Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 258: Chapter 255 Black Pearl

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”Right here?” Huang Shiron exclaimed in surprise.

Chu Zhiyuan slowly said, ”If I’m not mistaken, Zhou Tianqi is right here.”

Huang Shiron turned her head to look around.

The Heavenly Dragon Divine Horse was so fast that she couldn’t even discern directions and ended up here in a daze.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”One thousand miles directly west of Yujing, fooled everyone, amazing indeed.”

Leading everyone away, that’s not difficult.

Having seen Zhang Youling demonstrate before, it was indeed indistinguishable from the real thing.

But Zhou Tianqi not only made the fake appear real but also hid the real one so that no one looked in this direction.

This is truly impressive.

Huang Shiron softly asked, ”How was this achieved?”

”Maybe it’s a miracle technique, or maybe it’s a miraculous object,” Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Shall we capture him first?”

He was already convinced it was due to a miraculous object, and he had seen this object.

Huang Shiron showed a look of complexity and gently nodded.

Chu Zhiyuan put his arm around Huang Shiron’s slender waist and dismounted.

The Heavenly Dragon Divine Horse turned into a golden light and dashed into the nearby forest to play.

Chu Zhiyuan and Huang Shiron transformed into wisps of light smoke, slipping into a quiet mountain village.

Smoke was rising from every household, the air filled with the scent of burning firewood, mixed with the freshness of dusk.

Chu Zhiyuan stopped outside a small courtyard and looked toward Huang Shiron.

Huang Shiron slowly nodded.

She moved forward and gently pushed the door open.

The courtyard door opened easily with a gentle push, without using Gang Qi to break it open.

She pushed the door open and entered the courtyard, seeing a middle-aged man standing in the center, just having finished practicing, with a calm expression.

”Senior Brother Zhou,” Huang Shiron immediately recognized this middle-aged man, looking at him with a complex expression, ”We’ve finally found you.”

The middle-aged man smiled, ”No wonder you found me, it’s you, Junior Sister Huang.”

Huang Shiron stared at him, curiously asking, ”Senior Brother Zhou, I’ve always been curious, why exactly?”

Zhou Tianqi shook his head and said, ”No reason.”

”Is it because of Uncle Kong? Did Uncle Kong wrong you, Senior Brother Zhou?”

”Yes and no.”

”Could Senior Brother Zhou not enlighten me?”

”You wouldn’t understand.” Zhou Tianqi sighed and sat down on a nearby chair, ”You are a prodigy, the most talented in our sect, you wouldn’t understand my despair and helplessness.”

”Does Senior Brother yearn for the Great Grandmaster status so much?”

”If one doesn’t become a Great Grandmaster, what’s the point of living?” Zhou Tianqi sneered, ”In this fleeting life, soon to die, why practice martial arts at all? Spending a lifetime, it’s better to enjoy life, earn silver, play with women, start a family, or go into business, all better than toiling in the sect.”

”Doesn’t Senior Brother Zhou feel that the time on the mountain is wonderful? It’s enjoyable in itself, much better than doing business outside.”

Huang Shiron couldn’t understand his way of thinking.

On the mountain, everything was pure and beautiful, and the relationships between senior brothers, sisters, and junior sisters were friendly.

It was much better than the Military Suppression Department.

The complexities of human nature and interests in the world outside the mountain were far inferior to the simplicity on the mountain.

”You, Junior Sister Huang, feel it’s good because you are a favorite of heaven; everyone adores you, so you naturally feel that the people around you are good and life is beautiful, and the time on the mountain is even more beautiful.”

”So Senior Brother Zhou feels the mountain doesn’t compare to outside.”

”Actually, it’s the same everywhere, merely the law of the jungle.” Zhou Tianqi sighed, ”In this world, being weak is a crime, so one must keep getting stronger, always get stronger, and finally become a Great Grandmaster, to not waste this life, to live up to this world!”

”So to become stronger, you can even kill your master?” Huang Shiron asked, ”Why exactly did you kill Uncle Kong?”

”Because that old guy wanted to kill me!” Zhou Tianqi said quietly, ”Even a tiger, though cruel, doesn’t eat its cubs, yet he wanted to kill me!... Since he was unkind, why should I speak of righteousness?”

His expression was indifferent and calm, but the veins stood out on the hand gripping the armrest of the chair.

”Because Uncle Kong discovered you practiced evil skills, right?”

”Correct.”

”Yuding Sect’s evil skills?”

”Junior Sister Huang, you know quite a bit.”

”Was it someone from Yuding Sect who approached you?”

”I killed a demon from Yuding Sect, obtained their cultivation method, and tried it out, and it was indeed marvelous.”

”You killed someone?”

”Almost, I tried it on beasts, hadn’t started killing people.” Zhou Tianqi said, ”Then that old guy found out.”

Huang Shiron let out a long breath of relief.

Zhou Tianqi laughed, ”Seems like Junior Sister Huang is indeed kind-hearted.”

Huang Shiron said, ”Since you haven’t killed anyone, there’s still hope, Senior Brother Zhou, come back with me.”

”And after going back?” Zhou Tianqi sneered sarcastically, ”Destroy my martial arts, and become a servant.”

”You still have a chance to cultivate again.” Huang Shiron said, ”If you continue down this dark path, you know the consequences, Senior Brother Zhou.”

”Death?” Zhou Tianqi chuckled indifferently, ”If I can’t cultivate, I’d rather die.”

Huang Shiron frowned at him, ”Senior Brother Zhou, have you become unafraid of death because of training in evil skills?”

”Destroy my martial arts, living becomes worse than death.” Zhou Tianqi wore a regretful expression, ”Since that’s the case, I’d rather die a swift death, ... Junior Sister Huang, you shouldn’t have come!”

”... Senior Brother Zhou, there’s one thing I don’t understand, how did you evade the Law Enforcement Hall’s pursuit? You turned into several people at once, truly impressive means, fooled them.”

”Junior Sister Huang, you’re also someone destined to leave, why be so curious.”

”Does Senior Brother Zhou insist on killing me?”

She sensed the killing intent filling the air.

Since Zhou Tianqi could bring himself to kill his master, how could he not kill her?

”On the road to the netherworld, we accompany each other, it won’t be lonely.”

”But how did Senior Brother Zhou manage to hide from the Great Grandmaster’s perception?”

”A miraculous object, unfortunately, Junior Sister Huang, you won’t be able to use it.”

After saying this, he suddenly leaped up intending to dash toward Huang Shiron.

Huang Shiron suddenly surged forward, a glint of cold light flashing from her waist.

”Uh...”

Zhou Tianqi’s eyes widened, utterly in disbelief.

Never expected Huang Shiron’s sword to be so swift, and to strike first before he could execute Jade and Stone Burning.

Just a bit more, and he could have executed Jade and Stone Burning, taking her with him from this chaotic world, traveling the road to the underworld together.

As this thought surfaced in his mind, it was quickly swallowed by darkness, his vision blackening as he died silent and unmoving.

”Excellent swordsmanship.” Chu Zhiyuan entered the courtyard clapping, praising, ”Such a fast sword!”

Huang Shiron’s sword, whether in the timing of execution or the speed, was absolutely top-notch.

The sword tip directly pierced Zhou Tianqi’s forehead, severing his thoughts instantly, stopping the Jade and Stone Burning.

Huang Shiron remained expressionless, lightly wiped the sword tip, and sheathed it.

This was all thanks to Chu Zhiyuan’s guidance outside of Taizhou City, allowing her to grasp the precursors of Jade and Stone Burning.

She looked toward Zhou Tianqi, who was standing stiff, not falling.

A small red dot at his forehead, his eyes still open, just his gaze had lost its brilliance, devoid of life.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”Striking decisively and cleanly, taking action when necessary, you indeed have the makings of a Palace Master.”

Seeing Huang Shiron’s heavy expression, he chuckled, ”If you hadn’t killed him, he would have killed you, what’s there to dwell on? Call in the people from the Military Suppression Department?”

”Hmm.” Huang Shiron slowly said, ”We’ll have to trouble them.”

Chu Zhiyuan drew out the Qingying Sword and lightly flicked it.

A black pearl was flicked out from Zhou Tianqi’s bosom, sticking to the sword tip.

A stone pearl the size of a pinky finger, it seemed dipped in ink, utterly devoid of luster.

Emitting a bizarre aura, the aura was dim and obscure, touching it caused a sense of dizziness.

Besides this pearl, inside the room, there was also a small black tripod, thumb-sized, exquisitely delicate.

Ornamented with intricate patterns.

Under Insight, these patterns were indeed the usual patterns of Yuding Sect, seemingly ordinary at first glance, but on closer inspection appeared to come alive.

These patterns contained strange powers.

Chu Zhiyuan’s expression turned solemn.

He gradually formed some speculations about the Evil Sect, judging that the rapid advancement of the Evil Sect’s power was not only due to absorbing Essence Blood but also other forces mingled in.

This power was likely the Outer Heaven Power.

It was this Outer Heaven Power that truly altered their character.

This was a guess based on his inscription insight through the Fearless Great Perfection Handprint.

Huang Shiron examined the small black pearl, ”What is this?”

”It should be the miraculous object that conceals one’s aura,” Chu Zhiyuan laughed, ”Who does this belong to?”

”Naturally, it’s yours, Princely Heir,” Huang Shiron said.

This miraculous object was truly fascinating, providing endless uses for those from the Evil Sect, yet for the White Cloud Sword Palace, it had little significance.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”Then I graciously accept it.”

He was extremely eager to study the strange forces on this black pearl.

Moreover, possessing it should allow him to shield himself from the Great Grandmaster’s perception.

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