Imperial Cultivation

74: Chapter 72 Dragon Bone

74 -72 Dragon Bone

Ma Tianhe entered holding a waist-high box.

When opened, inside were three purple-gold bones, seemingly forged from purple gold.

Each about a meter long, as thick as a thigh, judging by their shape, Chu Zhiyuan concluded it was a dragon claw, and one could see the joints.

Chu Zhiyuan looked at Ma Tianhe, “What kind of dragon is this?”

Ma Tianhe glanced around.

Chu Zhiyuan waved his hand.

Zou Fang stepped forward and waved her hand, and the maids serving nearby all withdrew.

Zou Fang personally stepped up and closed the door.

“It’s said to be a flying dragon,” Ma Tianhe whispered.

As if afraid someone might overhear.

Chu Zhiyuan’s sword-like eyebrows raised.

He hadn’t expected they really sent a flying dragon bone.

He thought they would send a flood dragon bone instead.

And he hadn’t expected the bone to be so large.

Ma Tianhe whispered, “This is a cherished collection of the Director, who said the Princely Heir acts swiftly, but this matter requires some cover-up.”

Chu Zhiyuan replied, “Outsiders won’t know.”

Ma Tianhe’s voice grew even quieter, barely audible, “Our department has long known that fellow was a Da Zhen spy, held back by the improving relations between the two countries, we didn’t arrest him.

Now, with the Princely Heir involved, we had no choice but to act.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

Ma Tianhe’s face quickly regained a sycophantic smile, bowing as he said, “This box of treasures is an apology to the Princely Heir.”

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, “I appreciate the sincerity, I’m very satisfied and won’t interfere with the Inspection Department’s affairs.”

“Thank you for your understanding and generosity, Princely Heir!” Ma Tianhe solemnly bowed, “I shall take my leave.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

The two exchanged a knowing smile, and Ma Tianhe turned and strode away.

The two sides effectively coordinated their statements to cover up the matter.

As for the Military Suppression Department, with Leng Nanfeng’s methods, there would be no mishaps.

Chu Zhiyuan got up and walked out.

Zou Fang quickly stepped forward to close the box, lifting it lightly to follow him, preventing others from seeing its contents.

Upon reaching the Listening to the Waves Courtyard, Zou Fang carefully placed the box in front of the bed.

Chu Zhiyuan couldn’t wait, “Open it, open it.”

Zou Fang opened the box, took out the huge flying dragon bone, and presented it to Chu Zhiyuan with both hands.

Chu Zhiyuan took it, feeling as if it were lightweight like paper.

As his hands touched the flying dragon bone, the Misty Purple Energy within him surged vigorously, the Dragon Transformation Technique activated, automatically running the third layer of the Dragon Transformation Technique without needing his mind to initiate it.

Chu Zhiyuan let it run, simply using Insight.

The mental method of the third layer of the Dragon Transformation Technique was complex, but with the acceleration of twenty apertures, the speed was fast.

Now, with the addition of the flying dragon bone, the speed increased again, reaching ten times the initial speed.

He was slightly disappointed.

It turned out to be an addition, not a multiplication of five times five.

The surging Misty Purple Energy rushed through his body, quickly purifying, finally turning into a wisp of mist enveloping his body, settling onto the bones.

He noticed something unusual.

His palms began to absorb a strange aura, which entered the Misty Purple Energy, rapidly incorporating it, enhancing it, finally transforming it into a dense fog that spread out.

The concentration and quantity increased nearly a hundredfold from the original Misty Purple Energy, enhancing its effect a hundredfold.

The strange aura continually poured into his palms, merging with the Misty Purple Energy, transforming into the third layer’s aura to strengthen the bones, a process that continued unabated, causing intense changes in the bones.

Chu Zhiyuan was astonished.

The bones were becoming denser, harder, and lighter.

Chu Zhiyuan suddenly realized that the transformation was towards dragon bones.

He suddenly drew the Qingying Sword, striking it against the flying dragon bone.

With a clear “ding,” the sword tip bounced off, leaving no mark on the flying dragon bone.

Chu Zhiyuan clicked his tongue.

The Qingying Sword, while not able to break through true essence, could cut iron like mud, yet it left no trace.

How strong must a sword be to slay a flying dragon with such hard bones?

To others, this dragon bone could only be used to brew medicinal wine or for body refinement or bone strengthening, thus having a price similar to that of a Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill.

But in Chu Zhiyuan’s eyes, the function of this dragon bone far exceeded that of the Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill.

Even ten or twenty Bone Marrow Cleansing Pills were incomparable.

Receiving three flying dragon bones at once, he was very satisfied with Leng Nanfeng’s style of handling things.

The bones were strengthening rapidly, while the flying dragon bone was undergoing subtle changes, its purple-gold color slightly fading.

This slight change was subtle yet couldn’t escape his Super Sense.

Chu Zhiyuan immediately understood that if the purple-gold color on the flying dragon bone completely faded, it might become useless, like the Dragon Blood Stone.

He looked up at the sky.

The sun had already reached its zenith.

He instructed Zou Fang that he was going to enter seclusion for cultivation and skip lunch, then continued cultivating the third layer of the Dragon Transformation Technique.

…

The sun set in the west.

Chu Minghou and Bai Ningshuang paced in the front hall, looking anxious.

They occasionally looked up at the sky, watching the rosy clouds spread across the sky like a tapestry.

Even so, they remained restless.

The time to enter the palace had already come; soon, the feast would begin, yet Chu Zhiyuan was still in cultivation.

Chu Yi rested her chin on her hand, sitting idly at the table, not anxious.

At this moment, footsteps sounded, and Feng Xi entered to report that an eunuch from the palace had arrived to urge them.

Chu Minghou said helplessly, “Let him in then.”

“Yes.”

Shortly after, a thin middle-aged eunuch entered gracefully, flipping his horsetail whisk, bowing and saluting, “Humble servant Huang Cheng, I greet the Prince, Princess, and Commandery Princess.”

“Huang Cheng, don’t stand on ceremony,” Chu Minghou waved his hand, “Why did you come personally?”

Though he seldom left the mansion, he recognized Huang Cheng, an old acquaintance from the sub-quarters, appearing middle-aged like himself, though actually over seventy, still maintaining his youthful looks, likely due to the practice of a Miracle Technique.

Before the mansion was sealed, Huang Cheng looked as he did now, unchanged over thirty years, likely aided by Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures beneficial to both cultivation and other effects.

“The humble servant came personally to prevent any mishap and delay in important matters, Prince, you should get going.”

“Let’s wait a bit more, Yuan’er is still practicing martial arts.”

“The Princely Heir…” Huang Cheng was stunned.

Bai Ningshuang suggested, “Why not let us go first, don’t make Eunuch Huang wait, and Yuan’er can join later when done.

If he can’t make it, so be it.”

Huang Cheng looked at her in surprise and then at Chu Minghou.

Chu Minghou nodded helplessly, “It can only be this way.”

Huang Cheng, being the Emperor’s eunuch, couldn’t be kept waiting, making him wait on the family for Yuan’er would be inappropriate.

Huang Cheng quickly said, “Would the Princely Heir miss the palace night banquet?”

“If he really misses it, there’s no helping it, he can attend next time,” Bai Ningshuang replied indifferently.

Now that the mansion was unsealed, there would be many palace night banquets, this one could be missed, especially since this one was to welcome the Da Zhen Mission and not a family feast.

Just to boost the atmosphere, there’s little to miss by not attending.

Huang Cheng finally understood that they had no idea that Chu Zhiyuan was to face the Princely Heir Cheng Tianfeng of Prince Ying of Da Zhen.

He chuckled inwardly.

The couple was truly unconcerned, unaware of such matters.

The Fourth Prince painstakingly prepared for this, it couldn’t go unnoticed.

The Fourth Prince had indeed concealed it from his parents to spare them anxiety, a commendable act of filial piety.

No wonder he was so mature, having endured trials.

“Eunuch Huang, is there anything amiss?” Bai Ningshuang noticed Huang Cheng’s odd expression.

Huang Cheng awkwardly explained, “This time, with the Princely Heir of Prince Ying present, all princely heirs must also attend.”

“Heir accompanying heir?” Bai Ningshuang realized and then said, “It’s fine without Yuan’er, right?

We didn’t participate before, either.”

“This time, it’s different,” Huang Cheng smiled, “Wouldn’t you want the Princely Heir to meet the Emperor sooner?”

“But Yuan’er is cultivating, best not to disturb him,” Bai Ningshuang stated.

She placed great importance on Chu Zhiyuan’s cultivation; to her, it was more significant than attending a palace banquet, which was merely a numbers game.

Just like parents valuing children’s homework over family gatherings, cultivation was crucial.

“This…” Huang Cheng hesitated.

If Chu Zhiyuan didn’t go, only Chu Zhiyao would be left.

Chu Zhiyao was certainly no match for Cheng Tianfeng, that was confirmed.

“Imperial Envoy Huang,” Chu Zhiyuan’s voice suddenly rang out as he stepped into the front hall, with Zou Fang in tow.