CH15; Sudden Knock

When Zhang Lian arrived at her parents' room, she saw her father and mother seated at the dining table.

The room was warm, light coming from the lanterns and window. The table is set with plates and silver cutlery, surrounded by wooden chairs. A delicious smell is coming from the meal.

The cat said , "So, these are your parents' hosts."

Zhang Lian, her voice a whisper, responded sharply, "don't talk to me for now. I don't want them to think I'm talking to myself." Zhang Lian entered the room.

Her father, a man with yet caring eyes, looked up from his place at the head of the table.

He wore a formal robe, his brown reflecting both patience and concern. His hands rested calmly on the table.

Her mother, seated beside him, was a graceful woman with a gentle expression. She had a smile on her face, her eyes showing relief and worry.

She adjusted her sitting posture, folding her hands in her lap as she watched her daughter coming.

Zhang Lian took her seat, her movements were like an elegant lady of a noble family.

She carefully arranged her dress as she sat down. Her father cleared his throat, his voice was warm as he spoke to her. "How do you feel right now?"

Zhang Lian met his gaze, She placed her hands on the table, as she started thinking what to say.

As she prepared to speak, her mother reached out, gently placing a hand over, showing that she cared about her.

The cat, still hidden from view but observing, kept silent, feeling the tension and care in the room.

Zhang Lian sighed softly and said, "I'm feeling better after some rest."

Her mother, Li Mei, nodded with a reassuring smile. She made a gesture with her hand, and the maid, who had been standing around, swiftly moved to serve the food.

The maid was a middle-aged woman with a bun. She wore a simple outfit, and her movements were quick.

The maid set the table at fast speed. She put a variety of dishes, each carefully arranged on the table.

The dishes included bowls of rice, a stir-fried chicken with vegetables, and a hot and sour soup. The smell of the dishes mixed with the smell of fresh herbs and spices, creating a welcoming atmosphere.

As the maid finished serving, she quietly withdrew from the room, leaving the family to enjoy their meal.

Zhang Lian observed the food and water coming out of her mouth, but she still kept her manners.

Her father, Zhang Wei, slightly leaned forward , his eyes showing concern. "Don't worry about the issue of spiritual roots, daughter.

Look at your mother and me; we live comfortably and happily. I've heard that cultivators often face life-or-death battles, but we have the luxury to enjoy life unlike them."

He placed his hand on the table, his fingers gently resting beside Zhang Lian's. His tone was warm.

She nodded in understanding as she can't tell them she can become a cultivator and that she has System.

Li Mei reached out to pat Zhang Lian's hand, She then picked up her chopsticks, her movements elegant as she began to eat

Zhang Lian, then, picked up her own chopsticks and began to eat meal.

Li Mei looked up from her meal, her chopsticks poised mid-air. "Well, what's your plan now?" she asked with a curious and supportive tone.

Zhang Lian hesitated for a moment, glancing at the cat who was flying around. The cat , tell them you want to have lots of babies."

Zhang Lian made a movement from her hand towards the cat which hit him, the cat fell to the ground "Ahh! Ahh!"

Ignoring the cat, Zhang Lian straightened up and said to her parents. "Mom and Dad, I want to marry."

Her mother and father's chopsticks froze above their bowls. Li Mei's eyes widened in surprise, as she tried to swallow her food. Her expression was of shock and concern.

Her father, Zhang Wei, furrowed his brows, his fingers tightly holding his chopsticks. "Why so suddenly, dear? Don't you want to stay with us anymore?" don't you love us and want to leave us so quickly?"

Zhang Lian shook her head hurriedly. "No, Dad, you misunderstood. I want to marry a man with no background or a cultivator who is crippled. If I cannot become a cultivator myself, then I want to place hopes in my children."

Her parents' expressions shifted from surprise to confusion, and Li Mei tried to process Zhang Lian's words. Her movements were slow thinking about what to say.

Zhang Wei leaned forward, his concern can be seen. He set down his chopsticks and looked at Zhang Lian with concern. " Is there a particular reason behind this decision?"

Zhang Lian took a deep breath, thinking of what excuse to make. "It's because I believe that if I can't fulfill my own dream, then maybe my children can achieve what I could not, while continuing to eat her food.

The family's meal continued in a more silent atmosphere, they glanced at each other while eating.

Zhang Lian's parents, though initially taken back.

Zhang Wei listened to Zhang Lian's proposal, his face darkened with concern, "No, daughter, you can't marry someone crippled. Not only might they have enemies, but marrying a cultivator into our family even crippled is not easy.

And think about this, If your children make enemies after becoming cultivator's, it could implicate you as well. You need to think carefully before making such decisions."

He glanced towards Li Mei and hoped she could do something about this. She placed her chopsticks down, her hands folded neatly in her lap as she watched her husband. Her eyes were filled with concern, her lips pressed into a thin line.

Zhang Wei continued. "How about you learn more about my business instead? After all, we are getting old and need someone to take care of business."

Zhang Lian shook her head, her eyes filled with determination "No, Dad, I don't want to work. Instead, we should find a husband for me who will take care of all this business. If we can't find a cultivator , at least we can find a person who can do all this work."

Her voice was casual, as she used her chopsticks to pick meat and put it in her mouth.

Zhang Wei's expression grew darker "Daughter, you might not know this, but you should never trust someone else, even your husband, unless you are familiar with him for a long time. It's good to be cautious, especially when making decisions about wealth."

The meal continued, with each family member thinking deeply .

As Zhang Lian sat there, her mind raced with thoughts about how to convince her father, without telling him about the system and she can become a cultivator too.

She knew that cultivators often did not value things like gold and silver and as future cultivators she also didn't care about it.

The cat, sensing Zhang Lian's struggle to convince her parents, spoke loudly in Zhnag Lian ears, "Boss, you should tell your parents clearly that you want babies, you don't want wealth.

Zhang Lian, slapped the cat again but this time the cat managed to dodge the attack.

Cat laughed, host, do you think you can hit me everytime feeling proud to be able to dodge the attack.

Zhang Lian ignored the cat and was about to tell her parents the truth, that she has a system, while changing some facts, so they can agree, but a sudden knock came from the door.

Thud! Thud! A knocking sound echoed in room.

Zhang Wei's expression shifted to the door. He put down his chopstick and gave the command,"Come in,."

The door opened, and a captain Li rushed in, his face flushed and anxious. He was in standard guard dress, his uniform slightly disheveled due to being in a hurry. The captain's eyes looked around the room nervously.

"Sir, you need to hide quickly," the captain li said urgently, his voice filled with panic. He spoke rapidly, his hands gesturing towards the door as if urging them to move.

Zhang Wei, trusting Captain Li's, knew there he might be telling the truth and there's no time to waste. He didn't ask for more details. His eyes were sharp, scanning the room quickly as he moved. With a firm voice, he urged his family, "Get ready, now!"

Li Mei's eyes widened in alarm. She glanced at Zhang Wei, her face becoming pale, her usual composure replaced by fear.

Li Mei rose from her seat, her movements quick but shaky. She grabbed Zhang Lian's hand.

The sound of hurried footsteps of the captain Li, some trusted guards, Zhang Wei, Zhang Lian and her mother made their way into the safe room. 

While moving Zhnag Wei asked what happened? 

"Sir, recently the cultivators who came to do the tests were killed by some unknown cultivators. They're currently rampant in the city, capturing people to perform some kind of ritual

Li Mei's voice trembled as she replied, "But we're just mortals. Surely they wouldn't harm us."

The guard shook his head, his face grim and serious. "No, they appear to be demonic cultivators. They're capturing people and putting them into some kind of formation. We need to escape quickly before they come here."

Without another word, Zhang Wei, Li Mei, and Zhang Lian followed the guard down a narrow corridor.

As they moved, a sudden, evil laughter came from the above, sending shivers down everyone's spines. The sound was evil, making everyone feel danger is coming. They looked up to see a figure in the sky, riding on the sword.

The figure was a demonic cultivator, a dark robe that billowed ominously in the wind. His appearance was both intimidating and otherworldly. 

His eyes glowed with a malevolent red light, and his long, dark hair fluttered wildly around him as he floated on a massive, on a sword. His expression was one of crue, a sinister smile playing across his lips.

"So, ants are trying to escape," he called out mockingly.

The guard's face turned ashen, his urgency now a full-blown panic. 

Li Mei's grip on Zhang Lian tightened.

The demonic cultivator flying in the air, his eyes lit with a sinister hunger as he looked down at Zhang Wei's family.

His gaze locked onto Li Mei and Zhang Lian, a twisted smile spreading across his face. "Well, well, what do we have here? 

A beautiful pair of mother and daughter," he sneered, licking his lips in anticipation. His voice dripped with malice as he imagined the possibilities. "I wonder what they taste like... but I don't have time for that now."

With a swift, almost lazy motion, he waved his hand, releasing a powder into the air. 

The powder spread quickly, and within moments, Zhang Wei, Li Mei, and Zhang Lian fell unconscious, their bodies instantly falling to the ground making sound. The atmosphere, once filled with urgency and life, now lay silent and still, the demonic cultivator slowly came to ground to pick them.

The cultivator sighed in frustration as he approached their lying bodies. "I hate my senior brother," he muttered under his breath, annoyance clear in his tone. "Always give me these laborious tasks just because I'm weaker."

Putting them in a storage bag one by one.

But as he bent down to put Zhang Lian, he hesitated. Something about her caught his eye.

Even unconscious, Zhang Lian's beauty was undeniable, her features delicate yet striking. Her long, white hair spilled across the floor, making her face in a way that made her look almost fairy. 

The soft rise and fall of her chest as she breathed, "Such beauty…" he murmured, his voice softening as he leaned in closer.

His eyes roved over her, taking in every detail—the curve of her lips, the graceful line of her neck. Well, "I'll keep you for myself," he decided, a cruel grin spreading across his face. 

Meanwhile, the system assistant, the cat, which had no effects of the powder, tried to wake Zhang Lian. The small creature slapped her with its paw, its tiny voice filled with worry. "Host! Wake up, wake up!" it urged, but Zhang Lian remained unresponsive, her body limp and motionless.

The cat's panic grew as it saw the demonic cultivator reaching out for Zhang Lian. In a moment of sheer desperation, it attacked at the cultivator, attempting to block him, but it passed right through him as if it didn't exist. 

The cat cursed under its breath, "Oh, fuck! I forgot—I can't be seen or touched by anyone other than Zhang Lian… and I can't touch others either!" Helpless, it could only watch in horror as the demonic cultivator continued.

The cultivator's grin widened as he gently lifted Zhang Lian's body, his fingers brushing against her skin.

The contrast between his rough, calloused hands and her soft, smooth skin sent a thrill through him. "So perfect," he muttered, his voice filled with dark satisfaction.

He placed her into a different storage bag.

As the cat was also swept into the storage bag alongside Zhang Lian, it could only say nay in frustration and it's powerless to stop what was happening.

Li Mei's unconscious form lay nearby, still beautiful despite the years. But the demonic cultivator barely spared her a glance. "Too old," he scoffed, dismissing her with a wave of his hand.

"I prefer virgins and young beauty… breaking them is the real fun." He laughed, a chilling sound that echoed through the room.

With a practiced motion, he gathered the rest of the unconscious servants, including the maids who had been trying to flee.

They were quickly stuffed into the storage bag, destined for whatever twisted purpose his senior brother had in mind. His task nearly complete, the demonic cultivator looked out over the city, his eyes narrowing with greed.

"This isn't enough," he murmured, an evil smile appearing on his lips. "I'll take a few more… After all, there's no fun in just taking one." His laughter, filled with evilness, rang out as he soared back into the sky, the storage bag hanging at his side.