Imperial Cultivation

56: Chapter 54: Drawing the Sword

56 -54: Drawing the Sword

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The princes and princely heirs also felt it was unfair.

This is too bullying; the Emperor didn’t want to agree and was deliberately making things difficult.

If he doesn’t want to agree, then just say so; there’s no need for such excuses.

Hence, discussions arose, speaking out for Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan coughed twice.

Everyone turned their heads to look at him.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, “I’ll give it a try.”

“Hold on, Fourth Brother,” Chu Zhitian puffed out his chest, took a step forward, and clasped his fists, saying, “Mr.

Gao, let me inquire first!”

A Grandmaster and a Grandmaster are different; I should first probe the way, so Fourth Brother will have a better idea of how to win.

The burly and robust Gao Jiong hesitated.

Chu Zhitian said, “I’m not a match for Mr.

Gao, but I want to see just how formidable a Grandmaster can be.

The Grandmasters in our mansion all humor me as if coaxing a child, it’s maddening!”

Gao Jiong looked at Chu Qingfeng.

Chu Qingfeng said, “Little Gao, let him gain some insight.”

“Yes,” Gao Jiong solemnly agreed, clasping his fists toward Chu Zhitian, “Heir, please—!”

“Take this punch!” Chu Zhitian thrust out a punch.

The fist instantly expanded by a circle, purple energy flowed under the skin, using the Sky Thunder Hammer, a fist technique Chu Zhiyao was also skilled in.

The Sky Thunder Hammer was fast, fierce, and vicious, with remarkable power.

This punch gathered all the strength of his body; he knew he only had one punch’s chance, if it failed, he would lose.

It all depended on whether this punch could break through the Gang Qi.

Gao Jiong solemnly punched to meet it.

“Bang!” Chu Zhitian flew out over ten meters, crashing into the crowd.

The princes and heirs rushed forward to catch him, but four of them were dragged along and flew with him.

“Bang bang bang bang…”

“Ouch!”

“Ouch ouch!”

…

Amid the cries of pain, the five rolled into a heap, unable to rise.

An invisible force still pressed on them, like a mountain descending.

They gritted their teeth, faces contorted.

In the mansion, sparring with those Grandmasters, they never suffered such a fate, knowing Grandmasters were formidable but not realizing they were this formidable.

Gao Jiong apologetically clasped his fists.

Chu Zhitian lay on the ground, wide-eyed, looking at the sky, the azure sky as clear as washed, the sunlight bright.

Indeed, when the Grandmasters in the mansion sparred with him, they humored him; and they humored him too thoroughly!

A Grandmaster is indeed a Grandmaster!

Chu Zhiyuan came to the side of Chu Zhitian and the other four, squatted down, and lightly tapped them a few times, dissolving the Gang Qi in their bodies.

The aura of the Washing Sword Technique could indeed dissolve Gang Qi.

He helped up the five, smiling as he patted their shoulders.

The Gang Qi of the Grandmaster was indeed remarkable, concentrated yet undispersed, conducted through objects, even using a mountain to strike a cow, directly affecting the five individuals.

The Washing Sword Technique couldn’t achieve that now.

Ultimately, the depth of cultivation was insufficient, and after being refined through the Blood Purification Technique, the Misty Purple Energy was as if highly concentrated, with only one-tenth remaining.

Chu Zhitian stood up, rubbed his chest, and gave a bitter smile, “There’s such a big difference, Fourth Brother, you need to be careful.”

“No problem,” Chu Zhiyuan smiled.

The other four were also apprehensive, knowing that Grandmasters were indeed terrifying.

Compared to a Grandmaster, they were like little chicks, too weak to withstand a single blow.

Although Chu Zhiyuan was strong, he was likely not a match for a Grandmaster either.

…

“My turn!” Chu Zhichuan said in a deep voice, coming before Gao Jiong, fist-clasped, “Mr.

Gao, I would also like to inquire a bit.”

“Please, Heir—!” Gao Jiong sternly clasped his fists.

In his heart, he felt dismissive, thinking the princes and heirs before him were vulnerable, yet he had to act serious and earnest, not wanting them to think he was condescending.

Who knew just how arrogant these princes and heirs could be, or how sensitive they might be with such large egos, exploding at the slightest provocation.

Chu Zhichuan turned to the weapons rack, took an Ironwood Sword, lifted the sword tip, pressing the hilt down, striking an opening pose, “I will use a sword, is that okay?”

“Whatever the Heir wishes,” Gao Jiong said.

Chu Zhichuan pointed the sword tip at Gao Jiong’s brow, pacing slowly, expression solemn and focused.

With each step, the power on the sword grew stronger, each step adding more strength to the sword.

Chu Zhiyuan’s sword brows lifted.

Nine Transitions Soaring Sword Technique.

To master this technique, Chu Zhichuan truly deserved to be a genius of the Sword Dao.

With each Transition in the Nine Transitions Soaring Sword Technique, the power doubled, the speed increased; after nine transitions, one could soar to ninety thousand miles, breaking through ten thousand layers of clouds.

The momentum was fierce,

and the speed was unparalleled.

Gao Jiong’s expression was serious, standing firmly, moving with Chu Zhichuan’s rotations, quickly reaching the ninth circle.

Chu Zhiyuan felt Chu Zhichuan had reached his limit; any further would lose control.

“Hiss!” The sword tip pierced through the air, instantly reaching Gao Jiong’s chest.

“Bang!” Gao Jiong’s palm cut like lightning, slicing the sword tip with precision, sending the Ironwood Sword flying away.

The Ironwood Sword shot over ten meters, “hiss,” embedding a foot deep into the stone table beside the western palace hall.

The sword hilt quivered endlessly.

Even as he released the Ironwood Sword, Chu Zhichuan was struck by the violent force and flew over ten meters, dragging six princes and heirs, landing in a heap on the ground.

The seven ended up stacked as a pile, Chu Zhichuan lying at the topmost, his face pale as paper.

His internal organs were trembling, blood surged throughout, unbearably painful.

Chu Zhiyuan slid forward, tapping once on each of their shoulders, dispelling the turbulent Gang Qi.

This time he felt the strain.

Gao Jiong had gauged their cultivation, daring to be more ruthless.

Why did these princes and heirs believe Grandmaster experts were just so, and not because the Grandmasters they had faced never dared to truly strike, always coaxing them like children.

The seven supported by Chu Zhiyuan, standing with difficulty.

Chu Zhichuan’s pale face gritted his teeth but said nothing, just tightly grasping Chu Zhiyuan’s hand.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded deeply, understanding his intention.

The two of them were paving the way, probing the situation to help create a winning opportunity for themselves.

All hope rested on them, wanting them to win, not wasting their effort.

Chu Zhiyuan stepped forward, clasped his fists, and smiled, “Mr.

Gao, please instruct.”

“Please, Heir!” Gao Jiong solemnly.

Finally, the main figure came forth.

Sent on a mission to hone him, to let him endure Grandmaster-like attacks and hardships, to squeeze out his true skills and utmost limits, which would truly enhance him.

This required no politeness, no preserving harmony, harsh actions were necessary.

Chu Zhiyuan drew his sword from its scabbard, pointing at Gao Jiong, “Mr.

Gao, is it alright to use a real sword?”

With the Qingying Sword in hand, instantly there was a feeling of it being part of his flesh and blood, controlled as easily as his own arm, nimble and agile, eager to try.

With the Qingying Sword in hand, his swordsmanship’s power increased, without it, his chances of winning would drop.

“As you wish, Heir, I won’t hold back, be careful!”

“Please!”

After Chu Zhiyuan slowly uttered this word, his figure flashed and disappeared, appearing the next moment on Gao Jiong’s left side.

Gao Jiong suddenly sidestepped, moving suddenly and swiftly.

The onlookers only felt his shoulder sway before shifting three feet to the side.

In the next moment, Chu Zhiyuan appeared on his right side.

Gao Jiong stepped forward, maintaining distance with Chu Zhiyuan.

However, in the next moment, Chu Zhiyuan was already behind him, the sword tip stabbing into his left shoulder, the sword tip appearing at the front.

“Hey!” Gao Jiong, in disbelief, grunted, his eyes suddenly shooting ice-cold lights.

He swiftly turned, palm extending like lightning, his figure suddenly speeding up.

Chu Mingxuan and the others couldn’t even see clearly, only seeing him turn into a blur.

Chu Zhiyuan’s form flickered multiple times, dodging Gao Jiong’s continuous assaults, stabbing him again in the left shoulder, exactly where it was before.

This made Gao Jiong’s eyes widen even more, in disbelief.

“Stop,” Chu Qingfeng, who had been silently watching coldly, spoke up.