang?" Zhang Chen made up his mind and then went to find a storyteller.

But half a day later, Zhang Chen stood disappointed in the corner of the street, cursing, "Internet novels misled me. As soon as I opened my mouth, those storytellers were so scared that they ran away when they heard that they were going to spread rumors about Zhong Xiang. The way they looked at me seemed to be looking at a madman."

"Now that things have come to this, I can only think of a new way." A trace of contemplation appeared in Zhang Chen's eyes. The path of the storyteller was impassable, so he could only look for a new path, such as a beggar who was about to starve to death, but how to operate it still needed to be carefully planned.