Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 257: Chapter 254: Found

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He didn’t self-indulgently think that the White Cloud Sword Palace wanted to get close to him.

Close they may want to be, but they definitely have something to ask for.

While emotional connections can sometimes outweigh interests between people, they don’t between sects or a sect and an individual.

”White Cloud Sword House?” Wen Qianqian clicked her tongue, ”This is the legendary Sword Pavilion!”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled at her.

Wen Qianqian said, ”Your Highness, the Sword House is said to be the place closest to heaven and earth, and is the pinnacle of the universe; it should not be missed!”

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, ”Is it really that impressive?”

Wen Qianqian nodded earnestly, ”The reason we can produce so many Great Grandmasters is primarily because of the Sword House!”

”Sister Wen is not wrong,” Xu Mengyu said, ”It begins with the Sword Stele and ends with the Sword House, which isn’t a fixed place but elusive, known only to the Palace Master.”

Chu Zhiyuan glanced at Huang Shiron.

Huang Shiron nodded gently, ”The Sword House is indeed elusive; no one knows about it except the Palace Master, and it has been passed down from generation to generation.”

”What about those Great Grandmasters who have been there?”

”They forget about it once they leave.”

”In that case...” Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”It’s not something I can’t consider.”

”Your Highness, let’s hurry,” Wen Qianqian urged, ”If we delay any longer, Senior Brother Zhou will really escape!”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”If we are to search... let’s start from the first fork in the road. Where is it?”

Huang Shiron said, ”The first fork isn’t far; it’s probably at Huai Mountain, then it splits in two directions.”

”Let’s go there,” Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Start from the source, to see if we can find him.”

”Then I’ll leave it to you, Your Highness,” Huang Shiron clasped her fist in salute.

Wen Qianqian and Xu Mengyu solemnly clasped their fists.

Chu Zhiyuan waved his hand, ”It might all end up being for nothing, don’t get your hopes too high.”

”Your Highness, just do your best,” Huang Shiron said solemnly.

”Master Huang, we’ll go together then.”

”Alright,” Huang Shiron agreed readily.

Disciples of the Sword Palace have marks on their tracks, true and false marks combined, unrecognizable to outsiders.

Huai Mountain is not a small mountain. Could it be that Chu Zhiyuan plans to search the entire mountain? Someone needs to lead the way.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”First, get something personal from Zhou Tianqi.”

Huang Shiron pulled a small wooden sword from her sleeve, just the length of a palm, old and crude, ”This is the wooden sword Senior Brother Zhou brought from home when he joined the sect, said to have been carved by his father, and it stayed with him for years.”

Chu Zhiyuan took it, ”Childhood toys are often discarded when one grows up.”

Some keep their childhood toys as mementos, taking them out to look at from time to time.

Others cast them aside, never to think of them again.

This Zhou Tianqi is still sentimental, keeping it by his side for years before discarding it, indicating a longing for home and a severe lack of security.

Eventually, he discarded it, which means he found a better way to secure his safety, likely a real sword.

This Zhou Tianqi must have trained very diligently.

Chu Zhiyuan took it.

With Insight, the small sword was clearly and thoroughly seen inside and out, every tiny mark, every particle, and every aura attached to it.

Some auras fade over time, while others last forever, never disappearing.

This is an aura similar to emotional spirit, faintly sensed.

Chu Zhiyuan thought that if he stepped into the realm of Great Grandmaster, his Super Sense should evolve further, able to clearly sense this spiritual aura.

Moments later, he opened his eyes.

The three women widened their bright eyes, staring at him.

Chu Zhiyuan said slowly, ”Let’s give it a try, shall we set off?”

”Go now?”

”Naturally, the sooner, the better.”

”Then let’s go,” Huang Shiron decisively agreed.

Chu Zhiyuan bid farewell to Wen Qianqian and Xu Mengyu, and quickly disappeared from the two women’s sight with Huang Shiron.

Wen Qianqian suddenly said, ”Senior Sister and His Highness really match well.”

Xu Mengyu smiled with her lips pursed, ”Dare you say that in front of Senior Sister?”

”Hmph, I’ll say it if I want to, what’s there to be scared of, just afraid she’ll nag!”

”Knowing she’ll nag, and still you dare to talk nonsense!” Xu Mengyu shook her head, ”You’re really not afraid of death.”

Wen Qianqian hurriedly closed her mouth and looked around.

Xu Mengyu said, ”Senior Sister has grand ambitions, how could she be involved in romantic affairs... let’s keep patrolling, don’t make any mistakes, or we’ll be nagged by Senior Sister again when we return.”

”Alas...” Wen Qianqian gazed wistfully into the distance where Chu Zhiyuan and Huang Shiron disappeared.

...

Chu Zhiyuan returned to the Prince Mansion quickly, leaving Zou Fang and Guo Chi behind, and led out two Heavenly Dragon Divine Horses.

As soon as the two Heavenly Dragon Divine Horses saw him, they neighed excitedly and followed him lightly out of the Prince Mansion to its front.

Chu Zhiyuan leapt onto a horse and reached out his hand.

Huang Shiron was taken aback.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”They don’t allow others to ride them; we have to sit together.”

Huang Shiron showed a look of embarrassment.

Sitting in front of him, in his arms, was indeed too intimate.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”Then would you use qinggong to keep up?”

”Is sitting together the only way?”

”There’s no other way,” Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Or, you could sit behind me?”

”...No need,” Huang Shiron took a deep breath, calmed down, and extended her jade-like hand.

Chu Zhiyuan chuckled silently.

Looking at Huang Shiron’s dignified composure, he always couldn’t resist teasing her, to disrupt her aura of being above worldly things.

Huang Shiron flew lightly, gracefully landing in front of Chu Zhiyuan.

Soft fragrance and warmth pressed close, a faint fragrance wafted.

In front of him were her cloud-like hair, black and shiny, a subtle fragrance lingering at the tip of the nose, refreshing.

Her snow-white neck was slender, elegant, and graceful.

Chu Zhiyuan wrapped his arms around her slim waist, flicked the reins, and gently tapped the horse’s belly, ”Let’s go.”

The two Heavenly Dragon Divine Horses suddenly galloped out, surprisingly fast, making Huang Shiron involuntarily lean back against Chu Zhiyuan’s chest.

Her jade face blushed.

Her body was extremely sensitive, able to smell Chu Zhiyuan’s aura, feeling the hardness of his body, contrasting starkly with her soft body.

She took a deep breath, widened her bright eyes, and glanced around to divert her attention.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled without further teasing her.

Huang Shiron seemed gentle and weak, yet was determined and self-improving, with a completely different aspiration from Xiao Ruoling.

Although Xiao Ruoling possessed extraordinary talent and astonishing beauty, all she longed for was to be a good wife and mother, staying at the Prince Mansion or State Duke Mansion.

Sometimes she wanted to go out for fun, but it was just to spice up life, not really wanting to venture into the Martial Arts world.

Huang Shiron, however, had grand ambitions.

She aspired to become the Palace Master of the White Cloud Sword Palace.

And the mental method of White Cloud Sword Palace demands a carefree spirit, like clouds emerging from a peak, unrestrained by things.

Chu Zhiyuan understood this and always kept a distance from Huang Shiron, close but not intimate.

Merely serving as eye candy for now, viewing her as a potential cooperative partner for the future.

...

While continuing to perform the Sword Nourishing Technique, Chu Zhiyuan said, ”After you catch up with Zhou Tianqi, what do you plan to do with him?”

”First, we need to figure out what he has done,” Huang Shiron said, ”Has he harmed anyone?”

”What if he doesn’t admit it?”

”There are ways to make him confess.”

”What if he has harmed people?”

”Then we can only abolish his cultivation and make him atone for life.”

”Not handing him over to the Court?”

”...”

”That’s right.” Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”First the sect, then the Court, sect law surpasses national law.”

Huang Shiron turned to look at him.

They were in close proximity, hearing each other’s breaths.

Her breath was like orchids, her bright eyes sparkling, staring intently at Chu Zhiyuan, ”Your Highness, this should count as an internal sect matter, not to be interfered with by the Court.”

”That’s also true,” Chu Zhiyuan nodded with a smile, stopping the teasing, ”It’s probably the revenge of the Yuding Sect; what will you do?”

Her complexion was as smooth as porcelain, delicate and flawless, with almost no pores, her nose like jade, lips like cherry blossom, her features bright and charming.

Her bright eyes sparkled, dazzling and captivating.

”If it really is Yuding Sect, the sect will send experts to eradicate Yuding Sect!”

”That would be good.”

With hoofbeats like thunder and strong winds on their faces, their posture was intimate, yet the conversation was all business.

In a short time, they arrived at Huai Mountain.

Chu Zhiyuan stood on a treetop, his body swaying gently with the treetop, slowly closing his eyes.

Super Sense expanded outward.

Huang Shiron watched him nervously, as whether they could find Zhou Tianqi depended on this, it was significant.

Moments later, Chu Zhiyuan opened his eyes and pointed westward.

Huang Shiron was taken aback, ”Everyone seemed to have gone east or south, not west.”

”Let’s go,” Chu Zhiyuan drifted from the treetop to the back of the Heavenly Dragon Divine Horse, pulling Huang Shiron, heading west.

...

The sun set in the west,

the two Heavenly Dragon Divine Horses stopped in front of a village.

Chu Zhiyuan sat on the horse, surveying the village, and with a sigh said, ”Here we are.”

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