Imperial Cultivation Chapter 1312 - 1308: Breaking the Scheme

Chu Zhiyuan retracted his gaze.

It was no wonder individuals sought shortcuts; their resolve lacked true strength.

His attention swiftly redirected towards the Qianye Sect's location, observing the ongoing battle.

The Evil Extermination Department had deployed a formidable contingent of elite experts, unleashing an overwhelming assault upon the Qianye Sect.

Refraining from direct intervention, he merely observed the Venerable Statue as the Golden Sword at his waist was smoothly unsheathed.

The blade seemed to melt into the very air, becoming virtually invisible before vanishing into the distant Void.

Witnessing its transformation from translucent to imperceptible, Huang Zhengyang remarked, "Your swordplay has become truly formidable. In truth, we wouldn’t even require the Evil Extermination Department’s experts; this blade alone could vanquish the Qianye Sect."

"Brother Huang, you flatter it excessively," Chu Zhiyuan replied with a gentle smile. "After all, it is merely a sword; it cannot replicate itself thousands of times over to match the numerous experts of the Evil Extermination Department."

Huang Zhengyang mused, "If it were nighttime, and it moved silently among them as they slept, how many could it eliminate?"

Chu Zhiyuan chuckled, "That indeed presents a rather ingenious strategy."

By this point, the Golden Sword had already infiltrated the valley, proceeding to dismantle the statues individually.

It shattered these Evil Venerable Statues with astonishing ease, akin to slicing through soft tofu.

Upon eradicating all the statues, it executed a swift withdrawal, returning directly.

Huang Zhengyang watched it gracefully slide back into its sheath, exclaiming in wonder, "Is it already concluded?"

Chu Zhiyuan responded, "The Evil Venerable Statues within have all been annihilated; there remains no Undying Evil Venerable."

"That is reassuring," Huang Zhengyang sighed with relief. "Without the interference of the Evil Venerable’s power, they will be unable to instigate any further disturbances."

Chu Zhiyuan offered a slight nod.

He then turned to observe Su Qi and his companions departing, stating, "Brother Huang, I shall proceed ahead."

Huang Zhengyang inquired with a touch of curiosity, "Brother Chu, do you have pressing matters to attend to?"

Chu Zhiyuan offered a smile, "Only some minor affairs. I shall take my leave now."

He clasped his fist and vanished from sight.

Huang Zhengyang, his curiosity piqued further, scanned his surroundings but could no longer discern Chu Zhiyuan’s presence.

...

Zhu Lingyun and his entourage halted beside a colossal rock atop a mountain peak, leaning their hands upon its weathered surface and exhaling deeply.

The rock, beaten by the ravages of time, had been smoothed to an egg-like finish.

Zhu Lingyun settled into a cross-legged posture beneath the rock, regulating his breathing until a sense of tranquility returned to his expression.

Su Qi and the other two joined him, positioning themselves beside the rock.

They were now situated in the opposite direction from their previous location.

The mountain peak effectively concealed them from Chu Zhiyuan’s line of sight.

A middle-aged man with a round face scoffed, "Brother Su, you nearly managed to deceive us with your stratagem this time."

"It wasn't merely you," Su Qi replied, shaking his head. "I nearly fell prey to my own cunning as well."

Zhu Lingyun remarked, "No one could have possibly anticipated such a formidable transformation in him; Brother Su cannot be faulted for this outcome."

"Brother Zhuo certainly possesses keen insight!" Su Qi exclaimed, his tone admiring. "Could any among you have foreseen this turn of events?"

The other two companions offered helpless shakes of their heads.

Su Qi continued, "Now, we must ascertain whether Hu Yaoyang will make an appearance. With the Qianye Sect on the precipice of destruction, would he not intervene?"

"There is no conceivable way he can remain indifferent," the round-faced man asserted.

The lean middle-aged man added, "The Qianye Sect’s experts will undoubtedly summon him for assistance, and given his inherent arrogance, he is bound to show himself. At that juncture, he will inevitably meet his demise at Chu Zhiyuan's hands, compelling the Third Elder to step in."

"Haha..." The round-faced man could not suppress a laugh. "It is truly an impeccable plan; this maneuver is far too potent, utterly impossible to counter!"

Zhu Lingyun let out a sigh, "Indeed, it appears uncounterable."

Su Qi grinned with evident pride, waving a hand dismissively. "It is not necessarily impossible to counter."

"How, precisely, can it be countered?" the round-faced man inquired skeptically. "Pray, enlighten us."

Su Qi explained, "If they can swiftly annihilate the Qianye Sect, thereby denying them the opportunity to summon Hu Yaoyang, then Hu Yaoyang likely won't perish at Chu Zhiyuan's hands."

"The Evil Extermination Department lacks the capability for such swiftness," the lean middle-aged man countered. "If they possessed it, the Qianye Sect would have been eradicated long ago."

The round-faced man nodded vigorously in agreement, "Precisely, they cannot achieve such a feat."

He then proposed, "Even if they somehow manage to achieve it, we could lend our support to the Qianye Sect’s experts... Perhaps we should venture over to observe the situation?"

Su Qi stated, "We must first ascertain if Chu Zhiyuan has infiltrated the Qianye Sect itself."

"How can we possibly determine his presence or absence?" the round-faced man asked, a hint of apprehension in his voice. "I fear keeping a watchful eye on him."

He couldn't help but picture Chu Zhiyuan's gaze, which seemed to smile yet condescend as if looking down from a great height.

This gaze, drawing near his mind, carried a faint, unsettling teasing which unnerved him.

Recollecting Chu Zhiyuan's secret techniques and his cultivation level sent shivers down his spine, making him yearn to return to You Meng Heaven immediately.

Su Qi's brow furrowed as he pondered.

He was contemplating how to ascertain whether Chu Zhiyuan was currently within the sect or not.

He would never dare to ascend the rock for a distant view; such an action would be tantamount to suicide.

"Allow me to investigate," Zhu Lingyun offered, "to see if Hu Huixiang has descended."

"This..." Su Qi hesitated, "Brother Zhuo, that seems exceedingly perilous."

Zhu Lingyun responded, "I will merely infiltrate the Qianye Sect for a brief observation; I won't engage in any conflict."

Su Qi cautioned, "Even so, you might be detected by Chu Zhiyuan; you are aware of how exceptionally perceptive Chu Zhiyuan is."

The middle-aged man with a round face added, "He is a most difficult individual to contend with; it is best we do not involve ourselves."

"However, we cannot simply remain inactive," Zhu Lingyun asserted, "Are we to just wait idly like this?"

"That might not necessarily be a poor strategy," Su Qi replied.

The two middle-aged men quickly concurred with nods.

Given the present circumstances, any significant movement would draw Chu Zhiyuan's attention; if they could remain stationary, they should.

Zhu Lingyun shook his head, remarking, "You have truly been frightened out of your senses by Chu Zhiyuan."

"Brother Zhuo, utmost caution is advised."

"I shall return shortly," Zhu Lingyun declared, turning to depart without granting them an opportunity to dissuade him.

"Alas..." The man with the round face sighed, shaking his head, "Brother Zhuo is far too reckless!"

"Truly unafraid of death," the lean middle-aged man commented, "If he meets his end at Chu Zhiyuan's hands, it would merely grant Chu Zhiyuan the opportunity to employ his secret technique and pursue us."

"Brother Su, you are not attempting to stop him?" the round-faced man inquired.

Su Qi shook his head, emitting a sigh, "Brother Zhuo's courageous spirit is indeed admirable; I cannot match it."

The two middle-aged gentlemen regarded him with an expression of helplessness.

Su Qi then stated, "Nevertheless, Brother Zhuo operates with considerable caution in his actions and likely feels confident in his ability to evade Chu Zhiyuan."

The round-faced gentleman pondered, "One can only hope so. Perhaps we should depart from this location first to avoid any ensuing trouble, lest he inadvertently draw Chu Zhiyuan towards us?"

The lean middle-aged man nodded rapidly, "It is indeed better to be safe than face regret later."

"Very well, let us proceed to that area," Su Qi indicated, pointing towards the eastern mountain peak.

The moment the trio ascended and floated towards that particular mountain peak, Zhu Lingyun reappeared and relayed his findings: the statues had been utterly demolished, the Qianye Sect was incapable of summoning Hu Huixiang, and any prospect of a summoning had vanished.

"Demolished?"

"Indeed, they have already been destroyed; our endeavor this time has been thwarted."

"Who was responsible for the destruction?" the round-faced man inquired.

"The Evil Extermination Department, I would surmise," Zhu Lingyun stated.

Su Qi declared with a deep tone, "The Evil Extermination Department would not have been capable of destroying the statues... there is only one plausible explanation."

"And who might that be?" the lean middle-aged man pressed, "Could it possibly be Chu Zhiyuan?"

Su Qi nodded slowly, affirming, "Based on the intelligence I have acquired, only Chu Zhiyuan possessed the capability to annihilate the Divine Statues; however, I did not anticipate him acting with such alacrity."

"He certainly acted swiftly," Zhu Lingyun conceded, "What other alternatives do we possess?"

"It is of no consequence," Su Qi reassured them, "The Qianye Sect cannot possibly rely solely on this one location; other sites housing Divine Statues will likely summon Hu Huixiang, and Hu Huixiang will undoubtedly materialize to cause trouble for Chu Zhiyuan."

Zhu Lingyun questioned, "Does the Qianye Sect maintain an additional stronghold? Where is it situated?"

"Follow me," Su Qi beckoned, "They should have received the news by now as well."

He then rose and began to drift away.

The three individuals followed suit, journeying for approximately an hour before reaching a modest city.

Upon entering the city limits, they proceeded directly towards a large mansion located in the northern sector.

This residence boasted towering eaves adorned with multiple tiers and grand doors fastened with copper nails, presenting an image of considerable opulence, clearly indicating ownership by someone of significant wealth or high status.

Zhu Lingyun expressed surprise, "Here?"

Su Qi smirked, a proud glint in his eyes, "Did you not anticipate this? They have established their clandestine base within the city."

Zhu Lingyun voiced his concern, "Are they not fearful of discovery?"

Su Qi replied, "The statue is concealed underground; how could it possibly be discovered?... I shall enter alone; you all wait outside for a short while."

"Agreed." The three readily consented without any hesitation.