Start with everyday skills and grind your way to immortality.

Chapter 115 Gathering

Deep in the alleyways, the sound of the night watchman's clapper has long since disappeared, replaced by the occasional sound of orderly footsteps in the distance.

Chen Qian pressed himself against the cold wall, focusing his attention on auditory and olfactory recognition, yet he still narrowly avoided the patrolling soldiers several times.

"strangeness----"

Chen Qian hid behind an abandoned mill, his brows furrowed.

The shouts of battle in the city have gradually subsided.

The paper doll attack by the Li family of Heishan seems to have been suppressed.

But the mark on his chest did not disappear; the thorny feeling of being watched still lingered.

"Since Li Wuyai can sense the mark, why hasn't he sent any experts to surround me yet?"

"Do they think I'm doomed? Or is it that—"

Chen Qian looked up at the towering red light in the direction of the county government office: "They have more important things to do now, such as activating the great formation, and they can't care about a little bug like me."

This may be the only time difference.

But he can't gamble.

To walk alone in Linjiang County at this time would be tantamount to courting death.

Where to go?

If we go directly to the Zhao residence, we'll probably attract everyone here.

Chen Qian stretched out his left hand and quickly calculated in the darkness.

[Five Elements Divination: Inquiring about Auspicious or Inauspicious Directions]

After seven or eight divinations, the hexagram for the Zhao residence was the best among the remaining locations.

"I guess I still have to go to the Zhao family."

Chen Qian composed himself. Since the divination indicated something, there was no need to hesitate.

The Zhao family remains the best option at present.

The Zhao residence.

.

The once brightly lit and bustling Zhao family mansion was now eerily silent.

The vermilion gate was tightly shut, and there wasn't even a servant guarding the entrance. Even the lanterns under the eaves were extinguished, and the entire mansion lay quietly in darkness.

"It seems they're not having an easy time either."

Chen Qian didn't go through the main gate, but skillfully climbed over the side wall and landed in the Zhao family's back garden.

The mansion was also pitch black, without even the sound of insects chirping; the silence was unsettling.

However, nothing seemed amiss.

There is only one place.

On the central axis of the Zhao residence, inside the "Hall of Gathering Righteousness" used for welcoming guests and discussing matters, a faint, bean-sized, dim yellow light shone through.

The light stood out starkly in the dark mansion, as if it were a lamp left on especially for someone.

Chen Qian gripped his long sword tightly, slowed his steps, and walked step by step toward the light.

Push open the slightly ajar hall door.

A strong sandalwood scent mixed with the smell of tung oil used to wipe weapons wafted over.

A towering figure sat upright on the grand chair in the center of the hall.

Zhao Yuanshan.

He was dressed in a black, form-fitting outfit, without armor, and his hair was casually draped over his shoulders.

The pair of iron clappers that he never parted with were now placed on the table, replaced by a nine-ringed, gold-backed broadsword that stood beside him, about half a person's width.

He had his eyes closed, as if he were asleep.

But the moment Chen Qian stepped across the threshold, those eyes suddenly opened.

There was only a thick, impenetrable haze, like the dark clouds before a storm.

"You've arrived."

His voice was hoarse and flat, revealing no emotion.

Chen Qian closed the door behind him, shutting out the night outside. He didn't bow, but simply said, "You've arrived."

"Lord Zhao, the sky outside is about to collapse. With your insight, you should be able to see that something is wrong, right?"

Zhao Yuanshan did not answer, his gloomy eyes fixed on Chen Qian. Suddenly, he asked a completely unrelated question: "When you were taken to the county government, you deliberately walked around on the street. The spies saw this and reported it to me."

"But I didn't send anyone to rescue you, or even to inquire about you."

Do you know why?

Chen Qian's lips curled into a cold smile. He walked straight to a chair and sat down, slamming his blood-stained longsword on the table. "Does that even need asking?"

"You are weighing my worth."

"If I die inside, it means I'm just a lucky guy, not worth dying for, and not worthy of cooperating with you."

"If I can get out of here alive—"

Chen Qian raised his head and looked directly at this powerful figure at the peak of the Double Lamp Realm: "That proves that I am qualified to be your ally, and qualified to participate in the next gamble—a life-or-death struggle."

"Even if I'm Wang Banxian's apprentice, at this critical juncture, a living person is more valuable than a dead one, right?"

Zhao Yuanshan said in a deep voice, "Chen Qian, you're more like a wolf cub than Feng'er!"

"Now that you've made it this far alive, let's not hide from each other anymore!"

"Splash!"

Zhao Yuanshan suddenly grabbed the nine-ringed broadsword and strode up to Chen Qian.

As he approached, a suffocating wave of scorching heat swept over us, a manifestation of blood and energy burning to their extreme.

"Slap! Slap! Slap!"

Just then, behind the screen, curtains, and pillars behind Zhao Yuanshan, a series of tinderboxes suddenly lit up.

The dimly lit hall was instantly illuminated.

Chen Qian's pupils contracted slightly.

A total of twenty-three people!

They were all dressed in black, with cold and stern faces, holding sharp blades, and exuding a strong aura of menace.

What's most terrifying is their aura.

There were eight people, their chests heaving with a faint red light emanating from their bodies, making no attempt to conceal it. Their breathing was as swift as the wind, clearly indicating that they were experts in the Heart Fire Realm!

The remaining fifteen men, though they had not yet ignited their inner fire, all had bulging temples and were full of energy and blood, making them all fierce soldiers at the peak of the Warm Blood Peak!

"This—" Chen Qian was also moved.

Is this the profound heritage of the prominent families in Linjiang County?

Zhao Yuanshan slammed his broadsword on the ground, surveyed the group of assassins, his eyes filled with resolute determination: "This is all the wealth I, Zhao Yuanshan, have accumulated over a lifetime!"

"It was originally intended to pave the way for Feng'er, but now it seems it can only be used for a life-or-death struggle!"

"The Zhao family's private army is here!"

"Mr. Chen, is this pledge of allegiance sufficient?"

Chen Qian stood up, his expression solemn, and bowed to everyone with clasped hands: "It is my honor to meet the Zhao family."

But he immediately changed the subject: "However, relying solely on the Zhao family is probably not enough. The enemy is likely more formidable than we imagine; they're risking everything."

"Lord Zhao, how many more people have you notified?"

A glint flashed in Zhao Yuanshan's eyes, and he said coldly, "You warned me before that there might be spies among the various forces."

"Therefore, I did not issue a grand invitation."

"I only contacted those I knew well and who had a deadly feud with the county government."

"As for the Wang family, Wang Tong is dead. Although he was shrewd, he has no way out this time. I have already sent someone with a letter in my own handwriting to invite him back."

"The Liu family has fled, but most of the guards they left behind are locals. I have already sent people to recruit them. Although they are a rabble, they can still be used as cannon fodder."

"There's also the Mad Lion Martial Arts School—and some other martial arts schools whose backgrounds we know well."

Upon hearing this name, Zhao Yuanshan's face revealed a strange expression.

"There's one more thing—"

Zhao Yuanshan suddenly reached into his robe and pulled out the finely rolled strip of oiled paper.

He looked at Chen Qian, and a strange, even absurd, expression appeared on his usually dignified face: "Mr. Chen, your method of sending messages is truly—unique."

"That black-haired beast not only tossed the letter into my teacup, but before leaving, it stared intently at my hand for a long time. If I'm not mistaken, it seemed to be—confirming something?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Qian's lips twitched almost imperceptibly, and he quickly covered up his embarrassment by drinking tea.

He knew exactly what was going on.

Can we not confirm it?

He went to great lengths to help the face-blind black bean accurately locate Zhao Yuanshan in the vast Zhao mansion.

Describe its appearance? I can't tell it apart from a mouse.

Describe the smell? There are too many people and too much noise.

Finally, Chen Qian had no choice but to use gestures and even body language to describe Zhao Yuanshan's signature move.

In the simple brain-shaped melon seed of the black bean, Zhao Yuanshan's image was ultimately simplified into an extremely absurd definition.

That strange old man whose body was always burning hot and who liked to twirl two hard balls in his hands all day.

"Ahem—This is a minor skill in beast taming passed down by my master. I hope you will forgive my poor performance, Lord Zhao."

1

"very good.

""

A cold glint flashed in Chen Qian's eyes.

"We can't delay any longer. If we lose, I'm afraid no one will survive in Linjiang."