Imperial Cultivation Chapter 1189 - 1185: Secret Technique

Lu Xiaolu commented, "The burden rests with the Evil Extermination Department. It really shouldn't involve you, right?"

Chu Zhiyuan replied, "Suppressing these vile entities is a task for everyone. Our Four Great Sects exist not just to slay demons, but to purge all evil."

"We primarily hunt demons," Lu Xiaolu clarified. "In my view, demons are far more deserving of death since they exist solely to feast on humans."

Chu Zhiyuan offered a knowing, gentle smile.

Lu Xiaolu continued, "The Undying Evil Venerable is an absolute nightmare. Getting entangled with them guarantees a loss of peace; it is better to avoid them entirely."

"I have already shattered one of their statues," Chu Zhiyuan remarked. "I am already deeply involved, and there is no turning back now."

Lu Xiaolu knitted her brows in concern. "Did you encounter them while in deep meditation or during your rest?"

Her heart was heavy with apprehension.

The Undying Evil Venerable is infamous for its relentless nature. Once it marks a target, it pursues them with unyielding persistence until their final breath.

It is all but impossible to truly eradicate the Undying Evil Venerable.

While standard evil venerables can be banished by destroying their physical representations—thereby severing their anchor to our world—the Undying Evil Venerable is unique.

Its statues are not truly destructible; even if shattered, they reform, descending from the abyss of the heavens, relentless and eternal.

The most chilling aspect is that it does not rely on a statue to draw power; it feeds directly through touch.

The primary concern, however, is its assault on the mind.

Once branded, the entity forces its way into your spiritual realm, tormenting you until sanity snaps and death follows.

This mental corruption is its most terrifying weapon.

During the Ancient Era, many illustrious cultivators perished precisely because they fell to this influence.

A great many who met their end through madness were, in fact, victims of the Undying Evil Venerable.

For a long time, it seemed as though the entity had retreated from our world.

Clearly, that illusion has shattered.

For Chu Zhiyuan to cross paths with it, one could only conclude that his fortune was truly calamitous!

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head. "I have not felt their lingering presence."

"...Perhaps the situation has changed?" Lu Xiaolu mused, tilting her head. "After so many ages, they might be diminished, lacking their former potency? Otherwise, their statues would not have been so easily pulverized. You must realize that such a statue is supposed to be indestructible."

Chu Zhiyuan suggested, "It likely pertains to the power of the Demon Suppressing Saber."

"Your blade is indeed potent, but it is more probable that they have simply waned in power," Lu Xiaolu countered.

Chu Zhiyuan chuckled, "That would be a fortunate outcome. Given their ruthless nature, if they possessed the means to kill me, they surely would have utilized it already."

"That is a valid point!" Lu Xiaolu’s expression brightened at once. Her initial worry dissolved, replaced by a radiant smile as she teased, "Junior Brother has always been blessed with good fortune."

Chu Zhiyuan cautioned, "Regardless, Senior Sister, you must avoid attracting their attention for the time being."

"Of course," Lu Xiaolu agreed quickly. "Are you certain it is not merely the prowess of your Demon Suppressing Saber protecting you?"

Chu Zhiyuan pointed to the text. "These records describe an ancient secret technique capable of completely annihilating the Undying Evil Venerable."

"Junior Brother, your imagination is running wild," Lu Xiaolu laughed. "How could a secret technique of that caliber be recorded in a simple book?"

Chu Zhiyuan reached into his sleeve, producing a white pearl, which he carefully set atop the ancient text.

Lu Xiaolu observed the object with interest; it was a flawlessly round orb, roughly the size of a Dragon Eye.

Initially mundane, it began to emit a soft, ethereal luminescence the moment it touched the pages.

"What is this?" Lu Xiaolu asked, eyes widening. "What sort of relic have you found?"

"The All Things Pearl," Chu Zhiyuan explained. "A mystical artifact from beyond our realm, capable of unveiling all illusions."

"The Imperial Court’s legendary All Things Pearl?" Lu Xiaolu gasped. "How did such a treasure fall into your hands?"

Chu Zhiyuan answered with a mysterious smile.

He had not obtained the original. Instead, he had refined a standard jade pearl, sealing the essence of the All Things Pearl within it—an imitation constructed based on the intricate patterns he had studied.

Lu Xiaolu giggled, "You never cease to surprise me, Junior Brother."

She assumed he had leveraged some profound connection to acquire it.

As she watched, the soft glow washed over the ancient pages. Under this illumination, the text began to fade into a transparent, ghostly state.

Certain elements, however, remained solid.

The opaque portions revealed an illustration: a figure standing in a strange, intricate posture before a massive tree.

Chu Zhiyuan’s brows pulled together.

The tree was unmistakable. It was the Demon Suppressing Divine Tree.

"Is this..." Lu Xiaolu whispered, "the secret technique?"

Chu Zhiyuan nodded. "It would appear so."

"It is a visualization exercise," Lu Xiaolu noted. "Junior Brother, attempt to cultivate it."

Chu Zhiyuan stood tall, planted one foot firmly, extended his palms, and shaped his fingers into precise handprints.

Slowly, he closed his eyes.

Having already aligned his spirit with the Demon Suppressing Divine Tree, he entered the meditative state with startling ease.

A manifestation of the divine tree flickered to life within his mind, pulsing with warm, golden light.

This light surged through his mental horizon, smoothing his turbulent thoughts and banishing every trace of dread or instability.

Above him, in the empty air, rose a gigantic, translucent tree, seemingly crafted from pure crystal. Its roots appeared to plunge directly into his consciousness, as if bridging reality and his own imagination.

Dust-like specks of brilliant light shed from the branches, showering him in their gentle radiance.

Lu Xiaolu stared, completely awestruck.

Chu Zhiyuan remained lost in this unique mental realm, only surfacing after a long duration. When he opened his eyes, a thin smile graced his lips.

The imagery above faded, slipping into the void as if it had never been.

Chu Zhiyuan felt a glow of satisfaction. It was a bizarre coincidence that he had mastered such a profound technique on his first attempt.

"Brother, you truly succeeded!" Lu Xiaolu exclaimed.

"I did," Chu Zhiyuan confirmed. "It shares a resonance with my Demon Suppressing Saber. Their origins are linked, which explains why the statue couldn't affect me."