Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 520: Chapter 517: Return

Engagement between courts is not like martial arts experts battling to the death.

It’s all about compromises.

Chu Zhiyuan had witnessed negotiations between two courts; without an overwhelming power gap, neither side can win it all, requiring mutual compromise.

Chu Yi snorted, ”In my opinion, let them join forces as they may, we just need to hold on for a few years and we can overcome them.”

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head.

This idea was too idealistic; if they really joined forces, Da Jing’s army losses would outpace its gains.

Right now, Da Jing needs to recuperate and quietly increase its strength.

But achieving this is greatly difficult.

Both Da Zhen and Da Meng are not blind and will not let Da Jing have its way unchecked.

On this point, Da Zhen and Da Meng are likely already in tacit agreement.

”Yuan’er, I think the court intends to send you as an envoy to Da Meng.”

”Hmm—?”

”There’s such a rumor, not sure if it’s true.”

Chu Zhiyuan asked, ”Father, where did you hear this?”

”While drinking with colleagues, I caught it in passing,” Chu Minghou replied, ”Since Da Zhen and Da Meng are discussing things privately, we should also talk in private with Da Meng.”

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, ”This way, Da Meng benefits the most.”

”Not necessarily, it still depends on how the talks go,” Chu Minghou said, ”Among us in Da Jing, you are the most familiar with the Emperor of Da Meng.”

Chu Yi giggled, ”I also think you’re the most suitable person for this task, big brother.”

Chu Zhiyuan frowned.

He was at the most crucial point of eradicating the Evil Sect and it was not appropriate to leave.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, leaving now could risk failing at the last hurdle.

There were some in the court who did not want him to provoke the Evil Sect further.

They weren’t protecting the Evil Sect, but didn’t want more chaos in Yujing or more deaths.

The Military Suppression Department had been on high alert, but the Evil Sect’s zealots were extreme and not deterred by its defenses.

On the contrary, they saw it as a rare opportunity, one expert from the Military Suppression Department equaled ten ordinary experts.

The Military Suppression Department had experienced considerable casualties and fatalities lately.

Behind it stood the Four Great Sects and the military, and naturally, the Four Great Sects had their representatives in the court.

The military even more so.

They obviously knew the hazards of the Evil Sect, yet were pessimistic, believing that the Evil Sect could not be extinguished.

Even if one batch was killed, another would emerge, like a wildfire that could not be completely extinguished, reborn by the spring breeze.

Such massive sacrifices, yet only a batch of Evil Sect zealots was killed, which did little to change the overall situation.

They thought that to eradicate the Evil Sect, extreme measures should not be used, but weakening them gradually, quietly.

Their primary goal was the safety of the Military Suppression Department’s members, only then regarding the Evil Sect zealots.

Chu Zhiyuan’s goal, however, was the Evil Sect zealots, sacrificing the Military Suppression Department was expected.

Chu Zhiyuan felt the opportunity was rare, every day the Evil Sect zealots remained, more innocent civilians died unjustly.

Compared to the losses of the Military Suppression Department, the loss of innocent civilians was dozens or even hundreds of times greater.

However, in the eyes of some courtiers, even a hundred innocent civilians couldn’t compare to one expert from the Military Suppression Department.

The stability of the court depended on the experts of the Military Suppression Department rather than innocent civilians.

Nevertheless, Chu Zhiyuan believed that both the Military Suppression Department and ordinary people were important, all were citizens of Da Jing.

The current method was the best for eradicating the Evil Sect, better a short pain than a long one.

As Chu Zhiyuan fell into deep contemplation, Chu Minghou, Bai Ningshuang, and Chu Yi did not interrupt, quietly eating their meal.

He thought to himself, ”If I really have to go to Da Meng, I’ll need to wait a month until I’ve wiped out the Evil Sect.”

”Big brother, can you eradicate the Evil Sect in a month?”

”I can eradicate most of it, the rest will have to be dealt with slowly.”

”So you’re saying there’s still no way to completely wipe out the Evil Sect?”

”It’s hard to say now, but will strive for it,” Chu Zhiyuan said.

The more he understood and engaged with the Evil Sect, the more he realized how difficult it was to eradicate them entirely.

It’s no wonder the courtiers felt hopeless; they were indeed a formidable foe.

First, he’d eradicate the Evil Sect within the borders of Da Jing, then go to Da Meng, and perhaps even to Da Zhen.

Only by eradicating the Evil Sect in these three places could the Evil Sect be truly extinguished.

The key issue was to find the main altar and completely sever the link between the Outer Heaven Power and this world.

Chu Minghou solemnly nodded, ”I will speak to Father about this.”

——

”Hey, hey, secret news!”

”What news?”

Cheng Yifeng and Cheng Miaozhen, the concubine, entered a luxurious restaurant—Feiyun Tower.

On the bustling second floor, they found their reserved window table.

As soon as they sat down, they heard whispers.

It was from the neighboring table.

”What news?”

”The last piece of the Evil Emperor Jade Pendant was obtained by the Fourth Prince!”

”Impossible, right?” someone hesitated.

”Why not? With the Fourth Prince’s cultivation, if he decided to snatch it, who could stop him?”

”But what’s the point of the Fourth Prince grabbing it? Is he also curious about the Evil Emperor’s legacy? That’s an Evil Emperor legacy.”

”But it’s a legacy that could lead to Ascension!”

”...True, in that case, even I would be tempted, who wouldn’t be?”

”Haha...this is interesting, they snatch back and forth over something meaningless.”

”No one can steal the Fourth Prince’s Evil Emperor Jade Pendant, in the end, it would still end up with the Fourth Prince, wouldn’t it?”

”But the Evil Sect still has Great Grandmasters.”

”Beyond Purple Sun Villa at the White Bone Tower, there are corpses of Evil Sect Great Grandmasters.”

”...It is troubling indeed,” that person shook their head, ”it’s indeed difficult to get it.”

”Then gather more Great Grandmasters...perhaps the Evil Sect Great Grandmasters will join forces.”

”The Fourth Prince is in danger then.”

There was a tone of concern in their words.

”Sigh...the only one truly standing up to slay the Evil Sect is the Fourth Prince, if something happens to him, the world’s Evil Sect would rampage again!”

”I’ve heard many who died at the hands of the Evil Sect were ruled by officials as accidents or suicides, isn’t that a joke?”

”Indeed, if it was stated they’d died by the Evil Sect, how could the official detectives catch the culprit? Even the Military Suppression Department can’t handle it, only to report as an accident or suicide, and consider it bad luck.”

”Sigh...if one encounters the Evil Sect zealots, they can only consider themselves unlucky.”

”Now that the Fourth Prince is slaughtering the Evil Sect zealots like this, it’s indeed gratifying!”

”I’ve heard someone at home is worshipping a tablet of the Fourth Prince.”

”Those families with members killed by the Evil Sect zealots must surely be grateful to the Fourth Prince.”

”Sigh...let’s hope the Fourth Prince doesn’t meet with any misfortune and wipe out these zealots!”

”Exactly.”

...

Cheng Yifeng whispered under his breath, ”That move of his is indeed cunning.”

Cheng Miaozhen lightly nodded.

”Entering the rank of Great Grandmaster so quickly, he can’t advance within the military. How else to earn merit than by killing these Evil Sect zealots?”

Cheng Miaozhen replied faintly, ”That’s why some attack him, saying that his motives in killing the Evil Sect zealots are impure.”

The concubine snorted, ”One should judge actions, not motives. If we investigate everyone’s motives, everything would descend into chaos.”

The court recognizes merit based on actions, not intentions.

Killing the Evil Sect zealots brings merit, that’s a strict rule.

”The Fourth Prince is here!”

”The Fourth Prince!”

The restaurant suddenly erupted in excitement, and people rushed to the windows.

Cheng Yifeng and company were by the window, and with a wave of his hand, several guards hidden in the shadows quickly surrounded them.

The people who wanted to crowd over saw this and turned to other windows, pushing to look outside.

Some suddenly ran out of the restaurant to gather along the avenue.

Chu Zhiyuan was walking slowly down the street, flanked by Guo Chi and his guards.

Zou Fang followed closely behind, carrying a half-human tall box.

Curious onlookers crowded both sides of the avenue.

Some even knelt on the ground, bowing in respect.

Chu Zhiyuan returned the enthusiasm with a slight nod to the people but did not slow his pace.

He suddenly turned his head toward Feiyun Tower and spotted Cheng Yifeng and Cheng Miaozhen, including the concubine.