After Zhang Shaozhong broke through to the Nascent Soul stage, the first thing he did was to ask Xuanji Zhenren to let him go down the mountain to investigate the case.
"Nonsense!"
Master Xuanji immediately rejected the idea, saying, "You've only just broken through, your realm isn't even stable yet, what kind of case are you investigating?"
Ling Qingxue spoke up in her defense: "Master, my husband just wants to find out the truth..."
"the truth?"
Master Xuanji sneered, "The Demon Realm is in complete chaos right now, are you going there to die?"
Zhang Shaozhong insisted: "Senior, I must find out the truth about my parents' murder."
Seeing that he was unmoved by reason, Master Xuanji changed his approach: "How about this, there's a secret realm that's about to open, and there might be treasures inside that can help you. After you come out of the secret realm, I won't stop you from going wherever you want."
Zhang Shaozhong and Ling Qingxue exchanged a glance, knowing that this was Xuanji Zhenren's bottom line, and had no choice but to agree.
Three days later, the secret realm opened.
Zhang Shaozhong and Ling Qingxue entered the secret realm with the other disciples.
This secret realm is quite eerie; it's pitch black inside, shrouded in mist, and even divine sense can't penetrate very far.
"Stay close to me." Zhang Shaozhong subconsciously grabbed Ling Qingxue's hand.
Ling Qingxue blushed and softly hummed in agreement.
The two wandered around the secret realm for half a day, finding a few decent spiritual herbs, but not any particularly useful treasures.
As I was walking, I suddenly heard the sounds of fighting ahead.
The two crept over quietly and hid behind a large rock to spy on the scene.
Upon seeing this, Zhang Shaozhong's face immediately darkened.
It was Ye Meier!
Ye Meier was fighting a three-headed monstrous snake. The snake had thick skin and flesh, and judging from its aura, it should be close to the Nascent Soul stage.
Ye Meier and Ling Qingxue's strength has not yet recovered to its original level after returning to the cultivation world!
Ling Qingxue immediately panicked: "It's Mei'er!!"
Zhang Shaozhong said coldly, "What does this have to do with us?"
How could you say that?
Ling Qingxue looked at him in disbelief, "She's Mei'er!"
"So what?"
Zhang Shaozhong turned to leave, saying, "Her father killed my parents, and I'm already being lenient by not taking revenge myself."
Just then, Ye Meier also saw Zhang Shaozhong and Ling Qingxue and was about to speak to them.
He was accidentally struck by the snake's tail, crashed heavily into the stone wall, and spat out a mouthful of blood.
"No, I have to go help her!"
Ling Qingxue was about to rush out.
Zhang Shaozhong grabbed her arm: "Are you crazy? Why would you go help her?"
"But Mei'er, she..."
"She brought it on herself."
Zhang Shaozhong's tone was icy: "The people of the Demon Realm are not worth mourning."
Even so, his feet were rooted to the ground, and his eyes were fixed on the battlefield.
Ye Meier was in grave danger; her clothes were torn in several places, and she was covered in blood.
She gritted her teeth and continued to struggle on.
"Is this all the Demon Lord's daughter is capable of?" Zhang Shaozhong suddenly raised his voice, his tone mocking.
Hearing the voice and seeing Zhang Shaozhong and Ling Qingxue, Ye Meier's eyes lit up: "Husband! Qingxue! Come help me!"
Zhang Shaozhong crossed his arms and leaned against a rock: "Why should I help you?"
Ye Meier was taken aback. While dodging the snake's attacks, she said, "This snake is guarding a treasure. Let's join forces to kill it and split the treasure!"
"Not rare."
Zhang Shaozhong sneered.
Ling Qingxue couldn't stand it anymore: "Husband! If you don't go help, Mei'er will really die!"
Just as the monstrous snake opened its blood-red maw to bite Ye Meier, Zhang Shaozhong finally moved.
He transformed into a streak of light and rushed forward, his chaotic energy condensing on his fist, and slammed it into the head of the monstrous snake in the middle.
boom!
The strange snake was knocked back several steps, and a piece of its head in the middle was dented.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Ye Meier escaped, panting heavily, and said, "Thank you, husband!"
"Don't call me husband."
Zhang Shaozhong didn't even glance at her, focusing solely on dealing with the strange snake.
Ling Qingxue also joined the battle, and the chilling aura of the Taiyin True Essence slowed down the strange snake's movements considerably.
The three of them worked together and finally managed to subdue the monstrous snake.
Zhang Shaozhong was the main attacker, Ling Qingxue was the support, and Ye Meier harassed them with Nine Netherworld Demon Fire.
But the snake was so thick-skinned that it couldn't be killed even after fighting it for a long time.
"This won't do!" Night Enchantress cried out, "Its weakness is its seven-inch mark!"
Zhang Shaozhong snorted coldly: "Do you need to tell me?"
He activated the Supreme Forgetfulness Technique, and the cold energy condensed at his fingertips, transforming into an ice sword, which he thrust straight at the monstrous snake's vital spot.
Pfft!
The ice sword struck precisely, and the serpent screamed before collapsing to the ground with a thud.
The battle ended, and all three were exhausted.
Ye Meier plopped down on the ground, looked at Zhang Shaozhong with a complicated expression, and said, "Thank you for saving me."
Zhang Shaozhong ignored her and turned to examine the treasure guarded by the strange snake. It was an ancient wooden box, inside which was a mirror.
"The Mirror of Reflection?"
Ling Qingxue exclaimed in surprise, "It's said that it can reveal things that happened in the past!"
Zhang Shaozhong's eyes lit up; this was indeed a good tool for solving cases.
Ye Meier leaned closer to look: "This mirror can be just what you need to investigate your uncle and aunt's case!"
Zhang Shaozhong slammed the box shut and said coldly, "No need for your trouble."
Ye Meier's smile froze on her face: "What do you mean?"
"What I mean is, I will investigate my parents' case myself, and I don't need your fake kindness."
Zhang Shaozhong put the box into his storage bag. "Who knows if you're trying to take this opportunity to destroy evidence?"
Ye Meier trembled with rage: "Zhang Shaozhong! You bastard! I already said it wasn't my father who did it!"
"You think I'll believe you just because you say so?" Zhang Shaozhong sneered. "Didn't you confess yourself back then that you were the one who killed him?"
"I was just saying that out of anger!"
“Talking in anger?” Zhang Shaozhong’s eyes grew even colder. “Using my parents’ deaths to talk in anger? Ye Meier, you’re really something.”
Ling Qingxue quickly intervened to mediate: "You two should say less! Mei'er, that's not what my husband meant..."
That's exactly what I meant.
Zhang Shaozhong interrupted her, "Ye Meier, I'll let it go today since you almost died. But from now on, we'll go our separate ways, and if we meet again, we'll be enemies."
After saying that, he pulled Ling Qingxue away.
Ye Meier stood there, watching the two figures disappear into the distance, and tears finally fell.
"Zhang Shaozhong, you bastard..."
She cried and yelled, "I almost lost my life in the Demon Realm trying to find out the truth... and you treat me like this..."
Zhang Shaozhong, who had walked away, also looked rather unwell.
Ling Qingxue whispered, "Husband, you were too harsh just now. Mei'er is really trying her best to find out the truth..."
Zhang Shaozhong remained silent for a long time before softly saying, "I know."
"Then why..."
“But I can’t take the risk.” Zhang Shaozhong clenched his fist. “If it really was the Demon Lord who did it, how am I supposed to face her?”
Ling Qingxue sighed, knowing that this knot wouldn't be easy to untie.
She glanced back and saw that Ye Meier was still standing there, her figure appearing particularly lonely in the mist.
"I hope the Reflection Mirror can give us an answer," she said softly.
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