Waiting to Set Out

As long as it remains irreplaceable, Zhang Xuezhou is not worried about causing any chaos.

The situation was like this in the Sinkhole No. 2, and it was the same in the Great Han Dynasty.

He wasn't even that worried about the trouble that Nine Spirits Primal Sage would cause; even if he were captured while hiding, he could still survive.

However, Zhang Xuezhou did not want to gamble on this possibility, nor did he want to prolong the time and add risks to himself.

As soon as the time came, he and the mallard duck completed their swap.

Having been tormented several times recently, the mallard ducks are making a racket and giving me a headache, a situation that leaves Zhang Xuezhou feeling quite helpless.

"I wonder how a life form in the shape of a duck can cultivate?"

If possible, Zhang Xuezhou still hoped that the mallard duck would become stronger, but Zhang Xuezhou did not know the methods of Demon Cultivator. He could only consult the Emperor later to see if he could give the mallard duck a path of cultivation so that it could become stronger and withstand this kind of traversing and pulling.

As he finished muttering to himself, Zhang Xuezhou moved slightly, his senses quickly scanning his surroundings.

He was lying on a straw mat, covered with straw, surrounded by piles of burial objects such as pottery jars and figurines. In addition, the dark and gloomy shed made Zhang Xuezhou inconspicuous.

If we also consider Zhang Xuezhou's Grain Avoidance state during his soul-traveling journey, it wouldn't be a problem to treat him as half-dead.

Zhang Xuezhou is relatively safe in this area.

Rong Tianding's protective measures, tailored to the specific circumstances, were clearly quite effective, and no accidents occurred.

Zhang Xuezhou reached out and pulled aside the dry straw covering his body.

His absence this time was relatively short, and the pills had an impact on the Spirit Silk Jade Lotus, resulting in very low loss of his internal Law Power and minimal side effects from the Spirit Silk Jade Lotus.

Zhang Xuezhou was quite satisfied with this. No matter how flawed his pills were, or how picky he was about who would take them, they were at least good medicine that could cure diseases and also help with cultivation. He couldn't make any more demanding requests.

He was somewhat lacking in pharmacological analysis, and his alchemy skills were barely passable. He also had a bit of luck to be able to complete this task of alchemy and medicine making.

You're here too?

As Zhang Xuezhou walked out of the shed, he saw the new emperor sitting in the courtyard in casual clothes, Kong Ning drinking rice wine from a jar, and Rong Tianding slowly adding firewood to a ceramic pot, cooking the meat inside over a low flame.

Zhang Xuezhou greeted the emperor, who then looked over with a raised eyebrow.

His eyes held a complex mix of emotions: a hint of relief, and the rest of concern.

"Come over here and have some food to replenish your strength," the new emperor called out.

"OK!"

Without the side effects of the Jade Lotus Root, Zhang Xuezhou's Grain Avoidance Instruction to cope with prolonged hunger and thirst, and he did not have a particularly strong need to eat when he recovered.

He didn't refuse the invitation and made his way through a pile of earthenware pots to the center of the courtyard.

The new emperor pointed to a pile of broken earthenware pots not far away. The pots had obvious signs of being trampled by four legs, suggesting that some kind of ferocious beast had come here, but there were no other signs of trampling.

This place had clearly been briefly searched by the Nine Spirits Primal Sage, but Zhang Xuezhou and the others managed to avoid it.

"The construction of Maoling is getting better and better!"

There were some things that were inconvenient to discuss in front of Kong Ning, so the new emperor could only point to the many pottery jars and figurines that had been fired.

"I've always wanted to set up a formation in Maoling, so that I won't be too embarrassed in case of trouble," Zhang Xuezhou said.

"Can't we fight back if things go wrong?" the new emperor asked. "If they can come, we can go and see!"

"I can go and take a look, but you can't. Your ability to escape is too poor," Zhang Xuezhou said bluntly.

"That's a real shame. I've learned a lot, but I've never learned how to escape!"

The new emperor's swordsmanship excels in direct combat, but he has never mastered skills such as speed or stealth.

These skills are not something that can be learned superficially later on; rather, they accompany one's cultivation for almost a lifetime. Only when they are transformed into Divine Ability and other abilities can they be used effectively, thus enabling one to evade the search and capture of top-tier cultivators in times of crisis.

Charging into the Northern Kuru Continent is easy, achieving victory is difficult, and ensuring one's safety during a retreat is another challenge.

This is not a discouraging statement, but rather a reminder that we need to plan before we act, and we cannot act rashly and impulsively based on momentary anger.

The new emperor sighed, appearing somewhat regretful.

"If one day I can go there with my head held high, it won't matter whether I learn these kinds of skills or not!"

Zhang Xuezhou offered a word of comfort.

Nine Spirits Primal Sage had previously attacked the palace and was almost killed by Divine Lord Zhenyuan. This time, he was stabbed by the Red Empyrean Sword. Even cultivators of this level would find it difficult to escape unscathed. Zhang Xuezhou felt that there was nothing commendable about taking the initiative to attack the opponent's territory. Achieving the goal was the only important thing.

"Then let's stay a few more years and go take a look over there!"

The new emperor scooped a ladle of rice wine into an earthenware bowl, then personally handed a bowl to Zhang Xuezhou, before raising the bowl and drinking it all in one gulp.

People in dire straits say these things to comfort themselves, but the new emperor has some confidence.

His return to Chang'an City was not only marked by a debate with the Empress Dowager, but also by the sight of countless people flocking to the Chang'an City, including prominent figures from various vassal states, all seeking advancement in the court.

With less secrecy and fewer personal connections and vested interests, some who rose to power through connections were filled with anxiety, while many others were eager to use the government's policies to advance their social class.

Those who can rise through the ranks in this system must be exceptionally talented and will inevitably replace the existing corrupt personnel system.

As long as these reform proposals receive positive feedback, the new emperor will certainly persist in pushing them forward.

Like a farmer who sows seeds in spring, he also longs for a harvest in autumn, thus disrupting the existing order.

"Let us know when you've regained your strength and Law Power, and we'll be back as soon as possible!"

Zhang Xuezhou regained consciousness at a precise moment, earlier than the new emperor had estimated.

It's clear that Zhang Xuezhou desperately wants to clear his name and avoid Han Yan's fate, and the new emperor doesn't seem to mind Zhang Xuezhou's little scheme.

The Great Han Dynasty had a vast territory, and in the past, emperors could grant land to vassal kings. Some vassal kings even used this to oppose the court. It was not a big deal for him to let his subjects benefit a little. Even if the impact was bad, it would not be as bad as granting fiefdoms to vassal kings.

When capable ministers change their fate, it may not only change the fate of the other party, but may also change the situation faced by the new emperor.

If some Immortal Court cultivator has indeed been planted in this attempt to usurp his throne, the new emperor will make them understand that the power of destiny brings not only luck, but also a shackle they can never escape.

Where are you going?

Zhang Xuezhou responded, Kong Ning, who had drunk half a jar of rice wine, looked over with hazy eyes.

"My cousin and I have begged this official to arrange the festival for you, so we can get it done as soon as possible and let you move into Chang'an City. If you don't have the money to buy a house, you can stay at my small mansion for a while!"

Zhang Xuezhou gave a perfunctory reply, and Kong Ning began to mutter that the rules of Chang'an City were too strict, and that things had taken so long to get done.

"Strict rules are a good thing; it will be difficult for others to sneak into Chang'an City!"

Zhang Xuezhou offered some advice, Kong Ning opened his mouth, but for a moment he didn't know how to refute Zhang Xuezhou. In the end, he could only agree that what Zhang Xuezhou said made sense.

"Why do I feel like I've seen this Lord Cao before?"

Kong Ning clinked wine jars with the new emperor, then leaned closer to sniff the emperor's scent, finding it fresh yet strangely familiar.

"Don't use this tactic to get closer to everyone you meet," Zhang Xuezhou complained.

"I seem to know you quite well too," Kong Ning said, shaking his head.

"We've met so many times, yet you only seem vaguely familiar with me. This really hurts me!"

Zhang Xuezhou waved his hand, Kong Ning blushed deeply after Zhang Xuezhou's words.

But vaguely, she felt a constant stream of thoughts surging in her mind.

Zhang Xuezhou across from her was clearly trying to help her out of kindness, but for some reason, Kong Ning felt an urge to punch him repeatedly in the face in order to vent her anger.

She eventually realized she was somewhat drunk and it wasn't appropriate for her to continue making a fool of herself there.

She asked Rong Tianding for two catties of pork leg meat, ate it hastily, crawled into a straw mat in the shed area, and then fell into a deep sleep on it, no longer showing any trace of the aura of a great cultivator.