The concept of a born saint begins with Strange Tales from Liaozhai.

Just as Xu Zhen arrived at the door.

On the other side.

……

In the backyard of the Guobei County government office.

County Magistrate Wang Shenzhi sat upright in his chair, sipping tea as he listened to the head constable in front of him report the news.

"Oh, so Xu Zhen went to the Zhang family's door?"

Wang Shenzhi looked surprised.

He was around forty years old, not very tall, with a fair complexion and a neatly trimmed short beard on his chin. He looked imposing and exuded a powerful aura.

"Yes, sir," said Officer Feng, a man in his thirties with a sturdy build, broad shoulders, thick eyebrows, and deep-set eyes.

His armor was old but neat, and the sword at his waist was polished to a shine. He stood there quietly, not saying much, but he looked rather intimidating.

“The Zhang family has indeed been quite unreasonable in recent years; they deserve a good talking-to,” Wang Shenzhi said with a slight smile.

As he spoke, he said calmly, "Officer Feng, take some men and keep an eye on Xu Zhen. Make sure he doesn't kill him."

"Yes, sir!" Constable Feng bowed and clasped his hands in greeting, then turned and strode away.

……

Sensing something, Su Chen, who was practicing the Five Animal Frolics in the east wing and was almost at perfection, also stopped.

With a calm expression, he pushed open the door to the east wing and walked straight toward the main hall.

"Young Master?"

Xiao Tao, who was in the courtyard of the east wing, followed behind him silently, her face full of doubt.

……

Zhang Family Residence

In the main hall.

"Hahaha, Master Zhang, it's been a long time..."

Xu Zhen's hearty laughter echoed from afar.

Soon, Zhang Shanhai and the others in the main hall saw a burly, broad-shouldered middle-aged man stride towards them. He stood there like a wall, with an old scar across his face, a faint smile on his lips, and cold eyes.

Behind him followed Zhao Liuzi, a tall and thin man with a cautious and shrewd look in his eyes, and four other burly men from the Black Tiger Gang.

Xu Zhen strode into the main hall with an imposing aura, as if he were the master of the hall, and said with a half-smile, "Master Zhang, what's your decision?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Shanhai's face turned pale, his lips trembled, and he was about to say something.

At this moment.

A young man dressed in moon-white clothes, with fair skin, handsome features, and an air of refined elegance and aloofness, walked into the main hall with his personal maid, Xiao Tao.

Upon seeing the young man walk into the main hall, the elderly father Zhang Shanhai, mother Xu, and younger brother Zhang Xing were all taken aback.

Xu Zhen and the others turned their heads and couldn't help but show their amazement.

They had long heard that this child prodigy from Guobei County was not only proficient in poetry, prose, mathematics, and divination, but also handsome. They never expected it to be true.

You must know, this person in front of us was once the envy of the people of Guobei County, shining brightly and making everyone else pale in comparison.

Unfortunately, that was then. Now, this child prodigy has gone mad. He has abandoned his literary talent, discarding it like trash, and has become obsessed with martial arts, even seeking immortality and Taoist practices, becoming a laughing stock in Guobei County.

"This must be the eldest son of Master Zhang, the famous child prodigy in our Guobei County..."

Xu Zhen smiled faintly, his tone laced with sarcasm.

Zhang Shanhai's face stiffened, and he quickly changed the subject, saying with a wry smile, "Master Xu, could you perhaps reduce the amount of money you asked for as a gift? Please be lenient. Our Zhang family has had a tough time these past few years..."

He was about to lament something.

“That won’t do,” Xu Zhen said with a half-smile. “Master Zhang, you need to know that Nanliu Lane is not a safe place. We brothers need to keep an eye on things for you. Your shop needs someone to protect it.”

"This money is hard-earned, and not a penny less can be given!"

Chapter 24 The Shocked Zhang Shanhai and Others

"What, does it mean that Master Zhang doesn't want to pay?"

"Ok?"

He narrowed his eyes, staring intently at Zhang Shanhai in front of him, his gaze filled with coldness.

“Master Xu, I…” Zhang Shanhai’s face turned pale, and fear appeared in his eyes.

"Hmph, old man, are you looking down on us? Are you looking down on Master Xu?!" Zhao Liuzi stepped forward and shouted.

“Old man, I advise you not to refuse a toast only to be forced to drink, otherwise…”

Zhao Liuzi glanced at Zhang Xing and the others beside him with ill intent, especially his eldest son Zhang Xuan, who was dressed in moon-white clothes. The threat was obvious.

As he spoke, he walked towards Su Chen, a jealous and malicious smile on his face, as if he wanted to grab Su Chen's collar and do something.

Mr. Xu, Xu Zhen, and the others watched with great interest.

Zhang Shanhai, Xu Shi, and the others turned pale.

Zhang Shanhai hurriedly tried to say something.

……

At the same time.

Outside the Zhang family residence.

The burly, broad-shouldered Constable Feng, accompanied by several strong constables, waited quietly outside.

He waited until Xu Zhen had given the Zhang family a good scolding and made them look bad before he went in to save the day and rescue Zhang Shanhai and the others.

Officer Feng remained calm, having already planned how to stop Xu Zhen and his men from committing murder and how to appease Zhang Shanhai and the others once they entered the Zhang family compound.

Just as he was quietly waiting, preparing to go in and clean up the mess,

……

In the main hall of the Zhang family residence.

Xu Zhen and the others watched Zhao Liuzi's actions with great interest.

Zhang Shanhai, Xu Shi, and the others turned pale. Zhang Shanhai hurriedly tried to say something.

Su Chen remained calm, watching the ant that tried to approach and grab him, as well as Xu Zhen and the others who were also very interested.

Before Zhao Liuzi could even get close...

The next second, the pressure formed by eight hundred years of magical power instantly pressed down on Zhao Liuzi, Xu Zhen and the others.

Boom!

Zhao Liuzi's smirk froze on his face, and the interested expressions on Xu Zhen and the others' faces also instantly froze.

Bang, bang, bang sounds rang out one after another.

Starting with Zhao Liuzi, they all fell to the ground one by one.

As ordinary people, they couldn't withstand the pressure of eight hundred years of cultivation at all. Before they even realized what was happening, they collapsed to the ground, their eyes rolling back in their heads.

"Wait, Master Xu, I'll hand it over..."

Zhang Shanhai was about to say something in a panic when he stopped talking.

He stared blankly at Zhao Liuzi and the others who had suddenly fainted on the ground.

Xu Shi, Zhang Xing, Xiao Tao, and the others standing nearby were also shocked as they watched this scene.

What happened?

Why did Zhao Liuzi, Master Xu, and the others suddenly collapse to the ground?

They were stunned and speechless.

The next second, their gazes shifted from Zhao Liuzi and the others to the boy in the moon-white clothes next to them.

"Xuan'er, what... what's wrong with them?" Zhang Shanhai asked, his voice trembling with confusion.

Upon hearing this, Su Chen glanced at them and clearly saw the surprise and doubt in their eyes.

He calmly replied, "I don't know, maybe it's heatstroke."

Heatstroke?!

Zhang Shanhai and the others looked bewildered as they glanced at the gloomy sky outside the main hall, and then at Zhao Liuzi, Xu Ye, and the others who were all unconscious inside.

Given the weather, should we tell them that these people have fainted from heatstroke?

The key question is, it's one thing for Zhao Liuzi to be unconscious, but why did Xu Ye and the others also faint?

They all suffered from heatstroke.

No matter how they looked at it, they felt something was wrong, but they couldn't figure out what was going on.

How could Zhao Liuzi, Master Xu, and the others suddenly fall into a coma out of nowhere?

Surely they couldn't have all fainted from heatstroke, could they?

Zhang Shanhai thought blankly.

Bewildered, he stared at his eldest son and elder brother in front of him, not understanding what was going on.

……

Outside the Zhang family residence.

"Boss, it should be about ready, right?"

"Should we go in?"

A young constable named Sun Jin, who was in his early twenties, had not yet fully developed his physique, and had a youthful face with bright eyes but could not hide his impetuousness, could not help but ask.

The remaining three young constables all turned their gazes toward Constable Feng in front of them.

“Hmm…” Officer Feng pondered for a moment and said, “It seems about time. Let’s go in.”

With that, he took the lead and walked towards the gate of the Zhang family mansion.

Upon seeing this, Sun Jin and the other three people standing nearby couldn't help but brighten up.

They had been waiting impatiently for a long time.

Following Officer Feng, they circled around to the main gate of the Zhang family mansion from the other side.

The gatekeeper quickly spotted them and couldn't help but feel a little flustered.

Constable, head constable?

What are they trying to do?

After glancing at the gatekeeper, Constable Feng stated his purpose directly: "I've heard that things haven't been peaceful at your residence lately, so I've come here specifically to inquire as usual. I hope you can do me a favor."

Old Wang, the gatekeeper, was taken aback for a moment, then a look of joy appeared on his face.

He naturally knew about the Black Tiger Gang's Zhao Liuzi and others entering the house not long ago, and he figured his master must be in a real bind right now, not knowing what to do.

The constables from the yamen have arrived just in time!

"Gentlemen, please come in. I'll lead the way for you!" Old Wang said hurriedly.

As he spoke, he hurriedly led the way, fearing that if they were delayed even for a moment, the master and his men would fall victim to the evil deeds of Xu Zhen and his gang.

Officer Feng and the others glanced at him with amusement and followed behind on their own.

While scanning the flowers and plants in the Zhang family's courtyard, they also glanced in the distance towards the main hall of the Zhang family.

The group couldn't help but start imagining what they would see when they arrived at the Zhang family's main hall.

Is it Zhang Shanhai and the others lying on the ground in a disheveled state?

It was still Xu Zhen and the others, who were giving Zhang Shanhai and the others a severe beating.

As long as no one dies, it's fine; it's good that the Zhang family got a lesson.

If someone dies, then things will be difficult to handle...