Imperial Cultivation Chapter 1558 - 1554: Guidance

Chu Zhiyuan smiled. "It’s not that precious. It doesn’t really help with improving Cultivation or fighting enemies."

Huang Zhengyang asked curiously, "Then why did you choose it, Brother Chu? Among these strange items, is there nothing that can improve Cultivation?"

"There is. Quite a few, actually."

Huang Zhengyang’s spirits instantly lifted.

Chu Zhiyuan pointed at a Stone Plate. "This one has a secret technique carved inside that can enhance root bone and aptitude."

Huang Zhengyang’s eyes lit up.

Chu Zhiyuan laughed. "You no longer need to practice this. Even if you did, it wouldn’t be of much use."

"The higher your aptitude, the faster your Cultivation speed, and the higher your ceiling."

"Root bone is indeed crucial in the early stages of Cultivation, but once you reach a Realm like Brother Huang’s, root bone is no longer that important."

Huang Zhengyang hurriedly asked, "Brother Chu, then what’s most important for me right now? I’ve actually been very lost for a long time, unable to find a way forward."

Chu Zhiyuan said with a smile, "The path of a Spirit Venerable relies on your own comprehension. Hearing me talk about it and you comprehending it yourself will never be the same. If I spell out my own comprehension, it will instead become an obstacle for you and hinder your own insight."

"Like this..." Huang Zhengyang frowned. "So I can only rely on luck?"

"I can let you experience what a Spirit Venerable is, what it’s like to be one. As for how to become one, that will still depend on your own comprehension."

"You can even do that?"

Chu Zhiyuan joined two fingers like a sword and lightly tapped toward Huang Zhengyang.

Huang Zhengyang did not dodge, allowing the finger to land between his brows.

Zhou Muyin, watching from the side, opened his mouth, but in the end said nothing, merely shaking his head.

He saw that Huang Zhengyang had already closed his eyes, his aura instantly weakening, as if it had vanished from sight.

He sighed inwardly.

Zhengyang trusted Chu Zhiyuan far too much!

This was handing his life and death over to Chu Zhiyuan. If Chu Zhiyuan wanted to play any tricks, it would be easy.

What’s more, he was a Spirit Venerable, with utterly overwhelming power. It would be even easier for him to tamper with something.

This kid Zhengyang, sometimes his nature is still too straightforward; you still can’t scrub away that underlying naivety.

Trusting someone too much means exposing a fatal weakness, something a wise man would never do.

A moment later, Chu Zhiyuan withdrew his finger.

Huang Zhengyang slowly opened his eyes, his aura rapidly climbing, recovering to its original state and even going a step further.

In just this short span, he had already undergone a subtle change and advanced a layer.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled. "This is the world of a Spirit Venerable. It’s different from that of a Venerable, isn’t it?"

"Far too different!" Huang Zhengyang said with deep feeling. "A heaven-and-earth reversal of change! ... No wonder Spirit Venerables act so willfully... With the vastness of heaven and earth, they roam freely, at ease, unrestrained. No wonder—under this kind of Mental State, backed by such power, how could they listen to another’s commands?"

Chu Zhiyuan laughed. "If you want to step into Spirit Venerable, then first experience the Mental State of a Spirit Venerable. Find that kind of unbridled, unscrupulous willfulness."

"I..." Huang Zhengyang gave a bitter smile.

He felt that he could never find that feeling, and that even after becoming a Spirit Venerable, he might still be unable to have that kind of Mental State.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled. "This path counts as your shortcut. If it doesn’t work, then look for your own path."

"My own path..."

"This is a path common to all Spirit Venerables. If you don’t want to walk it, you’ll instead see more clearly what your own path is, which will help you step into Spirit Venerable."

"So that’s how it is..."

Zhou Muyin, listening at the side, was faintly moved.

He suddenly felt envious of Huang Zhengyang.

Having a Spirit Venerable give such wholehearted guidance and pour out everything like this could be called a peerless stroke of fortune.

Once one becomes a Spirit Venerable, their Mental State changes; they often look down upon all the beings under heaven.

It’s hard for them to be as sincere in their imparting as Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan pointed to another long sword. "The material of this sword is also peculiar; it is also a rare Treasure Sword. Unfortunately, it doesn’t suit me."

"Brother Chu, you use a sword, not a blade."

"The Evil Qi of this blade is too heavy, its slaughter far too great; it affects one’s Mental State too severely."

"Heavy Evil Qi?" Huang Zhengyang examined that ancient-looking long sword.

It looked gray and hazy, as if it had been placed on a high shelf to gather a thick layer of dust. It really didn’t look sharp, nor could he feel any Evil Qi from it.

Zhou Muyin couldn’t help asking, "Mr. Chu says this blade has very heavy killing intent?"

"Mm. Every one of this blade’s masters was a killing star," Chu Zhiyuan said. "You could say this blade’s Evil Qi is overwhelming. Once you carry it, your Mental State will naturally be affected; it’s almost unavoidable. The successive masters of the blade slaughtered so wantonly because they were influenced by it, endlessly deepening its Evil Qi. With each generation, the master grew more ruthless."

"A killing blade..." Huang Zhengyang looked it over curiously, then shook his head.

He couldn’t see anything, nor could he sense anything.

Zhou Muyin fixed his gaze solemnly on the blade, faintly thoughtful.

Chu Zhiyuan laughed. "Lord Zhou, you know the successive masters of this blade?"

Zhou Muyin said, "I did recall a legend. Three thousand years ago, there was a Nine-fingered Blade Demon who died at the hands of the Imperial Palace Tribute. It might well have been him."

"Nine-fingered Blade Demon... I know of him!" Huang Zhengyang clapped his hands, exclaiming in surprise. "There are quite a few legends about this Nine-fingered Blade Demon. So he actually died at the hands of the Imperial Palace Tribute? Could this be his Demon Sword?"

Zhou Muyin nodded slightly. "Most likely, yes."

He looked toward the two Purple-robed Eunuchs who stood there motionless, their eyes as calm as still water.

The two Purple-robed Eunuchs bent slightly at the waist, saying nothing.

This already indicated that what he said was correct—that it was indeed the Demon Sword of the Nine-fingered Blade Demon.

Huang Zhengyang sighed. "Such a Demon Sword, and you’re actually not curious, Brother Chu?"

"The blade is sharp, but greatly inauspicious. I have no desire to bring trouble upon myself." Chu Zhiyuan shook his head with a smile. "I advise you not to be curious either, Brother Huang."

"All right, then." Huang Zhengyang took the advice to heart and laughed. "Since you say so, Brother Chu, that’s that. Is there anything else?"

"There is one item that does suit you, Brother Huang."

"Which one?" Huang Zhengyang looked around.

Chu Zhiyuan pointed at the thin stick in front of him, as long as an arm and as thick as a finger.

"This one?" Huang Zhengyang examined the thin stick with curiosity.

Its dark surface was like black charcoal, faintly engraved with patterns, as if it had been struck by lightning.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled. "This wood has a marvelous effect in calming the Heart and Spirit; it’s best used when cultivating."

Huang Zhengyang asked, "What’s its origin? It’s thunder-struck wood, isn’t it?"

"Thunder-struck wood," Chu Zhiyuan said. "This wood is a unique species; it naturally has the effect of calming the heart and quieting the spirit. After being struck by lightning, the effect is strengthened."

"What kind of unique species?"

"That I don’t know," Chu Zhiyuan said. "Its origin is unknown. It should be an ancient tree; I don’t know whether it still exists in the world today. It’s at least ten thousand years old."

"Ten thousand years..." Huang Zhengyang clicked his tongue. "And it can still be so intact."

Wood is not like metal; it decays with the passage of time.

For wood of ten thousand years to still remain is indeed extraordinary.

He looked hopefully at Zhou Muyin.

Zhou Muyin shook his head. "You may only look, not touch—much less obtain it."

"Director..."

"Unless you exchange your Merit for it."

"Then let’s exchange it—hurry and exchange it!"

"We have to check how much Merit it costs."

"If I don’t have enough, can I owe some first?"

"In your case, it should be enough," Zhou Muyin said.

Huang Zhengyang’s Merit was plentiful, especially with the recent invasion by the Evil Venerable and the Undying Evil Venerable, and the siege by the Evil Sect—he had rendered Miracle Technique-level services.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled. "Let’s head back."

The three of them, escorted by the two Purple-robed Eunuchs, left the Imperial Treasury.

Chu Zhiyuan went straight back to the Heavenly Sword Branch, while Huang Zhengyang followed Zhou Muyin to exchange for that wooden stick.

After returning to the Heavenly Sword Branch, Chu Zhiyuan went on to the Profound Yin Palace and gave the copper ring to Xiao Ruoling.

Xiao Ruoling was intensely curious and couldn’t stop playing with it, savoring its mysteries.

Zhou Qingyu and Shen Hanyue watched, their eyes burning with envy.