Chapter 1307 - 935: The Problem of Bloodline Exhaustion

Ji Feihua’s eyes gazed at Zhang Chen, displaying a trace of faint melancholy. She never expected Zhang Chen to have already married!

After all, Zhang Chen had once seen her naked body, clear and pure. She had planned to cultivate feelings with Zhang Chen, since her pristine nakedness had been seen by him. Who else could she marry but him?

But before she could develop any feelings with Zhang Chen, he was already betrothed to Zhong Xiang, who got the upper hand first with a great advantage.

The two looked at each other, hearing Zhang Chen inquire about her body. Ji Feihua revealed a sweet smile: "The crisis within my body has been removed, naturally there won’t be any further threat. I’ve heard you’re betrothed to Zhong Xiang? How did you two come together? How long have you known each other to hastily get betrothed? This is a lifetime matter; you should consider it prudently!"

The voice of Ji Feihua carried a hint of inexplicable meaning, leaving Zhang Chen stunned, examining Ji Feihua with an odd expression. Ji Feihua seemed to sense something was amiss and quickly said, "Don’t overthink; I’m just advising you as a friend to be careful and prudent."

"I’ve known Zhong Xiang since the Northern Land, had some encounters, and Zhong Xiang, the young lady from a large family, sees me worthy and willing to marry me; I’m more than satisfied and have no need to consider further," Zhang Chen responded to Ji Feihua with a smile.

He noticed Ji Feihua’s unusual behavior, never assuming Ji Feihua had fallen for him, just thinking Ji Feihua and Zhong Xiang, as the Academy’s prodigies, might have some discord, trying to sow division.

Ji Feihua showed a look of disappointment at his words, squeezed out a smile: "Then, congratulations to you."

Having said that, she lowered her head and looked at her toes in silence.

In this era of strict propriety, it’s difficult for a woman to remain composed regarding a man who has seen her body.

"Now that your body is repaired, you’ll soon find your own good match; there’s no need to envy me," Zhang Chen advised back.

After exchanging some unimportant talk, Zhang Chen turned and left, leaving Ji Feihua staring at Zhang Chen’s departing figure for a long time in silence.

It wasn’t until Zhang Chen’s form disappeared that Ji Feihua clenched her fists inside her sleeves, turning her small fists pale, showing difficulty in her gaze: "I, Ji Feihua, since childhood, have never not gotten anything I’ve desired!"

It’s just a pity she encountered a setback this time, the one she likes is about to marry, what can she do? She feels helpless!

Matters of the heart aren’t resolved by the efforts of just one person.

Zhang Chen returned to the Academy to continue his practice, waiting for the Academy to collect materials to repair the Feng Shui Grand Array, materials that are Heaven and Earth’s rare treasures. These cannot be gathered quickly.

Time passed in waiting, another half month went by.

Zhang Family

Zhang Shenqi and Zhang Gaqi, as young pillars, alongside over a dozen elder statesmen, gathered in the ancestral hall under the ancestors’ tablets in silence, the entire hall filled with gravity.

"What are the casualties?" Zhang Shenqi asked after offering incense to the ancestors.

Upon hearing his query, Zhang Gaqi replied with a bitter smile: "Heavy casualties, tens of thousands of collateral descendants with Bloodline Power killed. We’ve lost the Divine Artifact of our family, putting us at a disadvantage against the Gong Family. Were it not for our ancestor’s power grant to countless Zhang Family members, we would be powerless against the Gong Family’s Wind Bag."

"This is with other six families’ experts aiding us, secretly restraining the Gong Family’s Divine Artifact. Otherwise, our troubles would be greater," Zhang Gaqi continued: "We have the support of the other six families, but the Gong Family has the Great Victory Dynasty’s support. Now, our struggle is at a standstill, in a war of attrition. Yet we, the Zhang Family, lost the Life and Death Record, family descendants cannot awaken, and those who’ve awoken will decrease one by one, if we continue this, Zhang Family’s extinction within ten years is likely. The Gong Family can continually awaken Bloodline Power, with their descendants growing endlessly, while we are outmatched."

"What if we finish the conflict in one decisive move, taking down the Gong Family?" Zhang Shenqi asked.

Zhang Gaqi shook his head, negating Zhang Shenqi’s proposal: "That’s impossible! The Gong Family isn’t foolish; they won’t relinquish their continuous advantage in Bloodline awakening for a grand battle. By dragging it on, the Zhang Family will be worn down and the Gong Family will secure the final victory."

Zhang Shenqi’s face turned increasingly gloomy, his eyes sweeping over the elders: "Do any grandfathers have a way to break this deadlock?"

"The only way to break the impasse is to retrieve the Life and Death Record, but now we’ve already torn our faces with the Gong Family, how could they return the Life and Death Record to us?" an elder spoke.

Upon hearing the elder’s words, Zhang Shenqi and the others looked increasingly grim. A Zhang Family elder said, "Although we, the seven families, have banded together to besiege the Gong Family, the Gong Family has the support of the Great Victory dynasty. It’s nearly impossible for us to completely annihilate the Gong Family. Aside from the Zhang Family, the other six families are extremely wary of the Great Victory dynasty, and dare not exert full effort, merely making some noise on the side, ultimately relying entirely on our Zhang Family to serve as the main force to eradicate the Gong Family. If this continues, we fear we’ll be consumed alive. Our only option now may be to use Prince Pingbian’s piece. If we can use Prince Pingbian’s piece, perhaps there will be a chance to revive the entire board."

"Prince Pingbian has long been out of control; all he wants now is to kill Zhang Chen. Revenge is his only hope for survival. Unless we capture Zhang Chen and send him to Prince Pingbian, Prince Pingbian simply won’t heed our orders." Zhang Shenqi shook his head, dismissing the elder’s words.

"Then capture Zhang Chen and send him to Prince Pingbian, exchanging Prince Pingbian’s rebellion in the Northern Land for creating a distraction for the Great Victory dynasty, giving us a chance to deal with Zhang Chen," the second uncle spoke openly:

"Sacrificing one person to fulfill the entire family, is the sacrifice all Zhang Family descendants must bear."

"Zhang Chen isn’t one to heed our manipulation, nor would he sacrifice himself for the family. He feels no honor for the family at all, asking him to submit himself to Prince Pingbian for self-destruction is absolutely impossible," Zhang Shenqi shook his head, "Moreover, the Great Victory dynasty won’t agree."

"We must at least try, otherwise extinction awaits the Zhang Family," the second uncle said.

"No! Zhang Chen is the legitimate son of the eldest brother. We cannot sacrifice him! Should our prestigious Zhang Family’s hope rest on a child? Let’s think of another way. Sacrificing Zhang Chen for Prince Pingbian’s rebellion to constrain the Great Victory dynasty, I do not agree!" Zhang Gaqi immediately objected, his voice full of anger.

"This is the most effective, most convenient, most direct method, we can’t afford to delay!" Zhang Shenqi interrupted Zhang Gaqi’s words, simultaneously signaling to an uncle, who swiftly struck the back of Zhang Gaqi, knocking him unconscious.

"First imprison him, lest he disrupts our affairs." Zhang Shenqi looked at Zhang Gaqi.

A confidant approached, binding Zhang Gaqi, then dragged him out of the ancestral hall, before Zhang Shenqi looked at the second uncle: "Now we have to think of a way to force Zhang Chen to comply. Zhang Chen is a very selfish person, not one to sacrifice himself for others."

"Find an excuse to deceive him out, then directly dispatch martial arts experts to capture him and send him to the Northern Land to Prince Pingbian," the second uncle suggested.

"I’ve heard people say that Zhang Chen’s martial skills aren’t bad..." Zhang Shenqi hesitated.

"His martial skills aren’t bad, but are my Zhang Family descendants all merely wine-bags and rice-buckets? There are plenty of martial arts experts in our clan, can’t we take down a yellow-haired child after combining forces?" the second uncle dismissed.

A fifteen-year-old child, no matter how high his martial skills, how high could it be?

Even if he started practicing martial arts in the womb, breaking through Qi Blood so far is impressive enough, Zhang Family’s direct lineage has Qi Blood across the board, even beyond. Since the advent of martial arts, its practice has become mainstream among major families, and every descendant must cultivate the Supreme Technique.

"Come up with a plan, deceive him back. Once he sets foot into the Zhang Family’s old estate, everything would be beyond his control," the second uncle sneered coldly.

"That kid is as slippery as a ghost, even Prince Pingbian was defeated in his hands, it’s not easy to deceive him," Zhang Shenqi said.

"I have an idea, how about telling him that you’ve made a big mistake and that you’re deciding to depose you from the patriarch position as a reason to lure him back?" the second uncle’s eyes showed a hint of ruthlessness: "Give him a hope of inheriting the position of Zhang Family’s patriarch, then he surely will take the bait."

"Alright! Let’s do it! But the person chosen to deliver the message needs to be thoughtfully selected, easy to make that kid believe," Zhang Shenqi said.

As for Zhang Chen, he was currently standing on a mountain peak within the academy, his gaze directed towards the void, pondering the matter of the last path of the Six Paths of Reincarnation.

"The last path of the Six Paths of Reincarnation is right within the academy, but if I retrieve this last path, I don’t know what kind of commotion it will cause. Should the Great Victory dynasty’s experts make a move, I’d have a lot of trouble. Additionally, I’m not sure if there’s a Divine Demon-level powerhouse suppressed within the Six Paths of Reincarnation. If such a figure emerges, forcing me to break through, it would be a loss for me too." Zhang Chen swiftly considered the countermeasures:

"The best plan is to find someone to open the void for me. The academy is full of countless talents and many meet these conditions, but I don’t want to implicate the innocent and need to choose someone who bears hatred towards me..."

Numerous thoughts ran through Zhang Chen’s mind, finally settling on three faces, those of Zhang Gaoqiu, Chai Wenji, and Chai Wenxin. Chai Wenji and Zhang Gaoqiu need no mention, with deep hatred against him, and Chai Wenxin covetous of his wife, deplorable indeed.