139: Wu Gensheng's Collection

Just as everyone was facing off, Zhang Chulan, pale-faced and with blood still dripping from his nose, limped to the cave entrance.

"Everyone, please don't fight. Let's talk things over nicely..."

"Martial Uncle Lin Yuan! Please don't stop them."

Lin Yuan helped the extremely weak Zhang Chulan up.

"Are you injured?"

"It's nothing... nothing... I was caught by a trap."

The black and white Qi emanating from Lin Yuan's hands flowed into Zhang Chulan's body.

Zhang Chulan's complexion immediately turned rosy.

Xia Liuqing asked, full of indignation:

"Zhang Chulan! Aren't you going to give me an explanation for this? Even if Lin Yuan protects you, I won't let you off! I don't know what happened inside."

Wang Zhenqiu looked at Zhang Chulan with a gloomy expression.

"That's right... Zhang Chulan, this is not cool. We were bravely fighting the enemy at the front, and you stabbed us in the back. That's not how you do things."

Seeing everyone's determined look, Zhang Chulan quickly explained:

"Everyone, now is not the time to settle scores. Let's go inside first."

"What do you mean?"

When Mei Jinfeng saw Zhang Chulan willingly give way, she immediately walked into the cave.

Finally, everyone entered the cave.

When the group arrived in a sealed room, there was no longer any path.

"Golden Phoenix, this must be it, right?"

Xia Liuqing couldn't help but ask.

Mei Jinfeng's lips trembled slightly as she said:

"It's gone... everything is gone..."

Xia Liuqing quickly comforted her: "It's alright. We had already considered this possibility before coming."

Wang Zhenqiu raised an eyebrow at Zhang Chulan.

"This kid was the first to come in. No one knows what he might have done."

Zhang Chulan rolled his eyes at Wang Zhenqiu.

"You scoundrel, you don't need to stir up trouble here. I know best what I did or didn't do!"

Saying that, Zhang Chulan lowered his head and walked to Mei Jinfeng, preparing to kneel.

"Stand up! Don't you dare kneel!!"

"If you kneel today! I will, on behalf of Master, cripple any Legacy of the Tianshi Mansion in your body."

"From now on, when you're out, don't say you're a Disciple of the Tianshi Mansion!!"

"A Disciple of the Tianshi Mansion kneels to Heaven, to Earth, and to their Master and parents! Besides that, they will not kneel to anyone!"

"I'm sorry, Martial Uncle Lin Yuan!"

Zhang Chulan immediately stopped.

He knew that although Lin Yuan sometimes looked down on him, he had long been considered a member of the Tianshi Mansion in his eyes.

"Granny Jinfeng, I need to apologize to you."

"I apologize for my actions in entering here, because I truly have unspeakable difficulties that compelled me to come here and confirm before everyone else."

Mei Jinfeng frowned.

"What exactly did you want to confirm by coming here?"

"I wanted to confirm the Source of Qi..."

As soon as Lin Yuan heard the words 'Source of Qi', he knew this kid was putting on an act again. This year's Oscar statuette, you definitely deserve it.

"To be honest with everyone, I only learned about the Source of Qi a few months ago."

"The Source of Qi was comprehended by my grandfather. It should originally belong to our Zhang family, so I had to find its whereabouts before anyone else."

"Because I accidentally learned before that my grandfather and Rootless Life were sworn brothers, I felt that perhaps this matter had something to do with my honorary grandfather."

Lin Yuan couldn't help but sigh when he heard 'honorary grandfather' being called out.

It has to be you, you're really shameless! You've completely lost your face! You just climb up the pole.

But then again, with this kid's explanation, Mei Jinfeng's anger towards Zhang Chulan indeed subsided by more than half.

"When we set off for Biyou Village, I heard that you were also captured. I originally thought of saving you out, given your relationship with my grandfather, but I didn't expect Ma Xianhong to be so difficult to deal with."

"Later, I heard that you returned, and I also knew about your relationship with Rootless Life, so I deduced that you should know some secrets from back then."

Mei Jinfeng couldn't help but sigh.

"Alas... Chulan... those are all old stories. Why dwell on the past?"

"And how could I not know that such an important secret was hidden there?"

Zhang Chulan looked at Mei Jinfeng with complex eyes as she went all out.

"Granny Jinfeng, when I inquired about Rootless Life, the most I heard was about you."

"Everyone knows your feelings for Rootless Life!"

"Your deep affection for Rootless Life, I greatly admire!"

"However, precisely because of your deep devotion to Rootless Life, to be honest, even if there were important clues in those things, you would subconsciously ignore them."

"Because... the only one you truly care about is Rootless Life... isn't that right?"

As soon as Zhang Chulan said this, it instantly dealt a dimension-reducing blow to Mei Jinfeng's love-struck mind.

If it weren't for the fact that he was considered half a Disciple of the Tianshi Mansion, Mei Jinfeng would have wanted to adopt him as her honorary grandson by now.

Mei Jinfeng rubbed Zhang Chulan's head.

"Silly child, why didn't you tell me from the beginning? If that's the case, what difference would it make if you went in first?"

"Granny Jinfeng, I originally wanted to tell you the truth, but when I saw Wang Zhenqiu next to us, I didn't dare to say anything..."

"No, Zhang Chulan!! You're blaming me like that!?"

Wang Zhenqiu's face turned ashen when he saw Zhang Chulan also throwing dirt.

Alright, Zhang Chulan, you really have a way!

Xia Liuqing also said grumpily.

"That scoundrel is the kind of person who loves to fish in troubled waters."

"Xia Liuqing!! You shut up! I was just worried you might die! And now you're turning around and selling me out!"

Zhang Chulan continued to complain.

"Granny Jinfeng, this matter concerns the Source of Qi. From Biyou Village onwards, I knew this kid couldn't be trusted! That's why I asked Martial Uncle Lin Yuan to come."

Wang Zhenqiu was suddenly at a loss for words; Zhang Chulan's narrative completely twisted black and white.

Zhang Chulan bowed deeply.

"Forget it, forget it. Those guys came earlier than us. Anything they found must have been taken away by them."

Mei Jinfeng's anger also subsided.

Zhang Chulan immediately pressed:

"Granny Jinfeng, please tell us, what exactly are Senior Rootless Life's collectibles?"

"That's right! Golden Phoenix, everyone accompanied you here, and the items have been taken. Just tell us."

Xia Liuqing echoed from the side... Mei Jinfeng scratched her head.

"Actually, it's nothing, just some second-hand books, wood, pocket watches... these things."

"Wait... are you saying Rootless Life's collectibles are these!? Wood!?"

Zhang Chulan looked at Mei Jinfeng in disbelief.

Someone actually collects wood? He had never heard of it before.

Mei Jinfeng nodded.

"That's right, the Sect Head has a somewhat peculiar personality in this regard. As long as he considers something good, he will collect it, even if it's a straight piece of wood. He would consider it to have collection value."

...