Fortune Artifact
So that's how "Honglie" should be read!
Zhang Xuezhou didn't know if the King of Huainan was beautiful and kind-hearted or had suddenly gone mad, but he actually started preaching in the Jiazi room.
The method the other party was referring to was the Honglie Yun Technique.
Like peeling back layers of an onion, the King of Huainan chose to explain his story using extremely simple and easy-to-understand principles.
This is far better than Zhang Xuezhou's previous readings of obscure and difficult-to-understand books such as "Zaiyou," and it is also more detailed than Dong Zhongshu's explanations.
If an ordinary person were to listen to lectures, it would be fine, as it would only allow them to get a general understanding of the techniques. But Zhang Xuezhou's accumulated knowledge was so rich; he had prepared a great deal of content, and all he needed was someone like the King of Huainan to summarize and enlighten him.
Once one method is mastered, all methods become clear. Zhang Xuezhou felt that after the explanation by the King of Huainan, he had a thorough understanding of many of the related techniques he had previously studied.
No different from the fortune-telling techniques that Zhang Xuezhou and Dong Zhongshu had previously sought, the fortune-telling techniques of the King of Huainan were also predatory, sharing the fortune of the Great Han Dynasty with the emperor. However, compared to what they had previously guessed, the fortune-telling techniques of the King of Huainan had more of an integration aspect, which made the conflict between the fortune-telling techniques and the emperor's fortune-telling techniques less obvious.
As if adding softness to force, the King of Huainan's tactics became more circuitous and more concealed.
Zhang Xuezhou felt that this would likely make the conflict between his techniques and the new emperor less obvious.
He sighed, which made the King of Huainan shrug.
This was the content he had preached to many first-class retainers once, and he didn't mind repeating it again.
This was a relaxed tour, and he was also willing to help this unlucky fellow this once, so that the other party wouldn't have come to Wenying Pavilion three times only to end up empty-handed.
In the philosophy of fortune telling, this is undoubtedly about encountering a benefactor to change one's luck.
As long as the investment brings returns, the King of Huainan is happy to be this benefactor.
Even if he has to give up just a little, it's a worthwhile investment.
After his explanation, the King of Huainan touched the jade pendant and took it out of his sleeve.
"This is an item I use to improve my luck and fortune. Wearing it will give you the protection of me, and you will gain unparalleled luck-enhancing abilities," said the King of Huainan.
"Is this the energy vessel mentioned in 'Honglie' for cultivating fortune?" Zhang Xuezhou exclaimed in surprise.
Those who practice martial arts use swords and knives as weapons, those who practice Technique Method have staffs and Law Treasure, and those who practice cultivation techniques also have items for cultivating their cultivation.
However, there are few people who can cultivate their luck, and even fewer who can cultivate their luck.
Since his debut, Zhang Xuezhou has only ever seen the battle formation flags used by the Liang King and the Chixiao Sword summoned by the Emperor Jing, which can be inserted into battle formations.
Apart from that, Zhang Xuezhou had no other insights.
He was genuinely surprised to see the King of Huainan take out a weapon and even prepare to give it to him.
"Not bad," the King of Huainan nodded. "With this item protecting you, even if your cultivation technique is inadequate, you will still be enveloped by good fortune. If you can successfully cultivate your fortune using this artifact, that would be even better, as it will definitely benefit you in changing your fate."
The King of Huainan didn't make any promises or take on any major commitments at this time, lest the other party end up with nothing and come complaining to him later.
Not every practitioner of the art of cultivation needs a cultivation artifact. The process of cultivating the art of cultivation for many first-class guest elders in Huainan differs from that of Zhang Xuezhou.
The reason for this is that many of the top-ranking retainers were led by the Prince of King of Huainan, and had even been under his protection for a long time, so there was some connection between them in the the Unseen. The King of Huainan was also willing to share the same fate with these people and advance and retreat in sync.
Being able to share life and death with the King of Huainan naturally makes him worthy of being nurtured by the King of Huainan.
These first-class guest retainers were either exceptionally talented, remarkably gifted, possessed extremely high cultivation levels, or had extraordinary abilities; they were truly outstanding individuals in their respective regions.
Although Zhang Xuezhou had some good luck, he was still far from meeting the standards of the King of Huainan.
Moreover, this guy's fate of "losing everything" is too terrible, and the King of King of Huainan has no intention of accepting such a person into the Huainan community.
Of course, Zhang Xuezhou's status as a court official also had some influence.
The distance that the teleportation technique can cover is extremely long, and he has the ability to retrieve the teleportation device he lent to Zhang Xuezhou, so he is not afraid of losing it.
Considering all these factors, it's not surprising that the King of Huainan preferred to allow the other party to use his own transport equipment.
As long as the other party has some good luck and can convey his goodwill towards Yao Yuanguang, the King of Huainan feels that he will not lose anything.
"This item embodies Your Majesty's fortune and is a rare artifact mentioned in the 'Honglie'. Your Majesty's kindness to me is truly immeasurable," Zhang Xuezhou said gratefully.
Zhang Xuezhou's gratitude was genuine.
It's like he's holding twenty strings of cash, ready to buy a bungalow at the Ministry of Revenue, when suddenly a big shot runs up and says, 'Young man, I think you're quite pleasing to the eye; I'll give you a free mansion to live in.' It's the same thing.
Zhang Xuezhou never expected to have such an encounter in the Wenying Pavilion's Jiazi Room, which only made him appreciate the preciousness of the help he received from a benefactor.
He had examined the jade pendant and noticed that the dragon pattern was exactly the same as the dragon that the King of Huainan had transformed into during the battle. He knew that this was the opponent's personal weapon.
Having weapons in hand is like having extra weapons when you're empty-handed; it will definitely be more beneficial in combat.
Of course, Zhang Xuezhou had no intention of fighting, and he had no use for the jade pendant at this time, unless he went to Fengxize again to provoke Emperor Gaozu.
The thought of this possibility made Zhang Xuezhou somewhat tempted.
Besides, the greatest use of this artifact is to protect the fortune of the King of Huainan. If one can perceive the path of fortune through it, one will have entered the path of fortune cultivation.
As a personal item, the cultivation artifact has a nourishing and promoting effect on cultivators who have already embarked on the path of cultivation, similar to the effect of wearing a spiritual jade close to the body.
"It's good that you know," the King of Huainan said with a smile, stroking his beard.
"If I see Yao Yuanguang again, I will certainly praise Your Majesty's good name to him and convey Your Majesty's goodwill to him," Zhang Xuezhou assured him.
"You really are a smart person!"
The King of Huainan nodded, but didn't aloud the thought, "He was just a little unlucky."
He felt that if he lent Zhang Xuezhou the weapon at this time, the other party might return empty-handed despite having a treasure mountain in hand. The King of Huainan was hoping that his luck could support the other party until they sent Yao Yuanguang over.
"By the way, isn't Yao Yuanguang quite old?"
The King of Huainan suddenly remembered something and couldn't help but ask again.
"Don't worry, he's in perfect health," Zhang Xuezhou said. "He even got his hands on a longevity pill, claiming that taking it would extend his lifespan by twenty years. I don't know if he's bragging or if it's true, but he's doing quite well!"
"An elixir of immortality!"
The King of Huainan uttered a sound of envy.
No one desires a long life, and he had previously sought longevity elixirs from the Yin-Yang School.
The longevity pills of the Yin-Yang School have health benefits, but no one knows for sure whether they can truly extend lifespan.
The elixir Zhang Xuezhou was referring to now had the word "gold" added to it, making its effects more precious, and even claiming a specific effect lasting twenty years.
Zhang Xuezhou might not know, but the King of Huainan knew all too well.
The Taiyi Palace, where Yao Yuanguang took Zhang Xuezhou, was a secret place of the Immortal Court, and the longevity elixir that the other party obtained must have been obtained from the Immortal Court.
This is also a tactic used by the Immortal Court against the mortal court; the older the person, the more easily they succumb to the influence of the longevity elixir.
The King of Huainan was no exception; he kept thinking about it, clearly longing for the elixir of immortality.
If a genuine longevity elixir could be found, and its medicinal properties studied, the necessary ingredients and refining methods could be deduced. With the resources of Huainan, it would surely be able to produce a large quantity, and everyone in Huainan would enjoy longevity.