Chapter 148: Spirit Sword

"My lord, what's wrong?"

Zhang Lu's gaze followed the plaque before the mansion.

He saw the gilded plaque of the Dingnan Marquisate Manor.

"My lord, are you planning to visit the Dingnan Marquisate Manor?"

"Indeed, I should pay a visit, but not now!"

At this moment, Zhang Jian's gaze swept over the imposing marquisate manor, his spiritual eyes seeming to see streams of qi and blood like a furnace mingling with tiger and dragon energy, roaring fiercely.

He closed his spiritual eyes and did not continue observing.

Forcibly probing another's residence, once discovered, easily invites trouble.

But he knows that he will inevitably have dealings with the Dingnan Marquisate Manor ahead.

To make a breakthrough in the capital, relying solely on his great-uncle Qi Yuanwu is still somewhat unreliable; he needs to leverage the power of the Dingnan Marquisate Manor.

The two turned and departed.

In the following days, Zhang Jian, while passing the time, reviewed his studies, and in his leisure continually contemplated the《Nine Heavens Riding the Wind Technique》, mastering its arts, refining his magical power.

Though walking the path of the red dust, Zhang Jian will not forget his original purpose.

Longevity is the ultimate goal!

……

"Emperor Jingwu of the Great Wei, Wei Zhen!"

Zhang Jian gazed at the materials gathered on the desk before him, casually taking out several sheets of paper.

Since he intends to take the imperial examinations, he naturally needs to know what kind of existence the current emperor is, the direction of governance—this also concerns the future direction of the Zhang family.

However, after carefully examining these materials, Zhang Jian felt somewhat surprised and solemn.

The current emperor, Emperor Jingwu, is the third son of the late emperor, not born of the empress.

Before ascending the throne, and even before being named crown prince, he was not particularly outstanding.

But he is absolutely a strong and patient emperor.

His origins can only be considered ordinary—he lacks the illustrious lineage of the eldest prince, Wei Hui, and lacks the exceptional talent of the younger prince, King Han Wei Yao, who was greatly favored by the late emperor; moreover, he does not resemble another brother, King Zheng Wei Chi, who was well-versed in statecraft and praised by officials.

According to the information he gathered, initially the current emperor had no qualification to inherit the great undertaking.

Because the eldest prince, Wei Hui, was still alive, and the late emperor greatly favored Wei Hui's martial prowess, having early on designated him as heir.

However, the eldest prince Wei Hui suffered misfortune in youth; rumors say he injured his body while practicing a special internal alchemy secret, or perhaps encountered an accident causing disability!

Although the late emperor was deeply grieved, he had no choice but to helplessly make a decision, shifting his gaze away from Wei Hui.

Yet he still did not turn his gaze toward Emperor Jingwu.

Instead, he directed it toward King Zheng Wei Chi.

However, King Zheng Wei Chi soon disappointed Emperor Wen due to his licentious and arrogant conduct, gradually losing favor, and abandoned this choice.

Among the scholar-officials, many senior ministers hold Emperor Jingwu in high esteem.

They praise him as wise without revealing his sharpness, showing weakness without displaying humility, contending without showing off, prominent without being ostentatious, cultured without being full, martial without being numerous; after eliminating the two strongest princes, he finally defeated his younger brother and ascended to the crown prince position.

This is an emperor difficult to deal with.

This thought flashed through Zhang Jian's mind.

In fact, it may not only be him; those senior ministers in the court probably also find it hard to endure.

Zhang Jian picked up the last sheet of paper, which at this moment still contained part of the 'deeds' transmitted from the Great Qian royal family.

The current emperor could shoot arrows at age six, ride horses at eight; in his youth, his talents were extraordinary, he read widely, and even mingled in the army for several years, gaining considerable support from the military merit faction.

"The young emperor is not muddled!"

……

If at this moment in the depths of Tongshan, the Ancestral Hall.

The Slaying Demon True Lord, however, wore a black robe, strode straight into this place, and was now seeking an audience with the Patriarch of Tongshan.

It is worth mentioning that although the Tongshan lineage has been transmitted for a long time, the Patriarch has only changed three times.

The current Patriarch has held office for over a thousand years.

His generation is extremely high, being one of the three core generations of Patriarchs.

And at this moment, the Tongshan lineage has been transmitted for a long time, with disciples already having passed down many generations.

At this moment, facing the Ancestral Hall, before the seven or eight solemn and towering ancestral spirit images on the divine camphor table, the Slaying Demon True Lord arrived before one of them.

He slightly performed the rites and spoke directly.

"Patriarch, disciple enters the Ancestral Hall to seek a quota for remote listening to the Dao in the Transmission Hall for my true disciple Zhang Jian!"

Upon seeing Slaying Demon True Lord speak, a golden light appeared on the ancestral spirit image, within which a voice emerged.

"Slaying Demon, you must know that disciples in the sect are numerous; I and others cannot grant you special privilege—this requires examining his merit of qi fortune!"

Slaying Demon True Lord did not take it to heart, clasped his fists, and said: "Patriarch, you also know my disciple's talent; if left to grow wildly, it would inevitably waste his endowment—this necessarily requires sect guidance!"

"Moreover, according to my observation, he still possesses the Seven Apertures Exquisite Heart, which only ancient sages possess!"

Upon hearing this, the figure in the ancestral spirit image paused slightly, then after a moment said.

"Oh……"

"Well, forget it—I grant your request!"

At this moment, in the void, a divine light descended, instantly transforming into a talisman seal that fell into Slaying Demon True Lord's hand.

……

After obtaining the special remote listening quota for Zhang Jian, Slaying Demon True Lord returned to Slaying Demon Peak and sought to summon Zhang Jian forward.

Within Slaying Demon Palace.

The light of the Heavenly and Earthly Mysterious Gate appeared, and Zhang Jian's illusory soul instantly condensed into substance.

Having received good news from the True Monarch of Slaying Demons, Zhang Jian also felt a surge of joy in his heart, and immediately took the opportunity to speak.

"Master, I would also like to take advantage of this opportunity to additionally select two more techniques from the Slaying Demons lineage, and I respectfully ask for your guidance, Master!"

When Zhang Jian first entered the sect, due to his special karmic contribution, he was not only granted the orthodox inheritance but also given one opportunity to select a technique from the Ancestral Hall, plus two additional opportunities to choose auxiliary methods, and two more opportunities to select techniques within this lineage.

He merely took the opportunity to select the《Tong Mountain Purity Treasure Record》, 《Wang Ding Demon-Subduing Secret Record》, 《Nine Heavens Riding the Wind and Controlling Thunder Technique》, and the forging method for his natal magical artifact, the《Golden Cauldron Marvelous Method》!

He left behind the remaining opportunities to select techniques within this lineage, intending to use this chance to wait for the True Monarch of Slaying Demons to return, and then take the opportunity to draw closer in the master-disciple relationship.

This could also be considered paving the way for himself within the sect.

After all, he has been away for years; if he has no foundation within the sect, he will inevitably find it difficult to get by in the future.

This is a small, thoughtful consideration not worth mentioning to outsiders.

But it is not annoying.

The True Monarch of Slaying Demons nodded and said: "Do you have any ideas of your own?"

"I have heard that Master is renowned in the cultivation world for your swordsmanship, and I happen to possess a natal spiritual sword in my hand. I would like to ask Master to help me select a profound method for nurturing my natal spiritual sword. Aside from that, I am unsure how to choose the final technique, so I beg Master to teach me?"

Having gauged the True Monarch of Slaying Demons's temperament, Zhang Jian was also not the least bit polite.

He knew this Master did not care about such things, only about one's attitude in cultivation.

As long as one is progressive, anything can be discussed.

"This matter is simple; our Slaying Demons lineage has long been renowned for swordsmanship, and there are plenty of profound methods for nurturing a natal spiritual sword. Master has examined your natal spiritual sword, and since you are seeking the Contending Dragon Path, then choose this《Holy Virtue Sword-Washing Method》!"

"As for the final technique!"