In the beginning, he was ranked alongside An Shigeng as a spoiled brat.

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Dragon Scale Heavenly Book!

Similar to later spatial 3D paintings, it looks like a painting as a whole, but in reality, each page contains annotations that are like celestial script.

Therefore, it is also known as the Dragon Scale Heavenly Book.

Combining the translated content with the unfolded illustrations, it's a map of the Kunlun Mountains, marking the approximate location of the Queen Mother of the West's tomb, how to open it, and even a map of the tomb passage...

However, Zhang Xiaoshan did not completely trust Princess Taiping. After examining the Dragon Scale Heavenly Book, Zhang Xiaoshan quickly discovered the secret.

Before handing the Dragon Scale Heavenly Book over to Princess Taiping, he had already tampered with it.

A layer of undetectable, mysterious powder was applied to the surface of the Dragon Scale Heavenly Book, which was then incorporated into the entire scroll.

Only when wearing amethyst lenses can the reflection of this powder be seen under candlelight.

Therefore, it would be easy for Zhang Xiaoshan to find out whatever tricks Princess Taiping might play.

After all, it's nothing more than soaking, roasting, smoking...

After several attempts, Zhang Xiaoshan finally managed to get a few pictures to appear on the Dragon Scale Heavenly Book after wiping it with high concentrations of alcohol.

Unlike cryptic written characters, these pictures are completely straightforward, directly expressing the meaning.

The story is roughly set during the Great Zhou Dynasty, when an emperor heard that there was a goddess in the Western Regions named Xi Wangmu who possessed the secret to immortality.

Without exception, all emperors throughout history have been fond of worldly affairs and yearned for immortality. This emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty was no exception. During his reign, he conquered the east and west, and had long harbored ambitions to conquer the heavens. Thus, he rode eight riders out of the mountains and seas to Kunlun.

Finally, the story naturally unfolds with the goddess and the emperor falling in love at first sight, after which the emperor departs and never returns.

One waited in Kunlun, the other died amidst his busy schedule.

However, the record contained a different message: the emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty was not too busy to keep the appointment, but rather dared not to.

The description of the object of immortality is that it is a substance similar to meteorite copper.

The Queen Mother of the West used meteorite copper to forge a treasure that could grant immortality.

However, this treasure had a huge flaw, like a genetic mutation, which made the Great Zhou emperor afraid.

As the alcohol evaporated and the drawing disappeared, a sharp glint flashed in Zhang Xiaoshan's eyes.

Sure enough, a huge secret was hidden within.

However, Zhang Xiaoshan still couldn't understand what was in this that Princess Taiping coveted.

A treasure for immortality?

You should know that this is something that even the emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty dared not try.

Looking at the genetic mutations in the picture, Zhang Xiaoshan thought of the Wan Nu Wang and Kunlun Tai that he had seen on the internet in later generations, and couldn't help but shudder.

The extraordinary species of heaven and earth are indeed extraordinary species, born from the essence of heaven and earth.

But these are absolutely extraordinary creatures with genetic mutations, monsters like evil dragons.

“There must be places that have not yet been discovered, or traditions that are only recorded by the royal family.”

For a moment, Zhang Xiaoshan frowned; he disliked the feeling of being controlled.

As for information on par with the royal family, Zhang Xiaoshan had no access to such channels, since the Zhang family was merely a newly emerging merchant family.

The Wu Tang dynasty was different; it was not only an empire that lasted for hundreds of years.

Moreover, the Li family was a top-tier aristocratic family during the Great Zhou Dynasty, and even had connections with the Great Zhou royal family, so they definitely knew some things that the world did not know.

"Yin Zheng Shenren, I would like to trouble you to go to the Later Zhou Empire and find Donghuang Taiyi of the Yin Yang School!"

"Yes, son!"

Zhang Xiaoshan wielded his knife with lightning speed, carving an image of the Queen Mother of the West holding a treasure on the front of a palm-sized piece of mutton-fat jade, while the back contained only a few words, stating that they would meet at Yumen Pass three months later.

"Go!"

Without alarming the empire, the only collaborator Zhang Xiaoshan could find was the Yin-Yang School of the Later Zhou Empire.

Unlike the other five major schools, the Yin-Yang School, although it originated from Taoism, has always been controlled by a mysterious figure, which should be related to the descendants of the Great Zhou royal family.

If the Yin-Yang School doesn't have the information he wants, then Zhang Xiaoshan won't go there easily this time.

After all, the traps and deadly schemes inside ancient tombs are too dangerous.

A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall!

Zhang Xiaoshan has no reason to take such a big risk for something that is unknown and may be useless to him.

As for Lei Laowu?

This is his profession. Legend has it that even though Zhang Xiaoshan forbade him to rob the tomb of the Queen Mother of the West, he would still sneak in.

···

"Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress!"

Inside the Daming Palace.

Zhang Xiaoshan was invited over on the third day after he returned.

Zhang Xiaoshan bowed slightly, but no one present, not even Princess Taiping, reacted.

Zhang Xiaoshan is a grandmaster, so ordinary etiquette is naturally useless to him.

The empress, dressed in a black robe adorned with golden dragons, sized up the people Zhang Xiaoshan had brought, her phoenix eyes flashing like lightning.

A spirited-looking boy, only about fifteen or sixteen years old, whose background was unclear, was a remarkable person simply because he stood in front of so many people without fear.

The reason Zhang Xiaoshan was invited here this time was not because he was bored, but because Eunuch Wei had reached the standard for dispersing his internal energy.

Emperor Wu originally wanted Eunuch Wei to cultivate to the 90% level, the longer the better.

Unfortunately, after a year of cultivation, Eunuch Wei could no longer endure it. Having reached the point where his cultivation needed to dissipate, he asked the Empress to find Zhang Xiaoshan to prepare for the process.

One of Zhang Xiaoshan's requirements back then was that the inheritor of the Wedding Dress True Qi must be a member of his Zhang family.

Although Eunuch Wei could 'disperse his power' and rebuild his skills on his own, Zhang Xiaoshan didn't need to personally intervene.

But Eunuch Wei is now the Empress's senior brother, and seventy is a rare age. Therefore, the risk of losing his power is too great, and if he is not careful, he will be beyond saving.

Even the Empress had no choice but to agree to Zhang Xiaoshan's demands.

Zhang Xiaoshan would not give away his skills for free. In exchange for a chance to pass on his skills, the Empress felt that this investment was worthwhile.

A grandmaster-level expert is like a pillar that stabilizes the sea.

"Young Master Zhang, who is this young man?"

"Zhang Wuji, son of Zhang Wuxia of Wudang!"

"Wudang disciple?"

Upon hearing Zhang Xiaoshan's introduction, the Empress immediately showed a look of surprise.

Because these aren't members of the Zhang family, but rather members of the Wudang sect.

Although the Zhang family, Wudang, and Shaolin have shown signs of uniting, they are not a single, unified force.

Therefore, he really couldn't believe that Zhang Xiaoshan would give up such a precious opportunity to the son of Zhang Wuxia of Wudang. It seemed quite unbelievable.

"Young Master Zhang's actions are truly unexpected!"

"Your Majesty flatters me. If everything were predictable, then the destruction of the Zhang family would not be far off."

The domineering tone in Zhang Xiaoshan's words made the Empress thoughtful.

After the secret of the Wedding Dress Divine Skill was revealed, countless people pledged their loyalty to Zhang Xiaoshan, all hoping to rise to the top and become a supreme master.

Even if rewards and punishments are fair, some people will still feel that it is extremely unfair.

·········Requesting flowers·· 0

For example, after Jin Jiuling learned of the existence of the Demon Buddha, he began to fully activate the Twelve Zodiac Killers.

Besides being dissatisfied, there was also a strong sense of resentment and jealousy.

In his view, he was the most qualified, the leader of the twelve zodiac signs, and should inherit the true qi of the Wedding Dress Divine Skill to become the leader of the twelve zodiac signs.

But Jin Jiuling completely forgot about his little tricks behind his back.

However, Zhang Xiaoshan cannot always be unpredictable. For example, Zhang Wuji may seem to be acting unexpectedly, but in reality, he is still one of his own.

After all, Zhang Xiaoshan wasn't really so generous as to give away a spot for passing on his skills without reservation.

Because of his relationship with Master Mingchen, he and the sixteen-year-old Zhang Wuji were considered father-in-law and son-in-law.

When Master Mingchen went to visit Xiao Zhao, he discovered that Xiao Zhao had run away from home last year. Zhang Xiaoshan had just returned and learned from Master Mingchen that Xiao Zhao and Zhang Wuji had secretly pledged their lives to each other.

However, this was not something Zhang Xiaoshan cared about.

After all, unless Master Mingchen and Zhang Xiaoshan revealed their relationship, no one would know.

Therefore, Zhang Xiaoshan used his cooperative relationship with Wudang to push Zhang Wuji onto the stage, since it wasn't exactly a case of benefiting outsiders.

.. ....... .......

He looks like he's in his early twenties, but he's already thirty.

Xiao Zhao is around fourteen years old. With a sixteen-year age gap, even if she is a stepdaughter, they are still a generation apart.

Therefore, it was perfectly natural for Zhang Xiaoshan to treat Zhang Wuji as his son-in-law.

As for how Zhang Wuji got here?

After Xiao Zhao ran away from home, she met Zhang Wuji in the martial arts world, and during this time she was under the surveillance of Master Mingchen.

With Master Mingchen's deliberate guidance, the two spent this time sightseeing near the capital.

However, Zhang Xiaoshan did not directly acknowledge Xiao Zhao, and Xiao Zhao is still unaware that Master Mingchen is her mother. She is a rebellious teenager.

Therefore, Zhang Xiaoshan directly revealed his identity and brought Zhang Wuji here.

····

"let's start!"

Inside the secret room, Eunuch Wei glanced at the young Zhang Wuji.

Without hesitation, whether it was to find liberation or to regroup and start over, he had already reached his limit. Even if it meant death, he would pour his vast and powerful inner strength into the young man before him.

This is not fearlessness, but a search for liberation.

As for Zhang Wuji, he never understood Zhang Xiaoshan's purpose. He only knew Zhang Xiaoshan's identity and that as a Wudang disciple, he should respect him and listen to his 'lesson'.

Only then did he realize that this was actually an empowerment ceremony, and that it was being passed on to him.

This uncontrolled infusion of power, with its boundless and immense internal energy surging into his body like a flood of seawater, caused him extreme discomfort.

However, Zhang Wuji understood that this was an opportunity!

On the other side, the Empress and Princess Taiping watched all this with envy, but they also knew Zhang Xiaoshan's shrewdness and cunning. It would be extremely difficult for them to scheme against Zhang Xiaoshan.

"All right!"

Seeing that Eunuch Wei's hair and beard were already completely white, he was showing signs of exhaustion.

Zhang Xiaoshan immediately intervened, interrupting the final stage of the power transfer. At the same time, he channeled pure Yang purple energy into Eunuch Wei's body, circulating it through his eight extraordinary meridians to maintain his barely surviving life.

"Fifteen taels of precious ginseng, or an equivalent spiritual medicine, to replenish vital energy."

Six months later, Eunuch Wei will be able to recover his skills and advance further, but...

Chapter 430 A Failure at the Last Minute: Wedding Dress? Dowry?

"Unable to advance to Grandmaster?"

The empress, still known as Princess Taiping, suddenly looked rather unpleasant, her expression filled with resentment.

After spending such a huge amount of money, they couldn't even produce a Grandmaster-level expert to oversee things. Wouldn't they have suffered a huge loss?

However, the Empress sighed and nodded in realization.

As a Grandmaster, she naturally understood that being a Grandmaster was not as simple as reaching the pinnacle of skill.

Most importantly, a Grandmaster can mobilize the power of heaven and earth.

"I advised Your Majesty before that it would be best to let Eunuch Wei cultivate for three years to reach 90% of the level of the Wedding Dress Divine Skill, but Eunuch Wei could not endure it and sought liberation when he reached the level of dissipation."

In this way, the Wedding Dress Divine Skill cannot reach perfection, and thus it is impossible to break through to the Grandmaster realm.