Reversing Fate

Twelve thousand miles is a long distance, so far that an ordinary person would never even dream of it in their lifetime.

However, for top-tier agile flyers, this is only a relatively long journey; top-tier flyers like the Feiyu Demon King can even reach it in a single day.

Zhang Xuezhou is undoubtedly very good at flying.

Even without using Technique Within the Clouds, his cloud-riding skills have gradually become unmatched.

This is a flying technique originating from the flying Goat Strength Demon King, and it was translated and compared by Li Shaojun and the great Confucian scholar Yuan Gu, thus presenting a powerful flying technique.

The original creator of the Cloud Soaring Technique is unknown, but Li Shaojun shamelessly mentioned that the Cloud Soaring Technique belongs to the Daoist School tradition.

Zhang Xuezhou couldn't determine the true origin of the Cloud Soaring Technique, but the Technique Method that Li Shaojun had acquired was indeed quite good. Divine Lord Zhenyuan even mentioned that the Cloud Soaring Technique was no less powerful than the Flying Technique he possessed.

The Technique Method, from the initial stages of cultivation to true mastery and the development of one's own unique style, is not simply about following a book step by step. It involves breaking free from established frameworks and truly integrating into the body's instincts.

As a member of the "runaway party," the Flying Leap technique is Zhang Xuezhou's most important skill, no less important than the Supreme Purity True Technique.

This was a technique he had been continuously practicing. The poisonous leaves from Broken Soul Ridge helped Technique Method refine and improve his skills, and with the guidance of Divine Lord Zhenyuan, his cloud-riding technique underwent a complete transformation.

This is also why Divine Lord Zhenyuan sent an invitation to Zhang Xuezhou.

"A top-tier cultivator in the True Self Realm actually needs to invite Dongfang Shuo?"

The Empress Dowager placed a heavy bet, and after placing the bet, she felt liberated. All thoughts vanished from her mind, and after being freed from her constraints, she even felt a sense of death.

In this emotional state, the Empress Dowager lost her usual shrewdness and calculating nature, and it was difficult for anything to stir her emotions.

Like a wooden stake, the Empress Dowager, dressed in a jade burial suit, sat motionless on the stool.

But the invitation from Divine Lord Zhenyuan stirred up waves of emotions within her.

The Empress Dowager was familiar with Zhang Xuezhou. Even though she had only met him a few times, she knew very well about Zhang Xuezhou's cultivation abilities. She even knew that Zhang Xuezhou's head had been cut off, making it impossible for him to enter the Divine Ability Realm for the rest of his life.

This is someone who can be completely ignored.

If Zhang Xuezhou hadn't managed to get Li Shaojun to come, the Empress Dowager would have almost forgotten the name.

When Zhang Xuezhou invited Divine Lord Zhenyuan to Chang'an City, the Empress Dowager felt that Zhang Xuezhou had some other abilities as well.

However, the Empress Dowager never considered Zhang Xuezhou's strength in terms of cultivation or Technique Method.

But Divine Lord Zhenyuan specifically invited Zhang Xuezhou, even emphasizing the latter's strength.

"Does Dongfang Shuo possess some extraordinary treasure for flying? But such treasures only offer temporary convenience. His cultivation is insufficient; focusing solely on spellcasting for flying will inevitably expose him to my Sha Qi, potentially leading to the same serious ailment I suffer!"

The Empress Dowager took a deep breath, and a slight ripple appeared in her stagnant heart.

"I'm going to grab something to eat, then I'll be on my way!"

The Empress Dowager's gaze fell on Zhang Xuezhou. She was about to speak when Zhang Xuezhou pushed open the door and left.

"Dongfang Shuo's cultivation is insufficient, and prolonged travel may cause him to absorb the aura of my illness. I hope Fellow Zhenyuan will take care of him on the journey!"

As the saying goes, "A dying man's words are good," and the Empress Dowager, no longer regarding human life as worthless, subtly mentioned Zhang Xuezhou.

This caused Divine Lord Zhenyuan to look slightly taken aback.

"Fellow Daoist Dou's Sha Qi is indeed troublesome, but there's no need to worry about it tainting Dongfang Shuo's body," said Divine Lord Zhenyuan.

"Does he have a protective charm?" the Empress Dowager asked.

"His Law Power is enough to cleanse his body completely, leaving him untouched by any trace of his own aura!"

The Yin-Yang School possesses immense Law Power, almost resembling that of Divine Lord Zhenyuan. Furthermore, the Heavenly Robe protects the body from dust and misfortune, and Zhang Xuezhou has also cultivated the Incantation Avoidance Formula. Even if the Empress Dowager's body were unbound by the Golden Jade Robe, it would be difficult for her to affect Zhang Xuezhou for a short period of time.

If Zhang Xuezhou weren't so capable, Divine Lord Zhenyuan wouldn't have invited Zhang Xuezhou for help.

He waved his hand, indicating that the Empress Dowager need not worry.

"But his cultivation is limited; he seems to be only a cultivator at the Consciousness Creation Realm," the Empress Dowager said.

"How could he possibly be at the Consciousness Creation Realm?" Divine Lord Zhenyuan chuckled. "He's already a cultivator with Divine Ability!"

How is that possible?

The Empress Dowager's heart skipped a beat.

Chunyu Tiying's surgery on Zhang Xuezhou's skull was witnessed by many imperial physicians, and there are related medical records.

This means that Zhang Xuezhou's two bridges, one to heaven and one to earth, have been destroyed, and there is hardly any medicine in the world that can heal such damage.

Zhang Xuezhou's head appeared intact, but the two bridges of his head, the Heaven and Earth, were like pipes with tiny holes. Normally, water could pass through without any problem, but if the water pressure was too high, it would inevitably cause water to spurt out, or even cause the pipes to crack.

This situation destined Zhang Xuezhou to have difficulty reaching the Divine Ability Realm.

The Empress Dowager never expected that Zhang Xuezhou, who was in such a seemingly hopeless situation, would actually manage to turn things around within a few years.

"Dongfang Shuo's skull was broken, making it difficult for him to advance in his cultivation. But what kind of miraculous medicine did the Daoist priest give him?" the Empress Dowager asked.

"No, no, I'm penniless and don't know how to refine pills," Divine Lord Zhenyuan shook his head repeatedly.

"How is this possible?"

The Empress Dowager was trapped in a losing situation, barely clinging to life, while Zhang Xuezhou, also trapped in a losing situation, was given a new lease on life. This contrast was hard for the Empress Dowager to believe.

A powerful surge of Law Power emanated from the Zhang residence, and the Empress Dowager reached out and touched it.

"It's the Supreme Purity True Technique! Its power is no less than Li Guang's Supreme Purity True Technique!"

Although the Empress Dowager was blind, she was not blind. She touched the jade with her right hand and could sense the intensity of the spell cast in the courtyard, as well as guess the restorative effect of the Technique Method.

This level of Supreme Purity True Technique is extremely rare; she had only ever seen such a level of Technique Method in the hands of Li Guang.

The release of the powerful Law Power of the Divine Ability Realm made the Empress Dowager no longer doubt Zhang Xuezhou's cultivation level.

How is this possible?

The Empress Dowager had lived through three reigns and had seen countless talented young people, as well as various extraordinary cultivators skilled in cultivation, martial arts, and Technique Method.

But no cultivator was like Zhang Xuezhou.

The Empress Dowager was convinced that there were extraordinary cultivators who could reach the Divine Ability Realm at Zhang Xuezhou's age, and she also believed that there were cultivators with such Technique Method levels, but she had never seen any ill cultivator who could achieve this level.

This contrast is like 50,000 cavalry besieging a lone city, while only 500 men defend it, yet these 500 men manage to win a great victory.

Such a war is rare and incredible, and Zhang Xuezhou's situation is undoubtedly rare to the point of being incredible.

"Could it be that Li Guang's medical skills are so profound that he can heal the damage to the Heavenly and Earthly Bridges, and that Dongfang Shuo, being his illegitimate son, learned such profound techniques and thus revealed his true abilities at this moment? Or is Dongfang Shuo a holy son of the Immortal Court, possessing access to a vast quantity of elixirs and miraculous medicines?"

If she had to find a reason, the Empress Dowager could only think of two possibilities.

The Great Han Dynasty was inferior to the Qin Dynasty. Its various elixirs and traditions were far inferior, and other schools of thought had declined. Otherwise, the Great Han imperial family would not have had the opportunity to raise its banner.

The Great Han imperial family couldn't solve Zhang Xuezhou's problem, and neither could other schools of thought.

Perhaps it was Li Guang's enlightenment of profound skills, or the Immortal Court's dedicated nurturing after his fall from grace, that led to Zhang Xuezhou's current attainment of the Divine Ability Realm.

"If Dongfang Shuo were Li Guang's Achilles' heel, he wouldn't have been injured; if Dongfang Shuo were a Holy Son of the Immortal Court, he would have no reason to suffer in Chang'an City when he lacked strength!"

The Empress Dowager could guess two reasons, but she also had reasons to refute both of them.

In the past, things that the Empress Dowager couldn't understand were easy to resolve; she was also the type to rather kill the innocent than let the guilty go free.

In the present moment, however, she has limited power at her disposal, and with all thoughts extinguished, her mind is no longer as resolute as it once was.

Given the relationship between Divine Lord Zhenyuan and Zhang Xuezhou, the other party would not allow her to act recklessly. In fact, she would need to beg Divine Lord Zhenyuan to keep his promise and not do anything unexpected that might cause trouble.

The Empress Dowager considered using her suppressive power to assassinate them several times, but ultimately she withdrew her murderous intent.