A chance encounter with Randeng

Zhang Xuezhou and Rong Tianding had previously traveled from Shouchun City back to Chang'an City; for most people, the long journey was simply a retracing of an old route.

Several years ago, Rong Tianding would make preparations before leaving the city, including preparing travel expenses and food. But several years later, they traveled thousands of miles without any equipment.

Whether it's his initial mastery of the Grain Avoidance Technique, the Grain Avoidance Powder Zhang Xuezhou had previously refined, or his robust body due to the Gluttonous Demon Power, all of these can provide him with powerful endurance.

This inevitably involved Rong Tianding being affected by the Demon Power, and he would need to replenish his energy with food afterwards.

The two carried official documents from the imperial court and traveled almost without any obstacles.

"Are the imperial court's fine horses inferior to our Technique Method horses?"

If the horses are not replaced, the imperial horses can only run about 300 li a day, which also takes into account the horses' rest, feeding and care.

Even if Zhang Xuezhou a horse normally, it would take him at least three days to reach Shouchun City, where he would stay for a while to rest and recuperate.

"The Technique Method horse can only be used in emergencies!"

Hearing Rong Tianding's complaint, Zhang Xuezhou shook his head.

The Technique Method horse is unaffected by terrain, light conditions, or the need for food or rest, making it an excellent Law Treasure for long-distance travel.

The only drawback of the Technique Method horse is its high manufacturing difficulty, making it a top-tier cultivator's most prized possession.

These treasures are used by powerful cultivators. Zhang Xuezhou's cultivation level was not high enough to use them, making it difficult to restore the sacrificial forms of Venerable Black Mountain and others. Secondly, he wanted to use these treasures as little as possible to reduce the possibility of attracting unwanted attention.

When traveling normally and having a mount, Zhang Xuezhou would not choose to travel by the black and white horses.

He responded to Rong Tianding, and his body was constantly making subtle adjustments to reduce the jolting caused by the galloping horse.

"My butt's been jostled so much!" Rong Tianding complained. "Cousin, do you think we can rely on flying to travel in the future?"

"A cultivator at the Divine Ability Realm who excels in flying can easily travel three to five hundred miles at a time," Zhang Xuezhou said. "If my Sole Self Realm, flying a thousand miles a day is no problem. If he can reach the True Self Realm, he can fly more than three thousand miles."

"That's what you call awesome!"

Rong Tianding beamed with joy.

Those who haven't experienced the harsh realities of cultivation usually yearn for the highest level, just like someone who has never won the lottery often dreams about how they would spend their winnings. Rong Tianding's thoughts were still extremely pure at this time, especially since he had seen countless powerful cultivators with Zhang Xuezhou, and he didn't have any particular reverence for them.

Zhang Xuezhou thought this mindset was also very good.

He jokingly remarked that Rong Tianding would surely reach a high level of cultivation in the future, and also mentioned some precautions for each stage of cultivation.

If it weren't for the difference in the schools of thought in cultivation, Zhang Xuezhou would have taught Rong Tianding almost entirely through oral instruction and personal guidance, imparting all his knowledge to Rong Tianding as long as Rong Tianding was able to learn it.

The journey wasn't boring; after Rong Tianding initially complained, he calmed down.

The two rode their horses for a day until they reached a river and stopped to rest and prepare to spend the night.

Finding water is the most important factor on the journey. Not only can it replenish the traveler's water supply, but there are also usually abundant aquatic plants near the water source, allowing the mount to eat and drink to its heart's content.

Zhang Xuezhou also grabbed a few fish.

The campfire was lit for the night, and the fish were grilled on a makeshift wooden rack.

Grilled fish lacking salt and seasoning tastes terrible and has a slightly fishy smell. Even someone like Zhang Xuezhou, who doesn't have any dietary restrictions, would find it unappetizing. However, when Rong Tianding's gluttonous Demon Power is activated, he doesn't care about food.

While roasting fish over the campfire, they kept turning the fish and complaining about the ingredients. The soft sounds approaching made Zhang Xuezhou's ears twitch, and his gaze then swept behind him.

When he realized that it wasn't some wild animal that had wandered in, but rather a person approaching the place, Zhang Xuezhou couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

But after a brief moment, Zhang Xuezhou's eyes narrowed slightly.

As the other person approached, Zhang Xuezhou could clearly see the old face.

As fate would have it, Zhang Xuezhou never expected to encounter the Daoist Ran Deng on his way to Shouchun City in Huainan.

This is a powerful cultivator who performed rituals to exorcise Sha Qi in Yangling. Zhang Xuezhou's soul was captured by Daoist Ran Deng, and he also heard Kong Anguo mention that the other party was buried in a tunnel and his fate was unknown.

Although Zhang Xuezhou didn't believe that a cultivator of this level would be crushed to death by the collapsed passage, he never expected to encounter Daoist Ran Zhang Xuezhou.

He watched the approaching Daoist Ran Deng, and could see a hint of dejection on the other's face.

It's rare for a top-tier cultivator to fall into poverty, but Daoist Ran Deng's life was indeed not easy during his period of bad luck.

He frowned, his wrinkled face clearly showing that he had suffered greatly.

The malevolent Sha Qi tormented the Empress Dowager to the point of near death was also unpleasant for Daoist Ran Deng, even though he possessed the Netherworld Sha Qi within the Coffin Lamp to dispel it.

Especially since he had been attacked with Law Treasure weapon, the thought of that tall, strong, and powerful man's punch landing silently yet sounding like a resounding bell filled the Burning Lamp Daoist with bitterness.

He had heard of an era in the Southern Jambudvipa Continent where cultivators surged forth in abundance, and geniuses emerged one after another—an era that even ancient cultivators avoided like the plague.

Among those figures from these centuries, Laozi (Li Er) and Confucius were the most outstanding, and some were even granted the title of "Sage".

Most people scoffed at these short-lived new saints, including Dipankara Buddha. Among them were Buddha and others who traveled east to explore the truth, and Laozi and others who went west.

The Daoist Ran Deng originally thought there was only one Li Er in the world, and that those ranked second and third were just there to make up the numbers.

He only realized the error in his thinking when faced with the situation.

Even if it's just a manifestation of his own power left behind, he still has the ability to contend with him.

If these prodigies were allowed to attain immortality, there would be no need for ancient cultivators like them in this world.

Encountering multiple factors such as Sha Qi, the manifestation of Sage Kong's Dharma body, and ground subsidence, and being located in the Southern Jambudvipa Continent, which is not his home territory, the Daoist Ran Deng's days were not easy.

He was puzzled by the repeated misfortunes that Tathagata encountered after coming to the Eastern Land. But after experiencing them firsthand, the Daoist Ran Deng felt that it was not surprising that something happened to Tathagata.

He dared not return to West Ox Hezhou for the time being, lest he be targeted. He also wanted to find the Buddha in the Eastern Land to join him, and he also wanted to resolve his physical pain.

Driven by numerous needs, the Daoist Ran Deng sought both the heavenly materials and earthly treasures to nourish his body.

The former is hard to find, and the latter is also difficult to find.

The Daoist Ran Deng had an exceptionally keen sense of smell for spiritual herbs spirit medicine. He wasn't attracted by the aroma of the grilled fish. After all, he was a great cultivator, and even in dire straits, he could still find food and drink.

He glanced at the grilled fish, then at the two tamed, tall horses, and finally at the two men by the campfire.

Rong Tianding wasn't the main point, but Zhang Xuezhou had a faint scent of potent medicine on him that confused his judgment.

Originally thinking he could find a good spirit medicine, Daoist Ran Deng never expected to find a spirited young man grilling fish.

He stared at Zhang Xuezhou for a few seconds before giving an uncertain shout.

"You cunning medicine spirit, you've even managed to eat fish after transforming into a human!"

The medicinal aura on Zhang Xuezhou was extremely faint, resembling the appearance of some top-grade medicinal herbs that had transformed into demons and then concealed their demonic Yao Qi. It was also like the residual aura left by someone who had not fully digested rare and heavenly materials and earthly treasures, or perhaps the person was carrying a powerful medicinal herb.

"Master Ran Deng is being unreasonable. Why is he shouting at us like that?"

Upon hearing the response, Daoist Ran Deng realized his luck was terrible; he had misjudged the situation again.

The other party was not only not a powerful medicine expert, but also recognized his identity; the official badge indicated that he was an official of the Great Han Dynasty.