fifth form

Chapter 3165 The Envoy
"Brother-in-law, the ingredients in this soup are really expensive!"

If the body possesses magical power, no matter how weak, Zhang Xuezhou's Bigu Technique can circulate continuously.

The Spirit Silk Jade Lotus brought freedom to the circulation of magical power, but also brought slow erosion and consumption. Draining magical power greatly reduced the effectiveness of the Bigu Technique, making it difficult to maintain a fast for an extended period.

Zhang Xuezhou didn't starve to death; in fact, he was able to hold on, but his stomach was empty.

After purchasing a large quantity of cooked food, the cooking pots in the mansion were also lit and set on fire.

Just as he used a pressure cooker to refine the Peiyuan Pill in his early years, Zhang Xuezhou also used this simple cooking cauldron to blend the Sheng Sheng Zao Hua Pill, and from time to time, he would put pre-prepared medicinal materials into the cauldron.

"Your brother-in-law is thinking about something, Zongzi, don't talk nonsense!"

Yi Shuo called out, and Yi Zong, who had been peeking around, immediately pulled his neck back and obediently followed along to eat.

There were only a few people in the mansion who had dinner early, and very few people spoke. Even the lively Wei Shao'er had a very serious expression.

Gongsun Hong held a bamboo scroll and looked it over repeatedly. His furrowed brows clearly indicated that he had something to say, but it was not the right time to speak.

"Even the most expensive soup base must be usable!"

When the cooking time was up to schedule, Zhang Xuezhou added the poison in sequence, while occasionally glancing at the boiling cauldron.

"My night owls can eat fresh poison!"

When Yi Zong saw that Zhang Xuezhou had prepared a toad venom and added a dark-colored poisonous scorpion, and continued to add poisonous substances, he realized that Zhang Xuezhou's cooking was not benevolent.

He glanced at Yi Shuo, then mustered his courage and replied to Zhang Xuezhou.

"Then you need to keep an eye on the night owls and not let them eat anything from this cauldron!"

As Zhang Xuezhou watched the murky medicinal soup gradually turn black, he already had a premonition that his attempt to boil the soup into a medicinal paste and turn it into an elixir would fail.

It is highly likely that his method of proportioning is incorrect.

Zhang Xuezhou didn't expect to successfully match the formula of the Life Creation Pill on the first try. He didn't have much emotion in his heart, but simply instructed that it should not be consumed casually.

Even after adding a spoonful of arsenic, Zhang Xuezhou still couldn't see the basic shape and color of the Life Creation Pill.

After a simple trial of the medicine, Yi Shuo took a porcelain bottle containing the medicinal decoction to store as a sample for later use, and then called Yi Zong to clean and wash the cauldron for a while.

"Dongfang Shuo, you..."

Gongsun Hong put down the bamboo slips.

Zhang Xuezhou remained calm and composed, but Gongsun Hong was uneasy.

He had met Dong Zhongshu and learned about some of the events that had occurred in Mayi, as well as the audacious things that Zhang Xuezhou and his associates had done.

This is not just a matter of getting injured; it means facing endless retaliation.

Gongsun Hong felt a headache whenever he thought of the Venerables and Dharma Masters in the Holy Land of Yexi River who were skilled in the Yang Soul Incarnation Technique. Even though Dong Zhongshu had verified the feasibility of the method in actual combat, Gongsun Hong still didn't have much confidence.

He had made some mental preparations before coming to Chang'an, and then sought to make a name for himself and enter the imperial court, but Gongsun Hong never expected that the situation he would encounter would be so serious.

The watchtowers erected by the surrounding mansions offered no sense of security; such vigilance was no match for cultivators skilled in the Yang Soul Incarnation Technique.

With just one moment of carelessness, those around Zhang Xuezhou could face fatal risks.

Gongsun Hong considered running away. Offending Zhang Xuezhou was secondary; the key issue was that if he ran away, he would most likely lose his chance at an official position in the imperial court.

Even without Dong Zhongshu's detailed explanation, Gongsun Hong was well aware of the implications of this matter.

The opportunity he had been waiting for had indeed arrived. Although getting involved would be very dangerous, the turmoil in the court would be unprecedented.

Ministers who occupy high positions but fail to contribute will be removed one after another, and those who hold positions without doing anything will inevitably retreat to the background. This may also trigger changes among the feudal lords of various countries, and even change the rules that the Han Dynasty has followed for hundreds of years.

But before achieving many goals, the most important thing is that the new emperor must survive.

Compared to the new emperor in the palace, Zhang Xuezhou outside the capital is easier to control. He might even be killed by the cultivators of the Fiend Kingdom to establish their authority, leaving the new emperor in the palace like a caged tiger. Danger is bound to strike here. Gongsun Hong was about to speak when he suddenly saw Zhang Xuezhou raise a finger, which made Gongsun Hong swallow his words and become more vigilant.

"Arriving uninvited at night, they seem to be enemies, not friends!"

"Don't be impulsive. I'm just acting as a mediator. In a conflict between two countries, envoys are not to be killed!"

Zhang Xuezhou called out, and a blurry figure appeared in the courtyard of the mansion, from which Hongku's voice could be heard.

"Do you even want to go back to the Holy Land?"

Hongku bowed and asked the first question. When he saw Zhang Xuezhou's ambiguous smile, he already knew the answer.

"Can our cooperation continue?"

Hongku's second question was calm, but Zhang Xuezhou sensed a hint of tension in his voice.

“I don’t mind, but do you have the guts to continue the cooperation?” Zhang Xuezhou asked with a smile.

“I have never been timid,” Hongku said.

"This time is different!"

Zhang Xuezhou stared intently at Hongku, vaguely sensing that the deal Hongku was seeking involved Daojun.

Without Daojun's permission, it would be difficult for Hongku to trade again for cultivation resources. After all, these pills are not produced in Beiju Luzhou, and they need to be exchanged with a large number of cultivators, making it difficult to clean up the mess.

His attack had a greater lingering impact on Daojun than expected, and Daojun now has a greater need for the Creation Pill.

"Do you need the Qi and Blood Creation Pill or the Mana Creation Pill?" Zhang Xuezhou asked.

"All!"

Hongku replied cautiously.

If time could be reversed, Hongku would never have allowed Zhang Xuezhou to return to Chang'an.

As long as Zhang Xuezhou doesn't return to Chang'an, he won't be able to control the Sky Shuttle. Without the Sky Shuttle's levitation ability, Zhang Xuezhou won't be able to lead that young swordsman to commit his crimes.

There's no going back, and the established facts can't be changed.

He never imagined that Zhang Xuezhou was so capable of causing trouble. If it weren't for Daojun's need for elixirs and his own remaining value, Hongku felt that his fate in the Holy Land would have been extremely tragic if he had been implicated.

“I’ve seen too many people who settle scores later. Your days in the Holy Land will be very difficult,” Zhang Xuezhou said slowly. “The reason you have value now is because of me. If you can’t reach an agreement, your death is near!”

"Don't be so heartless!"

Hongku's voice had a hint of bitterness.

He knew this deal wouldn't be easy to negotiate, but the fact that his hand was revealed in just a few words still surprised him.

"Have you considered that things might not be as serious as you think?" Hongku took a deep breath and said, "Perhaps this is just a misjudgment on your part?"

“Then the price you want me to make a misjudgment will be quite high,” Zhang Xuezhou said. “I need a minimum order of five hundred pills!”

"Providing the materials to refine five hundred pills at once is no problem!"

"My success rate in producing pills is only 30%. If you want high-quality Creation Pills, let's talk about it later!"

Zhang Xuezhou held up three fingers, and Hongku immediately closed his mouth.

It's not that Beiju Luzhou is without alchemists, but the success rate of alchemy is pitiful, and the quality of the alchemy produced is mostly medium or low grade.

As a hard currency, Creation Pills are in high demand, and few people store large quantities of them, not even in holy lands.

This time, the Holy Land needed a very large amount of Creation Pills, and they had to be of high quality. It was also an urgent matter that needed to be addressed in a short period of time, so they had no choice but to seek help from the opposing forces.