Chapter 40: Peach Blossom

"Protector Zhan, you really let me down!"

An icy voice drifted down from the upper seat.

The noble lady in palace attire slowly rose, a faint fragrance drifting about.

Zhan Li, however, never dared to raise his head.

On the beautiful lady in palace attire there was an unusually divine aura; she wore a mask, yet her whole being seemed like a god walking among mortals.

But she is indeed an envoy of a god incarnate.

She is the temple priestess personally chosen by the Red Flower Lady, and also the Grand Host of the Red Flower Society, deeply cultivated.

At this moment she seemed to resonate with the colossal golden statue of the eight-armed demon god enshrined in the temple's center.

In Zhan Li's eyes, she was like a true god descending.

Zhan Li dared not utter even a hint of complaint.

Seeing him endure the pain, a faint light flickered on the eight-armed demon god's golden statue, then quickly faded.

"Since you can't handle it, you don't need to worry about it—I'll have someone else take care of it!!"

"But having made a mistake, you must be punished: effective today, you are stripped of your Protector post and reduced to an ordinary believer—no longer receiving divine blessings!"

Zhan Li, hearing this, did not dare lift his head and simply said, "Thank you, Grand Host, for your mercy!"

The Grand Host gave a cold snort, her expression far from satisfied.

At this moment a layer of intense, gloomy cold aura rose around her; with a wave of her hand, a mass of dark, yin energy swirled in the depths of the temple.

Moments later, a shadowy figure silently emerged from the darkness deep within the temple.

This shadow seemed to step out from the wall, its body flowing with dim, murky spiritual energy.

As soon as this apparition appeared, Zhan Li felt a sudden chill in his heart.

Under the gaze of those eerie, abnormal eyes, his blood and qi felt as if frozen, his heart nearly stopping.

"Shadow Demon, you will go on this errand!"

"Yes!"

The Shadow Demon's eyes were dark as an ancient well, yet within them coalesced a thick resentment; moments later its form vanished within the room.

Seeing the Shadow Demon depart,

The lady in palace attire flickered a faint smile, then her seductive gaze turned toward the goddess within the main hall.

"My Lady, everything I do is for our foundation; you need faith and incense, while I require fortune and a sliver of opportunity!"

"And if I do not achieve Foundation Establishment, how can you, my Lady, expand the incense offerings and continue to enjoy such devotion!"

……

Below Lock Dragon Pass stood a humble courtyard.

Boom!!

That day, a muffled thunderous sound slowly arose in the courtyard, and a crimson bolt of lightning flashed across the void.

In the distance, a discarded stone mill instantly turned to powder!

Zhang Jian watched this scene, a faint crimson light glimmering in his eyes, a spark of lightning jumping in his hand; after a month of tempering, he finally imprinted the Thunder Moving Technique deeper into his spiritual sense.

Although he had not yet completely freed himself from the influence of talismanic media, he had gradually approached the threshold.

How could this not make Zhang Jian feel delighted?

All that remained was to firmly stabilize that talisman in his spiritual sense, imprint it as reality, and then he could fully achieve his modest goal of hand‑crafting heavenly thunder.

The progress before him was still extremely rapid.

In a month's time, with spiritual sense he could gradually manipulate heavenly thunder to a fine degree; Zhang Jian estimated his lightning‑attribute spiritual root must be exceptionally outstanding.

Even in ordinary moments, his spiritual sense could faintly feel the omnipresent power of heavenly thunder between heaven and earth.

Such a special perception is something few cultivators can possess.

Besides this, he had also begun to grasp the use of the Dragon Pearl, making this month quite fruitful.

With a smile on his face, Zhang Jian greatly enjoyed this feeling.

It was like just entering a field of study, finally beginning to progress from the basics to the deeper levels.

He glanced around his surroundings.

A month earlier he had deliberately sought out another such dwelling before Lock Dragon Pass; for most ordinary people this would be the least desirable living environment.

Because the noise was too great.

The sound of the flood discharge was overly clamorous.

But for him it was a treasure: not only could he temper his mind there, but he could also mask the thunderous roar generated from practicing thunder arts.

Zhang Jian glanced around, feeling a hint of reluctance; if he could, he would wish to stay a while longer, but alas the grand birthday of Qi Yi was approaching, and he still had to devote some thought to it.

The reason was that Zhang Yi and Zhang Qi had sent word a while back.

It prompted him to additionally seek out some more thoughtful birthday gifts.

The cause was that Zhang Yi had received news: for this Qi family birthday celebration, his several aunts and uncles were 'not observing martial virtue,' preparing to outdo one another, so the Zhang family naturally had to prepare something extra as well.

Otherwise, relying solely on the antique jade artifacts unearthed from ancient tombs would hardly allow them to outshine the others.

The Zhang family now needed to borrow the Qi family's strength to break open the situation; even if they ultimately did not need the Qi family's aid, they at least could not allow the Qi family to become an obstacle, so Zhang Yi temporarily urged him to be more diligent.

……

Zhang Jian prepared to wander a few old streets within Fengyang Prefecture.

Zhang Jian had just returned to the Qi manor when a beautiful young lady with a graceful figure came walking toward him; she was not old, her hair done in twin buns, and upon seeing Zhang Jian her eyes lit up as she first greeted him.

"Zhang family elder brother!"

"Lin Lang younger sister?"

Zhang Jian had long recognized this cousin; his face showed a faint smile, though his eyes held a hint of oddity, yet he nodded and replied with a smile.

「Gu family's younger sister, are you preparing to go to the garden to view flowers? 」

Gu Linlang's pure gaze fixed on Zhang Jian as she said: 「Zhang family's older brother, I heard the golden-thread imperial chrysanthemums in the garden are blooming extraordinarily splendidly; I want to go see them. Zhang family's older brother, why don't we go flower-viewing together? 」

She did not shy away from Zhang Jian's gaze, and there was a look of longing in her eyes.

Zhang Jian shook his head and laughed: 「I'm afraid I'll disappoint Linlang's kindness; today I've already made plans with several peers from the prefecture to go together to the East City Iron Immortal Observatory to offer incense, so... 」

Zhang Jian politely refused.

Gu Linlang muttered: 「What a pity! 」

Zhang Jian, seeing this, smiled: 「It's fine to make another appointment next time! 」

Zhang Jian still felt helpless in his heart.

Since their first meeting at the family banquet, this Gu family cousin has been inviting him, intentionally or not; what is her intention? Zhang Jian has some idea, but he feels somewhat awkward about it.

Although Gu Linlang herself is not that kind of profit-seeking young lady, perhaps it's just a request from the Gu family elders, but he currently doesn't have the energy to get entangled with her.

However, he hadn't expected that the Gu family would actually consider marrying into the Zhang family.

Zhang Jian felt a bit amused; he hadn't realized he had become a hot commodity, with daughters of such prominent prefectural clans eagerly showing goodwill.

However, if the Gu family were to marry into the Zhang family, it would indeed be a great gain.

Without mentioning the Zhang family's current power and influence, just the fact that the Zhang family has two cultivators would be like sending charcoal in the snow for the Gu family today.

But for the Zhang family, the Gu family is not the only option.

Moreover, the "chance encounter" inside the garden quickly spread to the ears of those who cared.

In the second room.

Qi Wan furrowed her brows; Gu Linlang's repeated approaches to Zhang Jian naturally could not escape her notice, nor the gazes of some concerned parties within the Qi household.

Qi Wan somewhat could not understand how the Gu family, disregarding status differences, would actually let their noble daughter lower herself to meet an outsider man, which seemed somewhat unbelievable.

As a prominent prefectural clan, the Gu family's power is no less than that of the Qi family.

Although Zhang Jian is considered outstanding, a Gu family noble lady could easily set her sights on royal and aristocratic families or great clans instead.

As for the Zhang family, a local prominent clan, even if they have some wealth and influence, their appeal is probably limited.

「A young xiucai, even with promising prospects, would need at least several years, or even decades, to develop any influence... 」

Qi Wan lowered her head in thought, but no matter what she still had to stop it somewhat.

Zhang Jian was originally the "best son-in-law candidate" in her eyes.

Even if she were to concede to the Gu family, she would have to wait until her own two daughters made a firm decision.

She absolutely cannot allow anyone else to overstep!