Chapter 1253 - 882: Kyoto Trembles

Zhang Gaqi exploded with anger, his face turning red: "You are his uncle! Prince Pingbian and his son schemed against him and killed his father. Is he supposed to bind his own hands and wait obediently for death?"

In Zhang Gaqi’s voice, fury reverberated, and murderous intent flickered in his eyes, which were red.

"He ought to have died in the Northern Land, suffocated by Prince Pingbian’s Mansion, or else why would he have created such a terrible mess, causing our Eight Great Clans’ hundreds of thousands of people to fall into a passive state?" Zhang Shenqi’s voice was filled with coldness.

"Don’t forget, Brother was killed because of you. If it weren’t for you reporting Brother, how would he have died?" Zhang Gaqi’s voice was full of disappointment.

"I did it for the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in the Eight Great Clans. We can’t sacrifice everyone for his life, sinking the ship of the Eight Great Clans." Zhang Shenqi’s voice was filled with seriousness.

"But he is your nephew! Moreover, there isn’t just one option to stabilize the situation in the Northern Land!" Zhang Gaqi’s voice was full of sorrow.

"Hehe! You’re right, but the current method is the simplest way. As long as Zhang Chen dies, the Zhang Family can send out a direct descendant to take over everything in the Northern Land, bringing it back under our control. Our Eight Great Clans will be stable as Mount Tai once more, sacrificing one person to achieve the entire family’s benefits. What’s wrong with that?" Zhang Shenqi replied calmly.

While the two argued, suddenly, colorful light rose into the sky, and both of them couldn’t help but change their expressions.

"Fourth Brother, is someone achieving the Tenth Tier of enlightenment? And is it a Great Cultivator on the path of cultivation?" Zhang Shenqi’s voice was full of shock.

"Correct! A cultivator has advanced from the Ninth Tier to the Tenth Tier. It seems to be Zhong Wubai, that old guy. It’s definitely Zhong Wubai’s soul aura. Who would’ve thought Zhong Wubai would actually reach the Tenth Tier. How did he do it?" Zhang Gaqi’s voice was filled with disbelief.

"Quickly prepare gifts and come with me to visit Zhong Wubai’s mansion. If we can recruit a Tenth Tier expert, our position in Kyoto will become even more stable." Zhang Shenqi said, putting aside the dispute, and started instructing to prepare gifts. However, before they stepped out, another colorful light streaked across, and another beam of colorful light rose to the sky from afar, making the two halt their steps, Zhang Shenqi frowned: "Who is it this time?"

"The Qi Mechanism of Ying Lingyun from the Inspection and Supervision Department!" Zhang Gaqi said.

"Ying Lingyun breakthrough to the Tenth Tier? You must be joking, right? How much cultivation does she have? She’s been cultivating for only a few years and actually has such means?" Zhang Shenqi’s eyes were filled with disbelief.

"The father and daughter of the Xie Family are exceptionally talented. Who knows what fortune they’ve obtained, and they’re making another breakthrough. You visit the Xie Family, and if you can build a relationship with them, it would be a good fortune too. Now that the father and daughter of the Xie Family are rising, their power and status in Kyoto are growing. If we can ally with the Xie Family, it would reduce many future troubles." Zhang Shenqi instructed, and the two parted ways.

Not only the Zhang Family brothers, but all forces were discussing, and every noble headed to visit personally.

The Ji family

Meanwhile, Ji Feihua returned with the Heavenly Roaring Divine Monarch in her arms. Before reaching home, she saw the colorful light rising into the sky from the direction of the Inspection and Supervision Department. Ji Feihua, in disbelief, turned her head: "Ying Lingyun reached the Tenth Tier? How is this possible!"

Standing still to observe for a moment, she saw various nobles driving their carriages with gifts towards the direction of the Inspection and Supervision Department. Her eyebrows lifted as she thoughtfully stroked the Heavenly Roaring Divine Monarch, then continued back home.

Upon reaching home, she passed by where wives, servants, and guards kneeled and saluted, Ji Feihua ignored them and looked straight ahead, arriving at the study of Elder Grandmaster Ji Zun. She looked at the guard outside the study and asked: "Is Grandfather at home?"

The guard respectfully replied: "The Elder Grandmaster is practicing in the study."

"Please convey my request to meet him," Ji Feihua said.

Ji Feihua’s talent was unmatched in the Academy, and she was also the outstanding talent in the Ji family. Although she was a girl, her position was not low in the Ji family due to her talent.

The guard went to report, and soon returned: "Miss, the Elder Grandmaster invites you in."

Ji Feihua entered the study, seeing a room of 150 square feet filled with books. The bookshelves were made from centuries-old North Sea submerged wood, giving off a refreshing scent. The desk was crafted from pure white jade, the pen holder was forged from gold, and all stationery radiated a strange fluctuation.

The floor was adorned with tiger-skin rugs, the incense burner emitted twirling red flames with an exotic fragrance, rejuvenating the body and slowing aging.

The hanging paintings were ancient, several tens of thousands of years old, with mysterious fluctuations lingering.

"Xiao Hua, why have you left your courtyard to visit an old man like me today?" asked the elderly man sitting at the desk, with white hair braided neatly, looking quite like a character from historical dramas.

"I’ve resolved the trouble on me." Ji Feihua’s face darkened at the mention of the name ’Little Hua’. As the foremost prodigy of Kyoto, having such a rustic nickname spread would be unbearable.

Ji Zun was stunned, and the next moment he leaped to his feet, looking at Ji Feihua in disbelief: "Really?"

Ji Feihua nodded, and the Elder Grandmaster was overjoyed. Ji Feihua was the top prodigy of the Ji family, crucial to the family’s future development.

"Who possesses such skill to cure your chronic problem? In the past, I invited countless experts and hermits in Kyoto, but none could solve your issue. Who has such ability? I must personally visit and thank him." The Elder Grandmaster was curious, his eyes filled with uncontainable curiosity—when did Kyoto produce such a person?

"It’s someone named Zhang Chen!" Ji Feihua said, pulling out a handwritten invitation from her sleeve and placing it before the Elder Grandmaster: "This is his invitation! He seems to have encountered some troubles and wants to ask for your help. He has done me a great favor, you must assist him in this matter, no matter how difficult it is."

"Zhang Chen? It’s him!" Ji Zun’s brows furrowed, the smile on his face vanishing.

"Grandfather, have you heard of him?" Ji Feihua appeared curious.

"In recent years because of this guy, political undercurrents have surged; Prince Pingbian was forced to give his wife to the current Human King because of him. I’ve heard of him like thunder reverberating in my ears." Ji Zun’s eyes showed a solemn expression.

Ji Feihua’s mind conjured the image of that ethereal youth, her eyes gleaming with curiosity: "Could you tell me more, grandfather?"

Ji Zun did not conceal anything, recounting the tale of Zhang Chen’s maneuvers in the Northern Land, undermining Prince Pingbian’s Mansion to the point they lost their foundation, compelling them to collude with the Demon Race to let their armies in just to barely preserve their status.

"Zhang Chen truly is a wave-stirring tempest, his tactics were astonishing, how he accomplished it is beyond me. That first Dragon Transformation by Zhang Shicheng was theoretically supposed to reach the Twelfth Tier, at worst the Eleventh Tier, yet he disrupted it, causing the transformation to fail, beyond my capability," Ji Feihua’s eyes sparkled upon hearing the Elder Grandmaster’s words.

The Elder Grandmaster, observing his granddaughter’s expression, sensed a foreboding feeling:

"This Zhang Chen is no simple character; you must be cautious when dealing with him in the future, lest he trick you away. It’s best to stay away from him; he’s surrounded by trouble, and one misstep could implicate our entire family. Many want him dead now, even our Grandmaster Mansion cannot bear this burden."

"Grandfather, he saved me; we can’t be ungrateful." Ji Feihua was instantly displeased.

"Of course we can’t be ungrateful, but there are many ways to repay kindness, none involves getting you entangled," the Elder Grandmaster replied irritably.

Ji Feihua recalled Zhang Chen’s intense gaze on her body then, a shiver ran through her, her face flushed somewhat, yet the Elder Grandmaster missed this change in his daughter as he spoke: "I will personally visit him tomorrow, and meanwhile observe Xie Lingyun up close. If through him we can establish ties with the Xie Family father and daughter, that would be greatly beneficial. The Xie father and daughter are phenomenal, now advancing into the Tenth Tier, possessing the divine physique, they are worth befriending to extend our influence for generations to come. Furthermore, since Zhang Chen has been a benefactor to you, it’s inappropriate to make him call at our doors, it would be proper for us to visit him first."

At the Inspection and Supervision Department

Zhang Chen sat in the pavilion, gazing at the radiant colors in the sky, watching as the brilliant hues suddenly condensed, and then a figure appeared: a person wrapped entirely in radiant colors materialized before him.

Looking at the colorful figure in front, Zhang Chen blinked: "Congratulations on your breakthrough."

"No need for congratulations, with your elixir, even a pig could reach the Tenth Tier. I just barely broke through, and the jade-bone divine power is still unfocused, reduced to a small colorful figure," Xie Lingyun, enveloped in colorful light, appeared as if an immortal from mythology.

"If I’m not mistaken, your clothes are a bit see-through..." Zhang Chen pointed out, observing the outline of Xie Lingyun’s clothes under the radiance.

Upon hearing this, Xie Lingyun looked down and a piercing scream erupted within the pavilion: "Don’t look! Shut your eyes!"

Xie Lingyun’s voice was sharp, shedding her usual calm, her figure vanished in a flash from the scene.

Watching Xie Lingyun’s departing silhouette, Zhang Chen shook his head with a smile, acknowledging Xie Lingyun’s remarkable figure, every inch flawless, simply perfect.

Soon, Xie Lingyun returned wearing a thick cloak, approached from afar: "Tell me Zhang Chen, you didn’t see anything just now, did you?"

Zhang Chen looked at Xie Lingyun’s head emanating colorful lights, earnestly denying: "I didn’t see anything."