Starting Cultivation During a Trip

Chapter 78: Chapter 77: Shen Family Aftermath, Hongfu Security

The next day, as soon as Zhang Fan arrived at the company and booted up his computer, a news pop-up jumped out.

”Breaking! Shen Group investigated for ties to organized crime, Hengye Square besieged!”

”That was fast...”

Zhang Fan was stunned. Shen Group was one of the top corporations in Yujing City, with business covering commercial real estate, logistics, new energy, and more. Hengye Square was one of their biggest assets—rumor was the land alone had once sold for over half a billion.

The case broke last night, and today every major media outlet was running wild with it.

Yesterday, Shen Group was a model private enterprise. In an instant, they became a rat crossing the street, everyone shouting to kill them.

All kinds of dirty laundry were being dug up.

”The Shen Family is finished too... huh? Why did I say ’too’?” Zhang Fan curled his lips.

Thinking of this, Zhang Fan raised his hand and closed the news page. Not like it had anything to do with him anymore.

His trip to the Shen Family wasn’t for nothing—his own Primordial Spirit definitely had issues. Stimulated by the Profound Mirror Treasure Talisman, the power of the Zhenwu Jade Scroll manifested, and his Primordial Spirit grew quite a bit stronger.

On top of that, he even acquired the Spirit Void Talisman Drawing skill and the Mountain-Breaking and Mountain-Subduing Talisman technique.

These abilities seemed to appear from nowhere, as if... as if they’d always been in his head, embedded in his Primordial Spirit.

Zhang Fan’s cultivation advanced quite a bit because of this, one step closer to that High Skill tier he’d been longing for.

But for now, Zhang Fan was still considered a Technique Apprentice. To get to High Skill, he’d have to cross the ranks of Profound Master and Spirit Department first.

”Better not bite off more than I can chew...” Zhang Fan muttered, casually opening up ”Little Yellow Book,” clicking into Thousand-Year-Old Demon’s profile—the avatar was still grayed out. After last time’s report, the dude was still banned from posting anything for now.

As always, Zhang Fan opened the chat and sent a message over.

”Who the hell are you? Stalking me?”

Beep—

Just then, a notification popped up:

Sorry, you’ve been blocked by the other party!!!

”Fuck...”

Zhang Fan slapped his keyboard, just about ready to explode.

”I fucking hate people who just block without a word. Why can’t you just talk things out?”

”This Thousand-Year-Old Demon... don’t tell me they’re an Aquarius!?”

Zhang Fan glared at the screen, as if he could drag the other guy out through the internet cable.

”Huh!?”

Just then, Zhang Fan saw the guy’s avatar actually light up, and the signature had just changed:

Agitation of the Consciousness is a grave taboo for cultivators!

”Who the hell is he calling out!?” Zhang Fan started getting riled up.

”Wen He, deduct two hundred from him.”

Just then, the ghostly voice of Bai Buran drifted from behind. Zhang Fan turned to look—Bai was already hugging a thermos as he entered his own office.

”Come on, bro... can you be any more brazen about slacking off?”

Jiang Hu spun around in his chair.

”Guess it’s just my unlucky day.”

Zhang Fan closed the page, then suddenly said, ”By the way, you’ve lived in Yujing City for years. You must know it pretty well, right?”

”Which aspect are you talking about?”

”All the big cultivation families, sects, and forces in Yujing City,” Zhang Fan replied offhandedly.

”Why’re you asking about that?” Jiang Hu shot back.

”Just curious.”

Ever since coming back from the Shen Family, all sorts of fragmented memories had been surfacing in Zhang Fan’s mind. He was sure there was something wrong with his Primordial Spirit—some things needed verifying.

”No problem. I’ll put together some info for you later.”

Jiang Hu looked at Zhang Fan, nodding, but his gaze didn’t leave him for a second.

”Why’re you looking at me like that? Something up?” Zhang Fan noticed something odd and couldn’t help asking.

”I...”

Jiang Hu hesitated. He had a question—yesterday at the Shen Family, just as his own Primordial Spirit was about to fall, Zhang Fan’s Primordial Spirit actually showed up in his Primordial Spirit Inner Scenery and pulled him out...

He knew some sects did have Primordial Spirit-fusing arts, but that was top-secret stuff, like the Grand Sect Law, Appearance and Spirit Divergence from White Crane Temple in Shangjing City...

”Nah... nothing, I’ll get you your info later.”

Jiang Hu spun his chair back around to his desk. Everyone had their own secrets; he wasn’t that nosy.

He just needed to remember one thing: Zhang Fan had saved his life.

That was enough.

Ding-dong...

Right then, another news alert popped up.

”Shocking! The Shen Family consumed by fire last night; the siblings lost in the blaze, only the youngest survives...”

Zhang Fan glanced at it—according to the news, the Shen home was struck by a raging fire. Shen Xiangrong and Shen Qingli both perished, with only the younger brother Shen Xiangdong spared because he’d returned to school.

”Family’s collapsed... life flipped upside down,” Zhang Fan sighed.

This Shen Xiangdong grew up with a silver spoon—now everything was gone overnight. Suffering a shock like this, most people might not even have the will to go on.

...

At that moment, in Yujing City’s University City.

East University campus.

Summer break had long since started; only a handful of students stayed on campus, busy competing for GPA and fussing over projects and essays.

”That’s Shen Xiangdong? He used to be some big shot at school...”

”’Big shot’ my ass. Only cause his family had money—now he’s lost everything, let’s see him act superior now.”

”Those party buddies of his have all disappeared too...”

”He’s a rat now, who would suck up to him?!”

Just then, three students passed the field, staring at Shen Xiangdong sitting alone in the bleachers, whispering among themselves.

Shen Xiangdong sat there like a walking corpse—blank, hollow-eyed, like his soul had left him. The harsh words around him seemed not to register at all.

”It’s over... it’s all over...”

In one night, his brother, his sister, and the entire Shen Family... everything he’d depended on was gone.

A blow like that—most people wouldn’t encounter it in a lifetime, or even in another life.

”If this body doesn’t suffer calamity, how can it reach immortality?”

Just then, a ghostly voice came from behind him, accompanied by footsteps.

”The person you are now... makes the best raw material for cultivation.”

”The Shen Family may be finished, but you’re still here...”

Shen Xiangdong trembled, turning around.

”Come with me. I can help you!”

At that moment, a man appeared before him—his arms hung loosely, a hint of a smile on his face.

”Who are you?” Shen Xiangdong couldn’t help asking. ”Are you a friend of the Shen Family?”

He’d been sent away to study when he was young, never involved in the family business. As for the family’s friends, he barely knew any of them.

”My name’s Wuqilu... I was your grandfather’s good friend.”

”Come with me. One day, I’ll let you have the power to revive your family...” A strange light flashed in Wuqilu’s eyes—he looked at Shen Xiangdong as if he’d discovered a priceless treasure.

”But before that, I need to take one more person.”

”One more person?” Shen Xiangdong looked puzzled.

...

Evening, Hongfu Garden.

The weather was especially gloomy today. A howling wind tore through, as if a storm would break at any second.

The neighborhood was almost deserted; even the streets had grown much quieter.

”Zhang Fan, is this where he lives?”

”Mr. Wu said, we have to take him.”

At this moment, two oddly-dressed men appeared at the entrance to Hongfu District. It was deep summer, but both wore long robes and sunglasses—one tall, one short.

The big black dog at the entrance whimpered at the sight of them, head low, tail wagging, circling nervously, as if utterly terrified.

”Let’s go, quick job.”

With that, the tall and short duo started to head into the complex.

”You two... hold up...”

Right then, a slow, casual voice rang out behind them.

The two turned—there stood a middle-aged man in short sleeves and shorts, walking unhurriedly, a little plump, carrying a bag of buns in one hand.

”It may not be my shift today, but this neighborhood isn’t just for anyone to wander in...”

The easy voice drifted in the wind, tinged with a sense of responsibility.

”And who are you?” the tall one asked, coldly.

”Hongfu Garden, security guard for nine years...”

”Liu Fusheng!!!”

With that, Uncle Liu set the buns on the guardroom window and slowly peeled off his right glove, rubbing his hand as he did.