Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 268: Chapter 265: First Exploration

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Committing such an act, no amount of dying could atone, certain death awaits.

Instantly, the Evil Sect came to mind.

No matter how rampant the Wuyou Sect disciples are, they wouldn’t commit such an act leading to inevitable death.

This is something only disciples of the Evil Sect would do.

”Join the Evil Sect...” Chu Qingyan shook his head and said, ”That’s unlikely. Disciples of the Four Great Sects always look down on the Evil Sect and would never join them.”

”Uncle, the most enticing thing about the Evil Sect Heart Method is its swiftness. It doesn’t require long-term arduous practice to easily gain immense power. There are always some disciples who can’t resist the temptation, regardless of the past or present Four Great Sects.”

”...They won’t,” Chu Qingyan hesitated, ”The cost of shortcuts is too high; they all know this and won’t act recklessly.”

”I’m just afraid that some people are too arrogant, thinking they can resist the influence of the Evil Sect Heart Method,” Chu Zhiyuan said slowly, ”There have been quite a few who’ve died this way, right?”

”In recent years, no, but it was indeed true in the past.”

”Uncle, people are forgetful. After so many years, they’ve forgotten the lessons of the past.”

”If a Wuyou Sect disciple has joined the Evil Sect... which one would it be?”

”To kill so many people, it shouldn’t be the Yuding Sect or the Secret Shadow Sect, nor the Fearless Sect... This Wuyou Sect disciple acts so insidiously, which goes against the nature of those Evil Sects.”

”...A new Evil Sect? Do you think there’s a more troublesome Evil Sect emerging?”

”I’m afraid so,” Chu Zhiyuan sighed, ”That would be even more troublesome. By the way, did you catch him?”

A scheming Evil Sect is the most terrifying.

The scariest thing is that these evildoers are often both brave and wise, while the typical Evil Sect disciples are only brave but lack wisdom.

Now that wisdom is complemented, the Evil Sect becomes as fierce as a tiger with wings.

”...Couldn’t catch him,” Chu Qingyan said slowly.

Chu Zhiyuan looked at him in confusion.

Chu Qingyan glared at him, ”He hid on Wuyou Peak; there’s no way to go in and catch him.”

He really didn’t want to say this, but this guy somehow didn’t grasp the situation when he should have.

”Not even the Great Grandmaster?”

”No.”

Chu Zhiyuan frowned, ”This is acting with impunity...then how can we catch him?”

Chu Qingyan sneered, ”We can only inform the Wuyou Sect and let them handle it; we can’t go in and catch him.”

Chu Zhiyuan’s face darkened.

This is like a place beyond the law, making him extremely uncomfortable.

It felt like his territory was being snatched away, and he wished he could take it back.

”Will the Wuyou Sect cover up?”

”If the Wuyou Sect finds it out, they will definitely not tolerate it and will only punish him more severely, unbearably harsh.”

”...Somehow, it just doesn’t sit right,” Chu Zhiyuan said, ”How it’s handled is entirely at the Wuyou Sect’s discretion, the Court can’t decide.”

”There’s nothing we can do. Without the original Four Great Sects, there wouldn’t be our present Da Jing, nor the good days for our Chu Family. We just have to endure it.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded, ”That’s true. Burning bridges after crossing them indeed isn’t appropriate... Is it settled then?”

”That’s all we can do for the matter in Xunzhou City,” Chu Qingyan grunted, ”We must harshly punish those officials!”

This was venting his anger.

The anger originally meant for that Wuyou Sect disciple was also directed at these officials.

Chu Zhiyuan imagined these officials probably wouldn’t be kept; they’d all be driven away.

The light penalty would be demotion and transfer, while the heavy penalty would be dismissal, never to be employed again, meaning their official career would be over for this lifetime.

”Uncle, the matter with the Wuyou Sect disciple is minor,” Chu Zhiyuan said, ”If a new Evil Sect truly appears, that would be a significant issue.”

Chu Qingyan also recognized the severity of the situation and said solemnly, ”I will report this matter to the Emperor.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded slowly.

Chu Qingyan said, ”Yuan’er, do you really want to go to Lu Yaofeng’s Cave Mansion with Li Hongzhao?”

Chu Zhiyuan replied, ”The Grandmasters haven’t found it yet?”

He had reported earlier, and the Grandmasters of the Grandmaster Mansion had already set out.

The Cave Mansion of a Grandmaster is also attractive to Grandmasters.

Chu Qingyan said helplessly, ”If the Cave Mansion were easy to find, it would have been found long ago, not been left till now.”

Chu Zhiyuan pondered, ”If the Grandmasters follow behind, it won’t be hidden from Su Qiuyan. I’ll go check first as a vanguard.”

He desperately wished for a few Grandmasters to follow behind, to save himself at a critical moment.

The sense of danger remained persistent.

But things had come to this point, and he couldn’t avoid it. He was very curious: is the source of danger the Wuyou Sect, or Lu Yaofeng’s Cave Mansion?

Only by finding the source of the danger could the threat be completely eliminated, bringing peace to his mind.

”Uncle, let Huang Cheng follow me.”

”Alright, I’ll inform the Emperor, and the Emperor will surely agree.”

——

The sun shone brightly.

At the summit of a towering mountain, Chu Zhiyuan and Li Hongzhao stood side by side.

Li Hongzhao wore a fiery red silk garment, seemingly engulfed in flames, her beautiful face exuded an extra allure that captivated the heart.

Chu Zhiyuan donned the Biluo True Robe, striking and handsome.

To avoid danger, he couldn’t mind that this robe had been taken from Zhang Youling, he cleaned it thoroughly before wearing it.

Surrounding them was a dense pine forest.

They stood on a massive boulder at the mountain’s peak, polished smooth by wind and rain.

Overlooking the entire pine forest.

The mountains seemed like floating islands in the white clouds.

”Is this where the Cave Mansion is located?”

Chu Zhiyuan looked towards the cliff outside the pine forest, the cliff below was a steep, vertical mountain face.

The Cave Mansion seemed unlikely to be on this cliff face, but considering Lu Yaofeng’s identity, it seemed possible here.

”It is here.” Li Hongzhao said proudly, ”Who would have thought? Couldn’t find it, right?”

Chu Zhiyuan surveyed the surroundings, sighing, ”No wonder it couldn’t be found.”

The Heavenly Dragon Divine Horse followed from afar, five hundred meters away, ready to rush over and carry him.

Various Flying Knives were hidden in the White Tripod, along with a few Spirit Pills for detoxification and healing.

Chu Zhiyuan floated to the edge of the cliff near three pine trees.

The strong wind along the stone wall caused these three pine trees to tremble, the pine needles whistling.

They stood proudly against the wind, their trunks cracked like turtle shells, indicating their ancient age.

Chu Zhiyuan stretched out his hand to support one of them.

For a moment, he was dazed, as if he transformed into a pine tree, beginning as a sapling, gradually growing and witnessing the changes of this mountain peak, observing the increasingly steep mountain face.

Moments later, he touched the second pine.

Then the third.

Watching him touch each tree in turn, Li Hongzhao laughed, ”You like pine trees?”

Chu Zhiyuan turned to look at her, his eyes like cold stars.

Li Hongzhao felt that he suddenly became dazzlingly radiant, making it hard to look directly at him.

Li Hongzhao laughed and asked, ”What’s different about these three pine trees?”

”They witnessed half of Lu Yaofeng’s life,” Chu Zhiyuan said slowly.

Lu Yaofeng didn’t die here; after the woman died, he left this place, whereabouts unknown.

And when he left for the last time, his eyes fixed on the cave on the stone wall, letting out a cold laugh.

That laugh was filled with killing intent.

Thus, Chu Zhiyuan could infer that he had set a trap here.

It must be an extraordinary trap.

He felt that the source of the danger was in this cave.

This made him both worried and excited.

Finally, this threat was about to be resolved!

Li Hongzhao said, ”Shall we go down then?”

”It’s best to scout first,” Chu Zhiyuan said, ”I’ll do it.”

”How will you scout?” Li Hongzhao thought with amusement.

As expected, he was a greedy fellow.

Chu Zhiyuan flicked his hand, and a shiny Flying Knife appeared in his palm.

Li Hongzhao couldn’t help but laugh, ”I forgot you’re skilled with flying knives!”

Chu Zhiyuan’s Flying Knife turned into a streak of light, descending along the mountain face, mid-way turning sharply towards a crevice in the mountain wall, drilling into the cave.

Moments later, he frowned deeply.

The Flying Knife, mystically linked to him, suddenly severed its connection.

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