Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 372: Chapter 369: Soft and Hard

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Chu Zhiyuan frowned at her.

Li Hongzhao smiled: ”Isn’t there such a possibility?”

Chu Zhiyuan’s fatal weakness is his fear of death. As long as this weakness is exploited, a single strike can be fatal.

Chu Zhiyuan said: ”There’s also the possibility that the Great Grandmaster from Wentian Cliff would assassinate you and take the Eighteenth Princess as a hostage.”

He then laughed: ”To speak truthfully, it is Da Meng that Wentian Cliff hates the most, right?”

”I have Mr. Su here, so Zhu Caifu can’t do anything to me,” Li Hongzhao said, ”but you don’t have a Great Grandmaster with you, especially when the Eighteenth Prince enters your mansion in the future. Zhu Caifu will follow and enter your mansion and assassinate you. It’s unpredictable, isn’t it?”

Chu Zhiyuan scoffed: ”Your Highness is quite vicious indeed!”

This move is indeed extremely sinister. It has directly planted a thorn in my heart, making me more vigilant against Zhu Caifu.

Li Hongzhao smiled brightly: ”The feeling is mutual.”

Chu Zhiyuan stared at her beautiful face and suddenly laughed: ”Don’t worry, I’m already at the Ninth Layer Heaven. By the time the Eighteenth Princess enters the mansion, I’ll be a Great Grandmaster.”

”Ninth Layer Heaven?!” Li Hongzhao’s expression changed drastically.

”That’s right, Ninth Layer Heaven.” Chu Zhiyuan laughed heartily.

Li Hongzhao glared at him hatefully.

Every time, she was disgusted by this trick of his.

Having just progressed to the Sixth Layer Heaven, she originally planned to give him a taste of his own medicine and disgust him as well.

Yet she still ended up disgusted by him.

Chu Zhiyuan was overjoyed.

Every time he saw her like this, it brought him immense satisfaction and joy.

However, her progress was also astonishing.

This Phoenix Cry Nine Heavens Technique should be similar to the Glazed Blade Scripture in its heritage.

It leads straight to beyond the Great Grandmaster, progressing rapidly towards it, far surpassing other mental methods.

It’s understandable that such a mental method is extremely picky about its inheritors in this world.

One could only say that she is exceedingly lucky, just like him, both being darlings of the heavens, the beloved son and daughter of the old heavens.

”Don’t get too happy. Let’s see how long you can be stuck at Grandmaster Perfection. I will soon catch up with you, surpass you, and enter the Great Grandmaster first. By then, we’ll see if you can still smile!”

”Haha...”

Li Hongzhao stared at him coldly, watching him laugh heartily, as if watching a monkey perform.

Chu Zhiyuan was unaffected by her and was overjoyed: ”Your Highness, you do know how to comfort yourself.”

”This will become a fact.” Li Hongzhao scoffed.

Chu Zhiyuan laughed and shook his head: ”Think whatever you want. Isn’t it the case that every time you meet with me, you make significant progress?”

He vaguely guessed the essence of the Phoenix Cry Nine Heavens Technique is to grow more robust the more it’s challenged.

The more setbacks she faced in front of him, the quicker her progress, and this Phoenix Cry Nine Heavens Technique was truly divine.

Li Hongzhao snorted: ”Is this your doing?”

Chu Zhiyuan laughed: ”We are simply fulfilling each other’s needs. By the way, does your Da Meng have a blade used by a Great Grandmaster?”

”No.” Li Hongzhao responded without hesitation.

Chu Zhiyuan said: ”Your Da Meng’s sword technique is exceptionally strong; the Golden Saber Sect is quite famous.”

”You think I would give it to you?” Li Hongzhao sneered, curling her lips.

Chu Zhiyuan chuckled: ”How about if we trade it for the Linglong Bookstore?”

”You want to seal the Linglong Bookstore?” Li Hongzhao curled her lips coldly: ”Do you think you have that capability? Do you know who is behind the Linglong Bookstore?”

”Thirteenth Uncle?” Chu Zhiyuan smiled as he asked.

He knew there was a problem with the Linglong Bookstore, so he had looked into it carefully.

Originally, he thought it was secretly built by Da Meng, and it had a strong backer.

Though the backer was hidden, it couldn’t escape the Inspection Department; he found out that the Thirteenth Prince, Prince Huai, was involved.

Who was also the father of Chu Zhichuan.

If not for being Chu Zhichuan’s father, he wouldn’t have had any means to deal with it.

This would break a major taboo.

Even if it were other princely heirs’ industries, he couldn’t act on it randomly, let alone a prince’s, as it would be a higher-level crime.

If he were to act, he would be the target of scorn. Not only would the entire Imperial Family see him as a traitor, but so would the Court.

Li Hongzhao stared at him closely, with a trace of a cold smile at her red lips, sneering: ”Dare you seal? Then I would see.”

Chu Zhiyuan laughed: ”Actually, I don’t need to act myself. All I need to do is ask the Tenth Brother for help to investigate Linglong Bookstore thoroughly and even clean it up comprehensively, replacing everyone up and down.”

Li Hongzhao frowned slightly, sneering: ”The Tenth Princely Heir is not a fool.”

Chu Zhiyuan laughed: ”I have a deep brotherhood with the Tenth Brother. If I ask for a favor, he will agree.”

Chu Mingxuan, Chu Zhichuan, and Chu Zhitian loved drinking and visiting Linglong Bookstore.

But if he knew that the Linglong Bookstore was an industry owned by his family, he would undoubtedly be very unhappy.

He’d feel that as a prince, having a hand in such an industry would be disgraceful.

If I ask him to thoroughly clean the Linglong Bookstore and remove Da Meng’s spies, Chu Zhichuan wouldn’t refuse.

Li Hongzhao leaned back lazily against the chair, indifferent: ”Then go ahead and clean up the Linglong Bookstore.”

Chu Zhiyuan laughed: ”Your Highness, it seems you are afraid; after all, there are indeed quite a few spies in Linglong Bookstore, and they hold very high positions.”

Li Hongzhao gritted her teeth but maintained a calm demeanor: ”Is that so?”

Chu Zhiyuan said: ”It seems Your Highness does not plan to protect these spies; then, let’s forget about it... Isn’t it time to serve the food?”

”You still want to eat?!” Li Hongzhao scoffed.

Chu Zhiyuan laughed: ”Since I’m already here and Your Highness has extended the invitation, how can I refuse?”

Li Hongzhao let out a breath and called out: ”Serve the food.”

”Yes,” the voice came from what seemed like a great distance.

The soundproofing of this room was excellent, and no sound from outside could penetrate.

In the blink of an eye, a table full of delectable dishes was laid out, rich in color, aroma, and taste.

Various enticing fragrances wafted around the room, mingling and overpowering the gentle fragrance she emitted.

Chu Zhiyuan raised his cup, clinked it with hers, and drained it in one go: ”When reaching the Grandmaster Realm, one often abandons weapons. The Great Grandmasters of the Golden Saber Sect are the same, right?”

”Hmm.” Li Hongzhao huffed: ”You want a weapon used by a Great Grandmaster, aren’t you just looking for trouble? What Great Grandmaster still has weapons, especially blades?”

”The Golden Saber Sect doesn’t have any?”

”It’s unlikely they do.”

”Wuxiang Sect might have, or the Praying Spirit Sect, or your Phoenix Sword Sect,” Chu Zhiyuan said: ”I’m practicing a sword technique and need a blade used by a Great Grandmaster.”

”What sword technique requires a Great Grandmaster’s blade?”

”To comprehend the Sword Intent on a Great Grandmaster’s blade and thereby condense my own Sword Intent.”

”Your flying knife is enough. It might be better to invest the time in improving your realm.”

”Skill almost reaches the Dao; sword technique also informs the realm,” Chu Zhiyuan said: ”Endlessly focusing on mental method advancement may not be the shortcut.”

Li Hongzhao was pensive.

She knew Chu Zhiyuan’s understanding was exceptionally high, and his rapid cultivation progress was not due to luck.

If it were luck, he couldn’t have reached Grandmaster Ninth Layer in one leap.

He never lied, and all he said was genuine and true.

Skill nearly reaches the Dao; would practicing swordsmanship aid in increasing cultivation speed?

This is worth a try, taking some time to practice the Phoenix Sword Technique.

After several cups of wine and feeling sated, Li Hongzhao stood up as she was about to leave and said: ”Fine, I’ll try to see if I can find a Great Grandmaster’s blade.”

Chu Zhiyuan clasped his hands and smiled: ”Then thank you, Your Highness.”

”Be careful of the Eighteenth Princess,” Li Hongzhao huffed: ”She is not as gentle as she seems; don’t actually fall victim to her assassination; that would make me die of laughter.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and clasped his hands again.

Li Hongzhao curled her lips and left Bright Moon Tower under the escort of the Stepping Cloud Iron Cavalry.

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