Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 414: Chapter 411: Leave the Blade

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”This Young Master Gao is not foolish; he won’t be so easily provoked. Don’t worry.” Li Hongzhao glanced at him sideways, ”Look at you, all frightened!”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”I’m timid as a mouse...”

”Alright, alright!” Li Hongzhao hurriedly interrupted him, ”That’s fine, no need to avoid him.”

She knew the following words from Chu Zhiyuan would frustrate her.

So she simply chose not to listen.

A moment later, footsteps echoed, and a maid outside said, ”Your Highness, Young Master Gao is here.”

”Invite him in.” Li Hongzhao responded.

Chu Zhiyuan sat by the table.

The door to the room opened, and Gao Jiuqu stood outside, cupping his fists in salute, ”Ninth Prince, I am Gao Jiuqu, at your service.”

Li Hongzhao smiled faintly, ”I took the liberty of inviting Young Master Gao over, as I have long admired your reputation. When given the chance to meet, naturally, I wanted to experience your brilliance.”

She appeared cold and aloof, looking down on Gao Jiuqu with pride and dignity.

Gao Jiuqu, however, treated it as normal, understanding that this was the demeanor of royalty.

He also noticed Chu Zhiyuan was present and cupped his fists with a smile, ”Princely Heir.”

Chu Zhiyuan rose, cupped his fists, and smiled, ”Brother Gao, what a coincidence.”

”The Princely Heir is with Your Highness...?” Gao Jiuqu looked at the two in surprise.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”It was also by chance that we met.”

Li Hongzhao smiled faintly, ”Today is indeed full of coincidences. First, I encountered an old acquaintance, and now you, Young Master Gao. Please have a seat.”

Gao Jiuqu felt a sense of doubt.

His instincts were sharp, vaguely sensing the relationship between the two wasn’t so simple.

It seemed like an undercurrent was brewing, containing both anger and conflict.

He knew about the martial skills of Chu Zhiyuan and Li Hongzhao quite well.

But he wasn’t clear about their specific relationship, only knowing they were more enemies than friends.

Seeing the subtle expressions of Chu Zhiyuan and Li Hongzhao, he knew he was right; they were indeed secretly competing and fighting.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”Brother Gao, I heard the Seventeenth Prince has descended the mountain and is coming to our Da Jing?”

”... The Princely Heir knows this?” Gao Jiuqu was startled and hurriedly said, ”The Seventeenth Prince is just visiting the Eighteenth Prince.”

Li Hongzhao cast a sidelong glance at Chu Zhiyuan.

This guy is really nasty, having just got the information from her, now he’s flaunting it to Gao Jiuqu.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”Looking at Brother Gao, it seems the Seventeenth Prince is coming for me?”

”Absolutely not.” Gao Jiuqu hastily waved his hand, ”The Seventeenth Prince is intelligent and perceptive, understanding things clearly. He definitely won’t act recklessly.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”That’s unfortunate, ... but I’m about to leave Yujing, so I might not get to meet the Seventeenth Prince.”

”Is the Princely Heir going to Jihai Town?”

”Brother Gao knows of this too?”

”Having heard this news, with the Princely Heir leading and the Phoenix Camp mobilizing, naturally, success is within grasp, a trifling matter.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”Let’s hope it goes smoothly; Daliu Camp’s disturbance has gone too far.”

Li Hongzhao snorted, ”Daliu Camp’s disturbance has gone too far, and General Ding Shaoqiang is also to blame. In my opinion, both sides should be punished.”

Chu Zhiyuan asked, ”What does Brother Gao think?”

Gao Jiuqu cupped his fists, ”I am not familiar with the details, and it’s too presumptuous to comment.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”That’s a mature statement, unlike some people who rush to make comments as soon as they hear something.”

Li Hongzhao snorted, ”Military affairs don’t care about details; we only look at the big picture. If there’s a mistake, there must be punishment!”

Military affairs are different from ordinary civilian cases; what matters is discipline and order.

No matter the circumstances, if military discipline is violated, there must be punishment.

Everyone has their difficulties and reasons; must we sympathize with them all?

Wouldn’t that lead to chaos?

Gao Jiuqu said, ”If it’s the officials forcing the people to rebel, there must be leniency.”

Li Hongzhao snorted, ”If the officials force the people to rebel, then both the officials and the people must be punished.”

”Isn’t this a case of not distinguishing right from wrong?” Gao Jiuqu disagreed, ”The people forced to rebel are too innocently oppressed.”

Li Hongzhao said, ”But what if they’re not civilians, but soldiers?”

”This...” Gao Jiuqu hesitated, ”It still depends on the circumstances.”

Li Hongzhao smiled faintly, ”Young Master Gao, with your views, you cannot govern the military.”

Military governance is different from civilian governance.

Gao Jiuqu conceded, ”It seems I am indeed not suited for military governance.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”As the saying goes, compassion does not lead an army. If Brother Gao were to command, you wouldn’t be able to bear it, unable to overcome your own heart, your mental state would collapse.”

”Yes.” Gao Jiuqu nodded.

He knew his own situation, indeed not suited for military governance, unable to harden his heart.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”If the Seventeenth Prince comes and truly seeks me, then give this to the Seventeenth Prince.”

Suddenly, light glinted from his waist as the Bright Moon Saber unsheathed, gliding towards the table.

The table corner fell silently, caught by the Bright Moon Saber, and lightly set before Gao Jiuqu.

Gao Jiuqu was puzzled.

He felt the cut was gentle, without a hint of smoke and fire, and not particularly fast.

Yet he failed to react as if he had become suddenly sluggish.

If this strike were aimed at him, he feared he wouldn’t evade it either.

This strike was truly extraordinary!

The more he pondered, the more he felt its peculiarity.

Chu Zhiyuan sheathed his saber, smiling, ”Show this table corner to the Seventeenth Prince.”

”What’s there to see?” Li Hongzhao curiously picked up the table corner.

The triangular table corner had sharp edges and smooth sides.

Her expression changed slightly, and her white garments suddenly billowed, her face turned pale.

Her phoenix eyes became hazy and lost.

The table corner slipped from her delicate hand.

The Bright Moon Saber appeared silently, gently catching it, placing it back in its original position.

Gao Jiuqu looked at Li Hongzhao in amazement.

He realized she had just activated her full strength, yet clearly, she couldn’t withstand it.

Seeing her pale face, flushed cheeks, he knew she was injured.

How was she injured?

Could it be because of this table corner?

Contemplating this, he focused his attention on the table corner but felt nothing amiss.

Following Li Hongzhao’s example, he picked it up again and concentrated.

Suddenly, a long blade manifested before his eyes, bright and clear like a full moon mirrored in the sky.

The long blade slashed down upon him.

He tried his utmost to evade, but couldn’t; attempted to block, but couldn’t.

As the blade light descended, his vision blacked out.

His chest churned, feeling nauseous, blood surged, and his internal organs were tumultuous, feeling so uncomfortable he wished to faint.

Chu Zhiyuan watched him quietly.

Li Hongzhao, having regained her composure, glared fiercely at Chu Zhiyuan, ”Did you do this on purpose?”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and looked at Gao Jiuqu, ”I didn’t ask you to look, did I?”

”...Despicable!” Li Hongzhao snorted, ”That was a sneak attack!”

Chu Zhiyuan chuckled quietly, not arguing back.

Li Hongzhao bit her red lips with her white teeth, resentfully, ”Is this the sword technique you’ve been practicing recently?”

Chu Zhiyuan assessed Gao Jiuqu, smiling, ”How’s the power?”

”...It’s unbeatable, sneak attack of course!” Li Hongzhao’s fiery red lips were bitten tighter.

Chu Zhiyuan chuckled softly, shaking his head in silence.

Li Hongzhao’s stubbornness was apparent.

Suddenly, blood overflowed from the corner of Gao Jiuqu’s mouth.

Li Hongzhao was astonished.

Gao Jiuqu reached Grandmaster Perfection, his cultivation far surpassing hers; why was he more severely injured?

Her own cultivation was inferior to Chu Zhiyuan’s, so being wounded by his Sword Intent wasn’t surprising, but Gao Jiuqu’s cultivation surpassed even Chu Zhiyuan’s, yet he was still struck by the Sword Intent.

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