Chapter 143: Li Yishan

Late at night, Hongfu Garden.

The moon, like a fox's eye, gazed indifferently upon the human world.

Inside the room, Zhang Fan sat cross-legged on the bed. Silver-white moonlight draped over him, and with the rise and fall of his body, every pore on his skin opened and closed.

Today was extremely special for him; not only had he mastered the 【Fire Dragon Dan Sword】 and truly ranked among the 【Spirit Officials】, but he had also gained other rewards.

Although he had not yet fathomed the mysteries of the 【Great Lingzong King】 statue, its shattering seemed to be a good thing, especially the moment his Primordial Spirit entered the statue and was struck by lightning—his Primordial Spirit seemed to have undergone a subtle change.

At this moment, within his Primordial Spirit's inner landscape, a faint glow emanated from Zhang Fan's Primordial Spirit, illuminating the surrounding chaotic darkness. A golden Dharma seal hovered before him, seemingly having formed some sort of wondrous connection with it.

Ever since this 【Majestic Spirit Demon-Suppressing Golden Seal】 had fallen into Zhang Fan's hands for no reason, he had never been lax in his contemplation of it.

Hum...

As the golden flow of light circulated and pulsed between Zhang Fan's Primordial Spirit and the 【Majestic Spirit Demon-Suppressing Golden Seal】, he felt an unprecedented sense of comfort. A warm current quietly arose within his limbs and bones, strengthening the True Yang within his body.

At this time, Zhang Fan's breathing grew slower and slower, his eyes half-open and half-closed, and a wisp of heavenly light passed through that sliver of a gap into his Spirit Platform.

Countless lights, shadows, and sounds flashed through his mind.

It was dark, and the dim yellow light was still on in the old Zhang family residence.

Young Zhang Fan hid under the big tree in the courtyard, curled up, covering his ears, yet he could still hear the "rumbling" sounds coming from the house, like beating drums, like thunder.

Such violent commotion, yet the neighbors were as if dead; they couldn't hear it at all, and not a single person came out to curse.

Bang...

Just then, the door opened, a figure flashed out, landed in Zhang Fan's arms, and held him tight.

"Mom..."

Young Zhang Fan was stunned, feeling that his mom before him was somewhat different from usual; her dark hair was disheveled, her beautiful eyes contained light, but she lacked her usual warmth.

"Fanfan, don't be afraid. Your dad's illness has flared up again. Run, quickly."

As she spoke, Mom picked up young Zhang Fan and gave him a gentle toss, throwing him out of the courtyard.

Behind him, that eerie "rumbling" sound came again.

Young Zhang Fan couldn't care about much else; only Mom's instructions remained in his mind, and he stood up and ran.

He ran with all his might, unable to see anything around him, only hearing the night wind whistling in his ears, as if a wild beast were chasing and roaring...

He didn't know how much time had passed, but young Zhang Fan had exhausted all his strength. He sat on the empty roadside, the dim streetlamp buzzing, flickering on and off.

Just then, a long shadow walked over from afar, blocking the light before Zhang Fan. He looked up and was stunned.

"Dad..."

"Your mom has that old problem. She's taken her medicine; she's fine now."

The calm voice echoed in young Zhang Fan's ears, causing a strange gleam to well up in those innocent, simple eyes.

Whoosh...

In the early morning, Zhang Fan lay on the bed, opened his eyes abruptly, and let out a long breath.

Sunlight shone through the window onto his face.

"It's been a long time since I slept this soundly," Zhang Fan muttered softly.

Ever since he retrieved and merged with the 【Ferocious God】, his sleep had become increasingly scarce. With the help of the sleeping pills left behind by Zhang Lingzong, if he was lucky, he could sometimes sleep for two or three hours.

Occasionally, he would see some strange scenes like last night.

Zhang Fan couldn't quite distinguish whether those were long-buried memories or just dreams.

He also knew that after merging with the 【Ferocious God】, he was indeed different, whether in terms of cultivation, insight, temperament, or methods.

However, to recall everything, he still had to retrieve the 【Evil God】 and truly escape the tribulation.

"Now that I am a 【Spirit Official】, ascending to 【High Merit】 as soon as possible will count as having the capital to gain a foothold," Zhang Fan muttered softly.

Mastering a great technique like the 【Fire Dragon Dan Sword】 meant reaching the 【Spirit Official】 rank.

His goal was 【High Merit】; only with such cultivation could he truly have the capital to settle down and go to 【Shangjing City】 to find the Ferocious God.

Only with the Three Gods as one could he truly escape the "Great Night Without Light" and awaken the power of the Divine Demon Holy Fetus.

When the time comes, perhaps I will be able to extract the 【True Martial Jade Tablet】 from within my body.

Although this thing was on him, it had only shown movement when facing the 【Mysterious Mirror Treasure Record】 at the Shen family; at other times, it was almost as if it didn't exist.

But Zhang Fan always felt that as long as he kept the 【Zhenwu Jade Tablet】 on him, one day it would bring about immense trouble and tribulation.

Beep beep...

Just then, Zhang Fan's phone vibrated. He picked it up and took a look; it was a message from Su Shiyu.

"I have intelligence!"

"Luckily, I kept an ace up my sleeve."

Zhang Fan grinned and quickly got out of bed. Since it was still early before work, he washed up and went out. Crossing two streets, he arrived at Tan Mansion.

Opening the door, Su Shiyu was wearing loose loungewear. It looked like she had just woken up; even without makeup, she couldn't hide her pretty appearance.

"I just made breakfast; let's eat together."

"You came early enough."

Shi Shougong walked out of the room, opened the fridge, and actually took out a box of frozen insects. Taking one out, he threw it directly into his mouth and chewed with relish.

Zhang Fan's eyelids twitched. Looking at the sandwich and milk Su Shiyu brought over, he instantly lost his appetite.

"Let's talk business," Zhang Fan said.

Yesterday, before heading to the old Zhang residence, he had instructed Shi Shougong and Su Shiyu to hide on the outskirts of the old residential area to act as guides, all to prevent accidents and, like that day at the Mysterious View, to stir up demonic winds to attract the attention of the Jiangnan Province Dao Alliance experts.

Who knew that this move wouldn't be needed, but instead, it allowed them to discover the Xu Dog, Han Diyan, fleeing from inside.

"We followed him all the way to the suburbs..." Shi Shougong said in a deep voice.

As he spoke, Shi Shougong looked deeply at Zhang Fan and couldn't help but say, "The one you asked us to track was the Xu Dog?"

"He is one of the Thirteen Zodiacs. You doing this..."

"Get this straight: now you are working with me." Zhang Fan raised his hand and tapped the table, interrupting Shi Shougong's question.

By logic, Shi Shougong and Su Shiyu were two demon ghosts recruited by 【Si Snake】 and could be considered members of the Wu Wei Sect.

Therefore, Zhang Fan asking them to track the Xu Dog, who was also of the Wu Wei Sect, was naturally somewhat puzzling.

After all, in the eyes of Shi Shougong and Su Shiyu, Zhang Fan was also a member of the Wu Wei Sect; otherwise, why would Si Snake let them listen to his commands? "Do not question any of my orders, and there is no need for your own thinking," Zhang Fan said indifferently.

"I understand." Shi Shougong was silent for a moment and nodded.

He felt that the current Zhang Fan seemed even more aggressive than before.

"He looked like he had suffered significant injuries, but he is the Xu Dog after all, so we didn't dare follow too closely. We only saw him enter a villa in the suburbs," Shi Shougong continued.

"And then? I know all this," Zhang Fan pressed.

Last night, Su Shiyu had already told him these circumstances.

"Later... according to your instructions, we made an anonymous report call to the Jiangnan Province Dao Alliance..." Su Shiyu pouted, also looking at Zhang Fan with a strange expression.

Before she finished speaking, Zhang Fan laughed: "And then?"

"Half an hour later, the experts from the Jiangnan Province Dao Alliance arrived."

"And then?"

"And then there was a crackling commotion in that villa."

"Retribution!" Zhang Fan grinned and chuckled. Luckily, he had kept an ace up his sleeve. This way, even if the Xu Dog didn't die, he wouldn't dare stay in Yujing City anymore.

Now, he could be considered completely safe.

"Wait until I master it, I'll find you first."

Zhang Fan had now become someone who sought revenge for the smallest grievance. Although he had dealt with several of the Thirteen Zodiacs, Han Diyan was like a mad dog—no prior interaction, no warning, just coming up and dealing a death blow, almost finishing him off.

The time he ate tofu was one instance, and this return to the old Zhang residence was another.

This debt would have to be settled sooner or later.

"I'm off." Zhang Fan's thoughts finally cleared up a bit, and he stood up to leave.

"Brother Fan, eat something before you go." Su Shiyu looked at the breakfast she had carefully prepared, and seeing Zhang Fan hadn't touched it, she couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.

"No appetite? Why not try mine..."

As he spoke, Shi Shougong generously handed over his lunch box filled with fresh, juicy insects.

"No... no need." Zhang Fan turned and left as if flying.

Beep beep...

Just as he walked out the gate of Tan Mansion, Zhang Fan's phone rang again. He opened it to see it was Li Yishan.

"Dinner together tonight?"

"Sure."

"What do you want to eat?"

"You pick the place, you treat."

Zhang Fan grinned, in a great mood.

Evening, University Town.

Sanyang Street.

As soon as the sky turned dark, the food stalls on the roadside became lively.

"Eating hot pot just as autumn begins."

On the table before Zhang Fan was a copper pot, white mist rising, permeated with a hint of smoky flavor. Star anise for seasoning, small ingredients for freshness, goji berries, ginseng whiskers, dan fruit... various medicinal herbs stimulated the rich meaty aroma to the extreme.

"Autumn enters, winter replenishes. It's the Autumn Equinox already; eating hot pot warms the body and adds autumn fat." Li Yishan poured the basin of fresh meat that had just arrived into the boiling pot.

Right now, autumn had already begun, and it was time to add autumn fat.

Spring and summer focus on growth, autumn and winter focus on storage. In this season, one must hide vitality and accumulate energy, waiting to accumulate and then burst forth in the coming year.

This was also a trick of Daoist health preservation.

"What kind of meat is this? It's so fragrant."

Zhang Fan picked up a chopstick of meat, looked at the mutton hanging in front of the stall, and couldn't help but show a look of doubt.

He had eaten shabu-shabu mutton before, but it wasn't this fresh and rich.

"Roll the dog meat, and even the immortals can't stand steady," Li Yishan lowered his voice and smiled mysteriously.

"Dog meat? Why is there a sheep's head hanging?" Zhang Fan said with a strange expression.

"Why do you care what head is hanging? As long as it's not a human head."

As he spoke, Li Yishan added a piece of meat that was half-fat and half-lean to Zhang Fan's bowl.

There was much to be said about eating dog meat—the so-called "First black, second yellow, third spotted, fourth white," "Big dogs replenish the kidneys," "Small dogs replenish the blood." This big black dog was custom-ordered by Li Yishan from the boss.

"How did you think of eating dog meat?" Zhang Fan asked casually.

"I had a dream the night before last," Li Yishan rolled up his sleeves, eating while talking.

"A dream? What kind of dream?"

"I dreamed that the dog we raised at home died."

"You raise a dog at home? How come I didn't know?" Zhang Fan asked.

"I said it was a dream," Li Yishan rolled his eyes.

"Dreams are all omens."

"Feudal superstition," Zhang Fan rolled his eyes.

"For others, it's feudal superstition; my dreams are omens."

As he spoke, Li Yishan picked up a piece of meat and stuffed it into his mouth.

"But I don't raise a dog at home, so I'm treating you to dog meat to match the scene."

"Then eat quickly, don't leave a single piece."

Zhang Fan lowered his head, picked up his chopsticks, and started fishing in the pot.

Late at night, outside Yujing City.

National Highway 233.

A black Weixiaoli car was speeding along, its dazzling headlights searching the endless road.

"This time, thanks to Xu Zhixia, we were able to escape Yujing City safely."

In the driver's seat, a middle-aged man with graying temples looked at the rearview mirror, his voice low and hoarse.

"The Xu family's business spans the north and south of the Great River. Their influence in Yujing City is immense; what's sending one person out?"

Han Diyan leaned in the back seat, eyes closed, his voice still cold.

"No wonder you went to such lengths to recruit that girl into the Wu Wei Sect back then."

"A blood descendant of the Xu Ancestor, she might become an important chess piece in the future. Her identity is of utmost importance and needs to be kept strictly confidential," Han Diyan said in a deep voice.

"Rest assured, who would have thought that among the descendants of the Xu Ancestor, someone would defect and join the Wu Wei Sect?" the middle-aged man sneered.

In history, the Xu family had participated in 【Breaking Mountains and Destroying Temples】 several times, wantonly slaughtering Wu Wei demon people.

How could the incense of this lineage have anything to do with the Wu Wei Sect!?

Precisely because of this, Han Diyan valued Xu Zhixia immensely.

This was an important chess piece planted in the Xu family, planted in the Daoist sects; who knows when it might play an incredibly important role.

"Be cautious. Don't meet in the future. Just hibernate, don't activate, and wait for miraculous effects at a critical moment," Han Diyan gave instructions regarding Xu Zhixia.

"You will also need to recuperate for a while when you go back this time, right?" the middle-aged man said respectfully.

"It won't take long," Han Diyan muttered softly, Zhang Fan's figure appearing in his mind.

"If no one else acts, then I will. I don't believe this little brat has such a long life."

Han Diyan had failed twice, and his heart was already boiling with murderous intent. The first thing he would do after recuperating for a while and recovering was to kill Zhang Fan with his own hands. He wouldn't let this scourge continue to grow.

"Just wait!" Han Diyan sneered.

Bang...

Just then, a violent sound erupted suddenly. In the gloomy night, a wisp of light arrived at extreme speed, piercing the windshield. The terrifying force blew the middle-aged man's head apart directly, and the latter, by instinctive muscle reaction, stepped on the brake...

Immediately after, the car flipped, sliding for dozens of meters on the lonely, deserted road. The sparks stirred up brought a hint of light to the cold, dark night.

Hum...

Almost at the same moment, a wisp of ghostly dust drifted out from the rolling car. The next moment, Han Diyan slowly emerged, wrapped in the vast dust, and landed heavily.

"As expected of a dog, quite agile."

Just then, a cold laugh rang out suddenly.

Han Diyan looked up. Under the eerie moonlight, a burly man walked over, his face full of sideburns, looking extremely rugged, wearing an eyepatch on his left eye—it was none other than the 【Yin Mountain Ghost King】, Xiong Sanqi.

"Who are you?" Han Diyan said coldly.

"Did you think that child was really a puppy that no grandmother loves, no uncle cares for, born to someone but raised by no one?" Xiong Sanqi asked instead of answering.

"Cough, cough..."

Before the words fell, a coughing sound came from behind Xiong Sanqi.

"Too much talk."

Hearing this, Xiong Sanqi shrugged his burly body, revealing an awkward smile.

"Who is there!?"

Han Diyan frowned, vaguely seeing a thin but sturdy figure walk out from behind Xiong Sanqi. He took a cigarette from his pocket, pinched off the filter, a lighter lit up with a faint glow, lighting the cigarette, and immediately after, a smoke ring was slowly exhaled.

"Let's go."

The man took a deep drag of the cigarette and turned to leave.

"Wait..."

Han Diyan showed a ruthless look, the pervasive dust boiling in his palms, but the next moment, his expression changed drastically...

Rumble...

Chaotic black flames seemed to come from nowhere, completely burning away the dust around him. Immediately after, his entire person was swallowed by the black flames that were like a ferocious beast...

In a fleeting instant, the Xu Dog, Han Diyan, turned into a skeleton of white bone. Under the eerie moonlight, a night wind blew, and the white bone turned into dust, scattering and vanishing with the wind.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 144 =====