Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Beginning Practice

Zou Fang stood motionless at the study’s entrance, dressed in a blue robe, holding a White Jade Dust Brush.

Inside the study, Chu Zhiyuan sat lazily behind the desk, watching Feng Xi, who was slightly bowing, with a wry smile on his face.

Without asking, he knew something went wrong.

”Didn’t you catch them?”

Chu Zhiyuan took a sip of tea and asked leisurely.

”Reporting to the Princely Heir, this servant is incompetent and let them escape.”

”Are those two fellows so formidable?”

The gap between the Innate and Grandmaster realms suggests a force of suppression, yet they managed to escape, showing how formidable these two are.

”Their Disguise Technique is extraordinary, changing appearance as they merged into the crowd, and their aura shifted simultaneously, disappearing without a trace.”

Chu Zhiyuan took another sip of tea, deep in thought.

This is indeed a special mysterious skill.

In a world where martial arts flourish, a secret technique specifically for counter-tracking is not impossible, but definitely rare.

The identity of these two becomes even more unusual.

He thought for a moment and asked, ”Did they notice you?”

”They likely didn’t notice this servant.”

”Are they from the Court?”

”...”

”Are both of them from the Court?”

Chu Zhiyuan furrowed his eyebrows, staring at him.

Feng Xi quickly replied, ”The other one is probably not an expert from the Military Suppression Department.”

The experts from the Military Suppression Department come from two sources: one is from the military, inherited within the military, and the other is from the experts of the Four Great Sects.

Feng Xi could determine that one of them was a Military Suppression Department expert, while the other was not.

”The Military Suppression Department...”

Chu Zhiyuan stood up, pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back in front of the desk.

Currently, martial arts cultivation is prevalent, with sects standing tall: the Four Great Sects, Eight Major Clans, Thirty-Six Schools, and countless minor sects, all making a lively scene.

But in terms of power, the Court is the strongest.

The Court established the Military Suppression Department specifically to deal with the misconduct of martial arts experts.

The Military Suppression Department, detached from the Court’s bureaucratic system, is under the direct command of the Emperor, holding a transcendent status.

The experts from the Military Suppression Department monitoring him should be under the Emperor’s instruction, and while the intent is unknown, it should not be dangerous.

But the other one is not from the Military Suppression Department, so caution is necessary.

”Princely Heir, in our mansion, Liang Guanjie is the most skilled in tracking and stalking. Shall I accompany him tomorrow?”

Chu Zhiyuan raised his voice, ”Zou Fang, invite Liang Guanjie over.”

”Yes.”

Zou Fang soon brought in a stout middle-aged man.

The stout middle-aged man, clad in a brocade robe, wore a smile like the Maitreya Buddha, not resembling a martial arts expert but rather a wealthy old man.

He entered the study, cupping his fists and smiling courteously to greet.

Chu Zhiyuan sat back at the desk, ”Old Liang, tomorrow follow the Heirs of the Tenth and Thirteenth Uncles, see if anyone is tailing them, ... be cautious, don’t get discovered.”

He suddenly thought of something; are these people only tracking him, or also tracking other heirs? If they are also tracking others, there is no need to be too nervous. If it’s only him, utmost caution is needed, perhaps even taking proactive actions.

This is more crucial.

Compared to Feng Xi’s Grandmaster Realm, Liang Guanjie is merely Innate, so naturally, Feng Xi should be by his side.

”Rest assured, Princely Heir, it’s a small matter.” Liang Guanjie patted his chest, grinning broadly.

Chu Zhiyuan turned to Feng Xi, ”Are there any other tracking experts in the mansion?”

Feng Xi hesitated.

Chu Zhiyuan realized that meant there were none, then turned to look at Liang Guanjie.

Liang Guanjie scratched his head and shook his head, ”Young Master, the mansion originally had two, but they left for their hometowns to become rich men five years ago.”

”Then find a few to help from your fellow comrades.”

Liang Guanjie was once an elite of the Eagle Camp, and elite friends are naturally not in short supply; he had plenty of formidable comrades in the city.

”This...” Liang Guanjie wore a troubled expression.

Chu Zhiyuan snorted, ”Is it not enough friendship or not enough face?”

Liang Guanjie scratched his head, chuckled, ”There are three old buddies, all working at the City Guard Office, tied with duties, it’s not appropriate to trouble them.”

”What about their character?”

”They’re straightforward folks, clumsy at flattery, otherwise wouldn’t be in their current state.”

”Ask them for help, tell them we have openings for house guards.”

He deeply felt the shortage of talent in the mansion.

Tracking experts may seem to have little use outside the military, but they can be extraordinarily effective.

At any time, intelligence is crucial.

Although Prince Qing Mansion has declined, depending on comparison, its guards’ salary is at least three times that of the City Guards. Moreover, compared to the busy, tedious City Guards, the mansion guards have much more leisure, less worry, with more time and energy for cultivation, an excellent position indeed.

If Prince Qing Mansion were still in its former state of being sealed off, it would equate to imprisonment, leading to a quarter of the guards leaving within these thirty years.

Now that Prince Qing Mansion is unsealed, despite the decline, it’s still a Prince Mansion, definitely attracting competition for the guard positions.

Liang Guanjie’s eyes lit up, nodding vigorously, ”Hey, Princely Heir, leave it to me!”

Chu Zhiyuan turned to Feng Xi, ”Chief Feng, let those three assist you in uncovering that fellow’s background!”

”Yes.” Feng Xi nodded solemnly.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Old Liang, explain those three mens’ situations to Chief Feng clearly, ensure no mistakes on this important matter.”

”Rest assured, Princely Heir!” Liang Guanjie patted his chest once more.

Chu Zhiyuan picked up the White Jade Tea Cup.

Liang Guanjie cupped his hands in farewell and left.

With a look from Chu Zhiyuan, Feng Xi stayed behind.

Chu Zhiyuan set down the White Jade Cup, looking at Feng Xi, revealing doubt.

Feng Xi perceptively said, ”Old Liang likes to boast, but he acts quite steadily.”

Not everyone can join the Eagle Camp; it’s the elite of the elite in the military, otherwise, even after retiring, he wouldn’t be able to enter the Prince Mansion.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded, ”Understand the background of Old Liang’s three friends.”

To recruit into the Prince Mansion, one’s record must be spotless, free of hidden risks.

”This servant understands.” Feng Xi nodded solemnly.

Human hearts are changeable; although they are Old Liang’s comrades, they might have other thoughts, hence need checking.

Chu Zhiyuan waved his hand.

Feng Xi bowed and withdrew.

Chu Zhiyuan went to the courtyard.

Under the wall was a bamboo grove, the breeze blew softly, rustling, giving the Listening Wave Courtyard its name.

Many lanterns hung in the courtyard, lighting it brightly.

The green bamboo under the lamplight cast sparse shadows.

The night sky was dotted with stars, the Bright Moon hidden in fragments of dark clouds, illuminating the sparse parts of the clouds like layers of silver scales.

He watched in contemplation for a while.

This Bright Moon, is it the same from his past life?

What connection does this world have with his previous one?

In this contemplation and observation, the dark clouds drifted gently away, revealing a bright disc-like moon.

Soft moonlight fell from the sky, merging with the bright light in the courtyard.

With a swift flicker, he disappeared from his spot, appearing a few feet away the next moment, and flickered again to appear several yards away.

His figure flashed in the courtyard, each flash spanning about ten feet.

The Near and Far Steps technique was already moderately accomplished.

The operating route of the Near and Far Steps technique was complex. To let the Inner Strength circulate along such a complex route without errors required two steps.

The first step is pioneering.

Using Inner Strength to pioneer this route.

This route lies neither in the Twelve Meridians nor in the Eight Extraordinary Meridians but creates new meridians within the body.

From one acupoint to the next and then to another, traversing thirty-two acupoints, finally directing to both leg’s Yongquan.

The Inner Strength stored in the Dantian changes at each acupoint, undergoing thirty-two changes after thirty-two acupoints, becoming entirely different from the Inner Strength cultivated with the little Ziyang technique, allowing the body to become light and swift, bursting with immense power.

The second step is to become proficient.

After opening up the mental method route, it must move smoothly and freely, circulating without distraction, operating subconsciously, becoming as natural as drinking water or eating food.

If not achieved, in the tension of combat, mistakes are prone to occur, in light cases leading to stagnation, in severe cases resulting in injury. In life-and-death battles, such a mistake equates to suicide.

He discovered that the mutation not only affected his senses but also his brain.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t easily accept the vast and overwhelming flow of information brought about by extended senses, without any dizziness or confusion.

Unconsciously, he developed a photographic memory.

The complex route of operating energy, he memorized after one go, became proficient after three times, and by twelve times, it had become instinct.

No longer needing to deliberately focus on moving Inner Strength, as adept as others practiced for decades.

He shook his head in amazement, realizing he truly was a martial arts prodigy.

A prodigy is someone who effortlessly accomplishes what takes others a great deal of time and effort.

This means, while others may only master two or three martial arts in a lifetime, he could master countless different martial arts.

He then shook his head, the fundamental issue is still the realm; without the right realm, having countless mysterious skills is mere show.

Most energy should be concentrated on cultivating Internal Cultivation Methods, focusing on enhancing the realm.

In the subsequent time, his figure continued flickering without pause, extending the span from ten feet to thirteen feet, to fifteen feet, and then not increasing further.

Limited by the purity of Inner Qi, fifteen feet was already the limit.

To improve further, his Inner Qi levels must be enhanced.

Afterward, he asked Zou Fang to bring a longsword over, tied it to his waist, and repeatedly drew and thrust the sword, faster each time.

Unknowingly, the Bright Moon had already shifted westward.

The night grew increasingly deeper.

The cold light at his waist flashed, the sword thrust into the air, astonishingly quick.

The Great Snow Avalanche Sword Technique was already accomplished.

Whether it’s the Near and Far Steps or the Great Snow Avalanche Sword Technique, they share a common trait as burst-type martial arts.

They strive for swiftness.

This was chosen according to his characteristics.

With Zou Fang and Guo Chi, two Grandmasters, by his side, he only needed to perform Near and Far Steps to dodge one or the second strike; Zou Fang and Guo Chi wouldn’t allow the opponent a third move.

The Great Snow Avalanche Sword Technique consolidates body cultivation into one sword, deciding life and death in a single strike. Combined with the Super Sense, it perceives the opponent’s weakness and judges the best moment to strike, enhanced by the acceleration of Near and Far Steps, maximizing power.

His Heart Force relaxed, immediately feeling pain all over, the meridians seemed to bear too much impact, almost about to burst apart.

He gasped, lying down on the couch, unable to sleep from the intense pain, needing distraction to alleviate it, thus focusing his mind on the Jade Lock Gold Barrier Skill.

Then he sighed.

No wonder no one has mastered this Jade Lock Gold Barrier Skill to date.