Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 529: Chapter 526: Capture

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Chu Zhiyuan frowned.

The Outer Heaven Power here is indeed different from the ones encountered outside.

Neither the Fearless Great Perfection Handprint nor the Outer Heaven Power contained in the Venerable Statues could pose a threat to him.

But the Outer Heaven Power at this main altar is different.

Under Super Sensing Illumination, the Outer Heaven Power here is like blazing fire, completely different from the cold-water-like Outer Heaven Power elsewhere.

Instinct continuously warned him that this valley was extremely dangerous.

He kept on using Insight and judgment to figure out the source of the danger.

Was it those Golden Venerable Statues, the mechanisms of the valley itself, or something else?

He appeared next to Xu Haode, placed a hand on his shoulder, and flew him out of the valley back to the opposite peak.

Xu Haode’s right arm was stiff and immobile, his face contorted in unbearable pain.

The Outer Heaven Power seemed to truly burn his arm with fierce flames.

He desperately operated his spiritual power to extinguish the flames, but it only intensified them.

He watched the flames grow stronger, realizing he could no longer control them, and thus gritted his teeth, preparing for a risky devouring.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Mr. Xu, don’t be hasty.”

With a solemn expression, he formed seals with his palms and performed the Fearless Great Perfection Handprint.

A vast force descended from the heavens, landing on his Labor Palace Acupoints.

He pressed his palms on the spot of the Outer Heaven Power on Xu Haode’s arm.

Like raindrops falling into a blazing fire, the flames’ momentum weakened.

Xu Haode felt invigorated.

Chu Zhiyuan poured the Fearless Realm power from the Labor Palace into him.

Spending a considerable amount of Fearless Realm power, he finally extinguished the flames.

Xu Haode was finally relieved, exhaled, and cupped his fists with a wry smile: ”If the princely heir weren’t here, I’d have fared poorly today!”

Chu Zhiyuan waved his hand: ”It was just coincidence.”

Normally, a Grandmaster’s spiritual energy can block Outer Heaven Power.

But this Outer Heaven Power is sinister, so concentrated and pure, surpassing spiritual energy by a level.

At this moment, to counter Outer Heaven Power, one can only rely on Outer Heaven Power.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Such power, if devoured...”

”Fate could be grim!” Xu Haode shook his head: ”It could burst me.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

Because it was too powerful, it couldn’t last long.

”Continue,” Chu Zhiyuan said.

Xu Haode gritted his teeth: ”I want to see how long they can hold out!”

The two continued to hurl huge rocks down.

Boulders crashed or struck against the Golden Light Shield, which remained unchanged, as stable as a rock.

It gave the impression that it could remain forever unbreakable, no matter how many boulders hit it.

Chu Zhiyuan felt it was much like the Golden Tower in his own brow, steadfast no matter the impact.

If the disciples of Huaisu Sect inside the valley felt secure, then Chu Zhiyuan and Xu Haode felt despair.

”Princely heir, how long must we keep throwing?” Xu Haode couldn’t help but ask.

Chu Zhiyuan replied, ”One more round should do it!”

”Can it really work?”

”At most two rounds!”

”Two rounds...” Xu Haode wryly smiled: ”We’ve nearly emptied a mountain.”

”Here’s the plan, I’ll throw, and you fetch, just go and pick directly from the other side; they wouldn’t dare come out.”

The boulders bounced off the Golden Light Shield and didn’t fall into the valley but landed in the bamboo forests on either side.

These bamboo forests were already in disarray, littered with boulders.

”Great idea!” Xu Haode chuckled: ”Let’s see if we can lure them out!”

He dashed out, began picking up stones, and hauling them back to Chu Zhiyuan’s side.

He heaved until he was out of breath, steam rising from his head.

Lugging those boulders with Qinggong was extremely taxing, and after countless trips, even a Grandmaster’s body couldn’t endure.

After flinging over a dozen boulders, Xu Haode couldn’t keep up with the pace of Chu Zhiyuan’s throwing, so Chu Zhiyuan joined him in gathering them back.

He seemed tireless, exuding an air of ease, his strength seemingly inexhaustible.

Chu Zhiyuan and Xu Haode, right under the eyes of those in the valley, gathered the boulders back and hurled them at the Golden Light Shield again.

At the valley’s entrance, four people remained while the others had knelt in prayer before the massive Golden Venerable Statue.

The four at the entrance looked grim, with piercing eyes, but did not step out to stop them.

Xu Haode cursed, ”Damn it, they’re real turtles!”

He hadn’t expected them to hold their ground so well, clearly not worried about the shield breaking.

He thought for a moment: ”Princely heir, seems this trick isn’t working, let me try with the Treasure Sword!”

He drew a short sword from his sleeve, encased in a dull scabbard, appearing unremarkable.

When he unsheathed the short sword, its blade emitted a faint red glow, like the sunset’s afterglow shining on it.

”Breaking Gang Divine Sword?” Chu Zhiyuan asked.

”It’s even superior to Breaking Gang Divine Sword,” Xu Haode gently caressed the blade with tenderness as if stroking a lover’s skin, ”A treasure from a fortuitous encounter, able to break spiritual energy.”

Chu Zhiyuan was astonished: ”There’s such a Divine Sword?”

”Let’s see if it can achieve something!” Xu Haode said slowly.

”Wait, let’s gather some stones, and we’ll hit both ways.”

”Right.”

Once again, they hauled stones back to the peak, piling them up.

Chu Zhiyuan hurled a boulder.

Xu Haode leaped lightly, jumping onto the airborne boulder, using its momentum to propel himself higher before descending sharply.

With both hands, he clutched the sword hilt and plunged it downwards.

The red glow of the short sword intensified, transitioning from an afterglow to fiery brilliance, before suddenly expanding.

The short sword instantly extended, forming a Sword Gang, its color a deep violet, distorting his Insight.

Chu Zhiyuan couldn’t help but admire.

This was a unique swordsmanship, combined with this Divine Sword, making the power of the Sword Gang astonishing.

”Screech!”

An ear-piercing noise, like nails scraping across a steel plate.

The sword point pierced half a foot into the Golden Light Shield, the tip already inside the shield.

Chu Zhiyuan, using both hands and feet, pushed his speed to the limit, leaving a trail of afterimages as boulders flew out, either thrown or kicked up by him.

In the blink of an eye, thirty-six rocks almost all flew towards the valley’s Golden Light Shield.

Xu Haode slid down along the shield while exerting force to press down.

”Bang, bang, bang...” The rocks thudded against the Golden Light Shield.

But they all precisely avoided Xu Haode.

The purple Sword Gang on the short sword quickly diminished. After making a foot-long cut on the shield, the Sword Gang completely vanished, and the short sword was flung outward.

Xu Haode was flung out along with it.

Under the boulder rain attack, the Golden Light Shield slowly closed.

Before it could close, several figures slipped lightly through and into the valley.

These figures quickly infiltrated the group of people praying on the ground, gliding through their heads effortlessly.

”Bang!” Xu Haode crashed into several sturdy Green Bamboo, finally halting his slide, lying limply on the ground.

Struggling to get up, he steadied himself with a burning sensation from his arms, leaning on a sturdy Green Bamboo, and looked toward Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan stood on the opposing peak, eyes closed, a solemn expression.

In his daze, Xu Haode felt his vision turning dark, as if entering night.

A bright full moon appeared in the night sky.

The moonlight was like frost, chilling him to the bone, then the moonlight suddenly blazed brightly.

A prolonged dragon’s roar abruptly echoed.

His soul swayed, his whole body relaxed, and he slid down again.

Even as he collapsed, he stared intently at Chu Zhiyuan.

He saw Chu Zhiyuan’s energy surging like a ball, with a howling wind around him.

Black clouds gathered above Chu Zhiyuan, with faint thunder sounds.

Chu Zhiyuan suddenly drew his saber and let out a long howl, the sound akin to a dragon’s roar.

His saber light rose slowly like a full moon, penetrating the black clouds.

”Boom!”

A thunderous explosion, the black clouds vanished instantly.

The gusts also disappeared abruptly.

The next moment, centered on Chu Zhiyuan, all the Green Bamboo within a hundred-meter radius turned into dust.

He quickly operated his cultivation to protect himself; even so, he was thrown high into the air, his clothes shredded mid-air, and he landed naked outside the valley entrance, two meters away.

His blood churned and a wave of depression washed over, unable to help but open his mouth and vomit blood.

He was dumbfounded, turning to look at Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan stood solemnly, bathed in sunlight, seemingly glowing.

He fought off the weakness, attempting to rise, but found himself powerless.

Falling again, he saw the scene inside the valley.

Inside the valley, all thirty-some people remained motionless, while the four by the entrance maintained their original posture, their expressions still filled with anger and scorn.

But their eyes were hollow and lifeless.

At their brows was a small red hole, seeping white fluid.

”Flying knife?!”

A flash of insight struck, and he realized what had killed them.

He struggled to turn over, then strained to lift himself, kneeling and gazing at the valley.

Only the four of them remained standing in the valley; the rest were kneeling before the Golden Statue, motionless.

The valley was so quiet it was as if he had gone deaf.

He was most curious if those people were truly dead, also killed by the flying knife.

Ignoring the turbulence in his organs and the blood surging, he strained to channel a wisp of spiritual energy into his eyes.

He finally saw that those kneeling had small holes at the backs of their heads, oozing blood and white fluid.

”Haha... hahaha...”

He suddenly burst out laughing.

His laughter shattered the surrounding silence.

Chu Zhiyuan opened his eyes and exhaled deeply, revealing a smile.

Victory!

At last, it was a victory!

After countless calculations, they finally confronted the Outer Heaven Demons directly.

Not manipulated into mutual destruction with the Huaisu Sect disciples.

That fierce battle assured him that his Dragon Thought, Bright Moon Saber God, and the piece of Crown Jade sufficed against the Outer Heaven Demons.

He floated down to Xu Haode’s side.

Xu Haode was still laughing wildly, but his face was contorted, muscles twisted, suffering pain.

His whole body was ravaged by flame-like foreign energy, and spiritual power couldn’t stop it.

This was akin to being subjected to execution by fire.

Chu Zhiyuan formed seals with his palms, channeling a vast power from beyond the void into Xu Haode’s arms, circulating throughout his body.

The power of the Fearless Realm instantly flowed in, extinguishing these flames.

Xu Haode’s contorted face immediately relaxed, taking a long sigh: ”Thank you, princely heir, finally, we’ve won!”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled: ”Congratulations to us, Mr. Xu, we certainly have won a battle.”

Their strategic collaboration finally cleared the main altar of Huaisu Sect.

”I merely seized an opportunity.” Xu Haode waved with a wry smile.

Chu Zhiyuan felt fortunate for teaming up with Xu Haode; otherwise, he might not have secured victory so effortlessly.

Xu Haode’s cultivation was not as high, but his knowledge was exceptional, and he also possessed treasures.

Chu Zhiyuan said: ”This is no mere opportunity, quickly recover from the injuries, we must thoroughly search this main altar.”

He turned to look at the dozen figures drifting over from a distance and shook his head.

Those figures abruptly halted several hundred meters away, plummeting straight into the bamboo forest and vanishing.

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