Imperial Cultivation Chapter 1227 - 1223: Danger

Positioned on the mountainside, roughly a mile from the summit, Lu Xiaolu displayed a serious expression: "Have they come to meet the Evil Venerable?"

The figure she dreaded the most remained the Evil Venerable.

Her stealthy movements and all precautions targeted the Evil Venerable primarily.

Against other powerhouses, she felt assured of escaping without harm.

Chu Zhiyuan gave a slight nod: "Looks like they intend to secretly observe the Evil Venerable... Why all the stealth? What plot lurks behind this?"

He furrowed his brows in thought.

He Lingchuan and Zhong Lingyun had already fallen to his hand, their souls claimed by Chu Liezhao.

He kept silent about eliminating those two Evil Venerables to everyone.

It proved far too astonishing and unnecessary to reveal.

With both Evil Venerables slain, whom did they plan to meet?

From He Lingchuan and Zhong Lingyun's memories, no command existed for a covert visit.

Who gave such an order?

Either the middle-aged man invented it, or another Evil Venerable existed?

He Lingchuan and Zhong Lingyun's memories held no trace of another Evil Venerable.

Puzzlement and intrigue filled his mind.

"About the Evil Venerable..." Lu Xiaolu creased her brows faintly.

Chu Zhiyuan chuckled: "Does Senior Sister fear detection by the Evil Venerable’s senses?"

"Can we hide from it?" Lu Xiaolu inquired.

Chu Zhiyuan replied: "Rumors say this technique comes from the Evil Venerable himself. Concealment success remains uncertain."

"Let’s give it a shot then." Lu Xiaolu’s eyes gleamed brightly as she murmured: "I’ve never faced off against the Evil Venerable before."

Chu Zhiyuan cautioned: "Far too dangerous... Why not inform Senior Sister Qi and seek her aid?"

Lu Xiaolu shook her head softly: "Senior Sister Qi has too many duties; we’ll manage alone. You’ve advanced beyond your former self; with us united, we’ll manage fine!"

Chu Zhiyuan now ranked among the Nine Transitions elite, a peak powerhouse.

Paired with the Heavenly Sword, he matched any senior sister in strength, boasting advanced secret arts, keen instincts, and the formidable Demon Suppressing Saber.

His presence offered greater security than relying on Senior Sister alone.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded faintly: "Very well, we’ll trail them discreetly and check if we encounter the Evil Venerable."

This aligned perfectly with his desires.

He circled the topic deliberately, understanding Lu Xiaolu’s nature to guide her toward his aim.

Lu Xiaolu whispered: "If Senior Sister learns of this, she’ll surely berate us."

Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "Mere observation, no action required."

"The Evil Venerable..." Lu Xiaolu’s bright eyes shone with a mix of tension and thrill.

She grasped the terrifying reputation of the Evil Venerable and yearned to behold it firsthand.

The pair crept closer, slipping into the forest to eavesdrop on the trio’s conversation.

The middle-aged man scolded them in hushed tones: "We grew careless, never anticipating the City Guards’ hidden experts or underestimating them—that’s what happened. Bide two years for recovery; don’t wear such defeated looks!"

"Yes, Elder!"

The two snapped to attention, nodding with gravity.

The middle-aged man spoke gravely: "Enough, compose yourselves and regulate your state. At first light, we meet the Divine Venerable."

"Elder, why delay until dawn for the Divine Venerable?" One youth blurted: "Why not now?"

The other added: "Doesn’t night offer better cover?"

The middle-aged man shot them a icy stare.

They recoiled, clamping their lips shut in silence.

The middle-aged man snapped irritably: "The Divine Venerable’s command demands obedience, not debate!"

"Yes!" The youths chorused firmly.

The middle-aged man gestured dismissively: "Seal your mouths, focus on recovery!"

The youths settled, shutting their eyes to meditate.

Chu Zhiyuan and Lu Xiaolu withdrew soundlessly once more.

A mile back, Lu Xiaolu sent a mental message: "Junior brother, they move at dawn. Must we stand guard through the night?"

Chu Zhiyuan nodded affirmatively.

Lu Xiaolu scanned the surroundings, murmuring: "Any Evil Demons close by?"

"None within ten miles, to my senses... Does Senior Sister crave slaying more Evil Demons?"

"Just to pass the time—truly none?"

"None that I detect."

Lu Xiaolu sighed: "Then night watch it is—utterly dull."

Chu Zhiyuan grinned: "Senior Sister, return and rest; I’ll watch alone till morning, then you rejoin."

"No chance!" Lu Xiaolu shot him a fierce look, huffing: "If we watch, we do it side by side!"

Chu Zhiyuan suggested: "Or we both retreat tonight, tail them come morning—we’ll track them easily."

"... One night’s vigil suffices!" Lu Xiaolu refused with a headshake.

This matter carried grave weight, demanding full vigilance despite the tedium. Dull or not, endure it.

Seeing her determination, Chu Zhiyuan ceased his arguments.

They located a cavern, fetched two verdant boulders, and smoothed them flat with sword strokes.

Chu Zhiyuan produced two Apricot Yellow Meditation Mats from his sleeve.

Each claimed a mat, sitting cross-legged with eyes shut, utterly still.

Chu Zhiyuan maintained a grave visage, concentrating his mind and spirit upon the Spring Acupoint.

A solitary peak emerged within the Spring Acupoint, merged with the land.

A sprawling mountain chain faintly took shape, shrouded like summits in heavy mist.

Steady streams of spiritual power fueled it, Merit Light circulated, transforming the Spring Acupoint into a nascent Secret Land.

Resembling the Secret Land glimpsed in Little Heaven Beyond, replete with terrain and peaks.

Yet it craved more spiritual power; the ground and Spirit Peak lacked solidity, vegetation blurred.

Such development demanded relentless effort and ongoing spiritual infusion.

Given time, it would solidify.

Whenever idle, he channeled spiritual power and Merit into the Spring Acupoint.

The night yielded gradual advancement.

…

As dawn broke, Chu Zhiyuan and Lu Xiaolu stirred, emerging from the cave into the soft haze and crisp morning breeze.

Lu Xiaolu stretched languidly, exhaling: "Survived the night at last—have they departed?"

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head.

Lu Xiaolu offered: "Should I fetch some food?"

Chu Zhiyuan drew two rations from his sleeve, passing them over: "These will do for now."

Lu Xiaolu accepted them eagerly, munching the hard biscuits with relish.

A filled belly ensured swift flight from the Evil Venerable if needed.

The prospect of facing the Evil Venerable thrilled her.

Chu Zhiyuan abruptly declared: "Time to move."

He drifted ahead lightly.

Lu Xiaolu gulped down the remnants, extending her slender neck inelegantly, then dashed after him.

Silently, they infiltrated the woods. Nearing the trio, they saw the group already in motion.

The pair shadowed them northward for some one hundred fifty miles, halting beyond a certain valley.

Chu Zhiyuan’s face grew stern.

This valley evaded his Insight entirely, his Super Sense blind to it.

Even from the Imperial City, he’d overlooked its presence.

Most critically, dense fog cloaked the valley, thwarting his Insight.

A lair perhaps?

It mirrored Evil Sect hideouts, Abnormal Energy repelling probes.

Undeniably spiritual power akin to the Evil Venerable’s aura.

The trio paused at the valley’s edge.

One youth blurted: "Elder, what lies here...?"

"Our hidden altar," the middle-aged man stated evenly: "Leak it on pain of death."

"Yes!" They answered swiftly, exchanging wide-eyed glances.

The term "silence the witnesses" flashed unspoken in their minds.

Would they suffer the same fate?

This altar stayed utterly secret, unknown in sect circles—perhaps because knowers vanished?

The other youth murmured: "Does the Divine Venerable reside within?"

"Indeed." The middle-aged man affirmed calmly: "The Divine Venerable visited my dream, bidding me here. Enter."

"Yes." The youths traded uneasy looks, advancing warily.

Chu Zhiyuan and Lu Xiaolu trailed unseen, slipping inside.

Now near enough, they discerned the trio’s footwork clearly.

Unlike typical Evil Sect dens, this valley featured a lone Evil Venerable Statue, towering ten meters high in gold upon the central White Jade Square before the grand hall.

A youth in white robes meditated cross-legged at its base.

Chu Zhiyuan abruptly signaled retreat.

Lu Xiaolu froze in place.

Chu Zhiyuan pulled back swiftly; Lu Xiaolu pursued, exiting the valley.

Outside, Chu Zhiyuan scowled deeply, expression grave.

No peril registered beyond the valley; within, his very scalp tingled.

This threat surpassed facing a Giant Demon or those prior three Evil Venerables.