Imperial Cultivation Chapter 1259 - 1255: Peril

Having contracted to such a degree, the pace of its further shrinkage has slowed to a crawl.

Chu Zhiyuan even sensed that it might never fully vanish in the end.

As the contraction continues, it grows ever purer and more resilient, building stronger defenses against the Miao Jing Spirit Water.

The Miao Jing Spirit Water now strains under the effort, craving outside aid.

Yet he remains helpless, powerless to lend support.

With hands clasped behind his back, he paces beneath the sunset's glow, his steps quickening steadily.

Abruptly, he halts, taps his left fist lightly against his right palm, and vanishes from sight.

In the Imperial Ancestral Temple, a flying knife lodges deep into the beam of the main hall in an outlying small courtyard.

The knife embeds so profoundly that only a faint trace remains visible.

It shimmers suddenly.

In the instant that follows, Chu Zhiyuan materializes within the main hall of this courtyard.

He vanishes once more, reappearing behind a youth training in the yard, delivering a gentle palm strike that fells him instantly.

This youth is none other than the Wanxiang Sect's hidden spy.

His meager cultivation offers no resistance; he collapses unconscious without a stir.

With a sweep of his sleeve, Chu Zhiyuan levitates the youth softly onto the bed indoors.

Next, he rubs his face, his form swiftly morphing to match the youth's exact likeness.

Employing Super Sensing Illumination to mimic him perfectly, he grabs the broom near the courtyard entrance and strides out toward the altar.

The altar stands deserted, devoid of any presence.

He proceeds to its heart, wielding the broom in languid sweeps to clean methodically.

His motions appear earnest yet unremarkable.

Within his mind, the Miao Jing Spirit Water surges with vigor, gaining strength swiftly.

Super Sense casts its light both inward and outward at once.

The Black Pearl contracts at a blistering pace, its transformation accelerating tenfold.

Meanwhile, the Miao Jing Spirit Water expands with explosive speed.

Underneath the altar lurks an unseen aura, seeping upward through his soles into his mind, fusing with the Miao Jing Spirit Water.

Thanks to days of steady advancement, his spirit has toughened, his super sense sharpened, allowing him at last to perceive the truth below the altar.

Several crystal-like stones lie beneath, gleaming like pure gems.

From within these stones, slender wisps of aura emerge, burrowing into his feet.

They travel upward through him into his mind, blending seamlessly with the Miao Jing Spirit Water.

Upon absorbing this aura, the Miao Jing Spirit Water holds its volume steady, yet its purity skyrockets, turning crystalline and lustrous like liquid silver.

This surge in quality unleashes fiercer might, forcing the Black Pearl to dwindle at breakneck speed.

He sweeps the broom leisurely, brushing with meticulous care, banishing every speck of dirt.

Once the altar gleams spotless from his thorough work, the Black Pearl in his mind has utterly dissolved.

The Miao Jing Spirit Water settles into serene stillness like autumn pond waters, ceasing to draw in the aura from below or bolster its power further.

Regret washes over Chu Zhiyuan.

This Black Pearl proved far too feeble, enduring only a fleeting instant.

Each extra heartbeat would have fortified the Miao Jing Spirit Water that much more.

He "spots" two elders drawing near at a leisurely pace, so he drifts away from the altar with feigned indolence, broom in hand, returning to the small courtyard.

He props the broom against the door, slips inside, hoists the youth back to his original stance, slaps his back lightly, and vanishes abruptly.

The youth stirs awake gradually, eyes fluttering in bewilderment, brow furrowing faintly, before resuming his boxing forms.

He assumes he merely lost focus briefly, oblivious to the passage of time.

Chu Zhiyuan has already slipped back into Huang Zhengyang’s courtyard.

Hands behind his back, he strolls with easy poise.

With that accursed pure black aura purged entirely, no lingering threats remain, lifting his spirits immensely.

That dark aura had weighed heavily on him, its might overwhelmingly potent—a single slip might have spelled his doom.

...

Footsteps echo as Huang Zhengyang marches in.

Night has now fully cloaked the sky.

After shoving open the courtyard gate, Huang Zhengyang plops down at the stone table: "Brother Chu, I’ve found out!"

Chu Zhiyuan leans in eagerly: "What is its origin?"

Huang Zhengyang reveals: "It’s an ancient weapon, called the Seven Killings Sword."

"Seven Killings Sword..." Chu Zhiyuan rifles through his memories, yet recalls nothing of such a blade.

At this juncture, Chu Liezhao has pulled Ji Qingyun’s memories free.

Even Ji Qingyun’s recollections hold no trace of the Seven Killings Sword.

This fractured sword came from the prior Sect Master, who in turn received it from his predecessor.

Its genuine roots remain unrecorded in the Wanxiang Sect’s annals.

Ji Qingyun once probed deeper but uncovered zilch, so he let the matter drop.

Huang Zhengyang remarked: "Rumor has it that this sword hails from the outer world, an item from beyond."

Chu Zhiyuan furrowed his brow: "How can we confirm it originates from beyond?"

"This sword plummeted from the skies, instantly shattering seven swords wielded by the era's top masters, earning its name Seven Killings," Huang Zhengyang explained. "The eighth master was the fabled Zhu Feiyang, who possessed his own treasure sword and unleashed full power to fracture this Seven Killings Sword."

"Zhu Feiyang..." Chu Zhiyuan nodded slowly, "The Sword God of eight thousand years past, unmatched across the world, his fate unknown—some say he ascended."

"Indeed, Zhu Feiyang ascended," Huang Zhengyang affirmed, "That much is certain; the Court simply concealed it on purpose."

Chu Zhiyuan inquired, "Then how did the Seven Killings Sword fall into Wanxiang Sect's possession?"

Huang Zhengyang replied, "Once broken, it became a worthless relic, discarded and forgotten by all."

Divine Swords crave sharpness and spiritual essence; a fractured blade inevitably forfeits its keen edge and vital spirit.

Devoid of both, such a treasure sword offers minimal worth, regardless of its outer-world origins.

"That's promising news," Chu Zhiyuan stated, "Does that mean no other Evil Sects possess anything like it?"

Outer-world swords are undoubtedly rare treasures.

"Each Evil Sect guards a sect-stabilizing evil artifact," Huang Zhengyang grinned, "Yet none boast power this immense—it's truly exceptional."

Chu Zhiyuan chuckled, "Congratulations."

Huang Zhengyang exhaled deeply and burst into laughter, "Their sect-stabilizing evil artifacts are typically Divine Statues, so the initial strike against them involves demolishing those statues."

"Looks like we stumbled into the perfect move by accident," Chu Zhiyuan laughed, "Right upon storming the Main Altar, we smashed the Evil Venerable Statue first. Shatter the statue, then crush the evil fiends—truly free of any backlash."

"We were aware of that tactic," Huang Zhengyang noted, "But some Evil Sects play tricks, concealing their Divine Statues, making them tough to detect."

Chu Zhiyuan nodded slowly.

His Super Sense enabled him to locate every Evil Venerable Statue beforehand.

This granted him a tremendous edge indeed.

"The Evil Sects scheme against me," Chu Zhiyuan declared, "Why not just haul the Evil Venerable Statue to me?"

Huang Zhengyang shook his head, "Divine Statues rarely depart their sect's Main Altar... Would that be some forbidden secret art, like Jade and Stone Burning to take you down?"

"That won't succeed." Chu Zhiyuan shook his head.

Since mastering the Second Layer of Earth Element, he seldom appeared in public.

When traveling, he teleported directly, bypassing all roads and crowds.

Huang Zhengyang suggested, "Lay traps?"

"Quite likely." Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed from outside, followed by a crisp voice: "Director, the Undying Evil Venerable Statue has reemerged!"

Chu Zhiyuan's brow creased.

At those words, his blood raced fiercely, and his instincts blared a dire warning.

"Come in!" Huang Zhengyang commanded.

A striking young man stepped inside, saluted with clasped fists, and reported gravely, "Director, the Undying Evil Venerable Statue has surfaced outside Dongning City."

"Dongning City..." Huang Zhengyang pondered briefly, "Over three hundred miles distant?"

"Correct."

Huang Zhengyang glanced toward Chu Zhiyuan.

Noting Chu Zhiyuan's grave look, he questioned, "Brother Chu, what feels off?"

Chu Zhiyuan massaged his temple, "I sense impending doom."

Huang Zhengyang asked, "Might this Undying Evil Venerable prove more formidable, tougher to vanquish?"

"Possibly, or perhaps some other peril lurks."

"Should we steer clear?"

"...Let's head there and check it out first."

Huang Zhengyang gestured dismissively, "Charging into known danger is unwise—better to wait... I'll dispatch scouts to test its true nature!"

"That's unwise," Chu Zhiyuan countered, "It'd waste lives; I'll handle it myself."

Gratitude flickered across the young man's face.

He preferred risking himself over watching Evil Extermination Department elites perish.

Such compassion marked him as a genuinely righteous soul.

Meanwhile, a thousand miles distant in a hidden cavern, Zhu Lingyun drifted ethereally like drifting mist, speeding toward Dongning City.

Chu Zhiyuan fretted not over the Undying Evil Venerable itself, but potential ambushes.

Was the Undying Evil Venerable mere bait to draw him into a trap?

Since the plot targeted him specifically, sending Zhu Lingyun could maintain secrecy while exposing the scheme.

After Zhu Lingyun departed, Chu Liezhao, Leng Tieya, and even he himself could proceed there whenever they wished.

Indeed, pinpointing the source of the danger was essential.

"Brother Chu..." Huang Zhengyang said hastily.

Chu Zhiyuan waved his hand, "Brother Huang, no need to say more... Where is the Undying Evil Venerable?"

His gaze fell upon the handsome young man.

The handsome young man replied swiftly, "On the mountain peak outside the city, far from the crowd."

Chu Zhiyuan nodded firmly, "I’ll go back to prepare, set off tomorrow morning."

By then, Zhu Lingyun would have ample time to scout the situation.

"Ah..." Huang Zhengyang shook his head in resignation, "Really going?"

Chu Zhiyuan smiled broadly, "Afraid to face danger, why did I come down the mountain at all?"

Acting with such bold openness and righteousness, wouldn’t the Court’s secret technique arrive promptly?