Chapter 658: Concordance Talisman
As Yang Haoran brought up the Zhang family, the smile on Xu Meijing’s face slowly faded, her expression growing much more serious.
"The Zhang family has encountered no small trouble this time. You'd best not get involved, lest you invite trouble upon yourself," Xu Meijing warned.
"Heh heh, could you explain a bit more clearly? I'm quite curious. If it's truly dangerous, I wouldn't get involved even without your warning," Yang Haoran said with a chuckle.
From Xu Meijing's tone, it wasn't hard to tell that the matter was likely more dangerous than he had imagined. However, Yang Haoran still wished to learn more; curiosity was only one aspect of it.
Seeing that Yang Haoran wasn't taking her warning seriously, Xu Meijing didn't get angry. Instead, to satisfy his curiosity, she began to explain.
"According to Zhang Changchun, their Zhang family has provoked an extremely powerful Evil Spirit this time. It likely won't be long before this Evil Spirit comes knocking on their door. When that happens, their Zhang family might find it difficult to survive this ordeal, which is why they decided to find helpers in advance," Xu Meijing stated.
"You mean, so far, this Evil Spirit hasn't caused trouble for the Zhang family, and whether it will come, or when, is still an unknown, right? " Yang Haoran pondered for a moment before asking.
Xu Meijing nodded, giving a definite affirmative to Yang Haoran's question.
"They tried to capture the Evil Spirit but were wounded by it instead, and that's how the feud was forged. However, this is merely Zhang Changchun's side of the story; I cannot be certain if that is truly the case," Xu Meijing replied.
Hearing this, Yang Haoran fell into contemplation, as if deep in thought. Seeing his expression, Xu Meijing spoke up again to caution him.
"The Zhang family's strength is considerable, especially Zhang Changchun's, which is truly unfathomable. For an Evil Spirit to make the Zhang family so nervous, its power must be terrifying. Therefore, I believe it's best you don't get involved. If you do, there might well be danger."
A smile reappeared on Yang Haoran's face. From his expression alone, it was impossible to discern what he was thinking.
"Are you going to get involved? " Yang Haoran asked with a smile.
Xu Meijing furrowed her brows slightly, then nodded under Yang Haoran's gaze.
"If I could, I wouldn't want to get involved in this matter, but I have no choice," Xu Meijing said, her tone tinged with helplessness.
"Heh heh, is it because the benefits offered by the Zhang family swayed you? " Yang Haoran chuckled, asking.
"The Zhang family hasn't offered any benefits yet, but I imagine there will be many, though benefits are only one aspect. You're aware of the current situation; the Zhang family needs the support of our Ancheng Underworld Division, and similarly, our Ancheng Underworld Division also needs the strength of their Zhang family. In the past, I wouldn't have bothered with them, but times are different now. We need to cooperate, even if we know there's a certain risk involved, it's a necessity."
At this point, Xu Meijing paused slightly, then looked at Yang Haoran and continued.
"I have a reason to get involved, but you don't, so there's no need for you to wade into these muddy waters," Xu Meijing stated.
"Heh heh, I also have a reason to get involved," Yang Haoran said with a smile.
"What reason could you possibly have? Moreover, if you get involved, what about Lecheng? " Xu Meijing asked.
"I'm not entirely at ease with you," Yang Haoran offered no further explanation.
Hearing this, Xu Meijing smiled, then said no more.
The two left the pavilion and returned to the second floor of the Zhang family's guest building. Seeing them return, Zhang Changchun appeared extremely pleased.
"Esteemed Emissaries, please be seated."
Zhang Changqing rose to greet them. After they were seated, he turned his gaze to Yang Haoran.
"Emissary Yang, were your words earlier truly from the heart? Are you genuinely willing to help my Zhang family overcome this crisis? " Zhang Changqing asked impatiently.
"Heh heh, Old Master Zhang, please tell me the details. Only then can I determine if I truly have the ability to lend a hand," Yang Haoran replied with a smile.
Just now in the pavilion, Yang Haoran had learned some things from Xu Meijing, but she hadn't been particularly detailed.
Besides, even with a detailed understanding of the situation, certain procedures must still be followed.
"Of course, of course. I've already narrated the details to everyone earlier, but Emissary Yang wasn't present. So, I will narrate it once more now."
Next, Zhang Changchun recounted the entire course of events. This part was indeed no different from what Xu Meijing had said, only he was much more detailed.
Although Yang Haoran had already gained a rough understanding of the matter beforehand, he still listened very carefully. Only after Zhang Changchun finished speaking did he open his mouth with a smile.
"If I am willing to help, what would I need to do? " Yang Haoran asked with a smile.
"Emissary Yang, there's no need to rush. I was just about to explain that."
As he spoke, Zhang Changchun smiled and produced several talismans. With a gentle wave of his hand, these talismans flew towards the people seated, one of them heading straight for Yang Haoran, hovering suspended before his eyes.
"The favor I need to ask of you all this time is quite simple. I will use this talisman to notify you, and at that time, you only need to arrive promptly to provide assistance."
Everyone present looked at the talismans before them, Yang Haoran naturally included. After a careful look, he recognized what kind of talisman was before him.
This was a Concordance Talisman. Such Concordance Talismans require a pair to be effective, so a Talisman Master must draw them in pairs.
A Concordance Talisman has no offensive or defensive capabilities. It is, in fact, a special notification tool. When one talisman from a pair is activated, the other will react strongly, alerting its holder. This is its primary and sole purpose, and it is precisely due to this characteristic that it is named the Concordance Talisman.
Although Concordance Talismans come in pairs and possess unique properties compared to other talismans, they share one commonality: they are single-use consumables. Once activated, regardless of which talisman in the pair is used, the entire pair of Concordance Talismans will turn to ash.
Yang Haoran looked at the Concordance Talisman before him, then glanced at the talismans in front of the others; like his, they were all Concordance Talismans.
Each of them had a Concordance Talisman before them, and the corresponding matching talismans were, naturally, all in Zhang Changchun's hands.
Although the function of a Concordance Talisman is singular, lacking both attack and defense, it is considered a mid-grade talisman among talismans. The higher the grade of the Concordance Talisman, the stronger its reaction will be when activated, and the longer it will last.
And the Concordance Talismans Zhang Changchun had taken out were, without exception, all Yellow Talisman-grade.
Not everyone present recognized the Concordance Talisman like Yang Haoran did. The reason he recognized it was because he was already a Talisman Master, and before becoming one, he had put in considerable effort in this area. While it wasn't realistic to say he recognized all talismans, he certainly knew quite a few, including some that had been lost to the Talisman Order.
Despite recognizing the Concordance Talisman, Yang Haoran deliberately feigned a puzzled expression, then looked at Zhang Changchun.
"Old Master Zhang, this talisman is. . . ?"
Seeing that Yang Haoran didn't recognize the talisman, Zhang Changchun didn't find it strange. He chuckled, then began to explain.
"This talisman is called a Concordance Talisman. It requires a pair to function. Due to its singular purpose and the need for pairing, it's somewhat of a chicken rib, so it isn't very well-known. The other matching Concordance Talismans for each of you are in my hands. I merely need to activate the corresponding talisman in my possession, and the Concordance Talisman in your hands will react. That will signify that our Zhang family has encountered great trouble, and at that time, we will need to trouble you all to come to our aid."
Upon hearing Zhang Changchun's explanation, an "I see" expression appeared on Yang Haoran's face. As for the others, their expressions didn't change much.
Although they had heard Zhang Changchun's explanation, none of those present took the Concordance Talismans hovering before them. They remained suspended in the air.
Seeing this, Zhang Changchun smiled knowingly. He knew it was time for him to show his sincerity.
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