I Have 10 Equipment Slots-Chapter 96 - 89: I’d Like to See Who Dares

"To have a child for Zhang, Lady Zhang was looking everywhere for solutions—seeking folk remedies and consulting famous doctors."

"Starting about half a month ago, Lady Zhang started getting together with the wives of Commander Shan and Hundred Households Tan every day. When she came back, she’d be muttering to herself, saying she’d finally found a way to have a child."

"When my wife heard about it, she thought maybe she could learn the method too, even if it cost money."

"But after she approached Lady Zhang, she found out the method to have a child was to pray to a Bodhisattva."

"Praying to a Bodhisattva?" Zhang Ning blurted out. "What kind of Bodhisattva is so miraculous that a few prayers can make a woman pregnant?"

Gu Zheng didn’t speak, but his sharp brows arched slightly.

"It’s... it’s the Child-Giving Bodhisattva at Jinshan Temple, outside the city." The woman leaning on He Jun replied nervously. "Lady Zhang said the Child-Giving Bodhisattva at Jinshan Temple is very efficacious. As long as you pray devoutly every day, a woman can get pregnant in as little as seven days, or a month at the latest."

"The wives of Commander Shan and Hundred Households Tan also believe it without a doubt," He Jun added. "They’ve been going to pray for twenty days straight..."

"Are they pregnant yet?" Gu Zheng interjected.

"Not yet." He Jun shook his head.

"They leave the city every day and come back every day?" Zhang Ning asked.

"Y-Yes." The woman answered nervously. "They go in the morning and return in the afternoon. But... but seven days ago, after Lady Zhang left the city, she... she never came back." 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"So you’re saying Lady Zhang went missing before we got back?" Zhang Ning looked at Gu Zheng, his face filled with astonishment.

"When did Zhang go missing?" Gu Zheng asked calmly.

"It’s been four days now," Zhang Ning replied. "I didn’t pay much attention at first. It was only a few days ago when I wanted to ask him out for a drink that I realized Zhang was gone. I asked around and found out both he and his wife had disappeared."

"Now it seems Zhang must have found a clue and chased it outside the city..."

At this, Zhang Ning paused, his eyes widening in shock. "Don’t tell me Zhang went to Jinshan Temple?"

"It’s possible."

Gu Zheng remained calm. He looked at the woman beside He Jun and said softly, "Madam, may I ask, did Zhang ever ask you about his wife’s whereabouts?"

"...He did." The woman lowered her head and replied nervously, "I... I told him the same things I just told you."

"Um, Lord Gu," He Jun said with a cupped-fist salute, his voice uneasy, "as for where Zhang went, Commander Shan Defu and Hundred Households Tan Tong might know more..."

"Perhaps."

Gu Zheng mused for a moment, then returned the salute. "I’ve troubled you and your wife today, He. I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave."

"By the way, I hope that you and your wife can keep our visit, including our conversation just now, a secret for the time being."

"Of course, of course." He Jun bowed hastily, and his wife followed suit.

"Rest assured, Lord Gu. We’ll pack our things and take a trip back to our hometown right away!"

"Then I’ll have to trouble you."

Gu Zheng gave a slight smile.

’Talking to smart people is so much easier.’

...

After leaving He Jun’s house, Gu Zheng walked in front with Zhang Ning following behind. The two proceeded in silence.

It wasn’t until they turned into a small alley that Zhang Ning asked in a low voice, "Mr. Gu, are we going to find Shan Defu and Tan Tong?"

"No."

Gu Zheng shook his head. "Questioning them won’t yield any results and will only alert our target. We’re going straight to Jinshan Temple!"

’The key to this whole affair is Jinshan Temple.’

’A Child-Giving Bodhisattva that’s supposedly one hundred percent effective? There’s a ninety-nine percent chance something’s wrong with it.’

’If I’m not mistaken, Zhang Boshong and his wife are trapped on Golden Fate Mountain.’

’The only question is whether they’re dead or alive.’

"Huh?"

Zhang Ning was taken aback. "To Jinshan Temple... Uh, Mr. Gu, that temple’s influence is nothing to scoff at. Although it’s just a Martial World sect, according to my investigation, the State Governor’s own mother is a follower of Jinshan Temple—a Layman who cultivates at home."

"This Madam Wang goes up Golden Fate Mountain once a month, and every time she visits, the Abbot of Jinshan Temple personally receives her. Also..."

"That’s enough."

Gu Zheng raised a hand to cut him off. "It’s just a Martial World sect. Do you really need to be so wary of it?"

Hearing this, Zhang Ning gave an embarrassed laugh. "I was just..."

"Afraid I’ll act recklessly?"

Gu Zheng shot him a sideways glance and said calmly, "We’re going to Jinshan Temple to find someone. We don’t have to do it with a big fanfare."

Huh??

Zhang Ning was confused.

Gu Zheng didn’t explain, simply heading straight for his residence.

He returned to his small courtyard and opened the door.

Without pausing, he entered the study, took out a sheet of white paper, and placed it on the desk.

He ground the ink, picked up a brush, and began to paint on the paper.

Zhang Ning, who had watched the entire process, was completely baffled.

’Didn’t he say we were going to Jinshan Temple?’

’Why did we come home so he could start painting?’

But soon, Zhang Ning’s eyes widened.

Because Gu Zheng was painting a portrait of Zhang Boshong!

On the white paper, Zhang Boshong’s face and figure appeared, rendered with lifelike detail.

Gu Zheng had studied Danqing since he was ten, and after breaking through to Alien Body: Shadow, he had gained a photographic memory.

Depicting Zhang Boshong’s appearance on paper was not difficult.

"Mr. Gu, what’s this for?" Zhang Ning asked, looking at the portrait of Zhang Boshong, not understanding at all.

"We’re going to Golden Fate Mountain."

After letting it dry for a moment, Gu Zheng rolled up the painting and signaled for Zhang Ning to leave.

Zhang Ning followed behind, still completely baffled.

...

The two first left the Demon Slayer Bureau, then the State City. They traveled east at a rapid pace for about ten li before stopping beside a roadside pavilion.

"That’s Golden Fate Mountain over there."

Zhang Ning pointed to a great mountain about two hundred meters away. It was over six hundred meters tall and shimmered with a golden light in the sun. "Mr. Gu," he asked doubtfully, "are we just going to go up the mountain like this to look for Zhang?"

’They both knew Zhang Boshong. Was it really necessary to carry a portrait of Old Zhang to compare against?’

"No. Pang Hu will go up first for a look."

Gu Zheng clapped his hands.

WHOOSH~

A blur of motion flashed, and Pang Hu leaped out of thin air, landing on the stone table inside the pavilion. A Wooden Fish slowly circled around its body.