Chapter 845: Nine Apertures Dingyuan Pearl (First update, requesting everything)

Zhao Rui did not go over immediately, but first asked Li Zhangsheng for instructions; only after receiving Li Zhangsheng's permission did he walk over with a vigorous, tiger-like stride.

Unlike when he faced Li Zhangsheng, his long-term position of high authority naturally made him appear quite dignified, as one's environment shapes their temperament and nourishes their physique.

Li Zhangsheng said to Ning Bizhen, "Let us go over as well!"

Ning Bizhen nodded and followed Li Zhangsheng outside the door, accompanied by the group of high-ranking officials and nobles.

Outside the door, an old eunuch dressed in a python robe stood waiting, holding a scroll of golden imperial edict.

Judging by the attire the old eunuch wore, he also held a key position in the Imperial Palace.

"Prince Cheng, receive the edict!"

The old eunuch was no ordinary person; he possessed the level of a Fifth-tier Beastmaster. One must know that in a small country like the Dai Kingdom, a Fifth-tier Beastmaster was enough to rank among the top hundred, or perhaps even the top fifty.

Zhao Rui did not kneel, but bowed slightly. After becoming a Pseudo-King, he did not need to perform the kneeling kowtow even when meeting the Emperor of the Dai Kingdom, let alone for a mere imperial edict.

The old eunuch spread out the imperial edict and spoke clearly: "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees! Prince Cheng has labored diligently and achieved great merit, upholding the national prestige of our Dai Kingdom. This deeply pleases Our heart. You are hereby appointed as General of Cavalry, to command the Xiao Guo Army, granted the authority of the scepter and axe, and ordered to lead the Xiao Guo Army to Hurricane Fortress immediately to suppress the demons! (Please do not complain)"

Hurricane Fortress was the place where the Dai Kingdom suppressed the first Abyss Gate, and the Xiao Guo Army was one of the most elite armies of the Dai Kingdom, usually stationed in the Capital and only deployed during extraordinary times.

Logically speaking, becoming a General of Cavalry, especially one who could command the Xiao Guo Army, should be a cause for joy, but there was no sign of happiness on Zhao Rui's face. After all, going to the fortress to suppress demons carried inherent risks, and even more so at this time.

Because the second Abyss Gate was about to open, the Stronger individuals of the Dai Kingdom seemed to have foreseen the fate of the country; many had fled abroad, and as time passed, the number of departing Stronger individuals was increasing rapidly.

It was precisely because of this that the pressure on Hurricane Fortress had become greater and greater, and it was now in a precarious state, forcing the current Emperor of the Dai Kingdom to deploy the Xiao Guo Army.

Including Zhao Rui, there were now only four Pseudo-Kings left in the Dai Kingdom. One was at Hurricane Fortress, one was stationed in the Capital, and the whereabouts of another were temporarily unknown; thus, they had no choice but to send Zhao Rui, this newly promoted Pseudo-King.

"Your subject receives the edict!"

Zhao Rui naturally had no intention of defying the edict and could only suppress his gloom as he received the imperial edict with both hands.

"I hope Prince Cheng will succeed at the first attempt and win the first battle!"

Before leaving, the old eunuch offered his blessings in passing.

Once the old eunuch left, the group of influential high-ranking officials and nobles could not help but discuss the matter. Because their interests were intertwined—prospering together and suffering together—their complexions were not very good either.

Li Zhangsheng and Ning Bizhen discussed it via voice transmission and felt that this was a good opportunity to win over people's hearts and establish prestige. If done well, they could even achieve their goals in one step.

Li Zhangsheng naturally would not let such an opportunity pass, and he said to Zhao Rui, "Zhao Rui, we have decided to accompany you to Hurricane Fortress!"

Upon hearing the decision of Li Zhangsheng and Ning Bizhen, Zhao Rui was visibly stunned, followed by an expression of great joy.

The group of high-ranking officials and nobles were equally delighted. They had heard Zhao Rui say that Li Zhangsheng had single-handedly killed a Demon Commander and had even surpassed Yan Wanling to become the number one person in the Heavenly Dao Secret Realm; his strength was likely comparable to an Emperor Rank. If one added the King and the top-tier Pseudo-King Ning Bizhen who were personally stationed at Hurricane Fortress, the fortress could even be described as impregnable.

Zhao Rui said with great emotion, "Then I shall trouble the Lord and the Lady!"

"We are also a bit tired; arrange a place for us to stay first."

Li Zhangsheng changed his plan and did not continue to socialize with the group of high-ranking officials and nobles, because he felt there was no need for it anymore.

As long as he defeated or killed the Demon Commander ravaging the Dai Kingdom, he could establish immense prestige in the Dai Kingdom and, furthermore, stabilize and win over the hearts of the people.

Besides that, there might even be rewards from the Heavenly Dao.

Li Zhangsheng would never have enough Mysterious Yellow Merit Qi.

"I will go and arrange it right away!"

Soon, Zhao Rui prepared a quiet and spacious courtyard for the two of them.

The environment of this courtyard quite met the two's requirements for a residence; it was clear that Zhao Rui had made full preparations for this.

Soon, the courtyard was shrouded in a Restriction, and even Zhao Rui, as the owner, could not step into the courtyard without Li Zhangsheng's permission.

In the courtyard, Li Zhangsheng and Ning Bizhen were sorting through their gains.

A copy of the "General Outline of the Zhou Star Dou" and the "Great Bankruptcy Technique" were also given to Ning Bizhen. The master copy containing the "Great Bankruptcy Technique" could be comprehended by three people at once, and after that, the number of uses would only increase after a cooldown.

It was not as if Ning Bizhen had no other gains; she handed a piece of parchment to Li Zhangsheng, which recorded a method for refining something called the Nine Apertures Dingyuan Pearl.

The Nine Apertures Dingyuan Pearl was a Strange Treasure, and its function was very singular and effective: it could store a large amount of Mental Power, allowing Mental Power to be replenished quickly.

On this parchment, two different methods for refining the Nine Apertures Dingyuan Pearl were recorded. Depending on the refining materials and techniques, there was naturally a huge difference in the stored Mental Power.

Among these two refining methods, the latter could even refine a World Wonder grade Nine Apertures Dingyuan Pearl, but its conditions were extremely harsh; the materials alone were enough to give Li Zhangsheng a headache.

"The Heaven and Earth Rare Treasure grade Nine Apertures Dingyuan Pearl is worth a try!"

Li Zhangsheng looked at the refining method for the Heaven and Earth Rare Treasure grade Nine Apertures Dingyuan Pearl again. The difficulty of collecting the materials was more than a grade lower; he happened to have several of the main materials, and the remaining auxiliary materials could also be bought on the market.

The Heaven and Earth Rare Treasure grade Nine Apertures Dingyuan Pearl could store fifty percent of a Pseudo-King's Mental Power, which could temporarily satisfy the needs of the two.

The fifty percent Mental Power mentioned here referred to a Pseudo-King on the verge of breaking through, and the two were still some distance away from breaking through, which was roughly equivalent to seventy percent of their own Mental Power.

Possessing seventy percent of stored Mental Power also had obvious benefits for the two, such as being able to cast more Secret Techniques and amplify the combat power of more Demon Pets.

After memorizing the refining method for the Nine Apertures Dingyuan Pearl, Li Zhangsheng returned to his room, preparing to purify the Spirit Essence he had obtained from the Heavenly Dao Secret Realm.

Among them, the most precious was naturally the blood of the Pegasus; he believed it could be purified into a large amount of Spirit Essence, which might allow Ning Bizhen's Bright Pegasus to advance further.

In addition, there was the Ancestral Golden Dragon Spirit Essence, which could likewise allow the Golden Dragon to advance further.

Furthermore, he might also be able to gather enough White Tiger Essence Blood for Aixi to evolve.

If Aixi evolved again, its combat power would definitely be comparable to Kailan and could contend with ordinary Demon Saint-level Spirit Beasts, which naturally made Li Zhangsheng quite expectant.

(End of this chapter)