Passing a Message
After the banquet, everyone went their separate ways, and Zhang Xuezhou didn't return to the Zhang residence until after dark.
His residence was indeed quite far from the important areas of the capital; without using any flying techniques, it would only take an hour by carriage.
"The Bone Illusion Array can make this statue useful, summoning yin winds and yin entities to harm enemies, but its power is somewhat diminished. I feel it won't be of much use to the Mystic Maiden..."
Divine Lord Zhenyuan temporarily put aside the matter of slapping Li Shaojun to death and discussed many things with Zhang Xuezhou, all of which involved formations.
The communication between the array formations ceased only after the two returned to their residence.
"Cousin, cousin!"
Zhang Xuezhou glanced around and sensed a faint feeling of being watched from above the house.
He ignored the Empress Dowager's spying and instead loudly called out to Rong Tianding from the neighboring house.
Divine Lord Zhenyuan returned to the Marquis's residence to await Zhang Xuezhou's awakening. Without Divine Lord Zhenyuan's help, Li Shaojun did not wish to participate in the banquet today, Rong Tianding, who was in charge of helping, also returned to the residence.
Zhang Xuezhou brought back a bronze stove, which had a good chance of being suitable for Rong Tianding, and he handed it over directly.
"Why are you so late coming home, child? You're not well; what if you've fallen asleep on the way?"
Zhang Xuezhou's role in the family is extremely peculiar.
Limited by the fortuitous opportunity provided by Lady Yourong and Zhang Zhong, as well as their cultural level and Zhang Xuezhou's own limited abilities, Zhang Xuezhou was indeed unable to help his family break through to higher cultivation levels. Even Rong Tianding, who constantly took care of Zhang Xuezhou, was essentially relying on his own efforts to improve himself.
Lacking formal training, Lady Yourong and Zhang Zhong could only become experts among ordinary people.
Of course, becoming a cultivator isn't anything special. Cultivators simply possess more powerful abilities than ordinary people, but they don't extend their lifespan through normal cultivation.
After Zhang Xuezhou finished Rong Tianding, Lady Yourong had heard the noise, came out from the side room, followed by Zhang Zhong.
Looking at their graying hair, and recalling the lifespan Li Shaojun had relayed, Zhang Xuezhou pursed his lips slightly.
Cultivation is not advisable, and the art of destiny is difficult to master. If one does not wish to see these parents die before them, then the elixir of longevity is indeed the only option at present.
As for twenty or thirty years from now, if Zhang Xuezhou has overcome the difficulties by then, that will be a different pursuit. If Zhang Xuezhou is defeated by the Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon, then Zhang Xuezhou will have no way to care anymore.
"Leaving aside my duty as a child, the successive deaths of my parents will inevitably upset me and shake my State of Mind, perhaps leaving a negative impact that will affect my battle against the Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon!"
A thought flashed through Zhang Xuezhou's mind, and he felt that going to the Immortal Court with Li Shaojun had become a necessity.
He doesn't care about what happens after he dies, and he can't care about anything else after he dies. Whether his life is extended by three or five years, or ten or eight years, or even twenty or forty years, as long as it exceeds the time Zhang Xuezhou observes of himself in the river of time, that's enough.
"Thanks to Master Zhenyuan taking care of me," Zhang Xuezhou laughed. "Zhenyuan is highly skilled; no matter where he takes me, nothing will happen. We even brought back a treasure for my cousin!"
"Daoist priests are all capable people!"
Lady Yourong couldn't control Zhang Xuezhou; she only offered words of agreement.
From the time she arrived in Huainan, Lady Yourong knew very well that Zhang Xuezhou was no ordinary person, and it was difficult for her and Zhang Zhong to get involved in Zhang Xuezhou's affairs.
As parents, they couldn't help Zhang Xuezhou, but with the Lady Yourong and others around, they certainly wouldn't hold him back.
They would not object to anything Zhang Xuezhou agreed with, and Zhang Xuezhou no longer needed to worry about the lives of the many people in Zhang Household Village. Many obstacles were constantly being eliminated.
"Madam, you flatter me. Zhenyuan has only come to Chang'an City by chance and will soon be heading west. He will not stay in Chang'an City for long and will not disturb Dongfang Shuo's life!"
Zhang Xuezhou could sense the Empress Dowager high in the sky, and Divine Lord Zhenyuan was no exception.
After spending several days together, and with reminders from Zhang Xuezhou and Li Shaojun, he was able to respond more prudently, so as to avoid the occasional spying from this mistress of Chang'an City, which would cause Zhang Xuezhou further trouble.
"How far is it to the west?" Zhang Zhong interrupted.
"Traveling twelve thousand li west from here will take you to Broken Soul Ridge, where I'm currently staying," Divine Lord Zhenyuan said calmly. "I'll set off in a few days, and I'll need to trouble Dongfang Shuo to give me directions, lest I get lost within the territory of the Great Han!"
"Our Great Han Dynasty is indeed surrounded by high mountains and vast lands, making it easy to get lost!"
Zhang Zhong and Lady Yourong echoed each other's sentiments.
The two could talk to the cultivator, but they could only chat about everyday matters.
They usually chat with people about how far away their homes are, whether it's a few miles or a dozen miles, or even across a mountain. They've never talked about such a long journey of twelve thousand miles.
After asking a couple of questions, the elderly couple had no concept of 12,000 li (approximately 6,600 kilometers) and had no idea how far it was; they were speechless.
Lady Yourong and Zhang Zhong were slightly embarrassed, but after Rong Tianding climbed over the wall and entered the Zhang Household mansion, the mansion regained some vitality.
"This incense burner resembles a Boshan incense burner, but it's missing its lid, making it a damaged treasure and unusable for now!"
Rong Tianding reached out and took the furnace, which was about the size of a human head. After carefully examining it from all angles, he finally determined the origin of the furnace.
"Cousin, do you mean this treasure is missing a section?" Zhang Xuezhou asked.
"Right!"
"I actually brought back a piece of junk, and I was carrying the stove so carefully the whole way!"
Zhang Xuezhou was slightly dissatisfied.
However, he also knew that the quality of the various antiques at the treasure appraisal banquet was hard to say. For every complete item, there must be a corresponding incomplete one. It was impossible to have everything. Even the array components obtained by Divine Lord Zhenyuan were not perfect; they had flaws that made them difficult to target powerful cultivators.
Everyone has their own area of expertise, and Li Shaojun is not a perfect person who can know everything about all kinds of objects.
Rong Tianding's ability to detect the furnace's flaws was not due to his superior knowledge compared to Li Shaojun, but rather because the Rong Tianding Law Power he used was of a sinister nature, which allowed him to discover the furnace's defects.
"I'll search around for craftsmen to see if they can repair this furnace and restore it," Rong Tianding said. "This furnace must be used to contain yin essence; a lid is needed to lock it in."
"As long as it's not wasteful!"
Zhang Xuezhou nodded. He was about to call Rong Tianding back to his room when he heard a soft sound beside him.
"Dongfang Shuo, this furnace is a Law Artifact by a great cultivator. I knocked off Law Artifact top during our duel. If you can invite Zhenyuan to Anle Palace as a guest, I can give you the top!"
In a calm voice, the Empress Dowager revealed her identity and offered her benefits.
Her voice drifted further and further away in Zhang Xuezhou's ears, clearly indicating that she feared Divine Lord Zhenyuan's unreasonable surprise attack and chose to distance herself while speaking.
Zhang Xuezhou didn't need to respond to these words. Whenever the Empress Dowager issued a notice, following the instructions was one outcome, and not following the instructions was another.
Clearly, after her unsuccessful visit more than ten days ago and having overheard part of the conversation at the Zhang residence, the Empress Dowager had changed her approach to inviting her to a meeting.