Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 533: Chapter 530 Departure

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After seeing Xu Haode off, he didn’t rush to enter the city. He first took a circuit around the outskirts, cleaning up the Evil Sect’s remnants within a hundred-mile radius.

There were barely any left.

After entering the city, he cleaned up a bit more.

Then he returned to the Prince Qing Mansion.

Upon returning to the mansion, a lively scene was inevitable.

After washing up, he felt completely refreshed and went to the front hall to have dinner.

Bai Ningshuang shook her head with a pained expression, complaining a few times.

She lamented that he had been away too long, had become too haggard, and had suffered a lot.

Chu Yi excitedly asked how it went, whether the Evil Sect’s lair was destroyed.

Chu Minghou mentioned that the Emperor was waiting impatiently and that they needed to set off as soon as possible.

Also, they needed to show up at the Martial Arts Hall and the Phoenix Camp.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded while eating.

He recounted the happenings of the past half-month. After breaking the Huaisu Sect’s main altar, he also eliminated the lairs of two other sects, a process that wasn’t as easy.

The second, Yuding Sect, was the most difficult, much harder than Huaisu Sect, taking six days to accomplish.

After six days of fierce attacks, they managed to wear down the power of the mighty array.

After exhausting the strength of all the experts inside the Yuding Sect’s main altar, they broke open the formation and destroyed everything at the main altar.

The third sect was the Heavenly Heart Sect, significantly larger than the previous two.

Unlike the Huaisu Sect and Yuding Sect located in valleys, the Heavenly Heart Sect was situated atop a mountain peak.

The entire mountain peak was structured as an array, the formation encompassing the whole peak.

Atop the peak stood a golden Venerable Statue, a hundred meters high, gazing over the surrounding peaks and surveying the heavens and earth.

On this peak, there were over three hundred experts, including eight Great Grandmasters and a hundred Grandmasters.

Such strength surpassed any of the Four Great Sects, with only the Four Demonic Sects being comparable.

Moreover, they had the support of arrays.

Chu Zhiyuan once thought he couldn’t conquer this peak.

But a flash of insight led him to employ a detour strategy.

Instead of a frontal assault, he infiltrated the mountain peak using an Inheritance Token.

Without this Inheritance Token, as an outsider, he couldn’t have entered the mountain peak.

Even approaching the mountain peak would’ve been impossible.

With the Inheritance Token, he passed into the mountain using its aura.

Once inside, he didn’t rush to act but quietly lurked, pretending to be focused on cultivation, observing silently, and looking for weaknesses.

Through seven days of observation, he discovered the operation pattern of the formation and the routines of the people.

The Golden Venerable Statue was built on the peak, and beneath it was the White Jade Square, carved with strange patterns.

Chu Zhiyuan had realized that although the sects were different, their inheritance methods were almost the same.

This led him to believe that these demons might share the same origin.

Thus, the approach to deal with them could be the same.

With a certain judgment, he launched a daring surprise attack.

After everyone had rested, he directly destroyed the White Jade Square beneath the statue, demolishing the patterns.

Then, using the Yin Yang Return to Void Technique, he teamed up with Xu Haode to destroy the Dantian of the Venerable Statue.

Once the Dantian of the Venerable Statue was destroyed, its source of power was lost.

In destroying the Venerable Statue, the remaining Heavenly Heart Sect disciples became mere corpses.

Without the protection of Outer Heaven Demonic Power, they were no match against Chu Zhiyuan.

...

”Big brother, after all your efforts, you’ve only destroyed three main altars, that’s not much,” Chu Yi said.

Chu Zhiyuan chuckled, ”It’s indeed not much.”

Chu Yi said, ”I thought you’d wiped out all their main altars.”

She had always felt that her big brother was omnipotent, invincible, nothing could challenge him.

She believed that once her big brother took action, it would be as straightforward and easy as dealing with the monsters in Yujing, and he would sweep away all the Evil Sect’s main altars like plowing a garden.

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, ”If it were that easy to wipe them out, they would have been gone long ago.”

Chu Yi curiously asked, ”Big brother, is the Southern Border really that desolate?”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded, ”Compared to Yujing City, it is indeed more desolate, but not so barren as to have no one at all.”

However, despite the sparse population, the vastness of the region ensures there are still many people.

Otherwise, so many Evil Sects couldn’t have thrived and grown.

”Is there really miasma in the Southern Border?”

”Yes, miasma is indeed pervasive there.”

...

While the family of four was dining, Feng Xi entered to report that Huang Cheng had arrived.

Huang Cheng soon appeared before everyone, dressed in a purple robe, followed by two red-robed eunuchs.

Huang Cheng cheerfully clasped his fists, ”The Princely Heir has finally returned.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and clasped his hands, ”Imperial Envoy Huang, what is the Imperial Grandfather’s command?”

”The Emperor has issued a decree for the Princely Heir to depart as soon as possible.”

”That urgent?”

”According to what I know, Da Zhen has already started negotiations with Da Meng, and if we don’t go, they might really reach an agreement...”

”But if I go, won’t I just be a figurehead?”

”The Princely Heir is to lead, with support from the noble officials of the Ministry of Rites and Ministry of War.”

”... The Imperial Grandfather’s trust is heavy on my shoulders, and this boy can only accept it with humility.”

Chu Zhiyuan hesitated for a moment, sighed, and then bowed in the direction of the Imperial Palace.

Huang Cheng was immediately beaming with joy, not expecting Chu Zhiyuan to agree so readily.

This was not a coveted assignment.

Going to negotiate with Da Meng meant Da Jing would inevitably have to compromise, essentially asking Da Meng’s favor, and was destined not to yield favorable results.

No matter who was sent, it would be the same.

This assignment was destined to attract criticism and condemnation.

The Fourth Prince wouldn’t take this assignment lightly.

By now, everyone knew that the Fourth Prince’s chances of ascending the throne were significantly high.

Merits were crucial, as was reputation, and undertaking such a mission at this time would greatly damage one’s reputation.

Huang Cheng had been pondering how to persuade the Fourth Prince to accept the decree, but he didn’t expect him to agree so easily.

Chu Zhiyuan said with a smile, ”Whether the assignment is good or bad, since it’s a decree from the Imperial Grandfather, I’ll handle some trivial matters tomorrow, and set off the day after tomorrow.”

”The Princely Heir is wise!” Huang Cheng exclaimed, clasping his fists in appreciation.

Chu Zhiyuan chuckled, ”It’s just the toil of life, what’s there to talk about wisdom or lack thereof?”

Huang Cheng shook his head in admiration.

At this stage, for the Fourth Prince, being young, how could he not be full of ambition and spirit?

Yet, the Fourth Prince remained humble and cautious, showing no arrogance.

That truly is rare.

Indeed, he is a dragon among men.

After seeing Huang Cheng off, Bai Ningshuang sadly said, ”Yuan’er, you’re leaving the day after tomorrow?”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”We can’t delay important matters.”

”Negotiating with Da Meng means Da Jing is bound to take a loss.” Bai Ningshuang shook her head, ”No one wants to take on this assignment.”

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, ”Someone has to do it, just like eliminating the Evil Sect.”

”You...” Bai Ningshuang sighed, ”Always taking on these burdens, too foolish.”

Chu Minghou said, ”Taking losses isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”

”Even so, but...” Bai Ningshuang knitted her brows, ”No need to be too arduous, Yuan’er is still young.”

Chu Minghou said, ”A bit of hardship when young is also good.”

”Prince...” Bai Ningshuang was speechless.

Chu Minghou awkwardly smiled, ”Father wouldn’t harm Yuan’er.”

”True.” Bai Ningshuang agreed.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”This assignment, it doesn’t matter who takes it. I actually wanted to see the sights of Da Meng and broaden my perspective.”

...

On the morning of the third day, Chu Zhiyuan and his group left Yujing City.

Over a hundred people, riding horses, headed towards Tianjing, the capital city of Da Meng.

However, by noon, Chu Zhiyuan rode the Heavenly Dragon Divine Horse back to Yujing.

He wanted to see if anyone would take the opportunity to retaliate against the Prince Mansion or the Purple Sun Villa.

The trip to the Southern Border was a secret mission, almost no one knew, everyone thought he was in seclusion for cultivation.

This time, going to Da Meng was almost known throughout the city.

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