Volume One: Turmoil in the Small Town Chapter 29: Zhang Heng Arrives

Hearing the Crown Prince mention Zhang Heng, Zhang Qingcang was instantly overjoyed. This meant they had not found Zhang Heng, which in turn meant Zhang Heng was safe for now.

Laughing loudly, Zhang Qingcang addressed the Crown Prince and his companions, “Ha ha ha, Your Highness, let me tell you the truth—my son Heng has already been taken away by a distinguished figure from the Sacred Land. If you think you can uncover the secret of the Dragon Burial Abyss, you are dreaming. Today, you surely won’t spare my Zhang family, so why pretend? Just act. But consider the consequences carefully. My Zhang family is insignificant—you could wipe us out with a wave of your hand. But when my Heng returns from the Sacred Land, even if you are the Crown Prince of Yuan, I doubt you’ll find it so easy then.”

By saying this, Zhang Qingcang hoped to intimidate them, so they would not seek Zhang Heng and perhaps bring a glimmer of hope to the Zhang family.

Before the Crown Prince could respond, Yue Xiong in the crowd couldn't help but laugh.

Hearing someone mock him, the Crown Prince was furious. He turned to Yue Xiong and barked, “Who are you? Are you mocking me? It seems the people of Liu truly don't respect the Crown Prince!”

Just as the Crown Prince was pondering how to deal with the Zhang family, someone dared to snicker. How could he not be enraged? The Zhang family’s connection to the Sacred Land made the matter tricky; if he spared them, his reputation would suffer, but if he destroyed them and the Sacred Land held him accountable, not even an imperial prince—perhaps not even the emperor—could withstand their wrath.

Hearing the Crown Prince’s chilling voice, Yue Xiong was terrified, dropping to his knees and hastily replying, “Your Highness, Zhang Heng is infamous in this small city as a good-for-nothing. He cannot cultivate and there’s no way he’d attract the attention of anyone from the Sacred Land. If it were any other member of the Zhang family, I couldn’t say, but regarding Zhang Heng, I stake my life—there is absolutely no possibility. That fool from the Zhang family is just trying to scare you, Your Highness. He deserves death for such insolence.”

It was common knowledge in Liunan City that Zhang Heng could not cultivate. In Yue Xiong’s eyes, it was impossible for Zhang Heng to be chosen by someone from the Sacred Land.

“What? You dare deceive me?” The Crown Prince glared at Zhang Qingcang, livid. The Sacred Land’s ways of choosing disciples were never conventional, so he had almost believed the tale, nearly making a fool of himself.

Zhang Qingcang replied indifferently, “My son can cultivate now. Believe it or not, as you wish.”

Though his ruse had been exposed, it no longer mattered. The Zhang family was doomed; everyone present would die, but Zhang Heng still had a chance to survive.

That was enough.

“Stubborn fool! I’ll send you all on your way, then find that brat Zhang Heng.” The Crown Prince raised his hand. All the guards from Yuan stepped forward, ready to strike—just waiting for the Crown Prince’s order to slaughter the Zhang family.

To them, it would be effortless.

The onlookers saw the Crown Prince about to massacre the Zhang family and said nothing. Since the Zhang family did not know the secret of Dragon Burial Abyss, their fate was irrelevant to the rest.

Facing the seasoned guards of Yuan, the Zhang family had no power to resist—they could only wait for annihilation.

At this critical moment, a young voice rang out.

“Your Highness, wait—I know where Zhang Heng is.”

The crowd was delighted. If they found Zhang Heng, they might discover the secret of the Dragon Burial Abyss and perhaps rise to greatness.

Then, a youth of eighteen or nineteen, with delicate features, parted the crowd and slowly walked toward the Zhang family.

The Crown Prince was displeased at being interrupted, but hearing that this person knew where Zhang Heng was, he refrained from acting and immediately put on a different expression.

Luring him, the Crown Prince said, “Young man, tell me where Zhang Heng is. Spirit pills, spirit materials, beautiful female cultivators—whatever you desire, I can grant it.”

The youth ignored the Crown Prince and went straight to the members of the Zhang family. As they tried to speak to him, the youth signaled them to remain silent, then turned around.

Facing the Crown Prince, Lord of the South Liu Tianqing, Elder Wang Zewei of the Blazing Sun Palace, Elder Lin Ye of the Xuantian Sect, and all those encircling the Zhang family, he said, “You want to know where Zhang Heng is? Want to hear the secret of Dragon Burial Abyss from his lips, is that it?”

The crowd was anxious—why so many words? Hurry up and speak! Outwardly, however, they remained calm. After all, the youth was only a first-stage body cultivator. If they intimidated him too much and he lost his memory, that would be a great loss. For now, the youth was their only lead.

The youth gazed at them calmly, sneering, “Very well, very well, so you seek Zhang Heng? I am he.”

Zhang Heng faced those cultivators who harbored ill intentions toward him, hands folded behind his back, standing alone against the multitude, without fear.

A single stone stirred a thousand ripples.

“What? You are Zhang Heng?”

“Wasn’t it said you couldn’t cultivate?”

“No, that’s not the point.”

“Young man, do you really know the secret of the Dragon Burial Abyss?”

“The Dragon Burial Abyss is a resource for all—telling us costs you nothing.”

“Hurry up and speak. If you don’t, I’ll wipe out your Zhang family.”

“Boy, tell me and I’ll take you as my disciple.”

“Young man, I have a beautiful daughter. If you tell me the secret of the Dragon Burial Abyss, I’ll arrange a marriage for you. What do you say?”

Seeing Zhang Heng appear, everyone lost their composure. Some threatened, some tempted, some watched, some gathered their spiritual energy, and others brought out secret treasures, ready to snatch Zhang Heng by force.

But Zhang Heng ignored all of it. Coldly, he addressed them, “Our Zhang family does not possess the secret of the Dragon Burial Abyss. Return to whence you came.”

Zhang Heng had lived two lives. In his previous one, the only person who treated him kindly, Old Zhang, had passed away. There was nothing left to miss. He had thought himself an outsider in this unfamiliar world.

Yet the attentive care from Xiaohong, the uncle Zhang Qingcang whose outward indifference masked deep concern, and the grandfather who had saved his life—all these made him feel warmth.

Yes, the strongest member of the Zhang family, Zhang Lie, was the old beggar who had intervened when he was attacked by Scar. Zhang Heng truly did not want to believe it, but seeing the old man lying on the ground, surrounded by the Zhang family, he could not deny it.

Damn, so you really are my grandfather.

He had rushed here, only to find his grandfather collapsed, barely alive; his uncle desperately resisting enemies with feeble strength; and his loyal clansmen, faces filled with resolve and eyes devoid of hope.

This was the first time he so desperately craved power. Before, he wanted to cultivate only out of admiration for the strong. Now, he wanted strength to avoid being bullied, to protect those and things he cared about, so that one day he could trample these hypocritical villains beneath his feet.

He ought to be furious, but anger without power was nothing but a joke.