Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 172: Chapter 170: Perfect Couple

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Duke An Mansion

Chu Zhiyuan entered the mansion without needing to announce himself, as the doorkeeper respectfully greeted him and opened the door.

Chu Zhiyuan went straight to the backyard and saw Xiao Ruoyu practicing hand skills on a small martial arts training ground in front of a flower garden.

Two elegant maidservants were attending nearby, ready to serve tea, snacks, or wipe sweat at any time.

Chu Zhiyuan watched with an amused smile.

The young duke’s treatment was even better than his own as the princely heir.

When he practiced, he didn’t have Mo Yi and the other three girls attending; only Zou Fang stood by.

A beauty nearby can ultimately be distracting.

No matter how familiar the beauty, if beautiful enough, her every move and smile can inadvertently touch the heart, making it pound.

This young duke seems clueless, having no feelings for women.

Chu Zhiyuan didn’t regard him as an outsider, so he didn’t mind the taboos among martial artists and walked toward him.

Xiao Ruoyu merely nodded, still focused on his palms, slowly pushing them like the Tai Chi Boxing Chu Zhiyuan had seen in his previous life.

Xiao Ruoyu had not yet reached the Innate Realm.

In his Insight, the breath within Xiao Ruoyu’s meridians was turbulent, giving such a feeling due to the purity of his Inner Qi.

He guessed that if he ever cultivated True Qi or Gang Qi, his breath would be like the vast ocean, unstoppable.

No wonder it is called the Jinghai Unlimited Scripture.

The Jinghai Unlimited Scripture is considered the top inheritance among the Eight Dukes’ Mansions.

The biggest flaw is its high requirement for talent.

When a duke lacks the talent, they fall far behind the other Duke Mansions.

It’s either the strongest or the weakest, rarely in between.

Chu Zhiyuan foresaw that Duke An Mansion would be able to support its standing in Xiao Ruoyu’s generation.

With himself as a backer, they would advance even further.

Both palms seemed like they were grinding a millstone, rowing a boat in the sea. The posture was leisurely but required the gathering of a heavy mind, imagining fighting against surging waves.

This clear imagination of the surging waves varies for everyone; the clearer it is, and if one can truly empathize, it reflects high talent.

Some people, no matter how they imagine, always lack clarity, and their bodies cannot feel it.

Chu Zhiyuan analyzed this as a kind of spatial imagination.

It was like studying spatial geometry in school in his previous life; a deficiency in imagination is just that, with limited ways to compensate in the postnatal realm.

Since the Jinghai Unlimited Scripture cannot truly be practiced at sea, reliance on imagination is necessary, or else the Duke An Mansion wouldn’t have one genius generation followed by a flawed one; they would directly go to the sea to cultivate.

Xiao Ruoyu soon panted like an ox, covered in sweat.

The two little maidservants adeptly stepped forward to wipe his sweat, the handkerchief lightly touching and instantly retreating without touching any part of his body.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded in approval.

To be exhausted by such imagined surging waves was proof of Xiao Ruoyu’s extraordinary talent.

Though he noticed Xiao Ruoyu had some stumbling points, he chose to disregard them.

When Xiao Ruoyu slowly finished his practice, his clothes were soaked as if dipped in water.

Chu Zhiyuan couldn’t help but praise him.

Xiao Ruoyu was full of complaints, but he was indeed hardworking in practice.

The Jinghai Unlimited Scripture is quite tiring, and every practice session is extremely painful.

It is rare for him to persist without slacking off.

”Brother-in-law, I’ll go freshen up.”

”Mm, go ahead.”

Watching him leave, Chu Zhiyuan went to the small pavilion on the lake to watch the fish.

The lake water was clear, with fish swimming as if in the void, lively and free.

He did not practice, his expression relaxed as he grasped the essence of the fish swimming in the lake.

The best time to practice the Purple Sun Scripture is at dawn, to absorb the Purple Light; practicing after that time yields only weak results.

It is a skill accumulated over time and cannot be rushed.

To pursue quick success, one must succeed in practicing the Jade Lock Gold Barrier Skill; failing that, one can only rely on gradual effort.

Without enough talent, practicing the Purple Sun Scripture is quite despairing.

So many Imperial Family disciples take supplements to enhance their cultivation, which means giving up on becoming a Great Grandmaster and relinquishing the imperial throne.

Chu Zhiyuan looked up in the direction of the Imperial Palace.

Xiao Ruoling should be returning soon and wouldn’t stay for a meal.

Would the Emperor, at this time, realize that Fuyuan Town’s fall was the work of the Yongling Divine Sect, and how would he rage and retaliate?

As for my own progress?

This time’s merit should earn me some Dragon Fat Fragrance, but I wonder what other rare items I can exchange for, to enhance my meridians and physique.

The Dragon Transformation Technique’s support in advancing realms seems lost.

Refining the membrane only strengthens the body and cannot make the meridians stronger. Refining tendons, meat, scales, or claws probably won’t either.

The Dragon Fat Fragrance’s effects are also weakening.

He furrowed his sword-like brows, looking at the sky.

Could my period of rapid advancement be ending, forcing me to rely on gradual effort like others to progress slowly?

To become a Great Grandmaster and pursue immortality, this path isn’t easy.

He suddenly turned to look by the lakeside.

In the bright sunshine, Xiao Ruoling gracefully approached, her light purple palace dress fluttering as if stepping on the lake surface like Lingbo Micro-step, arriving at the small pavilion.

She floated up and gracefully landed in front of him.

A faint scent accompanied her, wafting into his nose.

He felt the pavilion suddenly brighten, illuminated by her radiance.

With such an exquisite beauty before him, Chu Zhiyuan couldn’t help but reach out.

Forward, he took her jade hand, holding it gentle and cool, yet tenderly delicate, pulling her to sit by the table: ”How did it go?”

Her unparalleled face before him, her eyes brighter than the lake water, deeper and more mesmerizing than a pond, evoked a strong impulse in him to embrace her tightly, melding her into his body.

Xiao Ruoling shyly struggled to withdraw her hand, but seeing it in vain, she let him hold it, lightly sitting by the table.

With a soft sigh, she said, ”The Lady indeed recognized that I practiced the Nine Heavens Mysterious Woman Technique.”

”And then?”

This confirms that the West Palace Lady indeed practiced the Nine Heavens Mysterious Woman Technique.

Wasn’t it said to be lost?

Doesn’t Yao Yue Palace have just one lineage now?

”The Lady mentioned the drawbacks of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Woman Technique.” Suddenly, a blush appeared on Xiao Ruoling’s cheeks, spreading rapidly, as beautiful as the evening glow.

Her flawless jade face became instantly alluring, especially tempting.

Her eyes were bright, but she looked elsewhere.

Chu Zhiyuan held her soft, cool, boneless jade hand and laughed, ”What are the drawbacks?”

Xiao Ruoling glanced around with her bright eyes, not daring to look at him.

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, ”Does it involve matters between men and women?”

”...Mm.” Xiao Ruoling looked elsewhere, blushing.

”Matters of the marital bed?” Chu Zhiyuan laughed.

Xiao Ruoling softly replied, ”Mm.”

Chu Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow, gazing at her shy demeanor, feeling his heart itch uncontrollably. He reached out to touch her exquisite face.

Xiao Ruoling hurriedly blocked his hand, her jade face blushing, tempting as flower petals.

Chu Zhiyuan wished to embrace her but restrained himself, laughing, ”So what is the exact drawback of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Woman Technique?”

Xiao Ruoling softly replied, ”The Lady said that practitioners of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Woman Technique cannot have children or engage in matters between men and women.”

Chu Zhiyuan was astonished.

Xiao Ruoling lowered her head and said, ”The Lady said, even though she has been in the palace for years, she remains untouched, despite the Emperor’s strength.”

Chu Zhiyuan became solemn.

If even the Emperor was unable, he surely couldn’t manage either.

No matter how confident, he couldn’t consider himself stronger than the Emperor now.

Besides Super Sense, whatever he practiced, the Emperor likely had as well, not to mention being a Great Grandmaster.

At the evening banquet in the Imperial Palace, the Emperor, with a smiling face—friendly like a wealthy family patriarch—didn’t show imperial majesty.

Yet, the Super Sense saw a completely different picture.

The Great Grandmasters he had seen—Chu Qingfeng, Song Feiqiong, Mo Chunyu, and Xu Suying—together were not as daunting as the Emperor.

Not to mention the Emperor’s Sword.

Vast and mighty, hovering in the void, the Emperor’s Sword!

”Unless... the Qionghua Nine Chapters is mastered,” Xiao Ruoling softly said.

Chu Zhiyuan was taken aback, then he chuckled and brought her jade hand to his mouth for a playful bite, ”Then we truly seem made in heaven!”

Xiao Ruoling felt her body go limp, quickly struggling her hand free, smiling, ”The Lady said that the Qionghua Nine Chapters is a secret never passed on, only in the Yao Yue Palace. Why not become her disciple, enter Yao Yue Palace, and obtain the Qionghua Nine Chapters.”

”Hmm...”

”She didn’t expect that by fate, you actually acquired it,” Xiao Ruoling said with a sly smile.

Inside, she felt immense joy.

This seemed like destiny!

She and the princely heir truly were a match made in heaven.

Not only in harmony personality-wise, compatible in nature, and connected at heart, but even what others saw as obstacles turned out not to be.

”The Lady wants to take you as her disciple?” Chu Zhiyuan laughed.

”I declined,” Xiao Ruoling gently shook her head, ”The matters in the palace are complicated and unpredictable, best not to get involved.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded in agreement.

Xiao Ruoling was extremely smart, as the lady of the Duke Mansion, she was very sensitive to these matters.

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