Imperial Cultivation Chapter 1182 - 1178: Power

At this moment, his singular wish was to travel back to Heavenly Sword Peak to consult with Li Hongzhao. Though Li Hongzhao was unable to instruct him in the Emperor’s Sword Heart Method, having grasped its essence, he knew she could at least provide him with vital hints and guidance.

While the cultivation of the Emperor’s Sword shares its core origins with the Heavenly Sword Secret Scripture, they are fundamentally distinct paths. By what manner is the Emperor’s Sword truly cultivated? Is the favor and sentiment of the common people sufficient, or does some other arcane mystery lie at its heart?

Huang Zhengyang spoke with a grave tone, "Brother Chu, these three-faced Evil Venerables are quite the troublesome lot, aren't they?" The pair journeyed together toward the north, seeking another of the statues located a hundred miles away.

Chu Zhiyuan sighed, "It appears capable of consuming Essence Blood to fuel its own growth."

"So, it intentionally lured those common people earlier to slaughter them and bolster its strength?"

"Indeed, it must be so. Although, the consequences of what happens next remain unknown. The statue has already shifted and become more vivid; I wonder what the next stage will be?"

Huang Zhengyang remarked coldly, "When the time comes, the Evil Venerable shall truly descend."

"Descend?"

Huang Zhengyang gave a cynical smirk, "It will descend to possess physical bodies and bequeath its own Cultivation Technique, thereby establishing a fresh Evil Sect!"

Chu Zhiyuan mused, "Is that how the original Evil Sects came into being?"

"All existing Evil Sects trace their lineages back to the Ancient Era, and it is said this was precisely their origin."

"Have there been any reports of new Evil Sects emerging recently?"

"This represents the first instance in nearly a thousand years."

Chu Zhiyuan frowned in contemplation.

"Brother Chu, do you have any theories?"

"Brother Huang, first the Spirit Ascending Pearls appeared, and now this new Evil Venerable plans to descend..." Chu Zhiyuan furrowed his brows and added, "Can all of this merely be a coincidence?"

"I have no faith in coincidences."

"Neither do I. Why would these occurrences align so perfectly?"

"Brother Chu, any further thoughts?"

"Could this signify a great shift in the world?"

"A change in the world..."

"The Ancient Era saw its own upheavals, and after such a prolonged period of equilibrium, is the world teetering on the edge of another transformation?"

Huang Zhengyang rubbed his chin, "Brother Chu, your hypothesis... it is quite unprecedented." He had never pondered such a possibility, yet Chu Zhiyuan, having witnessed much and traversed several worlds, felt the current events fit the patterns of a world in flux.

Chu Zhiyuan replied, "I pray I am mistaken. Regardless, thank you for those Spirit Ascending Pearls." Their utilization had greatly benefited Chu Liezhao and Li Miaotan, and for Chu Liezhao, it served as a breakthrough that allowed him to perceive the Realm of the Nine Transitions Venerable.

Huang Zhengyang waved away the thanks with a dismissive gesture. He remained lost in Chu Zhiyuan’s theories, and the more he mulled over the possibilities, the more plausible they seemed, causing his expression to darken.

If a true transformation of the era were occurring, what would it portend? Chu Zhiyuan stated, "There is an old saying: when the soldiers arrive, the generals will confront them; when the water rises, the earth shall contain it. It is nothing to fret over."

Huang Zhengyang shook his head, "Sigh, that is easy to declare, but the lives of the common people are at stake." As the number of Evil Sects grew, demons would naturally proliferate, leaving both the Evil Extermination Department and the Demon Hunting Bureau to face dire consequences. The greatest victims, however, would be the innocent common folk.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Then we shall extinguish this threat before it blossoms."

"Let us hope so," Huang Zhengyang replied solemnly.

Deep within the mountains, a hundred miles away, Chu Zhiyuan spotted the statue. A group of individuals clad in mystic robes stood around it, their backs turned to the effigy. Among them were acquaintances such as Yu Xiang and Guo Qingyuan. The two offered a quick fist salute, wordless and stoic.

Upon seeing this particular statue, the expression on Chu Zhiyuan’s face shifted. Huang Zhengyang noticed his reaction and asked, "Is something wrong?" Although he looked at the three-faced statue, he saw only a blurred outline, as if an invisible barrier concealed its features.

Chu Zhiyuan exhaled a sharp breath and slowly shook his head, "It is different."

"In what way?"

"Unlike those we encountered before," Chu Zhiyuan noted seriously, "this is a new statue... a new Evil Venerable!"

"But it also possesses three faces!" Huang Zhengyang was confused.

Chu Zhiyuan explained, "Yes, three faces, but these are entirely distinct. The previous ones wore expressions of joy, sorrow, and neutrality, whereas these three display anger, fear, and utter despair."

Huang Zhengyang frowned, "How peculiar."

Chu Zhiyuan scanned the perimeter; there were no white bones to be found, suggesting no one had ventured close enough to be harvested. Huang Zhengyang observed, "It appears undiscovered, a stroke of luck."

Chu Zhiyuan did not look relieved, his expression remaining heavy as he shook his head.

Huang Zhengyang asked, "Is that not a good thing?"

"I fear people have already seen it, but not died directly before it. We must inquire throughout the surrounding ten or twenty miles for any reports of catastrophe."

Huang Zhengyang shouted, "Gong Junliang, proceed with the investigation."

"Understood." An astute, slender middle-aged man in a mystic robe saluted and departed, accompanied by two young disciples.

Huang Zhengyang added, "He will coordinate with the local authorities to conduct a swift inquiry."

Chu Zhiyuan stared intensely at the statue and nodded. Like the others, it was gilded, shimmering under the sun, yet this light possessed a gloomier, darker shade—a color sitting somewhere between purple-gold and standard gold. Approaching, he pressed his palm against the surface and channeled the aura within his Lao Gong Acupoint into its core.

He immediately detected an anomaly. The strange energy dwelling in his Lao Gong Acupoint could not assimilate or absorb the statue's aura, confirming it was different from the others. He pulled his left hand back and shifted his right hand to the hilt of his Golden Sword. Closing his eyes, he engaged in a refined channeling with the blade.

Seeing this, Huang Zhengyang stepped back, signaling the youths to remain silent so as not to disturb Chu Zhiyuan. Before long, he completed the process, finding himself reconnected to the Golden Sword on a profound level. The sword was an extension of his being, and he was one with the blade.

Having gained a deeper insight into its operations, Chu Zhiyuan understood the mechanics of the Golden Sword. It could sense the collective power generated by the hearts of the people, and by tapping into this, it could summon immense forces from the Void. This felt akin to him wielding the Golden Sword with his own spiritual power, perhaps requiring a stronger resonance of the sword’s spirit to unleash even greater force.

Chu Zhiyuan frowned, comparing this to the path of the Heavenly Sword Secret Scripture. What was this vast force beyond the Void, and what was its true limit? With that thought, he drew his sword and leaped, thrusting the blade not at the throat or body, but directly into the statue’s forehead.

A crisp sound emerged from within the stone, followed by a muted "boom." The statue shattered instantly into fine powder. As the gold dust drifted through the air, Chu Zhiyuan waved his sleeve, creating a cyclone in the Void that drew the particles into a whirlpool. The Golden Sword plunged into the vortex and withdrew, leaving not a trace of gold dust behind; every speck had been integrated into the steel.

Huang Zhengyang and his companions looked at the falling dust in awe. Huang Zhengyang exclaimed, "It was destroyed just like that?"

Chu Zhiyuan permitted himself a faint smile. He had felt a force that was not necessarily vast, but extraordinarily potent. Was this the true power of the Emperor’s Sword? To obliterate the statue without requiring abnormal power proved its efficacy, as its destructive capability was indeed superior to that of the Jade Heaven Sword.