Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 371: Chapter 368: Confrontation

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Li Hongzhao remained in that elegant room.

She was dressed in a red palace gown, her skin fair and luminous in contrast.

Leaning lazily against the window frame, her phoenix eyes were indifferent as she looked down at the bustling street.

When Chu Zhiyuan entered, what he saw was her fiery red lips and alluring beauty.

Her expression was serene, as if she were a goddess overlooking the mortal realm.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and cupped his fists, saying, ”Is the Phoenix Blood Pill here?”

Li Hongzhao turned around, her sleeve flicking as a Cold Jade Box shot towards Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan caught it and opened it to take a look.

Ten red Elixir Pills, each the size of a Dragon Eye, evenly proportioned and flawless.

Li Hongzhao glanced at him sideways, sneering, ”Afraid I’d cheat you? I’m not like you!”

Chu Zhiyuan laughed as he closed the Cold Jade Box, ”When have I ever cheated? How’s Da Meng faring lately, getting thoroughly beaten on the battlefield?”

Li Hongzhao scoffed, ”It’s just a temporary setback; what’s there to gloat about?”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Not a small setback, is it? The Stepping Cloud Iron Cavalry can’t withstand the Thunder Spear Formation.”

He knew from Chu Mingrui’s letter that the Northern Territory had recently scored several victories.

They had even killed two more chiliarchs.

Chiliarchs in Da Meng are the backbone of the army, and losing one is no small matter.

The chiliarchs who fell in the Thunder Spear Formation now totaled eight, a significant loss.

The Stepping Cloud Iron Cavalry still has no effective countermeasure against the Thunder Spear Formation and can only remain vigilant and avoid it in advance.

Li Hongzhao coldly remarked, ”I haven’t congratulated you yet; you’re marrying the Eighteenth Princess, a rare beauty! You must be very pleased having two peerless beauties as wives, aren’t you?”

She certainly knew Chu Zhiyuan’s thoughts: he didn’t want to marry the Da Zhen princess or get involved with Da Zhen.

Yet Da Zhen insisted on marrying their princess to Chu Zhiyuan.

In the end, Da Zhen got its wish, marrying the Eighteenth Princess to Chu Zhiyuan.

According to the information she received, Da Zhen’s side was absolutely certain, as the Emperor of Da Jing had already agreed.

No matter how unwilling Chu Zhiyuan was, he couldn’t possibly go against the Emperor of Da Jing’s command.

She could imagine how suffocated Chu Zhiyuan must feel, so she deliberately poked at his wound, both harming each other.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, ”With endless fortune in beauty, I’m naturally quite pleased.”

Even if he had decided to disrupt this alliance, he couldn’t show weakness in front of Li Hongzhao.

”Hmph.” Li Hongzhao sneered, ”Just afraid you can’t handle such fortune in beauty!”

”Why can’t I handle it?” Chu Zhiyuan laughed, ”This Eighteenth Princess is a virtuous woman, one of the best choices for a Princess, and countless men envy me across the world.”

”Giggle...” Li Hongzhao suddenly broke into giggles, swaying with laughter.

The red palace gown shook with her body, heaving and agitating.

Chu Zhiyuan frowned and stared at her.

Li Hongzhao struggled to retract her laughter, shaking her head, ”Having a woman forced into the Prince Mansion, and you’re still being stubborn! ... Must have infuriated you, right?”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, changing the topic to stop her from provoking him further, ”Did Da Meng send an envoy to Da Guang?”

To stop Da Guang from attacking Da Lie and prevent them from furthering their advantage, they had to send an envoy to negotiate in person.

Sending a letter or some items couldn’t stop Da Guang Dynasty’s actions.

The hatred between the two dynasties was too deep, irreconcilable, and could only be suppressed by force.

Li Hongzhao sneered, ”I’m on this side; how would I know Da Meng’s news?”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Looks like they sent an envoy.”

Li Hongzhao’s jade face turned cold, ”Chu Zhiyuan, you’d better be careful!”

She cursed inwardly.

She shouldn’t have met with Chu Zhiyuan; she accidentally revealed secrets every time.

But every meeting with him was a challenge, a great challenge.

After each challenge, she could advance her Phoenix Cry Nine Heavens Technique further.

Da Zhen’s Gao Jiuqu used him as a grinding stone, and so did she.

Chu Zhiyuan was the best grinding stone, the only one of its kind in the world.

Without this grinding stone, she wouldn’t have reached her current realm and level.

In just over two months, she had ascended to the Sixth Layer Heaven, a rarity in the world.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”Careful of what?”

”Careful of Wentian Cliff,” Li Hongzhao said, ”You can’t escape Wentian Cliff’s scheming.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled silently.

Li Hongzhao’s words were somewhat exaggerated, but they clearly had some basis in fact.

Li Hongzhao sneered, ”Aren’t you curious about what Wentian Cliff is planning?”

”I’m not.”

”But I want to say.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”It’s nothing more than the imperial throne and legacy.”

He speculated that Wentian Cliff wanted to find out why he was advancing so quickly, to uncover the true mystery.

Li Hongzhao sneered, ”You’re indeed not stupid.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”There’s nothing to hide from others; I really have nothing to hide. Aren’t you curious why I’m progressing so fast?”

”Not curious.” Li Hongzhao pouted.

He was advancing quickly, and she was too, just that she seemed slower by his side. Compared to anyone else, she was surprisingly fast.

But what secret did she have?

It was merely her cultivation technique’s strength?

Chu Zhiyuan’s secret was apparent: good aptitude, high perception, and excellent cultivation methods. After all, backed by the Da Jing Royal Family, he had some top-notch legacies.

With his superior perception and aptitude, he likely practiced some top-notch legacies, complementing each other and causing his realm to advance rapidly.

Li Hongzhao said, ”I think Wentian Cliff saw the future, saw you becoming an Emperor.”

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, shaking his head, ”The imperial throne’s legacy is impossible to foresee; the Emperor’s Sword would obscure the heavenly secrets.”

Li Hongzhao lightly furrowed her eyebrows, ”You know that too?”

”Just a little thought, and it’s clear,” Chu Zhiyuan smiled warmly at her.

Li Hongzhao sneered, ”You’re clever, and everyone else is dumb! ... This Eighteenth Princess has a biological brother with top-notch aptitude, who’s quietly cultivating on Wentian Cliff, avoiding attention.”

”Seventeenth Prince?” Chu Zhiyuan nodded, ”Not lacking in aptitude either?”

”He’s also an outstanding figure,” Li Hongzhao said, ”Likely to challenge for the throne in the future.”

Chu Zhiyuan pondered.

Li Hongzhao glanced at him sideways, ”If you mistreat the Eighteenth Princess, he won’t let it go. Maybe, you Da Jing and Da Zhen would turn against each other and start fighting.”

She showed a schadenfreude expression.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”How do you know I will mistreat the Eighteenth Princess?”

Li Hongzhao sneered, ”Because you are a heartless person, with no understanding of romance, coarse and rude, which woman can stand you? Only Xiao’s younger sister can take it; any other woman can’t bear it, let alone this noble woman. She definitely won’t indulge you, you two...”

She giggled, her red lips and white teeth shining brightly.

Chu Zhiyuan snorted, ”No need for your concern. By the way, has a new Secret Land appeared in Da Meng?”

Super Sense expanded to its limit, Insight closely enveloping her, missing no detail of her changes.

”New Secret Land?” Li Hongzhao glanced at him, her eyes shifting, smiling lightly, ”Did you, Da Jing, discover a new Secret Land?”

Chu Zhiyuan revealed a smile.

He saw through two points right away.

Da Meng hadn’t discovered a new Secret Land, and Da Zhen’s discovery of a new Secret Land was already known by Da Meng.

Da Meng’s spies were indeed pervasive.

Li Hongzhao sneered, ”What good is a new Secret Land if you don’t lack the cultivation resources but lack a Great Grandmaster!”

”If Da Meng were wise, they’d stop the war now,” Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Think about it, my Da Jing’s Grandmasters will increase explosively, and Da Zhen has a new Secret Land. Continuing to fight, there’ll be no victory!”

Li Hongzhao coldly laughed.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Advise your Father more; the situation has changed. Da Lie and Da Yong can’t be depended upon. Is there still any chance of winning?”

Li Hongzhao’s eyes shifted, glancing at him sideways, ”No need for your concern.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”Looks like you advised, and got scolded by your Father, didn’t you?”

Li Hongzhao sneered, ”Tell me, if a Great Grandmaster from Wentian Cliff were to assassinate you, would they succeed? Offering the Eighteenth Princess in exchange for you, the Princely Heir, would satisfy both sides, wouldn’t it?”

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