Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 1111: Chapter 1107: Delivering the Letter

He paused his sword and pondered.

Moonlight shone on him, yet no shadow fell on the ground.

It was as if he and the Shadowless Sword did not exist in this world.

He was contemplating whether every owner of the Shadowless Sword discovered its benefits for cultivation.

If they all knew, then why would they abandon this sword?

Was it because all of its owners perished, leaving the sword and the bodies to the sect?

Is this sword an ominous one?

The next morning, when he was practicing his sword, Li Hongzhao came over.

”I inquired Senior Sister Dong, this Shadowless Sword is indeed one of the nine swords within the sect, and it had quite a few masters.”

Li Hongzhao chuckled lightly, shaking her head: ”Among these nine treasure swords, only this Shadowless Sword doesn’t have a master.”

Chu Zhiyuan asked, ”Why is that?”

Li Hongzhao replied, ”Among the nine treasure swords, this one requires the most merit to exchange for. Those who can earn so much merit usually already have a suitable treasure sword and do not want to switch.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

”More importantly, it is said to be most beneficial to disciples who have just entered the Venerable realm. As one’s cultivation level increases, its benefits gradually diminish.”

”Oh—?”

”If you have this sword just as you enter the Venerable realm, that would be ideal, but later on, there’s no need to exchange for it.”

”No wonder Senior Sister Zhang strongly recommended it.” Chu Zhiyuan realized.

Zhang Qionghua strongly recommended the Shadowless Sword to him, thinking it more suitable for him than the Black Dragon Blood, and she was indeed right.

Besides purifying True Yuan, the key advantage of the Shadowless Sword is its enlightenment on swordsmanship, with flashes of spirit light, offering endless benefits.

Li Hongzhao shook her head: ”After the Third Transition, its benefits are not significant, and even less so afterward. By that time, you can only earn the merit needed to exchange for it, which is why among the nine swords, this one has never been exchanged for.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Then I’m lucky to have picked up a leak.”

Li Hongzhao said, ”Who would have thought you could earn so much merit, Senior Sister Dong is quite envious.”

Chu Zhiyuan tossed the Shadowless Sword to her: ”Try it.”

Li Hongzhao caught the sword, slightly furrowed her brows, and shook her head: ”It seems it has no fate with me.”

As soon as she took the sword, she felt it was too heavy, quite laborious.

Given her cultivation and physical strength, not to mention a single sword, even ten or twenty swords stacked together wouldn’t make her feel laborious, still as easy as lifting a feather.

But as she held the sword, it felt extraordinarily laborious, heavy and sluggish, very uncomfortable.

It seemed the sword was resisting her.

Moreover, the more True Yuan she circulated, the heavier and more sluggish the sword became, difficult to wield.

It was clearly the longsword resisting her, not wanting to be held.

She stubbornly circulated her mental method to force it into action.

After swinging it twice, she stopped, shook her head helplessly, and tossed it back to Chu Zhiyuan.

The speed of wielding it was cut in half, using it as a weapon would be tantamount to digging her own grave.

Chu Zhiyuan caught the Shadowless Sword and laughed: ”Does it feel unwieldy?”

”Very unwieldy!” Li Hongzhao huffed: ”It seems to also choose its master.”

”Oh—?” Chu Zhiyuan was surprised.

Li Hongzhao said, ”In my hands, it’s heavy and clumsy, I can only exert three or four-tenths of my swordsmanship, it’s more harm than good.”

”No wonder...” Chu Zhiyuan nodded slowly: ”It seems it not only requires a lot of merit but also a compatible mental method.”

Li Hongzhao asked, ”Do only cultivators of the Heavenly Sword Secret Scripture own it?”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded slowly.

Li Hongzhao said, ”It seems there aren’t many who practice the Heavenly Sword Secret Scripture, out of ten disciples, there are only one or two.”

The Heavenly Sword Secret Scripture has extremely high requirements for aptitude, and there are very few who qualify.

Most of them have bloodlines, all sorts of bloodlines.

The changes in nature’s spiritual energy have allowed demons to thrive, and also brought to light the bloodlines within humans.

Bloodlines hidden deep within the body, undetectable before, are now emerging.

The bloodlines grant them traits far superior to ordinary people, and combined with a unique mental method, their cultivation progress is extremely rapid, with a higher ceiling.

Of course, the majority with dormant bloodlines comprise the general public.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled: ”No wonder it hasn’t been exchanged out yet.”

”Your luck is also quite good.” Li Hongzhao said: ”There aren’t many with such luck.”

It’s not easy to accumulate so much merit, and one must also be a cultivator of the Heavenly Sword Secret Scripture, not too advanced in their realm.

These factors combined make it very rare, no wonder it’s still there, waiting for Chu Zhiyuan to exchange for it.

Li Hongzhao curiously asked, ”What exactly are the benefits of using it for cultivation?”

Chu Zhiyuan then explained some benefits, making Li Hongzhao extremely envious.

Her cultivation isn’t high enough, she can’t go down the mountain to earn merit, and without merit, she can’t exchange for treasures.

Also, it’s not advisable to rely on external forces during the first three transitions, to avoid an unstable foundation and future difficulties due to impatience.

Chu Zhiyuan, however, already had a solid foundation, so it’s not applicable across the board.

Chu Zhiyuan asked, ”How’s your cultivation, relying on the Divine Statue?”

Li Hongzhao smiled: ”I’ll reach the Third Transition within a month.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled.

Li Hongzhao said with a smile: ”Senior Sister Dong was stimulated, and has started a secluded and rigorous practice, progressing rapidly, soon we can travel the world together.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”I’ll go out and explore first, pave the way for you.”

He wanted to act alone, with the Earth Origin Technique, without being burdened, it’s actually safer.

——

At dusk, the sun was setting in the sky.

Chu Zhiyuan waved to Li Hongzhao standing at the courtyard gate: ”I’m leaving, I should be back in two or three days.”

Li Hongzhao, in a red robe, appeared increasingly beautiful and enchanting under the setting sun.

Li Hongzhao said: ”When you return from delivering the letter to Guanghan Palace, I’ll reach the Third Transition. My Second Transition is already stable.”

Chu Zhiyuan had been practicing Qinggong and Swordsmanship these past few days, while she had been cultivating in front of the Divine Statue.

Her cultivation had progressed rapidly, already surpassing the Second Transition, about to enter the Third Transition.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded: ”Master your Qinggong, when I return we’ll go down the mountain to subdue demons and earn merit,... hopefully I can join this operation.”

Li Hongzhao turned solemn.

She already knew about this operation, the Four Sects would unite to purge the Qinglian Sea.

Missing this chance means missing the opportunity to earn large amounts of merit.

She was stuck at the Second Transition, needing to reach the Third Transition before Chu Zhiyuan’s return to join in.

Chu Zhiyuan waved, turned, and drifted away, descending along the treetops of the peak.

Quickly leaving Heavenly Sword Peak, heading east, in the direction of Guanghan Palace.

As soon as he left Heavenly Sword Peak, he noticed demons lurking, eager to move.

His cultivation was still in the Third Transition, and he deliberately restrained his aura, making it seem as if he had just barely advanced to the Third Transition, the minimum threshold for descending the mountain.

These demons saw him as if a hungry person discovered a delicacy, impossible to resist.

Chu Zhiyuan quickened his pace, drifting away like a wisp of smoke, displaying excellent Qinggong.

The group of demons immediately followed, trailing behind him, looking for an opportunity to strike.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded secretly.

There were thirty-two demons, who had spotted his weakness but weren’t in a rush to move, looking for a chance to ambush.

This group of demons acted cautiously, but unfortunately, their luck was bad.

As he hurried along, ten Flying Knives silently drifted out of his sleeve, hovering underfoot, concealed among the branches and leaves.

When the demons behind pursued here, the ten Flying Knives shot out from the leaves.

The demons chased eagerly, not expecting the sudden emergence of Flying Knives, catching them off guard.

By the time they realized, the Flying Knives had already annihilated twenty demons, with only twelve left, scattering in flight but unable to escape.

He had been advancing, not pausing his steps, and the ten Flying Knives pursued and flew back into his sleeve.

These thirty-two demons didn’t even slow down his pace.