Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 783: Chapter 779: A Solution

Fan Yaohui, as one would expect, looked handsome and dashing, with an impressive presence and vibrant spirit.

Not tall, but with an upright posture, and though his face carried a smiling expression, it radiated defiance.

Upon seeing Li Miaotan enter, he clasped his fists and smiled: ”Greetings to the Twelfth Prince.”

”Have you met your Third Brother?”

Li Miaotan said blandly.

Her face was flushed with vigor, showing no signs of injury.

The Dragon Curse cast by the Heavenly Dragon Introduction’s third transformation is far more powerful than the second transformation.

It’s not just the duration that’s prolonged; the effect is also significantly greater.

She now feels her condition is excellent, even better than at her peak.

Fan Yuxuan glanced at Fan Yaohui, then at the vibrant Li Miaotan, and again at the calm and unremarkable Chu Zhiyuan.

She sighed inwardly.

The Prince Consort, who moments ago radiated brilliance, now seemed plain and easy to overlook.

Is this the way of the dragon’s concealed exuberance?

It can soar in the skies and also dive into the abyss.

Fan Yaohui smiled: ”The Third Prince thoroughly scolded me, and I couldn’t defend myself, so I just took it.”

By his look, the Third Prince’s scolding clearly didn’t bother him.

Li Miaotan said: ”Whatever I have to say, the Third Brother must have already said.”

”Indeed, it’s all my fault for being reckless and careless, allowing others to exploit me and turn my words into weapons.”

”It’s good that you understand.”

”Your Highness, who is this...?” Fan Yaohui’s gaze fell on Chu Zhiyuan.

He actually noticed Chu Zhiyuan as soon as he entered the room but intentionally didn’t look much.

Being able to walk alongside Li Miaotan, his status is clearly high enough.

A stranger, yet so young, he subtly guessed his identity.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded: ”Chu Liezhao.”

”Greetings to the Ninth Prince.” Fan Yaohui solemnly clasped his fists: ”Ninth Prince, please forgive me.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled: ”When I first entered the Imperial City, I heard the rumors outside; I was quite surprised, thinking Marquis Ming truly intended to trouble me.”

Fan Yaohui laughed: ”I may be foolish, but not that muddled-headed!”

Chu Zhiyuan said: ”So it was someone deliberately stirring trouble; can you identify the person behind it?”

”No need to search to know who.” Fan Yaohui snorted: ”It’s just those two.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled: ”What if someone else was instigating blame and strife?”

Fan Yaohui frowned: ”Besides those two, who else wants to cause strife between us?”

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head: ”The world is unpredictable, and human hearts are hard to read. It might be everyone’s delight to casually add fuel to the fire.”

Fan Yaohui’s face turned solemn.

He pondered this possibility, considering who might do this besides the Eldest Prince and Second Prince.

His gaze involuntarily fell on Chu Zhiyuan.

The Jade Dynasty was a possibility, so was the Yuanzhen Dynasty!

Of course, aside from them, there were also potential spies from the Demon Clan and the Demon Clan.

Thinking about it, there were too many possibilities.

Li Miaotan said: ”How long are you staying this time?”

”I’m not going back for now.” Fan Yaohui said: ”Both sides have paused their battles; no use going back. Staying in camp training soldiers is too boring.”

”You plan to go to the Outer Realm Battlefield?”

”Yes.” Fan Yaohui said solemnly: ”I want to experience the Outer Realm Battlefield.”

Li Miaotan said: ”Then be cautious; if anything goes wrong, Yuxuan will be left alone, and Third Brother will lose an important aide.”

Fan Yaohui smiled proudly: ”Your Highness, rest assured, these little demons and demons can’t do anything to me!”

Li Miaotan nodded: ”Don’t stay too long, quick there and back.”

”Understood.”

Li Miaotan picked up her teacup.

Fan Yaohui, feeling helpless, could only clasp his fists and take his leave.

Fan Yuxuan also took the opportunity to say goodbye.

——

Leaving the Princess Mansion, the two walked on the bustling street surrounded by maids and guards.

Fan Yaohui was indifferent to the surrounding prosperity, his sword-like brows tightly furrowed.

Fan Yuxuan glanced at him but said nothing.

She understood her brother’s thoughts but felt there was nothing to say.

She knew that since Chu Zhiyuan appeared at the Princess Mansion, everything was determined.

She also understood how highly Li Miaotan regarded Chu Zhiyuan.

If this weren’t the case, Chu Zhiyuan wouldn’t stay at the Princess Mansion but would find another residence outside.

This destined her brother’s ambitions to be empty.

When they returned to the Marquis Mansion.

Fan Yaohui pulled her to the back garden, dismissing the other servants and maids.

Fan Yaohui said: ”Little sis, do you truly think it might be someone else?”

Fan Yuxuan shook her head: ”Hard to say, the Third Prince doesn’t know either?”

”The Third Prince seems not to have pursued this.”

”...Then perhaps investigate, but nothing said will matter until there’s a result.”

”I always thought it was the doing of the Eldest Prince and Second Prince.”

”It may be, or it may not be.”

”Nonsense.”

”Brother, you should show more respect to the Prince Consort; don’t offend him anymore.”

Fan Yaohui snorted.

”Brother, I’m not joking; this Prince Consort is no simple person, deeply hidden.”

With such a poor reputation before, everyone must have thought he was a fool.

Only the Emperor and Princess know his true abilities.

And the fact that he can quickly change from dazzling to plain shows his remarkable ability to conceal himself.

”He seems ordinary, could he possibly be a Venerable one?”

”He is a Venerable.”

”...Venerable holds no majesty; isn’t everyone a Venerable now!”

He himself was a martial arts genius, and the Marquis Ming’s Mansion had unique traditions and treasured legacies, allowing him to step into the Divinity Transformation Realm at a young age and become a Venerable.

This was his fundamental reason to quickly establish a footing in the military.

Otherwise, the Eldest Prince’s entrenched military influence would hardly allow him to stand firm.

”He also mastered the Heavenly Dragon Introduction, an Ancient Mysterious Skill that can suppress the Demon Clan’s blood and trigger the Phoenix Bloodline’s Miracle Technique.”

”Heavenly Dragon Introduction?”

”Big brother, you might not have heard of it. This Miracle Technique can awaken the Phoenix Bloodline and continuously purify and enhance it. For the Twelfth Prince, it is invaluable!”

”No wonder... So, he’s able to become the Prince Consort because of this?”

”It’s very possible,” Fan Yuxuan said. ”The high figures at Fengtian Palace likely saw something.”

Fengtian Palace has Miracle Techniques and miraculous talents, even possessing the extraordinary ability to see into the future.

It’s likely they foresaw this Prince Consort shining across the world, and the Emperor designated him as such in advance.

Does the Twelfth Princess know?

”...”

Fan Yaohui suddenly fell silent.

No matter how skilled he was, it only benefited the Court and the Third Prince.

It didn’t help the Twelfth Princess much.

”Big brother, give up. The matter is settled, don’t provoke him anymore.”

”... I will find out who’s been stirring things up from behind!” Fan Yaohui said coldly, gritting his teeth.

Fan Yuxuan nodded.

——

Chu Zhiyuan and Li Miaotan returned together to her small courtyard and sat down in the pavilion.

Li Miaotan said, ”This Young Marquis Ming is Third Brother’s indispensable right-hand man.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

Li Miaotan said, ”Let Yuzhen teach him a lesson; that’s already the limit. It’s unwise to push him further.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”Afraid he might run off to the Eldest Prince?”

Li Miaotan nodded slightly, ”If we want to meddle in the military, Third Brother can only rely on him.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Then he indeed wouldn’t go to the Eldest Prince. If he runs, it’d be to the Second Prince.”

Li Yuzhen said, ”Young Marquis Ming wouldn’t do that; he’s followed the Third Prince since childhood.”

”That’s good then,” Chu Zhiyuan nodded, ”It’s indeed unwise to push too hard.”

Love and hate are separated by a single thought.

Especially in matters of love between men and women, a small misstep can turn love into hatred.

More so with young men and women, one mustn’t provoke them too much.

”Prince Consort...”

Li Yuzhen hesitated.

She faintly sensed Chu Zhiyuan’s distrust, as if Young Marquis Ming might truly defect from the Third Prince’s ranks.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”For now, everything looks fine. Let’s observe.”

His Super Sense continued to offer Insights into Fan Yaohui’s dealings and conversations.

Li Miaotan’s phoenix-like eyes shimmered, deep in thought.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”It’s less than half a month until the wedding, right?”

Li Miaotan’s bright eyes showed a flash of shy acknowledgment, and she gently nodded.

Li Yuzhen smiled, ”Prince Consort, are you not returning to Yujing?”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”I don’t need to return either. Yujing over there should have already started preparing. They’ll come meet up with me.”

Li Miaotan’s injury has been kept a secret from the outside, unknown to the Jade Dynasty.

So from now on, some ceremonies will be conducted, but they likely won’t be too grand.

After all, it’s a Prince coming to Phoenix Imperial City, not a Princess going to the Jade Dynasty.

He initially planned to return to the Great Bright Peak to train, to quickly progress into the Divinity Transformation Realm and become a Venerable.

Now, with the Light Talisman, surpassing the cultivation effects of Great Bright Peak, he won’t need to rely on it anymore.

So there’s no need to return.

”That’s even better,” Li Yuzhen said, ”With the Prince Consort by their side, Your Highness’s injuries won’t be a concern.”

Li Miaotan said, ”You really don’t need to return?”

”Whether I am present or not makes no difference,” Chu Zhiyuan said, ”I am just a figurehead.”

Li Miaotan gently nodded.

Their wedding had stringent rules and ceremonies; both were indeed mere figureheads and tools, and would be subjected to the orchestrations of the ceremony officers.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”The ceremony must be completed within three hours.”

During the Second Transition, the Dragon Curse can be sustained for two hours.

Currently with the Heavenly Dragon Introduction’s Third Transition, the Dragon Curse’s effect can be sustained for three hours.

”Three hours...” Li Miaotan lightly furrowed her brow.

She turned to look at Li Yuchun.

Li Yuchun gently shook her head, ”Three hours might not be enough; it needs at least four hours.”

Starting in the morning and pausing by dusk, or even properly ending at night.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Then use a substitute.”

”This...” Li Yuchun looked at Li Miaotan.

The idea was indeed proposed initially.

Currently, since Your Highness can’t go to the Outer Realm Battlefield, that path has been shelved.

Li Miaotan said, ”That will have to do. Now that Yuzhen is back, let’s have Yuzhen substitute for me.”

Li Yuzhen gently nodded.

The two are similar in stature, and their face shapes are also alike.

Through disguise and alteration, it can be lifelike and capable of fooling everyone.

They’ve done it more than once.

In the following days, calm prevailed.

Chu Zhiyuan almost never left his courtyard, staying inside, diligently cultivating.

The Heavenly Dragon Introduction almost needs no training, continuously advancing by itself.

Daily cultivation time for the Spiritual Abyss Body Cleansing Record is limited, most of the time spent on practicing the Infinite Brightness Scripture, along with the Heavenly Dragon Divine Palm and Great Brightness Fist.

After stepping into the Divinity Transformation Realm, the cultivation speed indeed became extremely slow.

Ten days couldn’t match one day of the Transformation Realm.

At this rate, a short period can’t cross the First Transition.

Hence, a venerable’s cultivation can’t involve mindless practice; one must adventure and stimulate, especially at the Outer Realm Battlefield.

Unable to go to the Outer Realm Battlefield, he could only think of other ways.

He couldn’t help but think of the Demon Clan and Demon Clan.

Now with the completion of the Heavenly Dragon Introduction, the soul’s capacity has greatly increased, allowing for more Soul Power to be absorbed and enhancing the soul, thus strengthening spiritual power.

The deeds of the mystifying sect venerables at Little Outer Heaven proved how vital enhancing spiritual power is for a venerable’s cultivation.

——

Morning

Chu Zhiyuan and Fu Zheng left the Princess Mansion, enjoying a leisurely stroll down the Imperial City streets.