Starting Cultivation During a Trip

Chapter 664: Chapter 321: Envoys of the Rat! Zhang Fan’s World Has Changed_2

"So early, who are you stalking?" Li Miaoyin glanced over, asking coolly.

"Want to take a look?"

As he spoke, Zhang Fan set his phone on the table, with the screen conveniently displaying his Moments feed.

"I don’t want to see your Moments, I want to see your blacklist." Li Miaoyin’s lips curled slightly, a hint of a smile flickering by.

"Blacklist? Why?" Zhang Fan blurted out, stunned.

"Moments may not have real friends, but the blacklist always carries old faces." Li Miaoyin said, her tone full of implication.

"You win."

Zhang Fan said nothing more, head down, continuing to eat his tofu pudding.

Back when he and Xu Zhixia broke up, they’d blocked each other, but later they met up again, let things go, and took each other off the blacklist.

Beep beep beep...

Just then, a new message popped up on his phone.

Zhang Fan tapped it open, eyes suddenly tightening—it was a letter from Meng Qiwu, and it was set to self-destruct after viewing.

"The Rat’s people have arrived in Yujing."

Just that one simple line, and as Zhang Fan stared at it for three seconds, it erased itself automatically.

"Finally, they’re here." Zhang Fan sighed inwardly.

Originally, he’d hoped to use the opportunity of becoming Transcendent Identity’s closed-door disciple to shield both himself and Zhang Lingzong, after all, that was the legendary undefeated Pure Yang Zhenren.

Unfortunately, Xia Weisheng brought bad news: he wasn’t chosen as Transcendent Zhenren’s closed-door disciple.

So now, Zhang Fan could only look elsewhere for outside help and allies.

Among the Thirteen Zodiacs, the Rat was a very solid option.

The Human Xiao was lying in wait, Chen Dragon was now powerful enough to threaten Its position.

Lin Jianyue had said: of the Thirteen Zodiacs, the Rat was by far the most mysterious—even the oldest, one who’d met Three Corpses Daoist, the Rooster Jin Mao Day, was deeply wary and kept silent about it.

It was for this reason Zhang Fan was keen to get in with the Rat—if he could coordinate from the inside, and get rid of Chen Dragon, it’d clear one of the Xu Family’s biggest threats.

"Who messaged you? Can’t hide that smile."

Li Miaoyin’s voice snapped Zhang Fan out of his thoughts.

"Nothing important, keep eating." Zhang Fan chuckled.

"When are you going to treat me to a real meal?" asked Li Miaoyin.

"Lunch is too formal, dinner’s too overindulgent—only breakfast keeps it genuine."

Saying this, Zhang Fan raised his hand: "Boss, one more bowl of tofu pudding over here!"

As he finished, Zhang Fan looked at Li Miaoyin: "Don’t worry, the tofu pudding’s always enough!"

"..."

Near noon, at Bright Grand Hotel.

Zhang Fan sat in the hotel lobby, waiting for Fang Changle and the Qi Brothers.

Since the Rat’s people were coming to Yujing, naturally he’d want to sound out these two Daoist Sect scions for info about their side.

Dealing with people like this, Zhang Fan always played it careful.

Whether it was Lin Jianyue or Meng Qiwu, from their hints he knew: the Rat wasn’t just mysterious, but seriously skilled—low-profile, secretive.

This time, coming to Yujing to discuss such big matters, It didn’t even show up in person—just sent agents. That alone said how cautious It was; no wonder nobody had seen Its True Body all these years.

Of course, it could just be that the Rat didn’t think much of Zhang Fan, and was only sending people over as a goodwill move, leaving an opening for the future.

"Chenlong Zhang Nanfeng..."

Zhang Fan mused, that image of the beauty with the vermillion mark appearing in his mind.

This one had forged the Five Elements Mistaken King, and won one of the Nine Treasures—the True Dragon Horn—in the Hundred Thousand Mountains. Talk about a power boost. If he really needed to kill her, even teaming up with the Rat may not be enough.

"Still need even stronger outside help." Zhang Fan muttered softly.

"Zhang Fan..."

Just then, a familiar voice called from nearby, dragging Zhang Fan out of his train of thought.

"Hm!?"

Zhang Fan looked up and froze—a graceful silhouette entered his view.

"Xu Zhixia!"

Since their parting in Jingjiang City, it had only been half a month, but Xu Zhixia was much thinner now, her look weary. Seeing Zhang Fan again, she was overwhelmed with feelings.

Xu Zhixia genuinely had feelings for Zhang Fan, but back in Jingjiang, Zhang Fan had cut down Xu Changnian and Xu Banshan in turn—slaughtering without restraint, nothing held sacred.

But at the final moment, he let her go.

Now, Xu Zhixia felt extremely complicated about Zhang Fan.

"Small world. You’re here too?" Zhang Fan asked lightly.

He knew the Xu Family had assets in Yujing, their business stretched across Jiangnan Province.

And since Xu Zhixia was studying at a Yujing university, she naturally knew this city better than most Xu Family members.

"Next month, on Zhenwu Mountain, Transcendent Zhenren is holding a grand disciple ceremony—I’m here with my family in Jiangnan Province, arranging the congratulatory gifts."

Xu Zhixia really wanted to leave immediately, but facing Zhang Fan’s concern, she couldn’t help answering.

"I see." Zhang Fan nodded.

Right now, the biggest event in the Daoist Sect world was Transcendent Zhenren’s disciple selection. As a Pure Yang Family, the Xu Family was invited, and they’d be attending the ceremony at the mountain that day.

Transcendent Zhenren’s closed-door disciple—that gift had to be prepared with extra care.

That day would draw eyes from all over—tributes from every direction.

"Zhang Fan, you’ve changed."

Looking at Zhang Fan, Xu Zhixia couldn’t help but relive their past scenes—he was a different person now.

"People always change."

"The only constant in this world is that everything changes." Zhang Fan said calmly.

"Like us?" Xu Zhixia replied.

"Let the past stay in the past." Zhang Fan sighed softly.

Life’s affairs, nothing is certain.

At first, his Primordial Spirit hadn’t recovered. They’d just split up, and he couldn’t let go—caught in the tribulations of love, mired in pain and confusion.

But now, their positions seemed to have switched.

"Zhixia."

At that moment, a clear, slightly authoritative voice sounded.

Zhang Fan looked up—an elegant, regal woman walked over. Her dress was stylish yet modest, faintly showing a delicate figure; her skin was fair, features refined, appearing no older than thirty-something. Though she kept up her appearance, her eyes held a depth polished by years of experience.

"Mom." Xu Zhixia saw her and rushed over, visibly nervous.

"Mm."

The woman hummed lightly, but her gaze landed on Zhang Fan.

"Zhang, right? We meet again." Wei Qingshuang said coolly, her eyes tinged with the authority of someone in command.

This wasn’t her first time meeting Zhang Fan.

Back when he’d just graduated college, she sought Zhang Fan out—no melodramatic five-million-yuan check, just advice delivered more like an order.

To this dignified lady, Zhang Fan’s background meant he couldn’t even reach the Xu Family threshold. Leaving her daughter was the best, really the only, option.

This wasn’t a request—it was advice. Advice from someone with real power, not just the wisdom of experience.

At that time, Zhang Fan hadn’t even earned the right to refuse.

That was the day he and Xu Zhixia cut contact for good.

"Indeed, paths cross everywhere—a second meeting, here we are." Zhang Fan mused.

"Zhang, you promised me you wouldn’t see Zhixia again." Wei Qingshuang declared icily.

Her words were polite, but her stare flashed with coldness.

Clearly, she couldn’t stand being defied by an inferior—it was a challenge to her authority.

"Mom..." Xu Zhixia panicked, glancing at Zhang Fan fearfully, anxiety clearly in her eyes.

"Auntie, you’ve seen much of the world—how come you’re acting childish? Only the things you control yourself actually count for anything." Zhang Fan replied flatly.

That made Wei Qingshuang pause. She realized this young man had changed from their first meeting. But after a moment’s daze, fury surfaced in the Xu Family matron’s eyes.

"Do you know who you’re talking to?"

"Auntie, I call you that out of respect for my parents’ upbringing. But do you realize who you’re talking to?"

As he finished speaking, Zhang Fan’s eyes turned cold. His hand shot out like a thunderbolt, touching Wei Qingshuang’s brow—gently hooking, he drew out her Primordial Spirit.