Still Had to Rely on Yao Yuanguang

"When I was thirteen, I had already read extensively in classical literature..."

"Stop talking nonsense!"

"My family was poor and suffered greatly. I experienced hunger from a young age. Later, someone taught me a method to avoid hunger, and I have been practicing it diligently ever since. After so many years of practicing and going hungry, my body has become more resistant to hunger!"

Zhang Xuezhou took the wrong medicine; Zhang Xuezhou regained consciousness.

Rarely encountering such a moment, the new emperor inquired about Zhang Xuezhou's health and was also curious about why Zhang Xuezhou had been able to go hungry for so long.

Upon learning that Zhang Xuezhou had practiced the art of Grain Avoidance since childhood to resist hunger, the new emperor felt a pang of sympathy, thinking that Zhang Xuezhou had indeed learned the right skill in his life.

This skill of enduring hunger is of little use to ordinary people, but it's perfect for someone like Zhang Xuezhou with such a deep-seated problem.

After asking several questions, the new emperor was very satisfied with the answers.

As long as Zhang Xuezhou can keep a carefree attitude, this guy's physical and mental health will be fine.

Perhaps there was something wrong with the pills that Marquis Pingyang used, but that's no longer a problem.

Or perhaps Zhang Xuezhou's practice of Grain Avoidance caused some problems with his digestive system, leading to some intestinal peristalsis.

After pondering the matter, the new emperor concluded that this was likely the general reason.

"Your Majesty, since Scholar Dongfang Wuyang, why don't we host a banquet to celebrate?" Princess Yangxin said with a smile.

"Your Majesty, this banquet is well-planned," said the Marquis of Pingyang. "We should also summon the Grand Astrologer!"

"Let alone you, I'm also afraid that the Grand Historian Sima will record that I spend my days indulging in extravagance and feasting!"

The new emperor shrugged, but he did not reject Princess Yangxin's suggestion.

Things will inevitably cause some minor trouble, and he will certainly be remembered for it, but at least this will clear him of the blame for the Marquis of Pingyang poisoning the minister.

Moreover, Sima Tan was knocked out by the fumes and is still feeling unwell, so attending the banquet to get rid of the bad luck is a good thing.

The new emperor agreed and then indicated that Zhang Xuezhou, the main person in charge of the banquet, needed to arrive on time.

After exchanging a few words, the new emperor and his entourage left without even entering the gate, each boarding their own carriage and departing.

"I really envy those wealthy families; they even ride in carriages at home," Rong Tianding said enviously as he watched the group leave.

"It's a good thing they travel by carriage, otherwise I don't know how embarrassed I would have been!"

Zhang Xuezhou sighed.

The reason he was able to get off to a good start was that the Marquis of Pingyang and his men rarely touched the ground. They only guessed the secret of the game by seeing the wet mud left on the soles of the opponent's feet, and then won another game by using the Person-Fixing Technique.

After swallowing a Life-Creating Pill, Zhang Xuezhou felt incredibly healthy.

He set aside many things in the real world and kept carefully studying the changes in his body.

The two bridges of the head have undoubtedly been reconnected. Although they are not as good as the original, the continuous repairs have given him more hope.

The changes in his digestive system were what Zhang Xuezhou was most concerned about; he never expected that his body would become ill without him even realizing it.

If Zhang Xuezhou were to repair other areas of the body, such as the head, acupoints, meridians, or bones, he would suspect that it was an old injury.

But his stomach and intestines haven't suffered much over the years; even after periods of hunger, he has been able to eat well and maintain the nutritional needs of his body.

This allowed Zhang Xuezhou to eliminate the effects of Grain Avoidance.

If we were to find a real reason, it could only be that he ingested the Spirit-Forging Pill made from the gourd.

"Only this one medicine has recently entered my digestive system, and only this one medicine has some problems!"

The method of refining elixirs using gourds is definitely not a traditional method of alchemy. Zhang Xuezhou was greedy for the medicinal effects of the gourd elixirs and was unknowingly influenced by them.

"The Holy Mother Wudang said there are seven gourds in this world, and few of their owners have a good ending. She also mentioned Daojun!"

A demon-refining gourd—this treasure can collect all the demons in the world and refine them into blood.

A gourd for storing elixirs; this gourd is the Laojun Immortal Court ruler, to cultivate elixirs.

A gourd that slays immortals; this gourd belongs to the Dao Lord.

Zhang Xuezhou was unfamiliar with the first two, but he had undoubtedly come into contact with the latter.

If even a Daoist Lord, the ruler of Sacred Land, couldn't have a good ending, Zhang Xuezhou felt that very few people in the world could have one.

He immediately dismissed the ominous words spoken by the Holy Mother of Wudang, feeling that he must consult Daojun when the opportunity arises.

Of course, not asking for advice isn't a big problem, as long as he has enough Life-Creating Pills, the gourd pills won't affect Zhang Xuezhou.

"This is such a bad deal!"

He muttered to himself, realizing that if it weren't for the need to heal the Heaven and Earth Bridges, there would have been virtually no way he could have used the Life-Creating Pill to repair the damage caused by the Gourd Pill.

The effects of Huludan on the gastrointestinal tract are unknown, but for some reason, Zhang Xuezhou thought of the Thurlando, where the body is being manipulated.

"Fortunately, the gourd wasn't some giant moth or ferocious beast!"

He muttered a few words to himself, and only when Rong Tianding called out "cousin" a few times did Zhang Xuezhou quickly come to his senses.

"Let's go to the banquet together. We'll both broaden our horizons. To be honest, the cooking skills at the Marquis of Pingyang's residence aren't as good as my cousin's, but it's quite a treat to eat and drink here in this cold season, cooking over a fire... Hey, the weather's nice today!"

Zhang Xuezhou looked outside.

Twelve days have passed, but the weather is completely different now.

Winter has passed and spring has arrived. At this time, the weather is warm and the grass is growing. There are even flowers blooming in the Pingyang Marquis's residence.

The bright sunshine seemed to sweep away all the gloom, and Zhang Xuezhou felt a sense of relief and comfort at retiring due to illness.

He not only obtained a Life-Creating Pill, but he also gained information that was extremely important to him.

This kind of elixir will obviously become something he desperately needs, whether it's to treat the damage to the Heaven and Earth Bridges or to eliminate future troubles if he needs the gourd elixir in the future.

"I should look for Jinxia Yuanjun in the future and try to interact with her more!"

Marquis Pingyang was not the one who refined the Life-Creating Pill; he obtained the pill by chance.

If we were to trace the source, Zhang Xuezhou believed that the Golden Cloud Primordial Sovereign of the Eastern Heavenly Gate Secret Realm might know about the elixirs, or even possess such elixirs.

"What a pity that my martial uncle has been driven away!"

Zhang Xuezhou pondered how to approach Jinxia Yuanjun, and couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. He had just driven Yao Yuanguang away, and now he would need Yao Yuanguang's help to enter the secret place of the Eastern Heavenly Gate of the Immortal Court.

However, Zhang Xuezhou, this nominal uncle, also had a very practical side: he valued personal gain over relationships.

Even if Zhang Xuezhou cursed Yao Yuanguang a few times to his face, calling him an "old dog," as long as he could subsequently offer the benefits Yao Yuanguang needed in exchange, his senior apprentice would definitely cooperate with a smile on his face.

"I'll have to give my martial uncle a gift later!"

After thinking it through, Zhang Xuezhou wasn't in a hurry.

As long as Yao Yuanguang continues to cause trouble in the lower realm, he might need something from him someday and come to him on his own initiative, without Zhang Xuezhou having to ask someone for help.

This method is too passive and waits for opportunities to come, but it is still much better than searching everywhere.

"Besides, if my luck turns around, who knows, a Life-Creating Pill might just be delivered to my door!"

Zhang Xuezhou indulged in daydreams for quite a while.

He actually had the small capital to indulge in delusions. If he could find an opportunity to cultivate his luck, not only would his fortunes flourish, but he would at least be less likely to suffer a life of wandering.

As long as the new emperor doesn't discover this and cause conflict, everything will be fine.

It's not impossible that I might win a big prize someday.