When everyone heard Yuanhe's words, their mouths twitched.
Was it that easy to go to the Demon Subduing Pavilion?
"I'll meet Grandmaster Zhang personally later." Wang Qingyang shook his head and waved his hand.
"Perhaps the survival of Jing Yang Temple will depend on him."
There was a demon hiding in the dark, and it would likely harm Jing Yang Temple.
As of now, this grandmaster had displayed great power. He would definitely be able to suppress many with questionable motives.
Even that demon would not dare to act rashly before it had a clear understanding of this immortal's background.
Whether it was intentional or not, this grandmaster had helped Jing Yang Temple.
"Senior, what did Zhao Yubing say when you went to see him?" Yuanqing looked at Wang Qingyang and asked in a low voice.
They did not know how powerful the demons were, so it did not hurt to be too careful.
Jing Yang Temple did not have a supreme elder. If they could invite the imperial family and Grandmaster Zhao Yubing to worship in the temple, Jing Yang Temple would be much more stable.
Yuanqing's question made Wang Qingyang's face sink slightly.
"I haven't seen Grandmaster Zhao." He shook his head.
He had not seen him?
Everyone in the hall was stunned.
Jing Yang Temple and the imperial court were of the same branch. Jing Yang Temple ruled Daoism while the imperial court ruled everything else in the world.
For so many years, Jing Yang Temple had been helping the imperial family of Zhao and the imperial court to stabilize the world.
The imperial family returned the favor by providing all kinds of resources.
The most beautiful place in Luojing was given to Jing Yang Temple as a base.
Whenever Jing Yang Temple wanted to select disciples, the imperial family would send talented members over.
The temple master and elders of Jing Yang Temple did not have to report when they entered the imperial city.
In the past, demons had run rampant in Zhao. Daoist Yu Ji, the supreme elder of Jing Yang Temple, had taken the lead to suppress them. The three great grandmasters joined forces and the five states watched as Zhao defeated the demons.
At that time, it just so happened that Qin had destroyed Zhou for 100 years, and Wei had occupied Han for 10 years. Those two powerful nations were eyeing them covetously.
In the battle between the three great grandmasters and the demons, the Luo River was cut off, and fire spread across thousands of miles. Finally, the demons were defeated in Jing Yang Temple's Demon Subduing Pavilion.
The might of a great grandmaster shocked the world.
It was also thanks to this battle that the five states rested and fought less.
Jing Yang Temple's Supreme Elder Yu Ji was seriously injured, so he retired. It had been 100 years since anyone last saw him.
The minister of Zhao, Dongfang Jing, later stormed the imperial court with his sword.
Since there was no trace of Supreme Elder Yu Ji, did the imperial family look down on Jing Yang Temple?
"Uncle Yubing, that can't be true, right?" Qing Yu whispered.
"The Royal Worship Hall said that Great Grandmaster Zhao is in seclusion. His Majesty met me at the Hall of the Rising Sun and agreed to send 1,000 Black Yang Guards and 3,000 Imperial Forest Guards to guard Jing Yang Temple." Wang Qingyang shook his head again.
"I rejected his offer."
If demons were truly about to attack, these generals would not be able to fight them. They would all lose their lives in vain.
If Jing Yang Temple was going to send its disciples out, why should it send those generals to their deaths?
Since this coincided with the Gathering of Immortals, there was chaos everywhere, especially at the rivers and lakes. If there were demons in Luojing, Jing Yang Temple would bear the brunt first.
Without a great martial arts grandmaster, it was extremely dangerous.
"Hmph, let's talk when a demon is actually coming to the Demon Subduing Pavilion." Yuanhe stood up, cupped his hands at Wang Qingyang, and left in large strides.
There was a hint of dissatisfaction in his tone.
Everyone in the hall looked at each other and sighed.
If not for the fact that they did not have a great grandmaster around, why would Wang Qingyang lower his voice?
Yuanhe was hot-tempered and arrogant. He usually guarded the Demon Subduing Pavilion and did not need to deal with other matters.
However, who could escape this chaotic world?
"Pay close attention to Luojing. If there are any traces of demons..." Wang Qingyang looked at the crowd. "...don't act rashly."
"The Vitality Suppressing Whip in Jing Yang Temple is not just for show."
This was the bearing that a person in charge of a large force should have. He needed to plan for the worst and have the strongest confidence.
Everyone in the hall bowed and dispersed. Wang Qingyang remained seated for a while. Not long after, he took the green jade tablet from the table and strode out.
When he arrived outside Zhang Li's courtyard, the disciple on duty hurried forward to salute him.
Wang Qingyang waved his hand and walked into the courtyard. He came to a stop in front of the stone steps.
At this moment, Jing Yang Temple was brightly lit. Looking out the small courtyard, one could see the continuous halls, and their lights resembled stars.
"I, Wang Qingyang, request an audience with the grandmaster."
Wang Qingyang bowed slightly as he stood before the stone steps.
"Wait for me in the side hall." Zhang Li's voice sounded from the quiet room.
Wang Qingyang slowly walked into the side hall. His eyes swept across the hall, and his pupils contracted a little.
Several books were spread across the table, the ink on the pages was still visibly wet.
One of them had the words, "Cool Breeze Dao Energy Formula" on the cover.
These were immortal path manuals!
Wang Qingyang felt his heart tremble.
He was a Spirit Transformation Realm grandmaster with advanced martial arts cultivation, and he also cultivated the immortal path. Even so, he could not help but contemplate when he saw the ancient manuals on the immortal path.
There were countless living beings in the mortal world, but they had no cultivation techniques or spirit energy to cultivate.
Even as the temple master of Jing Yang Temple, he had only seen a few cultivation methods that could prolong one's life.
"A good analogy for the Cool Breeze Dao Energy Formula is a cool breeze brushing against the mountains. It doesn't focus on the foundation and allows one to cultivate without doing anything.
"The Green Willow Silk Force is known for transforming spirit energy into willows that can extend endlessly.
"The Spirit Returning Art is similar to the Turtle Breathing Art, and it is the most effective in prolonging life."
Zhang Li's voice rang out behind Wang Qingyang.
When Wang Qingyang turned around, Zhang Li pointed at the books on the table and said, "Take them."
Take them?!
Wang Qingyang was a little dazed for a moment.
These were very precious items, yet Zhang Li had asked him to take them in such a casual manner.
If the cultivation technique that could prolong one's life was introduced in the martial arts world, there would immediately be a bloodbath. Even grandmasters would have to fight for it with their lives!
"Whether you study them yourself or use them to recruit guardian disciples, these cultivation techniques are not bad."
Zhang Li looked at Wang Qingyang, who was frozen, and asked, "You don't want them?"
"I do..." Wang Qingyang quickly went forward to collect the books and carefully hugged them in his arms. Then, he respectfully returned Zhang Li's identity token.
"Grandmaster, what would you like in return?" Wang Qingyang asked in a low voice.
There was no such thing as a free gift in this world.
The person before him was unpredictable, so he would not give out such precious books for no reason.
"Silence."
Zhang Li waved his hand and sat down at the table.
Silence?
Was that all?
Wang Qingyang was still confused when he walked out of the courtyard.
He really could not understand this grandmaster's way of doing things.
Taking a deep breath, he pondered for a moment and walked toward the Demon Subduing Pavilion.
In the small courtyard, Zhang Li shook his head as he sat in the side hall.
He was telling the truth.
He had chosen to come to Jing Yang Temple because it was powerful enough for him to cultivate in peace and quiet.
If he cultivated in the deep mountains and rivers, people from the Immortal Slaying Alliance would constantly attack him. It was not as good as Jing Yang Temple, where there were no assassinations at least.
Not many people in the world could enter Jing Yang Temple to assassinate him.
To him, the troubles of the mortal world were nothing more than clouds and smoke.
What he needed to do was cultivate in peace.
Other guardian disciples came to the mortal world to enjoy themselves, but he was not one of them.
His act of giving Wang Qingyang the cultivation manuals could be seen as a warning with benefits.
He knew that Wang Qingyang had blocked many visitors for him in the past days.
The ancient books or medicinal pills were not incredibly valuable to him.
Zhang Li had bought a few storage bags full of resources from the Misty Cloud Mountain market. Half of them were low-level resources that he did not need.
There were talismans with power that did not exceed Level 4 of the Spirit Refinement Realm, cultivation techniques that could only be cultivated to the Level 4 of the Spirit Refinement Realm, medicinal pills that could only be consumed at the early stage of the Spirit Refinement Realm, and piles of semi-magical artifacts…
He had prepared these things to bribe mortals in the mortal world.
He had already sorted out the materials that he could use for his cultivation.
"I hope that you won't disturb me. Otherwise, I wouldn't mind…" Zhang Li whispered softly.
He raised his hand, and a talisman in his palm dissipated after it turned into golden light.
A breeze blew past the side hall and swept up the dust before scattering it outside the small courtyard.
He took out another talisman and placed it on the long table with a smile on his face.
This was a talisman drawn by Zhu Yunshan; he was indeed skilled.
That guy was going to stay in Jing Yang Temple for half a month, so he could not just sit around.
Zhang Li had asked him to draw a talisman to repay his debt for the spirit stones that he had borrowed from him.
Spirit light flashed in his palm, and a jade slip appeared in his hand.
This jade slip contained records of the talisman path.
He took a quick look at it so that he could discuss the talisman path with Zhu Yunshan tomorrow.