There were many martial arts experts in the imperial family of Zhao.
The grandmaster and the great elder, Zhao Yubing, was even more powerful.
It was said that there were at least five grandmasters in the Royal Worship Hall.
However, these five grandmasters had all been defeated by Martial King Zhao Cheng.
The Zhao state's Martial King, Zhao Cheng, was the most illustrious member of the imperial family. He commanded 300,000 troops, and he had fought with the Wei Kingdom for many years.
The Martial King had also been guarding the border for 20 years.
After 20 years, many people had already forgotten about him in the state of Zhao.
Everyone in the hall was stunned.
Why was the Martial King back?
Who asked him to come back?
"Your Highness, the Martial King is a huge variable. We have to guard against him." Gao Shishan was the first to realize what was going on, and he quickly spoke up.
"Compared to Prince Yu, the threat of the Martial King is greater."
He had just analyzed that the state of Zhao needed an emperor who could protect it for 60 years.
Now that the Martial King had returned, he could only imagine the reason.
"Not bad." The crown prince nodded and put away the scroll in his hand. Then, he narrowed his eyes and looked out the hall. "I think Third Brother thinks so too," he said in a deep voice.
Prince Yu's contribution in the murder investigation was not worth mentioning before the Martial King who had guarded the border for 20 years.
Prince Yu had received the emperor's trust and the court's focus had changed. However, now that the Martial King was back in Luojing, it was likely that he would pour a bucket of cold water on Prince Yu.
"The most important thing for the crown prince now is to reconcile with Prince Yu and subdue those banished cultivators."
Just then, Gao Shishan paused abruptly and clapped his hands as his eyes lit up.
Your Highness, what if there were no demons in Luojing?"
No demons?
How could there be no demons?
The disciple of Minister Dongfang Jing, Su Ming, had personally said that there was a demon in the Luo River.
The Mystic Moon Guards had also detected demons.
"Mr. Gao, Chu Yuan sent a message. Someone saw a mysterious figure riding on the waves of the Luo River," Bai Jinyuan said in a deep voice.
The Demon Extermination Order had also been issued. Yet, he was saying that there were no demons now?
The crown prince also looked at Gao Shishan in confusion.
"Your Highness, if we can get rid of the demon in the Luo River without anyone knowing, what do you think will happen?"
Gao Shishan looked at the crown prince with bright eyes.
"The Demon Extermination Order has been issued. What kind of generous reward—" Before an old man behind Bai Jinyuan could finish speaking, the crown prince stood up.
"If we kill the demon in secret, the Martial King won't have a chance to succeed." The crown prince's eyes were also filled with excitement. "If he doesn't make any contributions, his trip will be a waste.
"Prince Yu will be accused of deceiving all the experts in the world, and he'll be lucky enough to survive.
"Who is going to guess that the demon has already been eliminated in secret?
"Who wouldn't want such a generous reward?"
The crown prince looked at Gao Shishan, and his eyes were full of surprise. "Mr. Gao, if I ascend the throne, you will be the next minister of state!"
...
In Jing Yang Temple's quiet room, Zhang Li pointed his finger, and a golden light flashed across his fingertip.
Krash!
It was a bolt of lightning!
In the world of cultivation, sword cultivators were the strongest.
In the world of Dao techniques, the lightning technique was the strongest.
The lightning on his fingertips left behind streaks of golden-white currents that shone in the quiet room.
Zhang Li could feel the numbness on his skin and scalp.
If this lightning technique touched anyone's body, that person would be heavily injured if he was below Level 4 of the Spirit Refinement Realm.
If one was above Level 4 of the Spirit Refinement Realm, one would still be injured if one did not block it in time.
This lightning technique was indeed overpowered.
Zhang Li smiled as he watched the golden light slowly dissipate from his fingertips.
After the tearing pain in his meridians, he felt as if his True Essence had been tempered and condensed a little.
He really did not expect there to be such benefits after cultivating the lightning technique.
This way, he had another way to protect his Dao.
Now he had a sword technique, and a lightning technique.
Compared to those magic tools, talismans, and array disks, the sword techniques and Dao techniques that he had cultivated were true life-saving skills.
Although the lightning technique was good, it consumed a lot of energy.
The lightning in his fingertip alone required the cultivation of a Level 3 Spirit Refinement cultivator.
Zhang Li was a Level 5 Spirit Refinement cultivator. If he used this Pure Vitality Lightning Technique continuously, he would only be able to use 20 strikes at most before he had to stop and rest.
Otherwise, his body and meridians would not be able to take it. Too much of his True Essence would be consumed, and this would damage his foundation.
After he properly understood the trick to unleashing the lightning technique and gathered a few more bolts of lightning, Zhang Li finally stopped his cultivation in satisfaction.
"Looks like I really need to cultivate a body-tempering technique."
Zhang Li stretched his somewhat stiff muscles and bones as he slowly got up. Then he rewarded himself with a Blood-circulation Pill.
It was not expensive; it only cost one spirit stone per pill.
There was not much spirit energy left in the spirit stones on the array disc. This time, he had been in seclusion for several days.
It was true that cultivation removed one's sense of time.
Zhang Li put away the array disc and walked out of the quiet room. He did not see Zhu Yunshan, but he saw a stack of talismans and a letter on the table.
[I'm going to the Cloud Boat.]
That was all.
Zhang Li shook his head.
He did not know why Zhu Yunshan was so captivated by Liu Yue.
'This 150-year-old man really wants to go after a young woman?
'Have some dignity…'
Zhang Li put away the stack of talismans and slowly walked out of the small courtyard.
At the door, the disciple on duty hurriedly bowed.
Zhang Li gave him a useless wind talisman.
The disciple on duty thanked him profusely, and his face turned red.
Zhang Li was planning to take a look at the Demon Subduing Pavilion. After a while of walking, his expression changed.
Several people were walking down the path ahead of him.
"Grandmaster!" When the Daoist walking in front saw Zhang Li, his face lit up with joy. He shouted and quickly bowed.
His antics made those behind him raise their gazes to look at Zhang Li.
He was wearing green Daoist robes and was around 20 years old. He was not considered extremely handsome, but he exuded a sense of freedom.
It was rather otherworldly.
"Zhuo Yun, have you returned from Daming Manor?" Zhang Li nodded and chuckled.
The person in front of him was Zhuo Yun, who had bade farewell to him and also received a talisman from him.
Back then, he was heading to Daming Mansion in the southeast.
"Grandmaster, these two are Senior Qiao Cheng and Senior Ma Guying, whom I invited from Daming Manor."
Zhuo Yun pointed at the two young men behind him and said, "The two seniors have agreed to join Jing Yang Temple as revered elders."
Revered elders?
Zhang Li smiled and cupped his hands. "Greetings, Elders."
The two of them looked at each other, smiled, and nodded.
The young man named Qiao Cheng cupped his hands in return. "I hope we'll be able to work closely in the future, Fellow Daoist Zhang."
Fellow Daoist...
There was a difference between immortals and mortals. Zhang Li felt something when Qiao Cheng addressed him as a fellow Daoist.
"Grandmaster, um, the temple master and the elders want to meet these two seniors." Zhuo Yun bowed to Zhang Li and said apologetically. "I will pay you a visit again next time."
Hearing his words, Zhang Li smiled and waved his hand. Then, he nodded at Qiao Cheng and Ma Guying before he walked to the other side.
It seemed that Jing Yang Temple had begun to gather the scattered disciples.
In the future, there would probably be more and more immortal cultivators in Luojing.
However, there were still demons in Luojing. Were these immortal cultivators not afraid of being killed by demons, or did they not know that there were demons in Luojing?
Shaking his head, Zhang Li walked toward the Demon Subduing Pavilion.
When he arrived before the pavilion, the disciple on duty named Qing Mo bowed with haste.
His elder told him that whenever this grandmaster came, he would have to invite him into the tower.
As expected, Yuanhe was already waiting with a smile on his face.
"Grandmaster, do you have time to visit the Demon Subduing Pavilion today?"
It had been several days since Zhang Li told him stories about the cultivation world. Yuanhe was looking forward to it again.
Zhang Li smiled and followed him into the Demon Subduing Pavilion. Pressure surged from his body, and the body-tempering technique he had just cultivated circulated automatically.
It was truly useful, and Zhang Li was delighted.
What could be better than improving one's cultivation?