I picked up skill fragments in the demon world.

Chapter 880 A Visit to the Zhong Family
京都
In a secluded back garden within a magnificent, golden courtyard, a large black dog suddenly raised its head, its eyes fixed on the direction of the Inspection Division. It bared its teeth, its face contorted with malice: "You little brat! I've finally sensed your presence! You caused me to be caught in the spatial turbulence and lose all my cultivation. I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget!"

The Heavenly Lord's eyes were filled with coldness. He turned his head and glanced at the girl sitting on the swing not far away. He sighed inwardly, "If we want to save this girl, I'm afraid only that bastard Zhang Chen can do it. I, the Heavenly Lord, have never owed anyone a favor in my life. I need to repay this favor as soon as possible."

Thinking of this, Lord Xiaotian slowly got up and walked towards the girl on the swing. However, before he could get close to her, the girl's eyes turned white and she fell off the swing, landing on the ground, her life hanging in the balance.

"Damn it, she's having another attack!" The big black dog hurriedly walked to the girl's side, looked at the unconscious girl, then turned its head to look her over from side to side, came to the girl's head and slowly raised its hind leg, then a spray of water shot out: "My urine, Lord Xiaotian, is a pure yang substance that can suppress all evil spirits, but doing this every day is an insult to the prestige of Lord Xiaotian."

After a long while, the frost on the girl's body dissipated, and she slowly opened her eyes, looking at Xiaotian Divine Lord: "Big dog, am I going to die?"

The Heavenly Lord stood proudly in place, ignoring the girl's words.

"Big dog..." the girl called out again, and then Xiaotian Shenjun came to her with a displeased look on his face. The girl pulled him into her arms and started stroking his head, making Xiaotian Shenjun roll his eyes. He tried to break free from the girl's arms, but how could he break free from her hands? In an instant, Xiaotian Shenjun's face changed again and again.

"What a terrible thing! Damn Zhang Chen, I will never forgive you!" Xiaotian Divine Lord cursed inwardly.

Meanwhile, Zhang Chen, accompanied by the faint sound of the carriage, was still pondering the matter of the Howling Heaven Divine Lord. Only by finding the Howling Heaven Divine Lord could he have a chance to assemble the complete Xuan Gong.

"Sister, do you know where in the world there is a particularly shrewish big black dog?" Zhang Chen asked.

He felt that with the temperament of the Howling Sky God, once he came to the material world, he would definitely cause a huge uproar and countless troubles.

"A particularly despicable big black dog?" Xie Lingyun was taken aback upon hearing this, a strange expression appearing on her face.

"What's wrong?" Zhang Chen noticed the strange expression on Xie Lingyun's face and was secretly delighted: 'I knew it. With that big black dog's mischievous nature, it would cause chaos wherever it went.'

I never expected it to be such a coincidence that Xie Lingyun happened to know about it right after I brought it up.

"There is a genius named Ji Feihua in the academy. Ji Feihua keeps a big black dog by her side. That big black dog is very cheeky. It always likes to ride on people's heads. Once, it even jumped onto the head teacher's head and urinated on it, which immediately alarmed the entire academy. This incident became the laughing stock of the academy," Xie Lingyun said with a surprised expression.

"Ji Feihua has a big black dog?" Upon hearing Xie Lingyun's words, Zhang Chen's heart skipped a beat. He felt that the big black dog was the one he knew. After all, that big black dog liked to stand on people to find them as pets and also liked to urinate on people's heads. Back then, Zhou Chuan, the number one martial artist, was covered in urine by that big black dog.

Most importantly, the big black dog likes to bare its face!

Is there any other dog in the world as shameless as this? Absolutely one of a kind!
"Why are you asking about that big black dog? Do you perhaps know where it came from?" Xie Lingyun asked curiously.

"Of course I know!" Zhang Chen didn't hide anything from Xie Lingyun: "To be honest, I do know that big black dog. This dog comes from a hidden world that appeared in the north many years ago."

Xie Lingyun's expression turned serious upon hearing this: "So they actually have such a background?"

“That’s good. Could you help me arrange a meeting with Ji Feihua?” Zhang Chen asked.

“It’s very difficult! Ji Feihua is having a hard time right now. She seems to have contracted a strange illness and has been hiding in the backyard, refusing to come out. It’s extremely difficult to see Ji Feihua,” Xie Lingyun said. “I can only try my best to find a way.”

Zhang Chen nodded upon hearing this: "Thank you for your trouble, sister."

"However, if you want to see Ji Feihua, you might be able to do so indirectly through Zhong Xiang. Ji Feihua and Zhong Xiang have an exceptionally good relationship. If you can persuade Zhong Xiang, you will definitely be able to see Ji Feihua," Xie Lingyun said.

“Zhong Xiang? I recognize him. I even dealt with Zhong Xiang back in the day.” Zhang Chen couldn’t help but smile as he recalled using Zhong Xiang as a furnace to melt rocks. That guy was quite interesting.

“But Zhong Xiang hasn’t been having a good time lately,” Xie Lingyun said.

"What's wrong?" Zhang Chen asked with a surprised expression.

“Zhong Xiang possesses the Qilin Fire, but a few years ago, after exploring the secret realm of the academy, he was accidentally struck by a ball of fire that entered his body. His flames have become even more intense and have begun to show signs of going out of control and backfiring on him,” Xie Lingyun said.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen's expression turned serious. The flames within Zhong Xiang's body were the Qilin Fire. What kind of terrifying thing must a flame be to be able to suppress the Qilin Fire?

“Zhong Xiang is currently in seclusion at the academy, suppressing the fiery energy within his body by using the dragon energy gathered there. If you want to see Zhong Xiang, you will need to make a trip to the academy in person,” Xie Lingyun said. “I see!” Zhang Chen said, “It seems I will have to find some time to make a trip to the academy in person.”

Just as countless thoughts were swirling in Zhang Chen's mind, the carriage creaked as they arrived at the Zhong family mansion. Looking at the magnificent mansion, Zhang Chen couldn't help but be stunned: "What a magnificent mansion! It's top-tier among all the mansions around here."

“The Zhong family has been a prominent family for countless millennia. Back in the day, when the Great Victory Dynasty's founding emperor established the dynasty, the Zhong family also contributed a great deal of effort,” Xie Lingyun said.

The carriage stopped in front of the Zhong family's house. When the servants saw the luxurious carriage, they quickly came forward and said respectfully, "May I ask which esteemed person has arrived? I am here to inform them."

"Tell your master that an old friend surnamed Zhang from the north and Xie Lingyun have jointly visited!" Xie Lingyun said to the gatekeeper.

Who hasn't heard of Xie Lingyun, one of the leaders of the Inspection Division?

Upon hearing this, the gatekeeper quickly returned to the mansion and soon came out again. He approached Xie Lingyun respectfully and said, "My master requests that you two take the carriage and enter through the back gate."

Entering the carriage through the back door is not a form of discrimination; rather, all carriages enter through the back door because there are steps and thresholds in front, making it impossible for carriages to pass through.

The servant led the carriage to the back gate, which was already open. The steward led the carriage through the back gate, which closed instantly. The carriage entered a garden, where Zhong Wubai was already waiting. Upon seeing the carriage enter, he quickly greeted him with a smile and asked:

"Brother Zhang Chen, you've finally arrived."

Zhang Chen lifted the carriage curtain, jumped down, and bowed respectfully: "Mr. Zhong, it's great to see you again. Please forgive my intrusion."

"Don't say I'm being presumptuous by coming here. Our relationship is closer than family, so why are you being so polite?" Zhong Wubai took Zhang Chen's hand, looked him up and down, and then said, "You're even more handsome than you were back then! You have the air of a young hero."

Zhang Chen looked at Zhong Wubai and praised him, "The old gentleman is getting younger and younger."

Zhong Wubai is indeed getting younger and younger. If we calculate based on the age Zhong Wubai was in after breaking through to the Yang Shen realm, he should be in his adolescence at this time.

Zhong Wubai led Zhang Chen into the main hall, where he sat down with Xie Lingyun and the other two. Zhong Wubai poured Zhang Chen a cup of tea and asked, "When did you arrive?"

As he spoke, he glanced at Xie Lingyun, a thoughtful expression on his face.

He had thought that Zhang Chen and the Xie family father and daughter had a good relationship, but he never expected that the relationship between the two was so good. As soon as Zhang Chen arrived in the capital, Xie Lingyun personally escorted him.

"I've only just arrived in Kyoto, and I'm already busy paying my respects to you!"

“Nephew, once you arrive in the capital, stay at my house. Don’t go anywhere else!” Zhong Wubai looked at Zhang Chen, his voice full of sincerity: “The capital has been quite turbulent lately. If you stay in my residence, I will ensure your safety.”

“I have already settled into my residence at the Inspection Office. I need not trouble you with my lodgings, sir. I have come to pay my respects to you today because I have a favor to ask.” Zhang Chen looked at Zhong Wubai.

“I am fairly aware of what you have said. You don’t need to elaborate; I have already agreed. However, with just a few of us, it’s not enough to plead for you before the Emperor. We still can’t contend with the court officials. If you truly want to secure an opportunity, you will need to persuade Grand Tutor Ji Chuan. The Grand Tutor has served three reigns, is a veteran of three dynasties, is the current Emperor’s teacher, and was entrusted with the care of the young emperor by the late king. He has countless disciples and former officials in the court. Only by persuading the Grand Tutor can we withstand the pressure from the eight great families and secure a sliver of hope for you.” Zhong Wubai agreed to Zhang Chen’s request before he could speak.

"Grand Tutor? I'll figure out a way to handle this! I'm extremely grateful that you're willing to stand up for me. I'm offering this elixir to you as a small token of my gratitude." Zhang Chen placed the jade bottle on the table.

"What kind of relationship do we have? You're being too polite. Take it back!" Zhong Wubai looked at the jade bottle, and his face immediately darkened.

"If you take one of these pills, you can break through from the ninth to the tenth level. Are you sure you don't want it, sir?" Xie Lingyun interjected jokingly.

Zhong Wubai was taken aback upon hearing this, staring blankly at the jade bottle on the table: "Does such a divine object truly exist in the world? Are you two trying to deceive me?"

As he spoke, he nimbly picked up the jade bottle and stuffed it into his bosom.

(End of this chapter)