Imperial Cultivation Chapter 1256 - 1252: Breaking Free

A radiant full moon materialized in the sky.

Instantly after, it unleashed a blinding radiance, morphing into a sharp sword beam that cleaved at Ji Qingyun’s left arm.

"Ding..."

With a crisp chime echoing, the sword beam abruptly faded, revealing the Bright Moon Divine Sword in full form.

Golden radiance from the spherical bead erupted, crafting a Golden Light Shield that wrapped around Ji Qingyun completely.

The Bright Moon Divine Sword clashed against the Golden Light Shield.

Qi Qingmei knitted her fine brows. The Bright Moon Divine Sword glowed anew, its Sword Aura gradually widening as it tried to breach the Golden Light Shield.

Yet the shield held firm, refusing any passage.

Qi Qingmei’s gaze blazed fiercely while she fixed a icy stare on Ji Qingyun.

His lips dripped blood, eyes injected with crimson, face twisted in malice: "Qi Qingmei, come die with me!"

"Heh, with a stunning beauty like you by my side in death, the journey won’t feel so lonely!"

The bead clutched in his palm flared with intensified golden brilliance, thickening the Golden Light Shield further.

Qi Qingmei regarded Ji Qingyun with a blank face.

Ji Qingyun shot her a venomous glare, eyes aflame: "Qi Qingmei, we might even turn into a ghostly pair down there, haha!"

Qi Qingmei spoke four chilling words: "Everyone, retreat!"

She dashed back rapidly, dragging Lu Xiaolu and two Guanghan Palace experts with her.

Light as her command was, it thundered in the experts’ ears like a peal of lightning.

Qi Qingmei commanded such respect that they pulled back without a second thought.

"Boom!"

As they soared through the air, Ji Qingyun’s spherical bead erupted into spreading golden radiance everywhere.

A colossal impact slammed into the airborne experts without warning.

They scattered like withered leaves in a raging gale.

Propelled faster and higher, they smashed against the valley’s stone walls.

"Bang, bang, bang, bang..."

Deafening crashes rang out nonstop.

Some coughed up blood, faces ashen; others reeled in vertigo, some slumped down feebly, while others clung stubbornly to the rock face.

Zhu Lingyun remained seated in the cavern, shaking his head in disbelief.

This was their plan?

Did Ji Qingyun really think this could slay the true body?

All at once, he spotted Ji Qingyun dissolving into a puff of mist, hurtling toward the stone wall.

"Bang," and he merged right into the rock.

Lu Xiaolu clung to the wall, peering below at the scene unfolding, then urgently cried, "Senior Sister, that bastard got away!"

"Pursue him!"

Qi Qingmei planted her feet on the sheer cliff, sticking to it effortlessly.

She bounded forward like a celestial crane in flight, charging at the spot where Ji Qingyun had vanished.

"Ding!"

The Bright Moon Divine Sword’s point stabbed the stone but failed to penetrate.

A flicker of surprise crossed her features.

Lu Xiaolu alighted elegantly next to her, inspected the wall, drew her blade, and stabbed at it.

"Ding, ding, ding, ding..."

In the midst of sharp clangs, her blade repeatedly struck the stone yet left not the tiniest scratch.

She creased her forehead, returned her sword to its scabbard, and softly touched the surface.

Qi Qingmei’s exquisite face turned somber.

"Senior Sister, this rock is bizarre—even my Treasure Sword can’t dent it... he really escaped!"

"Let him flee, and endless woes await!"

"What now?" Lu Xiaolu wrinkled her brow, pondered briefly: "If only Junior Brother was here."

Qi Qingmei shot her a sharp look.

Lu Xiaolu sulked: "Fine, no more talk of him. So what’s our move?"

Zhou Chongming, Meng Xusheng, Lu Gengshen, and Li Xinhe gathered close.

Blood stained their mouths, faces grave.

Qi Qingmei gave a faint headshake: "He still got away?"

Meng Xusheng let out a heavy sigh: "Ji Qingyun’s survival means the Wanxiang Sect endures."

Not slaying Ji Qingyun meant their victory was incomplete.

Ji Qingyun, as Sect Master, guarded the Wanxiang Sect’s vital secrets and its inheritance.

While he lived, the Wanxiang Sect’s flame burned on; all their efforts would prove worthless.

Guiyang Sword Sect’s Lu Gengshen shook his head: "We’ve got no shame left to face Nephew Chu."

"...Enough chatter—it’s pointless now. We must figure out how to hunt him down," Li Xinhe eyed Qi Qingmei’s stern beautiful visage, then snorted at Lu Gengshen.

Lu Gengshen inquired: "But how do we pursue?"

Li Xinhe stooped to grab the severed arm off the ground, grinned: "Having this, how could we possibly lose his trail?"

Lu Gengshen chuckled: "Haha, the fool looks utterly miserable; this seals his doom."

"Bang!"

Li Xinhe’s grip detonated abruptly, bursting into a crimson fog that dispersed in a flash.

A White Light Shield, conjured from white light, completely enveloped Li Xinhe.

However, the red mist ignored it entirely and seeped straight into Li Xinhe’s body.

Li Xinhe flickered away from the red mist in an instant, reappearing three meters distant.

His face along with the skin of his arms and legs was now pockmarked with countless tiny perforations.

Gritting his teeth hard, his frame quivered faintly as it began to shine with light.

"Not good!"

Lu Gengshen rushed forward in haste, slapping his palm against Li Xinhe’s back to channel True Yuan and aid him.

Lu Xiaolu tsked softly, shifted her eyes away, and glanced toward Qi Qingmei.

Qi Qingmei’s delicate jade face turned somber while she gazed at the bloodied Li Xinhe.

The once dashing and alluring Li Xinhe now looked utterly horrifying.

Blood started seeping from the pitted craters across his body, staining him crimson.

Lu Gengshen called out: "Junior Sister Qi, help!"

Qi Qingmei let out a sigh and flicked her hand.

Lu Gengshen pulled back his hand and retreated.

Qi Qingmei moved behind Li Xinhe, gently pressing her palms onto his back.

Her palms resembled mutton-fat jade, glowing with a soft, radiant sheen.

As her jade-like palms made contact with Li Xinhe, she infused True Yuan, causing strands of red mist to burst out from his body— just like the earlier clinging red mist.

Strands of red mist wafted away from him, releasing a strange, foul odor.

Lu Xiaolu fanned her small hand before her nose, then turned to Zhou Chongming: "Junior Brother isn’t coming over?"

Zhou Chongming gave a bitter smile: "He’s preoccupied."

"What could be more important than eliminating the Wanxiang Sect?"

"Reportedly dealing with the matter of the Undying Evil Venerable."

"Hmm, the Court won’t give him secret techniques anyway; why bother assisting them, let the Court deal with it; ridiculous!"

"Nephew Chu is too benevolent, unable to bear seeing innocent people die in vain."

"The Court is merely exploiting his soft heart, goody-goody!"

"Alas..."

Lu Gengshen said: "Junior Sister Lu, we can handle it, not everything needs Nephew Chu’s involvement."

"Then how do we handle it now?" Lu Xiaolu said: "Can we track Ji Qingyun? ...I doubt it; if we can’t do it, then Junior Brother will have to step in; ...since he’ll have to act eventually, might as well have him here from the start."

Lu Gengshen smiled wryly and shook his head: "Who could anticipate that guy’s cunningness..."

Lu Xiaolu said: "I’ll go find Junior Brother."

She glanced at Zhou Chongming and Meng Xusheng, then eyed Lu Gengshen.

"...Fine." Lu Gengshen sighed: "Truly humiliating!"

Lu Xiaolu melted into the horizon gracefully, vanishing like a puff of smoke.

...

Chu Zhiyuan observed the scene and shook his head.

Zhu Lingyun wouldn’t act unless absolutely compelled.

Still, nobody foresaw Ji Qingyun slipping away in such a dire situation.

Is this round bead the Treasure?

Could it truly be as fearsome as rumored, yet fail to injure Ji Qingyun?

Super Sense had scanned the whole valley thoroughly, detecting no unusual Treasure, neither inside nor outside Ji Qingyun’s form.

Except for this round bead.

Thus, is the round bead the Treasure?

Lu Xiaolu’s Qinggong had grown even more exquisite and swift.

Sure enough, Lu Xiaolu reached his courtyard within an hour.

After hearing her out, Chu Zhiyuan rested a hand on her shoulder, and the pair blinked out of sight together.

The very next instant, they materialized in that valley.

Zhu Lingyun fixed his gaze on the valley; he could teleport right there.

The valley hung heavy with silence and gloom now.

White vapors rose above the heads of Qi Qingmei and Li Xinhe.

Lu Xiaolu, Lu Gengshen, Zhou Chongming, and Meng Xusheng stood guard nearby, vigilant against any interruptions.

Chu Zhiyuan’s abrupt arrival startled them all, but relief washed over them instantly upon recognizing him, as they let out deep sighs.