Imperial Cultivation Chapter 1351 - 1347: The Outcome

The pair arrived back at the Evil Extermination Department. As they rounded the screen wall, Chu Zhiyuan was observed standing before the main hall, hands clasped behind his back.

With a smile, Chu Zhiyuan addressed Huang Zhengyang: "Brother Huang, was the matter settled?"

Huang Zhengyang chuckled, responding, "As easy as snatching candy from a child! Duan Tianhai dared to challenge me, hmph, he's far too green!"

Chu Zhiyuan let out a laugh. "It appears he is someone with a bit of sense after all."

A sense of helplessness crossed Huang Zhengyang's face as he commented, "It's a shame we're past our prime and can no longer act rashly."

In days gone by, I would have dealt with him quite severely to assuage my frustrations.

Yet, now we must be mindful of our actions.

We can no longer act on impulse; our anger must be suppressed, and then suppressed once more.

The higher one's official rank and the greater their authority, the more restricted their actions become.

It truly makes one question the benefit of climbing the ranks.

Chu Zhiyuan offered his perspective, "Regardless of the methods employed, victory is achieved by removing the obstacle."

"Haha..." Huang Zhengyang's laughter echoed as he replied, "Precisely, and I thank you for your counsel, Brother Chu."

Chu Zhiyuan responded with a smile, "Even without my reminder, Brother Huang, you would have discovered this soon enough."

It would have merely meant a slight delay, potentially missing the crucial window to prevent the arrival of experts from the Dan Yang Heavenly Flower Divine Sect.

Huang Zhengyang inquired, "Will the subsequent steps proceed without issue?"

Chu Zhiyuan's focus intensified as he gazed at Huang Zhengyang, his eyes suddenly becoming distant, as if his spirit had momentarily departed his body.

Huang Zhengyang, suppressing a flicker of unease, observed him.

After a pause, Chu Zhiyuan exhaled a sigh. "I cannot see clearly."

"Why is it that you cannot see clearly?" Huang Zhengyang asked, startled.

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head with a sense of resignation. "This Miracle Technique of mine is rather unpredictable and unreliable. It seems this is as far as I can perceive."

"That is still quite remarkable," Huang Zhengyang said with a smile. "I should probably make haste. Let's go find Prince Zhuang and the Tribute."

Chu Zhiyuan gave a nod.

...

Resting in a cross-legged position on the bed, Chu Zhiyuan gently closed his eyes, directing his concentration toward the glabella.

Within the ethereal expanse at the glabella resided a resplendent morning sun, radiating countless beams of golden light.

These myriad golden rays were the tangible manifestation of his spiritual power.

This morning sun represented the wellspring of spiritual power, the origin from which an unending torrent of spiritual essence perpetually flowed once the ancestral acupoint was successfully opened.

He now understood that even with the ancestral acupoint unlocked, the spiritual power continued to stream forth endlessly.

However, it could still be depleted; the expenditure of spiritual power during the application of the Donghuan Saint Technique was excessively rapid and ferocious.

During the breakthrough to the second layer of the Human Element Skill, the depletion of spiritual power was also excessively swift and intense, draining the golden radiance emanating from the morning sun.

Consequently, it was now time to advance the Heavenly Yuan Technique.

The initial layer of the Heavenly Yuan Technique was no longer sufficient.

Both the cultivation of the Taihao Jade Void Scripture and the application of the Donghuan Saint Technique necessitated the second layer of the Heavenly Yuan Technique.

The method for cultivating the second layer of the Heavenly Yuan Technique involved the transference of this very morning sun to the Lao Gong Acupoint.

He first focused his mind, then employed the Divine Split and Dual Use techniques, directing his attention to this morning sun on one hand while simultaneously visualizing a similar morning sun within the Lao Gong Acupoint.

It had to be an exact mirror image of the morning sun present, forming a perfect reflection.

Subsequently, spiritual power was channeled, continuously and without end, into the morning sun residing within the Lao Gong Acupoint.

The spiritual essence from the morning sun here was to be poured into the morning sun within the Lao Gong Acupoint.

He privately shook his head.

This was another process that demanded meticulous attention, allowing for no shortcuts, only a steady, step-by-step progression.

Fortunately, with the aid of the Moonlight Butterfly, his cultivation speed had now accelerated severalfold.

...

"Brother Zhang, do you happen to have any Moon Spirit Pills remaining?"

"You require more?"

"The more, the better."

"One should not consume an excessive amount of this," Zhang Ji Yuan inquired with curiosity, "Doing so can lead to a severe splitting headache and considerable suffering."

The two convened in the main hall of the Heaven-Reaching Sect, and Chu Zhiyuan directly requested the Moon Spirit Pills.

"There is no need for concern," Chu Zhiyuan assured him. "We cannot afford to dwell on such matters at present."

"Junior Brother, why the rush?" Zhang Ji Yuan seemed perplexed. "Are we facing any imminent danger?"

His own days were spent in leisurely pursuits.

He found it genuinely difficult to comprehend Chu Zhiyuan's sense of urgency, as if he were being relentlessly pursued.

With youthful ambition, Chu Zhiyuan declared his intention: "I must strive for improvement and ascend to Spirit Venerable soon."

"A noble goal, but becoming a Spirit Venerable cannot be rushed; it arrives when the time is ripe. Your current cultivation already far surpasses others your age, and having mastered the Taihao Jade Void Scripture, steady cultivation will see you reach Spirit Venerable eventually."

"Senior Brother, if you possess Moon Spirit Pills, might I request a couple of bottles?"

"A couple of bottles? That’s quite a request!" Zhang Ji Yuan scoffed. "Two bottles at most."

"Brother Zhang, after those two bottles, please grant me another two; just hand them over directly."

"This time, truly only two bottles at most," Zhang Ji Yuan insisted. "These are rare herbal materials, after all; we cannot have an abundance."

He spoke these words as he produced two Jade Bottles, presenting them to Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan accepted them with practiced ease, tucking them into his sleeve. He then smiled, saying, "Should more of these spirit pills become available, please procure some for me."

"You..." Zhang Ji Yuan regarded Chu Zhiyuan, shaking his head repeatedly.

His junior brother was utterly unresponsive to his words.

A sense of helplessness washed over him, yet he could only acquiesce.

This junior brother's actions were truly unpredictable, his comprehension astounding; it was impossible to fathom him with conventional reasoning.

...

Chu Zhiyuan materialized within a serene courtyard of the Glazed Heaven Ninth Princess Mansion.

Xiao Ruoling and Shen Hanyue were engaged in martial arts practice within the courtyard's confines.

Both women, clad in pristine white resembling snow and outfitted in combat uniforms, exuded an aura of valiant spirit, their skin and bones possessing a jade-like quality.

"Princely Heir, the Sixth Prince nearly lost control, as anticipated."

"Did he completely succumb?"

Shen Hanyue responded with palpable excitement, "Fortunately, Senior Sister Guo discovered his abnormality just in time, preventing him from truly losing himself."

Xiao Ruoling softly interjected, "Had Senior Sister Guo not intervened promptly, the Sixth Prince would have found himself in dire straits this time."

"What caused him to lose control?" Chu Zhiyuan inquired.

He himself had not witnessed the Sixth Prince's lapse, only learning that the Fifth Prince had ascended to the imperial throne.

"We have yet to ascertain the cause," Shen Hanyue's eyes gleamed as she laughed. "It remains undiscovered!"

Chu Zhiyuan expressed surprise, "Impossible to find out?"

Xiao Ruoling prepared a cup of tea for him, presenting it as she gently shook her head. "Everything appeared normal; there was no discernible source."

Chu Zhiyuan questioned, "What did the Sixth Prince himself say? Did he perceive anything out of the ordinary?"

Shen Hanyue replied, "The Sixth Prince was equally perplexed, stating he inexplicably lost focus."

Chu Zhiyuan’s brow furrowed in contemplation.

Xiao Ruoling affirmed, "He was not poisoned."

"Nor was there any external interference," Shen Hanyue added. "If any action had been taken, it would not have escaped Senior Sister Guo's vigilance."

Chu Zhiyuan pondered, "Could it have been a specific Spiritual Artifact or a unique Miracle Technique?"

"That would make it difficult to determine," Shen Hanyue conceded. "Numerous such Miracle Techniques exist in the world; it's impossible to be aware of them all. It appears this incident may remain a mystery with no clear leads."

Chu Zhiyuan slowly nodded.

Indeed, the world teemed with extraordinary individuals and equally bizarre, sinister Miracle Techniques.

To comprehend everything was an impossible feat.

Xiao Ruoling softly observed, "The current situation has stirred considerable unease; the Emperor is insistent on a thorough investigation, unwilling to let the matter rest."

Chu Zhiyuan remarked, "This serves as a form of deterrence, perhaps preventing subsequent waves of clandestine schemes."

Shen Hanyue offered, "Our Da Jing Dynasty is comparatively more peaceful; we seldom encounter such frequent disputes."

Chu Zhiyuan gave a gentle nod.

Within the Da Jing Dynasty, competition was primarily determined by cultivation prowess, accrued merit, and the Emperor's Sword's selection of a successor.

"Will you ladies be remaining here?" Chu Zhiyuan inquired.

Xiao Ruoling responded, "We shall stay for the time being; we must remain until the imperial throne is decisively settled."

Their cultivation levels were exceptional, even across the entirety of Glazed Heaven.

Their presence fortified Guo Mingxue's deterrent influence.

To depart now would inadvertently diminish Guo Mingxue's commanding presence.

"Precisely," Shen Hanyue agreed, her eyes alight with fervor. "Additionally, we can observe the unfolding drama."

She was genuinely captivated by the overt and covert power struggles surrounding the imperial succession.