Imperial Cultivation Chapter 1356 - 1352: What Was Seen

The score has yet to be settled; so many lives were brutally ended!

These monstrous beings, despite their defeat, retreated to Dan Yang Heaven, never atoning with their lives.

This situation genuinely leaves one with a heavy heart.

"Brother Chu, is there any method to bring about their complete annihilation?" Chu Zhiyuan pondered the question.

One elder interjected, "We would require a spiritual artifact, specifically one designed for soul destruction."

Huang Zhengyang turned his gaze to the elder, asking, "Elder Wu, does such an artifact exist?"

"The Court possesses one," the elder with the round face revealed. "However, its immense power means it is seldom employed."

"Even this artifact might prove ineffective," another elder added his doubt.

Huang Zhengyang looked towards the speaker.

The elder elaborated, "Activating such an artifact cannot be done swiftly enough. Moreover, these monsters are exceedingly fast; they could escape before any action could be taken."

"Precisely," a third elder concurred. "These fiends employ bizarre secret techniques, offering astonishing offensive and defensive capabilities. Otherwise, they would not have withstood our array... Our formation is capable of soul destruction, yet it was thwarted by that flower. To annihilize their very souls, the spiritual artifact must be activated with pinpoint accuracy as they attempt to flee."

Huang Zhengyang’s brow furrowed. "So, there is no means to utterly eradicate them?"

"It is exceedingly difficult," an elder declared, shaking his head.

The remaining five elders mirrored his motion, murmuring in unison, "Difficult, difficult, difficult."

Huang Zhengyang's attention shifted to Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan offered a silent smile.

Judging by his expression, Huang Zhengyang felt a sense of reassurance wash over him.

He understood Chu Zhiyuan; such a look signified unwavering confidence, an assurance that these monsters could indeed be annihilated completely.

After a moment of thought, he spoke in a deep voice, "Elders, let us withdraw for now. We should depart from this area to prevent any return of those monstrous entities."

"It would be best to maintain a guard here," Elder Wu proposed. "Should we leave and the monsters return, the villagers could face utter doom."

"In our current depleted state, should the monsters reappear, we might struggle to even protect ourselves," another elder pointed out the grim reality.

"Perhaps not; if only one were to appear, we could hold it off."

"Once the array is dismantled, even a single monster could be beyond our capabilities."

"One poses no problem; two would present a significant challenge."

"I believe two can be managed. Our objective would be to repel them, not necessarily to kill."

"What is the point of merely driving them away? They will inevitably return!"

...

Chu Zhiyuan regarded Huang Zhengyang. "Brother Huang, allow the elders to rest; I shall remain behind."

"Very well." Huang Zhengyang readily agreed and then turned, calling out, "Elders! Elders!"

He amplified his voice to quell the elders' ongoing debate. "Brother Chu will be staying; we shall depart first!"

"Xiao Chu is remaining, not leaving?"

"With Xiao Chu staying, we can be at ease."

"Xiao Chu, what blade do you wield? Its power is truly immense!"

"Merely the Heavenly Sword... Elders, please, depart first, lest our combined strength be seen as diminished," Chu Zhiyuan chuckled.

"Heavenly Sword... The Heavenly Sword belonging to the Heavenly Sword Sect is not this potent. Is this another secret technique?"

"Indeed." Chu Zhiyuan smiled.

"Ah, Xiao Chu, are you keeping secrets from us?"

"I humbly beg your pardon, esteemed elders." Chu Zhiyuan offered another smile.

As for the Golden Sword, he found it best not to elaborate, especially since once they began inquiring, their curiosity would likely lead to endless questions, potentially prolonging the situation indefinitely.

"Very well then, we shall take our leave."

"We can travel ten miles hence, find a suitable location to recover our strength, and then return."

"That is a sound plan."

Huang Zhengyang added with urgency, "If we do not return promptly, the Court might suspect something has transpired; let us head back first."

"That is indeed the case."

"It is best to return and rest; our recovery will be significantly hastened."

"Very well, let us depart."

...

Chu Zhiyuan observed their departure until they were out of sight. Then, he turned and silently glided towards the site of their recent battle.

The terrain had been deeply scarred, churned up by the conflict numerous times.

An profound silence enveloped the surroundings, accompanied only by a gentle, caressing breeze.

The village nestled at the mountain's base remained tranquil and serene, wisps of smoke lazily curling from its chimneys.

The fierce engagement between the ethereal roses and the six colossal beasts now seemed like a distant, almost unreal memory.

Chu Zhiyuan stood with his hands clasped behind his back upon a bluestone slab, his gaze fixed upon the intricate patterns etched into its surface.

From the stone's core outward, the patterns seemed organically formed, like natural textures,

resembling the unfolding of a blooming rose.

Chu Zhiyuan's expression grew grave.

His thoughts involuntarily returned to the visions he had witnessed within Dan Yang Heaven.

Following that ethereal shaft of light upwards, his heart and spirit had journeyed through countless layers of mist, traversing through innumerable distorted beams of light, ultimately arriving within a hidden valley.

Within this vibrant, bustling valley, structures stood in close proximity, stretching both inward and outward.

At the very heart of this settlement lay a magnificent grand hall.

The architecture of this grand hall was strikingly fashioned to resemble a colossal rose.

On the expansive plaza situated just outside the hall, nine elongated, circular elevated platforms were arranged.

These nine platforms were positioned in a staggered formation, collectively creating the elegant shape of flower petals.

From a bird's-eye perspective, the scene resembled a magnificent, unblooming rose, its petals unfurling. This ethereal rose radiated a soft luminescence, a gentle glow originating from the nine platforms arranged in a circle. These platforms were constructed from a peculiar material, resembling the finest mutton fat jade, and shimmered with an inner light. Upon these nine platforms sat three middle-aged men, each appearing quite distinguished. These three handsome figures were seated cross-legged, perfectly still, as if engrossed in deep meditation. Suddenly, three distinct beams of light materialized, piercing the air and striking directly at their foreheads. "Puff!" "Puff!" "Puff!" In unison, the three men expelled arrows of blood, their complexions instantly draining to the pallor of parchment. They became listless and lethargic, as if their very bones had dissolved into a mushy state. In mere moments, they appeared to have aged by a decade. "Huff..." "Huff... Huff..." They labored to draw breath, their gasps akin to fish stranded on dry land, desperately seeking air. After a considerable duration, they managed to speak, their voices hoarse and rough: "Could this be a trap?" "Hmm, it appears to be a trap," one replied grimly. "But how is that possible? Who could possibly know where we would materialize?" "It seems we underestimated the true capabilities of Biyuan Heaven," another mused. "Is it merely a coincidence?" "Absolutely impossible to be a coincidence; how could it be so convenient!" "What is truly unfolding here..." "Could there be a traitor among us?" "A traitor..." "It was just a few days ago that Senior Brother Luo descended, and he too barely managed to escape." "Senior Brother Luo wouldn't have betrayed us," one stated firmly. "If not Senior Brother Luo, then what truly happened?" "Let's go and ask Senior Brother Luo directly!" The three men, unsteady on their feet, descended from the platforms, staggering a few steps and nearly losing their balance. They shook their heads, a stark realization dawning of how profoundly their strength had waned. Yet, this weakness did not deter their pursuit of the truth. With wobbly steps, they departed the square and made their way to a small courtyard approximately a hundred meters away, approaching and knocking on the door. The courtyard door swung open swiftly, revealing a handsome middle-aged man. He opened the door, his expression one of puzzlement as he observed the three men. Upon seeing their weakened state, his brow immediately furrowed. Sensing a familiar presence, he hesitantly inquired, "Junior Brother Qin, what is...?". The leading middle-aged man spoke with grave solemnity, "Senior Brother Luo, we descended into Biyuan Heaven and were ambushed." "Ambushed?" the handsome middle-aged man questioned, a note of skepticism in his voice. "Why would they ambush you? Surely they couldn't have known you were heading there? They couldn't have known the location, could they?" "Impossible," the three men exchanged glances, shaking their heads in unison. "That is indeed strange," the handsome middle-aged man's frown deepened. "Come inside and tell me about it." "We apologize for disturbing you, Senior Brother Luo." Without ceremony, the three men entered the courtyard. Chu Zhiyuan's gaze followed them as they went inside, remaining close by their side. Settling at the stone table within the courtyard's flower garden, after taking their seats, the three could hardly contain their eagerness to recount their experiences. After listening to the handsome middle-aged man's account, the three men, in turn, detailed their own harrowing encounters. "It's quite peculiar, as if they were precisely awaiting our arrival, Senior Brother Luo. What do you believe is the root of this problem?" "That would likely be a Treasure artifact capable of glimpsing fate," the handsome middle-aged man stated, his expression growing serious. "It foresaw the future, pinpointing the exact time and place of our appearance... this is exceedingly troublesome." "So, does this mean we can no longer venture into Biyuan Heaven?" "Let's attempt it a couple more times. If the outcome remains the same, then indeed, we will have to forgo returning to Biyuan Heaven." "Alas... we cannot attempt this again for at least another month."