fifth form

Chapter 3635 Stealing Skills
The first thing Zhang Qian did upon returning to Chang'an was to describe the places he had passed through on his mission.

Zhang Qian did not simply take a trip; he lived in the Xiong Kingdom for more than ten years and knew the characteristics of each place, including the vegetation that changes with the seasons.

This feature is far better than simply labeling a mountain or a river as a landmark.

Zhang Qian's knowledge accumulated over more than ten years, coupled with his observations and experiences from several years of travel, could not be recorded in a short time. While he was concentrating on transcribing, neither Zhang Xuezhou nor Zhang Qian were able to greet each other.

He and the new emperor looked at each other for a while before turning to another place.

In contrast to Zhang Qian's ragged appearance, Wu Chao had already changed and dressed in the palace.

Unlike Erlang Shen's impromptu explanation, Wuchao truly achieved a profound yet simple translation.

As many had previously speculated, the Heart Sutra does indeed require practice in conjunction with physical movements. Various non-human actions not only conform to the way the sutra operates, but the stimulation of physical pain will also promote practice until the practitioner adapts to the Heart Sutra.

This is a secret text that only ascetic monks can cultivate to a high level. The new emperor couldn't help but tremble as he looked at the translated Heart Sutra.

If it weren't for the Nine Treasures Wine, normal people would basically never even think about doing this kind of spiritual practice.

"How is it?" the new emperor asked.

"The content is easy to understand," Zhang Xuezhou said. "Growing to a higher level is not difficult given the right conditions!"

"Those two leaders are too cautious!"

The new emperor felt a pang of regret.

Although he had not witnessed the killing and control methods of the two Western religious leaders, the old master's hidden trick was a tactic that had been used to death in the Southern Continent, and the new emperor would not doubt the cultivation conditions mentioned by Zhang Xuezhou.

"I'll give them a try and see if they have a chance to pass!"

Zhang Xuezhou flicked his sleeves.

He glanced politely at Wuchao, then took the wine jug that Erlang Zhenjun used to hold the Nine Treasures Wine.

After taking a large gulp of Jiuzhen wine, a slight blush appeared on Zhang Xuezhou's face.

He stood sideways on the ground, supported by his right foot and right elbow.

With the jar still in his left hand, Zhang Xuezhou had already focused his mind on reciting the Heart Sutra, and the radiance of mental power appeared in the wheel of destiny he was visualizing.

Previously, the psychic radiance could only be used for lighting. It began to appear with purple aura rising, pushing upward step by step, making the psychic radiance increasingly intense.

Not only was the new emperor focused on him, but even Wu Chao, who was translating, put down his pen and watched Zhang Xuezhou's every move with a very complicated expression.

While Wu Chao and others underwent arduous training in the Western religion, Zhang Xuezhou and his group did not choose to endure the same hardships. Instead, they used the treasures of heaven and earth to directly pass through the long period of refinement.

Even the most talented individuals need fertile ground to grow. Wu Chao possessed exceptional talent, but his only misstep was investing in the resource-poor Western Religion. To obtain resources, he had to compete and fight for them, and it was difficult for him to leave the Western Religion, thus falling behind step by step.

Not only was he inferior to Zhang Xuezhou in strength, but he was also lagging behind in all aspects of cultivation, including magic and mental power, turning from a leader into a laggard.

If it weren't for taking the Longevity Pill, Wu Chao felt he still had the potential to achieve great things later in life; otherwise, his life would have been almost ruined.

He fixed his gaze on Zhang Xuezhou, clearly eager to leverage the resource advantages of Zhang Xuezhou and his associates.

"Why is his mental power so gentle, showing no trace of magical ability?"

Wu Chao only felt that Zhang Xuezhou's mental power was becoming increasingly heavy, but he did not see the magical power that many Western sect cultivators guided during their practice.

Aside from the light, Wu Chao felt that Zhang Xuezhou's psychic radiance seemed to have no other effect.

"So bright!"

The new emperor, unfamiliar with the methods of practicing the Heart Sutra, exclaimed in surprise. Unlike Wu Chao, the new emperor did not experience any psychological changes; instead, he was more amazed by the excessively bright light behind Zhang Xuezhou's head.

The psychic light that Zhang Xuezhou had previously guided was like moonlight, soft and bright. As it was pushed upwards, the light became brighter and more dazzling.

"This is almost as effective as my 'Eastern Sword'!"

The new emperor felt that Zhang Xuezhou's practice of the Heart Sutra was quite effective; whenever his head was bright and dazzling, his opponents would inevitably lose their eyesight.

"Who is driving the Heart Sutra?" The new emperor had been observing for a long time when a heavy voice came from the bright light asking this question.

"Disciple Wu Chao kowtows to the Grand Master, begging the Grand Master to bestow upon me unparalleled divine skills!"

Zhang Xuezhou whispered something, the new emperor's eyelids twitched, and Wu Chao's eyes widened.

"So it was Wuchao. Why didn't you condense the Dharma form of your deity when you practiced the Heart Sutra?"

"In my heart, the radiance of our leader shines brightly, and his Dharma form is so magnificent that it is impossible to look directly at him!"

"Ok!"

"Where are you now? I feel as if you are separated by thousands of miles."

"Upon hearing the news that my father had been murdered by my uncle, I rushed back to Beiju Luzhou, only to be relentlessly pursued by my uncle's men. After struggling against them, I fled to Nanzhanbuzhou. I will wait until I have achieved sufficient cultivation before turning the tables on these pursuers and going to Mount Ling to listen to the Master's teachings!"

"Ah~"

Amidst the blinding psychic light, came the sigh of the Grand Master, who was guiding the way.

"Your hatred has led you astray in your cultivation. I do not wish to blame you. I will make some minor corrections for you this time, and make further adjustments when you return to Mount Ling, so that you will not be unable to make progress in the future!"

Long live the leader!

Zhang Xuezhou whispered.

Like brine setting tofu, as a point of purple light appeared, Zhang Xuezhou's psychic energy began to emerge, with inscriptions swirling around it.

Like the rising midday sun, the already dazzling psychic light was hard to look at directly. Even the people in the new capital couldn't help but shield their eyes with their hands and squint to observe.

"Even Dongfang Shuo has never flattered me like this. The rules of the Western Religion are truly outrageous. How can he say such things? What am I supposed to do?"

Zhang Xuezhou's response was neither in Sanskrit nor in Mandarin, but it was still understandable.

The new emperor felt that Zhang Xuezhou had not only found a reason but also used all his flattery skills, even though he had never heard Zhang Xuezhou say such things before.

What Zhang Xuezhou could do, the new emperor truly could not.

This is not just about saying a few words; it requires speaking naturally without revealing any flaws in order to pass scrutiny. Even the Empress Dowager had difficulty pleasing the new emperor back then, so how could he possibly have such an ability?

Zhang Xuezhou's skill may seem simple, but it actually stumps 99% of great cultivators.

"You are not Wuchao!"

Just as the new emperor was about to think that Zhang Xuezhou had passed the test and entered the eighth level of the Prajna Heart Sutra, he heard the piercing voice of the Guiding Master from within the blinding light.

"Wu Chao can't possibly be this strong. Damn it, you actually stole my sect's secret manual. Who are you?"

Perhaps because Zhang Xuezhou failed to conceal his enhanced mental state as he crossed the threshold, a surprised voice rang out.

In an instant, a splash of crimson appeared amidst the blazing, white light of psychic power.

The crimson light clashed back and forth, as if trying to cleave Zhang Xuezhou's concentrated psychic power in two, causing pain to appear on Zhang Xuezhou's face and nearly causing him to fall as he tried to support himself.

"Leave a way out for us, so we can meet again in the future!"

"die!"

Zhang Xuezhou let out a shout, while the voice of the Guiding Master was chilling, and the blood-red light became even more violent.

"You really think I'm afraid of you? I have the advantage of location, and with my rare and precious resources, I can crush all your backup plans. Let's see who loses out!"

Zhang Xuezhou poured large amounts of Nine Treasures Wine directly into his mouth from the flask in his left hand. The Bigu Technique accelerated the absorption, and when he exhaled a breath of wine, the radiance of his mental energy behind his head intensified, emitting a dazzling light throughout the palace's side rooms.

A sense of danger surged through the new emperor's heart, and the dizziness of being struck on the head quickly followed, causing him to stagger back several steps.

Another crow groaned, blood gushing from its eyes and nostrils. Without pausing for a moment, it dropped its brush and fled out the door.