Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 1202: Chapter 1198: Countermeasures

Chu Zhiyuan clasped his fists and saluted, ”Elder.”

Zhou Chongming clasped his fists lightly and lowered his voice, ”Is there some secret matter?”

Relying on the unique sense between cultivators of the Heavenly Sword Secret Scripture, he had quietly approached.

Upon seeing Chu Zhiyuan, he knew that Chu Zhiyuan had ulterior motives and deliberately met him in secret.

”Indeed, there is some news,” Chu Zhiyuan said softly, ”Uncle Master, I saw...”

He recounted the events of the Giant Spirit Sect in detail, mentioning the descent of the Evil Venerable.

He had no desire to hide this matter.

Zhou Chongming’s brows furrowed more and more tightly.

”The Evil Venerable descended?”

”Yes.”

”Did it truly descend? Did you see clearly?” Zhou Chongming confirmed once again.

”Elder, I saw it clearly. That Divine Son of the Giant Spirit Sect seemed to become another person, impressively majestic, and even punished their Elder, Sun Haoyang.”

”You even know Sun Haoyang,” Zhou Chongming sighed.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”I relied on the Shadowless Divine Sword to dare to sneak close and observe.”

”Your Qinggong is indeed good now,” Zhou Chongming nodded.

Chu Zhiyuan’s Qinggong had surpassed the master, progressing rapidly, even faster than his cultivation.

It was no exaggeration to say he was the first in Qinggong in the Heavenly Sword Sect.

Utilizing the wonders of the Shadowless Divine Sword, he secretly listened and watched up close. If discovered, he would swiftly retreat, beyond anyone’s reach.

”The Evil Venerable descended...” Zhou Chongming’s expression was solemn as he slowly said, ”This is indeed troublesome!”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Do we have a way to deal with this descended Evil Venerable?”

Zhou Chongming shook his head and said, ”I’ve never encountered a descended Evil Venerable. We need to ask the Sect Leader.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”His cultivation is extraordinarily high. Better to avoid him for now.”

”Hmm, that’s good,” Zhou Chongming said. ”I will have everyone take a detour.”

Chu Zhiyuan clasped his fists.

Zhou Chongming said, ”You also be careful, don’t take risks. Wait until we’ve consulted the Sect Leader before deciding how to act.”

”Yes,” Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

Zhou Chongming waved his hand and then took his leave.

Through Super Sense, Chu Zhiyuan saw Zhou Chongming return to the main group, gather the experts of the Three Sects together, and decided to alter the route and detour.

They encountered no obstacles, and the experts of the Three Sects quickly agreed, thus changing the route.

Chu Zhiyuan’s brows furrowed.

He hadn’t expected it would be so easy to persuade them.

After they detoured, missing the Giant Spirit Sect, Chu Zhiyuan was thoroughly relieved.

Zhu Lingyun maintained a solemn expression, ignoring the passersby.

Hu Chengxiang and Sun Haoyang observed his demeanor and dared not urge him to act.

Moreover, Sun Haoyang was previously injured, which already demonstrated his formidable cultivation.

This was just after the descent; his power might continue to surge in time.

By then, he would be even more terrifying, possibly the world’s foremost.

That would be the opportune time for the Giant Spirit Sect to dominate the world, not now.

Chu Zhiyuan wasn’t lingering behind them but heading ahead to the Giant Spirit Sect’s Main Altar.

About a dozen miles from the Giant Spirit Sect’s Main Altar, he stopped, searching for the Undying Evil Venerable Statue.

Before long, he discovered an Undying Evil Venerable Statue three miles outside the Giant Spirit Sect’s Main Altar.

Through Super Sense, Chu Zhiyuan saw a vast area of gentle Golden Light.

He couldn’t discern the true appearance inside.

From experience, he knew this was the Undying Evil Venerable Statue.

While he couldn’t see the Undying Evil Venerable Statue clearly, he could see twelve youths standing nearby.

They stood with their backs to the statue, guarding the three nearby mountain peaks, preventing anyone else from entering.

These twelve youths were disciples of the Giant Spirit Sect, each with a serious expression.

Chu Zhiyuan wasn’t in a hurry to destroy it; he sat atop a mountain peak ten miles away, watching from afar.

Half a day later, Zhu Lingyun and his group arrived beneath the statue.

Zhu Lingyun stood below the statue, stared at it for a moment, then turned his head left and right, coldly asking, ”Where is Zhao Ruilin?”

Hu Chengxiang waved his hand, a youth approached to report softly.

Hu Chengxiang nodded, then reported to Zhu Lingyun respectfully, ”Divine Venerable, the Sect Master is within the sect.”

”Have him come here!” Zhu Lingyun snorted.

Hu Chengxiang quickly said, ”I will personally invite the Sect Master here.”

Zhu Lingyun gave him a cold glance.

Hu Chengxiang chuckled coldly and looked at Sun Haoyang.

Sun Haoyang was startled and pointed at himself.

He quickly waved his hand and said, ”Divine Venerable, it’s better for Senior Brother Hu to go. I’ll stay to accompany the Divine Venerable!”

Hu Chengxiang eagerly watched Zhu Lingyun.

Zhu Lingyun turned to glance at the other young people, sneering: ”Alright, then you go.”

Hu Chengxiang hurriedly said: ”Thank you, Divine Venerable.”

Zhu Lingyun waved his hand, standing with hands behind his back, gazing up at the glittering statue.

Chu Zhiyuan had already appeared a mile away at the mountain summit, standing behind a rock, observing the scene.

From this distance, he could clearly see the situation; the Undying Evil Venerable statue was no longer just a soft glow but a true and tangible entity.

The spiritual power of the Undying Evil Venerable Statue could not distort his vision or mind, so he could clearly see its form.

Three heads, expressions of sorrow, anger, pain.

Chu Zhiyuan frowned.

The expressions on these three faces differed from those seen before, indicating yet another new Undying Evil Venerable!

Ultimately, how many Undying Evil Venerables will emerge, one after another?

Kill one, and two appear, is it never-ending?

Only by repairing that Divine Artifact can the intrusion of the Undying Evil Venerable be prevented, stopping the statue from descending?

He saw Hu Chengxiang floating into the valley where the Giant Spirit Sect was located, entering the main hall and approaching Zhao Ruilin.

Zhao Ruilin was engrossed in reviewing scrolls, looked up at the sound, then continued reading.

”Senior Brother.” Hu Chengxiang sighed, sitting on a chair at the foot of the steps.

Zhao Ruilin, while reviewing the scrolls, said: ”It’s rare to see you like this, Senior Brother Hu, encountering some difficulty?”

Hu Chengxiang said: ”The Divine Venerable has descended, Lingyun has now become the Divine Venerable.”

”Finally?” Zhao Ruilin put down the scrolls, his eyes fixated on him.

Hu Chengxiang said: ”The descent of the Divine Venerable was different from what I imagined.”

”How different?”

”I originally thought the Divine Venerable would be above all, fearless.”

”And now you think?”

”The Divine Venerable did not directly attack the Imperial City but returned to deal with the statue first.”

”The statue is more important than the Imperial City?”

”The Divine Venerable may not have the confidence to storm into the Imperial City, perhaps sensing power inside the city that threatens him.”

”It’s not surprising; the Imperial City has accumulated so much over the years, hidden dragons and crouching tigers, who knows what treasures or masters lie within.”

”Senior Brother, the Divine Venerable is not a Divine Weapon but one who controls the Divine Weapon.” Hu Chengxiang shook his head: ”I’m afraid the first thing the Divine Venerable wants to do is kill you, Senior Brother.”

”Impossible.” Zhao Ruilin shook his head.

Hu Chengxiang sighed: ”I don’t want to guess so, but I sense his killing intent towards you.”

Zhao Ruilin frowned: ”I’m the Sect Master, how can I kill arbitrarily?”

”To completely control our Giant Spirit Sect, isn’t killing you first necessary?”

”Alarmist!” Zhao Ruilin snorted: ”What is the Divine Venerable doing now?”

”Studying that statue.”

Zhao Ruilin said: ”This statue is actually of the Undying Divine Venerable, a Divine Venerable higher than ours.”

Hu Chengxiang’s spirit lifted: ”Can we borrow its power?”

Zhao Ruilin nodded lightly: ”The method of communicating with the Undying Divine Venerable is the same as communicating with our Divine Venerable.”

Hu Chengxiang’s eyes shone: ”Then let’s communicate with the Undying Divine Venerable!”

”If the Divine Venerable hadn’t descended, we could communicate with the Undying Divine Venerable, but now...” Zhao Ruilin shook his head: ”We must sever this thought.”

”...Yes.” Hu Chengxiang slowly nodded.

Zhao Ruilin frowned, pondering deeply.

He walked at the foot of the steps, pacing slower, his expression growing more solemn.

Through Super Sense, Chu Zhiyuan knew he was struggling, making a painful decision.

Calm on the surface, raging inside.

Zhao Ruilin finally stopped, his expression dark.

”Senior Brother?” Hu Chengxiang said: ”Perhaps you should hide for now, and come out again when the Divine Venerable has left.”

Zhao Ruilin shook his head: ”Let’s go, see the Divine Venerable.”

”Senior Brother, don’t you trust my words?” Hu Chengxiang asked hurriedly.

”I trust you.” Zhao Ruilin said.

”Then...”

”We must meet the Divine Venerable.”

”Meeting the Divine Venerable will be too late!” Hu Chengxiang exclaimed: ”You won’t be able to escape.”

Zhao Ruilin said solemnly: ”If the Divine Venerable really wants to kill me, I accept.”

Hu Chengxiang stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

In his impression, Zhao Ruilin wasn’t such a devout person.

Before becoming Sect Master, he was a devout disciple of the Divine Venerable, but after becoming Sect Master, his ideas gradually changed.

He knew Zhao Ruilin’s ambition: to go further, to wield more power, to become a true Divine Venerable.