Ji Xiang was currently unaware of the situation before him.
However, he could sense that the Taoist with white hair and a youthful countenance possessed an immensely vast power, a power that Ji Xiang recognized. It was the same Ascension realm expert who had guided him through the trial in the Azure Heaven Demon.
Furthermore, his return from Fuli, witnessed by this Taoist, did not seem to surprise him.
Ascension realm experts naturally possessed such abilities.
Ji Xiang cupped his hands in a salute, "I have roamed Fuli in spirit and returned to the mortal realm. Why do you address me as senior brother?"
Old Zhang nodded and smiled, "Indeed, you have journeyed through Fuli with your physical body. Only Ascension realm experts possess such capabilities. While your physical body is somewhat weak, your cultivation is not."
"I am Zhang Boyang, from the Celestial Master's Mansion of Longhu Mountain. Senior brother is from a previous dynasty and older, so it is only proper to address you as such."
Old Zhang introduced himself and added, "It seems your cultivation suffered damage, leading to a reincarnation into a new body?"
True Master Zhang observed Ji Xiang, pondering that Ji Xiang's voice now sounded very much like the voice he had heard in the Great Fuli Land.
It was very similar, but he couldn't be certain!
Ji Xiang was greatly astonished!
The name Zhang Zhenren of Longhu Mountain, who did not know it amongst Taoist disciples in the world?
This meant that Old Zhang was the Ascension trial participant he had encountered within the Great Fuli?
"This, True Master Zhang! Since you are here, then the situation in Shuntian..."
"Senior brother need not worry, I have already pacified it. This is a minor matter! Senior brother also made a great contribution by killing Zhao Xuanlang!"
Old Zhang smiled slightly, assuring Ji Xiang that there was nothing left to worry about.
Ji Xiang mused inwardly:
("Old Zhang called me senior brother just now and regards me as a cultivator from a previous dynasty. It seems he doesn't recognize me or know me. As for the mismatch between my physical body and cultivation, Zhao Xuanlang could also see it, so it's normal for Old Zhang to discern it at a glance.")
With his thoughts settled, Ji Xiang spoke with a mix of truth and falsehood, "Indeed. However, the matter is long and complicated. When I took over this body, it was almost completely cremated."
Everything he said here was the truth. Since Old Zhang had already seen through it, fabricating a story would be difficult to maintain.
As expected, Old Zhang merely nodded and said:
"Since it was cremated, senior brother cannot be said to have reincarnated into a new body. If there was no corpse, how could there be a soul returning? Then senior brother must have... used a spell to reshape the physical body? I see this body is full of vitality, its bones like white jade, its sinews like soft gold, and its primordial energy is abundant. This should be the effect of the 'Du Ren Jing'."
"That's right. Only Ascension realm experts, by reciting the Du Ren Jing, can reshape such a perfect physical body."
"However, senior brother borrowed the 'form' of this young Taoist to reshape his body, hence the form and spirit cannot be perfectly compatible. Senior brother's cultivation is too high, while this young Taoist's 'form' is too weak, allowing others to see the problem at a glance."
Ji Xiang's thoughts stirred.
Thinking about it this way, his previous intention to flee directly back to Wudang was truly dangerous.
If he had returned without any explanation, Wudang, while not having Ascension realm experts, certainly had Nascent Soul experts who could have seen his problem at a glance. He might have been mistaken for a malevolent spirit possessing a body and directly "transcended" with a punch...
However, he had to return sooner or later. Now that he had Old Zhang's endorsement and assistance as a witness, Wudang should not expel him, this little Heavenly Demon...
Old Zhang then asked again:
"I still don't know which dynasty or era senior brother is from?"
Although Old Zhang could hear the Nine Heavens and see thousands of miles, he could not directly peer into the situation within the Dharma Realm. Therefore, he only saw and heard Ji Xiang and Zhao Xuanlang entering the Dharma Realm. He did not understand what happened afterward, and thus did not know that Ji Xiang claimed to be an extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon.
Ji Xiang's gaze sharpened. This was the crucial part, and he began to speak falsehoods:
"My consciousness was muddled, and I roamed the Great Fuli Land in spirit for a long time. I don't know which dynasties passed. I only remember that when I was about to fall into a state of confusion, a Dharma Master rose in rebellion, with the slogan 'The heavens are dead, the yellow heavens shall rise'."
Since he was fabricating a story, he decided to make it an ancient one, directly referencing the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty. After all, given the current situation, no cultivators from that era would likely be alive.
Moreover, the Three Kingdoms period was a magnificent era of chaos, with all sorts of strange Taoists emerging, such as Yu Ji and Zuo Ci, and Pu Jing and Zhang Jiao. Were they not all famous figures? Except for Zhang Jiao, he had not heard of any disciples or successors for the others.
Furthermore, the Han Dynasty had the famous "Lie Xian Zhuan" (Biographies of Immortals), most of whom were ancient immortals without known masters or successors, which also aligned with Old Zhang's assumptions.
Indeed, Old Zhang nodded at this point, and the strange expression in his eyes disappeared because Ji Xiang had just admitted to "roaming Fuli in spirit"!
This made sense!
Old Zhang's own conjecture confirmed it. Ji Xiang was indeed the owner of the voice he had heard in Fuli!
"Roaming Fuli for a thousand years, haha, no wonder I couldn't see through senior brother's origins! Only Ascension realm experts can roam Fuli for a thousand years without losing their minds!"
"Earlier, when junior brother was undergoing the Azure Heaven Demon trial in Fuli, just as I reached a difficult point, a voice suddenly came and awakened me. It turns out it was senior brother, casually acting while roaming Fuli! Junior brother thanks you here!"
Old Zhang expressed his sincere gratitude, as this was a grace that led to his enlightenment.
He hadn't had much confidence in passing the Azure Heaven Demon trial. This time, he received guidance from Ji Xiang. Moreover, Old Zhang had also considered that the reason the Azure Heaven Demon King's trial paper had become strange might have been orchestrated by this junior brother before him!
However, Ascension realm experts should not be able to arbitrarily change the examination papers. Old Zhang only knew that the "senior brother" before him was an ancient immortal from fourteen hundred years ago, and it was normal for him to possess some profound methods that he was unaware of!
Old Zhang began to scheme in his mind.
If he could entice this junior brother to Longhu Mountain, it would be like gaining an Ascension expert for free, which would be excellent. Furthermore, he would have someone of comparable level to discuss Taoism with. After all, there were realms beyond Ascension, and Ascension was not true enlightenment!
Old Zhang's attitude became somewhat enthusiastic, and Ji Xiang repeatedly said it was unnecessary to be so polite.
He also learned that after Old Zhang passed the demon trial, the Azure Heaven Great Demon had returned to the depths of Fuli, and its connection with the mortal realm seemed to have been severed, rendering the induction power undetectable.
Ji Xiang inwardly thought that perhaps the Azure Heaven Demon King had gone to urgently revise the examination papers.
"Senior brother helped me achieve enlightenment. If you require anything in the future, junior brother will not refuse!"
Old Zhang sincerely wished to become sworn brothers with Ji Xiang. Ji Xiang's heart stirred, and he spoke:
"Junior brother, to be frank, I do have a predicament. Perhaps you can help me?"
Old Zhang raised his eyebrows slightly, indicating that he had just completed his Ascension realm cultivation. "Senior brother, whatever your request, please speak freely. If it's something I can do, I, Old Zhang, will certainly do it for you."
Ji Xiang said sternly, "I have been targeted by the Jade Emperor. Can you roam Fuli with me and smash the Jade Emperor's divine tablet?"