Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 337: Chapter 334 Cooperation

”No need.” Chu Zhiyuan shook his head.

Since I’ve already found two, can the other two be far?

Just follow the clues.

Li Hongzhao sneered sarcastically, ”Chu Zhiyuan, how many secrets are you hiding?”

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, ”We are in the same boat, aren’t we? You, Your Highness, also have too many secrets, don’t you? Like your spies in Da Jing, like this Linglong Bookstore.”

”Hmph.” Li Hongzhao suddenly felt a bit guilty.

Chu Zhiyuan’s eyes were too sharp; these secrets were not ordinary secrets, they were the core of the core, absolutely not to be revealed.

As this thought came to her, she didn’t want to stay with Chu Zhiyuan anymore and hurriedly waved her hand, ”Forget it then.”

Chu Zhiyuan cupped his fists and smiled at Su Qiuyan, ”Mr. Su, thank you.”

Su Qiuyan smiled, ”I was just following orders, Your Highness, take care.”

”The cultivation level of the Heavenly Hidden Sect is quite formidable?” Chu Zhiyuan asked, ”Can it really threaten my life?”

”They act mysteriously and are hard to guard against.” Su Qiuyan said, ”They often don’t use martial arts to kill.”

Chu Zhiyuan’s sword-like eyebrows rose.

Li Hongzhao huffed, ”Mr. Su!”

Su Qiuyan gave an apologetic smile to Chu Zhiyuan, then cupped his fists and disappeared in a flash.

Chu Zhiyuan regretfully looked at the spot where Su Qiuyan had been, shook his head, and turned to look at Li Hongzhao, ”Your Highness, this Linglong Bookstore is indeed well-run.”

Li Hongzhao huffed, ”No need to see you off.”

However, Chu Zhiyuan didn’t seem ready to leave immediately, ”Building such a Linglong Bookstore in Yujing City, quite a grand effort. The oirans shouldn’t be a problem; the real issue lies with those running errand types, indeed exceptionally ingenious.”

Li Hongzhao tightened her face, ”Ridiculous.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”The oirans draw attention, making people overlook these maids and errand boys. These must be Da Meng’s real spies, right?”

Li Hongzhao retorted irritably, ”Do you think everyone is a spy? Spy, spy, where do you get so many spies from? You’re just too paranoid!”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled without a word, cupped his fists, and walked out.

Li Hongzhao huffed, ”You, turning your back callously!”

Chu Zhiyuan just waved his hand behind him, not stopping, not looking back.

Li Hongzhao glared at his retreating figure, her phoenix eyes glimmering.

Now she could finally be certain, the Nanyun Island massacre in Da Lie must have been done by the Phoenix Camp, done by Chu Zhiyuan.

It only made sense it was this guy!

With the four camps of Nanyun Island wiped out, the Phoenix Camp just happened to head east for training, what a coincidence.

But how did the Phoenix Camp do it?

The bright lights shone on her beautiful face as she concentrated, wondering if it was an inside-outside collaboration.

Unfortunately, this mystery couldn’t be unraveled. The four camps of Nanyun Island were all obliterated, leaving no survivors.

Those inside collaborators were likely silenced too.

——

The moonlight was like water, lanterns abounded in Yujing City.

The bustling noise surpassed even the daytime.

As Chu Zhiyuan turned from Azure Dragon Avenue into the brightly lit Prince Qing Street, his steps slowed, scanning around insightfully.

Soon he identified four suspicious individuals among the crowd.

Four people with no aura, as if they never practiced martial arts, yet bore traces of martial training.

Of course, their traces were extremely subtle, mostly hidden within their clothing.

Most could not be seen; some were too subtle to discern, fooling others.

But they could not fool his insight.

He considered but didn’t directly hurl a flying knife to kill them.

He first returned to the Prince Qing Mansion, took the Heavenly Hidden Pendant, hung it at his waist, and strolled out of the mansion.

He had to find out what exactly the Heavenly Hidden Sect intended to do.

Just as he stepped out of Prince Qing Street, turning into Azure Dragon Avenue, he found four more Heavenly Hidden Sect experts.

They had changed their appearances again, still looking like they knew no martial arts.

Even their ages appeared different.

But the minute details on them hadn’t changed, like moles on their shoulders, or the differences between their left and right hands.

Chu Zhiyuan could quickly lock onto the four.

They didn’t move erratically with his steps but passed by each other seamlessly without leaving a flaw.

Chu Zhiyuan was curious about how they intended to follow him, so he leisurely moved towards Bright Moon Tower.

Zou Fang followed beside him, and Guo Chi’s four men remained arrayed around, with six Innate Masters on the outermost layer.

Chu Zhiyuan first strolled out of Prince Qing Street, then suddenly accelerated, swimming through the crowd like a fish.

When he arrived at Bright Moon Tower, the two Heavenly Hidden Sect experts were already waiting there.

Chu Zhiyuan sat in an elegant room on the third floor of Bright Moon Tower, sitting down he couldn’t help scratching his brow with his left little finger.

His movements were too predictable.

Whenever he went to a tavern, it was always Bright Moon Tower.

Close to his new residence, he could also observe Thick Earth Hall, summoning the Earth Venerate’s power at any time.

So it was easy for interested parties to predict where he was going, something he couldn’t ignore.

Once the food and wine were served, Chu Zhiyuan instructed Zou Fang on two things.

Zou Fang bowed and nodded, then floated out lightly.

A moment later, Zou Fang returned, knocked on the door, with two middle-aged men behind him.

One was chubby and the other thin, both dressed as wealthy merchants, decked in brocade clothing and jewels.

Chu Zhiyuan, sitting in the main seat, smiled at them, gesturing for them to sit.

The two exchanged a glance and sat across from Chu Zhiyuan, unperturbed and fearless.

Under his insight, Chu Zhiyuan found the two still had no cultivation, no aura circulating around them.

They didn’t have treasures to obscure their aura either.

Anyway, they seemed to have no martial skills.

Others might think the differences in their joints and hands were due to heavy labor or congenital conditions.

But since they had shown disguise skills and extremely fast speed...

Chu Zhiyuan took off the Heavenly Hidden Pendant from his waist, placed it on the table, and smiled at the two, ”Are you here for this?”

The Heavenly Hidden Pendant, although mended, had never recovered, still dull and lackluster.

Their gazes instantly glued to it.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Does it have some special effect? Unfortunately, it’s ruined and hard to restore.”

He even tried using the Sacrificial Refining Method, but it had no effect.

It truly was broken.

The two looked regretful, raising their heads to look at Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled back at them.

Sitting in front of them, he could feel that these two truly bore no murderous intent.

The Heavenly Hidden Sect wasn’t here to kill him, nor apparently for the Heavenly Hidden Pendant.

”Does Your Highness want to deal with Wentian Cliff?” one middle-aged man slowly spoke.

He appeared chubby, smiling cheerfully, affable, and with his brocade attire and jeweled appearance, seemed like a congenial, prosperous merchant.

”Do you intend to deal with Wentian Cliff?”

”Yes.”

”...Do you want to cooperate with me, or use me against Wentian Cliff?”

He, of course, knew of the blood feud between Wentian Cliff and the Heavenly Hidden Sect, which nearly annihilated the sect.

”We can’t handle Wentian Cliff, but we can give Wentian Cliff some trouble.”

”Interesting...” Chu Zhiyuan shook his head with a smile, ”We are allies with Da Zhen.”

He hadn’t yet figured out Wentian Cliff’s true capacity.

Wentian Cliff had immense influence over Da Zhen, potentially affecting Da Zhen’s national policies.

He couldn’t rashly oppose Wentian Cliff, at least not openly.

Otherwise, angering Wentian Cliff would affect the alliance between Da Zhen and Da Jing.

Of course, the alliance between Da Zhen and Da Jing was also because Da Meng was powerful, forcing the two to band together.

But if Wentian Cliff stirred up trouble between them, the friction would be annoying.

”Your Highness might not want to deal with Wentian Cliff, but Wentian Cliff might still deal with you. At that time, wouldn’t you want the power to defend yourself?”

”So, you’re saying I can’t thwart Wentian Cliff’s schemes right now?”

”Difficult.”

The chubby middle-aged man had been speaking, while the lean middle-aged man remained silent.

Chu Zhiyuan pondered.

He was assessing whether these two were trustworthy.

They couldn’t be impersonating people from Wentian Cliff, or from another sect.