Imperial Cultivation Chapter 1282 - 1278: The Third

With Xiao Ruoling entering seclusion for cultivation, Chu Zhiyuan took his leave and returned to Prince Qing Mansion.

After a night of complete relaxation and a hearty breakfast, he made his way back to the Heavenly Sword Branch.

He had barely returned when Huang Zhengyang arrived once more.

Sighing from outside the courtyard, Huang Zhengyang announced, "Brother Chu, another Undying Evil Venerable has descended."

Chu Zhiyuan, with a smile, opened the courtyard gate to invite him in.

Huang Zhengyang, however, waved his hand and said, "No need to go in, we must hurry. It appeared near the city again; we cannot afford any delays."

Chu Zhiyuan stepped directly out of the courtyard, closing the door behind him as he asked, "What's the situation on the Dongning City front?"

"The eight tributes are still maintaining the formation," Huang Zhengyang replied.

Chu Zhiyuan cautioned, "We must remain vigilant there; I suspect trouble is brewing."

Huang Zhengyang's expression turned serious. "Is the Undying Evil Venerable about to awaken?"

Chu Zhiyuan nodded slowly.

Frowning, Huang Zhengyang gazed in the direction of the Imperial Palace.

Chu Zhiyuan inquired, "Where are we headed?"

"To Sanhe City," responded Huang Zhengyang. "Do you know it, Brother Chu?"

"Yes, let's go," Chu Zhiyuan agreed.

The two individuals proceeded outside the branch, leaving behind the waiting experts of the Evil Extermination Department, and vanished like phantoms.

The assembled experts, long accustomed to such haste, set off towards Sanhe City with unperturbed expressions.

Upon reaching a mountaintop, Chu Zhiyuan and Huang Zhengyang spotted the Undying Evil Venerable Statue in the distance, a Golden Sword seemingly shooting from its sheath.

Chu Zhiyuan and Huang Zhengyang engaged in casual conversation.

A gentle breeze rustled their clothes.

Huang Zhengyang advised, "Brother Chu, perhaps refrain from frequenting the city for a while."

Chu Zhiyuan let out a chuckle.

Huang Zhengyang continued, "This secret technique was never meant to be fully mastered; everyone's expectations are far too high, and it's simply inappropriate."

He could discern that someone was intentionally creating difficulties, placing Chu Zhiyuan in a precarious position.

It was as if Chu Zhiyuan were truly capable of mastering the secret technique bestowed by the Court and subsequently resolving the threat of the Undying Evil Venerable.

Unbeknownst to the populace, this secret technique had never been mastered by anyone, with no precedent for its successful completion.

Were it otherwise, the Undying Evil Venerable would have vanished from Biyuan Heaven long ago, rather than making its reappearance.

Yet, a secret technique no one could master was precisely what everyone confidently believed Chu Zhiyuan could achieve.

This situation was undeniably irregular.

He could not fathom anyone other than the Court being behind such a scheme.

He felt intensely frustrated by the matter but also utterly powerless.

"My reputation has indeed soared," Chu Zhiyuan remarked with a laugh.

He could now perceive the power of the Golden Sword rapidly escalating.

Public adoration and merit were accumulating at an astonishing rate, far exceeding his initial estimations.

To foster belief in his mastery of this secret technique, it was imperative to first extol his accomplishments.

This involved highlighting the might of his Demon Suppressing Saber and the numerous formidable demons he had vanquished.

Furthermore, his rapid cultivation progress, compressing millennia of effort into less than a year, was widely acclaimed.

These praises significantly bolstered public sentiment towards him, consequently causing the Golden Sword's power to surge.

Huang Zhengyang cautioned, "The more prominent you become now, the greater the trouble you will face later."

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, "Am I expected to publicly declare that I'm not that capable and that everyone is overestimating me, telling them not to expect me to master that secret technique?"

Huang Zhengyang sighed, "If you were to say such a thing, people would simply interpret it as humility and place even more faith in you."

This was an overt conspiracy, a form of adulation that carried lethal potential, a predicament almost impossible to escape.

Unless news of Chu Zhiyuan's demise were to spread, people would undoubtedly feel regret and sympathy.

Conversely, should Chu Zhiyuan fail to master the secret technique, dissatisfaction and resentment would inevitably arise.

Ultimately, Chu Zhiyuan would be cast as the villain.

However, it remained uncertain whether the Court was definitively responsible; others with hidden agendas could also be at play.

"This whole situation is quite intriguing," Chu Zhiyuan chuckled. "I too would like to master this secret technique, but alas..."

He shook his head, adding, "This secret technique is exceedingly perilous, no less so than the predicament in Dongning City."

Huang Zhengyang's expression flickered, "That dangerous?"

He had only considered the secret technique to be difficult to master, bordering on impossible.

He knew that practicing it recklessly could result in severe backlash, even driving one to madness, but he had not anticipated a risk to life and limb.

This was a genuine life-or-death gamble.

Chu Zhiyuan stated, "Therefore, I can only proceed cautiously; if it proves unfeasible, I will not pursue it further."

Huang Zhengyang solemnly stated, "Then don't practice it... at most, they'll just complain about you, it's nothing too serious."

Chu Zhiyuan offered a slight smile.

It indeed seemed insignificant, merely a blemish on his reputation. Nevertheless, for him, public standing was intrinsically linked to support, a factor he could not afford to disregard.

Even upon achieving Ninth Rank Perfection, formidable opponents like the Undying Evil Venerable and other Perfect Venerables remained. The allure of the Golden Sword, with its capacity to overpower these rivals, was immense.

The Golden Sword suddenly cut through the sky, gently settling into the sheath at his waist. The distant, radiant statue had vanished as if it had never materialized.

"Let's depart, Brother Huang," Chu Zhiyuan said, placing a hand on his shoulder. The two figures instantly disappeared.

Upon returning to the Heavenly Sword Branch, Chu Zhiyuan resumed his work on refining the Golden Sword. Concurrently, his thoughts turned to the Ascension Technique.

He perused the slim booklet repeatedly, its pages turned countless times. The ten small patterns held his mind and spirit captive.

Though not as comprehensive as the Divine Language, they possessed a unique mystique, becoming more profound with each study. These ten patterns imparted a peculiar sense of enlightenment, gradually fostering a new perception of the world. He sensed a different power beyond merit, albeit indistinctly, requiring a patient approach.

He understood that the presence of more patterns would undoubtedly hasten his comprehension. Regrettably, only one such Secret Manual existed, and merely one copy was held by the Heaven-Reaching Sect.

The origin of the Secret Manual was traced back to a Cave Mansion, information unknown to the Heaven-Reaching Sect. Moreover, the Court's Imperial Treasury contained no records pertaining to the Heaven-Reaching Sect.

...

As evening approached, casting the sun's last rays, Huang Zhengyang reappeared. Upon entering the courtyard, he produced a small sword from his coat, presenting it to Chu Zhiyuan. "This is another artifact from that Cave Mansion."

Chu Zhiyuan accepted the small sword. It was merely a foot long, a dull grey as if coated in dust, exhibiting an ancient and simple design, adorned with only a few patterns.

Chu Zhiyuan's spirit surged with vitality. He observed a pattern on each side of the sword's spine, noting their shared origin with the patterns found in the Ascension Technique Secret Manual.

He smiled, then waved the small sword, simultaneously channeling his True Yuan into it. However, once the True Yuan entered, the sword remained inert. Huang Zhengyang inquired with keen interest, "Brother Chu, does this sword possess any peculiar qualities?"

Chu Zhiyuan nodded. "It shares the same origin as the Secret Manual; it must be a sword from the Heaven-Reaching Sect."

"Yet, there's nothing unusual about it," Huang Zhengyang remarked. "It's quite ordinary, aside from its remarkably durable material, which has allowed it to endure through time without decay."

An ordinary sword would likely not remain so intact after millennia. The rust on this particular sword, however, was stubbornly fixed, impossible to remove. The True Yuan channeled into the sword felt unresponsive, confirming its status as merely a Treasure Sword of exceptionally resilient material.

Chu Zhiyuan focused his intent. The sword began to emit a faint luminescence. As his concentration deepened and became more refined, the glow intensified. The dust coating the sword rapidly dissolved, akin to solid ice melting away.

Huang Zhengyang's eyes widened in astonishment. Chu Zhiyuan retrieved the slender booklet from his sleeve, placing it upon the stone table. Holding the sword in one hand, he used the other to press down on the booklet, causing both to begin glowing.

He carefully laid the short sword across the booklet, allowing the two sources of light to merge. Huang Zhengyang's eyes widened even further. Chu Zhiyuan closed his eyes, remaining utterly still.

Within the void of his consciousness, the text within the booklet started to shift and distort, revealing entirely new content. This was the third iteration of the Secret Technique.