Dragon Essence

If Zhang Xuezhou were to arrive in Bashu, he would visit Prefect Wen Weng and also check on the Zhao family to try and collect the payment they owed him.

However, Zhang Xuezhou was preoccupied with other matters and was being urged by Bi Lan, which forced him to return to Jiangdu.

"Chang'an City is over there!"

"I just came out of the Rain God's water palace after drinking. I'm so drunk I'm flying around like a madman. I need to go there before I can get justice for you!"

"The Great Dragon God of Rain, Ao Li, wasn't he always giving birth in the Jing River Water Palace? How did he end up in Jiangdu?"

"Jinghe Water Mansion?"

Either you can't find a single water palace, or water palaces appear one after another.

At Duozuo Pilan's place, Zhang Xuezhou obtained information about another water palace.

For some, the Han Dynasty had no idea which prefectures and counties it comprised, and a river within its vast territory was even less known.

However, the Jing River is a rather exceptional river.

This is a major river near Chang'an City, and a very important one at that.

Zhang Xuezhou had not investigated the source of the Jing River, but he knew that the Jing River flowed into the Wei River near Chang'an City, creating a distinct confluence of the two rivers near the Chang'an City.

Zhang Xuezhou never expected that so many people were chasing after the dragon, only to find that the dragon was actually near Chang'an City.

"It can be large or small, rise or hide; when large, it stirs up clouds and mists; when small, it conceals its form; when rising, it soars through the universe; when hiding, it lies dormant within the waves!"

Thinking of the Dragon King who transformed into a small dragon and flew away after escaping the water prison, the enormous blue dragon with a demonic body that he saw high in the sky, and then to Ao Li and other dragons, Zhang Xuezhou had to admit that discovering the dragon race was indeed a difficult task.

If one is not in the relevant circle, it is almost impossible for ordinary people to see a dragon, even for feudal lords and emperors.

"We can't get into his Jinghe Water Palace. I really envy you for knowing the Great Dragon God," Pilan said enviously. "He's the most powerful Dragon King in the last hundred years, and he was even personally appointed by the Great Heavenly Venerable. If I could get the Great Dragon God's dragon saliva, my Thousand Flower Dew would definitely taste amazing!"

"Dragon's saliva?" Zhang Xuezhou thought for a moment, his teeth aching as he spat out the saliva. "What wonderful use is the Great Dragon God's dragon's saliva? Isn't this just his saliva? Are we begging for his saliva to drink?"

"That's different," Pilan said. "Dragon saliva is different from dragon's saliva. Dragon saliva is what a dragon spews when its essence is full. Its effects are second only to dragon blood, and the benefits of consuming it are enormous. Some aquatic creatures might even transform into sub-dragons after taking a sip!"

"I see!"

"Dragons are particularly vengeful. If we take their blood, we'll almost certainly face relentless pursuit from their vengeful spirits. Moreover, the entire dragon race from all corners Five Lakes the world will come after us. If we can't get their blood, we'll be lucky to get some dragon saliva. Unfortunately, dragon saliva is also hard to come by, and the saliva of those sub-dragons has limited uses."

Pilan was clearly extremely envious of the superior ambergris.

"If we just catch some in a basin while they're asleep, it'll be the most coveted ambergris in the world," said Pilan. "You know the Great Dragon God; could you help me get a little bit of the ambergris he doesn't want?"

"No problem!"

Zhang Xuezhou readily agreed.

"You know about ambergris, but have you ever heard of dragon pearls?" Zhang Xuezhou asked.

Compared to the information heard from the Four Dragon Kings and Ao Li, the situation described by Pilan was clearly different.

This is similar to the situation where the darkness is under the lamp; what is commonplace for dragon kings like Ao Li has a different impact on other humans and living beings.

For example, Ao Li brought them ambergris to sober them up.

This could also involve the Dragon Ball that Ao Li used to save people.

"Dragon Balls are what derive from Dragon Essence," Pilan said. "They're like our demon cores; you can think of them as the demon cores of dragons!"

"You mean to say that Dragon Essence is Demon Power?" Zhang Xuezhou asked doubtfully.

"They call it Dragon Essence, but it's not wrong to call it Demon Power," Pilan nodded, "It's just that Dragon Essence is a bit more special than ordinary Demon Power!"

"What makes it special?"

"Dragon essence can cure diseases and save lives, something our Demon Power can't do!"

Although both are born as demons, the dragon race has many unique characteristics.

This is probably a comparison between radish spirit and ginseng spirit; their innate conditions leave them helpless.

Pi Lan's reminder clarified some of the circumstances for Zhang Xuezhou.

Not only did his own Demon Power surge, but he also received the Demon Power of a dragon.

The dragon pearl stuffed into his mouth did not belong to Ao Li, but was something Ao Li had taken from the Four Seas Dragon Kings for his own cultivation and healing. Its level was likely higher than Ao Li's.

This made Zhang Xuezhou gasp, realizing that completely eliminating the influence of Demon Power would likely be difficult. Even if he exhausted all the Demon Power within him, the restored Demon Power would still cause some trouble.

This is equivalent to the Venerable Zhu Jiuyin creating a Yang Soul incarnation within Zhang Xuezhou's body, except that the Dragon Pearl affects the Demon Power within him and even helps him transform into Golden Wings.

With the help of Pi Lan, Zhang Xuezhou combined the information he had gradually gathered and roughly figured out his physical condition.

This gave him a jolt of surprise. He felt incredibly lucky, but it seemed no one had considered whether he could handle it before forcing it upon him.

His only advantage right now is probably that he has developed golden wings and can fly extremely far.

Just like the Yang Soul Incarnation that the Venerable One forcibly bestowed upon him, as long as he can use it, the benefits it brings far exceed the abilities that someone of the same cultivation level could possess.

However, such a mixture will inevitably bring future problems.

Zhang Xuezhou felt that his head had been almost completely destroyed. Not only had the Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon caused trouble in his mind, but the Venerable One had also marked it with the Great Wilderness Creation Scripture, and he had been operated on by Chunyu Tiying, and now he was suffering from the influence of the Dragon Essence.

Each of these situations was beyond Zhang Xuezhou's control; he was not only unable to prevent the events from happening, but he also lacked the ability to eliminate the corresponding consequences.

"Should I really go and have Yao Yuanguang tell my fortune?"

Considering his own physical condition, Zhang Xuezhou couldn't help but ask Yao Yuanguang for advice on what the way out might be.

"Have we arrived in Jiangdu yet?"

As a golden-winged half-demon with a speed of 500 miles per hour, Zhang Xuezhou returned to Jiangdu from Bashu in just over two hours.

Perhaps because his flight to Sichuan took a relatively long time, the sun had already Western Mountain and night had fallen.

Upon hearing Bi Lan's question, Zhang Xuezhou looked down from the sky and could still feel the vast darkness of the Gaoyou Lake, with scattered lights flickering in the river below.

"Has the King of Jiangdu sent out his troops?"

Only the King of Jiangdu could create such a commotion.

Thinking of Gongsun Hong who had escaped, Zhang Xuezhou felt that the reinforcements Gongsun Hong had brought had arrived.

However, King Jiangdu was facing Ao Li, the Great Dragon God of Rain. Fighting against a powerful figure at the level of a Sacred Land Lord, King Jiangdu would likely suffer some hardship.

"If we can allow the King of Jiangdu to search through a water palace in peace, and also give him some benefits, then it would be good for both of us!"

Thinking about how he hid the Golden Crow Great Emperor's feather in the Huai River Water Palace, thus satisfying the King of Huainan, Zhang Xuezhou felt that the same operation could be repeated in the Gaoyou Water Palace.

This would not only persuade the King of Jiangdu to cease hostilities and avoid conflict, but Zhang Xuezhou might also be able to successfully obtain 100,000 gold coins.

Whether or not this can be done only requires asking one question. If Ao Li agrees, then it will be done. If Ao Li disagrees, Zhang Xuezhou will go to find Lady Yourong, settle Lady Yourong and Zhang Changgong down, and then go to Chang'an City to find Yao Yuanguang to quickly complete some tasks.

As Ao Qing's new friend, he was relatively free to move around and would not be imprisoned for entering or leaving the Water Mansion.

Zhang Xuezhou thought for a moment, then stopped his forward leap and plunged headfirst down.