A Favor

The Holy Mother of Wudang only traveled around the vicinity of Chang'an City and had limited knowledge of information about other places.

Pilan, on the other hand, had no fixed abode and could obtain various kinds of information by wandering around.

The information that the Holy Mother of Wudang wanted to know, while Pilan coveted the secret place and power of the Holy Mother of Wudang and had always sought her protection; the two were a perfect match.

After a long, rapid-fire explanation, Pilan recounted a whole host of events.

"The Rain-Controlling Dragon God Ao Li is indeed qualified to be the material for the Golden Dragon Scissors Law Treasure weapon. Unfortunately, Ao Li is the only one qualified at the moment, and the Golden Dragon Scissors require the training of two dragons to be fully formed!"

The Holy Mother of Wudang murmured softly, and Zhang Xuezhou couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart.

Many people may seem to have extraordinary abilities and hold high positions, but they are often powerless to control their own lives.

For Ao Li, the weak coveted dragon saliva, those of similar strength dreamed of drinking blood and eating flesh, and those whose strength surpassed his even more regarded Ao Li as a meal, or even as a potential Law Treasure artifact.

The seemingly casual, whispered narration of the Virgin Mary clearly indicates that this event had already occurred and was not merely a matter of inaction.

"That Crimson Sky Sword can kill more than just dragons; the Three Realms are likely to be plunged into chaos once again!"

Ao Li's search for the Crimson Cloud Sword was not a secret to the Holy Mother of Wudang, since she lived near Chang'an City and had already learned of the news about the Crimson Cloud Sword circulating in the palace.

The Crimson Sky Sword not only slays dragons, but even the Holy Mother of Wudang is wary of it.

"Ladies, what exactly is that Crimson Sky Sword?" Pilan asked.

"That sword..." The Holy Mother of Wudang pondered for a few seconds before saying, "The Crimson Sky Sword might be the sword of the new Human Emperor, a divine weapon like the Xuanyuan Sword!"

"Wasn't the Xuanyuan Sword already broken?" Pilan asked curiously. "I remember you used to say that this kind of treasure was unique in the world, and it was impossible for a second one to be created!"

"Who can truly understand the affairs of this world?" The Holy Mother of Wudang shook her head and said, "You should stay away from that sword in the future. If you were to be cleaved in two by that sword, you wouldn't have enough bird heads to go around!"

"I only have one head!"

Pilan replied sullenly.

She had previously noticed that Ao Li seemed anxious and somewhat willing to back down, but at that time, Pi Lan didn't take it seriously.

When the Holy Mother of Wudang reminded her, she couldn't help but feel more fearful, realizing that she couldn't fly around Chang'an City recklessly.

"It's a pity that the Emperor's Sword is not something an ordinary person can use, otherwise I would have risked my life to steal it and kill Zhu Shiyin!"

After Pilan suppressed his desires, some delusions returned, prompting the Holy Mother of Wudang to pat Pilan on the shoulder and then point to Zhang Xuezhou not far away.

"It takes real guts for you to have such thoughts in front of officials of the Great Han Dynasty. If that sword is lost, you'll be the first one they look for," the Holy Mother of Wudang warned.

"Oh my, how come you're an official in the Great Han Dynasty?" Pilan asked in surprise.

"I Struggle for more than ten years to finally obtain the title of Academician in the Great Han Dynasty, and I was only a waiting-for-order Academician, which is hardly an official position," Zhang Xuezhou said, waving his hands repeatedly.

"What is a scholar-official awaiting imperial summons?" Pilan asked.

"They're just reserve officials; they don't get any of the benefits, but when something bad happens, these waiting-to-be-summoned officials are used to fill in!"

The Holy Mother of Wudang gave a simple explanation, which made Zhang Xuezhou feel equally uneasy.

As a backup candidate for an official position in the Great Han Dynasty, Zhang Xuezhou was still quite fortunate to have finally squeezed into the system.

But after hearing what the "Mother of No-Dang" said, Zhang Xuezhou felt like he was being completely taken advantage of.

If he hadn't been seeking 'luck', he would have been among those who fared the worst.

"Pilan said you're Yao Yuanguang's junior disciple?" Wudang Shengmu asked with interest, "Is that true or false?"

"If I said it was fake, you definitely wouldn't believe me, but if I said it was true, I didn't sense any special connection," Zhang Xuezhou said, spreading his hands. "I was just staying at the inn that day when Yao Yuanguang suddenly teleported over and called me his junior disciple. Just like that, I became his junior disciple, and that's how I started having some dealings with him!"

"Then he's gone a bit too far," said the Holy Mother of Wudang.

Zhang Xuezhou didn't seem to be lying, and this relationship was something that even the most naive and self-righteous person like Wudang Shengmu couldn't bring themselves to criticize.

"Do you know what Yao Yuanguang wants to do by coming to my place?" asked the Holy Mother of Wudang.

"I just rushed over from Jiangdu, and I've only exchanged a few words with him. How would I know what he's up to?" Zhang Xuezhou shook his head repeatedly. "If Pi Lan hadn't told me, I wouldn't even know where Master Yao was."

"This man is skilled in physiognomy and shrewd in calculation; being targeted by him is not a good thing," said the Holy Mother Wudang. "Since he has recognized you as his nephew, if you encounter Yao Yuanguang again, you might as well inquire about him for me."

"No problem!"

Zhang Xuezhou nodded in agreement.

His straightforward manner earned him a nod from the Holy Mother of Wudang, but upon further reflection, she realized that he was merely being polite.

Because the Emperor could not seek justice for him, Pilan did not want to return to Kunlun Sacred Land. He also could not make a living in Xieluosi River Holy Land, which had nurtured Zhu Shiyin. Homeless, he wanted to stay with the Holy Mother of Wudang or seek her care, but Zhang Xuezhou had no such need.

The Holy Mother of Wudang dared to ask, and Zhang Xuezhou dared to agree, but whether or not they would actually do the work was another matter entirely.

If Wudang Shengmu were to exchange Zhang Xuezhou's needs for something, Wudang Shengmu really wouldn't have anything to offer.

It's unlikely that the Holy Mother of Wudang would pay a heavy price, since she's currently only on guard and far from being in danger.

The group chatted amiably for a while, but it was all for naught.

As usual, Pilan could not reside in the secret place, Zhang Xuezhou could not work, and the Holy Mother of Wudang did not obtain the information she wanted.

"To be honest, I would welcome you to wash away your worldly dust," the Holy Mother of Wudang gently reminded him.

"Thank you," Zhang Xuezhou said, clasping his hands in thanks. "If I ever fall into a state where I need to cleanse myself of bad luck again, I will come back to ask you for help then!"

The giant cauldron can wash away impurities and has remarkable effects, but Zhang Xuezhou has already embarked on the path of cultivating his fortune, so it's unlikely that he'll end up being useless at everything.

In other words, the giant cauldron's cleansing power would have almost no effect on Zhang Xuezhou, and the same principle could be applied to Dong Zhongshu.

As long as they improve their luck, they will follow that luck and will find it difficult to decline and fall into misfortune everywhere.

The only risk for Zhang Xuezhou and his group in cultivating their abilities is conflict with the new emperor, the King of Huainan, and others, followed by an assassination attempt using their abilities.

If he were to fall into such a miserable situation, Zhang Xuezhou felt that the giant cauldron would be of no use.

"Do you have any other needs right now?" the Holy Mother of Wudang asked simply and directly.

Compared to the others, Zhang Xuezhou was clearly more suited to approach Yao Yuanguang and was very likely to find out Yao Yuanguang's true purpose for coming here.

Since others had come knocking on her door, the Holy Mother of Wudang felt she couldn't turn a blind eye.

In the eyes of the Holy Mother of Wudang, the fortune teller was a monk who schemed and manipulated fate.

She also didn't want to meet Yao Yuanguang, lest this fortune teller seize on some oversight and cause her to have no peace in the future.

This kind of thing can be left to Zhang Xuezhou; it's worth it even if it comes at a small price.

It's a pity you can't travel far!

Zhang Xuezhou sighed with regret.

If he could make an exchange with the Holy Mother of Wudang, he would certainly invite her to rescue the other Zhang Household Village people who were imprisoned in Huai'an.

However, he had known for a long time that the Holy Mother of Wudang's activities were confined to the vicinity of Chang'an City.

Even with Pilan's repeated pleas, the Holy Mother of Wudang only agreed that Pilan could lure Zhu Shiyin nearby before she would take action.

If his needs cannot be met, Zhang Xuezhou doesn't really have any need for the Holy Mother of Wudang at the moment.

However, Zhang Xuezhou did agree to the request of the Holy Mother of Wudang.

"I'll take care of it for you. Just remember you owe me a favor. I'll ask you for help again when I need it," Zhang Xuezhou said, then added, "What I ask for will definitely be within your capabilities; I won't deliberately make things difficult for you!"

"Can!"

The Holy Mother of Wudang dislikes owing favors to others.

Zhang Xuezhou had no immediate needs, but she had something to ask of the other party, so she could only agree to the matter for the time being.

Having exchanged views with Zhang Xuezhou several times and witnessed him truly saving Wei Zhang Xuezhou, the Holy Mother of Wudang had an extremely good impression of Zhang Xuezhou.

Although human lifespan is short and the brilliance of the moment only lasts for a short time, Zhang Xuezhou and others are undoubtedly outstanding talents worthy of our attention.

This even prompted the Holy Mother of Wudang to offer a reminder.

No matter how talented or cunning one may be, or even possess unparalleled strength and power, it all comes to nothing with the passage of time.

True cultivators not only need to pursue individual strength, but also need to plan for the future, striving for longevity and increasing their chances of making mistakes.

The words of the Holy Mother of Wudang brought a slight bitterness to Zhang Xuezhou's heart.

Having seen ordinary people as well as long-lived lords of Sacred Land such as Dao Lords and Emperors, Zhang Xuezhou was not without experience.

But they are people who are in dire need of help, and their lives are as fleeting as a mayfly's, so they cannot seek immortality. They can only make the most of their time to create a spectacular display.

Only a large enough firework can illuminate his path.