"Young Master, what's the matter?"
Zhang Lu's eyes followed the plaque in front of the residence.
He saw the gold-embossed plaque of the Dingnan Marquis's Mansion.
"Young Master, are you planning to visit this Dingnan Marquis's Mansion?"
"Indeed, it should be visited, but not now!"
At this moment, Zhang Jian's gaze swept past the imposing Marquis's Mansion, and in his Spiritual Gaze, it seemed he could see a scene of blood and qi roaring within the Dragon and Tiger Qi, like a furnace.
He closed his Spiritual Gaze and did not continue to observe.
Forcibly spying on another's residence, once discovered, could easily lead to trouble.
But he knew that in the near future, he would inevitably have to deal with the Dingnan Marquis's Mansion.
To make a breakthrough in the Capital, relying only on Qi Yuanwu, his elder uncle, was somewhat unreliable; he needed the support of the Dingnan Marquis's Mansion.
The two of them turned and left.
In the following days, Zhang Jian took the opportunity to review his lessons, and in his spare time, he continued to study the "Nine Heavens Riding the Wind Technique," familiarizing himself with its magic and honing his magical power.
Though he walked the path of the mortal realm, Zhang Jian would not forget his original goal.
Longevity was the ultimate pursuit!
...
"Emperor Jingwu, Weizhen!"
Zhang Jian looked at some of the information he had gathered on the table in front of him, casually picking up a few sheets of parchment.
Since he intended to take the imperial examination, he naturally needed to know what kind of existence the current Emperor was and his governing direction; this also concerned the future direction of the Zhang Family.
After carefully examining the information, Zhang Jian felt some surprise and solemnity.
The current Emperor Jingwu was the third son of the previous Emperor, not born of the Empress.
Before ascending to the throne, or even before being made Crown Prince, he was not considered outstanding.
But he definitely counted as a resolute and enduring Emperor.
His origins could only be considered ordinary, lacking the prominent birth of the eldest imperial brother Wei Hui, without the intelligence of the younger brother King Han Wei Yao, who was greatly favored by the previous Emperor, and unlike the other brother, King Zheng Wei Chi, who was full of knowledge and praised by the courtiers.
Based on the information he had gathered, initially, the current Emperor did not have the qualification to inherit the great undertaking.
Because the eldest prince Wei Hui was still around, and the previous Emperor greatly admired Wei Hui's outstanding martial arts, having early designated him as heir.
However, the eldest prince Wei Hui encountered ill fortune in his early years, and rumors say that he crippled his body while practicing a special Inner Cultivation Secret Technique, or met with an unexpected injury!
The previous Emperor, though heartbroken, was compelled to make a decision and turned his attention away from Wei Hui.
Yet he still did not focus on Emperor Jingwu.
Instead, his attention fell on King Zheng Wei Chi.
However, King Zheng Wei Chi's indulgent and arrogant actions quickly disappointed Emperor Wen, leading him to abandon this choice.
Among the scholars and officials, many senior ministers had a high evaluation of Emperor Jingwu.
They praised him as wise yet not ostentatious, appearing weak yet not humble, contending without showing, appearing without boasting, erudite yet not sated, martial yet not numerous, and after outliving the two strongest princes, he finally defeated the younger brother and ascended to the position of Crown Prince.
This was an Emperor difficult to deal with.
This thought flashed through Zhang Jian's mind.
In fact, it might not be just him; those senior ministers in the court also might find it challenging to endure.
Zhang Jian picked up the last letter, which contained some 'deeds' from the Daqian Imperial Family.
The Emperor was notable for his talents at a young age: shooting arrows at six, riding horses at eight, gifted in his youth, well-read, and spent several years mixing in the military, gaining considerable support from the Military Merit Group.
"The young Emperor is not befuddled!"
...
Now, if deep within Tongshan, in the Ancestral Hall.
True Monarch Zhanmo, dressed in black, entered the place directly, seeking an audience with Sect Leader Tongshan, the Sect Ancestor.
It is worth noting that although the Tongshan Lineage has a long tradition, the sect leader has only been replaced three times.
The current sect leader has been in office for over a thousand years.
His seniority is exceedingly high, being among the most core of the third generation of sect ancestors.
At this time, because the Tongshan Lineage has a long heritage, its disciples have already been passed down through many generations.
Facing the Ancestral Hall, with the solemn and towering Divine Aspects of the seven or eight ancestral masters on the shrine, True Monarch Zhanmo approached one of these figures.
He slightly bowed and directly stated.
"Sect Ancestor, I wish to request for a long-distance listening slot in the Transmission Hall for the True Inheritance, Zhang Jian, who is under my tutelage!"
Upon hearing True Monarch Zhanmo speak, a golden light appeared on the Divine Aspect of the sect ancestor, and a voice emerged within it.
"Zhanmo, you must understand that there are many disciples in the sect; we cannot grant you special privileges. This will require an evaluation of his Destiny Contribution."
True Monarch Zhanmo remained unfazed and clasped his hands, saying, "Sect Ancestor, you are aware of this disciple's aptitude. If he is allowed to grow unchecked, his talents may be wasted; the sect's guidance is essential in this regard!"
"Moreover, according to my observation, he possesses the Seven-Orifice Exquisite Heart, a trait only seen in Ancient Saints!"
Upon hearing this, the figure within the sect ancestor's Divine Aspect paused slightly and spoke after a moment.
"Is that so..."
"Very well, your request is granted!"
At this moment, a Divine Light descended from the void, instantly transforming into a talisman in True Monarch Zhanmo's hand.
...
After securing a special long-distance listening slot for Zhang Jian, True Monarch Zhanmo returned to the Demon-slaying Peak, summoning Zhang Jian to him.
Within the Demon-slaying Palace.
The brilliance of the Heaven and Earth Profound Sect manifested, and Zhang Jian's ethereal soul instantly solidified into form.
Upon receiving the good news from True Monarch Zhanmo, Zhang Jian was filled with joy and immediately seized the opportunity to speak.
"Master, I wish to take this opportunity to select two more magic arts of the Zhanmo Lineage, and I seek your guidance, Master!"
When Zhang Jian initially entered the sect, due to his special Destiny Contribution, he not only received the official transmission but was also granted a chance to select from the Ancestral Hall, as well as two opportunities to choose Supporting Techniques, and two opportunities to select within his own lineage.
He took the chance to select the "Tongshan Pure Treasure Record," the "King's Cauldron Demon-Vanquishing Secret Record," the "Nine Heavens Wind-Riding Thunder-Controlling Technique," and the Founding Dharma Artifact's Golden Tripod Technique!
He reserved the chance to select within his lineage, intending to use this opportunity to seek Zhanmo True Monarch's return and enhance their master-disciple relationship.
This also serves to pave his path within the sect.
After all, he has been outside for years, and having no foundation within the sect could make things difficult in the future.
This was a slight facet of his careful thoughts.
But it did not invite annoyance.
Zhanmo True Monarch nodded and said, "Do you have any thoughts yourself?"
"I heard that Master is renowned for swordsmanship in the cultivation realm, and I happen to possess a Lifebound Spirit Sword. I wish for your assistance, Master, in selecting a method to nurture my Lifebound Spirit Sword. Beyond that, I am unsure of which magic art to choose as the last one. May you guide me, Master?"
Having gauged True Monarch Zhanmo's character, Zhang Jian spoke without reservation.
He understood that this master did not care about such things but was only concerned with the attitude toward cultivation.
As long as one is diligent, everything is negotiable.
"This is simple. The Zhanmo Lineage excels in swordsmanship, and there is no shortage of advanced methods for nurturing a Lifebound Spirit Sword. I have seen your Lifebound Spirit Sword; since you aim to contend in the path of seeking the dragon, choose the 'Holy Virtue Sword Washing Technique'!"
"As for the last magic art..."