Persuasion

Li Shaojun and Zhang Xuezhou had spent too much time together. He knew Zhang Xuezhou had set a trap for him, but Li Shaojun was really going to fall into it.

Without the glory of the Hundred Schools of Thought, only the imperial court and certain powerful vassal states now possess the ability to manufacture the raw materials for the Eight-Step Ascension Elixir.

These high-precision minerals have undergone countless processes of crushing, smelting, and purification by thousands of people, much like a fine knife being forged through numerous hammerings before being gathered into a small batch.

This is not an industry that Li Shaojun can enter, nor is it something he can obtain through theft or illicit means.

However, refining this kind of external elixir is prone to causing the furnace to explode, so he needs to borrow a very high-grade Pill Furnace to successfully refine the elixir.

"Really?"

"Yes, it really exists!"

Li Shaojun looked at Zhang Xuezhou suspiciously for a long time, his heart pounding.

While it's not true that obtaining the Eight Steps to Immortality Pill will instantly make one a cultivator of the Sole Self Realm, taking this pill will undoubtedly shorten the distance to that Sole Self Realm.

If even with this medicine, it's difficult to reach the Sole Self Realm, then there's no need to demand that you achieve your wish someday.

Knowing full well that what lay ahead was a tiger's den, Li Shaojun was still willing to take the gamble.

"What does Zhuang Qingdi want us to do?" Li Shaojun asked cautiously.

"You know the Empress Dowager is seriously ill and beyond cure, and is certainly doomed," Zhang Xuezhou said. "Zhuang Qingdi's only wish is for a smooth burial of the Empress Dowager, and then to save his life!"

"How could I possibly protect Zhuang Qingdi?" Li Shaojun exclaimed in astonishment. "I can't even protect myself!"

"You worry about whether you can even protect yourself," Zhang Xuezhou retorted. "At worst, you'll just get beaten to death once. Let's get the stuff first!"

"Too!"

Li Shaojun nodded.

He didn't want to die without a reason, but as long as he could gain something, Li Shaojun felt that his death was worthwhile and that everything was full of value.

"What if he dies?" Li Shaojun suddenly snapped back to reality and asked, "Can he still deliver the goods first?"

What do you think I am?!

Zhang Xuezhou pointed to himself.

Without Zhang Xuezhou, a close advisor to the new emperor, and without his constant scheming and development in Chang'an City, Zhuang Qingdi wouldn't have been foolish enough to offer payment in advance.

As the Imperial Censor who oversees all officials, Zhuang Qingdi is likely the person who knows Zhang Xuezhou's background best, and may even know the connection between Zhang Zhong, Lady Yourong, and others and Zhang Xuezhou.

As long as his parents and the people of Zhang Household Village keep him in check, Zhang Xuezhou won't be able to go too far.

"It seems Zhuang Qingdi trusts you a lot," Li Shaojun pondered slowly. "Aren't you worried that my reckless behavior might implicate you?"

"We're all in the same boat, so it's not a question of who's involved," Zhang Xuezhou laughed. "At worst, if you drag my whole family into it, I'll just bury you in the ground!"

"Cut!"

Even the Fish Intestine Sword couldn't kill Zhang Xuezhou, and Li Shaojun was helpless; he had to admit that Zhang Xuezhou was indeed quite skilled.

The opponent may not be able to defeat some people, but restraining him is enough.

After letting out a soft hum, Li Shaojun knew that this matter needed to be handled seriously.

"Are you still planning to ask that Zhenyuan priest Zhenyuan for help?"

Inheriting the Empress Dowager's grudges while protecting Zhuang Qingdi's life is not something Li Shaojun can achieve simply by being serious; after all, Li Shaojun's abilities are limited.

Li Shaojun thought for a few seconds, then suddenly came to his senses.

Zhang Xuezhou and Li Shaojun were not strong enough, but there was another person who was very powerful.

Li Shaojun's face paled, and after a short while he understood the situation, realizing that Zhang Xuezhou had not come specifically to tip him off, but rather as a persuader.

If we cooperate amicably, we can temporarily set aside our grudges and each get what we need.

If Zhang Xuezhou behaves uncooperatively, Li Shaojun has no doubt that he will become Divine Lord Zhenyuan's guide.

"I know what Zhenyuan wants," Zhang Xuezhou said with a smile. "His need for that item is no less than our desire for the Eight Steps to Immortality Pill!"

"Zhuang Qingdi can also produce what Zhenyuan needs?" Li Shaojun asked skeptically. "Does he have that many good things?"

"It's worth a try!" Zhang Xuezhou said.

"You can handle this kind of thing by yourself with that Zhenyuan, why do you have to drag me into it?"

Li Shaojun was somewhat tempted.

If they could sit down amicably, Li Shaojun would at least have a chance to ask Divine Lord Zhenyuan why he killed him, instead of waiting until he reached the Sole Self Realm in his cultivation to have the right to question him.

In this cooperation model, the resource supplier Zhuang Qingdi, needs to be financially powerful to satisfy both Li Shaojun and Divine Lord Zhenyuan.

However, Li Shaojun still had doubts. He felt that this kind of thing could be left to Divine Lord Zhenyuan, and there was no need for someone like him to get involved.

"It's a bit of a coincidence," Zhang Xuezhou shrugged. "Zhuang Qingdi and the others mistook Zhenyuan for you. Zhenyuan just happened to have some matters to attend to and couldn't appear in person, so it'll be simpler for you to take his place!"

When he left the Kunlun Sacred Land, he was thinking of visiting Daojun, Zhu Jiuyin, and others. But then he was about to jump out and beat up the powerful subordinates sent by Zhu Jiuyin and others, and even the Yang Soul body that Zhu Jiuyin had separated. This kind of thing was obviously quite troublesome for Divine Lord Zhenyuan, and it was not convenient for him to deal with it with his full strength.

But as long as it's not Divine Lord Zhenyuan shows up, things become much simpler.

"You mean you want me to show my face and become a scapegoat?" Li Shaojun suddenly realized.

"What scapegoat? You usually freeload and have to be careful not to let others test you, and now that you have such a skilled person working with you, you're still complaining," Zhang Xuezhou complained.

"But I can't handle this level of involvement," Li Shaojun said, waving his hands repeatedly.

"Becoming famous in the Great Han is a good thing," Zhang Xuezhou said. "You should know that there's a place that only needs people with top-tier abilities; they also observe everything that happens in the Great Han Dynasty!"

You mean the Immortal Court?

Li Shaojun whispered something, feeling his heart pounding.

If the Eight-Step Ascension Pill is what he needs to enter the Sole Self Realm, then making a name for himself in the Great Han Dynasty would certainly give him a good chance of being noticed by the Immortal Court, and perhaps he would be politely invited by the Immortal Court at some point.

Compared to sneaking into the Immortal Court by using someone else's identity, this invitation method would obviously allow him to take a high-end route, instead of having to mingle among the lesser immortals.

If he could obtain a few longevity pills as a result, Li Shaojun felt content for the rest of his life.

He was unhappy about being made a scapegoat and having to show his face in public, but Li Shaojun ultimately felt it was worth it.

To gain benefits, one must inevitably take risks, and he has the confidence to gamble on those risks.

This may be the closest he has ever come to achieving spiritual advancement in his life, and also a major hurdle in his pursuit of longevity.

Once he gets through that, everything will be fine for him.

"If you can persuade Zhenyuan not to threaten me with violence when we meet, I can do it!"

After thinking for a while, Li Shaojun finally made up his mind.

No matter how much trouble it might cause later, let's get the benefits first.

Of course, if Li Shaojun didn't cooperate with Zhang Xuezhou, who had traveled thousands of miles to get here, he knew he would soon be in trouble.

After much deliberation, he concluded that cooperating with Zhang Xuezhou was the best solution.

In this matter, he and Zhang Xuezhou were in the same boat.

But Li Shaojun was also curious: what benefits did Zhang Xuezhou gain from such a strenuous effort?