Imperial Cultivation Chapter 1177 - 1173: Function

Early the following morning, as he was busy refining his Golden Sword, a messenger arrived with orders from Lu Wanshan to see him immediately. After tidying himself up, he stepped into the Sect Leader’s Hall to find Lu Wanshan pacing about, hands clasped tightly behind his back. "Sect Leader," Chu Zhiyuan greeted with a respectful bow. Lu Wanshan’s gaze darted toward the weathered scabbard resting at the young man’s waist, and a smile touched his lips. "Is this that legendary Treasure Sword?" Without a word, Chu Zhiyuan withdrew the blade, presenting the weapon with both hands. Lu Wanshan accepted the sword and flicked the steel with a single finger; a thunderous dragon’s cry immediately echoed through the great hall. "An exquisite blade!" the Sect Leader exclaimed in admiration. Chu Zhiyuan merely offered a faint smile. After scrutinizing the weapon with intense focus for a long moment, Lu Wanshan raised his head, his expression shifting to one of profound shock. "Sect Leader," Chu Zhiyuan prompted, "I attempted to replicate the Emperor’s Sword. How does it compare?" "It possesses the outer shell of the original," Lu Wanshan replied slowly, his voice laced with gravity. "Was it truly forged this way from the very beginning?" Could there be another soul capable of wielding the Heavenly Sword Avatar? Chu Zhiyuan shook his head. "I inscribed the patterns myself; the material is quite unique." Lu Wanshan sighed, shaking his head. "Even the master of the true Emperor’s Sword could never achieve such a feat." Chu Zhiyuan offered an awkward, silent smile as the Sect Leader stared at the blade with intense, contemplative focus. He remained perfectly still, sensing that Lu Wanshan’s composure had been thoroughly rattled. Eventually, the Sect Leader broke the silence in a low, somber tone: "Your blade retains the form, yet it lacks the true essence." "I am unfamiliar with the mental method required for the Emperor’s Sword," Chu Zhiyuan admitted. "That technique is a closely guarded secret," Lu Wanshan cautioned. "No one can share it with you—not even I—or we would face the wrath and backlash of the Heavenly Sword itself." Chu Zhiyuan bowed his head, secretly feeling a wave of relief; he was grateful he hadn’t pressed Li Hongzhao for the forbidden knowledge, as she might have faced dire consequences. "Since your own hands fashioned this sword, simply continue to ponder its mysteries on your own. It is already immensely powerful as it stands." "As you command," Chu Zhiyuan agreed. "Travel the world, purge the wicked and the demonic," Lu Wanshan advised, "perhaps through hardship, you will gain the insights you seek." Chu Zhiyuan nodded solemnly, "I am in your debt, Sect Leader." Lu Wanshan then mentioned the ongoing operation at Feixue Cave Mansion. "The struggle commences shortly. Will you participate?" Chu Zhiyuan politely declined, "With the Elders and my senior brothers already spearheading the efforts, my presence is unnecessary. I shall return to the Imperial City to wait." He had already drawn enough stares and had no desire to be the center of attention; fame could easily sour into bitterness and jealousy. "Do you have no desire to collect further bounties from the Court while slaughtering these demons?" Lu Wanshan teased. "I have shed enough blood for now," Chu Zhiyuan replied. Lu Wanshan chuckled, "You are easily satisfied." Most, he mused, never found their fill, driven by the eternal hunger for more. Seeing Chu Zhiyuan walk away from further rewards despite having already slain nearly a hundred evil demons showed a rare, disciplined restraint against greed. "A spirit worthy of greatness," the elder thought to himself. When asked about purging the lairs of the Wuxiang and Qianye Sects, Lu Wanshan shook his head, noting the difficulty of catching enemies who shifted hideouts like shadows. "Collaborate with the Evil Extermination Department if you must," he finally conceded. Chu Zhiyuan felt a surge of gratitude, realizing Lu Wanshan was clearing the path for him to act without inviting internal scrutiny from his own Sect. It felt as if he were being groomed for something monumental, perhaps even the leadership itself, though he knew he was but one of many seeds sown by the Heavenly Sword Sect. After returning to his branch, a visitor arrived—an envoy from Huang Zhengyang bearing a Black Box. Within were six Spirit Ascending Pearls. Pleased by the surplus, Chu Zhiyuan prepared his next move, making his way past the city guards to a lonely mountain peak far from prying eyes. There, his clone awaited him, taking the pearls to empower their shared bloodline. By consuming the essence, their connection to the Sky Dragon and their internal reserves reached new heights, pushing them silently into the Ninth Transition Venerable Realm. As Chu Zhiyuan sat in his quarters, meditating upon the profound transition experienced by his clone, he gained insights that would have taken months of arduous training to achieve. The next morning, as he cultivated, Gu Junqi sought him out. "Still resting, Zhiyuan?" the Elder laughed. "The slaughter at Feixue Cave Mansion continues, and you are missing a golden opportunity to earn glory." "Do they not realize it is a trap?" Chu Zhiyuan wondered aloud. Despite the caution, greed clearly still blinded the desperate. "They are caught in a web of their own avarice," Gu Junqi retorted. Chu Zhiyuan only shook his head. He had no intention of throwing himself into the fray for empty vanity. If the Court wanted him to dance, it would take more than mere trinkets to move him. He would choose his own path, staying sharp, focused, and free from the herd’s demise.`