Imperial Cultivation

"What’s so strange about this?" Zheng Zhenxing said, "I don’t feel it’s strange."

Luo Yun looked at Huang Zhengyang, "Brother Huang, do you think there’s something amiss?"

"Seems a bit odd," Huang Zhengyang shook his head, "Not quite right."

"Then what to do?" Zheng Zhenxing said, "We can’t just not go in and take a look, can we? Are you willing?"

After so much difficulty to get here, enduring hardships and exhaustion.

It felt like having gone through dozens of battles; not just physical strain but mental fatigue and torment.

What lay before was endless.

Dull to the extreme, aside from waist-high green grass, there was nothing else.

They kept wondering if they had entered an array formation, endlessly walking without end.

Huang Zhengyang closed his eyes.

Luo Yun closed his eyes to try sensing.

The other two saw this and also closed their eyes, carefully sensing the small cave before them.

After a while, Huang Zhengyang opened his eyes and shook his head.

Luo Yun and the others opened their eyes, frowned at the cave, then turned to look at the others.

"Brother Huang, how is it?" Luo Yun asked, "Is it troublesome?"

"Hmm, still feels troubling," Huang Zhengyang stroked his beard thoughtfully, stared at the cave shaking his head continually, "But why can’t I pinpoint it? Brother Luo, what about you?"

Luo Yun looked at Zheng Zhenxing, "Old Zheng, how about you? Didn’t notice anything amiss?"

Considering Zheng Zhenxing’s greed, he would naturally be very eager; in such a situation, even if he felt something amiss, he would suppress it.

Therefore, Luo Yun didn’t expect Zheng Zhenxing to say something was wrong.

Zheng Zhenxing said slowly, "Hmm, it’s indeed not quite right."

Luo Yun was taken aback.

Meng Xianda was also taken aback, hurriedly said, "Old Zheng, do you feel it’s not right?"

"Hmm, feels very unreal, not grounded, the cave before us seems fake!"

Huang Zhengyang suddenly slapped his thigh, "Yes, that’s the feeling!"

Luo Yun said slowly, "So there is such a feeling? Is this not an array formation?"

As he spoke, his expression suddenly changed.

At the mention of array formations, he couldn’t help but tremble, genuinely afraid.

The power of array formations in this New Cave Heaven seemed particularly strong.

Once caught inside one, they were powerless, only able to wait for fate and luck.

"An array formation?!"

The other three’s expressions also changed.

Huang Zhengyang’s expression was uncertain, glancing at the cave and then the way they came.

Despite frantically swinging swords and knives, sweating profusely, they couldn’t carve a path.

Waist-high green grass lushly covered all visible terrain.

If they moved back a few steps, they would be sent out of the Grotto Heaven.

But should they really retreat?

"Brother Huang, what to do?" Luo Yun asked, "Make a decision!"

Huang Zhengyang looked at them and slowly said, "According to my idea, we should still back out."

"Brother Huang!" Zheng Zhenxing said, "If we back out now, why bother expending so much effort to come forward? Now we encounter an opportunity and want to give up?"

He said solemnly, "That’s failure at the last step."

Huang Zhengyang sighed, "Could we get through to the Cave Mansion last time with just our capability?"

"Hmph, the Phoenix Lineage stole the fruits, nothing to say about that," Zheng Zhenxing said discontentedly.

Luo Yun said, "It’s their capability, and that Spirit Tree only recognized Miss Li, so nothing to say."

Meng Xianda said, "Indeed, nothing to say, that Spirit Tree likely had a high standard; even if we got close or offered blood, it would’ve been useless."

Huang Zhengyang remained silent.

Luo Yun smiled, "Brother Huang, do you think so?"

Huang Zhengyang said, "That opportunity wasn’t ours; with our capability, it would be dangerous to break through."

He sighed, "But at the time, we didn’t feel any danger."

The three were silent.

They never felt a sense of danger, but that was before sensing the aura of the Fierce Beasts.

Near enough to feel the aura of the Four Fierce Beasts, real danger was evident.

They hadn’t sensed danger because the Four Fierce Beasts hid well, deceiving them.

This indicated that their senses in this New Cave Heaven weren’t reliable.

"I disagree with backing out!" Zheng Zhenxing shook his head, "Anyway, let’s venture first; otherwise, I’d regret it for a lifetime!"

Huang Zhengyang said, "If you venture, you might lose your life?"

"I’ll accept it!" Zheng Zhenxing said solemnly, "This is the best opportunity to become a Spirit Venerable; missing it may mean never achieving it!"

Luo Yun said irritably, "Old Zheng, would you rather die than not become Spirit Venerable?"

"Yes!" Zheng Zhenxing said coldly, "If not for Spirit Veneration, I’d rather die!"

"...Nothing to say!" Luo Yun shook his head, looked at Meng Xianda, "Old Meng, how about you?"

Meng Xianda sighed, looked at Zheng Zhenxing, then at Huang Zhengyang, smiled bitterly, "Since we’ve come this far, let’s not rush to retreat; I’d rather venture with Old Zheng."

Luo Yun said, "Would you really venture with Old Zheng? Isn’t life precious?"

He felt puzzled.

Despite Meng Xianda’s disagreement, he decided to risk it with Zheng Zhenxing.

Was their bond truly that strong?

Live and die together?

Meng Xianda smiled, "If that’s our fate, then so be it; dying near an opportunity is better than dying by someone else’s hand."

Luo Yun sighed and looked at Huang Zhengyang.

Huang Zhengyang frowned, with a sigh said, "Alright, I’ll try my Flying Knife first."

The three spirits lifted instantly.

Their greatest hope was vested in that Flying Knife.

Moreover, they knew it came from Chu Zhiyuan.

With Chu Zhiyuan’s current fame, they were thunderstruck, seeing Cheng Qian and Cheng Kun’s attitude towards Chu Zhiyuan as proof.

Huang Zhengyang took out the crystal-clear Flying Knife from his sleeve and sighed, shaking his head.

"Brother Huang, why sigh over this!" Zheng Zhenxing snorted, "Mr. Chu gave it to aid you, so why hold back!"

"The Flying Knife is for protection from Brother Chu," Huang Zhengyang said, "This isn’t the time for protection."

Zheng Zhenxing snorted, "If you don’t check it out, isn’t that akin to losing life?"

Huang Zhengyang said, "I’m not as persistent as you, Brother Zheng."

Zheng Zhenxing snorted, "When you feel the despair from insufficient cultivation, you’ll understand the importance of this opportunity!"

Huang Zhengyang shook his head quietly.

Luo Yun glanced at him, noticing Meng Xianda’s eyes reflecting pity.

His thoughts stirred.

He faintly guessed Zheng Zhenxing might have suffered a compelling shock, driving such extremity, willing to take risks.

"Swoosh!"

A slight whistle brushed past everyone’s ears.

The crystal-clear Flying Knife vanished in the Void, its trajectory invisible.

Luo Yun shook his head, "Even if Mr. Chu isn’t Spirit Venerable, we’re no match."

"Is this a Spiritual Artifact?" Zheng Zhenxing asked.

Huang Zhengyang said, "Not a Spiritual Artifact, just a common Flying Knife."

"Impossible," Zheng Zhenxing laughed.

Huang Zhengyang chuckled, "It’s refined uniquely by Brother Chu, infused with his power, hence remarkable."

"Worthy of Mr. Chu." Luo Yun admired the distant disappearing cave, "Good knife!"

As the Flying Knife lightly shot into the cave, a sudden burst of light, then the cave burst like a bubble.

The original spot was an empty ground, no green grass, only scorched brown soil.

Post cave collapse, the Flying Knife paused mid-air, seemingly surveying the surroundings, suddenly diving into the scorched brown soil.

"Wow!"

An eerie shout echoed between heaven and earth.

The four suddenly swirled before their eyes, all blinding white, minds blank, unthinking.