Imperial Cultivation Chapter 1372 - 1368: Treading on Clouds

Gloomy gazes, previously fixed upon the ravaged woods, now turned to Zhu Lingyun.

A wry smile touched Zhu Lingyun's lips.

Jiao Hengtian's brow furrowed. "Junior Brother Zhuo, what precisely did you provoke?" he inquired.

"I truly have no idea," Zhu Lingyun sighed. "I was merely dining in the city when I suddenly sensed something amiss, danger approaching, prompting my hasty retreat back here."

Jiao Hengtian questioned, "You actually managed to escape back?"

"Did I not have a fortuitous encounter?" Zhu Lingyun replied, "It has made me more sensitive, and my Qinggong has become even more exquisite."

As he spoke, he flickered, appearing ten meters away in an instant, only to flicker again and return to his original position.

In the blink of an eye, his movements suggested he had never left.

"Your fortuitous encounter..."

"Brother Qin, that I cannot disclose," Zhu Lingyun answered.

"Very well, then do not speak of it," another middle-aged man chimed in enviously. "Why can't I stumble upon such good fortune?"

Zhu Lingyun responded, "Brother Qin, you immerse yourself in arduous practice day and night, secluded in the cliff, never venturing out—how could you possibly encounter luck? The very premise of fortuitous encounters necessitates venturing forth, does it not?"

"Let it be," the middle-aged man, Qin Yunfeng, shook his head.

He found solace remaining at Wanxiang Cliff, deeming the outside world unsuitable. Places lacked purity, people were disagreeable, and the food displeased his palate.

Any one of these factors was immensely vexing, and the chance of all three being absent simultaneously was remote.

Consequently, he preferred his solitude at Wanxiang Cliff, dedicating himself to cultivation as a pastime.

"You truly experienced great fortune this time," Jiao Hengtian remarked. "None of us were capable opponents."

"Brother Jiao, what was it? I did not get a clear look."

"It must have been a Spiritual Treasure, capable of blocking our Cloud Stepping Leopard. Its power was comparable to a Spirit Venerable."

"Spirit Venerable..." Zhu Lingyun offered a wry smile. "No wonder I nearly lost my life!"

"Let's return and properly tend to your wounds," Jiao Hengtian suggested.

Zhu Lingyun cast a glance around. "Brother Jiao, this..."

Jiao Hengtian affirmed, "Fleeing back to the cliff during danger was the correct decision."

Everyone present nodded in agreement.

If they had been in his shoes, facing an undefeatable adversary, they too would have retreated to the cliff.

This time, they blamed him for bringing such loss upon the cliff, but what if the situation were reversed for them next time?

"If we must hold resentment, let it be towards that Strange Treasure," Jiao Hengtian stated. "It must have been controlled by someone; perhaps the Cloud Stepping Leopard can identify and locate them, allowing us to settle the score!"

Zhu Lingyun countered, "Wouldn't it be wiser to avoid provoking such individuals?"

"Junior Brother Zhuo, do you not find it humiliating?" Qin Yunfeng asked, "To not avenge this grievance?"

"If we are not Spirit Venerables, seeking revenge is akin to courting death. Let us wait until we achieve Spirit Venerable status before discussing it."

"Spirit Venerable..."

A heavy silence descended upon everyone, their hearts weighed down.

They stood out as Undying Divine Venerables, each yearning for the breakthrough to Spirit Venerable.

Alas, that particular step proved exceedingly arduous.

"Allow the Cloud Stepping Leopard to conduct the search then; if it finds anything, we shall remember this grudge."

"Precisely."

...

Zhu Lingyun returned to his modest courtyard at Wanxiang Cliff and took a deep, calming breath.

This White Jade Rose, he mused, must be somewhat less potent than the Crystal Rose.

Yet, it had still displayed a crushing momentum against someone at the Venerable Perfection realm.

The Cloud Stepping Leopard of Wanxiang Cliff was indeed formidable.

His gaze grew intense, lost in contemplation.

An hour later, he found himself outside another small courtyard, rapping on the door.

Jiao Hengtian's voice drifted from within. "Junior Brother Zhuo, what is it?"

Zhu Lingyun replied, "Brother Jiao, I've come to inquire again: who was it that claimed I practice the Descent Technique?"

"Enter, then."

"Yes."

He entered and found himself seated in a pavilion atop an artificial mountain, offering a panoramic view of the entire small courtyard.

Below the walls, flowerbeds boasted three to five vibrant Strange Flowers, their fragrance rich and pervasive.

The fish in the creek flowing before the artificial mountain were clearly visible beneath the water's surface.

Jiao Hengtian, clad in a loose white robe, appeared at ease as he gently set down his teacup.

Zhu Lingyun took a seat opposite him, also placing his teacup down, his expression taut. "Brother, who exactly initiated this rumor?"

Jiao Hengtian slanted a glance at him before turning his attention back to the creek below the artificial mountain. "Do you not know yourself whether it is a rumor?"

"Brother..."

"Cease," Jiao Hengtian commanded, raising a palm. "I have examined numerous individuals who have strayed down the wrong path over the years. I can discern if the technique is practiced merely by touch."

Zhu Lingyun, seeing no other option, shifted the subject. "Brother, may I have a closer look at the Cloud Stepping Leopard?"

Jiao Hengtian's brow furrowed. "And why would you wish to see it?"

"Is the power of a near Spirit Venerable level not something to be curious about, Brother?"

"The Cloud Stepping Leopard is an ancient variant beast; its cultivation is not the same as ours."

"But its power is connected, isn't it?"

"However, it despises people and does not permit them to approach," Jiao Hengtian stated, shaking his head.

Zhu Lingyun replied, "Brother, I wish to try."

He desired to comprehend the might of a Spirit Venerable level being from up close, comprehensively, and with ultimate depth.

Jiao Hengtian cautioned, "It shows no regard for consequences. If provoked, a single swipe of its paw can inflict injuries dependent entirely on one's fortune."

"I won't perish, will I?"

"Brother Ding lost his left arm, and it never healed."

"It strikes with such ferocity?" Zhu Lingyun appeared puzzled. "Shouldn't it be protecting us?"

Jiao Hengtian paused, a flicker of hesitation crossing his features.

Zhu Lingyun offered a smile. "Could there be some hidden matters? I am also an inner disciple of this cliff; I assure you, I will not spread rumors."

After a moment of contemplation, Jiao Hengtian slowly divulged, "Keep this between us... I once overheard the Cliff Landlord mention that the Cloud Stepping Leopard does not guard us, but rather Wanxiang Cliff itself. Should any external force attempt an invasion, it will either repel or annihilate them; it cares not whether we live or die."

"Is that truly the case?" Zhu Lingyun inquired with surprise. "How could this be? ... The Cloud Stepping Leopard possesses such immense strength, yet it willingly guards our Wanxiang Cliff? Has it been doing so for a long time?"

"For over ten thousand years," Jiao Hengtian replied. "As for the reason why, that is a secret shrouded in mysteries, one that even I do not comprehend."

Zhu Lingyun tilted his gaze towards the heavens.

In that general direction lay the Cloud Stepping Leopard.

It was suspended in mid-air, its form veiled, its appearance obscured.

It possessed the remarkable ability to render itself invisible.

Even under the scrutiny of Super Sensing Illumination, it remained unseen; one could only discern its presence through its emanating aura.

The space where it resided was distorted with shadows, an abyss of pitch-black, where nothing could be perceived.

Abruptly, he sensed two gazes fixated upon him from the Void.

The Cloud Stepping Leopard was observing him.

Zhu Lingyun instantly felt a jolt of alarm.

Evidently, it had perceived his words and, consequently, turned its attention towards him.

It could achieve invisibility, communicate telepathically, possessed extraordinarily keen hearing, not to mention its formidable power.

He felt those two gazes seemed to pierce through every intricate detail of his being.

They not only saw through his heart, spleen, liver, stomach, and lungs, but also into the deepest, most concealed recesses of his soul.

Noticing the change in his complexion, Jiao Hengtian inquired, "What troubles you?"

"Brother, it will not intentionally harm people, will it?"

"No, it holds such actions in disdain; we likely appear as mere insects to it, too insignificant to bother with."

"Yet it wouldn't mind stepping on us, would it?"

"Haha... It would not, unless provoked; after all, it is incredibly spiritual, possessing wisdom comparable to our own."

"That is reassuring," Zhu Lingyun stated. Rising, he moved to the edge of the pavilion, cupped his fists towards the southeastern Void, and declared loudly, "Senior, this disciple offers his gratitude."

Jiao Hengtian felt a sense of bewilderment, which soon shifted to a subtle change in his expression as he began to surmise whom Zhu Lingyun was addressing.

The pavilion appeared to warp abruptly.

Jiao Hengtian sensed the very air solidify around him, rendering him breathless. His True Yuan refused to circulate, and his heartbeat felt on the verge of cessation.

His body felt as if an immense mountain was bearing down upon it, the creaking of his bones audible, threatening to shatter at any moment.

From his head to his toes, only his eyes and thoughts retained their mobility.

But soon, even his eyes grew stiff, his thoughts sluggish. Everything before him seemed to decelerate.

The entire world slowed to a crawl, progressively faster, like a camel on the verge of collapse, needing but a single additional burden to halt completely.

Zhu Lingyun experienced a similar sensation.

However, unlike Jiao Hengtian, a persistent stream within his mind kept his thoughts lucid, functioning as usual, perhaps even more rapidly than before.

With immense effort, he slowly raised his hand, formed it into a fist, and uttered a peculiar, drawn-out phrase, "Greetings, Senior!"

At this precise moment, Chu Zhiyuan, within the main hall of the Heaven-Reaching Sect, abruptly stood, his expression grave.

It seemed as though he was perceiving the Cloud Stepping Leopard through Zhu Lingyun's perspective.

If the Crystal Rose from the Flower God Sect could pursue him from afar, what about the Cloud Stepping Leopard?

Consequently, he remained confined within the Heaven-Reaching Sect.

Zhu Lingyun's clone teetered on the precipice of life and death.