Chapter 295

Inside the mansion of the top scholar, Zhang Jian held in his hands a volume of the "Solar True Scripture"; this time it was not a false scripture, but the true one, authored by the Solar King of the Western Extremity.

Zhang Jian merely skimmed through it, yet he also felt he had gained greatly.

Such obscure and intricate sage classics, in the eyes of other cultivators, might perhaps be merely like ordinary scriptures, at most refining one or two temperaments, but in the eyes of Zhang Jian, whose comprehension transcended the ordinary, they were no less than the sages demonstrating the Dharma.

Merely flipping through it once, Zhang Jian felt in his mind the emergence of many marvels of the solar stars' revolutions, which, combined with his own Heavenly Circuit Seal and Golden Crow Seal, brought him great gains.

Regarding the use of the Golden Crow True Fire, he faintly felt he had risen to a higher level.

This was a terrifying level of comprehension.

Around his body, faint threads of pure yang golden light flowed into his innate Dao fetus body, and his flesh apertures began to emit a jade-like vitality.

Within his body, it was as if countless Golden Crow flames had turned into fine threads, passing through numerous meridians and entering his heart aperture.

After Zhang Jian had flipped through it several times, he put it down.

His gaze swept over, and his thoughts remained on the matter requested by Daoist Jingming.

After much consideration, Zhang Jian made up his mind.

Since Daoist Jingming had thus "trusted" him, he naturally ought to agree.

Besides testing Daoist Jingming, Zhang Jian felt he might, from this event, uncover the origin of that ancient spiritual treasure.

Knowing oneself and knowing the enemy enables one to make preparations in advance.

Having made his decision, Zhang Jian sent a reply back to the Dongshen Temple.

Not long after, Daoist Jingming came again, and after discussing for half a day, they finally settled on a time.

……

"My wife, as I depart on this journey, you must properly restrain Zhao'er and Chang'an; if unnecessary, do not temporarily leave the mansion, for as long as you do not leave the mansion, even if the city of Haojing is turned upside down, you will remain safe and sound!"

Before departing, Zhang Jian went to the inner chambers to see Qi Yuhua.

Qi Yuhua was at that moment holding Zhang Xian, her beautiful jade-like countenance full of maternal radiance; hearing his words, she felt some worry.

Zhang Jian would not speak without cause.

Qi Yuhua still agreed, saying, "Husband, the household has me; you may rest assured!"

Zhang Jian then summoned Zhang Fu.

Before his departure, Zhang Jian handed two talismans to Zhang Fu, instructing him to send one talisman back to Fengyang Commandery via the water relay station, and besides that, to let the other talisman be used adaptively, to be given to another destined person.

……

The relic Zhang Jian wished to visit on this journey is called the Dongdi Relic.

Dongdi was a remote ancient sage born in the vast expanse of heaven and earth, and also a hegemon in the cultivation world; he once, in ancient times, led the cultivation world in resistance against the demon race and repelled several invasions of extradimensional gods and demons.

However, this Dongdi did not manage to attain the Dao; after a certain great battle, he completely vanished, and was later confirmed to have fallen.

He was a cultivator whose Dao penetrated heaven and earth, who once led many cultivators in the void beyond the realm to resist foreign enemies, and had achieved much glory.

Those void realms later became the Dongdi Relic.

A relic left behind by a remote ancient sage of the cultivation world, Zhang Jian still felt some interest in it.

……

Meanwhile, Zhang Fu did not dare to be negligent; after Zhang Jian's departure, he ordered someone to send one talisman back to Fengyang Commandery via the water relay station, while he himself went to a wine shop in Haojing City to await the arrival of the target.

……

Meanwhile, after Zhang Jian's letter was sent back, it fell into Zhang Yi's hands, and Zhang Yi then summoned Zhang Yi.

"Younger brother, this is the letter A Yu gave you; this matter still requires you to make a trip to the Shuangfeng Mountain Range!"

At this moment, Zhang Yi's expression bore a thick aura of majesty.

Zhang Jian's status in Haojing City was rising like water lifting a boat, and the Zhang family caravan's expansion in the southern commanderies had also become smooth sailing.

Resistance had greatly diminished.

His bearing and dignity grew ever more solemn.

Zhang Yi stood to the side in a black robe, his body faintly emitting a thick fluctuation of spiritual energy; having cultivated for over ten years, he had already achieved some accomplishment in the practice of the Soul-Entrusting Technique.

Yet his body grew ever more gloomy and cold, revealing a feeling that made strangers hesitant to approach.

After receiving the letter, his gaze swept over, and there was some astonishment in the depths of his eyes.

But he still nodded.

"Since it is the young master's command, I shall naturally follow it!"

The task Zhang Jian asked him to do was merely a small matter: only to go to the Shuangfeng Mountain Range and wait a few days, for a spiritual beast was about to enter the mountain range to seek the Dao, and one only needed to find a way to bestow upon it a stroke of fortune.

Shuangfeng Mountain Range, before the Phoenix Nest Mountain

Zhang Yi, following Zhang Jian's instructions, stood upright before a tall stone rock before the mountain; this was a hillside, located on the mid-slope; from here, looking afar, one could see that in the valley below, merchant caravans occasionally passed by.

But not long after, Zhang Yi suddenly felt a stir in his expression, yet he saw that, unknown when, the noisy sounds of the surrounding mountains and forests had abruptly ceased, as if some terrifying ferocious beast had arrived, causing all the birds and birds to fall silent.

Zhang Yi gazed upon this scene, and a hint of vigilance arose in his heart, yet he still, following Zhang Jian's instructions, spoke aloud in a loud voice.

"Is there one who seeks the Dao coming forward?"

Having spoken, the forest remained silent as before!

Seeing this, Zhang Yi swept his gaze over; following Zhang Jian's hint, he shouted again:

"You wretched beast, since you remember the twelve-year-old agreement to guide the myriad souls, why, when the matter comes to a head, do you hesitate and waver?"

This time, from deep within the woods, there was finally movement, and the rustling sound began!

Yet from the dark depths, a hoarse, heavy voice sounded.

"Who are you? Why do you know of my agreement with the exalted one?"

Amidst the rustling wind, a spiritual light appeared—it was an extremely thick and long demonic creature.

Yet its entire body glowed with spiritual light, while its demonic aura was extremely faint; upon the black serpent scales, there emanated a layer of peculiar pure and holy sanctity.

It was a great serpent, a black worm fully ten or more zhang in length.

Its body was filled with astonishing demonic energy; Zhang Yi sensed it faintly and felt a chill in his heart, yet he still followed Zhang Jian's instructions and spoke.

"I was entrusted by my family's lord to say that three days later, at the junction of noon and afternoon before the Twin Phoenix Mountains, a fated one will arrive to receive the dharma, be granted secrets, heed their true heart, and attain the Great Dao!"

"Are you that fated one?"

"At the junction of noon and afternoon, the fated one arrives... Exactly, it's me!"

Upon hearing this, the black snake's lively eyes flashed with joy.

It was the black snake that, years ago on the battlefield, had made a pact with Zhang Jian to guide ten thousand souls.

After more than a decade of arduous cultivation, it hid by day and moved by night, shuttling between major ancient battlefields and even mysterious places, enduring great hardships, narrowly escaping death several times, and even nearly being slain by demon hunters on a few occasions.

Yet it still had some fortune, and had also condensed the Soul-Purifying Incantation into form.

Seeing the Soul-Purifying Incantation take shape, the black snake, in accordance with its promise to Zhang Jian, headed for the Twin Phoenix Mountains.

Just then, it arrived just in time to meet Zhang Yi, who had long been waiting there.

Seeing the large snake's delighted expression, Zhang Yi's eyes flickered with some emotion.

As a cultivator, he could well understand the black snake.

Without the Great Dao's lineage, even if one enters the cultivation gate, it is merely like gazing at the moon's reflection in water or seeing flowers in a dream.

He took out a talisman, casually infused it with a hint of spiritual insight, and in an instant it sank deep into the black snake's forehead.

As the talisman descended, the two Great Dao methods within were also sensed by the black snake.

《Taiyin Refining Form Method》

《Qinglian Soul-Purifying Incantation》!

Besides these, there were also some auxiliary cultivation techniques, such as Moon-Mirror Form Capture, Taiyin Evasion Technique, and Soul-Restraining Incantation, etc.

After merely glancing through them, the black snake was overjoyed, for these were all Great Dao methods.

It sincerely bowed to Zhang Yi.

"Black Ma thanks the exalted one for bestowing the dharma!"

"Please inform the exalted one, Black Ma will never forget the master's teachings, will diligently cultivate, strive in the Great Dao, and never forget the original intention!"

Zhang Yi knew that this bow was not directed at him, but at Zhang Jian in worship.

He quickly rose to his feet.

In an instant, the black snake transformed into a black wind and vanished into the forest.

At this moment, in the Phoenix Nest Mountains, the divine sense of the Phoenix Spirit Mountain God also witnessed this scene, and his expression stirred slightly.

This black snake is indeed a fine specimen—though it lacks notable bloodline, its demonic energy is pure, its comprehension, perseverance, and opportunity are all excellent; it will surely achieve something in the future.

……

In the wine shop, Zhang Fu had also arrived at his target at this time.