The two sides eventually reached an agreement, but to be on the safe side, they each made Heart Demon Oath.
Sima Sheng gave Zhang Yu a deep look, then turned and left the Imperial Palace.
He needed to prepare in advance and clear away all obstacles on Zhang Yu's path to the throne.
With Sima Sheng gone, only Zhang Yu and Zhang Lingyun remained.
Zhang Yu turned to the woman beside him, whose expression was constantly shifting, and asked calmly, "You said there's a treasure hidden deep within the Eastern Sheng Kingdom's palace that's of utmost importance to you. What exactly is it?"
Zhang Lingyun took a deep breath and whispered:
It is a bottle of Nine Revolutions Spirit Liquid.
"This liquid is High Antiquity treasure, containing boundless vitality, which can help me refine my Physical Body and quickly restore my strength."
The reason she valued the Imperial Palace's secret treasure so much was precisely because her Physical Body was weak, a major weakness in her Cultivation.
Without external assistance, it's impossible to know when one can return to their peak through arduous cultivation alone.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu's lips curled up slightly, revealing a knowing look.
Although his Cultivation was still shallow, his other skill points and knowledge had been maxed out by the system, and he also understood the knowledge of condensing the Physical Body.
He whispered a reminder:
"If it's just about repairing the Physical Body, the Nine Revolutions Spirit Liquid is good, but it's not irreplaceable."
I've heard that if one cleanses the Physical Body with Supreme Merit, not only can one reshape a perfect Dao Body, but one can also condense the legendary 'Golden Body of Merit.' I wonder how it compares to the Nine Revolutions Spirit Liquid?"
"Golden Body of Merit?"
Zhang Lingyun suddenly looked up, her beautiful eyes filled with astonishment and disbelief.
"If I can truly condense a golden body with Supreme Merit, let alone recover to my peak, I'm afraid my Cultivation even advance a hundred feet further, breaking through the current Second Rank barrier in one fell swoop and stepping into the realm of Third Rank Land Immortal."
She paused, then looked troubled, and shook her head with a wry smile:
"However... the Merit Power required to condense the Golden Body of Merit is too vast, almost astronomical."
In this world, where can one find so much Merit to squander?
"What a coincidence."
Zhang Yu smiled calmly, his tone carrying a hint of arrogance.
"My Ancestors pacified Tiannan Prefecture, suppressed the Nine Great Demon Caves, protected the living beings of this region, and accumulated Immeasurable Merit."
Unfortunately, that Ancestors, Love Brain, didn't use these Merit to protect his descendants; instead, he used them all to support the National Destiny of the Eastern Sheng Kingdom.
He looked intently at Zhang Lingyun and said firmly:
"After I ascend the throne tomorrow, all these Merit will belong to me."
At that time, I will transfer all this Merit to you, to help you forge that Supreme Golden Body of Merit.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Lingyun was greatly shocked and said with concern:
"If that's the case, Eastern Sheng Kingdom will likely be plagued by natural disasters and chaos, plunging its people into misery!"
"Snort."
Zhang Yu snorted coldly, a hint of chill flashing across his face:
"Those people live peaceful lives every day, but they do not remember the Sheng Family Ancestor at all. Instead, they rack their brains to think about how to resist taxes and force the Imperial Family to shirk responsibility."
Since they are so heartless, then don't blame me for being ruthless.
If it really comes to that, I will do as they wish, reclaim all the gifts of my Ancestors, abdicate, and leave this dynasty to its own devices!
He had absolutely no liking for these ungrateful and mediocre people.
Although Zhu Wuyuan was the leader, Zhang Yu also felt disgusted by these citizens who enjoyed the benefits but did not know how to be grateful.
"Alright, let's put these worries aside for now."
Zhang Yu suppressed his murderous intent, and his tone softened:
"Go down and get some rest to recharge your energy."
Tonight I will start the Pill Furnace and refine a few 'Sword Bone Pill' for you.
When you condense your Golden Body of Merit tomorrow, consume the Pills along with it. This will not only cleanse your Sword Bone but also maximize the medicinal effects.
With the vast knowledge base of the system in his mind, Zhang Yu is paving a Path to Heaven the pinnacle for Zhang Lingyun step by step.
After Zhang Lingyun left, the hall returned to silence.
Zhang Yu did not rush to rest. Instead, he sat cross-legged, immersing his consciousness into his body to carefully monitor his Cultivation that day.
Yesterday was a hectic day, and I didn't even have time to fully appreciate the "one year of Martial Dao Cultivation" that the system rewarded me with.
Now that he had calmed down, he could clearly sense that his Qi and Blood were more vigorous and surging than yesterday, and his Soul Power was also much more solid, which was a sign of steady growth in his Cultivation.
"Still only at the Great Early Grandmaster..."
Zhang Yu felt the power within his body and thought to himself,
"It seems that at the Great Grandmaster level, one's foundation is already quite profound."
Even with the system rewarding you with a year's worth of arduous cultivation every day, your Cultivation level no longer increases at the rapid pace it once did.
He estimated that, at the current pace, it would probably take about ten to twenty days to break through from the Great Early Grandmaster to the Feathered Realm.
As for whether he could successfully break through to the Feathered Realm in twenty days, Zhang Yu was not sure, after all, the higher the realm, the thicker the barrier.
Thinking of this, he opened his eyes, got up, and walked to the corner of the room.
With a thought, an ancient wooden box appeared in his hand.
This was his System Space entrance, where he kept some precious medicinal herbs left over from refining the Sword Bone Pill, as well as the Pill Furnace that had been with him for a long time.
"With the God-Level Alchemy rewarded by the system, coupled with my current Great Grandmaster Cultivation, the speed and success rate of alchemy should increase significantly."
Zhang Yu pondered this in his mind, placed the Pill Furnace on the table, and began to light a fire and control the temperature.
With his skillful technique and powerful Divine Sense, the flames inside the Pill Furnace were extremely docile.
He added the medicinal herbs one by one, precisely controlling the heat and the fusion of the medicinal properties at every moment.
Thanks to his Cultivation, his understanding and control over the properties of medicines reached a new level. The entire alchemy process was smooth and efficient, with almost no waste.
Time slipped by unnoticed, and when the first rays of dawn shone through the window into the Great Hall, Zhang Yu finally stopped what he was doing.
The air was filled with a rich medicinal fragrance, and a dozen crystal-clear Pills, exuding a sharp Sword Qi, lay quietly in the Pill Furnace —these were the Sword Bone Pill of the highest quality.
He let out a long sigh, rubbed his slightly sore temples, and ended his all-night alchemy session.
I just stood up, ready to stretch my muscles.
Zhang Yu suddenly sensed a presence behind him. He turned around and saw Zhang Lingyun standing there silently, watching him quietly.
"You... stayed up all night to refine these Sword Bone Pills for me?"
Zhang Lingyun's voice was very soft, with a hint of an odd expression that was barely perceptible.
Zhang Yu, however, acted as if nothing had happened, casually waving his hand:
"What's this? I'm Cultivation Great Grandmaster now, my physical abilities far surpass those of ordinary people. Staying up all night is nothing."
As he spoke, he stepped forward and handed Zhang Lingyun Jade Bottle containing more than a dozen Sword Bone Pill:
Here, take it.
When you're condensing your Golden Body of Merit later, remember to take these Pills as well.
They can help cleanse your Sword Bone, remove impurities, and allow the Merit Power to better integrate into your body, resulting in better effects.
Zhang Lingyun took the warm Jade Bottle, gently stroking its surface with her fingertips, feeling the immense medicinal power contained within.
The grand road Zhang Yu had planned for her last night involuntarily surfaced in her mind.
All of this not only solved her immediate problem but also paved the way for her long-term cultivation path.
She looked down at the Pills in her hand, then looked up at Zhang Yu, who looked slightly tired, and a complex emotion welled up in her heart.
"Actually... having an Eldest Brother like this doesn't seem so bad."
That girl wasn't wrong about me back then.
Zhang Lingyun thought to herself silently, her eyes filled with complex emotions.
"Let's go. There's still a tough battle ahead. I want to see how Zhu Wuyuan will make things difficult for me this time."
Zhang Yu called out.
On the other side, Zhu Wuyuan finished packing and set off with his men, saying confidently, "Sheng Yu, I don't believe you can get past these two carefully prepared hurdles today."