Chapter 289: Advance Awareness

Zhang Jian thought for a moment, then, following the normal disposal method, he directly had the Daoists of Dongshen Guan provide some dragon vein stones, refined them with a secret method into a four-direction altar, set up a Small Qiankun Nine Cauldrons Grand Formation, trapped the polluted area of the dragon vein, and, with the power of the State Altar King Ding, purified the polluted area of the dragon vein once more through the grand formation.

But Zhang Jian knew that this refinement was purely treating the symptoms, not the root cause.

The Great Qian dragon vein had been backlashed, with too many fissures, unable to recover; such methods could only temporarily resolve the backlash.

Moreover, Great Qian drawing upon the Former Shu dragon vein's qi to nourish the Great Qian dragon vein had too deep a connection, and part of the pollution had likely already seeped into the Great Qian dragon soul.

There was no way to eradicate it completely.

Unless the dragon shed its skin and underwent Nirvana, Great Qian would be reborn, redefining a new dragon vein.

Zhang Jian did not conceal this situation either; he directly told Jingming Daoist.

After completing everything, several days later, he achieved success and withdrew.

Jingming Daoist, Huanghe Daoist appeared to retain him, but Zhang Jian politely declined.

The benefits were already in hand; there was no need to invite trouble.

Jingming Daoist, however, regretted it deeply.

Great Qian was storm-tossed, the dragon vein on the verge of rupture, urgently lacking such special talent, yet Great Qian had no bargaining chip to retain him.

……

Inside and outside Haojing City

Recently, however, things have not been entirely peaceful; many figures have appeared around the imperial city, the Black-Clothed Guards have arrested batch after batch, yet they still cannot find peace.

"These Northern Chu spies are truly arrogant to the extreme; this Commander wants to see just how many hidden agents they have to expend!"

At this moment in the Black-Clothed Guards' office, the acting commander Zhao Hu had a stern face, and under his command were several Black-Clothed Guard deputy commanders whose qi and blood were like a blazing furnace.

These were all high-ranking martial artists who had achieved the Heavenly Human body.

After a bout of shouting, Zhao Hu's deep and cold gaze swept over the deputy commanders and commanders, and he said in a cold voice.

"His Majesty's strict order: anyone who investigates matters of the imperial city shall be arrested immediately; as for interrogation, let him explain it well in the heavenly prison!"

Zhao Hu's eyes flashed with a stern smile; this 'Fierce Tiger' now bared its ferocious fangs.

"Subordinates obey the order!"

Numerous deputy commanders at this moment all lowered their heads.

Saying this, but Zhao Hu's heart tightened like a taut string—not only were the activities of many feudal princes' spies outside Haojing City intensifying, but in Dingyuan Commandery, the Northern Chu army was also pressing the border under the mobilization of the Grand Tutor Tuoba Zhenwu.

If His Majesty the Emperor encountered any mishap, it would likely be a heaven-treading great calamity.

After all, Great Qian had not yet established its foundation.

The Empress in the Central Palace had borne no offspring.

If trouble arose now, Great Qian would likely face internal and external difficulties.

But just then, outside the Black-Clothed Guards' office, a squad of Black-Clothed Guards hurried in, simultaneously bringing a piece of extremely good news.

The Emperor had appeared in the Jingtai Hall, already safe and sound.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Hu long before slowly exhaled a breath of relief; Great Qian had thus passed another perilous pass.

With the Emperor's recovery, the Ziwei Star in the heavens above again burst forth with radiance, the sun at high noon; such an omen also made many accomplished cultivators feel the change in the situation.

The Emperor's fate was ultimately not exhausted.

……

In the Jingtai Hall, the Emperor wore the dragon robe, and for the first time since Xunyue, he returned to the imperial desk; beside him, Liang Shiwu attended carefully, but although the Emperor had recovered, Liang Shiwu clearly saw that he had aged somewhat, with a strand of gray-white appearing beside his temples.

His spirit and energy were, however, full.

The Emperor sipped his nourishing porridge in small mouthfuls, his eyes still sharp, gazing at the mountain-like memorials piled before him, he sighed somewhat.

"Great Qian ultimately cannot do without Me!"

Liang Shiwu lowered his head and said: "Your Majesty, wise and decisive, the civil and military officials in court all say that Your Majesty is the rare middle-revival monarch our Great Qian has not seen in a hundred years; naturally, Great Qian above and below cannot do without Your Majesty's decisive command of heaven and earth!"

The Emperor pointed at Liang Shiwu and laughed, scolding: "You old fogey, always picking the pleasant things to hear!"

After finishing the porridge, the Emperor's face suddenly sank, and after a moment he said.

"Liang Daban, you go summon the National Preceptor; the National Preceptor has not spoken to Me about longevity and health-preserving methods for a long time!"

Liang Shiwu, upon hearing this, was slightly startled, but quickly nodded and agreed to leave.

He keenly sensed that the Emperor's mindset seemed to have changed somewhat.

After the Emperor had just ascended the throne, he had indeed been very interested in longevity methods, often summoning the National Preceptor, but since learning that the Emperor could not cultivate, he had not mentioned this for a long time.

This time, he actually brought up the old matter again?

……

On another side, Zhang Jian was somewhat pondering in his mansion.

This time, having personally probed the dragon vein once, he already clearly knew that the Great Qian dragon vein probably could not support ten years, at most ten years, and might even collapse within a few years.

Once the dragon vein collapses, Great Qian will inevitably fragment and disintegrate; he can no longer follow his own plan, advancing step by step.

He must now accelerate his own actions.

Even a single An Ruiming and his Zhang family together are still insufficient.

Fortunately, these years he has not wasted time in Haojing City; he has already made preparations against future troubles, and only needs to take initiative to further win over some military commanders.

Since he already knew Great Qian's details in advance, for the Zhang family, which intends to contend for the dragon, this is a great advantage.

Zhang Jian raised his hand, and also took out the Nascent Yuan Pouch; the treasures inside this Nascent Yuan Pouch still need to be handed over to the four Dharma Protectors of the Four Spirit Positions.

The Four Spirit Dharma Protectors will soon be able to exert their effect.

At the same time, Zhang Jian also prepared to return to the ancestral shrine to worship ancestors and reap benefits.

After two years, he has already restrained himself for a long time.

During this period, he can also be said to have achieved notable 'results'; he has improved and selected many seed varieties; although these measures may not all be well utilized by Great Qian's officials up and down, those that are actually implemented in practice are also merits of immeasurable value.

Zhang Jian hopes this time he can again reap some good things.

This time Zhang Jian deliberately bought many more gold and silver ingots.

Besides, having succeeded in refining a magic tool last time, Zhang Jian refined another small magic tool.

This time it was a very ordinary blue-edged long sword; Zhang Jian imbued this blue-edged magic sword with five-element runes for tempering.

At this point, after two rounds of refining magic tools, Zhang Jian couldn't help but lament that his ability to refine magic tools and elixirs did not match his own strength at all.

He still needs to study more in the arts of refining tools and elixirs.

As for refining elixirs, that's fine.

Especially refining tools—this might affect his ability to "shear wool" in the ancestral shrine, so he cannot be careless about it.

Perhaps in the future he could even properly offer magic treasures, spirit treasures, and other items, and if he could learn to refine magic treasures, he would grasp the initiative.

Inside the ancestral shrine, Zhang Jian brought Qi Yuhua with him this time.

At this time, Qi Yuhua's delivery date was not far off, and she was being carefully supported by Zhang Jian.

Meanwhile, Zhang Zhao and Zhang Chang'an's two small families were still inside the Xihua Academy, so they were not by his side.

Qi Yuhua gazed at the dozen or so braziers continuously burning inside the ancestral shrine, and there was nothing unexpected.

She had gradually grown accustomed to Zhang Jian's persona as a "filial son."