Empty Promises Within Empty Promises

In the real world, there is medical technology for blood transfusions and blood donations, and similar techniques exist in this world as well.

"But this only applies to our cooperation. Those who are more direct would devour the person whole, skin and all, or refine the entire person to extract the Ancestral Dragon's Essence Blood!"

The old man began to introduce himself.

It is a crime to Rong Tianding; no matter how strong or weak one's abilities are, once someone sets their sights on someone, there is no escaping it.

For those who have the means, the Annihilation Technique Method of the Ancestral Dragon is a formidable weapon, and once developed and strengthened, it will undoubtedly possess a significant advantage in combat.

But for those who lack the means, the level of their Annihilation Armor remains unchanged from its initial formation.

Zhang Xuezhou originally wanted to shift the blame onto Wei Shao'er, but the three groups of people mentioned by the old man made Zhang Xuezhou abandon the idea.

If anyone discovers Rong Tianding's unusual behavior, whether to investigate or use it for other purposes, Rong Tianding's fate will likely not be good.

He repeatedly suspected that his cheap uncle was using psychological tactics to trick them again, but when the old man took the initiative to mention that each of the four Heavenly Gates of the Immortal Court had a group of people setting off, Zhang Xuezhou finally chose to believe him.

"Cousin, are they going to drain all the blood from me?" Rong Tianding asked tremulously, "Won't this kill me again?"

"According to the introduction, this won't cause your death," Zhang Xuezhou shook his head and said, "They can even create Law Treasure artifacts, and they possess resurrection and soul-stabilizing techniques. You'll hardly feel anything when they draw your blood, let alone die."

"It doesn't sound very reliable to me!" Rong Tianding said.

"Unless you leave Chang'an City now and go back to your hometown of Hibiscus City to sell pork, and never touch cultivation again, you might have a 50% chance of escaping the search by the other three groups for the next twenty years," the old man explained.

"Why twenty years?" Zhang Xuezhou asked, frowning.

"Because he died twenty years later," the old man pointed at Rong Tianding and said, "Ordinary people can hardly withstand the Essence Blood of the Ancestral Dragon. Even if the seed is successfully planted, it is difficult to maintain it indefinitely. If you were the lord of a Sacred Land, protecting your cousin might not be a problem, but unfortunately, you cannot. Not only will you be unable to resist capture, but you will also be helpless when his Demon Power backfires!"

"Are you lying to us again?" Rong Tianding asked.

"Why would I lie to you? Do you think you're even worth lying about with your meager skills?" the old man said. "Where will you hide once your cousin is dead in his sleep?"

The old man's final words completely put Zhang Xuezhou at ease.

With the abilities of the Fuxi Physiognomy School, Rong Tianding couldn't escape even if he wanted to; the old man's ability to accurately locate and intercept them is proof of that.

Once today is over, Zhang Xuezhou will return to the real world, Rong Tianding will likely Yudan.

This requires Zhang Xuezhou and the old man to reach an agreement as soon as possible.

"You're not lying to us? You haven't even used your real name for so long, and you've been impersonating someone else to swindle people!"

Seeing Zhang Xuezhou wink at him, Rong Tianding for a few seconds and then started picking a fight as well.

If they want to cooperate, they should at least know each other's first and last names, lest they be sold out without realizing it.

"Our actions are secretive; the fact that you don't know our background actually helps..."

"Aren't they just the remnants of the Immortal Court that General Cheng mentioned!"

Just as the old man was about to offer some advice, Rong Tianding quickly added a sentence, which made him smile wryly.

"My name is Yao Yuanguang, from the Eastern Heavenly Gate of the Immortal Court. I am a Jieyin under the command of the Golden Cloud Primordial Lord, essentially an unofficial member of the Immortal Court," the old man said helplessly. "My status is not high. The fact that you were able to accomplish this is entirely due to the help of your superiors. It would have been absolutely impossible for the other three groups to do so!"

"You are from the Xiang Sect, why did you enter the Immortal Court?" Zhang Xuezhou asked, puzzled.

"Because the Immortal Court can prolong life, the older one gets, the more afraid of death one becomes, and the more one wants to join the Immortal Court, even going to great lengths to join!"

Yao Yuanguang pointed to himself and smiled helplessly.

"My cultivation level isn't high, but I'm already 110 years old, which is at least 30 years longer than the normal lifespan," Yao Yuanguang said. "If I can perform another meritorious service, I can obtain a longevity pill, and it wouldn't be surprising if my lifespan were extended by another 20 years!"

Yao Yuanguang's motivation for doing things was simple: to obtain the reward of the longevity elixir.

Young people may not have such aspirations, but older people value lifespan especially.

This is not only true of Yao Yuanguang, but also of Chang Kongluo, Song Xianzong, and others in the real world.

The younger generation continues to improve their rank and abilities, but for Chang Kongluo and others, lifespan is the only pursuit.

This makes Yao Yuanguang's behavior understandable.

If he can perform meritorious service again, Yao Yuanguang will live twice the lifespan of a normal person who lives to a ripe old age.

"Where is the East Heavenly Gate?" Zhang Xuezhou asked.

"The East Heavenly Gate is located in the middle of the sea, very, very far away from here," Yao Yuanguang said.

"Then we can't go!"

"But we can go through other Heavenly Gates. It won't take long, about ten days is enough, and then it only takes an hour to enter the East Heavenly Gate!"

Yao Yuanguang pointed in a direction, indicating that things weren't as difficult as Zhang Xuezhou had imagined.

"Cousin, if you close your eyes and then open them again, that's probably when you'll arrive," Rong Tianding said with a grim expression.

Rong Tianding knew very well that Zhang Xuezhou wouldn't harm him, but he was still uneasy.

For Rong Tianding, who had never experienced modern medicine, what Yao Yuanguang said easily reminded him of the bloodletting during pig slaughter.

The thought of being bled dry like that Rong Tianding with immense fear.

However, compared to being killed by someone, or even having one's flesh and skin refined by Technique Method, Yao Yuanguang's method seemed mild.

"What kind of compensation can you offer my cousin?" Zhang Xuezhou asked.

"You've already gained something by cutting off a major problem that could lead to your death. Moreover, the Golden Cloud Goddess has many treasures at her disposal, and giving them to you would be a great fortuitous opportunity. At the very least, you can discuss the art of divination with me, and I will definitely teach you wholeheartedly!" Yao Yuanguang said.

Yao Yuanguang's ability to make empty promises is indeed remarkable.

In the deal described by Yao Yuanguang, Zhang Xuezhou found it difficult to see any substantial benefits.

The other party meticulously planned every step, almost hitting every psychological trigger point for Zhang Xuezhou and Rong Tianding.

Just as Yao Yuanguang once mentioned the lie that Li Guang would definitely arrive in a quarter of an hour, the other party either exaggerated or downplayed certain facts.

Zhang Xuezhou stared at Yao Yuanguang for several seconds, which made Yao Yuanguang chuckle dryly.

"Are you thinking of some way to kill me?" Yao Yuanguang asked. "That should be your simplest and most direct attempt to break the deadlock!"

"I just know that you old folks will go to any lengths to pursue longevity, and I have some doubts about the truth of some of what you said, especially since you are skilled in physiognomy and have almost completely outmaneuvered us in this field," Zhang Xuezhou, frowning.

"No matter what, we are fellow disciples. We might scheme against you, but we won't harm you," Yao Yuanguang said. "My senior brother said you are very intelligent; you should be able to make the best choice!"

"If I encounter this kind of scheme again in the future, how should I break free?" Zhang Xuezhou asked.

"Elephants are not afraid of barking hounds. Your compromise stems only from your lack of strength and status, and your rash acquisition of something beyond your control. The key to breaking this deadlock lies within yourselves!"

Hearing Zhang Xuezhou's words, Yao Yuanguang breathed a sigh of relief and pointed out the most crucial point in this situation.

If one has the confidence to defy the Immortal Court, all scheming and verbal sparring will be in vain.

For Zhang Xuezhou and others at present, compromise is the best option.