fifth form

Chapter 3451 How to Make the Candle Nine Yin
Very few cultivators can leap over the high altitude above the Ten Thousand Mountains.

Not only are there towering mountains stretching endlessly to the horizon, forcing flyers to constantly increase their altitude, but the area is also filled with biting winds from high altitudes. In some areas, the mountains even exert a gravitational pull that can drag flyers down, and a slight misstep could result in injury or death.

Part of the risk is natural, and the other part is caused by human activity.

By leveraging the traction of the three sacred lands to create the Primordial Chaos Array, they were able to control the Ten Thousand Mountains. This area had effectively become a forbidden zone for those who could fly.

Only with Zhu Jiuyin and others, who controlled the Hunyuan Grand Array, leading the way, could those skilled in flying and leaping safely pass through this area.

"So many demonic birds!"

Whenever Rong Tianding followed Zhang Xuezhou, he would always witness some extraordinary events.

He had never seen so many demonic birds gathering herbs.

The demon bird is not a bird demon. A bird demon is a bird that has transformed into a demon, while the demon bird simply possesses the bloodline of a demon and appears stronger than a regular bird.

A few demonic birds are nothing special, but if there are thousands or tens of thousands, the sight becomes truly magnificent.

Moreover, what Rong Tianding saw was only one area; there may be other bird-demon herb-gathering groups in other areas.

For a moment, he was not very optimistic about the Han Dynasty's struggle against the Xiong Kingdom. He felt that even if the Xiong Kingdom and the Holy Land were defeated, they could simply shrink back and hide, and they could recover their strength and make a comeback in a few decades, or at the very least, within a hundred years.

"The Han Dynasty cannot be strong for only one generation; it needs to be strong for every generation!"

He murmured his opinion in a low voice, and Zhang Xuezhou nodded slightly in agreement.

"Being strong means constantly making sacrifices. The powerful Qin dynasty only lasted two generations. Even if the Han dynasty had a group of people who were outstanding for an era, what would happen after that era?"

Rong Tianding looked at Zhang Xuezhou with a puzzled expression.

Zhang Xuezhou preferred to solve problems with words, but Rong Tianding knew that Zhang Xuezhou was extremely powerful and could be considered one of the top cultivators in the Han Dynasty in the past hundred years.

Even someone as capable as Zhang Xuezhou would find it difficult to cultivate those around him to be equally outstanding; very few people can keep up with Zhang Xuezhou.

This means that the same applies to other cultivators; no matter how hard they try to cultivate them, it is highly likely that each generation will be worse than the last.

This applies to individuals, and it also applies to the nation as a whole.

Just as a cultivator's cultivation consumes resources, a nation's prosperity inevitably leads to massive consumption, and if this consumption cannot be sustained, it will fall into decline.

Before seeing the sacred site of Xieluoschuan, Rong Tianding felt that the Han Dynasty, having developed from weakness, would inevitably rise to glory. However, after witnessing the situation beyond its borders, he felt that everything would continue to repeat the cycle of history, and it would be difficult to break free from this framework.

"We need to develop productive forces, increase the population, provide education, make the country prosperous and strong, and unify our thinking to avoid internal troubles, so as to continuously sustain development and go far!"

Rong Tianding's confusion has answers from textbooks in reality, answers that are dogmatic, but also summaries brought about by history.

Zhang Xuezhou was also reciting scriptures from the textbook. He was not only telling Rong Tianding what he was saying, but also discussing it with the new emperor. As for whether the matter could be handled well, only time could tell.

"How do we fight so many bird demons?"

"If no one protects them, they'll die of old age in a few years, or be taken in by hunters!"

"You guys should be more polite in your conversation. Talking about the Han Dynasty is fine, but why are you talking to us young men to death!"

Zhang Xuezhou and Rong Tianding's heartfelt exchange was abruptly ended by Zhu Jiuyin's intervention.

The closer one gets to the sacred land of Xieluoschuan, the more demonic birds appear, and bird demons and beast demons also begin to appear around.

The familiar sacred lake remained unchanged, and at this moment, a large number of stable hands were washing medicinal herbs by the lake. The violent and rapid washing method made Zhang Xuezhou's eyelids twitch.

"I ordered the gathering of the medicinal herbs you need as soon as I set off from Jade Emperor Peak. Combined with the herbs that were previously stockpiled, it should be enough to refine the pills!"

The Flying Feather Demon King landed, and the Venerable One leaped into the ground, holding a staff and pointing it at the lake.

A passageway appeared in the lake, revealing the bronze gate to the secret realm; everything remained unchanged. Rong Tianding was still somewhat surprised by the magical mystery of how the Venerable One could separate the lake with a mere touch of his staff, while Zhang Xuezhou shook his head. He knew very well that the Five Lakes Dragon King had obeyed his commands in the lake, thus using water magic to create the passageway.

Stepping onto the dry lakebed, Zhang Xuezhou followed.

He looked around. The Great Han Dynasty was facing various difficulties in its fight against the Xiong Kingdom and the three holy lands. Zhang Xuezhou found it hard to understand how the cultivators like Donghua could capture Zhujiuyin within the formation.

Holy land forces differ from dynasties. Dynasties have a higher margin for error, allowing for a tug-of-war or a gradual push and attack, while the attacks of holy land cultivators can only occur once.

If the two leaders of Donghua and Xifang fail, Zhujiuyin may change his location and go into hiding, making him difficult to find; or he may fight back desperately; or he may pay a price to build up his network of connections to fight against him. Even Donghua will be humiliated and may even lose the nominal control it gained from the centennial event.

"What techniques will he use? What treasures? How will he target Zhu Jiuyin?"

Stepping through the bronze gate, Zhu Jiuyin's underground palace came into view. On the massive dragon-locking pillar, hundreds of thick chains suspended Zhu Jiuyin's hundred-zhang-long fleshy body.

Defeating Zhu Jiuyin is one thing, taking Zhu Jiuyin away is another.

Even though Zhang Xuezhou shook his head after seeing the layout of the Xieluoschuan Holy Land and Zhu Jiuyin's physical body, he felt that killing Zhu Jiuyin was already very difficult, capturing a living body to refine the elixir of immortality was almost impossible, and if he wanted to kill Zhu Jiuyin and transport the corpse to West Kunlun, things would be even more complicated.

"Do you intend to kill Zhu Jiuyin in the Evil Luosichuan Holy Land and then refine pills on the spot? But there is still the Hunyuan Grand Array here. Even if Zhu Jiuyin is not strong enough, he can still control the array to destroy everything in the process!"

The thought of getting started flashed through Zhang Xuezhou's mind, and when he looked ahead, he saw Zhou Bugui's face, which was both joyful and sorrowful.

"Hahaha, Godfather, I'm here!"

Zhang Xuezhou greeted him.

It had been several years since I last saw Zhou Bugui. His complexion was very rosy, it seemed he had been giving himself a lot of special treatment with elixirs.

"You've come to refine pills too!"

Zhou Bugui chuckled dryly, feeling that the Yin-Yang School and the Nine Heavens Sect were finished after these two generations, and could only hope that the madman Jin Chang could continue it.

“Yes, we’re just killing time anyway, so let’s help you refine some pills,” Zhang Xuezhou said.

"You old man, always looking so worried," the Venerable One laughed. "Don't worry, as long as this alchemy mission goes smoothly, I will not only send Dongfang Shuo away, but I will also pack you up and send you away!"

"Can I pack up and leave too?"

Zhou Bugui opened his mouth, only to feel that he had become an extra.

But he had been waiting for the chance to leave for far too long.

He had no shortage of schemes to manipulate the Venerable One's physical body, even plotting to use the conflicting effects of the medicine to cause the Venerable One's physical body to collapse, thus causing them to perish together. However, the Venerable One consumed the pills like water, swallowing over 100,000 pills as easily as eating and drinking.

Zhu Jiuyin's physical body hadn't collapsed yet, but Zhou Bugui himself almost did.

He had never seen a cultivator who could survive even after accumulating poison to the point of breaking through the heavens. Zhu Jiuyin's condition had exceeded the Yin-Yang School's understanding of elixirs and physical body research, leaving Zhou Bugui at a loss.

"We can leave together, but things need to go smoothly!"

Zhu Jiuyin pointed a finger.

Zhang Xuezhou used Ren Anran's Yang Soul Transformation Technique to restrain him, thus making Zhu Jiuyin greet him politely. However, Zhu Jiuyin also had methods of restraint.

For example, it can be manipulated through the Great Wilderness Creation Scripture, or it can control the life and death of Zhou Bugui.

The conflicts between cultivators are nothing more than disputes over interests, far from involving life-and-death struggles. If they can benefit each other, no one will think about losing together.

As long as Zhang Xuezhou cooperates well, everyone can part amicably. But if anyone harbors malicious intentions, then Zhang Xuezhou and the others will all suffer.

Zhang Xuezhou was so confident that he brought his cousin along, but Zhu Jiuyin felt that the latter's chances were extremely slim.