Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 590: Chapter 586: Secrets of the Dao

Li Hongzhao chuckled and said, ”Xiao sister hasn’t shown up for a long time. Is she in seclusion, or is she sulking?”

Chu Zhiyuan glanced at her.

Li Hongzhao said, ”Xiao sister is deeply in love with you.”

Chu Zhiyuan snorted and said, ”No need to worry.”

The matter of Xiao Ruoling leaving Yao Yue Palace for Outer Heaven was a secret among secrets, and he naturally would not leak it.

It’s best for the world to believe she’s been in seclusion all this time.

Li Hongzhao tilted her head to look at him, gave a soft laugh, and said, ”A bit strange.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Suspicious mind.”

Li Hongzhao shook her head, ”Indeed strange, ... Given Xiao sister’s deep love for you, how could she bear not seeing you for three months?”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”With all the affairs in and outside the Court of Da Meng, do you have the leisure to keep an eye on me and Ruoling?”

As the Emperor, there are endless memorials to review and documents to read daily.

Yet she still watches Xiao Ruoling, indicating she indeed has sorted out everything and has leisure time, no longer overwhelmed.

Li Hongzhao suddenly turned solemn, ”Could it be that Xiao sister met with an accident?”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”What accident?”

”Qi deviation?”

”No.”

”Trapped in a Secret Land and can’t come out?”

”...”

”Oh, trapped in the Secret Land?” Li Hongzhao expressed surprise, ”Even your skills can’t help?”

Chu Zhiyuan snorted, ”I’m not omnipotent.”

”No way...” Li Hongzhao shook her head.

Chu Zhiyuan gave her a sidelong glance, ”Let’s talk about something else, don’t dwell on these worrisome matters.”

Li Hongzhao shook her head, ”You don’t seem like someone who’s worried about Xiao sister being trapped in a Secret Land... Where has she actually gone?”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”She’s indeed in a Secret Land.”

Li Hongzhao’s phoenix eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

She knew Chu Zhiyuan’s habit of not lying, but also not telling the whole truth.

Indeed trapped in a Secret Land, but she should be safe, perhaps even gaining benefits.

She mused, ”Has she had a fortuitous encounter? ... Her cultivation will greatly advance?”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded, ”More or less... When are you planning to ascend?”

”Given the current situation, within two years.” Li Hongzhao said.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”If entangled in affairs, you might not be able to ascend.”

Li Hongzhao instantly raised her slender brows, ”Are you going to tear up the truce? Then don’t blame Da Meng for being discourteous.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Not necessarily a war... By the way, do you know the situation in Outer Heaven? You can’t just rush in blindly, right?”

”I know a bit,” Li Hongzhao said.

Chu Zhiyuan asked, ”Can one return from Outer Heaven?”

Li Hongzhao said, ”Once you’ve mastered the Emperor’s Sword, you’ll naturally know the situation in Outer Heaven.”

Chu Zhiyuan asked, ”What is Outer Heaven like?”

Li Hongzhao gave a half-smile, her eyes curved as she looked at him.

”After parting today, it might be long before we meet again,” Chu Zhiyuan shook his head.

Li Hongzhao snorted, ”Why will it be so long before we meet again? You can come over anytime.”

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, ”Better not, to avoid gossip.”

”Oh, do you still care about that?” Li Hongzhao chuckled.

She was aware of people’s speculations.

They thought she was close to Chu Zhiyuan and there might be some personal feelings between them.

People’s minds were narrow, seeing young men and women together, they naturally thought of romantic relationships, thinking of nothing else.

She couldn’t be bothered to explain, why bother?

Explanation was useless, the more explanations, the more they believed their baseless guesses.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Tell me.”

”Okay,” Li Hongzhao said, ”There’s no harm in telling you.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Outer Heaven should be a much larger world, with more abundant spiritual energy. I wonder if it also has a Court, and what is the relationship between the sects and the Court there.”

”It also has a Court.” Li Hongzhao said.

Chu Zhiyuan raised his eyebrows, ”Is it also divided into three kingdoms like ours?”

Li Hongzhao gently nodded.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”So we’re still belonging to different Courts?”

Li Hongzhao snorted, ”Where do you think the Emperor’s Sword came from?”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”I suspected from the start that the Emperor’s Sword was an object from beyond our world... Are they items of the Dynasties in Outer Heaven?”

Li Hongzhao said, ”Our Da Meng belongs to the Phoenix Dynasty, your Da Jing belongs to the Jade Dynasty, Da Zhen belongs to the Yuanzhen Dynasty... My sword is named Phoenix Meng Sword, yours is called the Ningjing Sword, and Da Zhen’s is the Jizhen Sword.”

”What about Da Lie and Da Guang?”

Li Hongzhao pursed her lips and snorted, ”Their Emperor’s Swords are insignificant, pseudo Emperor Swords, incapable of ascension.”

Chu Zhiyuan slowly nodded.

He outlined the general situation of Outer Heaven in his mind and asked, ”What happens after ascension?”

Li Hongzhao said, ”Holding the Emperor’s Sword, in the Phoenix Dynasty, you’re a branch of the Prince Mansion. The ancestors have already established the Prince Mansion, and after I ascend, I become the Commandery Princess of the Prince Mansion, all of which is a set rule.”

”Is there only one Commandery Princess in the Prince Mansion?”

”Naturally, it’s not just me.” Li Hongzhao said, ”There are local Commandery Princesses, and ones from other worlds.”

Chu Zhiyuan was surprised, ”Other worlds?”

”Yes, besides our world, there are other worlds that will also ascend to Outer Heaven.”

”...” Chu Zhiyuan was amazed.

Li Hongzhao said, ”This piece of heaven and earth is just a small world.”

Chu Zhiyuan pondered, could it be that Outer Heaven is to cities as their world is to towns?

He smiled, ”Abandoning the role of the Emperor to become a Commandery Princess, can you bear to give it up?”

Li Hongzhao snorted, ”Being the Emperor isn’t that interesting, besides, to live longer, you must go to Outer Heaven where it’s more exciting, and cultivation realms are higher.”

”That’s true.” Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

In this regard, he and Li Hongzhao were of like minds.

Li Hongzhao said, ”I’ll tell you a secret, it’s about your Da Jing.”

Chu Zhiyuan’s spirits lifted.

Li Hongzhao said, ”Your second uncle, he’s the Divine Son of the Yongling Divine Sect, isn’t he?”

Chu Zhiyuan frowned.

This was a secret, an Imperial Family secret that no one should know.

Li Hongzhao waved her hand, ”Never mind how I know, do you know about the Yongling Divine Sect?”

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head.

The Yongling Divine Sect was a taboo topic in Da Jing, he initially thought it was because of his second uncle.

Later, he vaguely discovered it wasn’t as simple as that.

”Your second uncle might have already ascended.”

”Hmm—?”

”The Divine Son of the Yongling Divine Sect, should be someone from Outer Heaven, who went through many lifetimes of tempering before finally returning to Outer Heaven.”

Chu Zhiyuan was taken aback.

”Why do you think anyone can be Immortal? People from our world who practice the Eternal Spirit Secret Scripture can’t awaken past life memories.”

”Then how can one ascend back?” Chu Zhiyuan asked, ”My second uncle doesn’t have an Emperor’s Sword.”

Li Hongzhao said, ”Therefore, the Yongling Divine Sect must have an Ascension Technique.”

Chu Zhiyuan pondered, ultimately shaking his head.

”If there’s truly an Ascension Technique, it’s impossible to practice, or it would’ve spread long ago.”

”Surely, the Ascension Technique is very demanding.”

”Shouldn’t the Yongling Divine Sect have records?”

”I estimate, the Yongling Divine Sect might not have a legacy, only that each successive Divine Son obtains it in Outer Heaven.”

”Seems like it’s of little use.”

”But it’s still a path to ascension, what if your Emperor never abdicates?”

Chu Zhiyuan suddenly smiled.

Li Hongzhao snorted, ”Why are you smiling so strangely!”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, ”You want me to ascend early and keep you company?”

”... Exactly.” Li Hongzhao snorted, ”I’m lonely, being all alone is quite boring.”