Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 385: Chapter 382: The Path Ahead

He originally didn’t think much of the things from the Swallowing Heaven Sect and thought there wouldn’t be anything valuable.

After all, assassinations are risky; even if there were good things, it’s unlikely they’d be carried around.

All the good and precious things would be hidden away.

Or they would be retrieved when returning; even if they couldn’t come back, they’d rather hide them than let an opponent benefit.

During Super Sensing Illumination, a quick scan revealed there wasn’t anything good.

But he immediately noticed the Sealing Spirit Box.

He was most familiar with the Sealing Spirit Box and remembered it vividly, so he just entered the house and stored it in the Iron Ring.

...

The three of them drifted along.

Li Hongzhao said, ”Alright, you should tell me, who exactly are the two people?”

Chu Zhiyuan laughed and said, ”One is short and fat, and the other has a shy smile.”

”Short and fat... shy smile...” Li Hongzhao frowned, ”Wearing a dark green robe? And another in a gray robe?”

”Exactly.” Chu Zhiyuan laughed, ”You suspect them too?”

Li Hongzhao shook his head, ”Both of them are inconspicuous.”

Although short and fat, he’s not very active, rarely argues with others, and seems to have no personal opinion; he usually just follows the crowd in conversations.

The one with the shy smile is even more so, shy and introverted, rarely speaking.

Usually, he is focused on diligently practicing martial arts.

Both of them are very unobtrusive, and no one would notice them.

She suddenly realized.

The less attention-grabbing someone is, the more likely they are to be overlooked and unlikely suspected of being a spy.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”These two shouldn’t be from the same path, but both have complex minds.”

”Complex minds?”

”My intuition is sharper. When they look at me, their emotions are complicated, far from the straightforwardness of the other four,” Chu Zhiyuan said. ”So they’re suspicious, but it’s only suspicion, not necessarily accurate.”

Li Hongzhao bit her red lips and slowly said, ”I’ll investigate them thoroughly, and I won’t falsely accuse them.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

Su Qiuyan said, ”Princely Heir, I once acquired a set of sword techniques in my youth.”

Chu Zhiyuan immediately showed interest.

Su Qiuyan said, ”It was an ancient legacy found in a relic.”

”Mr. Su, may I have a look?”

”I’ll bring it to you tomorrow, Princely Heir.”

”Many thanks, many thanks.” Chu Zhiyuan smiled and cupped his fists.

Su Qiuyan smirked, ”No need for such courtesy, Princely Heir.”

Chu Zhiyuan understood this as a thank you.

After all, helping him kill a nemesis, Su Qiuyan felt uneasy if she didn’t express proper gratitude.

Li Hongzhao said, ”How did you practice this sword technique? It’s amazing, even more powerful than your swordsmanship.”

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, ”It’s not true to say my sword technique is better than my swordsmanship.”

Li Hongzhao frowned at him.

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, ”My swordsmanship is still a bit more impressive.”

Li Hongzhao gave him a sidelong glance.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”You just haven’t seen the truly powerful swordsmanship of mine.”

Li Hongzhao snorted with a smile, her mouth curling into a smirk, evidently not believing him.

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, ”I haven’t displayed it because I’m afraid it would be too discouraging for you.”

”Come on!” Li Hongzhao snorted, ”You would really fear discouraging me?”

He is more likely to be afraid of not discouraging himself enough.

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, ”Next time, I’ll show you, and I guarantee you’ll never want to compete with me in swordsmanship again.”

Before, he hadn’t organized all his swordsmanship, but now he’s completed it.

Some of the top-tier, mysterious sword techniques even he couldn’t fully grasp, he just remembered them.

If he performed these sword techniques, Li Hongzhao would surely feel discouraged.

But it might also inspire her, taking the Phoenix Sword Technique to the next level.

Li Hongzhao’s intuition is also remarkably good, something that cannot be ignored.

Li Hongzhao looked at him half-believingly.

Chu Zhiyuan suddenly stopped his steps.

Li Hongzhao and Su Qiuyan also stopped.

They were currently standing above a pine forest, their toes stepping as if walking on flat ground.

Chu Zhiyuan extended his hand, ”Sword, come.”

He hadn’t brought the Qingying Sword to hide his identity, only having the Bright Moon Saber.

Li Hongzhao looked at him, then eventually drew the longsword from her waist and handed it to him.

Chu Zhiyuan gripped the longsword and gave it a gentle shake.

The sword instantly filled with a purple light.

In the blink of an eye, the purple light filled the sword, turning the purple brilliance solid, as if it were a sword carved from purple jade.

”Watch closely,” Chu Zhiyuan smiled, gently swinging the longsword.

The sword tip drew an arc, which then became a palm-sized cluster of purple light.

The sword tip followed with another arc, and another cluster of purple light formed, overlapping with the original light.

”Swoosh!”

The purple light burst out, forming a violent force that instantly swept over Li Hongzhao and Su Qiuyan.

Both had Protective Gang Qi, yet were still blown off balance.

Su Qiuyan didn’t wave it away, merely observing with curiosity.

The treetops seemed to have been slashed by a longsword, with branches and pine needles being ground away.

Li Hongzhao’s red combat uniform clung to her body, showing off her curves.

Chu Zhiyuan stood holding the sword, smiling at her.

The fierce wind slowly dissipated.

Li Hongzhao adjusted a stray lock of hair from her temple, lightly frowning as she looked at him.

Chu Zhiyuan returned the sword to her, smiling, ”How about this sword technique?”

”What sword technique is this?”

”Storm Sword Technique,” Chu Zhiyuan laughed, ”this is just one layer. The power stacks, what if four or five clusters of purple light gathered?”

”How many layers can it stack to?” asked Li Hongzhao.

She truly felt the violence, though it wasn’t enough to threaten her Protective Gang Qi.

But if the power were doubled, she might not be able to block it.

If the power tripled, she would have no chance.

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, ”I can’t reach it now with my current cultivation, only up to nine layers, but with improved cultivation, I can increase it.”

”Nine layers...” Li Hongzhao gasped.

Su Qiuyan was also taken by surprise.

Just two layers of light had such power; nine layers would be astounding.

If they could cause a qualitative change, they might even severely damage Protective Spirit Energy.

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, ”How does this sword technique compare to the Phoenix Sword Technique?”

”It’s more or less the same,” Li Hongzhao snorted, ”the lethality falls short.”

Chu Zhiyuan laughed.

Li Hongzhao said, ”Is there more?”

”Let’s just stick with this one for now,” Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Indeed, the path of swordsmanship is vast and boundless.”

”Once you reach Great Grandmaster, you still have to put it aside.”

”Great Grandmaster...” Chu Zhiyuan looked at Su Qiuyan, ”Mr. Su, is there a realm above the Great Grandmaster?”

Su Qiuyan said, ”There are realms, many sects also have mental methods, but no one has succeeded in cultivating them. After all, the world has changed, and reaching Great Grandmaster is now the limit.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”There’s not one who surpassed Great Grandmaster?”

”To my knowledge, no,” Su Qiuyan said.

Chu Zhiyuan looked up at the sky.

The world changes; there’s nothing unusual, everything keeps changing, the world included.

Li Hongzhao chuckled.

Chu Zhiyuan didn’t look at her.

Li Hongzhao giggled, ”You haven’t even reached Great Grandmaster, and you’re already thinking about surpassing it? Besides, you might not even reach Great Grandmaster.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”It’s important to know the direction of the road, rather than just focusing on moving through it... Don’t you want to reach beyond Great Grandmaster?”

Li Hongzhao snorted, ”I’m not that greedy, reaching Great Grandmaster is enough.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, unconvinced.

Li Hongzhao’s ambition was certainly not so simple.

”Let me give you a hint,” Li Hongzhao said, ”If you want to go further, first become the owner of the Emperor’s Sword.”

Chu Zhiyuan was taken aback.

Li Hongzhao said, ”Only by becoming the owner of the Emperor’s Sword can one hope to break through Great Grandmaster!”

”I see.”

Chu Zhiyuan was enlightened.

Li Hongzhao wanted to become the Emperor of Da Meng, clearly for this purpose, or at least largely so.