After swallowing a medicinal pill that was worth five spirit stones and keeping the array disc, Zhang Li walked out of the quiet room in satisfaction.
A Daoist in green robes was waiting at the door. He quickly bowed when he saw Zhang Li.
It was Zhuo Yun.
When they met on the road, Zhuo Yun said that he was going to visit Zhang Li.
"I went to Daming Manor. On the way back, I obtained some tea leaves and specialty snacks from Daming Manor for you, Grandmaster."
Zhuo Yun walked forward respectfully with a few bags in his hands.
Placing the things on the wooden table, Zhuo Yun bowed again. "Thank you for the protection talisman, Grandmaster. Otherwise, this mission would not have gone so smoothly."
On his journey to Daming Manor, he encountered martial artists who did illegal things, and he taught them a lesson. He did not expect to be surrounded and almost killed.
Although he was a first-class expert in the Spirit Condensation Realm, it was difficult for him to fight against four hands with two fists.
At the crucial moment, he used the talisman that Zhang Li had given him to produce the whip and kill everyone.
The name, "Zhuo Yun, the Flaming Hand," spread around the Daming Manor.
It was also because of his Dao techniques that he did not have to spend much effort to invite the two guardian disciples follow him back to Luojing.
Coincidentally, he arrived in Luojing just in time for the Demon Extermination Order to be issued. The two guardian disciples, Qiao Cheng and Ma Guying, were delighted, and they even gave Zhuo Yun a pill.
Zhuo Yun was also rewarded with a cultivation manual after successfully completing the mission.
While this mission went smoothly, he also gained a lot of knowledge along the way.
Seeing that Zhang Li was interested, Zhuo Yun told him about his experience.
Luojing's underworld was not considered a real underworld.
That would be Pan Long's territory.
It was a world where one could ride a horse, raise a whip, and sail on a long river.
In the martial arts world, one could fight over a disagreement, or meet each other on the streets and drink merrily.
There was mutual deception as well as life and death.
"I met a junior brother in the Spirit Sensing Realm at Daming Manor. He's going to Yongzhou.
"He said that Yongzhou was flooded, and the people there were helpless. He wanted to go and take a look."
Zhuo Yun sighed softly and said in a low voice, "Who says that people in the martial arts world don't care about others…"
The mortal world emphasized loyalty, chivalry, and mutual respect.
The mortal world that Zhuo Yun spoke of was different from the mortal world that Lin Zhaoyang spoke of.
Lin Zhaoyang's mortal world was full of the magnificence of the strong, like a bright moon in the sky.
The mortal world that Zhuo Yun saw was a dazzling starry sky formed by small figures.
However, Zhang Li knew that what they said about the martial arts world might not be true.
Only by experiencing and seeing the martial arts world would one be able to truly experience it.
"Grandmaster, this cultivation method was bestowed on me by the temple master." Zhuo Yun carefully took out a book and whispered, "The temple master said that if there was anything I didn't understand, I could ask you, Grandmaster."
Zhang Li looked at the book and smiled.
It was the Green Willow Silk Force.
Wang Qingyang knew how to do a favor.
Zhang Li had personally copied this cultivation technique. He did not even need to flip through it to explain it and provide guidance.
"This cultivation technique is indeed suitable for you.
"The so-called green willow is like silk, soft but strong. You have to feel the tenacity of the True Essence when it passes through your meridians.
"Do you have any pills that can condense True Essence?
"A White Cloud Pill? How much spirit energy can that stupid thing gather?
"Take this. This Vitality-condensing Pill is the best pill for the early stage of Spirit Refinement to condense the True Essence of your center.
"You're a man, why are you crying?"
...
It was only when the sun set that Zhuo Yun finished bowing and left the courtyard.
He had made an appointment with Zhang Li to cultivate for the night. Tomorrow morning, he would follow Zhang Li to the Luo River to observe the willow branches and learn more about the cultivation technique.
Thirty miles along the Luo River, willows drooped down like smoke and fog. It was a beautiful scene.
The importance of observing the willows and comprehending the path was something that Zhang Li had learned from today's cultivation.
Cultivation was about sightseeing, and the willows would be a sight to behold.
Zhuo Yun did not know why he had to sightsee while he cultivated the immortal path, but he knew that this grandmaster was different from the two revered elders he had invited back.
The two of them never revealed a single word about the treasures of immortal cultivation.
The pill that they had given him was also extremely precious. It had not been easy for them to reveal it to him.
However, the pill was trash to this grandmaster.
The elders in the temple were all envious and drooling over this trash pill.
They did not know that the real master had always been in Jing Yang Temple.
Zhuo Yun decided that he had to keep the identity of this grandmaster a secret.
Although Zhang Li had the suspicion that Zhuo Yun was trying to curry favor with him, he did not care.
Whether it was medicinal pills or cultivation techniques, they were all small toys to him.
If Zhuo Yun took a fancy to them, he could just casually give one away.
The Vitality-condensing Pill cost two spirit stones each, and Zhang Li had 3,000 of them.
He was reading and copying books in the side hall. He found a few travel notes about the mortal world that were very interesting.
There were also speculations about the ruins of the mortal world's prosperity countless years ago.
According to a Level 9 Foundation Establishment senior, this mortal world had once produced mighty figures and large sects. They had even ruled over the four worlds.
The world was in a cycle of reincarnation, immortal spirits were scattered, and the cultivation world was not eternal.
"Huh? You're back so late? You didn't stay on the boat?" Zhang Li said with a smile as he looked up and saw Zhu Yunshan walk in. He was wearing a moon-white Confucian robe.
Zhu Yunshan walked to the small table and sat down. He grinned and said, "My dear Yue is really strict. She won't let me stay on the boat."
His expression made him look like he was asking for a beating.
Zhang Li nodded and looked at Zhu Yunshan. "Why don't you stay at her place then?"
"You haven't found it yet?"
Zhu Yunshan's face froze, and an awkward expression filled his face.
He waved his hand and took out a small wine pot to drink. "You don't understand. It's more interesting to take things slow.
"If she's too easy to get, the relationship will be lacking."
Zhu Yunshan glanced at Zhang Li and curiously asked, "When did you become interested in these things?
"Why don't I find you a few ladies from the noble families in Luojing or a courtesan above the Luo River?"
"I told you earlier that your bitter cultivation practices are meaningless. Life is short, so you should enjoy it while you can."
Zhang Li did not care if he was happy or not. He stood up, put down a spirit stone and a wine pot, then took out a stack of blank talisman papers.
Zhu Yunshan's eyes lit up. He quickly put away the spirit stone and shook the wine pot before he unfolded the talisman papers.
This was their deal. He still had to draw talismans every day.
"Let me tell you, there have been many martial arts experts in Luojing recently.
"There are also many guardian disciples. There have been many people fighting on the Luo River these few days."
Zhu Yunshan was drawing talismans and chatting at the same time. His talisman cultivation was truly extraordinary.
Unfortunately, the talismans he drew were all low-grade talismans.
As soon as Jing Yang Temple issued the Demon Extermination Order, all the martial arts masters and disciples flocked to Luojing.
From what Zhu Yunshan knew, the martial arts experts were divided into several factions. Some of them had joined the imperial court, and they were searching for traces of demons under Prince Yu's management and several other government offices.
Some of them acted alone or together with people from their sects.
Others listened to Jing Yang Temple's commands. After all, the temple was the leader of Daoism and the one that issued the Demon Extermination Order. It had a lot of resources and information.
As for the disciples guarding the palace, most of them acted alone, while some were recruited by the imperial court.
The Royal Worship Hall, Jing Yang Temple, and some other forces that did not want to reveal their identities but were definitely controlled by the dignitaries of the state. They also gathered their guardian disciples and martial arts experts.
"Why don't you make a move too?" After drawing a talisman, Zhu Yunshan turned to look at Zhang Li.
"I heard that Jing Yang Temple has new guardian disciples. There are also many guardian disciples in the city who are willing to join Jing Yang Temple. There are also disciples from other places, of course.
"Aren't you interested in mastering these powers?"
Zhang Li ignored him and put away the talisman that Zhu Yunshan had drawn. Then, he walked into the quiet room with his hands behind his back.
Zhu Yunshan shook his head. His gaze fell on the travel notes that Zhang Li had just read.
He flipped it open and glanced at it casually. He was not interested.
Just as he was about to throw the book away, he suddenly trembled.
The last two pages of the book were the pictures of two talismans.
"Spirit-sealing Talisman.
"Lightning-attracting Talisman."
Zhu Yunshan's expression changed from relaxed to serious.
After he looked at the two talisman diagrams, his gaze fell on the stack of blank talismans that Zhang Li had put down.
Below the blank talisman, there was a jade talisman paper that was more than 100 feet long.
It was a blank talisman paper that could be used to draw talismans.
Zhu Yunshan took out the talisman paper and rubbed it as his eyes shone.
"Talismans made from jade and flowers cost one spirit stone for fifty pieces. The quality isn't bad, but only large trading companies have them.
"This fellow really has quite a few good things…"
Spreading the talisman paper and carefully studying the two talismans, Zhu Yunshan muttered, "I was wondering why you were so generous today. You gave me spirit stones and good wine."
"This is not going to be easy…"
An hour later, a loud bang came from the side hall, followed by curses.
"F*ck, I'm just missing the last stroke. I don't believe I can't draw this f*cking thing!"