Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 317: Chapter 314: Initial Success

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Chu Zhiyuan truly did not know where he would be at that time.

Perhaps at the Guest Peak of Yao Yue Palace, returning to the tender abode, or amidst a military campaign.

It was unlikely he would be staying within Yujing City.

He carried the Purple Sandalwood Box back to the Prince Qing Mansion, returned to his bed in the Ting Tao Courtyard, reopened the Purple Sandalwood Box, took out the Silver Scroll, and began studying the Glazed Blade Scripture.

As he caressed the peculiar Silver Scroll, its texture was unique, possessing a certain eternal and enduring quality.

Suddenly, he had a whimsical thought—what if he forged this Silver Scroll into a treasured sword?

He immediately dismissed this idea.

Every treasured sword inherently possesses eternal and enduring qualities; there was no need to destroy it.

He set aside this whimsy and attempted to compare the Glazed Blade Scripture with the Heart Inquiry Saber Skill and with the Yu Xu Sword Sect, cross-referencing them.

After comparing them, he could not help but want to try.

This Blade Scripture was so enticing, even more so than the inheritance of the Mingyu Sacred Sect.

With the thought arising, he focused his mind to sense it.

Ultimately, he did not sense any danger, so he decided to begin.

The First Realm is the Glazed Body.

The Glazed Body and Glazed Blade, two realms mutually fulfilled, both sharing the same origin of breath.

However, the first step requires a treasured sword.

A treasured sword to accompany for life.

During this process, slowly nurturing the treasured sword until its spiritual nature condenses.

After spirituality comes divinity.

Finally, this divinity is fused into one’s own soul, thereby sealing the deity, achieving the status of a Sword God.

Even if it cannot be fused into one’s soul, and the status of a Sword God cannot be achieved, the nurtured spirituality alone is enough to integrate the treasured sword with oneself, to command as desired, reaching the peak of power.

Chu Zhiyuan pondered deeply.

If the sword’s spirituality is established, it should have the ability to protect the mind, like the unique ability of the Qingying Sword, or even further.

Thus, he would not be influenced by a Grandmaster anymore.

Since he would not be influenced by a Grandmaster, he could slay a Grandmaster.

So, the Spirit Transformation stage of this Blade Scripture is the realm of a Grandmaster?

The first realm of the Blade Scripture is the Glazed Body, the second realm is the Glazed Blade, the third realm is Spiritual Nurturing, the fourth realm is Spirit Transformation, the fifth realm is Divine Nurturing, the sixth realm is Divinity Transformation, the seventh realm is Seal Deity, the eighth realm is Other Transformation, and the ninth realm is Immortality.

Upon reaching the seventh realm, one becomes a Sword God.

As for the remaining two realms, they transcend divine; self-free in other transformation, immortal and indestructible.

Chu Zhiyuan looked on with leisurely longing.

Whether he could achieve it or not, he dared not predict, but he must try.

——

Morning.

Mingwu Hall.

After finishing practicing, Chu Zhiyuan allowed Chu Mingxuan, Chu Zhitian, and Chu Zhichuan to leave first, while he followed Chu Qingfeng to Zhiqiu Hall.

Zhiqiu Hall remained busy as always.

Little eunuchs in green rushed about, carrying document boxes, like ants moving house.

Chu Zhiyuan and Chu Qingfeng entered the hall as warm as spring, and sat on either side of the small kang table on the kang.

Chu Zhiyuan then brought up the matter of the Holy Daughter of the Wuyou Sect, personally recounting the news of the Da Lie Dynasty and the Da Guang Dynasty.

”What do you make of its authenticity?”

”It should be real,” Chu Zhiyuan said. ”Previously sent Xu Jingren, the Twelfth Prince, back to dissuade, now it seems to have been ineffective. If the Court does not respond, it will be a disastrous defeat.”

”Eastern Territory...” Chu Qingfeng frowned.

The little eunuch served tea and respectfully withdrew.

The morning sunlight shone on the hall’s windows, making the hall bright and gentle.

The teacup lid lifted, white steam rising, swirling between the two.

The faint fragrance of tea soothingly permeated the heart.

Chu Zhiyuan quietly observed Chu Qingfeng.

Chu Qingfeng’s gaunt face was filled with solemnity, stroking his beard slowly and saying, ”Certain defeat?”

”What do you think, Uncle?”

”Duke Kang has already gone to reorganize the Eastern Territory and speed up military preparations.”

”To no avail, they will be defeated slower, but still defeated, and you know this well... How can Imperial Grandfather, in all his wisdom...”

”No one to use, it seems,” Chu Qingfeng sighed, stroking his beard. ”Your father’s generation is truly unusable; it’s like a curse!”

In their generation, at least four or five could undertake great responsibilities, but Chu Minghou’s generation only produced Chu Mingrui.

The rest are unusable, merely surviving, often causing the elder brothers to lament.

Chu Zhiyuan’s generation looked somewhat better, with Chu Zhiyuan, there were also Chu Zhitian, Chu Zhichuan, and Chu Zhiyao.

Chu Zhiyuan frowned.

The Eldest Prince died early.

The Second Prince, King Jing, was confined, now has entered the Secret Land as a Grandmaster.

The Third Prince, his father, could not be of great use.

The Fourth Prince, Prince Xuan, Chu Zhiyao’s father, is flashy but impractical, mediocre and incapable.

The Fifth Prince, Prince Sheng, is somewhat better but far from outstanding, quite ordinary.

The Sixth to Ninth Princes all died early.

The Tenth Prince, Prince Ying, can be considered the most outstanding one.

The Thirteenth Prince, Prince Huai, fond of women, easily swayed, married the daughter of the Thick Earth Sect’s leader as his concubine.

The Eighteenth Prince, Chu Mingxuan, has just entered Innate, too distant to solve immediate problems.

Trying to find a prince to lead troops to the Eastern Territory, surprisingly, they could not find anyone, except for Prince Ying, the rest are hard to trust.

Chu Zhiyuan could vaguely feel the Emperor’s helplessness.

Is it the Emperor’s poor upbringing, or just bad luck, that this generation turned out mediocre?

Chu Qingfeng said, ”Old fourth, you’re not thinking of leading troops against the Da Guang Dynasty, are you? Though your idea is good, it’s too risky, and the chances of success are slim.”

”Only if absolutely necessary, I really don’t want to lead troops,” Chu Zhiyuan shook his head. ”The war is dangerous and precarious.”

”Just afraid the situation forces you, leaving you no choice but to step up,” Chu Qingfeng sighed. ”Prepare first; it’s best if you don’t have to go, but if needed, you must step up.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded slowly.

”Have the Imperial Army start training early,” Chu Qingfeng said. ”Preparedness averts peril. If you truly need to go, commanding familiar troops is better than an unfamiliar army.”

Chu Zhiyuan displayed a helpless expression, ”Training new recruits, Imperial Grandfather overestimates me.”

Chu Qingfeng laughed, ”The elder brother never misjudges people.”

He believed deeply in the Emperor’s judgment.

Since allowing Chu Zhiyuan to establish a new battalion and train new recruits, it meant Chu Zhiyuan indeed possessed such capability.

——

Chu Zhiyuan sat leisurely on the couch in the Ting Tao Courtyard, holding a long blade in his hand, examining it closely.

He had just eaten flood dragon meat, and his whole body was experiencing a faint tingling sensation.

As if tiny electric currents were moving through.

His flesh was becoming firm, melding with the body more intimately, linking with the mind more closely.

The long blade shone bright and flawless, somewhat similar to the Qingying Sword.

The sword for the Glazed Blade Scripture can be replaced with a blade, and he had acquired a treasured blade from Yao Yue Palace.

The blade was named Bright Moon.

Like a crescent moon hanging against the night sky, the blade gleamed like moonlight, cool yet hazy.

Chu Zhiyuan immediately took a liking to this Bright Moon Saber upon seeing it.

It was clearly selected by Xiao Ruoling, aware of Chu Zhiyuan’s preferences, choosing the one he favored most.

After examining it, he attempted to operate the Glazed Blade Scripture.

The first realm is the Glazed Body.

It is the method of Body Refinement.

A mass of purple qi in the dantian began to circulate along the distinctive pathways of the meridians.

Passing through the long blade in his hand, returning to the palm, then back along the meridians, transforming into a wisp of transparent breath, quickly permeating into the internal meridians and disappearing within them.

The gold hue of the meridians lightened a bit.

Chu Zhiyuan continued to channel the dantian’s Gang Qi, operating along the first realm of the Glazed Blade Scripture.

The purple qi continuously transformed into transparent breath, burrowing into the meridians, causing the gold hue of the meridians to fade, gradually turning transparent.

Initially, he thought that the method of Body Refinement would inevitably progress slowly, requiring external assistance.

But the progression of the Glazed Blade Scripture is exceedingly rapid.

With the Dragon Transformation Technique’s Refining Acupoints, the speed of Gang Qi circulation was extraordinarily swift, and the progression exceeded expectations.

In a short time, the golden meridians actually turned transparent, like crystal sculptures.

This speed even amazed Chu Zhiyuan.

Was this not a martial art from the Secret Land?

Wasn’t it supposed to progress slowly?

How can it be so fast?

He quickly understood the key.

The critical factor was that he was already a Grandmaster, using a Grandmaster’s realm to practice an entry-level method was akin to overwhelming superiority.

After the meridians became transparent, it moved on to the blood vessels, then the bones, and finally the flesh.

Two days later, when he observed his internal condition insightfully, his body had almost transformed into a crystalline entity, except for the skin; the internal organs, bones, and meridians had nearly all turned transparent.

Of course, this was merely what was seen internally, not actual transparency.

This Glazed Body was a sensation, an internal reflection, and the physical body could not truly be transparent.

The first realm, the Glazed Body, was effortlessly achieved.

At this moment, he felt weightless, clear, and transparent, as if without any impurities.

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