Vajra Talisman

Zhang Xuezhou demanded payment quickly and directly.

The new emperor's gaze swept over Zhang Xuezhou from head to toe, and then over Zhang Qian.

The matter was very simple: the imperial court accepted the offering and directly provided the corresponding reward; everything was done smoothly and without any complicated procedures.

But things are indeed not simple. The new emperor rarely sees the martial arts manuals of the Xiong State, and this is the first time he has received such a tribute since ascending the throne.

Going through the process will undoubtedly create a public notice effect and encourage some people to imitate it, but the downside is that it will be overheard by spies from the Xiong State, thus creating a warning and potentially rendering their subsequent efforts futile.

But the new emperor wanted more than just a manual on the Crescent Moon Blade.

He really wanted this kind of thing to happen repeatedly, to keep accumulating more and more intelligence, just like how the imperial court dealt with those unruly schools of thought. As long as the intelligence was in place, the imperial court could use its massive state apparatus to bring those schools of thought to a close.

In return, the reciprocation he offers must be private, within his current means, and satisfactory to the other party.

"A rock that can stabilize mountains, a minor official position, and immense wealth..."

It must be said that none of the items Zhang Xuezhou mentioned were promises he could make privately; each one required going through a process to be completed.

The Dingshan Stone was produced under the supervision of the imperial court, and each one involved a corresponding official position, such as one of the Nine Ministers or a prefect.

Needless to say, official positions are recorded and verified in detail, including how the official was appointed, their rank, and their salary.

But the new emperor had no money.

As an emperor, he controlled a vast amount of wealth, but the new emperor didn't actually have a single ounce of money in his hands, since someone of his level didn't need to use a single ounce of money to buy anything.

Zhang Xuezhou's request was simple, but it was something the new emperor couldn't fulfill in private.

Even rewards such as entering the Secret Pavilion to seek techniques are not included in this category.

"Why do you need the Mountain-Stabilizing Stone?" the new emperor asked, puzzled. "This Law Treasure, though possessing some profound mysteries, is far less agile than archery when used to attack without the cultivation of the Law Treasure Divine Ability Realm and the Sole Self Realm. In fact, it would be quite restrictive. This kind of Law Treasure is more of a symbol of status, and also serves as the official seal of the prefect and the Nine Ministers."

"Actually, I was only interested in the hallucinogenic properties of the Dingshan Stone," Zhang Xuezhou said. "I'm a very restless sleeper and like to camp in the wild, so having the Dingshan Stone for protection makes me feel much safer!"

"A hallucinogenic effect? But you can't even refine the Mountain-Stabilizing Stone with your insufficient cultivation level," the new emperor said. "You've taken a liking to the Mountain-Stabilizing Stone's abilities, but your current strength is likely insufficient to control or wield such a Law Treasure!"

"How could that be? I clearly..."

Zhang Xuezhou had once commanded Wen Weng's Dingshan Stone, and he was filled with envy for it.

But Zhang Xuezhou was mostly using treasures that others had already refined.

It involves not only the Dingshan Stone, but also the Black and White Twin Horses, as well as items like the Sleepy Bug.

He had clearly intercepted a treasure that others had acquired over decades or even centuries, but if he were to give Zhang Xuezhou a new treasure, Zhang Xuezhou's cultivation level would be insufficient to refine it.

To properly utilize the Mountain-Stabilizing Stone Law Treasure, one might need to achieve a high level of cultivation and a high position in the imperial court, thereby gaining the ability to command the Mountain-Stabilizing Stone.

Zhang Xuezhou either has to seek out valuable items to exchange with local prefects and high-ranking officials, or a few special officials, or he will only be able to use the Law Treasure, the Mountain-Stabilizing Stone, if others are willing to part with it.

Here's the thing: after the new emperor offered a brief explanation, Zhang Xuezhou couldn't help but feel that the Dingshan Stone project was a distant prospect.

"Manqian, didn't you want to change the Vajra Talisman before you came? Why are you thinking about the Mountain-Stabilizing Stone now?" Zhang Qian whispered a reminder.

"This matter..."

"I can grant you this request!"

Zhang Xuezhou had thought that things would be difficult since the Prince of Liang had already kicked the bucket, but to his surprise, before he could even finish his hesitant words, the new emperor immediately agreed.

The new emperor pulled a golden talisman from his waist and placed it steadily on the table.

Zhang Xuezhou looked over and saw that the talisman was as thin as paper, seemingly made of some kind of special gold foil. The inscription on the talisman was extremely complex, and it was filled not only with cinnabar, but also seemed to have the faint aura of Spirit Stone.

"As long as your mouth and the speed at which you channel your Law Power are faster than someone's swords, this talisman can help you withstand attacks from cultivators below the True Self Realm two to three times. If you're defending against ordinary cultivators, it can do so even more times and for a longer duration!"

The new emperor pointed to the Vajra talisman.

This is why he was confident enough to leave the palace alone.

He doesn't have many other things on him, but he could easily produce dozens of important talismans.

These were his personal belongings for self-defense; whether he used a few or not wouldn't be checked carefully.

Unless he encounters danger, these talismans will never be of any use, and will only lose their power over time, forcing him to replace them.

Therefore, there was nothing wrong with him taking out the Vajra Talisman as a reward.

What Zhang Xuezhou did with these talismans is another matter entirely. If he committed crimes, the court would naturally investigate and punish him, but using them for self-defense is a normal practice.

"Then our offering is finished!"

Zhang Xuezhou didn't inspect the goods; instead, he obtained the incantation to activate the talisman and then put it in his pocket.

He felt for a moment that things had been done a little too quickly.

Originally intending for Zhang Qian to take care of him for a while, Zhang Xuezhou suddenly realized that he seemed to have no reason to continue relying on Zhang Qian.

"I think it should end!"

Whether to offer it to the imperial court or to the current emperor, even a fool would know the choice.

The new emperor personally came to meet with Zhang Xuezhou, not only rewarding him but also clearly entrusting Zhang Qian with many things.

Just as the Crown Prince made arrangements for Zhang Qian after his trip to Lingnan, Zhang Qian is now clearly being given the same treatment.

He pondered for a few seconds and felt that the matter he had brought to Chang'an City had been completed perfectly.

"Then tomorrow?" Zhang Xuezhou asked doubtfully.

"I'll be returning to Yanmen Pass tomorrow to resign from my military post," Zhang Qian said. "After resigning, I'll come back to Chang'an City to seek another official position!"

With the emperor as the pillar of support, the Western Border Military District could no longer restrain Zhang Qian. However, the necessary procedures still had to be followed. Zhang Qian needed to settle his previous military post before he could be included in the new emperor's training program.

"Do you have half a tael of silver? Could you lend me some money? I'd like to stay here for seven or eight days!"

Zhang Xuezhou was genuinely short of money. He had invested his savings in Zhao Liang, but the money was confiscated by soldiers from Fuping County within minutes and has not been returned to him to this day.

After Zhang Qian paid the bill and left, he was homeless and it would be difficult for him to find a suitable place to stay for seven days.

"What, aren't you going with Ziwen?" the new emperor asked with interest.

"I want to wait for Dr. Dong Zhongshu in Chang'an City. If he doesn't come, I'll go back to my hometown!"

Zhang Xuezhou was too embarrassed to mention that he just wanted to find a place to lie down for seven days. He came up with a reason, which made the new emperor think for a moment, and he glanced at Zhang Qian a few more times.

But he ultimately said nothing, only telling Zhang Qian to act quickly and return as soon as possible.

Amidst the chanting of talismans, the new emperor, carrying the secret manual of the Crescent Moon Blade, transformed into a phantom and vanished into the darkness of the night.