A Courteous Visit
"That young, old Daoist priest is incredibly powerful!"
In Anle Palace, the Empress Dowager's spirit returned to its rightful place.
When her physical senses returned, the Empress Dowager only felt that her skeletal structure had become disordered.
When Divine Lord Zhenyuan struck her with that fan, her Yang Soul was affected, resulting in a discrepancy between her Yang Soul and her physical body.
Her body trembled violently for several seconds before stopping, allowing her yang spirit to return to its stable position.
"His ability to destroy outer walls clearly incorporates martial arts, while his ability to strike my Yang Soul incorporates incantations. Yet, he uses his sleeve to perform the spell; his power is truly bizarre!"
Recalling Divine Lord Zhenyuan's fan attack, the Empress Dowager felt that the opponent's methods were difficult to counter.
This is not a pure technique, but a combination of too many abilities. For cultivators who specialize in Technique Method or martial arts, the opponent always has a skill that is difficult to defend against, thus making them vulnerable to being restrained by the opponent's move.
One must possess both martial arts and Technique Method abilities, or have Law Treasure to stabilize one's soul and protect oneself, or have cultivation and Law Power exceeding that of Divine Lord Zhenyuan, in order to possibly break through the opponent's methods.
The Empress Dowager did not meet any of these three conditions at the time, and if the other party had taken drastic measures, she might very well have been spared.
Having ruled Anle Palace for many years, this was the first time the Empress Dowager felt that her fate was no longer in her own hands.
"I need the 'Ten Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains Map' to stabilize my spirit, and the 'River Map' to protect my body, before I can activate the Nine Dragon Cauldron and be qualified to fight against it!"
If the Empress Dowager is outmatched by her opponent and animosity develops between them, she can only rely on treasures to strengthen herself.
"What if he also possesses Law Treasure?"
If this opponent is limited to magic, the Empress Dowager still has a chance to break through. However, with the addition of the powerful cultivators in Chang'an City attacking, even such experts can become victims of her blade.
However, if such an opponent is not only skilled in magic but also possesses treasures or the ability to quickly escape the fighting range, their strength may be unpredictable, or they may become entangled in a difficult battle.
The Empress Dowager pondered this and realized that she was helpless against this powerful cultivator whose background was so difficult to ascertain.
If it were twenty years earlier, she would have joined forces with Emperor Jing and others to test their skills and let them know the rules of Chang'an City. But now, she has lost all ambition.
The Empress Dowager was old, while the new emperor was young. The Great Han Dynasty, with its old and young emperors, was in a precarious state, which also made the Empress Dowager lose all hope.
"Piao'er, a powerful cultivator has arrived at Dongfang Shuo's residence. Go personally to deliver a gift to him as a good host, and don't neglect him!"
As many thoughts faded, the Empress Dowager was left only with kindness and friendliness.
She summoned Madam Dou to take charge, and Madam Dou came upon hearing the call, her face still showing a hint of disbelief.
Princess Dou was well aware of the meaning behind the Empress Dowager's statement.
If this wasn't a well-known high-ranking cultivator, the Empress Dowager's words would be seen as a sign of submission and weakness. This would prove that the cultivator's strength surpassed that of the Empress Dowager, making her feel that even with the advantages of Chang'an City, it would be difficult or even counterproductive to target him. That's why she sent the Empress Dowager to visit him personally.
"Where did Dongfang Shuo get this kind of relationship?" Princess Dou asked.
Princess Dou was no stranger to Zhang Xuezhou. She had not only met Zhang Xuezhou several times, but she had also participated in discussions regarding Zhang Xuezhou's position as Grand Master of the Palace.
Princess Dou knew Zhang Xuezhou well, but she found it hard to understand why the Zhang family had such a powerful cultivator.
It's rare for a golden phoenix to emerge from a remote mountain village. Great cultivators either seek out blessed lands for health preservation or occupy high positions of power; it's impossible for them to live in a mansion in Chang'an City.
"Either Dongfang Shuo has powerful backers, or he is skilled at making Dongfang Shuo and has a discerning eye, which is why he attracted such a great cultivator," the Empress Dowager said after pondering.
"Someone with his physique has the power to protect him?"
Princess Dou denied it in disbelief.
Zhang Xuezhou's resume is verifiable. He is not highly skilled in cultivation and is also ill. Princess Dou thinks that any powerful family that takes a liking to Zhang Xuezhou is simply blind. Only a young emperor would consider someone like Zhang Xuezhou a treasure.
"If he doesn't have powerful backers, then he must be very good at dealing with powerful cultivators," the Empress Dowager said in a deep voice. "Don't forget how Master Li was invited here!"
"That young master Li..."
"Master Li is a capable person, but he has lacked good fortune and fallen from grace, which is why he is in his current situation. You must not be disrespectful to Master Li. Moreover, I have observed that Master Li and that great cultivator have become quite close in a short period of time, which means he must have gained the other party's approval!"
The Empress Dowager had great faith in Li Shaojun and regarded him as her lifeline.
Princess Dou felt a strange sensation towards Li Shaojun, sensing that he was being deliberately mysterious, though she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was.
After the Empress Dowager gave her a warning, Princess Dou immediately put away all her thoughts.
"Then tomorrow I will prepare some fine wine, meat, silk robes, and other delicacies and go to Dongfang Shuo's residence to pay him a visit. If he is interested, we will then host a banquet in his honor!"
Princess Dou agreed to the matter and made some arrangements.
This arrangement greatly pleased the Empress Dowager.
The amount of the gift is not the point; the point is to let the other party see the attitude of Chang'an City, and thus gain their attitude in return.
"Please be sure to pay attention to etiquette!"
As Princess Dou rose, the Empress Dowager couldn't help but offer a word of advice.
"Knew!"
Princess Dou bowed slightly, then strode out of the main hall with great speed.
"The stench emanating from Mother has intensified. Li Shaojun hasn't healed Mother's injuries at all; instead, he's made them worse. What's the point of treating her with courtesy?"
Princess Dou frowned.
She wouldn't mind paying a personal visit, but she felt that the Empress Dowager was already seriously ill, and associating with any great cultivator would be of no use.
Thinking of the collapse of Anle Palace, she couldn't help but feel a little uneasy, unsure whether she would be able to succeed the Empress Dowager in the future.
In terms of prestige, Lady Dou was slightly inferior; in terms of strength, Lady Dou was also slightly inferior.
This difference is not noticeable under normal circumstances, but it becomes crucial when there is an urgent need.
Princess Dou's only advantage at the moment was that the current empress was her daughter. With this relationship, even the empress dowager could only address her as a sister.
"The Empress Dowager's Lineage has three members enfeoffed as marquises, four as kings, and three as princesses. Her Lineage's power is expanding rapidly. If I join forces with her, we should be able to hold out until our foundation is solid!"
After a brief moment of contemplation, Princess Dou initially intended to return to her palace to await the next day's visit, but then turned towards the Changxin Palace where the Empress Dowager resided.
As two closely connected parties, she would obviously share any information with the Empress Dowager, which would facilitate discussions and decisions between them.
There was plenty of time at the moment, and the unexpected arrival of this top-tier cultivator in Chang'an City was clearly something both sides should discuss together.
With a flick of her sleeve, her body lifted two feet off the ground, and then she floated and drifted through the palace, flying towards Changxin Palace.