I picked up skill fragments in the demon world.

Chapter 889 Gong Chun
Zhang Chen pondered the situation in the palace and stayed at the Inspectorate, waiting for the situation to develop during the court assembly. Xie Lingyun went out to see off the various visitors.

On the third day, Zhang Chen was discussing philosophy with Xie Lingyun in the pavilion when the sound of horses' hooves suddenly caught his attention. He was sitting on the high building overlooking the entire Inspectorate and could see hundreds of golden-armored knights who had arrived outside the Inspectorate and surrounded the gate.

"Anyone dares to act so arrogantly at the Inspection Office?" Zhang Chen looked at Xie Lingyun with surprise when he saw the large, menacing group of people.

Xie Lingyun's face immediately darkened, her eyes fixed on the newcomer, a murderous glint in her pupils: "It's someone from the Five Cities Garrison!"

"Does the Five Cities Garrison dare to offend the Inspectorate?" Zhang Chen asked with curiosity.

Upon hearing Zhang Chen's words, Xie Lingyun remained silent, simply observing coldly from the pavilion. At this moment, Zhang Chen looked at the leader of the Five Cities Garrison and couldn't help but show a look of surprise: "It's him? He's actually not dead!"

As the general turned his head, revealing half of his face beneath his golden armor, Zhang Chen was taken aback. Who was this person? It was none other than Gong Chun, whom Zhang Chen had buried at the foot of Old Turtle Ridge. Logically speaking, when Zhang Chen activated the feng shui formation, Gong Chun should have died under Old Turtle Ridge. But who knew that this fellow not only did not die, but actually survived.

"How did he survive?" Zhang Chen asked with a look of surprise.

"Do you know that leader?" Xie Lingyun asked after hearing Zhang Chen mutter.

Zhang Chen didn't hide anything and recounted how his family wanted to kill Gong Chun. Xie Lingyun suddenly realized, "I see. However, Gong Chun is the number one among the younger generation of the Gong family, and he also possesses a Primordial Spiritual Treasure. Killing him is no easy task. It is precisely because he obtained the Primordial Spiritual Treasure that he dared to trespass into my Inspection Office and challenge my Inspection Office."

"An innate spiritual treasure?" Zhang Chen asked thoughtfully upon hearing this.

Just then, an angry shout came from below: "How dare you! Who is so insolent as to come here?"

"I am Gong Chun, the commander of the Five Cities Garrison. I have received a report that the criminal Zhang Chen has left the North and infiltrated the Imperial City. I am about to arrest him. I hope the Inspectorate will not protect the criminal, lest the case be taken to the King. That would be bad for everyone." Gong Chun, mounted on his horse, looked down at the guard.

The guard was taken aback by Gong Chun's words, but he didn't know how to refute them. After all, the other party was waving a big flag, and he dared not speak nonsense.

"Men, come with me into the Inspection Office and arrest the thief." Seeing that the guards at the gate of the Inspection Office were not responding, Gong Chun was about to lead the Five Cities Garrison into the Inspection Office.

"Insolence! I'd like to see who dares to lay a hand on you in front of the Inspectorate!" Xie Lingyun stepped forward, transforming into a beam of colorful light and appearing on the city wall, her eyes revealing a cold glint.
"Gong Chun, how dare you trespass into the Inspection Office? Don't you know what death means?"

"Chief Xie, I've heard that you colluded with the criminal Zhang Chen, not only leading him around the city in a blatant display, but also hiding him within the Inspectorate. Is this true?" Gong Chun faced Xie Lingyun without flinching. Astride his horse, a strange glint appeared in his eyes: "Although you are the head of the Inspectorate, if you dare to harbor criminals and disrupt the laws of the court, even the King will not tolerate you."

"Are you threatening me?" Xie Lingyun's head flashed with colorful light, divine power flowed, and she looked up at Gong Chun.

"I dare not threaten Chief Xie. I am merely stating a fact. It is the responsibility of the Five Cities Garrison to apprehend criminals. Even if the case is taken to the Emperor, I am not afraid in the slightest," Gong Chun said coldly.

Upon hearing this, Xie Lingyun glanced at Gong Chun, a strange look appearing in her eyes: "You're quite interesting. You're allowed to arrest people by the Five Cities Garrison, but I'm not allowed to arrest people by the Inspectorate?"

Gong Chun was taken aback upon hearing this, and a bad premonition immediately rose in his heart. Sure enough, Xie Lingyun said, "Zhang Chen is involved in a major case involving the Pingbian Prince's Mansion in the North. The Inspectorate has already arrested him and imprisoned him. I am just enforcing the law impartially, and there is no such thing as harboring criminals as you said."

"Do you intend to break prisoners in front of my Inspection Office?" Xie Lingyun asked Gong Chun.

Gong Chun was stunned on the spot, his eyes filled with frustration. The other party was really eloquent and cleverly changed the topic from "hiding" to "imprisonment". Once the reasoning was changed, all his excuses for attacking him became untenable. He was dumbfounded.

"Get lost! Don't get in the way of the Inspection Department." Xie Lingyun gave Gong Chun a sneer, then slowly turned and walked into the Inspection Department. Her merciless mockery made Gong Chun's eyes red, but he was helpless against Xie Lingyun. After all, Xie Lingyun's explanation was reasonable. If he really dared to storm the Inspection Department, he would be beheaded.

Although he wanted to kill Zhang Chen, he didn't want to get himself involved.

Gong Chun left in a rage, leading his skilled subordinates like stray dogs, looking utterly pathetic.

"This is just the first wave of tactics from the eight great families!" Xie Lingyun said as she approached Zhang Chen. "For the eight great families, the real effort has only just begun. If you cannot resolve your identity issues, sooner or later they will find a perfect excuse to use the laws of the Great Sheng Dynasty to kill you."

Upon hearing Xie Lingyun's words, Zhang Chen raised an eyebrow: "Once I've settled my identity issues, I'll start by taking down the Gong family."

What a coincidence! The Gong family is one of the eight great families!

If Xie Lingyun hadn't made prior arrangements before he entered the capital, he might have been blocked and his family might have been restrained by the dynasty's laws, which would have caused a lot of trouble. If the Gong family had found the first move, he would have been in a very passive position.

However, with Xie Lingyun around, many troubles had already been kept out of his way, and he only needed to wait patiently for the final result.

Zhang Chen's mind raced with thoughts as he looked in the direction where the Five Cities Military Command had departed, his mind churning with various ideas.

However, before he could retract his thoughts, he saw a familiar figure outside the gate of the Inspection Office: Zhang Gaqi.

Zhang Gaqi, dressed in a black robe, arrived at the gate of the Inspection Office. After jumping down from the carriage, he stared at the gate without saying a word.

“That’s your fourth uncle, Zhang Gaqi.” Xie Lingyun also saw Zhang Gaqi and said to Zhang Chen.

"I saw it. What's your opinion of this person?" Zhang Chen asked.

“Although this person is your uncle, he was raised by your father and is considered half a son of your father. In the entire Zhang family, if there is anyone who truly hopes that you and your siblings can return to the family and live a smooth life, he is definitely one of them,” Xie Lingyun said.

"It's rare to find someone whose tea hasn't cooled down even after they've left!" Zhang Chen said something cryptic.

Xie Lingyun smiled slightly upon hearing this, then turned to Zhang Chen and asked, "Will you see him or not?"

“It wouldn’t hurt to meet him. After all, it’s no secret that I’ve returned to Kyoto. Besides, my younger brother and sister were taken away by him back then, so I should ask him for them back,” Zhang Chen said.

Zhang Gaqi was stopped at the door by the officials of the Inspection Office. Zhang Gaqi calmly handed over his visiting card and said, "I pay my respects to Chief Xie Lingyun."

"Please invite Lord Zhang in." Before the guards could answer, Xie Lingyun, still standing on the city wall, spoke first. Her voice had already traveled through the void. Although the dragon aura of the imperial city suppressed all laws, Xie Lingyun had already broken through the shackles of her realm and entered the tenth level. Her physical body was extremely powerful. The vibration of her internal organs alone was enough to make her voice travel for ten miles.

Upon hearing this, the guards respectfully opened the gate and led Zhang Gaqi up to the pavilion. Zhang Gaqi immediately saw Zhang Chen sitting in the pavilion drinking tea. After exchanging greetings with Xie Lingyun, Zhang Gaqi looked at Zhang Chen:
"Now that you're back, why don't you go home and stay at the Inspection Office instead?"

“I’m afraid that once I step out of the gates of the Inspectorate, I won’t see the sun rise tomorrow,” Zhang Chen replied with a smile. “After all, there are quite a few people in this capital who want me dead.”

“My Zhang family isn’t made of clay. Once you enter the Zhang family, who would dare to be disrespectful to you?” Zhang Gaqi frowned.

Zhang Chen chuckled softly upon hearing this: "Just now, a group of men from the Five Cities Garrison almost dragged me out of the Inspectorate and beheaded me."

Zhang Gaqi was taken aback upon hearing this: "Really?"

"It was Chief Xie who sent the man away," Zhang Chen said.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Gaqi's face immediately darkened: "Gong Chun has some nerve! How dare you lay a hand on my Zhang family! You're utterly audacious!"

Seeing that Zhang Gaqi's anger seemed genuine, Zhang Chen felt a little warm inside, and then said with a smile, "How did Fourth Uncle find his way here?"

“I’m advising you to leave the capital. The waters in the capital are too deep now. You’ve only just entered the capital, and countless undercurrents have already surged up, trying to swallow you up. You’d better leave quickly.” Zhang Gaqi’s voice was full of seriousness.

Once Zhang Chen leaves the capital, all the turmoil will subside.

Zhang Chen looked at Zhang Gaqi, a mysterious smile playing on his lips: "Now that I've come to Kyoto, why would I flee like a stray dog?"

“But if you stay here, you’ll die! I can’t let you die in Kyoto. Even if there’s only a one percent chance of death, I absolutely won’t allow it!” Zhang Gaqi’s voice was filled with determination.

"When the waves rise, it's hard to say who will be crushed. Will they crush me, or those shady hands? Who knows?" Zhang Chen smiled and took a sip of tea.

Zhang Gaqi fell silent upon hearing this, staring intently at Zhang Chen for a long time before finally saying, "You can't beat them! Their power is too great; they can even contend with the Great Victory Royal Family. What makes you think you can fight them? Leaving is the best option for you. Don't try to fight a losing battle. Even if Chief Xie protects you, she can't always stay by your side. There will always be times when she's negligent."

(End of this chapter)