...
Within Fengyang County, Zhang Yi soon received the information sent by Zhao Xing.
He didn’t take it seriously; Yang Qing was insignificant now, and he could make him disappear quietly at any time.
Zhang Yi’s eyes glinted with ruthlessness as he waved his hand and directly let the steward beside him, Zhang Hu, handle it.
Under the lamplight, Zhang Yi looked at the message on the desk, feeling somewhat troubled.
He had been waiting for news all this time.
Qi Yuanwu was imprisoned, and the Qi Family naturally needed to find a way to rescue him.
On the other hand, the Zhang Family was also using the Dingnan Marquis’s Mansion’s channels to inquire about the movements in Haojing, but the results were not satisfactory; there seemed to be no progress with Princess Qingfeng’s side.
Actually, it was understandable. Although the current emperor was young, he was very assertive and determined to be a wise ruler. The influence of the women in the imperial harem on him was likely limited.
At this time, Zhang Yi’s expression changed when he heard a commotion outside.
Zhang Yi couldn’t help but step outside, and soon a servant came to report that a snake had crawled into the garden!
This puzzled Zhang Yi, as it was almost the end of autumn, and yet a snake had entered the estate.
The Zhang Family Mansion was not like any small farmer’s courtyard; with numerous servants patrolling and sweeping all day long, any alien creatures entering the garden should have been cleared out long ago.
Meanwhile, outside the city, Zhang Jian in the separate courtyard also sensed something unusual.
In the mountains and wild, it seemed that snakes and insects had suddenly increased.
The separate courtyard was brightly lit.
Zhang Lu was leading a team of guards to sprinkle medicine powder everywhere to repel insects and snakes.
In the courtyard, Zhang Jian frowned, realizing that since he acquired the unique Life Plate of Dragon Robe and Phoenix Attitude, snakes, insects, rats, and ants usually kept their distance, avoiding him.
Because the Spirit Charm of the Dragon Pearl Phoenix Soul lingered around him.
And now snakes and insects entered the residence at night.
Zhang Jian immediately felt a sense of the extraordinary.
Sure enough, shortly after, Zhang Jian received more messages.
"Young Master, reports have come in from many farmers at the foot of the mountain, also discovering traces of snakes and insects entering the courtyards!"
Zhang Lu’s expression was somewhat grave.
He had never heard of such a bizarre occurrence of so many snakes and insects appearing overnight.
Zhang Jian also felt surprised and immediately tried to contact the Feng Ling Mountain God.
As the Mountain God of the Shuangfeng Mountain Range, Feng Ling should know more.
Sure enough, not long after, the Feng Ling Mountain God delivered the message.
"Young Master, no need to worry. This time it’s the Poison Dragon Palace from Shanyang County seeking revenge, unrelated to us!"
"Poison Dragon Palace?"
Zhang Jian’s eyes flickered.
At that moment, Bai Xianyin’s figure appeared in the courtyard, and upon hearing Zhang Jian’s words, she couldn’t help but ask.
"Little Sir, did I just hear you mention the Poison Dragon Palace? Could it be that the spiritual snakes around here were brought by them?"
"Xianyin, you also know about the Poison Dragon Palace?"
Zhang Jian was surprised to hear this.
Bai Xianyin chuckled with a crisp voice: "Little Sir, of course I know. The source of the Poison Dragon Palace, Poison Dragon Lake, is quite a sizeable water element area, but was occupied by an old python long ago, where its offspring have thrived. Many of the snakes in the Southern Provinces are its descendants, and with some opportunity, they have received formal decrees from the Sheji Divine Dao, making quite a name for themselves!"
"However, that old snake is quite disciplined. Despite having many snake offspring, it has always constrained them, never allowing these little demons to cause trouble. She is very timid..."
Hearing this, Zhang Jian couldn’t help but sigh inwardly: "It seems the Bai Shui Dragon Monarch is in trouble!"
According to the Feng Ling Mountain God, the Poison Dragon Palace had already sent word to many surrounding forces during the day, claiming their actions were only for avenging their deceased offspring and wouldn’t disturb other forces.
Their declared aim was revenge.
The gods naturally wouldn’t easily become enemies with them.
Seeing Bai Xianyin’s curious gaze, Zhang Jian shared the information he had.
"The Poison Dragon Palace seeks the Divine Position of the Well Dragon King; the two Well Dragon Kings within Fengyang County are both offspring from the Poison Dragon Palace!"
Bai Xianyin laughed.
"No wonder that old python has become bold; but she’s merely a spiritual snake, how could she produce two dragon seeds with dragon blood? Could she have liaised with another dragon seed?"
She laughed playfully, while pondering in her heart.
Zhang Jian saw her enjoying the spectacle and shook his head quietly.
This likely involved secretive disputes over the Divine Dao, unrelated to him for now.
The Bai Shui Dragon Monarch was notoriously bad-tempered and not easy to deal with.
...
Taking this opportunity, Zhang Jian continued to delve into the Artifact Refining Secret Technique, while also starting to understand the Nine Heavens Wind-Riding Thunder-Controlling Technique.
This grand technique had similarities with the Wind Thunder Technique; it could similarly be divided into Wind Skill and Thunder Technique.
However, unlike the Wind Thunder Technique, once fully mastered, it could truly summon wind and thunder, forming a Great Power Technique.
This was a true Primordial Spirit inheritance.
It could be cultivated to the Primordial Spirit Level.
Very aggressive.
A technique close to the way of the Primordial Spirit!
Sufficient to interfere with changes in the laws of heaven, its complexity would seem like a celestial book to ordinary cultivators.
But falling into Zhang Jian’s eyes, after a period of study, he gradually found the key.
The Nine Heavens Wind-Riding Thunder-Controlling Technique could be split into the Nine Heavens Riding the Wind Technique, and the Nine Heavens Thunder Control Technique.
The Nine Heavens Riding the Wind Technique required first visualizing a Wind God Divine Aspect, and gradually refining it into a Nine Heavens Wind God Map, finally into a Wind Talisman, allowing control over the omnipresent wind in the world.
Subtle as threads, penetrating the Nine Netherworld.
Vast as a blade storm between heaven and earth, capable of shattering mountains.
Zhang Jian was not overly concerned with the killing methods of the Nine Heavens Wind Riding Skill, but rather its included Cyan Nether Wind Technique.
His main reason for choosing this method was for that as well.
Once the Cyan Nether Wind Technique was mastered, he could travel through the Cyan Nether as swiftly as a divine bird with golden wings, faster than lightning.
Once mastered, it required no incantation, but followed the intent, with extremely quick initial speed and no warning signs.
It was said the escape speed was top-notch in the world.
Next was the Thunder Technique.
Thunder Technique was Zhang Jian’s forte; his Nine Heavens Thunder Control Technique could invoke the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder and transform it into a deadly weapon.
The Nine Heavens Divine Thunder was characterized as Yang Thunder, more majestic, vast, and powerful than Yin Thunder.
Once mastered, it was fiercely adept at killing and vanquishing demons.
But it also had extremely unstable attributes.
Cultivators who lacked Thunder Attribute Spirit Roots could easily harm themselves.
Besides, this technique ranked high in difficulty among many techniques in the Ancestral Hall.
However, for Zhang Jian, this was not an issue.
After some time of comprehension, he was getting into the flow.
Possessing the Seven-Orifice Exquisite Heart, unraveling the difficult parts of this technique was his forte.
In a few days, Zhang Jian succeeded in visualizing the Wind God Map.
Within his Mud Ball Palace, he visualized a Wind Master, surrounded by blue light, standing on dragon snakes, a wind sack at its waist, and formed a shape; the next step would be to refine it into a Wind Talisman.
Once the Wind Talisman was formed, he would be able to practice various Wind Skills in the Nine Heavens Thunder Control Technique.
Including the Cyan Nether Wind Technique.
Only after successfully visualizing the Wind God Map did Zhang Jian hesitate about continuing the Nine Heavens Thunder Technique.
If he were to continue with the Thunder Technique, it would certainly distract him in the short term.
Delaying the progress of the Nine Heavens Wind Technique.
But if he only practiced the Nine Heavens Wind Technique, leaving the Thunder Technique aside, it would be a pity.
After a moment’s hesitation, Zhang Jian decided to focus first on advancing the Nine Heavens Wind Technique to a certain stage.
For now, he should concentrate on one direction.
In the early stages of cultivation, breadth does not surpass depth!
Having made his decision, Zhang Jian fully immersed himself in comprehending the Divine Profound of the Wind God Map!
Given his foundation and comprehension, his progress was rapid.
In a few days, he successfully refined the Wind God Map completely into a Wind Talisman.
Once the Wind Talisman was formed, Zhang Jian noticeably felt his Divine Thought become more sensitive to the flow of spiritual mechanisms in the world.
The essence of wind is the power born from countless flows of spiritual mechanisms in the world, and when harnessed, it greatly aids oneself.
...
While Zhang Jian diligently cultivated, during this period in the Bai Shui River of Fengyang County, celestial phenomena were frequent and thunderous, with the Bai Shui Dragon Monarch having battled the invading Poison Dragon Water God several times.
Divine battles inevitably affected both banks, and now Daoists from the Dong Shen Temple had intervened, assisting in mediation, gradually establishing a framework.