Imperial Cultivation Chapter 1313 - 1309: Taking the Initiative

As the round-faced middle-aged man floated over the wall and entered the mansion, he shook his head, questioning, "Why the need for such secrecy?"

The thin middle-aged man responded in a low voice, "This is a clandestine location, and we must exercise caution. If news were to leak, they are known to silence any witnesses."

"Silence us?!" The round-faced man let out a disbelieving laugh, a sneer touching his lips. "Do they even possess the capability for that?"

"Do not forget that we are not operating at our full strength," the thin man replied calmly.

The round-faced man pouted, asserting, "Even at diminished capacity, dealing with them would be effortless."

He then turned his gaze towards Zhu Lingyun, who remained still and composed, asking, "Brother Zhu, what are your thoughts on this?"

Zhu Lingyun responded with indifference, "Let us observe and wait."

The two middle-aged men exchanged a look and then shook their heads.

However, Zhu Lingyun was inwardly harboring a smile.

Suddenly, a shadow flickered, and Su Qi materialized, his expression grim and turbulent.

"Brother Su, what troubles you?" the round-faced middle-aged man inquired with haste.

"Let us depart!" Su Qi uttered in a low tone.

He then vanished like a phantom, his form streaking along the wall and disappearing in the span of a blink.

The round-faced man was utterly perplexed and turned to look at the thin middle-aged man for an explanation.

The thin man simply stated, "We should follow."

The trio turned to cast a final glance at the imposing mansion, detecting that the ambient Qi within remained undisturbed.

A contingent of powerful cultivators resided within, their auras potent, yet there were no indications of conflict.

Puzzled, they wondered why Su Qi was in such a state of agitation.

They followed Su Qi closely as he exited the city, venturing dozens of miles into the wilderness before coming to a halt.

Stopping amidst a woodland at the mountainside, they leaned against ancient trees, and Su Qi let out a prolonged exhale.

"Brother Su, what precisely transpired?" the round-faced middle-aged man pressed, his curiosity piqued intensely.

Su Qi replied with a deep voice, "The divine statue has already been annihilated."

"What do you mean?" the round-faced man was confused.

Su Qi stated coldly, "All the divine statues have been destroyed, and yet they remain unaware!"

"How is that conceivable?!" The round-faced man was even more bewildered. "Do they not perform their daily venerations? How could they possibly not know?"

Zhu Lingyun offered his indifferent assessment, "It must have occurred very recently, after their ritual concluded today."

"They secretly demolished the divine statue, and the occupants are unaware?" the round-faced man scoffed. "Is such a thing possible? Who possesses the power to achieve such a feat?"

He found it difficult to believe that anyone could accomplish such a task.

The cultivators of the Qianye Sect were intrinsically linked to their divine statues; any loss of these artifacts would undoubtedly be felt.

The destruction of a divine statue should have resonated with them as sharply as a sword strike.

"Perhaps Chu Zhiyuan?" Zhu Lingyun suggested indifferently.

"Him—?" The round-faced man frowned, his gaze shifting towards Su Qi.

Su Qi grit his teeth, affirming, "Aside from him, no one else could have managed it!"

"How did he locate this place?" the round-faced man pondered aloud. "Even if he interrogated the experts from the Qianye Sect, it couldn't possibly have been this rapid, could it?"

The thin middle-aged man shook his head, stating, "Impossible. Furthermore, the disciples of the Qianye Sect are incapable of being interrogated."

These disciples of the sinister Qianye Sect possessed a method of self-immolation. If they faced dire circumstances, they could easily end their own lives.

They preferred death over divulging any information.

Consequently, it was impossible to extract any intelligence from the Qianye Sect disciples.

Zhu Lingyun inquired, "Brother Su, are there any remaining secret locations within the Qianye Sect?"

"...There is one more," Su Qi replied through gritted teeth.

The round-faced man expressed admiration, "Brother Su, you are truly formidable, possessing knowledge even of this."

The thin man elaborated, "After all, it is the mental cultivation method from Qianye Valley; Brother Su can perceive their inner thoughts."

For the Undying Evil Venerable, if their mental techniques were congruent, they could readily perceive the prayers of their followers.

This made it simple to uncover the Qianye Sect's secrets, which were otherwise concealed from outsiders.

Su Qi stated grimly, "This is the final location. If the divine statue here is also destroyed, our plan will be utterly ruined!"

"The last sanctuary destroyed as well? That seems improbable, doesn't it?" the round-faced man queried.

"Let us proceed!" Su Qi urged, his teeth clenched.

...

An hour later, they halted at the base of a mountain cliff, their eyes fixed on a cave situated midway up the precipice.

Su Qi descended from the cave, drifting down like a weightless feather, his countenance heavy with gloom.

Bearing witness to his dejected expression, the three companions understood the outcome without the need for further inquiry.

"Was the divine statue here also destroyed?" the round-faced man asked, his voice tinged with resignation.

The thin middle-aged man and Zhu Lingyun closely observed Su Qi, awaiting his confirmation.

Su Qi clenched his jaw, declaring, "Destroyed!"

"When did this happen?" the portly middle-aged man inquired, sounding skeptical. "It couldn't have been just moments ago, could it?"

Su Qi’s teeth ground together in frustration. "I don't know when it was obliterated; those idiots!"

Zhu Lingyun interjected, "It might not be a matter of their incompetence. Perhaps Chu Zhiyuan possesses a Secret Technique capable of masking their perception. After all, it's unlikely that experts from two separate secret locations are all so inept."

"What sort of Secret Technique?" the round-faced man asked, curiosity piqued.

Zhu Lingyun stroked his chin thoughtfully. "It's difficult to say; the Court harbors numerous Secret Techniques. The Ascension Technique from before is one such example; due to no one mastering it, its existence remained largely unknown. Yet, Chu Zhiyuan managed to learn it. If he could master the Ascension Technique, what other Miracle Techniques might he possess?"

"...This Chu Zhiyuan must be eliminated without fail!" Su Qi declared, his voice tight with anger.

He felt an mounting sense of dread regarding Chu Zhiyuan, finding it impossible to rest peacefully while the man remained a threat.

Zhu Lingyun then proposed, "If we cease our descent here, it matters little to us whether Chu Zhiyuan is powerful or weak."

"Can you bear to remain idle?" Su Qi challenged.

The round-faced middle-aged man shook his head. "Endure it? That is a difficult proposition, considering there are many places to descend to, but few as advantageous as this one."

"I cannot endure it," the slender middle-aged man countered, his expression grim. "However, with Chu Zhiyuan being so difficult to remove... our plan has failed this time. It is now impossible for the Third Elder to deal with him."

"Third Elder..." Su Qi murmured, gazing upwards at the heavens.

Zhu Lingyun turned to him. "Brother Su, do you have any further ideas?"

Su Qi slowly nodded. "I have one last strategy!"

"Quickly, tell us!" the round-faced man urged, his interest reignited. "There's still another move?"

"Simply leak the information to Hu Yaoyang," Su Qi suggested. "His divine statues were completely demolished; he must be consumed by anxiety and rage."

"How will you convey this to him?" the round-faced man inquired. "The divine statues are destroyed; how can he possibly establish a connection from here?"

"What if we lend him a hand?" Su Qi proposed with a sly smile.

"How would we assist him?" the round-faced man asked, incredulous. "Are we expected to construct a new divine statue for him?" He then shook his head. "That would entail too great a cost; let us forget that idea."

The slender middle-aged man spoke slowly. "The complication arises from the fact that if we offer assistance, we will be discovered by the Third Elder and implicated."

Su Qi retorted, "Then I shall find someone to deliver a direct message to him."

Zhu Lingyun cautioned, "Given the Third Elder's capabilities, he will undoubtedly trace it back to you."

Su Qi let out a cold sneer. "I will arrange for someone to spread the word in the taverns, making it known throughout the realm. No matter how skilled the Third Elder may be, he will be unable to pinpoint its origin back to me."

"Impressive, Brother Su," the round-faced middle-aged man praised. "That is an excellent plan." The slender middle-aged man nodded in agreement.

Zhu Lingyun stated, "It is certainly worth a try. Let us depart now... the longer we remain here, the greater the likelihood of unforeseen events occurring. It feels increasingly perilous."

"Indeed, let us make a swift retreat!" the round-faced man urged, his voice laced with unease. "I too am feeling rather jittery."

Su Qi drew a deep breath and slowly articulated, "Let us withdraw. Once the Third Elder has dealt with Chu Zhiyuan, we shall return!"

"Agreed."

"Then let us each go our separate ways," Zhu Lingyun announced. "We shall regroup at You Meng Heaven."

"Regroup at You Meng Heaven," the round-faced middle-aged man echoed with a laugh. "The four of us united can explore numerous locations, seeking fortuitous encounters, and perhaps even achieve a breakthrough to become a Divine Venerable."

"Precisely," Su Qi replied, forcing a smile.

They then dispersed, each heading in a different direction.

Zhu Lingyun conjured a Light Gate in the air and stepped through, vanishing instantly.

In the next moment, he materialized within a small courtyard in You Meng Heaven.

Meanwhile, Chu Zhiyuan had returned to Xiao Ruoling’s courtyard within the Profound Yin Palace.

He was quite pleased with himself.

Having successfully annihilated all the divine statues of the Qianye Sect, especially those located in the other two regions, he had preemptively outmaneuvered Su Qi with effortless ease.

Upon witnessing his arrival, Xiao Ruoling greeted him with a captivating smile.

Soon after, the two joined hands, their palms pressed together, and resumed their cultivation.

Chu Zhiyuan sensed the shifts occurring within his body, continuously surpassing his own limitations.

Faintly, he perceived the nascent opportunity for a significant breakthrough.