Imperial Cultivation Chapter 1236 - 1232: Scepter

A misty veil shrouded Ji Qingyun beneath the Super Sensing Illumination.

His spirit and soul kept growing stronger, causing the Super Sense to advance in step.

Before he knew it, the range stretched to 150 miles, while the Insight sharpened profoundly, its power vastly outstripping what it once was.

Things once beyond perception now fell within grasp.

Fewer barriers between heaven and earth could hinder the Super Sensing Illumination.

A standard Evil Sect Sect Master could no longer resist my Insight.

Yet Ji Qingyun manages to block it.

The thick fog around his body didn’t stem from any Spiritual Artifact—what was its source?

Was his Cultivation so extraordinary that it repelled the Super Sense?

Soon after, Zheng Pingzhang’s voice rang out: "Divine Venerable, the Sect Master has arrived."

"Come in."

"Yes."

Zheng Pingzhang and Ji Qingyun stepped into the grand hall one behind the other, drawing near Zhu Lingyun and offering clasped-fist salutes: "Greetings, Divine Venerable."

Zhu Lingyun cast an indifferent glance his way: "Finally decided to emerge from seclusion?"

"Forgive me, Divine Venerable. It truly was a pivotal moment earlier—a single lapse in focus would ruin all prior gains." Ji Qingyun admitted openly, fists clasped: "I had no choice but to grit through it and stay in seclusion."

Zhu Lingyun asked: "What were you cultivating in seclusion? Any breakthroughs?"

"Disciple advanced once more, reaching the Perfect Realm."

"Oh—? Perfection?" Zhu Lingyun turned his palms, forming a handprint before thrusting it toward him.

A gentle glow erupted abruptly, morphing into a beam of light hurtling at Ji Qingyun.

Ji Qingyun quickly extended his palm to counter, channeling Palm Force into a white radiance that intercepted the beam.

"Bang!"

Ji Qingyun shot backward in a straight line.

He burst through the grand hall’s entrance, crashing down over thirty meters out, then skidded another ten meters along the ground.

Two dark streaks scarred the earth, his boot soles nearly shredded.

Aching weakness coursed through his frame, preventing him from circulating skills to shield his feet—he had to drag them against the dirt.

"Divine Venerable!" Zheng Pingzhang cried out in shock.

Zhu Lingyun formed handprints anew with both palms, flipping them his way.

"Bang!"

The beam flashed once more, hurling him back too, straight toward the barely recovered Ji Qingyun.

"Bang!... Bang!"

Ji Qingyun got blasted airborne again, slamming down hard.

Pain twisted both their faces, blood trickling steadily from their mouth corners.

Wanxiang Sect disciples in the valley gaped wide-eyed, unsure how to react.

They had no clue what to do.

All they managed was to stare dumbly at the duo.

One looked grim, the other composed.

Ji Qingyun’s expression darkened.

He hadn’t anticipated this Divine Venerable treating a Sect Master without due courtesy.

Zheng Pingzhang’s features eased.

Relief washed over him instead.

He figured that if it were himself, showing up here after the Sect Master dodged meetings repeatedly, fury would boil within too.

Such rage demands swift release, or it festers deeper.

With the anger unleashed at last, things should settle now.

Zhu Lingyun’s icy tone echoed: "Why linger out there—why not scramble back inside?"

"Yes, Divine Venerable!"

They dabbed away the blood at their mouth edges and reentered the grand hall.

Zhu Lingyun gave a faint snort: "So this is your Perfect Realm?"

Ji Qingyun looked sheepish.

He had believed that Nine Transitions Perfection would let him withdraw unharmed from the Divine Venerable.

After all, despite the Divine Venerable’s descent with mighty force, surpassing this Realm’s bounds was impossible.

Nine Transitions Perfection marked this Realm’s pinnacle, its utmost peak.

Even superior to me, it remained strength within the Realm, not outright domination.

Now I see I misjudged—the Divine Venerable lives up to the title.

Zhu Lingyun sneered: "Figured you could challenge the heavens, eh?"

Ji Qingyun bowed with clasped fists: "Divine Venerable’s Cultivation astonishes me—I stand in admiration!"

Zhu Lingyun stated plainly: "Use that Treasure of yours."

"What Treasure?"

"You’ve got multiple?" Zhu Lingyun snorted: "That little staff!"

Ji Qingyun started, shaking his head at once: "Disciple dares not wield this Treasure against the Divine Venerable."

"Worried about harming me?" Zhu Lingyun snorted.

"This..."

"Bring it out—let me see it." Zhu Lingyun commanded.

"Yes." Ji Qingyun replied, resigned.

From within his robes, he drew a petite staff, merely the length of a palm and as slender as a finger, gleaming purely golden as though molded from solid gold.

Zheng Pingzhang observed with keen interest: "Sect Master, what is this?"

"I acquired it from an ancient heritage site," Ji Qingyun explained: "I have no idea what it's called."

"What does it do?"

"It stuns foes outright, regardless of their Cultivation level—no one can resist it."

"That powerful?" Zheng Pingzhang gasped: "Could it stun even the Divine Venerable?"

He quickly pulled back his head, chuckling nervously: "Divine Venerable, please don't take it the wrong way, I meant nothing by it!"

Zhu Lingyun shot him a sidelong look before grasping the Golden Staff.

A brief haze clouded his vision.

The autumn water within his mind quivered faintly at first, then roiled fiercely.

Ever since it had entered his consciousness, this autumn water remained serene and still, akin to a tranquil ancient pond.

Never before had it stirred so wildly, sparking his deep intrigue.

Was this staff yet another magical artifact?

He lifted his gaze toward Ji Qingyun.

Could the item Ji Qingyun found in the ruins truly be a magical artifact? Did Ji Qingyun possess such fortune?

The magical artifacts that Evil Venerables hunted relentlessly—had Ji Qingyun stumbled upon one so easily?

Ji Qingyun asked: "Divine Venerable, what do you think of this Golden Staff?"

"Do you know its name?"

"No, I don't," Ji Qingyun shook his head: "Ever since I got it from the ruins, it stayed dormant, just like a child's plaything. I fiddled with it often, but only in the last year did it reveal its might."

Zhu Lingyun flung it back to Ji Qingyun: "Strike me with it once."

"This..." Ji Qingyun snatched the Golden Staff, hesitating visibly.

Zheng Pingzhang chuckled: "Sect Master, you think it could actually hurt the Divine Venerable?"

Ji Qingyun grinned and nodded: "Very well, Divine Venerable, here I come!"

With those words, the Golden Staff in his right hand flared to life.

It resembled a sinking sun.

"Bang!"

Zheng Pingzhang soared backward, slamming into the hall's vermilion pillar and lodging there, stuck fast.

Zhu Lingyun's forehead lit up radiantly, as though a Luminous Pearl glowed beneath his skin.

Thus, he had countered the soul-jarring blow.

The Golden Staff's glow faded.

Ji Qingyun's complexion paled: "Divine Venerable, I can trigger it only once."

His voice came out feeble and drained.

"Puff!"

A jet of blood erupted from Zheng Pingzhang's mouth, arcing a full yard through the air.

He slumped down the vermilion pillar, hitting the ground with a "bang".

Bitterly smiling, he said: "This thing's power is overwhelming! I was fully guarded, but it meant nothing!"

True Yuan had surged through him, Gang Qi shielding his form, battle-ready.

Still, his mind reeled as if struck by a heavy club, hurling his body away uncontrollably.

Ji Qingyun gave a weak laugh: "Its might is unquestionable, yet the mental toll is immense."

"Just one use? Against someone like the Divine Venerable, it might even rebound... Only the Divine Venerable could endure such an attack."

"Truly worthy of the title Divine Venerable," Ji Qingyun smiled wryly.

Zhu Lingyun beckoned.

Ji Qingyun passed the Golden Staff over.

Zhu Lingyun focused his Insight once more.

At the same moment, the Miao Jing Spirit Water churned wildly, almost reaching a boil.

Zhu Lingyun burned with curiosity over this phenomenon.

Why did the Miao Jing Spirit Water react so fiercely?

"Divine Venerable, keeping this staff with me yields little benefit..."

Ji Qingyun clenched his teeth, uttering the words deliberately.

Zhu Lingyun eyed him obliquely: "You're truly ready to let it go?"

Ji Qingyun replied: "If the Divine Venerable deems it valuable, it's an honor for this subordinate!"

Zhu Lingyun tucked the Golden Staff into his sleeve: "Fine, I'll examine it closely—still no clue what it is."

"That's perfect."

Ji Qingyun managed a strained smile.

Straightening his expression, Zhu Lingyun declared gravely: "Let's go then—to No Heart Sect!"

He marched out of the hall, sparing a glance at the disciples outside the valley before streaking away as a beam of white light.

Ji Qingyun and Zheng Pingzhang scrambled after him, with several experts trailing close behind.

Zhu Lingyun's velocity was blistering; ultimately, only Ji Qingyun and Zheng Pingzhang matched it, while the other Wanxiang Sect powerhouses lagged and disappeared from view.

The trio blazed across a thousand miles before abruptly stopping atop a mountain peak.

From there, they stared at a distant mountaintop where a golden statue stood, its glow piercing the encroaching dusk.

Zhu Lingyun positioned himself with hands clasped behind on a mossy boulder, fixing a somber gaze on the golden statue.

Ji Qingyun and Zheng Pingzhang wore equally grim looks.

"Divine Venerable, this is..." Ji Qingyun faltered.

Zheng Pingzhang intoned heavily: "Undying Divine Venerable!"

Zhu Lingyun cast a glance their way: "Both of you, retreat ten miles!"

Ji Qingyun quickly urged: "Divine Venerable, think this through carefully."

Zheng Pingzhang nodded in haste: "Yes, yes, let’s seek other sects first, no need to clash with Undying Divine Venerable!"

They were fully aware of the realm gap between Divine Venerable and Undying Divine Venerable.

Facing off against Undying Divine Venerable, a Divine Venerable held zero hope of triumph, and could even suffer total annihilation.

Zhu Lingyun let out a snort: "Withdraw!"

"...Very well." The pair traded a look, clenching their jaws in agreement.

They whirled around and floated backward.

Their gazes locked tightly on Zhu Lingyun atop the mountain peak.

To their shock, Zhu Lingyun simply dropped down cross-legged onto the green stone, hands weaving seals, completely still.

From the mountaintop ten miles distant, their piercing eyes sliced through the gathering dusk toward the horizon.

They stared fixedly at Zhu Lingyun.

Moments passed with Zhu Lingyun unmoving, and impatience began to stir within them.

"What’s Divine Venerable up to...?"

"Maybe waiting? Awaiting Undying Divine Venerable’s arrival?"

"Eh?" Zheng Pingzhang exclaimed urgently: "Look now, look now!"

Golden radiance started to rise slowly from Zhu Lingyun’s body.