Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 1106: Chapter 1102: Dragon Blood

Chu Zhiyuan cast a glance at her.

”Why are you looking at me like that?” Li Hongzhao huffed, ”Of course, I’m going to help you.”

If Chu Zhiyuan truly becomes the Sect Leader, it would be immensely beneficial for her.

There would be more cultivation resources and greater influence, allowing her to have a say.

She trusted Chu Zhiyuan’s wisdom, believing he was more suited to be the Sect Leader than others.

With him as Sect Leader, the Sword Sect could advance further.

Moreover, she also believed that Chu Zhiyuan had great potential.

With his aptitude, coupled with his wisdom, he might just break the conventional norms and become the Sect Leader.

Since her cultivation of the Phoenix Burning Heaven Scripture meant she couldn’t be the Sect Leader, she supported Chu Zhiyuan for the position.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”This matter must be approached gradually; no need to rush. Let’s first improve our cultivation; at least reach the Nine Transitions.”

”Nine Transitions...” Li Hongzhao sighed deeply.

Upon stepping into the realm of the Venerable, she realized how prolonged the cultivation journey was.

The accumulation needed between the First Transition and Second Transition was immense.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”With your bloodline, you shouldn’t be too slow, not to mention the aid of the Divine Statue.”

Li Hongzhao smiled, ”The Divine Statue can speed up my cultivation, so don’t let me overtake you.”

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head with a smile.

If he could further open up the ancestral acupoint, his cultivation speed would increase significantly.

Unfortunately, the ancestral acupoint wasn’t easy to open; the current task was to absorb those merits to try and break it open.

...

In the morning, Chu Zhiyuan stepped into the courtyard, basking in the brilliant sunlight, stretching his body.

He looked weary, as though he hadn’t slept all night.

Given his current physique, even after three days and nights without sleep, he would still be energetic and show no signs of fatigue.

Yet he looked exhausted and worn-out.

This was due to the activation of the ancestral acupoint.

Previously, being in unfamiliar territory and under the looming threat of the Heavenly Sword, he dared not recklessly use the power of the Spiritual Abyss.

Now, through the Little Heavenly Sword, he gained deeper understanding of the Heavenly Sword, knowing its source of power as well as its range of power.

Thus he dared to use the Spiritual Abyss Power and fully cultivate the Heavenly Yuan Technique.

After slaying so many demons and accruing so much merit, he still couldn’t break open the ancestral acupoint.

It must be said, the Heavenly Yuan Technique was indeed the toughest hurdle.

Based on his current calculations, mastering the Heavenly Yuan Technique required at least two more sets of such merit.

However, he couldn’t reach the Third Transition in a short timeframe, which meant he couldn’t descend the mountain to exterminate demons and gain merit.

Mastering the Heavenly Yuan Technique was impossible in the short term.

This made him quite disappointed.

Footsteps were heard, followed by a knock on the door: ”Junior Brother Chu, I am from the Merit Hall.”

”Senior Sister Zhang, please come in,” Chu Zhiyuan said aloud.

A slim young girl pushed open the courtyard door and entered lightly, smiling with clasped fists: ”Congratulations, Junior Brother Chu, this time descending the mountain, you gained a total of fifty-eight thousand merits.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”So many?”

”There is the merit from killing demons, the merit from guiding, plus additional merit,” the slim girl smiled, ”It’s a bumper harvest.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”I truly didn’t expect so much.”

The slim girl smiled, ”That’s how merit works; the more you do, the easier it is to gain. Surely, Junior Brother Chu, you made a significant contribution this time, which is why you received such extraordinary merit.”

”What about Elder Zhou and the others?”

”...Their merit was only over a hundred,” the slim girl hesitated and said softly, ”Please don’t spread this, Junior Brother.”

Chu Zhiyuan was surprised, ”So little?”

”This time they acted rashly, achieving nothing but trouble... this hundred or so merits are just for their hard work, not accomplishments at all.”

”Isn’t that a bit too harsh? Elder Zhou and the others slew quite a few demons and didn’t cause any disciple losses either...”

”They ended up needing help from experts from the Three Sects,” the slim girl shook her head gently, ”That’s quite a loss of face.”

Chu Zhiyuan chuckled wryly, ”Elder Zhou and the others received so little merit, yet I received so much...”

This easily makes him a target for criticism.

Even though he went with experts from Guanghan Palace for rescue and timely assistance, being of help,

they probably cared more about him gaining so much merit while they had so little.

The slim girl smiled, ”Don’t worry, Junior Brother. Merit deserves great rewards. It’s the rule within our sect, and they can’t object.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded, not saying more, changing the subject: ”Senior Sister, do you have any recommendations for exchanges?”

The slim girl smiled, ”Junior Brother, you practice the Heavenly Sword Secret Scripture, right?”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

The slim girl said, ”Then why not choose a good sword, one that’s fit for practicing the Heavenly Sword.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Senior Sister, I mostly use the Flying Knife.”

The slim girl gently shook her head, ”Junior Brother, your Demon Suppressing Saber is indeed exceptional, but a good sword can assist in comprehending the Heavenly Sword Secret Scripture.”

Chu Zhiyuan seemed pensive.

The slim girl said, ”Some predecessors, after they passed away, left their treasured swords within the sect. These swords are imbued with the Sword Intent Divine Charm of those predecessors.”

Chu Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow, thoughtful, ”Then does Senior Sister have any recommended Treasure Swords?”

If the Treasure Sword truly had such wondrous effects, it was indeed worth exchanging for.

”Presently stored within the Sword Abyss, the best one is a Shadowless Sword, used by a Sect Leader before their ascension,” the slim girl said.

Chu Zhiyuan showed an interested expression, ”Are there any Spirit Pills that can enhance cultivation?”

The slim girl was taken aback, surprised, ”Junior Brother, you wish to borrow Spirit Pills for cultivation?”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Upon becoming a Venerable, is it not possible to borrow Spirit Pills for cultivation?”

”For a Venerable... one needs a Treasure, not Spirit Pills,” the slim girl shook her head, ”Such Spirit Pills are not made in the world.”

”Why?”

”Advancement at the Venerable level relies not only on True Yuan but also on Divine Intent,” the slim girl said, ”Spirit Pills cannot contain Divine Intent.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded slowly.

The True Yuan of a Venerable is not purely True Yuan, but a fusion with spirit.

The spirit infused into the True Yuan transforms it into the True Yuan of a Venerable, requiring time and spirit for gradual transformation.

Ordinary Spirit Pills can quickly convert into abundant True Yuan, but cannot endow this True Yuan with spirit.

To transform this True Yuan requires time and spirit, making it no different from cultivation.

So a higher level Spirit Pill is needed.

But from what Senior Sister Zhang Qionghua said, there are no such Spirit Pills, only Treasures.

”As for Treasures... there is one,” Zhang Qionghua thought for a moment, ”But do you truly want to use it?”

”What are the consequences?”

Zhang Qionghua nodded, ”Using Treasures, the True Yuan is impure and can affect future cultivation.”

Chu Zhiyuan’s spirits lifted, ”What is this Treasure?”

”Black Dragon Blood,” Zhang Qionghua said, ”It’s the blood of a thousand-year-old black dragon, slain by a Sect Leader with the Heavenly Sword a thousand years ago, leaving behind a small vial of Dragon Blood, which no one has used till now.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”Do I have enough merit for it?”

Zhang Qionghua nodded, ”This Black Dragon Blood has gone unused, so its exchange merit has gradually decreased, now at five thousand merit.”

”Then I’ll exchange for this Black Dragon Blood,” Chu Zhiyuan said.

”Are you sure, Junior Brother?” Zhang Qionghua frowned, gently shaking her head, ”It does have consequences, and quite a few at that.”

”What other consequences?”

”There were originally nine bottles of Black Dragon Blood,” Zhang Qionghua said, ”Those who used the other eight either went mad or their cultivation slowed, ultimately causing more harm than good. It’s said that the Dragon God within the Dragon Blood is hard to suppress.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”Don’t worry, Senior Sister, I understand and have a way to restrain it.”

”...Alright then.” Zhang Qionghua, seeing him adamant and thinking of his Demon Suppressing Saber, said no more.

That black dragon was, after all, a demon, and perhaps the Dragon God within its blood could be restrained by him.