I picked up skill fragments in the demon world

Chapter 206: Han Suzhen Blocks the Way

Zhang Chen looked at the Little Mister eating grass, a thoughtful expression on his face: "Has Little Mister also been cursed? I just don't know how many curses this fellow has suffered."

Zhang Chen held the invitation in his hand. He suddenly remembered the invitation his master, Han Suzhen, had given him some time ago, also asking him to go to the academy to study and research.

The Little Mister nodded in satisfaction when he saw Zhang Chen's actions, because he knew that Zhang Chen would never miss such an opportunity.

"You will never regret going to the academy," Little Mister said, munching on green grass.

"How many curses have you been hit with?" Zhang Chen asked.

The Little Mister froze in his action of chewing grass upon hearing this, and said with a helpless expression: "I was too arrogant, and actually got hit with three curses."

"What curses?" Zhang Chen asked curiously.

The Little Mister didn't answer, just buried his head in eating grass, his eyes full of misery.

Just as the two were talking, a graceful figure walked from afar and stood in front of the table after entering the inn.

"Master," Zhang Chen hurriedly bowed to Han Suzhen.

"I didn't expect you to become acquainted with Little Mister. Well, someone like you can stand out no matter where you go," Han Suzhen praised Zhang Chen.

"Master, you don't blame me?" Zhang Chen was stunned when he heard Han Suzhen's words. He thought Han Suzhen would blame him for befriending people from the academy, after all, the academy lineage was about to have a debate with Chen Sanliang.

"You may not know, but I am also related to Little Mister. The invitation I gave you before, asking you to attend classes in the academy, was through Little Mister's connections," Han Suzhen said, sitting in Zhang Chen's seat, her eyes looking at the Little Mister opposite her:

"Cousin!"

This cousin's address shocked Zhang Chen's heart, like an eighteenth-magnitude earthquake, his eyes filled with disbelief.

The network of relationships between nobles was really caught people off guard.

The Little Mister across from her looked at Han Suzhen, his face filled with regret: "I haven't seen you in some years, little sister, you've aged a lot, and there are a few more streaks of frost at your temples. In my opinion, you should quickly divorce that rebellious disciple Chen Sanliang with a letter of divorce, why suffer with him in this northern land? Your parents' health is getting worse day by day, and they are not as good as before. Last year, your mother went blind, and your father even had a serious illness and was bedridden, and your younger brother was also punished by the court. Your lineage has been implicated a lot because of this Chen Sanliang. That fellow rebelled against the laws of propriety back then, and angered many scholars. Now those scholars have gained real power, and they are clearing out the forces that have anything to do with Chen Sanliang without any mercy. Even if I intercede, it is difficult to take care of everything."

"When I went north, my aunt called me to her bedside and asked me if I could bring you back. Her body is getting weaker day by day, and she often feels cold and piercing, I'm afraid she won't be able to last too long. She hopes to see you one last time before she passes away," Zhu Xun's voice was full of heaviness.

Han Suzhen burst into tears upon hearing this: "As the saying goes: 'Marry a chicken, follow a chicken, marry a dog, follow a dog'. Please go back and tell them, just pretend you never raised a daughter like me."

The Little Mister's expression changed upon hearing this, his entire face turned livid: "How can you be so stubborn? You won't even see your uncle and aunt one last time? Can't you fulfill their last wish?"

"Cousin..." Han Suzhen called out softly, tears streaming down her cheeks, causing Zhu Xun to suppress the thousands of anger in his heart.

"As long as that pedantic scholar is destroyed, can you go back?" Zhu Xun's voice returned to calm, his eyes quietly looking at Han Suzhen, those eyes were as calm as a thousand-year-old cold pool, making people feel frightened.

"I came this time for Sanliang! He has already created his own knowledge and walked his own path. Give him time, and he may not be able to rival the Master and become the second sage of our Confucianism. He really needs time! Can you let him off during the debate?"

Han Suzhen's voice was full of pleading.

"I know he has walked his own path, but so what? His sorting out his own knowledge is a great thing to celebrate for Confucianism, adding bricks and tiles, building another tall building, and becoming a new peak, but it is of no benefit to the academy. His appearance will only shake the foundation of the academy and divide the power of the academy, so do you think the academy will allow him to continue to live?" Zhu Xun sighed softly:

"The academy hasn't taken a killer move these years, it's already looking at the face of the Chen family behind him. I thought that forcing him to the northern land could use the Pingbian Prince's Mansion to get rid of him, but who knew that the Pingbian Prince was also a cowardly rat, and he has been hesitant to act."

"Cousin, I beg you! As long as you slightly give way in the debate, you can definitely give him hope to live!" Han Suzhen stood up from the stool and knelt directly on the ground, attracting the attention of countless people in the hall.

"Get up quickly, don't embarrass yourself here." Zhu Xun frowned at this scene, and facing the strange gazes of the crowd in the hall, he quickly stood up and walked upstairs, not wanting to be too noticeable in the hall.

Seeing this, Han Suzhen stood up and chased after him directly, and Zhang Chen also had no choice but to follow closely behind. Then the two came to Zhu Xun's room, and Han Suzhen knelt directly on the ground without saying a word.

Facing his cousin's rascality, Zhu Xun's face was full of helplessness: "Now that things have come to this, there is still one day before the debate. It's okay to tell you the truth. In fact, it's not me who is debating with Chen Sanliang. I'm just a smoke bomb released by the academy, just to ask Chen Sanliang to study my knowledge and find the flaws in my knowledge, wasting time and delaying energy in vain. Then, when the debate comes, someone else will come forward, and Chen Sanliang will be shocked and his mind will be shaken, and he will definitely lose his footing. His knowledge is full of flaws, and with calculations at that time, the chances of winning are almost zero."

"What?" Han Suzhen's expression was shocked upon hearing this, and a look of disbelief appeared in her eyes.

Zhang Chen was also shocked when he heard Zhu Xun's words. The academy is worthy of being a great force that has existed for who knows how many years. It clearly occupies an absolute advantage, but it still has to play tricks and spare no effort to calculate to defeat the enemy. This is the method that a great force should have.

"Did you personally preside over this matter?" Han Suzhen, who had recovered, looked at the Little Mister with a pair of eyes.

"Yes," Little Mister replied.

After all, he presides over all the affairs of the academy.

"Who will be debating with Chen Sanliang the day after tomorrow?" Han Suzhen continued to ask.

The Little Mister was silent.

"Big brother, he is your brother-in-law! Although you are in charge of the affairs of the academy, that is ultimately the power of the academy, and once Chen Sanliang becomes successful, that will be the family of sages, our own family's power. You have to be clear about the inside and outside, and distinguish between inside and outside."

Han Suzhen began to bewitch Zhu Xun.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Xun remained as steadfast as iron, unmoved: "If you've come to reminisce and talk about brotherly and sisterly affection, I'm naturally delighted. But if you're still pleading for that Chen Sanliang, please leave!"

Seeing Zhu Xun's resolute attitude, Han Suzhen took a deep breath: "As long as you reveal the name of the debater, I will give you that painting."

Zhu Xun's expression changed upon hearing this, and he looked up at Han Suzhen: "Are you really willing to part with it?"

"I am!" Han Suzhen said, taking off her outer robe: "The painting is embroidered inside my garment."

"For a man, I never imagined you'd go to such lengths. You…" Zhu Xun looked at Han Suzhen across from him, his eyes filled with disbelief: "I thought you would leave this treasure to the descendants of the Han family."

"As the saying goes, 'Marry a chicken, follow a chicken; marry a dog, follow a dog!'" Han Suzhen's voice was full of determination: "Do you want to make this deal or not?"

"Of course, I do!" Zhu Xun said without hesitation.

As he spoke, Zhu Xun took the robe and gently tugged, causing the threads to break, revealing a yellowed silk scroll in his hand.

Zhu Xun examined the treasure, stuffed it directly into his sleeve, and then said to Han Suzhen: "It was Fifth Master who took action! Fifth Master wants to get it over with once and for all, completely defeat Chen Sanliang's Dao heart, crush it beyond recognition, and utterly destroy him."

"Fifth Master Zhong Wubai!!!" Han Suzhen exclaimed in shock, her face instantly losing all color.

Zhang Chen looked at Han Suzhen, whose face was pale with fright, and wondered to himself: "Is this Zhong Wubai so famous?"

"You should go back! Now that Zhong Wubai has taken action, he will never give Chen Sanliang any chance," Zhu Xun said.

Han Suzhen pleaded with a sorrowful expression: "Little brother, if you are willing to mediate, there is still a chance…"

"Stop! Don't mention this again." Zhu Xun quickly interrupted Han Suzhen.

Facing Zhu Xun's firm attitude, Han Suzhen was at a loss for what to do. After a long while, she looked at Zhang Chen: "This person is my disciple. If he goes to the academy in the future, I will have to trouble you to take good care of him."

"Of course, I have high hopes for him as well," Zhu Xun said.

Han Suzhen walked out of the house in a dispirited manner, and Zhang Chen quickly followed: "Master, is that Zhong Wubai very powerful?"

"Zhong Wubai is just a nickname given to him by others, proving that he has never lost a debate with anyone."

Han Suzhen's voice was full of solemnity: "Although he is the Fifth Master, the previous masters have never won when debating with Zhong Wubai! Not even once!"

Hearing Han Suzhen's words, Zhang Chen gasped, finally understanding the weight of this 'Zhong Wubai'.

"You should go back! If you have the chance, leave the Northern Lands as soon as possible. The situation here is changing rapidly, and a major event is likely to occur, lest you get caught up in it." After speaking, Han Suzhen signaled Zhang Chen to return, and her slender figure disappeared into the vast crowd, leaving no trace.

Zhang Chen looked at Han Suzhen's back, falling into silence. After standing there for a long time, he returned upstairs, where he saw Zhu Xun waving at him from afar.

"Is there anything else, sir?" Zhang Chen looked at Zhu Xun unhappily.

"Keep an eye on your master for a few days. I always feel like something is not quite right. There is a death wish in your master's eyes," Zhu Xun said to Zhang Chen.

"A death wish?" Zhang Chen was taken aback: "Why would she have a death wish?"

He didn't understand why she would have a death wish.

Han Suzhen was living well, so why would she be seeking death?

"Could it be that she thinks Chen Sanliang will commit suicide after failing in the debate and can't bear the blow, so she plans to follow him in death?" Zhang Chen wondered, asking a question.

"I don't know about that. Anyway, your master's state is a bit off," Zhu Xun said.

After speaking, Zhu Xun walked back into the house: "Anyway, I've already reminded you. Whether you go to watch her or not depends on you."

Zhang Chen smiled wryly: "I would like to watch her, but that Chen Sanliang can't stand me. You also know that I am definitely not someone who is willing to be wronged. How can I go back to Chen Sanliang's place to be bullied?"

Hearing Zhang Chen's words, Zhu Xun tapped his head: "That damned Chen Sanliang, delaying my cousin's life. This time, I must skin him alive and light him up as a sky lantern."

"Go back! Everything is her own choice; you can't blame others," Zhu Xun said grumbling. He was now entangled in a curse, with a lot of messy things to deal with, and couldn't care about the debate.

Zhang Chen returned to his room, pondering the events of the day, thinking about Han Suzhen's performance: "I didn't see any signs of Han Suzhen seeking death?"

Zhang Chen didn't want to get involved in this mess because it was Chen Sanliang's business. He and Chen Sanliang were not on good terms, and he had no reason to plan for Chen Sanliang.

In fact, if he wanted to give Chen Sanliang some pointers, there was still a chance. As long as he explained Wang Yangming's 'unity of knowledge and action' to Chen Sanliang, with Chen Sanliang's current state, he had already realized a sprout. If he could obtain the essence of Wang Yangming, growing up would only be a matter of time.

However, why should Zhang Chen stand up for an opponent?

Zhang Chen silently meditated and cultivated in the room until midnight. Zhang Chen transformed into a toad again, squatting in the corner with a helpless expression. After an hour, Zhang Chen transformed back into human form and sat in the room, speechless: "This curse must be broken! It's simply unbearable!"

Zhang Chen was upset and had no intention of cultivating, so he pushed open the window to get some fresh air. But in the next moment, his pupils shrank, and he actually saw a familiar figure in the inn.

That Chai Chuanxin, Chen Sanliang's proud disciple, was sneaking out of Zhu Xun's room.

Zhang Chen saw Chai Chuanxin, and the sound of him opening the window naturally alarmed Chai Chuanxin as well. When their eyes met, Chai Chuanxin showed a hint of panic, and then actually turned back and re-entered Zhu Xun's room.

Then, Chai Chuanxin left in a hurry, and Zhu Xun came out of the room and came to Zhang Chen's door, reaching out to knock.

Zhang Chen's pupils shrank at this moment, and thousands of thoughts flashed through his mind. In the next moment, a pair of scissors appeared in his sleeve.

Zhu Xun's strength was definitely far above his own. If he had a chance to inflict damage on Zhu Xun, it would probably only be with these scissors.

Zhang Chen opened the door with a normal expression: "Sir, why aren't you sleeping in the middle of the night and running over here?"

Hearing this, Zhu Xun stared at Zhang Chen with his eyes: "You kid is asking the obvious."

"Do you want to kill me? Are you planning to silence me?" Zhang Chen said, stepping aside, shrinking his hands into his sleeves, and clutching the scissors.