Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 484: Chapter 481: Solution

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This sword pierced into the brow bone as if it were piercing into tofu.

This is undoubtedly a treasure sword that cuts through iron like mud.

Shao Feng took out a silk handkerchief from his sleeve, slowly wiped the sword tip, then discarded the handkerchief and sheathed his sword.

Chu Zhiyuan praised, ”Good sword.”

Shao Feng cupped his fists, ”I have met the Fourth Prince.”

Chu Zhiyuan cupped his fists and looked at the six fallen middle-aged men, ”To last so long under six Grandmasters is truly rare.”

Shao Feng was indifferent, ”The Princely Heir praises too much, we’re far from it. Without the Princely Heir, we would have been bound to die.”

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head with a smile, ”This is also the fortune of you two outstanding talents.”

Qu Ying said, ”My lord, I was ordered to deliver the sword. Should it be brought to the mansion, or given to you now?”

Chu Zhiyuan took off the long knife with the emerald-green scabbard and handed it to her, ”Let’s exchange it now.”

”This...” Qu Ying hesitated and did not take the emerald long knife, ”If the Princely Heir hasn’t played enough, you may continue to wield it.”

”Since it’s said, it must be done,” Chu Zhiyuan said with a smile, ”One sword for another, as promised.”

He pushed the emerald scabbard forward.

”...Alright.” Qu Ying accepted it, tying it to her own waist.

The slim waist now carried two long blades, appearing excessively heavy.

She took the azure long knife from her back and handed it over with both hands.

Zou Fang stepped forward to take it.

Chu Zhiyuan said with a smile, ”Very well, thank you Miss Qu. Please convey my regards to Sect Master Lu.”

”Yes,” Qu Ying replied respectfully.

Chu Zhiyuan cupped his fists slightly, ”I still have a few more steps to take. You two should enter the city first. Within fifty li, there are no longer any Evil Sect monsters. You may rest assured.”

”Please, my lord, I won’t disturb you further,” Qu Ying detected the meaning in his words, cupped her fists, and took her leave.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded with a smile.

He nodded again towards Shao Feng and then drifted away.

Zou Fang, carrying the azure long knife, followed behind and in a blink was out of sight.

The six corpses had now turned into six skeletons.

Shao Feng sat weakly on a nearby tree stump.

It was the very pine tree cut down unintentionally by Qu Ying, with the fragrance of pine resin drifting from the severed surface.

Shao Feng sat on the pine stump, exhaled a long breath, and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Qu Ying, however, kept staring at the direction where Chu Zhiyuan disappeared, not turning back for a long time.

Shao Feng couldn’t help but say, ”The Princely Heir is already betrothed, to the Holy Daughter of Yao Yue Palace.”

This statement elicited a strange look from Qu Ying.

Shao Feng immediately felt foolish, realizing he shouldn’t have said that, but there was no taking it back, so he hurriedly added, ”I wonder what martial arts the Princely Heir used to take down six people unnoticed.”

Qu Ying remained silent, still staring in the direction Chu Zhiyuan vanished.

Shao Feng felt he couldn’t help but make another sarcastic remark, trying hard to restrain himself.

A moment later, he couldn’t hold back, ”Miss Qu, do you recognize the Holy Daughter of Yao Yue Palace?”

Qu Ying rolled her eyes, retorting, ”No, I don’t!”

”I hear the Holy Daughter was once the first beauty of Yujing, unparalleled in beauty.”

”Have you seen her?”

”...No, I haven’t.”

”Then what’s there to talk about!” Qu Ying showed some impatience, ”Don’t you find it odd?”

If he hadn’t voluntarily helped her, she would have turned and left long ago, too lazy to say another word to this fool.

”What’s odd?”

”Don’t you find their deaths very strange?”

”Strange...”

”...”

”It’s a bit strange.”

”...”

”What martial arts did the Fourth Prince use?”

”Don’t you think this resembles the legendary Emperor’s Sword killing Evil Sect monsters?”

”Hmm—? Ah?!”

Shao Feng was momentarily taken aback, then furrowed his brows and nodded, ”Indeed, just like that, they silently died without any wounds.”

He then added, ”Could it be that the Fourth Prince has mastered the Emperor’s Sword? Impossible.”

Qu Ying stroked her fair forehead with a defeated expression.

Shao Feng looked at her puzzled.

Qu Ying explained helplessly, ”Isn’t it possible that this is merely a false rumor and that these Evil Sect monsters weren’t killed by the Emperor’s Sword?”

”Then who killed them?”

”The Fourth Prince.”

”...Right!” Shao Feng suddenly realized, then praised, ”Miss Qu, you are truly clever and wise, impressed!”

Qu Ying waved her hand, ”What cleverness am I? ...It seems that these Evil Sect monsters were all killed by the Fourth Prince. He had killed a bunch of Evil Sect monsters in the Eastern Territory, completely clashing with the Evil Sect!”

”What secret technique does the Fourth Prince possess? Even a Great Grandmaster isn’t this formidable, right?”

”Well, the Fourth Prince is remarkably gifted; mastering some miracle secret technique wouldn’t be surprising.”

”...Indeed.” Shao Feng nodded slowly.

He was also deeply impressed by Chu Zhiyuan’s talent, and not just him, the entire White Cloud Sword Palace admired and envied Chu Zhiyuan’s talent.

He only regretted not being Chu Zhiyuan.

Qu Ying’s eyes shone with admiration, ”This is the demeanor of a Great Grandmaster, taking lives without lifting a hand, defeating opponents without making a sound.”

”A Great Grandmaster...” Shao Feng shook his head, ”Not everyone can become a Great Grandmaster; not sure if I can even achieve it.”

Despite being young and already a Grandmaster, young Grandmasters were no longer rare in today’s Da Jing.

If before the establishment of the Martial Arts Hall and Phoenix Camp, a young Grandmaster like him would have been considered a treasure.

Now, he has become ordinary.

Qu Ying said, ”Young Master Shao, haven’t you been diligently cultivating within the sect?”

”Yes.”

”Came to the Military Suppression Department for training?”

”Exactly,” Shao Feng replied, ”How about you, Miss Qu?”

”I was ordered to deliver the sword to the Fourth Prince and must return to continue training diligently.”

Shao Feng hurriedly said, ”Becoming a Grandmaster, further secluding oneself in training is futile; one needs experience.”

Qu Ying said, ”It’s not yet time for me to gain experience. Young Master Shao, let’s part ways here, until we meet again.”

”When will you return, Miss Qu?”

”That’s uncertain,” Qu Ying replied, ”I might stay within the sect, never returning.”

”Continually burying oneself in hard training is ineffective, one must venture into the world for tempering, joining the Military Suppression Department is the best route,” Shao Feng advised, ”It’s a shortcut.”

”I must follow the instructions of the Sect Master and the Elders, farewell,” Qu Ying bid adieu with cupped fists and drifted away.

Shao Feng waved his hand, eventually halting, and watched as Qu Ying’s slender and graceful silhouette vanished.

He immediately felt lost, sighed in depression, and limply sat back onto the pine stump.

...

Chu Zhiyuan turned and looked at Qu Ying, who had followed, and smiled, ”Miss Qu, do you have more to say?”

”My lord, I too wish to kill the Evil Sect monsters,” Qu Ying said slowly.

Previously, in the sect, the phrase Evil Sect monsters were to be exterminated by everyone.

At the time, it was just a regular slogan, but now she deeply understood this phrase’s penetrating hatred.

She was exceedingly hateful of the Evil Sect monsters, unable to tolerate their continued harm.

Given the opportunity to painfully slaughter Evil Sect monsters, she wouldn’t miss it, or else her mind would remain unsettled.

”First, practice well,” Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Miss Qu, you are only at the First Layer Heaven of Grandmaster, far from capable of killing Evil Sect monsters; encountering them would only enlarge their resources.”

”I’m well-versed in the Sword Technique, even though it’s only at the First Layer Heaven of Grandmaster, I can kill Level Six Grandmaster experts,” Qu Ying said, ”Otherwise, I wouldn’t have held them off for so long.”

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, ”Your Sword Technique can’t compensate for the gap in Realm; still have to find ways to improve the Realm.”

”I haven’t been neglecting the Realm,” Qu Ying hurriedly said.

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