Imperial Cultivation Chapter 1438 - 1434: Decision

Chu Zhiyuan’s eyes suddenly became hollow.

Moments later, they returned to normal.

He didn’t say much, smiling as he watched Zhang Ji Yuan and Ning Dongge activate the Heaven-Reaching Order, stepping through the Light Gate in the wall to leave.

Zhang Ji Yuan and Ning Dongge saw him say nothing and left at ease.

Chu Zhiyuan closed his eyes, pondering once more about his path of cultivation.

Gathering and absorbing Earth Qi, he continued to practice the Taihao Jade Void Scripture.

He couldn’t immediately obtain the Spirit Venerable’s cultivation heart method, nor could he wait idly.

The Taihao Jade Void Scripture is profound; has he already fully understood its essence?

Has the potential of the Taihao Jade Void Scripture been fully exploited?

Looking at it now, the only high-level mental method he can grasp is the Taihao Jade Void Scripture.

He then recalled the Donghuan Saint Technique in the East Huan Sacred Valley.

Might there be a more advanced legacy within the East Huan Sacred Valley, a Spirit Venerable’s mental method?

Unfortunately, it’s just a little short; he can’t enter the valley and needs to progress further.

As he was contemplating, Zhang Ji Yuan and Ning Dongge came in, laughing heartily.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "Senior Brother Ning, Brother Zhang, how did it go?"

"We gave them a good beating!" Zhang Ji Yuan said proudly: "Disabled two, and heavily injured one!"

Chu Zhiyuan asked: "Didn’t kill them?"

Ning Dongge shook his head and said: "At the critical moment, Junior Brother Zhang held back."

Chu Zhiyuan looked at Zhang Ji Yuan.

Zhang Ji Yuan said: "No need to necessarily kill them, disabling them is enough; they can’t threaten us anymore."

Chu Zhiyuan sighed.

He had foreseen the outcome earlier, and looking at it now, the result hadn’t changed.

Zhang Ji Yuan chuckled: "Killing them would just dirty my hands!"

Ning Dongge shook his head: "They now know we have Flying Knives; next time they’ll be wary, which isn’t good."

"What’s the use of being careful?!" Zhang Ji Yuan disagreed: "Could they avoid it?"

The Flying Knife is unimaginably fast, rendering reaction impossible.

"There’s always something that can counter." Ning Dongge said: "There’s no such thing as invincible Martial Arts."

He looked at Chu Zhiyuan: "Little Junior Brother, isn’t there something that can counter the Flying Knife?"

"Senior Brother Ning is correct, the Flying Knife isn’t invincible," Chu Zhiyuan nodded: "A defensive spiritual artifact can counter it."

Zhang Ji Yuan expressed doubt: "How many defensive spiritual artifacts are there? ... Otherwise, no one would die."

Spiritual artifacts are rare; only a sect like Heaven-Reaching Sect, with few disciples, appears to have many spiritual artifacts, not so rare.

In reality, other sects, even the most elite ones, can’t possibly provide each disciple with a spiritual artifact.

Defensive spiritual artifacts are even rarer.

Ning Dongge huffed: "What if they borrow a defensive spiritual artifact and come for revenge?"

Zhang Ji Yuan laughed: "Then I’d just escape; a defensive spiritual artifact can’t attack."

"... You will surely suffer for being soft-hearted." Ning Dongge said helplessly.

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head with a smile.

Zhang Ji Yuan bragged loudly and forcefully, but his hands were soft, his heart kind.

Those three experts from Li Huo Palace initially intended to kill him, yet he didn’t go for the kill.

It can only be said he’s naturally soft-hearted and kind.

Zhang Ji Yuan hurriedly said: "If faced with a direct battle, I definitely won’t hold back."

"You..." Ning Dongge sighed: "You’ll suffer for being soft-hearted sooner or later."

Zhang Ji Yuan chuckled: "Can’t help it, born with it, can’t change."

He looked at Chu Zhiyuan: "Little Junior Brother, I also wish to harden my heart."

Chu Zhiyuan asked: "Brother Zhang, will Li Huo Palace seek revenge?"

"Shouldn’t anymore." Zhang Ji Yuan said: "Sparing their lives, they should know better."

Chu Zhiyuan turned to Ning Dongge.

Ning Dongge pondered, then shook his head: "This should be the end of it."

Chu Zhiyuan said: "Isn’t Li Huo Palace notorious for being extremely overbearing? Will it really end here?"

"... Pretty much." Ning Dongge said: "Let’s see if they’re afraid; if they are, they’ll stop provoking."

"What if they’re not afraid?" Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "They might not be afraid at all, right?"

Zhang Ji Yuan said: "They must be afraid; the Flying Knife is so fast they can’t react, next time they won’t manage."

"But their words might not be believed," Chu Zhiyuan shook his head: "Other experts in Li Huo Palace might think they’re exaggerating deliberately to show they’re not incompetent."

"This way..." Ning Dongge frowned, looking at Zhang Ji Yuan.

Zhang Ji Yuan said: "From what I know about Li Huo Palace, they shouldn’t cause more trouble."

Chu Zhiyuan pondered.

His eyes suddenly became hollow.

A moment later, he returned to normal, shaking his head: "You two guessed wrong; they will continue to cause trouble, wanting revenge."

"Damn it! Ignorant of life and death!" Zhang Ji Yuan said angrily.

Ning Dongge’s face turned sullen.

He didn’t want to deal with Li Huo Palace’s incessant ambushes and schemes.

Although his family is far away in another realm, acting in secrecy, unlikely to be discovered.

But if Li Huo Palace is determined to search, they might truly find it.

Then it would be dangerous.

Chu Zhiyuan sighed: "Senior Brother Ning, your family has been found by them."

Ning Dongge’s face changed drastically.

Chu Zhiyuan said: "I’ll guard over there; if they truly act, I’ll intervene. No one can say much then, right?"

It’s an unwritten rule that Spirit Venerables don’t casually act against Venerables.

But if they aggress towards a Spirit Venerable or attempt to assassinate those under their protection, the Spirit Venerable has justification to respond.

"Little Junior Brother, forget it." Ning Dongge shook his head: "You’re not that stable now; I’ll have them relocate."

Chu Zhiyuan said: "Let’s also ask Grandmaster Wang for help, to guard together. Li Huo Palace wouldn’t mobilize several Spirit Venerables against family."

"This..." Ning Dongge hesitated.

Chu Zhiyuan said: "Your wife and the others are used to their original life; how can they just leave?"

Zhang Ji Yuan said: "With Grandmaster Wang as well, it should be secure, but we can’t guard forever, right?"

Chu Zhiyuan said: "They won’t act yet; they haven’t been pushed to desperation."

"When will they be desperate?" Zhang Ji Yuan asked.

Chu Zhiyuan replied: "Once they seek revenge twice more, after you kill two more of their experts, even a cornered dog will jump."

"Despicable!" Ning Dongge said coldly: "To even target family!"

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

For sects like Li Huo Palace and Heaven-Reaching Sect, such an act is utterly disgraceful.

But as long as a cultivator’s power is strong enough, they can break the rules.

If family is wiped out, a Spirit Venerable isn’t a deity; they can’t resurrect the dead.

This act indeed severely injures Ning Dongge, blocking his path to becoming a Spirit Venerable.

Zhang Ji Yuan said angrily: "I shouldn’t have held back!"

Ning Dongge said: "I wonder if they’ve already pinpointed my home’s location."

Chu Zhiyuan said: "Not yet."

Ning Dongge’s face showed uncertainty.

Chu Zhiyuan said: "Without a harsh blow, they’ll never behave."

"If a Spirit Venerable acts..." Ning Dongge frowned.

Chu Zhiyuan said: "Precisely because of this thinking, they’re reckless."

"But..." Ning Dongge hesitated.

Chu Zhiyuan said: "I’ll talk to Grandmaster Wang and see his stance."

"I’ll ask the Sect Master." Ning Dongge said.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

If a war truly breaks out with Li Huo Palace, both the Spirit Venerables and the sect must prepare.

Whether they’re willing to go to war over this is uncertain.

Since it involves oneself, the foreseen future isn’t perfectly accurate.

...

He arrived at Wang Miaoqiao’s Cave Mansion and sat atop the mountain drinking with Wang Miaoqiao.

While drinking, he recounted the previous events.

Wang Miaoqiao squinted his eyes, a cold light flashing, gripping the Jade Wine Glass, he sneered: "Li Huo Palace, eventually we have to fight!"

"Grandmaster, can we win?" Chu Zhiyuan asked: "I’m only in the Second Transition, afraid of being a burden."