Imperial Cultivation

Chu Zhiyuan sat back down in the Heaven-Reaching Hall, closed his eyes, and pondered the scenes from before.

Since he could see her through the Divine Eye, Chu Zhiyuan wasn’t in a hurry to decide who was above or below.

Caution upon caution—probe first, stand in an invincible position.

At this level of slaughter, both sides’ Life Force was too tenacious; if there wasn’t an overwhelming gap, it wasn’t so easy to determine life and death in one move.

Through probing, he had already sensed that Song Wantao possessed many Spiritual Artifacts.

Her cultivation was deep, likely no weaker than his own.

She really was a woman.

Then why could the world at large not see it?

It showed that her Transformation Technique could alter male and female, and she had always appeared before others in a man’s body.

He believed that the Song Wantao seen by the Divine Eye was her true face.

Since she was a woman, and could conceal her aura, could she slip into the Profound Yin Palace?

He could only proceed on the assumption that she could.

If she could infiltrate the Profound Yin Palace, then her understanding of him would be nothing strange.

After all, the Profound Yin Palace was abuzz with discussion about him from top to bottom.

During their cultivation, they would also chat and gossip; he was the best topic.

If she could sneak into the Profound Yin Palace, she would certainly know his information inside out.

Then does that mean she has no Spiritual Treasure or secret technique that can see through the future?

Was he simply frightened by her?

He rose, hands clasped behind his back, and paced within the great hall, back and forth, his expression grave.

He was repeatedly weighing whether he had overestimated Song Wantao.

In the end, he shook his head.

This was indeed a formidable foe.

Even putting aside the Divine Object that concealed her qi, her cultivation alone was already strong enough.

If he clashed with her head-on right now, he might not be her match.

He was already at the Fourth Transition, while this Song Wantao might be at the Fifth Transitions, or even higher.

He had Secret Skills, but with Song Wantao’s kind of fortune, it was unlikely she had none.

So he needed to be doubly, triply cautious.

The future seen through the Divine Eye might no longer be reliable, since Song Wantao bore a Divine Object on her person.

Thinking of this, he could only shake his head helplessly.

...

Leng Tieya suddenly appeared in a restaurant not far from the Zhou Mansion.

He changed into the appearance of an ordinary-looking middle-aged man and sat at a table on the third floor of the restaurant, not by the window.

After sitting down, he ordered a jar of wine and a few small dishes from the waiter, then slowly drank and picked at the food.

His Super Sense spread out, covering both the Zhou Mansion and Song Wantao.

...

Chu Zhiyuan flickered and vanished, and in the next moment appeared in his own small courtyard within the Profound Yin Palace.

Zhou Qingyu saw him appear, hurriedly stopped what she was doing, and came forward. "Master, I feel like I’m about to break through."

She wore a white combat uniform, heroic and valiant, beads of sweat on her forehead, her face glowing with vitality.

Her obvious progress in cultivation had left her somewhat high-spirited.

Chu Zhiyuan glanced at her and nodded. "Then break through."

"But..." Zhou Qingyu hesitated.

"What is it?"

"Aunt Hu and the others all say it’s too fast, that my foundation will be unstable." Zhou Qingyu said.

Chu Zhiyuan couldn’t help but smile. "And what do you feel about your own foundation?"

Zhou Qingyu shook her head. "I don’t know whether it’s stable or not."

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Your foundation is fairly solid. Don’t worry—go as fast as you can."

"Yes!" Zhou Qingyu’s face immediately broke into a smile.

Compared to the many experts of the Profound Yin Palace, she naturally trusted Chu Zhiyuan more.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "You’ll stay here for the next few days."

Zhou Qingyu was taken aback. "Master, I can’t go home? ...Have my father, mother, or little brother run into trouble?"

Her bright eyes showed a flash of panic.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "They’re fine. It’s you constantly going back that will bring danger to them."

"...Master’s enemy will come to kill me?" Zhou Qingyu asked.

Chu Zhiyuan was quite satisfied with her sharpness and nodded. "If they can’t deal with me, then naturally they’ll go for you. If you go back, I’ll have to go guard them there. Better to stay here and spare everyone the worry."

"Then what about my parents and little brother?"

"Their connection is one step more distant."

Zhou Qingyu shook her head. "But if the enemy wants to vent their anger, they probably won’t let my parents and little brother go either. They’re all easy to kill anyway."

Chu Zhiyuan said, "I’ll have people guarding that side. If anything happens, I’ll rush over."

Zhou Qingyu’s small face was taut, her bright eyes blazing.

In this moment, she only hated that her cultivation was too weak, that she hadn’t trained hard enough, ruthlessly enough.

Previously she had complained that Chu Zhiyuan pushed her too hard; now she only felt he ought to have been even harsher.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Or else, have your parents and little brother brought away?"

"Brought where?" Zhou Qingyu said. "We can’t bring them here, can we? ...That won’t do. Other than Master, no one else can enter."

Only disciples of the Profound Yin Palace could enter its grounds; the sole exception was Master.

Not only because Master was the Palace Mistress’s husband, but more importantly because he had done the Profound Yin Palace a great favor.

Her parents and little brother were important in her own eyes, but in the eyes of the Profound Yin Palace they were like ants, utterly insignificant.

They would absolutely not break this precedent.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "How about having them move to the Imperial City of Biyuan Heaven?"

Once in the Imperial City of Biyuan Heaven, with a Divine Artifact suppressing the area, Song Wantao would not dare enter lightly.

While he was in Biyuan Heaven, he could easily mobilize the Golden Sword to protect the three of them.

Zhou Qingyu pondered.

Chu Zhiyuan quietly watched her.

The rustle of fluttering robes sounded, followed by a faint fragrance.

Xiao Ruoling and Shen Hanyue drifted down into the small courtyard, coming to Chu Zhiyuan’s side.

"Princely Heir, giving Little Qingyu another scolding?"

Judging from Zhou Qingyu’s expression, Shen Hanyue assumed she’d been lectured again.

Zhou Qingyu hurriedly said, "Aunt, Master didn’t scold me."

"Then why the little stiff face?" Shen Hanyue tilted her head at her. "What happened?"

Zhou Qingyu looked at Xiao Ruoling. "Senior Sister, Master says I’m to stay here for a while and not go home. His enemy will come to kill me."

Xiao Ruoling’s delicate brows knit slightly. "He actually wants to make a move on Qingyu? ...Did something else happen?"

After listening to Chu Zhiyuan’s explanation, both Xiao Ruoling and Shen Hanyue were astonished.

"Husband, if she can sneak into the palace, won’t Qingyu be in even greater danger here?" Xiao Ruoling’s brows drew together.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "With you two protecting Qingyu, it won’t be so easy for her to succeed."

"Princely Heir, I’m just afraid we won’t even be able to protect ourselves. If she’s really that formidable, then truly..." Shen Hanyue shook her head. "Should we be thanking her for not killing us before?"

If things were really as Chu Zhiyuan said—able to slip into the Profound Yin Palace, and with cultivation at the Fifth Transitions or even higher—then killing her would be as easy as turning a hand.

So why had she not struck the killing blow?

There was no need to plant that bizarre Green Silk on her, was there?

Xiao Ruoling said, "Her goal is to stir up a bloody battle between us and Li Huo Palace. She probably doesn’t want to create extra complications by forcibly dragging Husband into it."

Shen Hanyue frowned in thought.

Xiao Ruoling said, "In her eyes, we aren’t that important. Or rather, killing us is not as useful as keeping us alive for now, to restrain Husband in the future."

Shen Hanyue slowly nodded.

She then said, "Princely Heir, is she really that formidable? High Realm, many Spiritual Treasures, great fortune, and a Divine Object protecting her... No wonder she’s grown ambitious. If it were me, I’d be the same."

With so many advantages gathered in one body, how could one be willing to remain an ordinary Spirit Venerable?

Most Spirit Venerables, in her place, would probably want to go a step further.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Qingyu, go fetch a basin of water."

"Yes." Zhou Qingyu answered, and very soon carried back a wooden basin filled with clear water.

Chu Zhiyuan signaled with his eyes.

Zhou Qingyu set the basin down on the stone table, then stepped back two paces and looked at him.

Chu Zhiyuan pressed one palm against the surface of the water and closed his eyes.

A moment later, he opened his eyes and shook his head.

As he had expected, ordinary water could not fuse Divine Essence and Super Sense into one to form the Divine Eye.

So that abyss really was strange.

If he wanted to condense the Divine Eye, he still had to go to that abyss.

He frowned inwardly.

He was really not keen on going back to that abyss.