Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 409: Chapter 406 Yin Yang

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head and said, ”Your Highness, that’s enough.”

If he didn’t interrupt, Cheng Miaozhen would have continued to imbue with yang energy.

Ten years of lifespan had already been transferred.

He felt it was sufficient; after all, ten years were a sizable gift.

Cheng Miaozhen gritted her teeth and said, ”I want Mother to live as long as I do.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Although this secret scripture is miraculous, it defies nature. Who knows what kind of backlash it may bring?... Going against the heavens, we should stop when it’s appropriate.”

He wasn’t really regretful of Cheng Miaozhen’s lifespan loss, as it wasn’t his own lifespan being depleted anyway.

What he manipulated was Death Energy, which didn’t consume his own lifespan.

Cheng Miaozhen wanted to give her mother more lifespan, but that was beyond his control.

His concern was potential unforeseen consequences.

Although the backlash wasn’t currently visible, he was wary and wanted to avoid long-term complications.

Therefore, changes should not be too drastic.

Giving the Concubine ten years of lifespan was already the limit; it couldn’t be more.

Cheng Miaozhen shook her head. ”Ten years...”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”After ten years, if you want to extend Concubine’s life again, it would be safer to extend it then.”

Cheng Miaozhen nodded helplessly.

At this point, there was no other choice.

It was impossible to force him to apply this technique again under such circumstances.

Without an end to life, Death Energy couldn’t be fully expelled, and yang energy couldn’t be injected.

A body can’t harbor two kinds of yang energy simultaneously.

Extending life can only be done after death.

This is also the limitation of the technique.

Chu Zhiyuan was well-aware of this limitation and didn’t mind.

To be able to achieve this level is already an extraordinary technique.

He believed that even without other rewards, merely learning the Yin Yang Du E Secret Scripture was the greatest reward.

This might very well be Cheng Miaozhen’s true inheritance, brought out to save Concubine’s life.

This kind of secret technique, he had never encountered before; it was truly a secret amongst secrets.

Both of them quietly watched the sleeping Concubine, her breathing even and long, as she had completely revived.

But waking up immediately was impossible; her hibernating-like body needed a period of gentle nurturing before fully awakening.

...

Chu Zhiyuan looked at the Concubine before him, still finding it hard to believe.

Suppressing his turbulent thoughts, he turned to Cheng Miaozhen, ”Your Highness, have you decided where Concubine should go?”

He already understood Cheng Miaozhen and Zhu Caifu’s style.

Neither was particularly shrewd or efficient, nor were their actions methodical; they acted on impulse.

Decisive in action yet not considering the consequences, they didn’t think too far.

”Mother will stay by my side,” Cheng Miaozhen said.

Chu Zhiyuan asked, ”So, will Your Highness remain in Da Jing, or return to Da Zhen?”

”I can only stay here,” Cheng Miaozhen said.

Zhu Caifu appeared beside them, ”In truth, returning is not an issue.”

Chu Zhiyuan pondered, ”It’s best for Concubine to return to the Imperial Palace. How can life outside compare to the comfort of the palace?”

Concubine had her martial arts, but having spent decades in the palace, suddenly leaving would certainly be uncomfortable.

Zhu Caifu hurriedly said, ”Second Sister doesn’t want to return to the palace.”

Chu Zhiyuan asked, ”What about the Seventeenth Prince? Can he manage without support in the palace?”

”Second Sister has already given up,” Zhu Caifu snorted, ”Leave the little Seventeenth on Wentian Cliff; there’s no need to meddle further in other matters.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded, ”That’s good, so from now on, Concubine won’t show her face?”

Zhu Caifu snorted, ”Second Sister will change her identity; the Concubine no longer exists.”

Chu Zhiyuan looked at them in quiet contemplation.

”What’s inappropriate about that?” Zhu Caifu promptly asked.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Probably can’t hide from those with intentions; it’s better to openly claim the Concubine isn’t dead.”

”If it can’t be hidden, then so be it,” Zhu Caifu dismissed it nonchalantly.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”If others know the Concubine has risen again, and know Your Highness can revive the dead...”

He shook his head, ”Then, trouble will abound.”

”What trouble? Who would dare to force Miaozhen?”

”The Emperor?” Chu Zhiyuan said calmly, ”What if he issues an Imperial Decree?”

”...”

Chu Zhiyuan continued, ”Even if you don’t save others, if the Emperor asks you to extend his life, can you refuse?”

”...”

”And the Empress Dowager?” Chu Zhiyuan said, ”The Empress?”

”The Empress? Who cares!” Zhu Caifu snorted.

”The Empress aside, surely the Empress Dowager matters?” Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Helping them extend life consumes your lifespan, not helping would be unfilial.”

Zhu Caifu frowned, ”Now that you mention it, it does sound troublesome.”

”Aside from the Emperor and Empress, isn’t there the Emperor? What about the other brothers and sisters in the future?”

”...”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”This technique is miraculous, but it must never be leaked. It is a heavenly secret, and once leaked, trouble will be endless.”

”... That’s indeed the case,” Zhu Caifu quickly added, ”Miaozhen, you must never disclose it.”

Cheng Miaozhen nodded lightly, ”Only the three of us know of this technique.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”The Concubine should have a unique condition that causes her to seemingly die and revive.”

Cheng Miaozhen and Zhu Caifu were taken aback.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Originally assumed dead, but came back to life. This condition is extraordinarily strange, with no sign when it doesn’t flare up.”

Cheng Miaozhen and Zhu Caifu realized.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Saying the Concubine seemed dead but revived, making it known widely, would surprise people, but they wouldn’t likely suspect a secret technique that brings back the dead... The more you cover it, the more curious people become, and the more they want to investigate.”

This is human nature.

The more you try to hide it, the more you’ll need to make it apparent, concealing shadows in sunlight makes them easier to overlook.

Cheng Miaozhen lightly shook her head, ”But Mother doesn’t like the palace, feels oppressed and uncomfortable, and wants to leave it.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”It must be known that the Concubine has revived; it was a false death.”

”... What if there’s another Imperial Decree?”

”Then defy the decree.”

”... That’s true.” Zhu Caifu clapped in laughter, ”And what if they try to bring Second Sister back forcibly?”

Chu Zhiyuan looked again at Cheng Miaozhen.

Cheng Miaozhen nodded gently, ”Rest assured, the technique will not be leaked.”

Chu Zhiyuan asked, ”What exactly is the inheritance Your Highness cultivates?”

With a shared secret, their relations had grown closer, enough to ask such a question.

Cheng Miaozhen said, ”Yin Yang Sect.”

”And the mental method you practice is...?”

”Yin Yang Return to Void Technique.”

”Returning to Void...”

He had just come into contact with Cheng Miaozhen and had insightfully discerned her condition.

Her cultivation at the Fourth Layer Heaven.

In someone of her age, it’s an extraordinary talent.

If not for unique circumstances himself, he’d indeed not be her equal.

He initially thought it was the Two Forms Guiyuan Sect, but it turned out to be the Yin Yang Sect.

He had not heard of this sect, but to reverse innate fate, it was certainly no small or unknown sect.

Zhu Caifu said, ”The Yin Yang Sect is an ancient sect, and a hidden one, not recorded in the world. I found no traces in records of Da Zhen.”

Chu Zhiyuan slowly nodded, ”To have such an inheritance, Your Highness is truly fortunate.”

Cheng Miaozhen smiled lightly, ”I found two jade pendants at the bottom of a pool in a valley by chance; one was the Yin Yang Return to Void Technique, and the other this Yin Yang Du E Secret Scripture.”