Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 311: Chapter 308 Efficacy

Xiao Ruoling gently shook her head: ”I heard from the Elder that you paid quite a price to take action.”

Yun Qiuhua praised Chu Zhiyuan endlessly in front of Xiao Ruoling and Shen Hanyue.

He extolled Chu Zhiyuan as unrivaled in the world.

As a Grandmaster, he dared to challenge a Great Grandmaster and even posed a threat to him.

His Flying Knife was truly as extraordinary as the rumors, with the ability to catch gods and ghosts off guard, impossible to defend against.

Even a Great Grandmaster needed to handle it carefully, otherwise, one careless moment could result in injury.

Xiao Ruoling hurriedly asked if he was injured.

Yun Qiuhua recounted the situation at the time; if not for his Flying Knife, it would have been very difficult for them to kill those three Great Grandmasters of the Evil Sect.

These three wicked individuals had been targeted for over a hundred years, but they had never been able to be killed before. Great Grandmasters were exceedingly difficult to kill.

Last night, that long-desired wish was finally fulfilled.

It was all thanks to Chu Zhiyuan.

This time he was a great help, and the Elders were very pleased. They would be sure to repay him well in the future.

Xiao Ruoling, on the other hand, was listening with her heart pounding.

The three Evil Sect Great Grandmasters personally hunted him; if it weren’t in Yao Yue Palace, if they had encountered him halfway...

If a Great Grandmaster had lured away the Great Grandmasters of the Grandmaster Mansion, or if two Great Grandmasters had done so, it would have been enough to take his life.

Thinking of this, she was filled with fear.

Chu Zhiyuan saw her pale face, patted her jade-like hand, and smiled, ”In fact, I intentionally exaggerated a bit. It wasn’t that serious.”

Xiao Ruoling said, ”For now, don’t go to the Secret Land. It’s very dangerous over there too.”

”That works too,” Chu Zhiyuan smiled. ”Let me help you with your cultivation.”

As he spoke, the Qionghua Nine Chapters began to operate, merging with her cold aura.

Xiao Ruoling’s white jade-like face quickly flushed with a hint of crimson, becoming dazzlingly beautiful, extraordinarily exquisite.

The two held hands, closed their eyes, and did not move, practicing for two hours straight, stopping only to have lunch at noon.

”Your Highness, this is Flood Dragon meat,” Mo Yi said with a smiling, musical tone as she presented the meal.

Chu Zhiyuan raised his sword-like eyebrows.

Mo Yi said, ”All that Flood Dragon meat has been frozen and stored in the cold storage of Yao Yue Palace, for your Highness to use at any time in the future.”

Chu Zhiyuan picked up a piece of crystal-like meat jelly, tasted it, and nodded in satisfaction.

It was extremely delicious.

With just a gentle chew, it turned into a warm stream entering the stomach, like taking a sip of strong liquor.

The Dragon Transformation Technique naturally began to operate, and the golden-yellow airflow instantly became even brighter, following the Seventh Layer’s Meat Refining route.

The blood and flesh all over his body were slightly hot, and his control over his body increased a bit.

”Not bad, not bad,” Chu Zhiyuan smiled.

”If your Highness likes it, should we serve this again for dinner?”

”From now on, add this dish to every meal except breakfast.”

”Yes.”

Xiao Ruoling saw him enjoying it, so she tried a bite, only finding it delicious, not feeling anything special.

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, ”This Flood Dragon meat aids my practice of the Dragon Transformation Technique.”

Xiao Ruoling said, ”The Flood Dragon’s sinews, scales, skin, pearl, and bones have all been separately retrieved and are being individually processed.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”I need to see them to know.”

Xiao Ruoling said, ”It will take a few more days to properly process them; it’s rather troublesome.”

”How to process them?” Chu Zhiyuan asked.

Xiao Ruoling then explained the processing method for each part, clearly having inquired carefully.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”If it were me, I’d just cut the meat, give the rest a simple wash, and be done with it.”

”That would diminish their effectiveness. For example, the Flood Dragon Pearl, if not soaked, would shrink rapidly. The Flood Dragon Scales require special herbs for grinding immediately, without which they can’t be ground down again. The Flood Dragon Sinews need special herbs for soaking, else they’ll become hard, losing elasticity.”

Chu Zhiyuan agreed, ”Every field has its expert.”

The two chatted casually while eating.

”Over a hundred kinds of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, is there really so much in the Secret Land?”

”There are, but it’s a matter of whether you encounter them. It’s been three thousand years, it’s a record from the previous dynasty.”

”Three thousand years...” Chu Zhiyuan sighed, ”And in nearly a thousand years, how many kinds have been collected?”

”As far as I know, there have been nine kinds in total,” Xiao Ruoling laughed. ”These nine kinds all have miraculous effects, some improve aptitude, some extend lifespan, some enhance perception.”

”Extend lifespan?”

”There’s an Immortal Grass, just one character different from the Sky-reaching Grass, which can extend lifespan by sixty years when ingested.”

”One full cycle...”

”What full cycle?”

”Sixty years is indeed astonishing; even the Undying Tree of the Da Meng Imperial Family only gives ten years.”

”About a hundred years ago, there was a senior whose lifespan was nearly exhausted and was suffering from the Heavenly Person Five Decays. After eating it, he lived another sixty years.”

”What about for a Great Grandmaster?”

”A Great Grandmaster hasn’t tried it... This herb is too rare, only one has been picked in a thousand years.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”There are plenty of Sky-reaching Grass, but it’s not considered among the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.”

”Sky-reaching Grass isn’t counted as a Heavenly Material or Earthly Treasure,” Xiao Ruoling lightly shook her head, pursed her lips, and smiled, ”Otherwise, it would have been very difficult to give you so much.”

Given as Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, to give Chu Zhiyuan so much Sky-reaching Grass, Yao Yue Palace would not willingly do so.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”The Secret Land of Yao Yue Palace is indeed superior to the Court’s Secret Land.”

Xiao Ruoling nodded, ”Indeed stronger... back then, the Four Great Sects’ Sect Masters agreed to give the court just one Secret Land in exchange for four Grotto Heavens and four Secret Lands, because these four Secret Lands are the strongest.”

”Eating the richest meat,” Chu Zhiyuan said, ”No wonder the Emperors of past generations have been scheming to reclaim them.”

Xiao Ruoling sighed softly, ”Yao Yue Palace has constantly devised ways to make the Emperor abandon this idea.”

”Difficult, right?”

”If it weren’t for the Holy Daughters of each generation in Yao Yue Palace, previous Emperors might have already taken action.”

”The beauty trap is indeed powerful,” Chu Zhiyuan smiled.

Xiao Ruoling pursed her lips and smiled, ”Also because the Four Great Sects have astonishing strength and profound heritage, making emperors of every generation hesitant.”

A mere beauty trap or mere immense strength wouldn’t make emperors hesitate to act.

The combination pushed it to this point.

Chu Zhiyuan sighed deeply.

Xiao Ruoling said, ”If you were emperor, would you also want to reclaim these four Secret Lands?”

”Hard to say,” Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, ”Without sitting on the imperial throne, there are too many things unknown.”

An emperor carries many secrets, and just the Emperor’s Sword itself contains countless secrets.

To declare unilaterally that I would not reclaim the Secret Lands without truly being emperor would be a rash decision.

The desire of Emperors through the ages to reclaim the four Secret Lands surely has reasons, and I may not be wiser than them.

”Indeed, it’s a deadlock,” Xiao Ruoling replied helplessly.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Do the Four Great Secret Lands not exchange information with the Court? Yao Yue Palace has no need for so many cultivation resources, right?”

”Cultivation resources are forever in short supply,” Xiao Ruoling said.

Chu Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow thoughtfully, ”Probably for the lower sects, right?”

Xiao Ruoling said, ”Otherwise, why would they listen to us?”

This counts as an open secret.

The Court knows yet doesn’t point it out.

To command the sects, one relies not only on power but also on kindness and cultivation resources.

Otherwise, no matter how strong Yao Yue Palace is, its disciples are limited and cannot control so many sects.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”The Court supports the Four Great Sects to counter your Four Great Sects, and now with the strengthening of the court’s experts, the power balance is tilting...”

”Will the Emperor take action?”

”Hard to say,” Chu Zhiyuan shook his head.

In talking about this, it was still related to him.

With the opening of the Martial Arts Hall, the strength of the Four Great Sects and the Court would rapidly expand.

Pull one hair and the entire body moves, it’s often how the world works.