Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 163: Chapter 161: Transforming Pearl

Chu Zhiyuan instantly became alert.

Major events are often mentioned afterward, and this is likely not a trivial matter but a truly significant one.

It must be about the Miao Ling Pearl.

He endured the intense discomfort and focused all his Insight on the two women.

Xu Suying’s visualization above her head was of a range of undulating mountains.

Nine majestic peaks, each of a different shape, strange and rugged, towering and sharp, dangerously steep, gentle and smooth... like a bowl, like a sword, like a pillar, like a person, like a horse... the nine mountains formed a unique pattern.

With just a slight concentration, one’s soul would be drawn into the layers of mountains, unable to escape.

He sighed inwardly.

Before becoming a Grandmaster, doing such an Insight on Xu Suying would have already left him unconscious with a severely injured Primordial Spirit.

Her visualization is very peculiar.

Insight on Xu Yingying, however, was done with ease.

A white fawn lay atop Xu Yingying’s head, its body pure without a trace of impurity, yet its antlers were seven-colored, like glass.

The seven-colored fawn was already quite clear, but it lacked vitality, having only its form. Judging by its aura, it was at the third level in the Grandmaster Realm.

These actions were completed in the span of a breath or two.

He smiled and said, ”Mr. Xu, do you have any advice?”

”Regarding the Miao Ling Pearl,” Xu Suying’s beautiful eyes looked at him and she spoke softly, ”Princely Heir, have you ever seen it?”

Chu Zhiyuan’s mind raced, as he continued to observe their subtle expressions. Knowing he couldn’t hide it any longer, they were convinced it was on him.

Since that was the case, there was no need to continue lying, which would only tarnish his own image.

He was the Princely Heir; they could do nothing to him.

He sighed helplessly, ”Mr. Xu, the Miao Ling Pearl no longer exists in this world, there’s no need to exhaust yourself searching for it.”

”Oh—?” Xu Suying looked at him gently, ”How does the Princely Heir explain that?”

Xu Yingying exclaimed, ”How can it not exist in this world? Did you destroy it?... It can’t be destroyed!”

Chu Zhiyuan asked, ”Why can’t it be destroyed?”

”Neither blade nor sword can harm it; it’s incredibly hard!” Xu Yingying replied.

”Unfortunately, it indeed doesn’t exist anymore,” Chu Zhiyuan said, ”it has already disappeared from this world.”

Xu Yingying hurriedly asked, ”Then what did you do with it? Throw it into the sea? Impossible, you haven’t been to the seaside... Then did you toss it into the mountains? Probably not that either... Chu Zhiyuan, what exactly did you do with it?!”

Chu Zhiyuan ignored her and just looked at Xu Suying.

In his eyes, this gentle and elegant middle-aged beauty was a dangerous person.

No Great Grandmaster is without danger, no matter how gentle or beautiful they appear.

Xu Suying gently furrowed her slender eyebrows and said softly, ”Princely Heir, you may speak bluntly.”

Chu Zhiyuan pointed to his own head and smiled, ”It turned into a beam of light and merged in here, it’s unimaginable.”

Xu Suying stared at his forehead, examined it for a bit, and finally nodded gently, ”It seems the Miao Ling Pearl has acknowledged its master.”

”Impossible!” Xu Yingying shouted, ”Master, how could the Miao Ling Pearl recognize him as its master? It’s mine!”

Xu Suying spoke softly, ”Yingying, spiritual objects choose their master naturally, you can’t force it.”

”But...” Xu Yingying pouted, ”It was clearly obtained by me, and then stolen from my hands!”

”Being stolen means you didn’t have a deep bond with it, your fate with it ends here, don’t linger on it.”

”Mas—ter—!” Xu Yingying looked aggrieved and unwilling, turning her head to glare at Chu Zhiyuan with big, sweet eyes filled with anger over being robbed of her most treasured possession.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”While I was practicing, it turned into a light and drilled its way in. Now it’s no longer to be found, otherwise, I could return it to Miss Xu.”

”Don’t talk nonsense,” Xu Yingying harrumphed, ”whoever obtains this spiritual object would even think of returning it?! They would certainly try every means to keep it!”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded frankly, ”What the heroine said is very true. If it could be taken out, there would indeed be greed not to return it... But it can be negotiated for use; whoever urgently needs it can use it for a while, anyway, it doesn’t need to be used all the time.”

Of course, each borrowing would require a price. He was just feeling troubled that merits were difficult to earn and cultivation resources of the Heavenly Treasure Department were hard to obtain, so now this opportunity presented itself.

The cultivation resources of the four Demon Sects must be abundant.

”That’s more like it!” Xu Yingying said, ”How did you get hold of it?”

She was full of curiosity, her bright eyes unblinkingly fixed on Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”I obtained it from He Jiujie’s relics.”

”How could He Jiujie’s relics contain it?” Xu Yingying snorted, ”Oh, I get it, He Jiujie’s hidden relics... that damn, despicable, greedy rogue!”

”Was it He Jiujie you all hired to kill the True One Sect’s Elder Bai Jingmang?”

”Do we need He Jiujie’s help to kill that so-and-so Bai Jingmang?!” Xu Yingying showed a disdainful pout, ”Why go through so much trouble?”

”You couldn’t enter Yujing, so you couldn’t kill Bai Jingmang, right?”

”If we knew it was Bai Jingmang who stole the Spiritual Pearl, we would just have someone sneak in or take it back. No need for killing... We can’t enter Yujing, but getting a friend’s help isn’t difficult.”

”Then He Jiujie found out Bai Jingmang stole the pearl, so he got greedy and killed to seize the pearl?”

”He shouldn’t have known either. The only people aware that I obtained the pearl were me and Master; no one else would recognize the pearl.”

”Then the subsequent killings of other True One Sect Elders...”

”Who knows who the True One Sect offended; it’s not our business!”

”...A twist of fate,” Chu Zhiyuan said slowly.

Then he laughed, ”Did you end up fighting with Yao Yue Palace over this?”

”When have we not been fighting with Yao Yue Palace?” Xu Yingying pouted even harder, ”Those women are just a bunch of crazy old hags!”

Chu Zhiyuan pieced together the situation.

He could only marvel at the twists and turns of fate.

Life is strange, often beyond everyone’s expectations.

Xu Yingying walked up to him with light steps, getting close to an arm’s length away, scrutinizing Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan didn’t step back and wasn’t on guard. He looked at her calmly.

Though his Super Sense had already seen through her thoroughly, the feeling when she came close was different.

The faint fragrance wafted into his nose, and the impact of her soft, gracefully scented body was more intense, making him almost want to step back, but he forcefully resisted, calmly meeting her bright eyes.

She sniffed with her delicate nose, nodding with satisfaction as if checking for any unpleasant odor on him, making Chu Zhiyuan laugh heartily.

She then extended her delicate white hand, slowly approaching his left shoulder.

Chu Zhiyuan felt puzzled but did not stop her, merely staring at her.

Using his Super Sense for Insight, he would immediately react if anything went wrong. With Near and Far Steps, he could escape instantly, not to mention having Gang Qi protecting his body.

Song Feiqiong quietly landed not far behind Xu Suying, watching serenely.

Xu Suying turned, offering her a friendly smile and nod.

Chu Zhiyuan watched as her small hand came to rest on his shoulder, before she closed her bright eyes.

After a moment, she opened her eyes, filled with joy and surprise, ”It really can!”

Chu Zhiyuan looked at her in confusion.

Xu Yingying leaped in front of Xu Suying, pulling out a white handkerchief to vigorously wipe her left hand that had touched Chu Zhiyuan’s shoulder, then with a ”pop,” the handkerchief shattered into white dust.

She puffed her cheeks and blew, the white dust streaking away as if swept by a fierce wind, merging with the approaching twilight, scattering afar.

Chu Zhiyuan glanced at her and lightly flicked the spot on his left shoulder where her hand had touched.

”Hmph!” Xu Yingying glared at him displeased.

Chu Zhiyuan smirked, ”Miss Xu, what can it do?”

Xu Suying also looked at her.

Xu Yingying immediately broke into a sweet smile, looking smug, ”Although the Miao Ling Pearl has merged with its master, that doesn’t stop its master from using it like a Miao Ling Pearl.”

Xu Suying was surprised, ”It can still do that?”

”That’s the Miao Ling Pearl’s magical nature,” Xu Yingying giggled, ”No one else can use it, but I’ve refined it for a long time, which is why I can.”

Xu Suying smiled gently, ”Now you’re satisfied, the Miao Ling Pearl is still with us.”

”Hehehe, satisfied, satisfied!” Xu Yingying beamed, radiant and dazzling, ”Finally found it!”

Chu Zhiyuan chuckled, but didn’t say a word.