Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 347: Chapter 344: Cracking

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The two did not speak, but their eyes were entangled with each other.

Xiao Ruoling’s deep and captivating eyes seemed to contain both blame and resentment.

Chu Zhiyuan understood her gaze, knowing she also received the news and blamed him for being too risky.

He smiled slightly, wanting to hold her tender hands, but forcibly restrained himself.

In front of so many disciples, such intimacy would make them feel uncomfortable, thus weakening her authority.

”The Princely Heir’s visit truly brings glory to humble abodes!” Shen Hanyue snorted softly, ”The Princely Heir’s great defeat of Da Lie’s four camps is indeed commendable!”

Chu Zhiyuan looked towards Shen Hanyue.

Standing behind Xiao Ruoling, Shen Hanyue also wore a snow-like white dress.

She too wore a white veil along with the five other women.

Yet she was eye-catching at first glance, and her beauty could be felt instantly.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”Holy Daughter Shen, you heard about it too? From where?”

Shen Hanyue snorted, ”It’s as if the news drilled itself into my ears, impossible to ignore.”

Chu Zhiyuan glanced at Xiao Ruoling.

Xiao Ruoling slightly furrowed her slender brows, seeming lost in thought.

Seeing Xiao Ruoling’s expression, Shen Hanyue couldn’t help asking, ”Senior Sister, is something wrong?”

Xiao Ruoling gently shook her head.

Shen Hanyue looked at Chu Zhiyuan, ”The Princely Heir indeed manipulates troops with divine prowess, I am impressed.”

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, ”Holy Daughter Shen, speak plainly, don’t be so sarcastic.”

Shen Hanyue curled her lip, ”Hmph, making my senior sister worry, why shouldn’t I be sarcastic.”

”Junior Sister,” Xiao Ruoling lightly rebuked, ”speak properly.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled at Xiao Ruoling, ”Someone is deliberately over-praising me, no need to take it seriously.”

”Senior Sister, if you have something to say, just say it,” Shen Hanyue pouted and continued to ask Chu Zhiyuan, ”Is it true or not?”

”The soldiers of Da Lie, one can imagine them being powerless, just four camps.”

”Does the Princely Heir think we only know cultivation and don’t understand warfare?” Shen Hanyue snorted, ”We have elders who have been in the military.”

”I apologize for the oversight.” Chu Zhiyuan said as he walked up.

As he walked, everyone followed forward.

”According to the elder’s analysis, even our Da Jing’s Chasing Wind Cavalry couldn’t achieve such results.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”It’s over-praised, this success was also due to good luck, it would be hard to succeed if attempted again, not a true skill.”

”Many of the famous battles in history were due to luck,” Shen Hanyue dismissed, ”Anyway, everyone knows the Princely Heir is proficient in military strategies.”

Xiao Ruoling immediately showed worry, lightly furrowing her delicate brows, ”Is this their intention?”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”Forcing me to train in the military? ... Quite clever indeed.”

Xiao Ruoling lightly furrowed her brows, ”Who could it be?”

”That’s hard to say.” Chu Zhiyuan said, ”It could be one person, or a group, it could be someone from the Court, or outside the Court, from within Da Jing, or beyond.”

He couldn’t help but think of Li Hongzhao.

Could this be Li Hongzhao’s handiwork?

Over-praising me, letting the world know of my shocking military talent, gathering public expectation, forcing me into the army.

When armies clash, there are no eyes on the sword, truly getting killed, Da Jing, though angry, would be helpless.

If privately daring to kill the Princely Heir, there would be mad retaliation, but on the battlefield, there’s no recourse.

Shen Hanyue blinked her bright eyes, surprised, ”This move is truly vicious.”

Meng Canglan lightly furrowed her brows, ”If someone is deliberately over-praising the Princely Heir, what’s the motive?”

She vaguely worried it was the forces supporting Prince Ying as the next Emperor.

Could it be the Court is already beginning the struggle for the imperial throne? Too early.

Moreover, such a struggle is extremely unfavorable for Da Jing, damaging national strength, causing Court turmoil.

If their aim is to draw the Princely Heir into the military, would there be a next step?

The Princely Heir’s foundation in the military is shallow, once becoming an officer, the situation of following orders insincerely could easily arise.

If such things happen at crucial times, could it endanger the Princely Heir’s life?

Thinking this, her face changed slightly.

If true, it would surely be a storm of blood, potentially implicating the Wuyou Sect.

Her bright eyes flashed, contemplating ways to break this dilemma.

The two groups arrived at Chu Zhiyuan’s courtyard.

Yao Yue Palace has reserved this courtyard solely, preventing anyone else from residing there.

Chu Zhiyuan would stay here every time he visited.

Chu Zhiyuan glanced at the small courtyard, elegant and tidy, obviously well-maintained by someone.

Xiao Ruoling waved her hand.

The group of women in white behind her immediately sprang into action, like fluttering butterflies, within moments lighting the red clay stove, operating their energy, soon steam gushed out, beginning to pour tea.

Chu Zhiyuan invited everyone to sit around a stone table in the courtyard.

Xiao Ruoling sat beside him, Shen Hanyue on the other side of Xiao Ruoling.

Meng Canglan sat opposite him.

”If someone truly harbors ill intentions, it cannot be ignored, a solution is necessary,” Meng Canglan said softly.

The Wuyou Sect betting on Chu Zhiyuan would naturally find a way to counter this plan.

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, ”How should it be countered?”

”The Princely Heir should refrain from going into the military for now,” Meng Canglan said, ”after all, the military is too perilous.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

He originally had no plans to enter the military.

Chu Mingrui has long wanted him to join the military, but he never responded, neither mentioning it nor pursuing it, as soon as Chu Mingrui brought it up, he would immediately steer the conversation elsewhere.

Chu Mingrui, after so many years in the military, is both mentally and physically exhausted, seeking a successor.

He is Chu Mingrui’s best candidate for succession, once entering the military, would quickly become a general.

In the past, he didn’t go, and now that he’s being forced, he even more will not go.

”The best method is to make others think the Princely Heir is unsuited for the military.”

”How can this be achieved?” Shen Hanyue, unknowingly captivated, hurriedly asked.

Meng Canglan pondered silently.

For the moment, she hadn’t figured out how to make the world believe that Chu Zhiyuan was unsuited for the military.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”I will release news of implementing the array.”

”Brilliant!” Meng Canglan clapped her hands in praise, ”Truly brilliant!”

Xiao Ruoling gently nodded.

Shen Hanyue looked confused, not understanding what was so brilliant, yet made Meng Canglan praise so highly.

Xiao Ruoling understood where the brilliance lay.

Chu Zhiyuan had told her about the situations during the trip to Fuyuan Town, including exchanges with Chu Mingrui.

So she also knew that Chu Mingrui’s attempt to implement the array in the military was facing great resistance.

The cultivation of arrays was too difficult, and everyone in the military was complaining, unwilling to carry it out.

Chu Zhiyuan’s foundation was still shallow, no matter how famed he was outside, the military soldiers wouldn’t take him seriously.

Mention array implementation, they would instantly feel repelled.

Not to mention them, even departments of the Court would feel apprehensive, fearing trouble.

Thinking of this, Xiao Ruoling softly said, ”Indeed, the potential for future troubles is not small.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”This is actually the truth.”

His establishment of the Phoenix Camp aimed to implement the array.

The shortcut to enhancing Da Jing’s battle power was, on one hand, arrays, on the other hand, the number of grandmasters.

Once the elites of the Phoenix Camp become grandmasters, they would leave, bringing in new elites.

Round after round of entry and exit, resulting in more learning the Phoenix Seeking Phoenix Formation, with an increasing number of grandmasters.

One leads to ten, ten to a hundred, a hundred to a thousand, a thousand to ten thousand.

By that time, a qualitative change would occur.

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