Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 156: Chapter 154: Presenting a Sword

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Chang Dexi moved swiftly, gracefully bringing back two Breaking Gang Divine Weapons.

Chu Zhiyuan looked at the Breaking Gang Divine Weapon he had long sought but never obtained; with just a word from Chu Mingrui, three appeared before him, stirring an indescribable feeling.

Is this the taste of power?

To be the leader of an army indeed brings awe and admiration.

However, what I am pursuing is supreme strength and immortality, not merely temporary power and thrill.

Yet if I can enjoy this taste of power along the way, then it’s not bad!

He quickly composed himself and studied the two Breaking Gang Divine Weapons from Da Meng, finding them similar to the Evil Extermination Sword.

The same principle.

The short sword he obtained was indeed special.

”This sword of yours...?” Chu Mingrui also noticed the distinctiveness of the short sword in his hand, its radiant purple glow more splendid than other Breaking Gang Divine Weapons.

”Earlier, I took it conveniently while charging against the Stepping Cloud Iron Cavalry.”

Super Sense truly serves as an excellent aid for taking things conveniently.

Without Super Sense, it wouldn’t have been so effortlessly easy, like taking something out of a pouch.

Moreover, I was lucky.

During the altercation with Cheng Tianfeng, I conveniently acquired the Heart Inquiry Blade, just as miraculously this time I obtained the Breaking Gang Divine Weapon conveniently.

He returned the Evil Extermination Sword and the two Breaking Gang Divine Weapons from Da Meng to Chang Dexi.

”You even have such a skill to take things conveniently,” Chu Mingrui laughed, ”Seems like during that charge, you weren’t the least bit flustered.”

”Strangely enough,” Chu Zhiyuan laughed, ”I thought I’d be blood pumped, but I felt no waves.”

”Haha...” Chu Mingrui laughed heartily, ”Such calmness!”

This fourth prince is indeed naturally suited for the battlefield.

I fear not for having no successors.

Few in this world can maintain calm when facing a cavalry charge.

While calm, he could judge which side was strong or weak, where the weak points were, whether the situation was favorable or not, and where to attack or withdraw.

Whether it was left or right, advance or retreat.

In the eyes of a calm person, a battlefield encounter is akin to chess, even without extraordinary intelligence, a qualified leader could be made.

If intelligence is extraordinary, one could become a renowned general.

With his calmness, extraordinary intelligence, and keen intuition, Chu Zhiyuan is clearly a budding renowned general.

With some training, he could emerge as a great general of a generation.

Given the opportunity, he might surpass me.

With him, Da Jing need not fear lacking military talent, nor fear the might of Da Meng and Da Zhen.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Uncle, could you help me make a scabbard?”

”Chang Dexi.”

”Yes,” Chang Dexi replied and retreated again.

Chu Zhiyuan put the three Breaking Gang Divine Weapons back on the desk.

”Not taking this Evil Extermination Sword?” Chu Mingrui picked up the Evil Extermination Sword, touched its hilt, and seemed deep in thought, reminiscent of past memories, softly saying, ”Consider it a token of thanks for helping me practice arrays.”

”I’ve already received Fifth Grade Merit as compensation, besides, I have my Breaking Gang Divine Weapon.”

”The merit is from the Court; the Evil Extermination Sword is from me.”

Seeing him insistent, Chu Zhiyuan smiled and reached out for the Evil Extermination Sword, ”Since Uncle insists on gifting it, I’ll accept it.”

Chu Mingrui chuckled, ”You rascal, I thought you’d refuse till the end!”

”Refusal would be discourteous,” Chu Zhiyuan fiddled with the Evil Extermination Sword, showing his fondness, ”I’ll gift this Evil Extermination Sword to my fiancée yet to be wed.”

This is Third Grade Merit.

Having acquired a Breaking Gang Divine Weapon conveniently, it would be painful to trade Third Grade Merit for a Breaking Gang Divine Weapon.

Since Chu Mingrui wants to gift it, I’m delighted to accept it.

”A romantic indeed, rare,” Chu Mingrui laughed.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Uncle, show me some Array Maps.”

Chu Mingrui agreed without hesitation, smiling brightly.

Chu Zhiyuan’s interest in Array Maps pleased him greatly.

He wished for nothing more than for Chu Zhiyuan to dive into the Array Maps, then find it irresistible and head to the army to experiment with a battalion.

With his phenomenal skills, he believed he could quickly train a battalion, enough to turn the tide in a city.

What takes others twenty or thirty years, even forty or fifty, or over a hundred years, he could significantly shorten that time.

Perhaps in a few years, he could achieve it.

With eight camps trained in the eight cities of the Northern Territory, it could profoundly change the situation in the Northern Territory; by then, what would be fear of Stepping Cloud Iron Cavalry!

However, the young Fourth Prince, sealed for twenty years, should be enjoying life’s luxuries. He might not bear such monotonous hardships, which also delay his cultivation; it would be inadvisable to force him.

Thus, one must proceed according to the situation without haste.

He stood and went to a nearby antique shelf, retrieving an iron box, and brought it to Chu Zhiyuan, ”These are the arrays I painstakingly collected.”

Chu Zhiyuan opened it, finding thirteen thin booklets, some new, some old, clearly often perused.

He secretly admired how obsessed his uncle was with arrays, always yearning to train new and stronger army formations, always passionate about it.

Unfortunately, such anti-human nature efforts were nearly impossible unless one remained in the Northern Territory for over twenty years, to not give up halfway.

This is the helplessness of the world.

Knowing it benefits Da Jing, knowing it should be done, yet unable to accomplish it, held back by substantial resistance.

Even with his unparalleled military prestige, even with his noble status as Prince Ying, he still struggles step by step.

Even if the Emperor issued an Imperial Decree personally, it might not be done.

He lowered his head and examined each one.

...

”Uncle, the task is heavy and the road is long...”

Chu Zhiyuan remarked to Chu Mingrui with emotion.

After flipping through the thirteen booklets, he felt a broadening of horizons, realizing the world’s arrays could be so exquisite.

Tongtian Pavilion and Mingwu Hall both had Array Diagrams, but compared to those, these thirteen booklets far surpassed them.

Clearly, as Prince Ying, he had seen Tongtian Pavilion and Mingwu Hall’s formations, abandoning the inferior ones, leaving none behind.

Each of these thirteen is worthy of becoming a national treasure.

Mastering any one array would surpass Lingshuang Iron Cavalry and Stepping Cloud Iron Cavalry.

Sadly, they couldn’t be mastered.

Chu Zhiyuan conjectured that Da Zhen and Da Meng undoubtedly faced similar situations, with superior formations they couldn’t master.

”Indeed, a heavy burden and a long road!” Chu Mingrui sighed.

Chu Zhiyuan returned the thirteen booklets to the box, looked up to see Chang Dexi had returned, carrying a short sword scabbard.

At Chu Zhiyuan’s glance, Chang Dexi presented it with both hands.

Chu Zhiyuan reached out to take it.

The touch was soft and flexible, wrapped in the hide of a certain Demon Beast, smooth and delicate like a lady’s hands.

The weight was also suitable.

The size was just right; the wooden sword inserted perfectly.

Chu Zhiyuan chuckled, ”Master Chang, you’re truly insightful, worthy of being Uncle’s man.”

”If the Princely Heir is pleased, then I am relieved,” Chang Dexi chuckled as he retreated.

Chu Zhiyuan placed the scabbard against his elbow, extremely comfortable; with the scabbard, he no longer needed to fear the short sword injuring him.

Watching Chu Zhiyuan toy with the scabbard, constantly changing its position at his elbow, Chu Mingrui said, ”Fourth, be careful on your return, want me to give you some troops?”

Chu Zhiyuan looked up, smiling, ”Uncle, you need the troops here, can’t waste them on me.”

”Perhaps...”

”I’ll train them in formation en route, if we encounter a large force, we’ll charge through; if any Martial Arts experts appear, there’s still Mr. Song.”

A Grandmaster could sufficiently protect me.

Even if attacked by another Grandmaster, two at once is unlikely.

If indeed two Great Grandmasters assault, Song Feiqiong could still escape with me.

”...Alright, be cautious.”

”Uncle, you take care too, handling General Li’s situation won’t be easy.”

Li Haoyuan’s subordinates still leaned towards their former lord; reclaiming them wasn’t easy without appropriate strategies.

Chu Mingrui’s expression was solemn as he nodded slowly.

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