Imperial Cultivation Chapter 1271 - 1267: Taming

Chu Zhiyuan returned to the modest courtyard of the Heavenly Sword Branch, his hands leisurely clasped behind his back as he walked.

Zhu Lingyun remained immersed in his Insight, while the eight Tributes, palm-to-palm, had placed their other hands on the Array Device.

A dense, pervasive fog obscured everything.

The Undying Evil Venerable Statue was completely hidden from view, rendering any approach impossible.

The majority of the Court's formidable experts had withdrawn, leaving only a select few from the Evil Extermination Department to secure critical locations.

The golden luminescence emanating from the Undying Evil Venerable still pulsed, mimicking the rhythm of breathing.

Chu Zhiyuan could sense its power steadily increasing.

However, its advancement had significantly decelerated compared to before, with the process now taking considerably longer.

Once the Array was established, direct access became impossible, and it was anticipated that the Court would refrain from deploying further experts or Divine Artifacts.

At this juncture, the eight Tributes would face dire peril; without the protection of specific treasures, their survival would be precarious.

He once again concentrated his spiritual power, activating his Super Sense to its fullest extent for a comprehensive Insight.

As the momentum of Perfection surged forward, reaching its apex, his Super Sense experienced a further enhancement.

His perception became remarkably clearer than before.

For instance, he observed that each of them wore a string of peculiar purple Hand Beads on their wrists, eighteen beads adorning each string.

Chu Zhiyuan deduced that these eight strings of Purple Pearls served as their life-preserving artifacts.

Curiously, these eight strings of Hand Beads seemed to evade his Super Sense, appearing unremarkable and revealing nothing extraordinary.

It was evident that the inherent power within them resided at an exceptionally high level, potentially surpassing his own capabilities.

He had already attained Ninth Rank Perfection, the ultimate stage of the Venerable realm, with his next progression being Spirit Venerable.

Could this extraordinary power be a gift from a Spirit Venerable?

If indeed it was power bestowed by a Spirit Venerable, it was understandable why they possessed the confidence to approach the Undying Evil Venerable Statue.

Therefore, it wasn't that Huang Zhengyang's earnest reminders and warnings went unheeded, but rather they had a covert assurance?

The world is indeed a tapestry of complexities, often presenting as one thing while reality unfolds quite differently.

With this realization, he set his mind at ease, dedicating his focus to refining the Golden Sword and concentrating on his cultivation.

The twelve Spiritual Abyss Peaks manifested within his Lao Gong Acupoint, an effort to stabilize them more rapidly.

He also attempted to channel Merit into this process, but to no avail.

The second layer of the Human Element Skill necessitated the gradual infusion of spiritual power, with no apparent shortcuts.

He understood that he needed to delve into the study of Merit, diligently practice the Human Element Skill, and continue refining the Golden Sword.

The paucity of time became acutely apparent.

Despite the existence of three clones, they were each engaged in their own tasks,

capable of mutual reference but unable to substitute for his personal cultivation efforts.

Zhu Lingyun was diligently practicing the Wanxiang Returning to God Technique, his progress proving to be slow.

Chu Liezhao had also reached Nine Transitions Perfection and was on the verge of impacting the Spirit Realm.

Leng Tieya found himself in a similar position.

However, owing to their disparate experiences, each possessed unique insights concerning the Spirit Realm.

Chu Zhiyuan theorized that Merit was the key to his own ascent into the Spirit Realm.

Chu Liezhao, conversely, believed that his bloodline held the method for advancement; the Heavenly Dragon Bloodline was gradually integrating into his being, with full assimilation potentially leading him to the Spirit Realm, especially if he could locate the true Sky Dragon.

Leng Tieya practiced the Great Heavenly Demon Scripture derived from the Great Heavenly Demon Palace, aspiring to achieve the status of the Supreme Heavenly Demon.

While each pursued their distinct objectives, their ultimate paths invariably converged.

Zhu Lingyun sat cross-legged within a cave, fully engrossed in his cultivation.

He entered a profound state of meditation when a peculiar intuition suddenly arose within him.

His eyes slowly opened, and he effortlessly floated out of the cave, drifting toward the Undying Evil Venerable Statue shrouded in the dense fog.

He halted approximately one meter before the statue, having already entered the illuminated zone of the seven-colored light pillar.

Through the enhanced perception of his Super Sense, the seven-colored light pillar became distinctly visible, though it remained imperceptible to outsiders.

Chu Zhiyuan surmised that this pillar originated directly from You Meng Heaven, channeling its potent energy.

Previously, he had erroneously believed this seven-colored light pillar to be an extension of the Undying Evil Venerable's power.

He reasoned that the Undying Evil Venerable, located within You Meng Heaven, utilized this seven-colored light pillar to directly infuse the statue with cultivation power, thereby activating it and amplifying its might.

This process was even believed to induce more mysterious transformations within the statue.

As for the nature of these transformations, they were likely tied to its unique secret techniques, unknown to the outside world.

However, this time, Zhu Lingyun had a faint premonition that the seven-colored light pillar had undergone a change.

It no longer posed a formidable threat, nor did it instigate the instinctive urge to flee.

Instead, he felt an unexpected sense of affinity, prompting him to drift into the heart of the seven-colored light pillar.

Instantly, an icy aura permeated his body, circulating via the Wanxiang Returning to God Technique and swiftly channeling into his brow, revitalizing his spirit.

The cultivation level of the Wanxiang Returning to God Technique saw a fractional increase, surpassing any progress from his recent efforts.

Overjoyed, Zhu Lingyun remained within the seven-colored light pillar, fully activating the Wanxiang Returning to God Technique.

Chu Zhiyuan materialized within the thick mist, stopping a short distance away to observe the statue.

Within the dense fog, the Undying Evil Venerable Statue appeared externally as a mere golden stone effigy, its subtle golden radiance undetectable to outsiders.

The statue's golden light intensified, accelerating to two to three times its previous speed.

Chu Zhiyuan distinctly perceived its surging anger and murderous intent, which swiftly transformed the surrounding area into a frigid ice chamber.

A sense of relief washed over him instead.

It could muster such potent murderous intent yet refrain from striking.

This demonstrated it was suppressing its rage and murderous intent.

This implied that, lacking the confidence to vanquish Zhu Lingyun at this moment, it was forced to endure, thereby amplifying its fury and the intensity of its murderous intent.

Zhu Lingyun remained unfazed, exerting the Wanxiang Returning to God Technique to its fullest.

With the memories of the Evil Venerable and the Undying Evil Venerable embedded within him, Zhu Lingyun's grasp of the Wanxiang Returning to God Technique was profound, only missing the aura of You Meng Heaven.

In this state, he was akin to someone whose martial skills had been largely depleted, now rapidly recovering as if being revitalized.

With each passing moment of cultivation, his power swelled significantly, causing him to lose himself in the process, becoming increasingly engrossed.

Chu Zhiyuan fixed his gaze upon the statue, monitoring its presence and remaining poised for immediate action.

At a crucial juncture, he would intervene, creating an opportunity for both himself and Zhu Lingyun to escape.

His eyes flickered towards the seven-colored light pillar.

He pondered whether it originated from the Undying Evil Venerable's power or the unclaimed energy of You Meng Heaven.

Extending a hand, he lightly touched it.

Then, a slow nod confirmed his understanding.

He now knew for certain that the seven-colored light pillar was indeed a manifestation of the Undying Evil Venerable's power.

The reason it could be so readily absorbed by Zhu Lingyun, as if it were unowned power, was fundamentally due to Merit.

The Binding Dragon Rope, forged from Merit, had surprisingly subdued this seven-colored light pillar, preventing it from resisting Zhu Lingyun and thus enabling its seamless integration into Zhu Lingyun's power.

The Binding Dragon Rope possessed such astonishing capabilities, exceeding his wildest imagination.

It was no wonder the Undying Evil Venerable was consumed by furious rage, its murderous intent boiling over.

In its position, he would undoubtedly react in a similar fashion.

Perhaps the Undying Evil Venerable had always been the absorber and devourer of others' power, never having experienced being absorbed and devoured itself.

Contemplating this, he once again conjured two Binding Dragon Ropes using Merit, re-wrapping them around the seven-colored light pillar.

Zhu Lingyun's absorption rate accelerated, while the golden light on the Undying Evil Venerable Statue flickered with increased intensity.

Chu Zhiyuan perceived the power it absorbed diminishing steadily.

However, a sense of impending danger resurfaced, growing more potent.

This suggested the Undying Evil Venerable was nearing awakening, poised to unleash a devastating onslaught?

His only recourse was, at the most perilous moment, to flee this location and evade the Undying Evil Venerable?

He glanced at the rapidly progressing Zhu Lingyun, his own gaze filled with contemplation.

...

Chu Zhiyuan raised his eyes to the heavens.

The dense fog had sealed the Void.

The position of the sun was no longer discernible, and the weather was indistinguishable.

Yet, the thick mist could not impede his Super Sense.

He easily pierced through the dense fog to the outer Void, observing the setting sun perched at the horizon.

The next instant, he vanished from sight.

Moments later, he reappeared in a tranquil and elegant small courtyard.

The western expanse of the garden was adorned with flowerbeds, boasting over a hundred blossoming flowers.

The lingering rays of the setting sun painted them a rosy hue.

Xiao Ruoling, elegantly clad in pristine white attire, stood quietly among the flowerbeds, admiring each bloom.

Her peerless beauty rendered the surrounding hundreds of flowers pale and insignificant by comparison.

Sensing his arrival, she turned her head and offered a gentle smile: "You've come over quite early."

"Is this You Meng Heaven?"

Chu Zhiyuan's gaze drifted towards the setting sun in the west.

The sun appeared no different from those in Biyuan Heaven, Little Outer Heaven, and Outer Heaven.

He inhaled deeply, discerning the unique essence in the air.

Indeed, while lacking in Spiritual Energy, it contained a rich and abundant, peculiar aura.

This aura permeated his body, flowing sluggishly through his Meridians.

Employing Biyuan Heaven's mental techniques proved distinctly unsuitable, yielding half the results for twice the effort.

A distinct, specialized mental method was required.