Imperial Cultivation Chapter 1253 - 1249: Unlocking Secrets

Chu Zhiyuan advanced with unwavering poise, his velocity astonishingly swift, akin to a fleeting trail of light mist, departing the Imperial City in mere moments.

Upon exiting the North City Gate, his silhouette shimmered and faded, rematerializing atop a distant mountain summit a hundred miles away the very next instant, then with another shimmer, he vanished once more, reappearing on a peak two hundred miles farther.

Facing this mountain peak rose another mountain.

Atop that mountain loomed a golden statue, shimmering brilliantly under the sun, soaring sixty feet tall, awe-inspiring and imposing, defying the gales with unyielding might.

The statue depicted a middle-aged figure bearing a faint smile, hands formed in a seal, eyes overlooking the ranges with gentle mercy.

Fierce beasts gradually stepped out from the woods, drawing near the statue.

A handful of hunters who had ventured deep into the woods approached the statue with curiosity.

Chu Zhiyuan furrowed his brow while eyeing the statue, detecting the warped light that betrayed its illusory nature.

Through Super Sensing Illumination, he perceived spiritual power radiating from the statue, spreading like water ripples to cover a ten-mile area around it.

His insight into the Undying Evil Venerable deepened now.

He understood that the illusion realm cast by any Undying Evil Venerable statue marked its domain, as per the Undying Evil Venerable's own words.

Having settled here, its reach of ten miles indicated this Undying Evil Venerable's cultivation level was fairly average.

The Undying Evil Venerable came in nine grades: Upper Three, Middle Three, Lower Three. This one fell into the Middle Three.

Those of the Upper Three spanned a hundred miles.

Thankfully, he had yet to face an Undying Evil Venerable from the Upper Three grades.

The Golden Sword eagerly surged forward, tracing a curving path through the sky, angling down toward the statue's forehead like a faltering bird in descent.

This curve seemed awkward but held profound subtlety, perfectly harmonizing with the Heavenly Sword Secret Scripture’s sword intent, surging forth as naturally as a striking thunderbolt.

It precisely breached the spiritual power barrier; despite the statue erupting in golden radiance to form a Golden Light Shield, the sword still impaled its brow without hindrance.

"Boom!"

"Bang bang bang bang..."

Amid the dull crashes of colossal trees smashing together, the beasts and hunters a hundred meters distant were all hurled back.

The golden statue's spiritual power detonated fiercely, surging like furious waves pounding the shore, tossing the nearby beasts and hunters about like flotsam.

The Golden Sword got repelled.

"Buzz..."

It carved another strange arc in the air, quivered faintly to dispel the lingering spiritual vibrations within its blade.

Then it angled downward once more, plunging toward the statue’s brow.

Golden radiance flared anew, reinforcing the Golden Light Shield to greater resilience.

Yet the Golden Sword pierced through it with ease, smashing into the brow.

"Boom!"

"Bang bang bang bang..."

With those muffled impacts, the beasts and hunters, barely recovered from their prior ejection, were flung even farther away.

The Golden Sword embedded deeply into the statue's brow, quaking with intense force.

The blade blurred into a glowing orb, its form indistinct.

Chu Zhiyuan formed seals with his hands, as the spiritual forces from Chu Liezhao and the others merged in simultaneously.

The Golden Sword steadied at once, ceasing its tremors, then deftly carved three vertical slashes from head to toe around the statue’s form, followed by three horizontal ones from side to side.

"Bang!"

Golden light erupted wildly as the statue crumbled to dust, bursting into a hazy powder cloud.

The Golden Sword dove into the dust cloud, rapidly devouring the Undying Golden Essence into itself.

Chu Liezhao had materialized, directing the Haoyang Demon-suppressing Mirror's glow at a cluster of seven-colored light rising toward the sky.

The seven-colored light's rise came to a sudden stop, then softly descended into the Haoyang Demon-suppressing Mirror.

Chu Liezhao entered the Light Gate and vanished completely.

Chu Zhiyuan surveyed the surrounding beasts and hunters, all of whom had long passed out.

Satisfied, Chu Zhiyuan nodded, shimmered, and disappeared, reappearing on a lively street back in the Imperial City.

Dusk had arrived, with street lamps flickering to life.

Pedestrians thronged the street, vendors hawked from both sides in a chorus of calls, kids frolicked about, adults pursued and chided them, while buyers bargained fiercely with sellers.

A symphony of noises blended into a vibrant cacophony.

Huang Zhengyang hastened along, spotting Chu Zhiyuan amid the crowd ahead; startled, he hurried over.

Chu Zhiyuan cupped his fists.

“Brother Chu, is it solved?”

“Just handled it. I was nearby, fortunately spotted it in time. The Divine Statue stayed hidden too, so merely a handful of hunters were injured, and not gravely.”

“Brother Chu, your Qinggong is really...” Huang Zhengyang felt boundless envy.

If he possessed such Qinggong himself, or if all the experts of the Evil Extermination Department had it, the Evil Extermination Department would turn unimaginably mighty!

Chu Zhiyuan laughed lightly: “It’s innate talent, no helping it... Alright, Brother Huang, no need to fret anymore. I’m heading to rest.”

“Many thanks, many thanks.” Huang Zhengyang kept cupping his fists in gratitude.

Though the Court Honored Experts in the Evil Extermination Department boasted excellent cultivation, they were utterly helpless against the Undying Evil Venerable. Thus, they depended solely on his Demon Suppressing Saber and hidden techniques now.

Across the whole Evil Extermination Department, only the Director could truly stand up to the Undying Evil Venerable.

With the Director currently in secluded retreat, he couldn’t dash about handling these Undying Evil Venerables.

“Come on, Brother Huang, no need for such formality!” Chu Zhiyuan grinned, shook his head, saluted with cupped fists, and left.

...

Zhu Lingyun wore a stern look, his gaze fixed on the far-off valley.

His features remained remarkably handsome, yet frost had claimed the hair at his temples, and the marks of years carved into his forehead refused to fade.

Ji Qingyun and Zheng Pingzhang flanked him, their eyes drawn to the white strands at his temples, stirring an odd feeling within.

They understood this stemmed from the Golden Staff, never imagining its viciousness ran so deep.

Such was the cost of wielding great power.

Every glance at those temple whites on Zhu Lingyun filled Ji Qingyun with quiet relief.

Relief that he’d seldom employed it himself, and that Zhu Lingyun had abruptly appeared to seize the Golden Staff.

Zheng Pingzhang frowned in confusion, “Divine Venerable, why not storm right in? Do they have a Divine Venerable descending too?”

Zhu Lingyun shot him a look, “And how can you be sure they don’t?”

“Impossible. If they did, wouldn’t they have launched an assault already?” Zheng Pingzhang replied. “Why would they keep hiding?”

What drove these Divine Venerables to descend?

Wasn’t it solely to breach the Imperial City? Descending without pushing forward served no purpose.

Even if Divine Venerables aimed for the Imperial City, they wouldn’t allow Sect disciples to huddle inside without emerging.

Zhu Lingyun remarked softly, “Perhaps they’ve only just arrived... What’s the status of the Sect’s experts?”

Ji Qingyun responded deliberately, “They’ve largely recovered and stand prepared to attack!”

Solemnity clouded his face, tinged with subtle pain.

Despite battling foes from Sects already vanquished, the experts still suffered unavoidable casualties.

Confronting mortality, some faltered in their steps, others raged wildly, launching savage last-ditch strikes.

In the process, they’d eradicated three sects yet lost over a dozen of their own experts.

This qualified as a heavy drain on their vital essence.

A few more rounds like this, and the Wanxiang Sect could no longer endure.

Thus, this marked the final Sect; once razed, they’d halt.

The Wanxiang Sect’s fame was now solidly built, sufficient to intimidate foes and let them restore strength in peace, growing even mightier.

“Then, advance.” Zhu Lingyun commanded coolly. “Slaughter every expert; spare the others to recruit as Sect disciples.”

“Yes!”

Ji Qingyun bowed with a serious fist salute.

Zhu Lingyun floated toward the valley like drifting mist, as Ji Qingyun and Zheng Pingzhang wheeled around to rally the disciples for the assault.

...

One hour passed, and calm settled over the valley once more, but Zhu Lingyun’s temples gleamed even whiter.

Beyond the temples, a sheet of frost now blanketed his entire head.

While Ji Qingyun grieved the fallen experts, Zhu Lingyun’s drastic change alarmed him far more.

Zhu Lingyun spoke offhandedly, “Time for me to return.”

The trio perched on the mountaintop, winds whipping around them, Zhu Lingyun’s voice flat and detached.

“Divine Venerable...” Ji Qingyun and Zheng Pingzhang froze in shock.

Zhu Lingyun continued, “That Golden Staff’s backlash overwhelms me; this is as long as I can persist.”

“Is the Divine Venerable okay?” Ji Qingyun asked urgently.

“The Golden Staff’s rebound hits harder than anticipated,” Zhu Lingyun stated calmly. “Best I abandon this body now... Next descent, a new vessel.”

“Divine Venerable, safe travels.” Ji Qingyun saluted with cupped fists.

“Death won’t claim me,” Zhu Lingyun replied mildly. “Henceforth, have all disciples withdraw to the Sect and recover for several years first.”

“Yes.” Ji Qingyun nodded slowly.

Zhu Lingyun warned, “Don’t underestimate those sects, particularly since Divine Venerables might descend from them too. What will you do at that moment?”

“Divine Venerable, have no worries. The valley contains secret passages and mechanisms we’ve prepared. If anything seems off, we’ll flee right away through those secret passages.”

“Secret passages alone aren’t reliable enough.”

“There’s also a backup main altar,” Ji Qingyun explained. “Certain disciples stand guard there in secrecy, ensuring our legacy endures even through disaster, ready for your next descent, Divine Venerable.”

“Excellent,” Zhu Lingyun nodded approvingly, “its location?”

With a grave look, Ji Qingyun glanced about before sending two sentences via secret sound transmission.

Zhu Lingyun furrowed his brows in deep thought.

“Nobody would ever suspect that spot,” Ji Qingyun stated.

Zhu Lingyun let out a sigh. “Never underestimate the Court’s powerhouses, and especially not the Evil Extermination Department. Word is, they’ve brought in a supreme expert lately.”

“Indeed, Chu Zhiyuan from Heavenly Sword Sect,” Zheng Pingzhang scoffed. “That fellow’s a real curse, ruining countless of our schemes.”

“Got a plan for him?” Zhu Lingyun asked. “...Any unique secret arts?”

“Divine Venerable, rest easy,” Zheng Pingzhang smirked with assurance. “We’ve got everything set to land him a crushing hit. He won’t die? Then he’ll be crippled for sure!”

Zhu Lingyun creased his brow. “He’s tough to handle; else he’d be gone ages ago.”

“We possess a tremendously potent treasure capable of slaying him,” Zheng Pingzhang declared.

Zhu Lingyun eyed him steadily.

Zheng Pingzhang thumped his chest boldly. “No way he slips away!”

Zhu Lingyun turned his gaze to Ji Qingyun.

“It’s a one-time-use item,” Ji Qingyun noted. “The sect spent over a century forging it, and its might is utterly staggering.”

“A whole century…” Zhu Lingyun mused. “You’d waste such a valuable treasure on him? You plan to stay hidden and avoid him, so why bother using it?”

“He’s an enormous danger,” Ji Qingyun replied. “Without removing him, we’ll never feel secure.”

Zhu Lingyun laughed lightly. “Does he threaten more than the Court’s elite masters?”

“To me, he outstrips the Court’s elites by far.” Ji Qingyun affirmed with a nod. “His talent dazzles, his progress races ahead without restraint… and that Demon Suppressing Saber of his seems tailor-made to thwart us. If he keeps living, who can predict his heights? Better to strike him down now!”

Zheng Pingzhang bobbed his head emphatically. “Right, right—that Demon Suppressing Saber terrifies, slicing our disciples like weeds. Without ending him, we won’t rest easy.”

“The other sects share your view, yes?” Zhu Lingyun inquired.

“From what I’ve heard, they all pursue it,” Ji Qingyun nodded faintly. “They test his depths now, hunt his flaws, aiming for the killing blow.”

Zhu Lingyun gave a slight nod. “Were I not hindered now, I’d love to give him a harsh lesson.”

A look of regret crossed his face. “But it’s out of reach—such a shame.”

“Divine Venerable, leave him to us.” Zheng Pingzhang bellowed a hearty laugh. “Back at the sect, with every disciple mobilized, we’ll unleash that treasure.”