Chapter 373: Addicted to Shearing Sheep, Unable to Extricate Oneself

Chi Jiang Daoist nodded upon hearing this.

Knowing that speed is essential in warfare, he immediately activated his technique and flew straight toward Dongzhou.

At the same time, to avoid wasting time, he first sent a message to Haojing City.

Relying on his swift evasion technique, his figure resembled a red sword flash, lightning flickering, as he traversed vast expanses of void, crossing countless zhang of emptiness.

Soon after, he entered the territory of Xia from the rear of Hengling Mountain Range behind the ancient lands of Bei Chu.

But at a glance, Chi Jiang's expression changed.

In his gaze, an invisible aura now permeated this ancient land of Bei Chu, like a thin gauze drifting above this fertile land.

This 'gauze' has no effect on ordinary mortals.

But for cultivators, it is like a mosquito outside a net—if one tries to approach, it will inevitably disturb this 'gauze', alerting the deities and cultivators within.

"Nine Cauldrons Boundary?"

A flicker of surprise flashed in Chi Jiang's eyes; he had indeed heard that this junior disciple had recently entered the Ancestral Hall, successfully obtained the approval of Patriarch Dayu, and acquired the ancient Nine Cauldrons secret method—seemingly already achieving some success.

This is astonishing.

How long has it been?

Yet he still transformed into a streak of escaping light and plunged in, his form swiftly rushing toward Haojing City.

Indeed, the passage was smooth all the way.

Chi Jiang Daoist's gaze fell upon it, and he was even more astonished.

Half an hour later, Emperor Zhang Jian received Chi Jiang Daoist within the imperial palace, having already received his message.

On the main hall, host and guest sat down; the matter was urgent, so Zhang Jian did not prepare any other spiritual fruits for hospitality, only having some calming tea and soothing incense readied.

After a brief discussion, Zhang Jian said:

"Your purpose, Senior Brother, I now understand—since it concerns the Gate of Shura, I shall naturally lend the treasure!"

Zhang Jian no longer used the imperial self-reference, instead adopting a more affectionate term.

Upon hearing this, Chi Jiang's eyes lit up with joy; he quickly rose: "Excellent! To have your assistance, Junior Brother, I, as the elder brother, first thank you on behalf of the disciples of the Gate of Shura!"

With a raise of his hand, Zhang Jian caused a treasure mirror flashing with golden light to appear.

It was the Eastern Emperor's Treasure Mirror.

This is precisely the treasure Chi Jiang Daoist came to borrow.

At this moment, Zhang Jian's expression was solemn.

He had also heard of the name Gate of Shura.

It is a special demonic sect, formed by a powerful demon cultivator practicing the Blood River Path who colluded with external realms to create the Blood River Realm Gate; if not sealed quickly, demons will continually emerge from it, causing demonic calamities.

Essentially, this is a demonic invasion.

However, due to its frequent occurrence, many cultivators, even demonic practitioners, now know how to deal with it—and even profit from it.

Although demons are fearsome, they also possess some value on their bodies, and sometimes even nurture special 'heavenly materials and earthly treasures'.

For example, blood essence and demon pearls—these are excellent mediums for alchemy, spellcasting, or rituals!

If collected, they can also serve as good materials for pill refinement and artifact forging.

Such evil places can also be used as training grounds to temper disciples' mana and spellcasting proficiency.

According to Chi Jiang Daoist, this time the Tongshan Dao lineage has dispatched many disciples to approach it.

One elite team has already fallen into it.

Zhang Jian then asked:

"I wonder if Yi'er is among that trapped team?"

Seeing Zhang Jian's expression, Chi Jiang Daoist hesitated slightly, then after a moment nodded and said:

"Zhang Shifu is an outstanding disciple of my Slaying Demon Peak, and he is also among them!"

Seeing Zhang Jian furrow his brow slightly, Chi Jiang Daoist added:

"Junior Brother, you need not worry—the sect had also anticipated that disciples might fall into the Gate of Shura, so we equipped them with Purple Blood Talismans, allowing them to temporarily simulate blood river demons; as long as their aura remains concealed, they will not be detected for now!"

Zhang Jian nodded, let out a soft sigh; though worried, he also knew that no cultivator of profound Dao has not experienced nine deaths and one life.

Moreover, Zhang Yi carries the Golden Lotus Hidden Breath Talisman and Wind-Thunder Dual Wings, so he will not fall so easily.

Chi Jiang Daoist feared delaying time, so he did not linger long in Haojing City; his form turned into a streak of escaping light and swiftly departed.

Zhang Jian watched Chi Jiang Daoist's retreating figure, his gaze fluctuating, but he did not choose to follow.

With the Boundless True Lord taking action, he believes Zhang Yi will soon be rescued.

Moreover, he has also left a strand of power within the Eastern Emperor's Treasure Mirror, which can be deployed at critical moments—no need for his true self to go.

Zhang Yi also has a backup plan!

Zhang Jian returned once more to the Ancestral Temple, where at this moment piles of gold and silver ingots were stacked like small hills.

Zhang Jian controlled these gold and silver ingots to fly and fall into large cauldrons one by one to burn, yet he saw that the interior of the great cauldron resembled a bottomless pit—whatever he burned, it could swallow.

This change greatly delighted Zhang Jian.

The more he burned, the larger the scale of this sacrifice, and the better the feedback would be.

In his sight, the scale of gold and silver ingots swallowed this time surpassed that of the previous occasion.

As he had anticipated, three years of rest and recuperation have yielded excellent results.

"Treasure more precious than the Wind-Thunder Immortal Apricot—I wonder what rank it belongs to?"

Zhang Jian's eyes gleamed; he felt himself gradually falling into the 'money eye'.

Addicted to shearing sheep, unable to extricate himself.

In Zhang Jian's sight, shortly afterward, he saw again several small-hill-like piles of gold and silver ingots vanish, gradually reaching the limit.

The remaining gold and silver ingots could no longer be burned.

After Zhang Jian, he took out another magic treasure that had been prepared long ago.

It was a special little booklet.

Zhang Jian condensed it using the scales and feathers of the dragon and phoenix, as well as part of the spatial power of the Huangting Blessed Land, containing the powers of dragon and phoenix, earth, life and death, reincarnation, merit, space, and so on.

It possesses a rather peculiar ability.

Similar to the Register of Life and Death, but its power is far too small; merely having one's name recorded upon it grants heavenly protection of merit, allowing slight avoidance of a portion of calamities.

This counts as a certain successful attempt in Zhang Jian's artifact refinement.

After the ancestral rites, Zhang Jian glanced once more toward the direction of the Western Palace.

Zhang Yi encountered danger; he should actually have informed Bai Liying.

However, Bai Liying has only recently condensed her golden core and needs rest; moreover, even if Bai Liying knew, she would likely only disturb her Dao heart.

Better to let her remain unaware.

……

In the vast immortal realm, 'Qingxia Daoist Lord' is currently in secluded cultivation, while simultaneously calculating how to plug the loophole from the previous embezzlement of public funds.

Although she only embezzled 'a mere' wind-thunder immortal apricot, she still has a way to make up the shortfall, after all holding in her hand an innate merit spiritual treasure, as well as over twelve million incense offerings, refined into incense-gold bricks amounting to over twelve thousand pieces—a huge sum.

Purchasing a heavenly earthly treasure with innate thunder attribute would also suffice.

It might not match the wind-thunder immortal apricot, but it would not differ greatly.

"The main body should be able to 'understand'!"

'Qingxia Daoist Lord' secretly pondered in her heart.

Her expression involuntarily relaxed considerably.

After all, she is a dignified Daoist Lord incarnation—how could she be troubled by such a trifle!

But just then, her expression suddenly stirred, and her figure instantly appeared beside the Two Realms Pool; merely glancing, the smile at the corner of her mouth froze.

"Already back again so soon?"