Liu Rui stared blankly into the East Emperor’s Treasure Mirror.
Seeing this, the Golden Radiance Saint Mother comforted her, saying, "Disciple, your talents are exceptional. Be it opportunity, wisdom, comprehension, or perseverance, you excel in all. Everyone has their own destiny; there’s no need to force comparisons!"
"Moreover, I’ve seen too many people who were astonishingly brilliant in the early stages, but became weak and listless later, their foundations crumbling, ultimately wasting away as others surpass them!"
"Longevity is a contest of time, a race between you and me; you need not worry about winning or losing in the moment!"
"What you need to do now is to pause appropriately, solidify your foundations, and when the time is right, your opportunities will naturally come!"
Liu Rui’s expression changed; being so intelligent, how could she not understand the implications behind her master’s words?
"Does Master want me to give up on King Zheng?"
Liu Rui’s expression fluctuated.
The Golden Radiance Saint Mother, seeing that Liu Rui understood her meaning, awaited Liu Rui’s decision.
In truth, if she could, the Golden Radiance Saint Mother also wished to help Liu Rui seize those hundreds of thousands of Qian Dynasty elites, but if she intervened, it would surely attract True Monarch Zhanmo and other strong figures from the Tongshan Dao Lineage.
Besides, the other members of the Golden Maiden Sect had little chance of winning against Zhang Jian.
The Golden Maiden Sect did have some treasures that might threaten the opponent, but the Golden Radiance Saint Mother was unwilling to stake it all.
The world is vast, and the Eastern Continent Fertile Land is just one place; she saw no need to risk losing everything by fighting to the end.
...
Within the All Heaven Star Array, Zhang Jian’s immense Primordial Spirit Divine Sense delicately controlled countless sword qi, dispersing and merging them, with countless sword lights weaving continuously around the Three-Phase Ancestor.
After confirming his Primordial Spirit, Zhang Jian hadn’t yet had the chance to thoroughly comprehend higher-tier applications of the Chaotic Star Sword Technique, but now he had an opportunity to practice.
The Three-Phase Ancestor, holding the Sinful God Banner, generated a cloud of Sinful God Nightmare Clouds around him, appearing as countless fine lines probing into the All Heaven Star Array. Countless black energies were laboriously trying to pollute various nodes of the array, as he attempted to comprehend the mysteries of the sword array and break it.
His approach was correct.
In essence, the All Heaven Star Array was merely at the Pure Yang Level.
But he encountered the monster that is Zhang Jian.
Just as the array was about to be torn apart, Zhang Jian could always rely on his ocean-like Primordial Spirit Divine Sense to control more All Heaven Star Sword Qi, replenishing the sword array and suppressing the Three-Phase Ancestor.
Also, the Ziwei Emperor Qi was magnificent, destroying all magic, causing the Three-Phase Ancestor great trouble.
The Ziwei Sword Light was sharp and fierce; once struck, it would pierce through protective magical power and directly slash the Primordial Spirit.
"Unfortunately, my utilization of Dragon Qi and Emperor Qi is still crude, lacking empirical data support in many aspects—quite presumptuous..."
Zhang Jian mused silently.
At this moment, he felt increasingly covetous of the techniques within King Jun’s Golden Man, which could command and operate Dragon Qi and Emperor Qi.
If he could master such profound inheritances, his combat power would substantially enhance.
The upper limit of the Sheji Emperor’s Primordial Spirit is far more than this.
In his current state, he is far from reaching the limits of the Sheji Emperor’s Primordial Spirit!
Meanwhile, Zhang Jian still had a part of his attention controlling the East Emperor’s Treasure Mirror. To his surprise, the Great True Master from Beichu within Guangyuan City’s Imperial Palace chose to stand by and did not intervene.
...
With Zhang Jian’s cover, the retreat of the expeditionary army was quite smooth.
Subsequent encounters with various local troops of Beichu Counties tried to impede them, but how could these local armies resist the expeditionary force, fierce as wolves and tigers?
Not to mention, the army had three Primordial Spirit Masters stationed.
Half a month later, the expeditionary army retreated to Shuangyuan County, bordering Dingyuan County of Daqian, surrounded by Daqian Border Army.
Reaching this place, the expeditionary army was thoroughly safe.
Upon reaching the destination, the Wind and Thunder Master couldn’t hold on any longer; he found an opportunity to bid farewell to the Huang He Master and left.
The Huang He Master understood this as well; for the Wind and Thunder Master to support until now was already doing his utmost.
On the hillside, An Ruming looked back at Guangyuan City and couldn’t help but sigh.
"Scholar Zhang is truly a Divine Being, able to single-handedly hold back hundreds of thousands of Beichu troops within Guangyuan City; such Daoist Techniques and Divine Techniques are truly mythical!"
An Ruming admired endlessly.
Beside him, Huang He Master and Ying Huo Master slightly nodded.
Thanks to Scholar Zhang holding off the Three-Phase Ancestor and cultivators from Beichu, otherwise, Guangyuan City would have become the grave for these hundreds of thousands of Daqian elites.
"I just don’t know where the Sect Ancestor currently is?"
Huang He Master and Ying Huo Master, upon hearing this, felt their post-crisis joy gradually dissipate.
Though they avoided being surrounded, thanks to Zhang Jian’s help, they now faced the fierce backlash of Daqian Destiny.
The benefits from the Daqian Dragon Vein previously enjoyed by everyone at Dong Shen Temple would now equate to the magnitude of the backlash they had to endure today!
The longer they were in contact with Great Qian Dragon Qi and Daqian National Fortune, the greater the backlash they would face.
This is just the beginning; when Daqian collapses and Fortune fully backlashes, the two of them alone might not withstand it.
Not to mention that by then, they would also have to face the exploitation of other cultivators.
Ying Huo Master couldn’t help but sigh, "May the Sect Ancestor overcome the crisis and return!"
Meanwhile, as they returned to Daqian, countless pieces of information within Daqian are steadily coming under An Ruming’s control.
Presently, internal chaos has turned Daqian into chaos.
Since the Emperor’s demise and the fall of the Imperial City spread, various Vassal Kings have successively risen in arms heading for Haojing City, and it is naturally not for anything else but to compete for the throne.