Chapter 150: The Zhang Family's Crisis
As dusk fell and night descended, no one in Zhang Family Village rested as they usually would. Instead, they were all busy decorating the village and preparing a feast. The clan's second young miss was to be wed tomorrow, and every face beamed with joy.
Unbeknownst to them, over a hundred men in black, their faces hidden, had gathered outside the village.
As a lineage of healers descended from the ancient Medical Saint Zhang Zhongjing, the Zhang Family held a special status within the Martial Artist Circle. Thus, they had no Mountain Guarding Array or anything of the sort; after all, who would bother a clan of doctors run mostly by women? For millennia, the Zhang Family had treated others with kindness, and kindness they received, allowing their legacy to endure peacefully to this day.
The men in black waiting outside the village were none other than Tang Xian and his group. Each of them held a three-foot-long black wooden stake, preparing to use an Array against Chen Dong.
A day and a half had passed. Tang Xian dared not gamble on whether Chen Dong had recovered his strength. This time, he was fully prepared; he would get his hands on the Mingxi Grass even if it meant annihilating the entire Zhang Family.
One of his confidants stepped forward and asked in a low voice, "Commander, should we deploy the Array now?"
Tang Xian shook his head. The only thing he needed to confirm was whether Chen Dong had already used the Mingxi Grass. He turned to a disheveled, blindfolded man beside him and said, "Xun Jian, it's all up to you. We need to know how many Outer Manifestation experts are inside the village."
The man, his long hair falling to his shoulders and his face covered in stubble, gave a dull nod. He ambled into the village as if no one else was there, walked directly to its center, and stood motionless for a long while. It was as if the villagers couldn't see him at all.
Tang Xian, who was watching intently, couldn't help but remark with admiration, 'Even though Xun Jian is blind and only at the Grandmaster Realm, his Cultivation Technique is incredibly useful. You have to understand, every single villager in there is a Martial Artist, yet it's like they don't even see him.'
The subordinates following Tang Xian couldn't help but feel a little shocked. Xun Jian had only recently joined the Military Suppression Department but had always been treated with special regard by their commander. 'So this is why.'
Before long, Xun Jian strolled back and stated calmly, "There are two at the Outer Manifestation Realm in the village, and one other whose Realm I cannot perceive."
Tang Xian cursed inwardly upon hearing this. 'Dammit!' He already knew the Zhang Family matriarch, that 140-something-year-old woman Old Ji, was at Celestial Spirit Peak. As for the Outer Manifestation experts in the village, besides Chen Dong, the other one must have just broken through. After all, you couldn't find many people in the world with that kind of power.
Still unwilling to give up, Tang Xian asked, "Can you tell if those two at the Outer Manifestation Realm have just broken through?"
Xun Jian shook his head, saying blandly, "My cultivation is too low. I am unable to tell."
Tang Xian didn't get angry at his words. 'That makes sense,' he thought. 'Once someone steps into the Outer Manifestation Realm, they become an existence that ordinary Martial Artists can no longer comprehend.'
After a moment of thought, Tang Xian gave the order: "Fall back. We're returning. Leave two team members behind to keep a close eye on Chen Dong. Report any movement immediately!"
A Mingxi Grass that was already used up wasn't worth him betting his own life and his family's future, and the consequences of attacking the Zhang Family were more than a mere commander like him could handle. He had already settled on a new plan: he would go after Chen Dong himself. Since Chen Dong could get his hands on one stalk of Mingxi Grass, he could probably get a second. Tang Xian's mind raced, calculating how to get Chen Dong alone and lure him into a pre-set trap. After all, an Outer Manifestation expert was not someone to be trifled with.
Under the cover of darkness, Tang Xian and his men came and went.
While resting in his guest room, Chen Dong felt the ripple of a Spiritual Exploration Technique but paid it no mind. 'This is Zhang Family Village, home to hundreds of Martial Artists,' he thought. 'It's not strange for one or two of them to know a Spiritual Exploration Technique.'
What Chen Dong didn't know was that the "minor auxiliary art" in his eyes was considered a miraculous technique in the current Martial Artist Circle.
Meanwhile, Zhu Ran and Qu Quan were locked away in a storeroom. The Silver Needles were still embedded in their bodies, forcing them to stand as stiff as wooden posts. Behind them were mountains of medicinal herbs. As members of the Zhang Family were always guarding this place, they had simply been left here.
This was the second time the two had been controlled with Silver Needles. Estimating that the effect was about to wear off, the Zhang Family's matriarch arrived as expected.
As Zhu Ran watched Old Ji approach, a vicious fire ignited in her eyes.
Old Ji ignored Zhu Ran's hateful glare, removing the Silver Needles from both of them with a wave of her hand.
The moment she was free, Zhu Ran spat viciously at Old Ji, "You venomous old hag! You'll die a dog's death!"
She had barely uttered two curses when a Silver Needle flew past, immobilizing Zhu Ran once more. Qu Quan hurriedly said, "Senior, I need to use the privy!"
Old Ji's brow furrowed. With a single glance at the guard from the Zhang Family, the guard understood and led Qu Quan away to relieve himself.
Old Ji took the opportunity to speak to Zhu Ran. "Kang Ming is marrying Bai Zhi tomorrow. You'd do well to behave, little girl. If it weren't for the Purple Cloud Sect's sake, I would have killed the two of you long ago!"
Hearing that her senior brother was marrying another woman tomorrow, Zhu Ran's eyes filled with desperation, but she was powerless to speak or move.
Old Ji continued, "I have already informed Zhu Yanghua. He will likely be here tomorrow to take you back. Until then, you will stay here quietly."
A few moments later, the member of the Zhang Family returned with Qu Quan. Qu Quan assumed his position and waited obediently without resisting.
A Silver Needle flew out as expected, and Qu Quan was once again immobilized.
Old Ji swept a cold glance over them before turning to leave.
As the night deepened, about an hour later, the guard from the Zhang Family watching over them lit a cigarette and took a satisfying drag. In the haze, he thought he saw Qu Quan twitch, but then again, maybe not. Puzzled, he walked closer to Qu Quan, intending to check if there was a problem with the Silver Needle.
But without warning, Qu Quan lashed out, knocking the guard unconscious on the floor.
Standing to the side, Zhu Ran's heart instantly flooded with delightful surprise.