Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 391: Chapter 388: Understanding

”The Princely Heir is indeed a rare prodigy of this era, with extraordinary comprehension.”

”...Just lucky,” Li Hongzhao snorted, ”Next time, he might not have such luck, and he will definitely get stuck at Grandmaster Perfection.”

Su Qiuyan smiled without responding.

She really didn’t want to dampen spirits, but in front of such extraordinary comprehension, past experience was not enough to rely on.

Others might get stuck, but he might not necessarily get stuck.

To firmly assert now that he would get stuck seemed too presumptuous.

”Mr. Su, having mastered this Void-cutting Saber Technique, his sword technique is becoming increasingly formidable.” Li Hongzhao sighed, ”The threat to Great Grandmasters is even greater, right?”

Su Qiuyan thought for a moment, ”Limited by his realm, he likely still can’t kill a Great Grandmaster.”

”That’s good then.” Li Hongzhao breathed a sigh of relief, shaking her head, ”If he really could kill a Great Grandmaster, the trouble would be immense.”

”Indeed.” Su Qiuyan nodded slowly, his expression serious.

Only Great Grandmasters know how troublesome a Grandmaster who can kill Great Grandmasters truly is.

There’s a secret that all Great Grandmasters abide by: each time someone is killed, a bit of yin sha must be absorbed.

The deceased produces a peculiar substance that clings to the Great Grandmaster.

This is known as yin sha.

This yin sha is an extremely bizarre force; once it clings to you, it cannot be removed or dissolved.

Yin sha weakens the body, shortens lifespan, and even affects the mind.

At best, it disrupts cultivation; at worst, it causes inner demons.

Therefore, Great Grandmasters avoid killing when possible.

The Great Grandmasters have researched for thousands of years and concluded that this yin sha is likely the force of yin extremity in the world, a power that causes aging and death.

Everyone has this yin sha, which leads to gradual aging until death, and the yin sha dissipates with death.

There are two ways yin sha can disappear: one is being neutralized by lifespan.

The other is through the power of breaking through to Great Grandmaster Realm.

If a person dies unnaturally and the yin sha on them hasn’t been neutralized by lifespan, it will drift out and attach to the killer.

If this person already has their own yin sha, it will fend off the foreign yin sha, preventing it from attaching.

However, if this person has no own yin sha, it will get attached.

The yin sha that attaches is not one’s original yin sha and cannot expel other yin sha.

Thus, the more a Great Grandmaster kills, the more yin sha adheres and the stronger it gets.

This results in greater harm to their lifespan and greater disturbance to their mind.

They prefer killing Great Grandmasters over others if they must kill.

If a Grandmaster can kill Great Grandmasters, it implies wanton slaughter.

Unlike Great Grandmasters, they aren’t bound by that restriction, so they could kill whoever they wish.

Thinking about this, her expression turned solemn, ”Reaching that step should be impossible.”

Li Hongzhao said, ”Indeed, crossing into the Great Grandmaster Realm is no simple feat.”

The realm represents a fundamental transformation; spiritual power is essentially different from Gang Qi, impossible to surpass.

Despite saying this, she was vaguely worried.

----

Chu Zhiyuan left the Da Meng Embassy and saw a group of people emerging from the Da Zhen Embassy opposite.

At the forefront was Gao Jiuqu, so he clasped his hands in greeting and smiled, ”Brother Gao.”

Gao Jiuqu, in a deep blue robe, had a face like jade, with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, elegant and refined.

Gao Jiuqu returned the greeting with a clasp of his hands, approaching with a smile, ”What brings the Princely Heir here...? ”

”I just met the Ninth Princess; might I ask where you are headed, Brother Gao?”

Gao Jiuqu smiled, ”A messenger from the court has arrived; I’m going to receive them.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”Going to the South City Gate? We can travel together for a while; I’m heading to the government office, let’s go.”

”Please.”

Gao Jiuqu chuckled.

The two of them walked side by side along the street next to the Four Directions Pavilion, chatting casually while walking.

Chu Zhiyuan asked how he found Yujing City and if there were any inconveniences.

Gao Jiuqu was very easygoing, smiling as he said there wasn’t much inconvenience and that Yujing City was wonderful.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and asked how it compared to the Divine Capital.

Gao Jiuqu smiled and shook his head.

He had spent almost all these years on Wentian Cliff and seldom returned to the Divine Capital.

Now he no longer knew what the Divine Capital looked like, but assumed it was similar to Yujing.

Both Da Jing and Da Zhen were similar in national strength, splendor, and customs.

Seeing Yujing was like seeing the Divine Capital.

Thus, he felt very at home, as if he had returned to his own hometown.

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, ”Brother Gao, once you become a Great Grandmaster, you will take over as the Cliff Master of Wentian Cliff?”

Gao Jiuqu shook his head, ”It’s not that easy; there are many trials to overcome to become Cliff Master.”

The two walked out of the Four Directions Pavilion street and onto the bustling main road.

Guards shielded them from the surrounding throngs to ensure they could speak without disturbance.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Are there any competitors? It seems that no one has a higher cultivation or better aptitude than you, Brother Gao?”

Gao Jiuqu: ”There are no competitors, but I still can’t pass the trials and won’t be able to take on the role of Cliff Master.”

”Then your teacher still has to continue as Cliff Master?”

”Yes.” Gao Jiuqu shook his head with a wry smile, ”If I’m not worthy, my master cannot be freed.”

”Being Cliff Master must be a hardship, right?” Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”Yet it’s something countless people dream of.”

”I, too, dreamed of it once,” Gao Jiuqu said, ”At that time, I didn’t understand the hardship of being Cliff Master.”

”Divining secrets tires the heart and soul, doesn’t it?”

”Yes.”

”It also shortens lifespan, doesn’t it?”

”...Yes,” Gao Jiuqu smiled, ”How does the Princely Heir know so much?”

Chu Zhiyuan replied, ”I was merely guessing; the Wentian Secret Technique can foresee the future, but the future is ever-changing. To look requires exhausting one’s heart and mind over and over, isn’t that exhausting? And seeing the future, how could it not damage lifespan?”

”Indeed,” Gao Jiuqu nodded solemnly, ”That’s why the Cliff Master avoids gazing into the future.”

His teacher, not yet eighty, was already worn and frail, nearing the signs of Heavenly Person Five Decays.

Unless he advanced to Great Grandmaster soon, his master would be utterly drained.

Alas, the more desperate the desire, the more insurmountable the barriers, leaving the realm stagnant.

Such is the cruelty and callousness of life.

”Not gaze into the future? It’s irresistible.” Chu Zhiyuan laughed.

If he were able to foresee the future, how could he possibly resist looking?

People are inherently curious, especially insatiably curious about the future.

Gao Jiuqu looked helplessly at Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan chuckled, ”Did I guess correctly?”

”Indeed, it’s hard to resist,” Gao Jiuqu sighed, ”Hence, the role of Cliff Master is a bitter one, filled with suppression and suffering.”

”But for your teacher’s sake, you’ll take on this burden, won’t you?”

”If I don’t, my master will never be freed,” Gao Jiuqu gradually stated.

”Wentian Cliff...” Chu Zhiyuan sighed, ”The Wentian Secret Technique is both a blessing and a curse.”

Gao Jiuqu’s eyes shone as he looked at Chu Zhiyuan.

No one had ever understood Wentian Cliff so profoundly.

When people mentioned Wentian Cliff, they only saw it as unattainably high, mysterious, powerful, evoking fear or admiration.

They knew of Wentian Cliff’s strength, but knew nothing of its burdens.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”The greatness of Wentian Cliff comes with its tribulations... actually, finding comfort is simple.”

Gao Jiuqu showed a strained smile.

Chu Zhiyuan continued, ”You’re also being pushed to move forward, right?”

”Sigh...” Gao Jiuqu sighed.

He felt that Chu Zhiyuan truly understood Wentian Cliff, truly understood him.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Brother Gao, Da Jing and Da Zhen could actually ally long-term.”

Gao Jiuqu smiled wryly.

Chu Zhiyuan grinned, ”If Da Jing and Da Zhen remained allied, then there would be no need for Wentian Cliff to toil so hard.”

”Too difficult,” Gao Jiuqu shook his head.

Chu Zhiyuan stated, ”No matter how hard it is, problems must be permanently solved; just move in that direction.”

Gao Jiuqu gave him a deep look.

If Chu Zhiyuan were the Emperor of Da Jing, his words would have weight, and he himself would push in that direction.

Chu Zhiyuan remarked, ”We have much to discuss in the future; this isn’t something to rush... let’s just take one step at a time.”

The two parted at the southern crossroads.