173: The plan to lure the Zhang family members

The performance of the Golden Armored Jade Pupil Beast over the past few days had thoroughly demonstrated to all the villagers of Qixia Village just how terrifying the capabilities of a Spirit Rank Source Beast could be.

Two high mountains that had blocked their ancestors for generations were leveled in just a few short days. Looking at the hard, flat ground, it was truly hard to imagine that just a few days ago, this place had been two mountains several hundred meters high.

After designating one leveled mountain as the site for the new Qixia Village, Chu Qinhui looked toward the plain formed by the other mountain.

After thinking for a moment, he said, "Enclose that area and convert it into a pasture."

The number of Source Beasts being bred and raised by the Chu Family had been increasing lately, and the small space in the backyard was no longer sufficient. Furthermore, the Chu Family intended to build its own exclusive Guard team composed entirely of Contract Masters in the future, which would create a massive demand for Source Beasts.

All of this required advance planning, so it was better to start building the pasture specifically for raising Source Beasts now.

The previous housekeeper had already left with those skilled craftsmen. Chu Qinhui assigned this task to another, slightly younger housekeeper.

That housekeeper didn't waste any words; having received Chu Qinhui's orders, he went out to gather the servants to get to work.

Chu Qinhui picked up a book on his desk and read for a while until someone knocked on the door.

He let the person in and found it was a manager he had sent to the town to handle some matters.

Upon seeing Chu Qinhui, the man first gave a respectful bow and then said with a hint of joy in his voice, "Young Master, we have made preliminary contact with two members of the Zhang Family's main lineage."

"Two?" Chu Qinhui's expression shifted.

"Yes. One is Zhang Qinghe, the son of the Zhang Family Head's second uncle—his cousin.

The other is the Zhang Family Head's fourth uncle, Zhang Jingchan. Aside from the current acting head, Acting Head of Zhang Family, they are the two most likely to have access to the Family Origin Artifact."

Chu Qinhui showed a hint of joy on his Face. "How did the contact go?"

"It's hard to say if it was good or bad. After some contact, it seems the fourth uncle, Zhang Jingchan, doesn't have a very strong sense of belonging to the Family.

On the other hand, that Zhang Qinghe showed some reactive behavior when we mentioned the Zhang Family Origin Artifact. We feel that the chance of success with Zhang Jingchan is greater.

As for the specifics, we need to have deeper contact before we can formulate a corresponding strategy."

"Good, contact these two first, but don't alert the enemy unnecessarily. You can promise them that if they can exchange the Family Origin Artifact, we can provide them with a stable method to evolve the Family Source Beasts into Spirit Rank Species."

The manager took a deep breath. A Spirit Rank Species was absolutely among the top tier of Source Beasts in Heyu Town. If there was a method to stably cultivate Spirit Rank Species...

That would mean the Zhang Family could produce Spirit Rank Contract Masters for generations, and they wouldn't be like the current Zhang Family Head, who was forcibly elevated.

With this condition as a bargaining chip, the housekeeper's confidence in facilitating the matter grew. A Family never lacked parasites, especially one like the Zhang Family that had existed in Heyu Town for so long... Within the assessment Secret Realm of Qianling Prefecture City, the sky was gradually darkening.

Chu Shengfan looked helplessly at Ye Chunheng, who was leisurely leaning against the side of the Golden Orchid King Tiger. He hadn't expected that after a whole afternoon, this person could still find him, especially when it was getting dark.

He didn't know the outcome of the assassination attempt on the Nether Blood Queen Bee, but the blood mist in that area still hadn't dissipated even now.

Furthermore, although the Ye Chunheng before him looked calm and unruffled on the surface, his expression was clearly somewhat weary.

Moreover, there were extremely fine scars on the Golden Orchid King Tiger's body. Even with its powerful self-healing ability, it hadn't successfully repaired them after all this time, which was enough to show what kind of fierce battle it had experienced in the afternoon.

Looking at this somewhat proud and stubborn youth, Chu Shengfan opened his mouth and asked, "Do you want me to help with some treatment?"

Ye Chunheng glanced at Chu Shengfan, feeling a bit tempted, but then seemed to think of something and shook his head, replying with a nonchalant air, "It's fine, just minor injuries."

Chu Shengfan rubbed the corner of his mouth with his palm; he really was like a boiled duck—stubborn to the end.

He had seen the temptation in his eyes just now. Could it be that for the sake of so-called 'Face' in front of his 'underling', he was forcing himself to refuse treatment?

However, upon hearing his reply, a look of profound disbelief appeared in the Golden Orchid King Tiger's eyes. That wasn't what he had said when they were looking for him earlier.

Who was it that had comforted it, saying that the new underling they recruited clearly had a powerful Source Beast, and that once they found him, its constant stinging pain could be cured? Why did the story change once they got here?

Thinking this, the Golden Orchid King Tiger snorted and cast a contemptuous look at Ye Chunheng, who was leaning against it.

Then, its body unexpectedly moved a step to the side. Caught off Guard, Ye Chunheng stumbled; he hurriedly steadied himself to avoid the embarrassing scene of falling Face-first onto the ground in front of Chu Shengfan.

Chu Shengfan moved closer to the person and beast, and the Myriad Flower Butterfly Spirit on his shoulder flew out automatically, hovering above them.

Its wings flapped gently, and pinkish-purple pollen fell from the fluttering wings. Those fine wounds began to heal slowly, and in about a minute...

No trace of injury could be seen on either the person or the beast anymore.

"Your Source Beast is very impressive." Seemingly unaccustomed to thanking others, Ye Chunheng managed to squeeze out a word of praise after a long pause.

To be honest, during the afternoon, Chu Shengfan had experienced three more invasions by different types of Source Beast groups. At one point, he had even sustained quite a few injuries himself, but because he had a Medicine Beast by his side, he appeared to be standing here perfectly fine now.

After the treatment, Chu Shengfan lit a campfire on the flat ground in front of them. Sitting by the fire, he asked Ye Chunheng about the assassination of the Nether Blood Queen Bee.

Hearing the question, Ye Chunheng waved his hand in frustration. "I wandered around in the blood mist for most of the day and didn't even see a shadow of the Nether Blood Queen Bee."

Chu Shengfan was somewhat puzzled. "Then these injuries on you?" He had originally thought they were caused by the Nether Blood Queen Bee.

"I ran into a group of annoying people and had a fight with them."

Clearly, there were personal grudges involved. Chu Shengfan was a person who respected boundaries, so he didn't ask further and changed the subject: "Will there be more Source Beast swarms attacking tonight?"

Ye Chunheng sat down opposite Chu Shengfan and habitually added a few pieces of wood to the campfire.

"These assessment teachers are quite devious; the night will definitely be even harder to get through than the day."

Perhaps to put pressure on the remaining students still undergoing the assessment in the Secret Realm, that voice rang out once again.

"After the daytime assessment, there are currently one thousand three hundred candidates remaining. Please keep up the good work. The nighttime assessment is about to begin. The Source Beasts you will Face hereafter will not be announced.

I wish all candidates a peaceful night."

When the indifferent voice made the announcement this time, there was actually a slight fluctuation in emotion, as if it contained a hint of faint mockery.