Inside the Xieluosi River Secret Ground

"Little Zhou, you do have some skills after all!"

Within the secret realm of the Xieluosi River, flames rose and the Venerable One's enormous body slowly coiled within them.

His massive body was covered in old, worn scales, and his human-headed head was covered in flowing white hair.

This appearance lacks the elegance of Xianfa from Lingnan, and also the majesty of his human form.

Zou Bugui stood in the secret place, looking up at the Venerable One's enormous demonic body.

Compared to the other's physique, Zou Bugui was undoubtedly pitifully small.

But Zou Bugui felt no sense of insignificance.

In the face of life, whether rich or poor, strong or weak, every living being will face the moment of death.

In the face of death, all living beings are equal.

Your Excellency is too old.

This peerless demon's lifespan is nearing its limit.

Ten years, twenty years, thirty years...

His Majesty's lifespan will not be very long; he may even live Zou Bugui before his lifespan ends.

This was something that his Life-Sustaining Pill, which tapped into his body's potential, could not stop.

Even though the Venerable One's physique is too large, his Life-Sustaining Pill is like a sesame seed to the Venerable One—too small a quantity and too weak an effect.

If Your Excellency did not possess such keen perception, it would be difficult to even detect the effects of the medicine.

"Your Excellency, if you find this pill effective, I can refine a few more," Zou Bugui.

"Refine a few more..." The Venerable One pondered for a moment before asking, "Could you refine a thousand more?"

"It's possible, but..."

"But what?"

Zou Bugui to the request, which prompted the Venerable One to wriggle his body and extend his massive head toward Zou Bugui.

"The process of making a thousand longevity pills is complicated, and it would be difficult for the Demon King Luli to work with me to complete it," Zou Bugui. "However, the Demon King Luli is the only one in the Sacred Land who has even a little knowledge of pharmacology, and I don't think he can be in two places at once to refine pills!"

"You mean there's a shortage of manpower?" His Highness pondered for a few seconds before asking.

"Yes!"

Zou Bugui his head and agreed.

"The Yin-Yang School has fallen apart, and all my disciples have died. Only my adopted son, Zhang Xuezhou, can help me," Zou Bugui. "I earnestly hope that Your Majesty can recall Zhang Xuezhou and let him go to work in the Han Kingdom after he finishes refining the elixir!"

Zou Bugui's face was flushed.

It's true that refining elixirs presents difficulties for him, and it's also true that Zhang Xuezhou was transferred back to the Xieluosi River Holy Land.

As the sole heir of the Yin-Yang School, Zhang Xuezhou is practically the only hope for Zou Bugui at present.

He hoped that Zhang Xuezhou could carry on the Yin-Yang School, and he also hoped that Zhang Xuezhou could live on.

However, His Majesty has recently been sending people to Chang'an City Zhang Xuezhou spy on Emperor Jing's true strength and weaknesses.

Having lived within the Han Kingdom for a long time, and having become involved with the concubines of Chang'an City in the production of Body Fragrance Pill, Zou Bugui quite familiar with Chang'an City and aware of the city's treacherous murderous intent. He had also heard a little about Emperor Jing.

Zhang Xuezhou's fate after he actually infiltrated Chang'an City was easy to guess.

If Zhang Xuezhou knew alchemy, he could use this skill to get close to the concubines and perhaps unintentionally uncover their secrets.

The old men and women of every Aristocratic Clan will eventually die of old age, making the search for burial sites inevitable. If Zhang Xuezhou understood feng shui, he could become a guest of honor in many Aristocratic Clan.

As a successor of the Yin-Yang School, Zhang Xuezhou had never learned any marketable skills. At this moment, he had neither connections nor abilities, and his attempt to infiltrate Chang'an City would only lead to his death.

Neither the Feiyu Left Zhang Xuezhou nor Kong Ning could protect Zhang Xuezhou.

Zou Bugui concluded that only by transferring Zhang Xuezhou to the Xieluosi River Holy Land could they temporarily avert this calamity.

Zou Bugui felt somewhat at ease knowing that Zhang Xuezhou would only go to Chang'an City after completing his studies.

He cautiously probed, trying to ascertain the true intentions of the esteemed ruler.

Avoiding Emperor Jing is a major matter, and preparing enough Life-Sustaining Pill for His Majesty is also a major matter.

Neither of these two matters is less important than the other; both involve His Majesty's life.

"I told Kong Ning that if Zhang Xuezhou can't do the job, then he shouldn't do it. This doesn't mean Zhang Xuezhou has to complete the mission even if it means death," the Venerable One said. "You should know that when I asked Tolkien to assassinate Li Jiao and others, I didn't mean Tolkien should keep assassinating until he died. He should assassinate whenever he finds an opportunity, and I won't blame him if he doesn't find one!"

"Yes!" Zou Bugui agreed.

"Zhang Xuezhou hasn't even set foot in Chang'an City yet, why are you worried about him?" His Majesty said, "Whether things will succeed or not, we'll only know after we try. If we can't conduct effective reconnaissance, I won't punish him after Kong Ning brings him back to the Sacred Land."

"Thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty!"

"We have to give it a try. If it doesn't work, we won't do it. We can have him come back to help you refine pills then!"

His Majesty added a sentence.

He couldn't afford to offend Emperor Jing, who might be insane, but he could at least avoid him.

Emperor Jing's Chang'an City was not easy to enter, and his secret place in the Xieluosi River was not something ordinary people could easily enter either.

For His Excellency, maintaining physical and mental health and seeking the path to immortality were his true pursuits.

Everything only has meaning if he is alive.

If he doesn't exist, any news is worthless.

His current state of mind is extremely complex. He harbors a lingering hostility towards the Han Kingdom after losing the Ten Yin Holy Son, a loathing for the Western Kunlun Heavenly Court, a wariness of Emperor Jing who might be a mad emperor, and a desire to seek other paths to immortality.

With various thoughts constantly intertwined, it's not surprising that His Excellency softened his stance when he considered the potential contradictions in his needs.

Zhang Xuezhou can help with some chores, and if he fails to do it well, he won't blame the other party.

At worst, I can go back to the Xieluosi River Holy Land and help Zou Bugui out.

But Zhang Xuezhou hadn't started working yet, so this was just a token gesture.

His Excellency's statement was just that: he hoped Zhang Xuezhou could do his best, so that he could save face and it would be easier for everyone to meet in the future.

"Thank you, Your Excellency!"

Zou Bugui with joy.

He felt that Zhang Xuezhou was neither capable nor competent, but Zhang Xuezhou was somewhat intelligent and at least aware of danger.

With Kong Ning's instructions, Zhang Xuezhou should know to run away if he encounters danger.

As long as he doesn't cause any major disaster, Zhang Xuezhou can go anywhere.

Moreover, he learned some good news from the crested crane demon Feiyu Yu: Zhang Xuezhou's Law Power had left his body, and he now possessed the cultivation level of the True Spirit Realm.

Alchemy, geomancy, and formations.

Many of the Yin-Yang School's techniques, starting from the True Spirit Realm, can move from theoretical discussions to truly practical application.

As long as Law Power can leave the body and be remotely controlled, every school of thought with a lineage will begin to possess truly useful techniques.

Zhang Xuezhou even began to have the ability to operate the Pill Furnace passed down by the Yin-Yang School.

Knowing that he could not escape from the Xieluosi River Holy Land and would even be bound to death, Zou Bugui had no other thoughts. He only wanted to continue the Yin-Yang School's legacy through Zhang Xuezhou so that it would not be cut off in his generation.

His face was respectful, and he had no thought whatsoever about leaving the Xieluosi River Holy Land.

Only after Zou Bugui his leave did a complex expression appear in the Venerable One's eyes.

Those who desire loyalty are disloyal, while those who need no loyalty are fiercely loyal.

With his Yin-Yang eyes, the Venerable One can see the only obsession in Zou Bugui's heart.

As long as Zou Bugui pass on the Yin-Yang School, Zou Bugui other pursuits.

This was once a complex person, but ultimately he lived a simple life.

Complexity has its advantages, but simplicity also has its own charm.

Having cleared his mind of complicated thoughts and calmed down, Zou Bugui thus entered the Divine Ability Realm and also gained the ability to refine pills for him.