Each Had Their Own Gains

After more than a month in the secret realm, Zhang Xuezhou was finally able to leave.

Since being led into this secret place by the Buddhist monk, Zhang Xuezhou has gained considerable benefits from it.

For example, Nine Treasures Wine.

This one point alone was enough for Zhang Xuezhou.

Not to mention that he also obtained nine different avoidance techniques, ate a golden dragon fish that temporarily made him look several years younger, thus entering the True Spirit Realm, and received guidance from Zhenyuan Primordial Spirit.

Despite the many benefits, Zhang Xuezhou also encountered numerous unexpected events in the secret location.

He was almost buried alive by the Drunken Peach Tree, almost beaten to death by the Emperor and Empress, almost suffered abdominal bloating after eating the Myriad Lotus, and was even used by the Emperor to fight twice, causing Zhang Xuezhou to be in an extremely abnormal state.

Zhang Xuezhou had some ulterior motives regarding this secret place, but he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when he left.

He's finally going back to normal life.

"We've only been researching the Divine Sense- enhancing spell for a few days, do we really have to send him away already?"

Watching the Golden Crow Great Emperor carry Zhang Xuezhou and fly away, the Empress sighed softly.

"He promised Zhu Jiuyin, so he still has to do it eventually," the Emperor sighed as well.

"Are you really no match for Zhu Jiuyin?" the Emperor and Empress asked.

What are the benefits of winning, and what are the consequences of losing?

The Emperor waved his hand, indicating that whether or not they fought was unimportant, and the outcome of the fight was also unimportant; what mattered was the result of their battle.

Clearly, regardless of the outcome, he will be the loser.

"I'm really a little reluctant to part with you, my student," the Empress said. "If we can use his cultivation techniques to study for a while longer, we're sure we can completely understand the four chapters on the Divine Sense Enhancement Spell."

"Don't be impatient," the Emperor comforted him. "There's always time to study it. Once he has investigated Emperor Jing and completed Zhu Jiuyin's entrustment, we can bring him back then."

"I wonder how long that will take," the Emperor and Empress said. "If he uses this time to master all nine evasion techniques, it will be futile for us to study them later."

"How could that be!"

The Emperor waved his hand, saying that many talented cultivators need several years to master a single technique, while those whose cultivation level is tied to their cultivation realm need almost a lifetime of practice.

The nine methods of avoidance are very powerful, but these are methods that Zhang Xuezhou still needs to practice even after entering the True Self Realm.

Given Zhang Xuezhou's current level of attainment, the Emperor believes it will take a long time for Zhang Xuezhou to reach a higher level.

If Zhang Xuezhou were to cultivate only one technique, the opponent might still have a chance to reach the required level at their current cultivation stage. However, cultivating all nine techniques simultaneously is something even Primordial Spirit could not achieve perfectly.

"Think about Zhen Yuan," the Emperor said. "How many years did it take him to cultivate these techniques to a usable level? And think about the difference between Zhang Xuezhou and Zhen Yuan. How many years do you think Zhang Xuezhou will need to spend?"

"Your comparison makes it clear to me that this matter is not too urgent," the Emperor and Empress nodded.

"No rush, and we shouldn't rush!"

The Emperor soothed the Empress's anxious thoughts.

Having been stifled in the Kunlun Heavenly Court for hundreds of years, the emperor and empress suddenly saw a beam of light, only to have it forcibly taken away. They were indeed filled with anxiety.

However, as long as the Emperor thought of Jiang Shang's advanced age when he was old and gray, he maintained a calm and unhurried attitude towards young people like Zhang Xuezhou.

Zhang Xuezhou's cultivation was not fast to begin with, and with nine cultivation techniques piled up, it was even less likely to speed up.

A few dozen days is nothing, a hundred days is also fine, a year or two is not a problem, three to five years only requires a little attention, but ten or eight years requires closer monitoring.

For someone like Zhang Xuezhou, the other party will inevitably give him a lot of buffer time given his limited qualifications.

"If you're worried, have Ma Shengu go to Chang'an City to investigate after a while. If there are any changes, bring her back to stay for a period of time," the Emperor said. "If her cultivation hasn't changed much, it wouldn't be bad for her to stay in Chang'an City to gather intelligence on Emperor Jing."

"I will entrust this matter to Cai Ma in a moment," the Emperor and Empress nodded.

"That's good," the Emperor nodded.

"But aren't you worried about your student's safety?" the Emperor and Empress asked. "If Emperor Jing discovers his presence, given Emperor Jing character, I fear his fate will be grim!"

"He survived in our hands, so why are you worried he won't survive under Emperor Jing!"

The Emperor waved his hand, clearly unconcerned about the risks Zhang Xuezhou faced as a spy.

If someone chosen by Hongjun dies in the early stages of development, the Emperor feels that Hongjun is rather short-sighted.

He pondered for a few seconds, then put everything aside.

"Madam, come and see the new bottle of wine I've brewed. Let's drink together..."

"I won't drink it!"

You can drink it!

"I can't stand that smell!"

"Things are different now!"

The Emperor looked delighted.

He learned a great deal from Zhang Xuezhou.

The first gain was naturally the Divine Sense enhancement spell, but the second gain was the wine he brewed.

Previously, the Nine Treasures Wine had an off-putting smell, but after adding Bodhi fruit, the off-putting smell disappeared completely. After drinking it, one not only did not feel dizzy, but also experienced a blissful feeling.

With unwavering willpower, one can guide the power of this fruit wine to nourish the soul.

"I originally intended to see who could outlast the others, to outlive them all to death, but they've taken Immortal Court's elixir and are far too resilient. Now we finally have something comparable to the elixir," the Emperor said. "The Nine Treasures Wine is enough to offset the troubles caused by Laozi's elixir."

"Speaking of this, I'm reminded that the peaches of immortality, cultivated for hundreds of years, also have some use," the Emperor and Empress nodded. "The peaches of immortality aren't as potent as the elixir of immortality, but their abundance allows them to benefit the bodies of all the gods. If we make some further attempts, their effects might be even stronger."

If the target audience is only one or two people, or three to five people, the emperor and empress can maintain their lifespans for a relatively long time.

But the couple was dealing with a huge group.

Both the elixir of immortality and the potent medicine for brewing the Nine Treasures Wine face the problem of insufficient quantity to meet the needs of the population. However, the difference arises when the medicine is distributed evenly after differentiation.

The couple didn't expect either of them to instantly live for a thousand years after eating the peaches; as long as they could prolong their lives, even if each consumption of the peaches and the Nine Treasures Wine only extended their lifespan by ten years, they would still have the last laugh.

The path of the Mental Strengthening Spell must be followed, and the path of competing to see who can live the longest cannot be stopped either.

For the Emperor and Empress, their journey was fraught with twists and turns, but they finally saw signs of success.

The couple exchanged a smile, feeling as if the dawn was finally rising towards the Kunlun Heavenly Court.

If they have enough confidence, those who left Heavenly Court in the past will surely return, which will give them a complete advantage in the future.

"My peaches..."

The Emperor's Nine Treasures Wine was finally presentable, and the Emperor and Empress also spoke softly about their peach orchard.

"Then let's try some more," the Emperor encouraged.

"But we still lack some longevity-enhancing ingredients," the Emperor and Empress hesitated. "I might need the flesh and blood of a naturally unique species to cultivate the peach tree, which should greatly increase the peaches' effectiveness."

"What do you mean by 'born as an alien species'?" the Emperor asked in surprise.

"Dragon!"

The Emperor and Empress responded in a low voice.

"I've tried hundreds of kinds of flesh and blood, but none of them can compare to the effect of a single drop of Zhu Shiyin's blood!"

"How could you even use the blood of Zhu Shiyin for experimentation?"

"Hairy Head Sun got into an argument with Zhushiyin in the Peach Garden, pecking a drop of blood from him with his beak. This made that peach tree special, its fruit several times better than those of the other trees."

"But Zhu Shiyin is already dead and his body is torn to pieces, you..."

The Emperor was slightly taken aback, realizing that the Empress was after Zhu Jiuyin.

However, targeting Zhu Jiuyin is not a bad idea; his physical body is a treasure, and his Great Wilderness Creation Scripture is an even greater treasure.

The emperor and empress need a physical body, while the emperor needs the Great Wilderness Creation Scripture.

Zhu Jiuyin were to suddenly attack, it would throw the Heavenly Court into chaos, but their proactive targeting of Zhu Jiuyin presents a different situation.

Given enough opportunity, their targeting of Zhu Jiuyin will not provoke the Immortal Court's surprise attack from behind.

However, if they want to target Zhu Jiuyin, they need to make quite a few preparations.

The Emperor needs to eliminate the methods the other party uses to defend against him, which may very well involve the Great Wilderness Creation Scripture.

To target Zhu Jiuyin, he first needs to find Wu Chao and see if he can obtain more information about the Great Wilderness Creation Scripture, thereby undermining Zhu Jiuyin's confidence.