Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 745: Chapter 741: Implementation

Chu Zhiyuan summoned Li Yuzhen.

The two women met.

Fu Zheng clasped her fists, smiling obediently: ”Sister Li, I don’t understand anything, I hope you can teach me.”

Li Yuzhen said indifferently: ”Being a guard is simple for us Venerables, easy to learn.”

”Aren’t there many rules?” Fu Zheng asked curiously.

”There aren’t as many rules in the Prince Consort Mansion compared to other Prince Mansions and Prince Mansions, just pay attention.” Li Yuzhen smiled.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded: ”Yes, there aren’t many rules in my mansion, Yuzhen, you should teach her more.”

”Yes.” Li Yuzhen replied.

Chu Zhiyuan waved his hand and smiled at You Lan.

You Lan nodded slightly.

Though she disapproved of Chu Zhiyuan’s decision to recruit a Demon Sect disciple, even if she was a Venerable.

Yet she inexplicably liked Fu Zheng upon meeting her.

Brimming with Spiritual Energy, pure and innocent.

...

Li Yuzhen led Fu Zheng out of the small courtyard, walked further, and entered another small courtyard at the back.

Adjacent to Chu Zhiyuan’s courtyard.

After bringing her in, Li Yuzhen smiled and said: ”This is the small courtyard arranged by Miss You Lan, see if you’re satisfied.”

”Miss You Lan?”

”Yes, the manager of our mansion, the person the Prince Consort trusts most.”

”Is she the lady next to Your Highness?”

”Indeed.”

”She looks very young.”

”Actually much older than us,” Li Yuzhen shook her head lightly: ”She’s from beside the Prince Consort’s biological mother, raised him from a young age.”

”Profound in cultivation?”

”Should have taken a certain Strange Fruit, an age-preserving Strange Fruit.” Li Yuzhen said.

She felt You Lan was only in the Transformation Realm.

So her appearance remained young, probably from using a kind of age-preserving Strange Fruit.

Being the close maid of the Imperial Concubine, it’s not surprising to take such a Strange Fruit.

Fu Zheng was immediately curious: ”There’s such a Strange Fruit?”

”In the Grotto Heaven, they should exist.”

”Is it hard to obtain this Strange Fruit?”

”Hard to come by, but not something to pursue. We don’t need such a Strange Fruit, when one becomes a Venerable, changes in appearance are extremely slow.”

”But even slow changes will happen.”

”Yes, then you can ask the Prince Consort, he often visits the Grotto Heaven, and his luck is excellent.”

Fu Zheng’s spirit brightened.

She gathered a lot of information about the Ninth Prince Chu Liezhao from Qianji Tower last night.

Most said he was irritable, almost isolated and shunned by all the Princes, and his Prince Mansion was in a miserable situation.

Most importantly, he is not favored by the Emperor, with little royal favor.

After receiving this information, Fu Biqiong was even more unwilling for her to come.

She, however, was indifferent to all this.

No matter the temper or isolation by other Princes, it only fired her fighting spirit.

But none of the messages from Qianji Tower were about the Ninth Prince entering the Grotto Heaven.

Li Yuzhen shook her head and smiled: ”Even if our lifespan is near its end, we only appear thirty years old at most, do you want to maintain your current appearance?”

Fu Zheng nodded.

Li Yuzhen laughed: ”Then you should ask the Prince Consort, see if he can find such a Strange Fruit.”

Fu Zheng nodded vigorously.

——

”Age-preserving Strange Fruit?”

During dinner, Chu Zhiyuan studied Fu Zheng’s crystal-clear, white jade-like face.

Fu Zheng stood prettily to the side, obediently saying: ”Can Your Highness find it?”

Chu Zhiyuan took a Purple Lacquer Box from his sleeve, palm-sized.

Inside was a green fruit the size of an infant’s fist, radiant green, vaguely glowing, resembling carved jade.

”This is a Wu Gou Fruit.” Chu Zhiyuan shook his head: ”Have you thought it through? Do you really want to use this?”

”Is there a downside to it?” Fu Zheng’s eyes shone as she stared at the Green Fruit.

Chu Zhiyuan said: ”If you eat it, it will be hard for you to grow old, even if you abandon martial arts.”

Fu Zheng chuckled: ”Your Highness, is growing old a good thing, and staying young a bad thing?”

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head: ”It will continuously absorb nature’s spiritual energy, nourishing flesh and blood, making it impossible to hide your vital signs.”

Fu Zheng was stunned.

Li Yuzhen hurriedly said: ”This won’t do.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled at Fu Zheng.

Fu Zheng lightly frowned: ”Is it impossible to conceal these vital signs?”

”Yes, can’t be hidden.” Chu Zhiyuan said: ”This is its magical aspect.”

Li Yuzhen said: ”This is the best prey for the Heavenly Demon.”

Fu Zheng sighed.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled: ”For the deep palace’s inner ladies, it’s a treasure; but for cultivators, it’s not. If you really want eternal youth, there are some age-preserving cultivation techniques in this world.”

Fu Zheng shook her head.

Chu Zhiyuan said: ”I will get you a set.”

He decided to seek help from Chu Zhen and Chu Qiao to collect some cultivation techniques like these.

”Thank you, Your Highness!” Fu Zheng was overjoyed.

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head: ”I want to spread the Heart-Clearing Technique far and wide, allowing all Demon Sect disciples to suppress demonic thoughts. Does your master have any thoughts on this?”

”Master praises your broad heart, says she feels inferior.”

”If it was a powerful martial art, I certainly wouldn’t do this,” Chu Zhiyuan shook his head: ”The key is I truly hate the Demon Clan, with this, I can weaken them.”

Fu Zheng was puzzled yet curious: ”Can it weaken the Demon Clan?”

Li Yuzhen was curious as well.

”This is my conjecture and a secret, not to be shared.”

”Yes.” The two women nodded solemnly.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”The power of the Demon Clan originates from the Demon Abyss, and this Demon Abyss grows by absorbing the Yin energy between heaven and earth.”

Li Yuzhen asked, ”What is Yin energy?”

She knew of the existence of the Demon Abyss.

The most terrifying aspect of the Heavenly Demons is that they cannot be killed. Even if slain, their demon souls return to the Demon Abyss to be revived.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Resentment, hatred, anger, killing intent, and so on, these emotions brought forth and condensed from the dark side of the heart... Of course, these are just my speculations.”

This was a vague speculation he formed after obtaining the Demon Pearl.

Only after countless flashes of spirit light did he dare to make this bold speculation.

The two women pondered solemnly.

If this is true, then promoting the Heart-Clearing Technique would indeed weaken the Demon Clan.

”Is it really so?” Fu Zheng said softly, ”For such a speculation, to spread the Heart-Clearing Technique...”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”Why not give it a try? At least it can lessen the suffering of the Demon Sect disciples.”

He vaguely felt that his speculation should be correct, at least in part.

Because the Haoyang Demon-suppressing Mirror had undergone some changes, its sensing range had broadened.

Now it could detect demonic qi and the Demon Clan within a ten-mile radius.

He increasingly felt the Haoyang Demon-suppressing Mirror was miraculous and should be considered a spiritual artifact.

Although it lacked apparent spiritual attributes, its ability to autonomously change and evolve might be a form of spirituality.

——

In the night, Dengyun Building was bright with lights, like other taverns, filled with guests.

On the round high platform in the central atrium, a group of women was playing music, the sound of silk and bamboo wafted throughout the building.

The quiet and gentle sound of silk and bamboo sank into everyone’s heart.

Coming and going, female attendants in colorful robes, under the bright and gentle lights, added a touch of enchanting ambiance to the tavern, making people even more intoxicated, inducing a sense of revelry.

The truly spectacular performances had not yet begun.

The patrons gathered in threes and twos at their tables, chatting and bustling with activity.

Some talked business, others built friendships, some poured out their hearts, and some engaged in idle chatter.

”Have you all heard about the Heart-Clearing Technique?”

”How could one not have heard?”

”This is the first time I’ve seen such a thing, the Court actually promoting a cultivation technique, calling on everyone to practice it.”

”Has anyone practiced it?”

”Hehe, I’ve practiced it, it indeed clears the heart and calms the mind, and the effect is quite good.”

”Old Wang, you really practiced it?” Someone next to him shook their head and said, ”You’re really naive.”

Old Wang, an honest-looking man in his forties with a slightly red face, looked at the others in confusion, ”Has no one else practiced it?”

”Who knows what the Court is trying to do, how could they be so kind-hearted?”

”The Court says this technique can suppress demonic thoughts, a must-practice for those cultivating demon techniques.”

”Ha, anyone who believes that is a fool!”

Old Wang is a naïve middle-aged man; seeing their mocking expressions, he couldn’t help scratching his head, ”This Zhao Lie’s Heart-Clearing Technique is quite handy, it is said to be brought to us by His Highness, the Ninth Prince, to benefit the common people.”

”Haha...”

The three people at the same table laughed till they almost fell back and forth.

This made Old Wang somewhat annoyed, and he said angrily, ”What’s so funny about that? If it were another prince, I might be suspicious, but the Ninth Prince I still trust!”

”Old Wang, if it were you, would you pass this Heart-Clearing Technique to the world?”

”I...”

”Wouldn’t, right?”

”If there are benefits, I guess I would.” Old Wang hesitated for a moment before finally saying.

The crowd listened, shaking their heads.

You really are naïve; if it were myself, even if the power of the Heart-Clearing Technique isn’t strong, I wouldn’t pass it on to others.

If I can clear my mind and calm my spirit, who cares if others can, it’s best if they can’t, only I can.

This is the proper way of thinking.

As a prince, you should be more selfish, how could you pass such a powerful mental method to outsiders.

Old Wang hurriedly said, ”The Ninth Prince is still trustworthy.”

”The Ninth Prince’s reputation isn’t great, but it’s said he’s got a big temper, likes to scold and hit people, but his skills are extremely impressive.”

”Extremely impressive indeed.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Once severely injured two princes of the Yuanzhen Dynasty, leaving a solid impression in the hearts of the citizens of the Imperial City.

The two princes that dared to provoke the Jade Dynasty were undoubtedly very skilled and confident.

But ended up being handled so badly by the Ninth Prince, showing the Ninth Prince’s prowess.

Old Wang said, ”I also don’t trust the Court, but I believe the Ninth Prince wouldn’t harm me.”

”Experienced nothing odd after practicing it?”

”More energetic, can practice longer, nothing else really, oh, and not as easily angered, my temper improved.”

”Hey, the Ninth Prince should have practiced this too, why hasn’t his temper improved?”

”It’s said his temper has indeed improved a lot.”

”So, it really works? ... Maybe my wife should try it.”

”Hehe, Old Hu, your wife’s temper, the Heart-Clearing Technique absolutely won’t work.”

Everyone chuckled.

A chubby, dark-faced middle-aged man glared at them angrily, ”Look at you gloating!”

Everyone laughed even louder.

”If your brother-in-law wasn’t a Fifth Grade official, your wife’s temper would naturally improve!”

”What does my brother-in-law have to do with this!”

”Old Hu, even if your brother-in-law is an official, surely he has insider news?”

”He did say this is a present left by the Ninth Prince for our Jade Dynasty before heading to the Phoenix Dynasty, and it should be practiced, there’s no harm.”

”Is that so...”

People hesitated.

They distrust the Court but hold a strong belief and longing for official privileges.

”Then try it?”

”Let’s give it a try.”