Chapter 138: Returning to the Zhang Family Old House! It

Next day, early morning.

Sanqin District, Shangmafang old residential area.

The old courtyards are connected to each other. Viewed from above, they look like pigeon cages, appearing old and vicissitudinous in the city of high-rise buildings.

Under the broken and mottled wall, a pancake stall was placed there alone. The pancake on the iron anvil was sizzling with smoke, and the rising heat became the last human fireworks in this old city area.

"Uncle Feng, add two eggs for me..."

Zhang Fan stood in front of the stall, watching Feng Ping'an skillfully spreading the pancake, and couldn't help adding an egg.

"You really know how to eat." Feng Ping'an grinned and laughed: "Do you want green onions and cilantro?"

"Mm, both, just a little less cilantro."

Zhang Fan nodded, his gaze falling on the pancake, but his attention was constantly wandering around.

Yesterday, after returning from the Jiangnan Province Dao Alliance, he couldn't sit still.

Sui Brother Chunsheng's words were like a head-on blow, making Zhang Fan feel urgent.

"More than twenty years ago, someone used the method of stealing heaven's secrets to steal the dragon energy of Bai Yujing. Ten years ago, there was an extremely unusual leak, causing the water in the Huaiyan section of the Yangtze River to stop flowing for three hours."

"According to the investigation, the source of stealing dragon energy is in that old residential area in the Sanqin District."

"Little Fan, your dad asked you to go back to the old house if you have nothing to do. He left something there, and it's quite important."

Combining the many clues investigated by Jiangnan Province with Liu Liu Fusheng's instructions, Zhang Fan didn't think there were such coincidences in the world.

At this time, a bold guess arose in Zhang Fan's heart. Although it might not be right, the more he thought about it, the more he felt that the source of the so-called "stealing heaven's secrets, stealing dragon energy" was his family's old house.

"Little Fan, eat while it's hot." Feng Ping'an rolled the hot pancake with kraft paper and handed it over.

"Uncle, how much?" Zhang Fan took out his phone.

"Are you slapping your uncle's face!? Eating a pancake, can your uncle still want your money?" Feng Ping'an wiped his oily hands on his body and smiled with his head down.

"Uncle, your pancake is really delicious."

Zhang Fan took a bite. The dough was soft, the sauce was rich, and it was no exaggeration to say that this was almost the most delicious pancake he had ever eaten.

"Hehe, whether the pancake is delicious or not depends on the heat..."

Feng Ping'an lowered his head and murmured: "If the heat is controlled well, everything is delicious."

"Little Fan, the secret inside, uncle will teach you. In case you can't make it in the future, at least you have a skill, and you can be like uncle, spreading pancakes."

"Secret?" Zhang Fan was eating the pancake and was stunned.

"The secret to controlling the heat is two words: calm heart." Feng Ping'an grinned.

At this time, this pancake stall owner who guarded the old city area seemed to have light in his eyes, and his slightly hunched body seemed to be much straighter.

"Calm heart!?"

"I remember that winter, uncle was still burning a charcoal stove. The wind and snow were too big, and the fire in the stove went out... When your dad helped uncle light the fire, he muttered a sentence, literary, a bit of that meaning..."

"My dad? What did he say?" Zhang Fan couldn't help saying.

"Only when the heart is empty like a secluded valley can the fire rise and the flowers bloom." Feng Ping'an whispered, but his eyes were empty and lonely.

"Only when the heart is empty like a secluded valley can the fire rise and the flowers bloom..." Zhang Fan chewed on this sentence, thoughtful.

"Zhang Fan!?"

Just at this moment, a surprised voice came from the side, pleasant and familiar.

Zhang Fan turned around and was stunned. He never expected that early in the morning, he would meet Xu Xu Zhixia here again.

Standing beside her was a tall and thin young man, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, wearing a white shirt, scholarly and refined.

Zhang Fan recognized him at a glance; this was the man who drove the three-pronged car that night.

"Xu Zhixia, long time no see." Zhang Fan said softly.

After a hurried farewell that night, he almost got hit by a car, and he didn't have time to say hello formally.

"It hasn't been that long." Xu Xu Zhixia stopped, keeping a distance from Zhang Fan, a smile appearing on her face.

Counting from graduation to now, it has only been three or four months.

"Are you doing well?" Xu Xu Zhixia said softly.

Reunions of exes all over the world, nine out of ten will have such lines.

"Pretty good." Zhang Fan said casually.

The atmosphere was a bit awkward. No matter how close the relationship was, the reunion after separation is always speechless, which really corresponds to the old saying, seeing each other is not as good as missing each other.

"Why are you here?" Xu Xu Zhixia broke the silence.

"I lived here when I was a child. Taking advantage of the early morning, I wanted to come back and see, but unfortunately, I can't get in." Zhang Fan pointed to the old residential area behind him and said.

"Of course you can't get in, here..."

Just at this moment, the young man wearing gold-rimmed glasses beside him spoke. His language was indifferent, and his eyes looking at Zhang Fan revealed a trace of arrogance. He said half of it and then stopped abruptly, seemingly unwilling to waste more words on insignificant people here.

"Xu Zhixia, let's go in."

"Wait a minute."

Xu Xu Zhixia looked at Zhang Fan and said apologetically: "This is my friend, Li Li Gaoyang."

"Zhang Fan, the old city renovation here is coming soon. Now foundation surveying and risk assessment are being carried out, so in principle, ordinary people cannot enter..." Xu Xu Zhixia explained.

"Ordinary people cannot enter?" Zhang Fan muttered.

He believed this reason before yesterday, but after returning from the Jiangnan Province Dao Alliance, he already understood that all risk assessments were just a cover, just to investigate the source of stealing dragon energy.

Such a big event naturally would not let ordinary people get involved.

"Then you..."

"How can we be the same as you?" Li Li Gaoyang pushed his gold-rimmed glasses and sneered.

"More than half of the old city renovation in Bai Yujing City is undertaken by the Xu Group. We represent the Xu Group."

"Xu Group!?"

Zhang Fan was stunned, and then looked at Xu Xu Zhixia with some surprise. Although they were together for so many years in college, he didn't know that the Xu of Xu Xu Zhixia was the Xu of the Xu Group.

You know, the Xu Group is a famous large financial group in the south, and the industries involved almost cover every aspect of ordinary people's lives.

"Why? Xu Zhixia, didn't you tell him? It seems your ex-boyfriend doesn't know much." Li Li Gaoyang looked at Zhang Fan's stunned expression and couldn't help revealing a playful look.

The implication was that Xu Xu Zhixia's feelings for Zhang Fan were very ordinary, or even just playing around, and she didn't even want to tell the other party about her true situation.

"Zhang Fan, my family..." Xu Xu Zhixia raised her brows and wanted to say something but stopped.

"I understand, it doesn't matter." Zhang Fan waved his hand, not caring.

The Xu Group is a glamorous large financial group on the surface, but behind the scenes, it is...

"The lineage of the Jingming Sect founder 【Xu Zu】!" Zhang Fan thought to himself. Since he came down from Mount Zhenwu and gradually came into contact with the Daoist world in Night Not Bright, his knowledge had gradually opened up, and he naturally knew many secrets unknown to others.

Daoist inheritance to this day, those who can be called "Zu" must have cultivated to the realm of Pure Yang Limitless, crossed the changes of three and five, and achieved the level of land immortals.

For example, the Pure Yang founder 【Lv Zu】, or the Quanzhen Dao 【Qiu Zu】, etc.

Besides that, the most famous are the so-called 【Four Celestial Masters】, which are Zhang Zhang Daoling, Ge Hong, Sa Sa Shoujian, and Xu Xun.

These "Four Ancestors" were passed down to later generations with the name of Three Tian Shi because most of their achievements were left in the 【Three Tian Shi】 rank, but their true cultivation and achievements were far more than that.

The so-called 【Xu Zu】 is Xu Xun among the Four Celestial Masters. He is the founder of the Jingming Sect of the Daoist world. The most famous is beheading the flood dragon.

It is said that Xu Zu was a Daoist in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, cultivated divine powers, and had boundless magic power. When there were continuous water disasters, affecting the people, Xu Zu led his disciples to travel the world, governing water disasters, and beheaded ninety-nine flood dragons that caused water trouble, becoming famous from then on.

In later generations, if one performs the method of beheading flood dragons and subduing dragons, one must recite the divine power of Xu Zu. Even the so-called "Dragon Locking Wells" and "Dragon Trapping Pools" in many scenic spots today have talismans left by Xu Zu engraved on those chains.

The Xu Group is passed down from the lineage of 【Xu Zu】.

Although they are in harmony with the dust and practice in the world, unlike the Long Hu Zhang family who occupy famous mountains and caves, they also have a pivotal status in the Daoist world.

Compared to the 【Xiong family】 and 【Wang family】 in Bai Yujing City, they are too prominent.

Xu Xu Zhixia is actually the inheritance of Xu Zu, which surprised Zhang Fan quite a bit.

As expected, her friend, Li Li Gaoyang, also had a high status and had a deep relationship with the Xu family. No wonder he looked down on ordinary people like Zhang Fan.

And they only said they were the Xu Group and did not reveal the incense of the 【Xu Zu】 lineage.

But this is also normal, because in their eyes, Zhang Fan is just an ordinary person, and the two are simply two worlds. Even if they told him about the so-called 【Daoist world】 and the so-called 【Xu Zu】, Zhang Fan probably wouldn't understand.

"Why don't you come in with me."

Just at this moment, Xu Xu Zhixia's voice pulled Zhang Fan's thoughts back.

"Xu Zhixia..." Li Li Gaoyang heard this, his brows furrowed slightly.

"I can still make this decision."

Xu Xu Zhixia looked at Zhang Fan and smiled slightly: "I can't let you come here for nothing early in the morning."

"Er... then thank you very much." Zhang Fan nodded.

Originally, he planned to wait for Sui Brother Chunsheng and Zhan Xinyue here and then go in together.

"Let's go."

Xu Xu Zhixia led the way. Li Li Gaoyang glanced sideways but followed closely behind, leaving Zhang Fan at the end.

Entering the old residential area, there were people blocking the road for inspection almost every ten steps on the narrow alley path. Fortunately, Xu Xu Zhixia showed her pass, and they passed all the way.

"Zhang Fan, did you live here when you were a child?" Xu Xu Zhixia said without looking back.

The narrow alley was almost difficult to accommodate two people walking side by side.

"Mm, I lived here until I was twelve." Zhang Fan nodded.

Although he had been away for ten years, it had hardly changed. Revisiting the old place, many blurred light and shadows appeared in Zhang Fan's mind.

"I didn't hear you talk about it before." Xu Xu Zhixia said softly.

"Living in this kind of place, how can I be embarrassed to say it?" Li Li Gaoyang sneered.

Zhang Fan followed behind, looking at the back of the former's head, his eyes sank, and he suddenly had an urge to pat it.

"Li Gaoyang, if you keep talking like this, go back first."

Just at this moment, Xu Xu Zhixia stopped, perhaps not wanting Zhang Fan to look too ugly, her slightly angry little face revealing some dissatisfaction.

Li Li Gaoyang saw this, hurriedly eased his expression, and comforted: "Alright, for the sake of your friend, I won't say it."

"Zhang Fan, where is your family's old house?" Xu Xu Zhixia's gaze passed over Li Li Gaoyang and cast toward Zhang Fan.

"Turn that alley in front, go left."

Zhang Fan tried hard to recall, looking at the house number of the abandoned courtyard next to him, and gradually remembered.

"I'll send you there first."

Xu Xu Zhixia continued to walk forward: "Now entering and leaving here, the procedures are particularly troublesome. You didn't register, I guess you would be driven out if you went."

"Trouble you." Zhang Fan nodded.

Yesterday, he had already heard from Sui Brother Chunsheng that this place was expert surveying on the surface, but in fact, it had been taken over by the Jiangnan Province Dao Alliance. Not to mention anything else, just on the periphery, there were dozens of Daoist priests sitting in town, among whom there were five high-merit ones alone.

It can be seen that the Jiangnan Province Dao Alliance attaches great importance to this matter. After all, "stealing dragon energy, stealing heaven's secrets" is no small matter. If it were in ancient times, it might have produced a great demon, causing harm to the world.

"It's here."

In front of an old house, a big tree emerged from the courtyard, green shade like a cover.

The door was not locked. Xu Xu Zhixia pushed the door and entered. There were quite a few Daoist priests in the courtyard, and there were talismans pasted on the dilapidated door and walls...

In the center of the courtyard, someone was setting up a Dharma altar, raising incense, and inserting banners, busy non-stop.

"Don't mind... breaking ground still requires some feudal superstition." Xu Xu Zhixia turned her head, looking at Zhang Fan standing behind, and explained.

"Mm!? She is also here for the stealing of dragon energy." Zhang Fan looked at Xu Xu Zhixia's expression, and his heart understood.

Old city renovation is just a cover. Maybe it is true, but it is not the real purpose of Xu Xu Zhixia's trip.

"Who are you..."

"People from the Xu family!?"

Just at this moment, a woman walked out of the courtyard, looking at Xu Xu Zhixia and Li Li Gaoyang beside her.

"Mm, my name is Xu Xu Zhixia."

"I am Zhou Miaochuan, responsible for this alley... The higher-ups have already greeted, but..."

Zhou Miaochuan's gaze swept, but she found that there was another person standing behind Xu Xu Zhixia and Li Li Gaoyang.

"The document says only the two of you are allowed to come in, why did you bring another..."

Before the words were finished, Zhou Miaochuan was stunned. At this time, she finally saw the appearance of the person behind.

"He is my friend, used to live here, please..." Xu Xu Zhixia greeted.

"Friends won't work either. Don't think that because you are from the Xu family, you don't have to follow the rules. This is Jiangnan Province..."

Just at this moment, Zhou Zhou Miao Yu also walked out. Her language was sharp, and she scolded directly: "Hurry up and let your friend leave..."

At this point, Zhou Zhou Miao Yu's voice stopped abruptly. She looked at her sister beside her, both of them were stunned, their eyes trembled slightly, and then they looked behind Xu Xu Zhixia, at the figure that slowly walked out.

"Miss Zhou, it's been a few days." Zhang Fan greeted politely.

"Zhang Fan!?" Zhou Miaochuan's brows furrowed slightly, a look of vigilance and dread rising in her eyes.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 139 =====