ebookslot Chapter 109: Luck
Chapter 109: Luck
The Leng family?
Zhang Ping raised an eyebrow slightly.
Leng Ruxue continued:
"I discovered Hua Zhu's talent for swordsmanship outside the city. After we met, she voluntarily became a subordinate force of the Leng family. The family provides resources to nurture her, and in return, she serves the family."
She paused for a moment, then continued, "I got along very well with Sister Huazhu. Later, her cultivation improved rapidly, and to avoid the family sending her to the front lines of the Ghost Heaven Mountains for rotational battles, I found an opportunity to transfer her to the relatively safer Taiwu Prefecture defense line."
Zhang Ping nodded in realization, and at the same time remembered where he had seen Leng Ruxue before—she was the woman who stopped him at the entrance of the martial arts school after he broke through the Giant Stone Martial Arts School and subdued the eighteen masters.
Xiao Ling'er rushed over and took him to the Nangong family, but he didn't have a deep conversation with Leng Ruxue, so his impression of her was naturally not deep.
It seems that Hua Zhu caught Leng Ruxue's eye because of her talent in swordsmanship?
But then he remembered something and asked, "I remember that to be conscripted into the battlefield, the minimum cultivation level was the Flesh Refining Realm, right?"
When he left, Hua Zhu was only at the late stage of the Skin Tempering Realm; such progress...
Leng Ruxue nodded: "Sister Huazhu's cultivation is incredibly fast. She is already in the late stage of Flesh Refining and will soon be breaking through to the Purification Realm!" After saying that, a hint of envy flashed in her eyes.
"Huh?" Zhang Ping was taken aback.
"Late stage of Flesh Refining? That speed is a bit...?"
Even with a massive amount of secret medicine, it would be impossible to achieve such speed in just six months!
He frowned, glanced at Leng Ruxue, then turned to Hua Cheng and asked, "Is what she said true? Hua Cheng, tell me honestly, did your sister join the Leng family voluntarily?"
This speed was unusual, and Zhang Ping was worried that the Leng family had used some secret medicines that would force Hua Zhu's cultivation to improve by taking advantage of her talent in swordsmanship.
Hua Cheng scratched his head, somewhat bewildered. Sensing that Zhang Ping seemed to distrust Leng Ruxue, he spoke up:
"Yes, why are you asking, Brother Zhang? Sister Xue is so good to our family, and my sister likes her a lot too."
"As for cultivation level... it seems my sister caught two strange praying mantises from somewhere, and her cultivation level increased rapidly. I don't know the specifics."
Just because of this?
Zhang Ping was stunned for a moment. It wasn't the Leng family forcing him, but rather they had caught two strange praying mantises?
Could it be two more demons? He hadn't forgotten that the "mantis" he bought from Hua Zhu was actually the juvenile form of the demon Dao Xiao.
He hesitated for a moment, then tentatively asked, "Where are those two mantis monsters?"
"Hmm..." Hua Cheng didn't know how to describe it, and after thinking for a moment, he...
"I guess... it's because they look particularly clever."
He didn't know how to say it. He couldn't very well say that the two praying mantises would teach his sister how to cultivate, could he? And they always liked to steal his meat. His sister had already told him all this, and he couldn't tell anyone else.
Seeing Hua Cheng's expression, Zhang Ping's lips twitched. "Alright, no need to say more, I think I understand."
What an incredibly lucky girl! She's so hateful!
Seeing Zhang Ping's doubts dissipate, Leng Ruxue's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled. But a slight sense of loss quickly rose again, and she subconsciously rested her chin on her hand, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear with her slender fingers.
With Hua Zhu gone, Zhang Ping had no intention of staying any longer and prepared to take his leave after sitting for a short while.
Leng Ruxue suddenly stood up and tried to persuade him to stay: "It's almost lunchtime, Young Master Zhang, why don't you have dinner at the Hua residence before you leave?"
Hua Cheng quickly added, "Yes, yes! We didn't invite Brother Zhang to stay for dinner last time, we definitely have to this time!"
He remembered that last time his sister was stingy, she drove Brother Zhang away.
"No need, we'll meet again in the future," Zhang Ping waved his hand.
"Oh, right," he specifically reminded Leng Ruxue before leaving.
"We can find an opportunity to send Hua Cheng's family to the rear of the Great Wei. Lanjiang City is located on the front line, and it is ultimately somewhat dangerous."
"Danger?"
After Zhang Ping left, Leng Ruxue stood there, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, pondering those words.
News of the recent victory over the demon army in the Ghost Sky Mountains has been spreading like wildfire, and everyone is eagerly anticipating a counterattack to the south to hunt down demons and seize materials. Warriors from the rear are flocking to Lanjiang City upon hearing the news, hoping to ride this wave of counterattack and claim a share of the spoils.
Zhang Ping's words were quite profound...
……
On his way back to the mansion, Zhang Ping stopped by the Demon Extermination Bureau and found Xu Rulin.
Xu Rulin was busy processing the list of recruited martial artists when he saw Zhang Ping arrive. He invited him to sit down and then took out an atlas from the bookshelf and handed it to him.
"Brother Zhang, this is the most detailed illustrated booklet within the Demon Extermination Bureau."
Zhang Ping opened the box and found three maps inside. Two of them were from the State of Wei: one was a map showing the distribution of prefectures and cities, marking the towns and routes; the other was a detailed map of the Wei Kingdom's topography.
Zhang Ping was slightly surprised. This topographic map used a surveying method unique to this region, and the height of the mountains and the location of the lakes were marked with exceptional clarity.
"Brother Zhang, when you arrive at the Southern Prince's Mansion, please convey my master's regards to Senior Chu Xiongshan," Xu Rulin said as he departed.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Ping nodded, "Thank you. If there is anything I can do in the future, I will not refuse."
Yesterday, he asked Xu Rulin, and the Demon Extermination Bureau also had no clues about the Spirit Gu or the Sea God Stone, but like Nangong Feiyan, he suggested that he go to the Nanwang Mansion to take a look.
The other party's request for him to convey their greetings on behalf of their master was merely a pretense; their true intention was for him to use Wen Gaoyang's relationship as an intermediary to facilitate their actions.
After leaving the Demon Extermination Bureau, Zhang Ping returned to his residence.
Another wonderful night has passed.
The next morning, the carriage arranged by Xu Rulin was already waiting in front of the mansion gate.
The carriage, carved from rosewood, is four or five meters long and wide. The interior is not a simple carriage: there is a tea table at the front for resting, and a wide soft bed at the back.
The carriage is two meters high, allowing people inside to naturally straighten their backs.
The carriage was enormous and sturdy, with an astonishing weight. The wheels were specially made, and it was pulled by eight domesticated unicorns, all of which were exotic horses that had undergone late-stage skinning.
Such a grand display is truly rare.
Looking at the enormous machine in front of him, Zhang Ping sighed and rubbed his forehead in exasperation.
"They really did flaunt it in public."
After Fu Huiying, Lu Wanrou, and Xiaoqing boarded the carriage, Zhang Ping personally acted as the driver, and under the escort of the accompanying soldiers, he drove away from the east gate.
Once outside the city gate, Zhang Ping gently tightened the reins: "Whoa—"
The carriage came to a stop. The curtain was lifted, revealing Xiaoqing's face: "Young master, what's wrong?"
"It's alright, just wait a moment," Zhang Ping replied, turning over and getting out of the car.
The official road was wide, and the horse-drawn carriage occupied the central position.
The flow of people leaving the city was continuous, and ordinary caravans carefully circled around on both sides. The curtains of several carriages were quietly lifted, and the eyes inside secretly peeked at the luxurious vehicles they had never seen before.
A cart followed behind the convoy, and a woman, holding a baby, leaned against a pile of haphazardly stacked luggage. She dared not look up.
The cold wind, carrying dust, swept across my cheeks, leaving a layer of fine ash.
Zhang Ping, facing the morning light, raised his arm high and waved vigorously towards the east city wall.
After a moment's pause, he got back into the car.
A clear shout rang out: "Giddy up!"
As pedestrians gave way, the carriage slowly drove along the official road into the distance.
On the city wall, Hua Cheng yawned widely, complaining sleepily to Leng Ruxue, "Sister Xue, why did we have to get up so early to see Brother Zhang off? I'm not awake yet!"
He stayed up all night secretly reading biographies, and just as he fell asleep, Leng Ruxue dug him out of bed and dragged him to this city wall to be exposed to the cold wind.
Secretly giving him away? That's too strange. If he didn't know they had only met yesterday, he would have suspected that Sister Xue had taken a liking to him.
Leng Ruxue remained silent for a long time, her gaze following the car disappearing into the distance at the edge of the morning light, before she softly said:
"Xiaocheng, in the future... you must cultivate a good relationship with your brother Zhang. Encourage your sister to interact with him more often."
"Huh?" Hua Cheng looked bewildered, not understanding what was going on.
Leng Ruxue did not explain, but turned her gaze to a figure in a red dress who was slowly walking down the city wall not far away.
"Nangong Feiyan..."