Imperial Cultivation Chapter 1376 - 1372: Test

Jiao Hengtian chuckled and motioned with his head, stating, "It's to no avail."

Zhu Lingyun countered, "This documentation regarding the Spirit Venerable is accessible to all disciples of our Wanxiang Cliff, so shouldn't we be able to view it too?"

Jiao Hengtian responded, "Regulations are regulations; we must adhere to them."

"Could it be that Master Ma himself is the Spirit Venerable?"

"He is unlikely to be the Spirit Venerable."

"That's rather peculiar," Zhu Lingyun remarked. "Can Master Ma arbitrarily decide who gets to see these texts and who doesn't? Isn't that incredibly unfair?"

"Junior Brother Zhuo, concepts like fairness or unfairness hold no meaning here," Jiao Hengtian said, shaking his head. "Furthermore, these records are pointless."

"Completely useless?"

"They only serve to sow confusion and offer no practical benefit."

"Brother Jiao, did you yourself peruse them?"

"Indeed, I did. There's no discernible difference whether one sees them or not."

"Nevertheless, I still wish to take a look."

"...Then you should approach Master Ma once more."

"I shall depart immediately."

He turned and departed.

Jiao Hengtian sighed, shaking his head in resignation.

Master Ma will not disregard the established rules. The likely reason for his denial is that he has perceived the true nature of the Ascension Technique.

Therefore, no matter how persistent someone might be, it will all be for naught.

Master Ma will inevitably refuse him.

What a shame, to be so eager for immediate success, insisting on employing the Expedited Method, thereby isolating oneself from the guidance of the Spirit Venerable.

...

Chu Zhiyuan strolled through the grand hall, hands clasped behind his back, heading towards the Ten Thousand Knowledge Tower.

Within the confines of the Ten Thousand Knowledge Tower, he activated his Super Sense, swiftly scanning every tome and artifact present.

He was searching for any matching patterns or ancient scripts.

Yet, he discovered nothing relevant.

Despite the Ten Thousand Knowledge Tower being home to countless ancient texts and a vast array of items, none of them contained the specific writings or patterns he sought.

He shook his head, a sense of disappointment washing over him.

Afterward, he materialized outside the modest courtyard belonging to Li Hongzhao on Heavenly Sword Peak.

Li Hongzhao's languid voice resonated, "Enter."

Chu Zhiyuan smiled as he pushed open the door and stepped inside, finding Li Hongzhao engrossed in reading under the fading sunlight.

The sunset cast a deeper hue upon her crimson robe, and her White Jade visage was bathed in a rosy glow, dazzling and almost too radiant to behold directly.

Li Hongzhao gently set aside her scroll and clapped her hands together, inquiring, "Shall we commence?"

Chu Zhiyuan beamed, replying, "By all means!"

A resplendent Seven-Colored Phoenix materialized above Li Hongzhao's head, gazing down upon the world with an air of noble disdain.

She effortlessly extended her hand, unleashing a crimson luminescence from her palm that coalesced into a phoenix, which then lunged towards him.

He met the attack with his left hand, allowing the Phoenix Palm Seal to silently merge with his palm.

It then coursed into the Jade Sea and Sky through the Lao Gong Acupoint, making its way towards the crimson sun positioned above the Twelve Peaks of the Spiritual Abyss.

After delivering thirty-six palms in rapid succession, she withdrew her jade hand and clapped, declaring, "Sufficient."

At this moment, her jade countenance was visibly pale, and her eyes held a chilling glint, much like the ethereal phoenix hovering in the void above her.

Chu Zhiyuan remarked with a smile, "Your progress is remarkably swift."

"It is largely thanks to Master's Jade," she replied with a sweet smile.

Her typically cold demeanor transformed with this sudden smile, resembling the melting of ice and snow, heralding the return of spring and the embrace of bright sunshine.

The entire ambiance of the small courtyard brightened considerably.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded in agreement, stating, "Senior Song's treasure is indeed exceptional; however, your own advancement in palm techniques is equally commendable."

She had dedicated herself to diligent practice at Heavenly Sword Peak in recent days, concentrating on cultivating the Phoenix Divine Palm with impressive speed.

Li Hongzhao, still smiling, moved to the small pavilion to prepare tea and then presented a cup to him.

Chu Zhiyuan settled down, produced a booklet from within his robes, and offered it to her.

Li Hongzhao glanced at the booklet, her eyebrows raising slightly as she inquired, "Could this be the Great Wilderness Text?"

Chu Zhiyuan's spirit was instantly invigorated, prompting him to ask, "Great Wilderness Text?"

"It is a script originating from the Ancient Era," Li Hongzhao explained. "That period was exceptionally brief, followed by the advent of the Divine Language, after which various obscure scripts emerged, making it virtually impossible to master them all."

Chu Zhiyuan regarded her with intrigued curiosity.

"Knowing your interest in ancient scripts, I specifically sought guidance from my master," Li Hongzhao elaborated.

Chu Zhiyuan sighed, expressing, "As expected of the Holy Vein."

Even disciples within the Heaven-Reaching Sect lacked such expansive knowledge.

Li Hongzhao added, "Understanding these scripts is ultimately futile, as no one can decipher them anymore. The most valuable among them would have been the Divine Language, but it has been lost for ages. There is little point in studying the subsequent chaotic scripts."

Chu Zhiyuan inquired further, "Do you, by any chance, recognize the Great Wilderness Text?"

Li Hongzhao responded with a shake of her head.

Chu Zhiyuan then asked, "What about Senior Song?"

"Master probably wouldn’t recognize it either. Where did you acquire it? Is it of significant importance?"

"Yes, it is very important."

"I shall return and consult Master then," Li Hongzhao declared. "It is indeed time for me to visit Master."

"Let us depart."

Chu Zhiyuan playfully placed a hand on her delicate shoulder, and in an instant, they vanished, reappearing within the confines of the Phoenix Secret Realm.

Her humble courtyard remained immaculately clean and orderly.

This pristine environment is a distinctive feature of the Phoenix Secret Realm, characterized by its lush greenery and near absence of dust.

Li Hongzhao took the mysterious booklet and proceeded to seek out Song Chaoge.

...

Zhu Lingyun stood before a short, stout elder with prominent white eyebrows, cupping his fists in a solemn gesture. "Master Ma, I wish to gain entry into the Qiling Tower."

This kind-hearted and amiable old man, adorned with flowing white eyebrows, was none other than Elder Ma Yunfan, the vigilant guardian of the Qiling Tower.

He cast a scrutinizing glance at Zhu Lingyun, from top to bottom, the eyes beneath his frosty brows gradually shifting to a stern expression.

Zhu Lingyun met his gaze with unwavering calmness.

Ma Yunfan possessed a rather peculiar skill; his eyes seemed capable of penetrating one's very being.

However, at this moment, Zhu Lingyun presented no discernible flaws from top to bottom, maintaining an air of composure and fearlessness.

Ma Yunfan's frosty brows knitted together in a frown.

Zhu Lingyun inquired, "Master Ma, is it not possible for me to enter the Qiling Tower?"

Ma Yunfan responded with a cold tone, "Individuals tainted by impurity are unfit to enter the Qiling Tower!"

He regarded Zhu Lingyun with an expression of disdain and contempt, a stark departure from his previously kindly and amiable demeanor.

"Master Ma," Zhu Lingyun protested, "In what way am I unclean?"

"The act of practicing the Descent Technique renders one unclean!"

"How does the practice of the Descent Technique bring about uncleanness?"

"If your mind is corrupted, how can you aspire to become the Spirit Venerable? Preposterous! Such dreams are futile!"

"Master Ma, I assure you, I have not practiced the Descent Technique!"

"Heh heh..." Ma Yunfan emitted a chuckle, filled with derisive sarcasm.

He shook his head, his expression conveying disbelief. "Do you genuinely believe that mastering a Concealment Technique or acquiring some Treasure to mask your aura can deceive me?"

Zhu Lingyun shook his head, retorting, "Master Ma, you are advancing in years, and your faculties seem to be growing muddled!"

"You insolent brat!" Ma Yunfan bellowed, unleashing a swift palm strike downwards.

Zhu Lingyun agilely shifted to the side, effortlessly evading the attack.

As Ma Yunfan's palm swept past his face, it mysteriously expanded, nearing his cheek.

Zhu Lingyun dodged once more with remarkable agility.

The instant his evasive maneuver concluded, he initiated another, transforming the impossible into the possible and evading the palm strike yet again.

Although this particular palm strike did not employ any internal Qi, it was merely a physical palm.

Nevertheless, the exceptional skill and precision of the hand techniques were so profound that they seemed utterly unavoidable.

Yet, Zhu Lingyun managed to evade it through sheer force of will.

This feat was a direct result of the Insight derived from his Super Sense.

"A skilled youth!" Ma Yunfan retracted his palm, casting a sidelong glance at Zhu Lingyun. "I appear to have underestimated your capabilities."

"You flatter me, Master," Zhu Lingyun replied with a self-satisfied smile. "I truly have not practiced the Descent Technique; you are mistaken."

"Such a stubborn resolve, do you truly believe you can evade detection if you have indeed practiced the Descent Technique?"

"If Master possesses the ability to test it, I am entirely willing to undergo the trial," Zhu Lingyun stated with composure.

"Heh, utterly laughable," Ma Yunfan deduced that Zhu Lingyun was still feigning innocence, presenting an image of frankness and fearlessness, appearing strong externally while being weak internally.

He then produced a spherical bead from the depths of his robes.

Zhu Lingyun's brow furrowed as he observed the round bead, approximately the size of a Dragon Eye, which began to pulse with rapidly increasing brightness in Ma Yunfan’s palm.

"Approach and grasp it," Ma Yunfan commanded coldly. "I shall inform you, this is a Soul Cleansing Pearl. Should you have practiced the Descent Technique, contact with it will result in adverse effects. At best, your cultivation will be crippled; at worst, your life will be extinguished, depending on the depth of your entanglement with evil and the impurity of your soul!"

Zhu Lingyun's spirit surged with a mixture of awe and apprehension. "Is it truly that perilous?"

"Some defy such warnings and choose to test its limits; you have likely heard of them, such as a youth surnamed Hu a decade ago, and another youth surnamed Meng fifty years past."

Zhu Lingyun swiftly delved into his memory, his brow creasing in thought. "Could that be Junior Brother Hu Chen? And Senior Brother Meng Zongbai?"

"Indeed, they were fortunate, suffering only the ruin of their cultivation. A century ago, however, there was an individual surnamed Huang who met his demise instantly."

Zhu Lingyun suddenly let out a laugh. "Master Ma, given that you possess such a potent Treasure, why not allow all disciples to undergo this trial? ... A yearly assessment would deter any disciple from daring to practice that forbidden Descent Technique!"

Ma Yunfan glared at him, seemingly defeated. "Do you imagine this old man has no desire to implement such a measure?"