Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 17: Chapter 16 Bone Marrow Cleansing

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The Little Red Cloud Mountain at sunset is entirely rose-colored, truly living up to its name.

”Dong dong dong...”

The deep bell tolls resonated in the air.

Midway up the mountain, Chu Zhichuan weakly stood on a rock, scanning vigilantly.

This weathered rock was smooth and flat, bed-sized, and standing atop it offered a clear view of the surroundings, preventing any surprise attacks.

His handsome face was pale, his left hand clutching his bloody right shoulder, and his injured right hand weakly held a longsword, his whole body tense and ready to strike.

”Heir, let’s go.”

A middle-aged man silently appeared beside him, placed his right hand on his left shoulder, turning into a gust of wind as they darted away.

Moments later, the two of them swept through the woods, appearing before Chu Qingfeng.

Chu Qingfeng still stood atop the huge rock at the foot of the mountain, bathed in the sunset glow.

Chu Zhichuan turned his head to look around; there were four princely heirs and one prince present, but he didn’t see Chu Zhiyuan or Chu Zhitian.

Two shadows swept in with a roar, stopping beside him as a middle-aged man and Chu Mingxuan appeared.

Chu Mingxuan had a finger-length gash on his front that was bleeding profusely, almost slashing his belly open, as he grinned and said, ”Old Ten, out already?”

”Eighteenth Uncle, I just came out.”

”What did you get?”

”One colorful chicken.”

”You’ve got good luck!” Chu Mingxuan said enviously, ”I really wanted to run into it!”

”What about Eighteenth Uncle’s harvest?”

”I butchered a Red Cloud Snake,” Chu Mingxuan said proudly.

That Red Cloud Snake was quite foolish, hiding between two rocks, its color blending in with the surroundings.

But his nose was exceptionally sharp and caught the scent.

So he played along, pretending to be unsuspecting as he approached the rocks, then suddenly struck and killed it with one blow.

If it wasn’t between the rocks, given the speed and agility of the Red Cloud Snake, hitting it would have been nearly impossible.

It can only be said that when luck arrives, nothing can stop it.

”Old Nine hasn’t come out yet? I bet he’ll have quite a harvest this time.”

Chu Zhichuan nodded.

Just then, a shadow whistled over, bringing Chu Zhitian with a middle-aged man.

His clothes were torn in several places, revealing bronzed muscles, with wounds on his shoulders, chest, abdomen, and thighs, his shoulder had a penetrating wound that still oozed blood.

Chu Zhitian saw Chu Zhichuan and smiled, ”Old Ten, didn’t you come out early?”

”Sorry to disappoint you, Brother Nine, just came out,” Chu Zhichuan said calmly.

Chu Mingxuan said, ”Old Ten killed a colorful chicken, enough for military merits, what about you, Old Nine?”

Chu Zhitian’s smile grew brighter, ”One green wolf, plus one bronze pig.”

”Bronze pig?” Chu Zhichuan was doubtful.

While a lone green wolf isn’t that hard to kill, a bronze pig is different.

The name bronze pig isn’t because of the color of its hair being yellow, but because it has tendons like bronze and iron bones, hard as steel and resistant to weapons. Encountering one means anyone would have to run for their life.

Chu Zhitian killed a bronze pig?

This is too outrageous.

Chu Zhitian smiled proudly, ”A little bronze pig, still quite a slog to kill.”

”Little pig?” Chu Zhichuan was even more skeptical, ”Didn’t the big pig chase you?”

Once a little pig is killed, the big pig quickly senses it and seeks vengeance desperately.

Bronze pigs are incredibly fast and possess immense strength, being invulnerable to weapons. If encountered, unless one’s movement skills are fast enough, escape isn’t even an option, as the big pig would crush them to a pulp.

Chu Zhichuan pondered, ”Brother Nine, you used your brain for once, ...killing the little pig at the end and using the guards to escape the chase of the big pig?”

”Who’s not using their brain?” Chu Zhitian was displeased, ”I didn’t take such advantage, I killed the little pig in advance!”

”Anyway, I’m impressed,” Chu Zhichuan said, cupping his fist mockingly.

”Old Nine, you don’t believe me?!” Chu Zhitian was even more annoyed.

He was ready to call in masters from the Forbidden Palace, he figured that killing the little pig was already enough for Ninth Grade Merit, and retreating wouldn’t matter.

But surprisingly, no big pig came to chase.

”Didn’t say I don’t believe you,” Chu Zhichuan said dismissively.

”Just you wait with envy!” Chu Zhitian glanced at him triumphantly.

”Alright then, you both have your gains, why isn’t Old Four out yet?” Chu Mingxuan interrupted the two.

Chu Zhitian frowned, looking towards the Little Red Cloud Mountain, then raised his head to look at Chu Qingfeng.

Chu Qingfeng was staring at the distant Little Red Cloud Mountain, as if he could see the situation within.

Chu Zhitian asked, ”Granduncle, is Fourth Brother going to be alright?”

Chu Qingfeng shook his head.

”It’s very dangerous going in for the first time, hopefully, Fourth Brother isn’t severely injured.”

”First time definitely comes with big setbacks.”

”Still not out yet... as expected of Old Four,” Chu Mingxuan remarked.

The first time entering Little Red Cloud Mountain often results in severe injuries right after entering. Someone as sturdy as Chu Zhitian could hold on a bit longer, but most people wouldn’t last more than a blink.

All twelve came out, only Chu Zhiyuan was missing, stirring quiet concerns among everyone about whether something had happened, or if he had perished.

Ever since the last incident with the Golden Plume Falcon killing someone, there hadn’t been any more deaths, but who knows if something unexpected could happen, maybe another Golden Plume Falcon hadn’t been cleaned up.

Amidst everyone’s discussions, Chu Zhiyuan leisurely walked out of the woods.

”Is it Fourth Brother?”

”Old Four he...”

Everyone was astonished, stepping forward to gather around him.

He was spotless from head to toe, in stark contrast to the disheveled crowd around him, making him appear even more radiant and graceful.

Chu Mingxuan examined him closely, ”Old Four, you weren’t injured?”

Chu Zhiyuan, calm and composed as if he was on a spring outing, said, ”I’m alright.”

Everyone stared with curious and puzzled eyes.

Some even suspected that he hadn’t entered at all.

Four black-robed middle-aged men floated in, landing in front of Chu Qingfeng, handing over a small booklet with both hands.

”Thirteenth Uncle, how did everyone fare?” Chu Mingxuan quickly asked, ”Was this time good?”

He thought that luck was extremely favorable this time, with Old Nine and Old Ten also making gains, so presumably everyone else wouldn’t leave empty-handed.

Winter hunting is just like this, when luck is good, everyone’s luck is good; when luck is bad, everyone’s luck is bad.

Chu Qingfeng nodded, ”Seven people made gains.”

”Then who got the most?” Chu Mingxuan asked.

”Chu Zhiyuan, twenty beasts,” Chu Qingfeng said.

With those words, silence fell around them.

”Thirteenth Uncle, how... many?” Chu Mingxuan hastily asked.

”Altogether killed twenty,” Chu Qingfeng looked at Chu Zhiyuan, smiling slightly, ”should still have some energy left.”

Chu Zhiyuan embarrassingly smiled, ”Granduncle, that was already the limit.”

The key is that all the demon beasts fled.

Within a hundred-meter range of the woodland at the foot of the mountain, killing twenty was already the limit; the rest had all scattered to the winds.

These demon beasts flee as soon as things seem amiss, they won’t stay put waiting to die.

He found it increasingly difficult, eventually even moving upward.

But these demon beasts seemed to have unique communication channels between them, and as he went up, he could hardly encounter any more demon beasts, each avoided him distantly, fleeing far away.

He even suspected that next time he came back, he might not be able to kill any demon beast at all.

Didn’t expect these demon beasts to be so troublesome, with such a high sense of danger, possessing extremely strong survival abilities.

”Hiss...”

The sound of intakes of breath was incessant, and the startled looks seemed to want to pierce through Chu Zhiyuan.

”Truly anger worth of envy,” Chu Mingxuan shook his head and sighed, turning to Chu Zhitian and Chu Zhichuan, ”Old Nine and Old Ten, how do you feel?”

Chu Zhitian expressed his respect towards Chu Zhiyuan, cupping his fist.

Chu Zhichuan snorted, ”How does Eighteenth Uncle feel?”

Chu Mingxuan chuckled and said, ”I am wholeheartedly convinced... Aren’t you feeling unsatisfied?”

”...” Chu Zhichuan looked towards Chu Zhiyuan.

He would never admit defeat, he would definitely strive to catch up, and eventually be able to.

Chu Qingfeng said, ”Alright, let’s head back to the city, early return, your families are worrying sick.”

”Yes, yes, let’s hurry home.”

Everyone nodded quickly, performing qinggong as they hurried back.

Chu Qingfeng came to Chu Zhiyuan’s side, ”Don’t get too carried away, you can exchange for elixir pills at the Heavenly Treasure Department tomorrow, remember not to use anything to increase cultivation!”

”Yes, Granduncle,” Chu Zhiyuan cupped his fists.

Chu Qingfeng took a deep look at him, flashed, and disappeared without a trace.

——

The midday sun made the lake water exceptionally clear.

Chu Zhiyuan sat cross-legged on a Luohan bed in a Water Pavilion, holding a Red Pill in his left palm, a small Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill.

Twice Ninth Grade Merit, he could exchange for two small Bone Marrow Cleansing Pills, but he only used one Ninth Grade Merit to obtain this one small Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill.

Outside the Water Pavilion, Feng Xi guarded the front door, Guo Chi stood by the back door, while Zou Fang was leaning by the window.

Chu Zhiyuan swallowed the small Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill in one gulp.

As soon as the pill reached his stomach, it turned into a mass of flames, the burning sensation quickly filled every part of his body, causing sweat to pour profusely in a blink of an eye.

”Swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh...”

His longsword unsheathed at the waist, turning into countless cold glints.

The cold glints formed plum blossoms in the air, with over a dozen plum blossoms appearing simultaneously. When they disappeared, the sword had returned to its sheath, and he had stepped off the bed into the Dragon Subduing Stance.

...

Chu Zhiyuan opened his eyes, feeling reflective.

No wonder people pursue Spirit Pills so fervently; experiencing their effect, who can settle back into slow cultivation?

It’s like someone who has gotten rich quickly, how could they go back to working for a modest wage?

A single small Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill is worth a month’s worth of hard training.

The first layer of the Dragon Transformation Technique has been mastered.

With the first layer of the Dragon Transformation Technique complete, practicing the Qi Cleansing Technique and Binding Dragon Rope became very easy, and within a couple of days, he could master them thoroughly, then break through into the Innate stage.

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