Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 1070: Chapter 1066: Threat

This willpower is the key to achieving the Supreme Heavenly Demon, but it may not necessarily belong to the Supreme Heavenly Demon, nor to the Spirit Venerable.

But it might not not belong to the Supreme Heavenly Demon, nor not belong to the Spirit Venerable.

Now that it’s obtained, there are only benefits and no drawbacks.

He could feel that after the influence of willpower, his spirit also became more pure and formidable.

Thus, the speed of Demon Yuan circulation became faster, inadvertently enhancing his cultivation.

He extended his hand, and a segment of crystal-like jade finger bone appeared.

Examining this piece of finger bone, he shook his head.

This finger bone, unlike that hand back then, cannot transform into a spiritual treasure.

This is because the Great Demon Suppressing Seal’s refining process fully extracted its spirituality.

He opened his palm, and this piece of finger bone fell into the Blue Sky and Azure Sea of the Lao Gong Acupoint, landing on that small island, making the island more vibrant.

He stepped out, now appeared in a hall of the Da Meng Palace.

Super Sense enveloped the entire palace.

Thus, he saw Li Hongzhao making a scene at the morning court, her jade face tense, as if covered in frost.

Two old men in crane attire knelt down to plead guilty.

Judging by their crane attire, it was known they were First Grade high officials.

Even as they knelt, they remained calm and unhurried, exhibiting a demeanor of standing firm even if Mount Tai collapsed before them.

Two eunuchs approached and removed their official hats, then took off their crane attire.

Their expressions were serene, in just their underclothes, still upright and proud.

Li Hongzhao waved her jade hand.

They bowed and exited the hall.

The atmosphere in the hall was solemn and oppressive, all officials sat upright, holding their breath and concentrating.

Li Hongzhao waved her hand, signaling the end of court.

Amidst the eunuch’s loud pronouncements, Li Hongzhao stood up and left slowly.

She first returned to her palace, changed into regular clothes, and went to the hall where Chu Zhiyuan was.

She sat on the Taishi Chair inside the hall, lazily said, ”These old folks have underestimated them!”

Chu Zhiyuan sat opposite her, smiling, ”Can’t you deal with them?”

”None of the proteges or retainers came forward to plead,” Li Hongzhao shook her head.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Did they know in advance, got wind of it?”

Li Hongzhao nodded, ”Surely there has been an arrangement.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Do they want to be reinstated or have successors ready?”

”Reinstatement is impossible, wouldn’t that be slapping myself in the face?” Li Hongzhao sneered, ”They must be certain the successor will still be their person. These civil servants have intricate relationships and many private secrets.”

”Couldn’t find out their details?” Chu Zhiyuan laughed, ”Where are your Imperial Guards?”

Li Hongzhao shook her head, ”No matter how capable they are, they can’t know everything, moreover, they can’t be pushed too hard.”

The households of these civil ministers also have guards, with considerable cultivation level.

Imperial Guards with average cultivation would be discovered if they got close, and there aren’t many with stronger cultivation.

Moreover, too many spies would incite fear and anger among officials.

As an emperor, one can’t just rely on power to oppress, but also need to show some feeling.

Chu Zhiyuan slowly nodded.

Li Hongzhao shook her head, ”These officials, they must be given leniency yet not too indulgent, but also not too strict. I’ve just begun to grasp the right balance.”

”That’s truly unfortunate,” Chu Zhiyuan laughed, ”Originally a wise ruler.”

Li Hongzhao said, ”Compared to being a wise ruler, cultivation attracts me more.”

”Nine days later you’ll ascend, what about Li Biyang? When does he ascend the throne?”

”No need to specifically ascend the throne, I will write a decree, once I ascend, the Emperor’s Sword will choose him as its master.”

”There won’t be any mishaps, right?”

”The Emperor’s Sword won’t make a mistake, ... you observe my ascension, so in the future you’ll have experience.”

Chu Zhiyuan chuckled, ”I’ll have to thank you for that.”

Li Hongzhao lightly furrowed her brows, ”I’ve been feeling restless lately, this feeling is getting stronger.”

Chu Zhiyuan frowned.

He would not dismiss this feeling from Li Hongzhao.

Reaching a state like Li Hongzhao’s, it’s hard to have illusions.

A feeling that’s off is often a sign, an indescribable strange sense.

He looked up at the sky.

Li Hongzhao shook her head, ”It’s not coming from the sky.”

”Then it’s a master secretly spying, planning against you? ... But you have the Emperor’s Sword, who can threaten you?”

”The only thing that can threaten the Emperor’s Sword is the Emperor’s Sword itself.”

Li Hongzhao, with the Emperor’s Sword, her cultivation surged and her senses heightened.

She knew that with Chu Zhiyuan’s cultivation, he could fend off the Emperor’s Sword.

”Emperor’s Sword...” Chu Zhiyuan stood, hands behind back, pacing in thought.

Beyond Da Meng, Da Jing wouldn’t intervene, and Da Zhen might not dare to act.

Then who would dare use the Emperor’s Sword to attack Li Hongzhao?

Moments later, he said in a deep voice, ”Someone knows about your planned ascension, right?”

Li Hongzhao shook her head, ”Only told you.”

”Then lure the snake out of its hole,” Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Go out in disguise and draw it out.”

”... Lure the snake out!” Li Hongzhao slowly nodded.

Always on edge, nervous, if they cause trouble during the ascension, disrupting it would be a big problem.

Chu Zhiyuan now has deep and unfathomable cultivation, even she may not be his match.

With his assistance and her Emperor’s Sword...

”Tonight we’ll leave the city,” Li Hongzhao snorted, ”Draw it out!”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded, ”Let’s go out for dinner.”

”Alright!” Li Hongzhao gritted her teeth, ”This time we’ll catch that guy, let’s go first.”

She stood up and left.

——

Leng Tieya and Hu Yuni appeared in a small town, heading straight to a residence.

Hu Yuni curiously looked around.

The courtyards in this town were somewhat dilapidated, with mostly lower-classes living there.

Could the relics be here?

Leng Tieya floated directly inside, landing in the courtyard, Hu Yuni followed in.

They both knew this house was uninhabited.

Leng Tieya pointed to the stone table in the center of the courtyard, ”It should be under that.”

Hu Yuni curiously examined the stone table, a simple block of bluestone, unadorned.

Leng Tieya pointed at the stone table, ”That stone table is odd.”

Hu Yuni went up, inspected the stone table, it was smooth and flat, nothing unusual.

Leng Tieya turned the stone table over, bottom side up, revealing the strange patterns on it.

Hu Yuni curiously examined these patterns, frowning, ”This is...”

Leng Tieya put the table down, then lifted one of the stone legs, handing it to Hu Yuni.

Hu Yuni saw the stone leg, made of bluestone, was still covered with patterns.

Though they were faint and obscured by the bluish tone, hard to detect.

”Bang!”

The ground suddenly shook.

Hu Yuni looked down at the ground, seeing a bulge rapidly rising on the surface.

Then ”bang”, soil and sand exploded.

A white light shot out, directly darting over the wall to a distant place.

”Chase!”

Hu Yuni shouted, drew her sword, transformed into a white rainbow shooting at a distance.

Leng Tieya followed closely.

Moments later, Chu Zhiyuan stepped out, flicked his sleeve.

The soil and stone table on the ground disappeared.

Along with them, a black box beneath the ground vanished.

The stone table and black box dropped almost simultaneously onto the small island in the Blue Sky and Azure Sea.

He disappeared in the next instant, reappearing in the Demon Suppression Divine Palace.

Inside the Demon Suppression Divine Palace, the black box flew out from his hand, landing on the floor of the palace.

Chu Zhiyuan examined it, shaking his head.

This relic had more spirituality, knowing how to feint and survive by sacrificing a part.

This black box was completely different from the one Miao Qingjie and others used to hold the relics.

Antique and profound, seemingly without light, yet appearing to flash with light, flowing with strange power.

This strange power seemed to want to devour all surrounding energies, transforming it into its own.

Such an extraordinary black box, yet it could not confine the hand within.

It already managed to leave the black box, but continued to stay within.

Chu Zhiyuan was curious about this black box’s origin, and why this relic was suppressed.

Who suppressed these Supreme Heavenly Demon relics?

Was it another Supreme Heavenly Demon?

Had there once been a great war between those Supreme Heavenly Demons?