Imperial Cultivation Chapter 1199 - 1195: Consumption

Chu Zhiyuan together with Huang Zhengyang floated away, detecting the water below as they advanced.

The mysterious beast kept shifting its spot, slippery and impossible to pin down.

Intense curiosity burned in him, yet he felt no urgency to investigate right away. He could return anytime; that odd creature wouldn't escape, sealed here for endless ages.

This venture had already yielded a massive bounty.

Though more Undying Golden Essence eluded him, he now possessed the vital recipe for it.

He had already skimmed through the pamphlet, which detailed the sacrificial forging technique for Undying Golden Essence with perfect clarity.

This technique vastly surpassed his personal forging approach.

Had he claimed this secret sooner, his Golden Sword would have progressed much farther by now.

Huang Zhengyang let out a hearty chuckle, "Brother Chu, wasn't this journey truly rewarding?"

Chu Zhiyuan burst into laughter, "Many thanks, Brother Huang!"

"No need for such politeness between friends!" Huang Zhengyang dismissed it with a grin and wave, "Holding this Lifespan Extension Pill puts my mind completely at rest."

Before, endless struggles and doubts had plagued him.

The Court's prize, this Lifespan Extension Pill, was crucial for prolonging his mother's days.

Truthfully, Chu Zhiyuan deserved it as the rightful claimant.

Without Chu Zhiyuan's later aid, he might have seized the Lifespan Extension Pill no matter the moral cost.

Yet Chu Zhiyuan's ongoing help only amplified his inner turmoil, guilt swelling like a storm.

Now that heart-wrenching burden had vanished entirely, leaving joy for all.

Chu Zhiyuan chuckled, "Doesn't the Court stock plenty of Lifespan Extension Pills?"

"Scarce as hen's teeth." Huang Zhengyang let out a sigh, "If I held the Director's seat, I might snag one, but my rank falls too short."

Chu Zhiyuan remarked, "Is Tongming Grass that rare? Still, shouldn't they favor the two divisions first? Those folks labor hardest, after all."

Huang Zhengyang heaved a sigh, "Next to our two divisions, the guardians at Evil Suppressing Abyss suffer far greater trials and burdens, earning them Lifespan Extension Pill compensation."

"The two divisions stake their lives too," Chu Zhiyuan countered.

"Yet our lives pale against the tributes'." Huang Zhengyang shook his head, "A single mishap at Evil Suppressing Abyss would hurl the realm into utter turmoil."

Chu Zhiyuan nodded thoughtfully.

Some harsh truths can't be escaped: people carry unequal worth.

Abruptly, light flooded their vision, and they emerged beyond Evil Suppressing Abyss, perched on a lofty summit.

Roughly a hundred meters from their leap-off site, eight powerhouses stood vigil on the peak.

...

They raced through the darkness, arriving back at Imperial City come dawn the following day.

During the trip, Chu Zhiyuan pored over the booklet multiple times.

This sharpened his grasp of the Golden Sword and unveiled deeper mysteries of Undying Golden Essence.

That exotic gold from beyond realms draws in mental power, resolve, and the masses' faith.

Moreover, mental power, resolve, and public faith refine it further, boosting and toughening it without end.

Most vital, its eternal essence defies both spatial decay and temporal wear.

Across all eras and realms he'd known, solely Undying Golden Essence boasted this property.

Armed with this knowledge, his perception of the Undying Evil Venerable Statue deepened profoundly.

The Undying Evil Venerable Statues he'd faced usually bore just a dusting of Undying Golden Essence powder.

Even that thin coat granted the statue immortality.

Forged wholly from Undying Golden Essence, even he might fail to shatter it.

Beyond that, a full Undying Golden Essence statue would amass vast spiritual force and will, birthing terrifying might.

The very notion chilled him.

He mulled if such a pure Undying Golden Essence statue could truly exist.

Absence of sighting doesn't prove nonexistence.

Should one arise, how would he confront it?

His spirits sank without reason, the thrill from securing the Lifespan Extension Pill fading away.

He bid Huang Zhengyang farewell at the city gates, flying toward Heavenly Sword Peak before halting after ten li.

Moments later, Chu Liezhao materialized, passing a jade vial to Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan accepted it and tipped out a single pill.

Then from his chest pocket, he drew another jade vial, spilling forth its Spirit Pills.

Two verdant Spirit Pills.

Dragon-eye sized, resembling polished deep-green jade, radiating a soft glow.

Chu Zhiyuan scrutinized the pair of Green Pills.

One gleamed richer green, the other faintly paler, but casual glances missed the difference, like mere shadow play.

He cradled one per palm, shut his eyes motionless, pushing Super Sense to full power.

Super Sense delved utterly into both Spirit Pills, probing every inch within and without.

After some time, he reopened his eyes to inspect them anew.

The richer green one came from his hired refiner, the paler from Hu Qixuan's haul.

Diverse spiritual herbs, via unique forging arts, merged and evolved.

Evolved into near-perfect twins.

Beneath Super Sense, they appeared identical, save the deeper one's thicker spiritual essence.

So, commissioning the refinement yields even mightier results?

He pondered briefly, then swallowed it down.

His instincts flagged no peril.

Insight tracked ceaselessly as the pill's potency dissolved, seeping into his frame.

A refreshing chill enveloped his organs, splitting threefold: one stream to blood, another to bones, the last to soul.

He keenly tracked these three flows' effects on his form.

The chill melded into blood and meridians, sparking faint renewal, like thorough purification.

His meridians toughened notably.

Simultaneously, chill blending with bone marrow lent them subtle clarity.

His soul, imbibing the chill, flared brighter, akin to an oil lamp freshly fueled.

Chu Zhiyuan probed diligently for drawbacks, noting his pulse quickening.

Blood flow hastened.

An hour passed, circulation normalized, heart now sturdier and more rhythmic.

He instantly knew his lifespan stretched by no less than thirty years.

Not yet at Nine Transitions, the Lifespan Extension Pill proved potent indeed.

Still, the boost fell short of legendary tales.

He knew full well: loftier cultivation diminished Lifespan Extension Pill efficacy.

At Nine Transitions, zero gain; Eighth Transition yielding thirty years counted as exceptional.

He nodded, pleased.

This fresh Lifespan Extension Pill checked out perfectly, safe for his parents.

Earlier intake maximized Lifespan Extension Pill benefits, prolonging life while curbing decay.

Anxiety surged to rush home to Prince Qing Mansion for his parents to consume it.

Mind made up, he moved instantly.

In a blink, he stood in his private yard at Prince Qing Mansion.

The mansion's layout unfolded in his thoughts.

King Qing Chu Minghou was absent; Princess Bai Ningshuang plucked zither strings in a lakeside pavilion amid rear gardens.

Several maids in vibrant garb attended her closely.

His little sister Chu Yi sparred with Li Suyue in her yard, clad in battle garb, both fierce yet elegant, radiating valor as ever.

Next instant, he materialized in Chu Yi’s yard.

Spotting him, the pair halted their Sword Postures.

Li Suyue offered a shy grin, cheeks flushing as she saluted with clasped hands.

Chu Yi puffed her cheeks, "Big brother, what's up this time?"

His clone, posing as him, had just breakfasted together; it felt no different from his presence.

Chu Zhiyuan drew a Jade Bottle from his chest and offered it, "Yours."

"What's this?" Chu Yi glided over gracefully, snatched the Jade Bottle, uncorked it.

Spotting the jade-resembling Elixir Pills, she lifted them to sniff curiously, instantly refreshed.

She yelped in astonishment, "Spirit Pills!"

Chu Zhiyuan instructed, "Lifespan Extension Pill—give one a go."

Though Super Sense Insight cleared the Lifespan Extension Pill, he preferred Chu Yi test first.

Her superior cultivation offered better resistance to threats, allowing swift rescue.

"Phoenix Immortal Pill variety? How many years does it add?"

Mid-sentence, she popped it in her petite mouth and crunched.

Soon, her doe eyes bulged, gasping, "Whoa, what ferocious medicinal strength!"

Her battle garb ballooned outward, eyes flashing brilliance, aura surging powerfully, Grandmaster presence rocketing upward.

Sweat swiftly dotted her brow, then a peculiar scent drifted forth.

Sensing it, mortified, she whirled and bolted indoors.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled at Li Suyue, "Suyue, take one too."

"Yes." Li Suyue nodded softly, "Princely Heir, what's the season like up there?"

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, "Fancy Ascending for a peek?"

Li Suyue flushed, "Just wondering."

Chu Zhiyuan assured, "Once your cultivations soar high enough, I'll bring you both up to Ascend and witness it."

"For real?"

"Provided you reach adequate Realms."

"Understood."

As they chatted, Chu Yi dashed back out, eyes sparkling with thrill, giggling, "My Realm leaped a whole stage!"

"One suffices for this; extras won't help," Chu Zhiyuan nodded approvingly, "Save the spare for Suyue."

"Hee hee, big brother, you're too kind," Chu Yi beamed.

Chu Zhiyuan flicked his hand, "I'm off."

With those words, he flickered away in an instant.