parentshiftbook Chapter 139: Returning to the Prince of Zhangnan's Mansion
Chapter 139: Returning to the Prince of Zhangnan's Mansion
Zhang Ping slowly descended from the air, smiling as he addressed Chu Badao:
"Prince Chu is quite leisurely, and his cultivation has improved significantly. It's a life that we cultivators envy."
Who in the Great Wei wouldn't want a life that's both easy and allows them to improve their cultivation?
Chu Batian smiled and quickly led Zhang Ping to the backyard.
"Brother Zhang, you're joking. My cultivation level improves at a rate that's slower than your leap in a single day."
Sitting down in the backyard, Chu Batian asked a maid to invite Fu Huiying and the other woman. At the same time, he inadvertently glanced at the oversized, rough wooden box that Zhang Ping had placed to the side.
Although the remaining demonic aura inside was faint, its power level was not low. He vaguely sensed that it was exactly the same as the aura on the ancestor.
He immediately held Zhang Ping's methods in even higher regard.
"Brother Zhang, did you find the spirit Gu on your trip to the Southern Frontier?"
The maidservant brought out tea and snacks. Chu Batian took a sip and asked curiously.
Zhang Ping didn't hide anything and was carefully considering what he could say.
Miao Caiyan happened to be taking a walk nearby when she learned that Zhang Ping had returned, and she was the first to go to the backyard.
After exchanging greetings and sitting down, Zhang Ping sighed, meeting Miao Caiyan's expectant gaze.
"The Southern Frontier was breached by demons, and the Queen's sister, who was also the King of the Southern Frontier, perished on the sacred mountain."
He summarized the entire process into a single sentence.
Upon hearing this, Miao Caiyan's smile froze, and Chu Batian also looked at Zhang Ping in astonishment:
"Brother Zhang, are you telling the truth?"
News of the demons' attack on the southern border has reached the Great Wei, but it is only known that the southern border is struggling to resist and has lost a large amount of territory; there is no news yet of the fall of the capital.
Miao Caiyan's brows were filled with sadness. She and her sister had a very close relationship and had been corresponding with each other until the demon chaos broke out, at which point their contact was gradually lost.
They had hoped Zhang Ping would bring back some news, but instead it was devastating...
Zhang Ping observed their reactions, his expression unchanged, but secretly he felt fortunate.
Fortunately, he didn't mention that Miao Caixin died while helping him refine the essence gu, otherwise, Miao Caiyan would probably have turned on him on the spot.
Thinking of this, he sighed again.
He took the gu worm bottle from his bosom.
"This is the essence poison."
Zhang Ping carefully released the spirit worm, a tiny insect the size of a thumb, which crawled slightly on the table.
Miao Caiyan forced herself to cheer up, looked at the Gu worm with faint white lines on its body, lowered her eyes, and gently stroked it.
The moment Miao Caiyan's finger touched the spirit worm, the spirit worm, which was moving slowly, suddenly flapped its wings!
Zhang Ping thought the Gu worm wanted to fly away, so he subconsciously activated his Qi and blood.
However, the spirit worm did not escape; instead, it became more lively, as if it were consciously rubbing its head against Miao Caiyan's fingers, quite affectionately.
"This spirit worm...?" Miao Caiyan was astonished, and a feeling she couldn't quite describe suddenly rose in her heart.
It was as if the spirit in front of him was connected to him by blood.
She gently stroked the head of the spirit worm, her expression gradually softening.
Beside him, Chu Batian's attention wasn't on the spirit gu, but rather a hint of surprise in his eyes, his heart trembling:
"Brother Zhang's vitality seems even stronger than before he went to the southern border..."
Just then, two graceful figures strode in through the crescent-shaped archway.
"Zhang Ping!"
It was Fu Huiying and Lu Wanrou.
"Madam, Sister Rou."
Upon seeing the two women, Zhang Ping couldn't help but smile. He stood up and embraced them, one in each arm.
It was not convenient to express his longing at this time and place, so Zhang Ping briefly spoke to the two women before pulling them down to sit.
After examining the spirit worm, Miao Caiyan returned it to Zhang Ping.
When the Gu returned, it seemed reluctant to leave, and only calmed down after Zhang Ping put it back into the Gu worm bottle.
"I didn't expect the princess to be so popular with the Gu worms." Zhang Ping raised an eyebrow, seemingly lost in thought.
Miao Caiyan shook her head: "Unless it's a Gu worm that you made yourself, it won't be like this."
Although those present were curious, they had no intention of investigating further.
Unbeknownst to them, after the essence Gu entered the Gu worm bottle, a faint soul within the Gu worm's body throbbed briefly before falling silent.
"By the way, Zhang Ping, do you remember the map we got?" Fu Huiying told Zhang Ping about the discovery of the map.
At the same time, he also mentioned asking the Demon Extermination Bureau for help in the exploration.
Zhang Ping was somewhat taken aback upon hearing this.
"Is it the map that was kept in the Master's box, the one alongside the Reincarnation Divine Skill?"
Fu Huiying nodded.
Upon hearing the words "Master," Chu Batian, who was sitting to the side drinking tea, twitched slightly, suddenly recalling the rumors circulating about Zhang Ping's unusual hobbies. He inadvertently leaned forward, creating space between Zhang Ping and Miao Caiyan.
The map was always kept close to Fu Huiying. She took out the map, and Zhang Ping examined it but found no clues.
"This map must be kept safe." After a moment's thought, Zhang Ping handed the map back to Fu Huiying for safekeeping.
He occasionally encounters intense battles and worries about damaging the item if he carries it with him.
The group chatted for a while longer in the pavilion. Zhang Ping learned from Chu Batian that Xiao Ling'er had gone to the capital to visit Chu Hanwei, and Lord Xiao had also gone with her to find medicine to treat her old injuries.
The matter of the beast pattern was not to be revealed to outsiders, and Zhang Ping was unable to mention the true gains of this trip to Fu Huiying and the other person.
Just as Zhang Ping was about to take his leave and return to his residence, Miao Caiyan called him back.
"By the way, I got the Poseidon Stone you mentioned before."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Ping couldn't help but show a look of surprise and delight.
"Really? That's great!"
"Don't be too happy yet. The Sea God Stone was found by the caravan in the East China Sea. It will take about five or six days before it can be sent back to Chu King City."
Miao Caiyan shook her head. The two materials Zhang Ping needed last time—the spirit gu had gone to the southern border to find them, but the Sea God Stone was nowhere to be found. The merchant caravans under the Prince's command had never given up searching.
Last month, a caravan heading to the East China Sea finally found something called the Sea God Stone.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Ping's excitement subsided slightly, but he asked with concern, "Should I go there myself?"
There was no other way; the Yin-Yang Divine Union and Heavenly Capital Fate Crossing were far too important to him. Right now, he was only missing one material: the Sea God Stone. If something unexpected happened, he didn't know how long it would be before he could meet it again.
"Don't worry, the Prince's Mansion has specially dispatched experts to escort them. The journey will be safe and there will be no loss," Chu Batian reassured him from the side.
After a few more casual words, Zhang Ping, along with Fu Huiying and Lu Wanrou, took their leave.
He channeled his inner energy to lift the wooden box, carrying the two of them into the air.
Amidst gasps of amazement, they returned to the courtyard that the two women had purchased during his absence.
The courtyard is very close to the Prince's Mansion, separated only by a street.
The artificial hills and streams cover a vast area.
Originally the residence of a family, the place was later destroyed and taken by a powerful expert at the Marrow Marrow Realm, who converted it into a mansion.
Originally intended as a place to stay in the Chu King's city, the renovation was completed but before he could move in, he died unexpectedly while searching for news of demons in the south.
Later, it was acquired by the King of Chu Nan. Upon learning that Fu Huiying and her companion wanted to buy the mansion, he sold it to them at a discount.
Upon learning their origins, Zhang Ping subconsciously thought of the Marrow Transformation Realm martial artist Wen Gaoyang had mentioned who had sacrificed himself while investigating the south. What a coincidence.
There are several maids in the mansion, all of whom were carefully selected and have excellent appearances.
Zhang Ping instructed the maid to stand guard outside the door, and then led Fu Huiying and Lu Wanrou into a huge secret chamber used exclusively for cultivation.
He took out the materials he had brought back one by one and placed them in a secret room.
The box contained some items he needed, some that Muya had put in, and many special minerals that he had found using the prophecy tablets. The demon race didn't use much of it, and the surplus was just what he needed to take back.
Taking this opportunity, Zhang Ping planned to take a detailed account with the two women.