Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 578: Chapter 574: Departure

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Shen Hanyue hurriedly said, ”Senior Sister, is the door closing soon?”

Chu Zhiyuan looked towards the Profound Yin Palace.

Xiao Ruoling lightly furrowed her delicate brows, ”It should remain open for a day.”

”Could it be shortened?” She turned her head to look behind her, showing a worried expression, ”Why haven’t my mother and the others arrived yet? ... I’ll go rush them!”

She suddenly ran out, disappearing from sight.

Chu Zhiyuan looked at Xiao Ruoling.

Xiao Ruoling softly said, ”Within our palace, it’s not only me and my junior sister, there are also four elders, and my junior sister’s mother.”

Chu Zhiyuan asked, ”Holy Daughters from generations?”

”Yes, all are Holy Daughters, anyone who is not a Holy Daughter cannot enter the Profound Yin Palace.”

Chu Zhiyuan pondered, ”They all practiced the Taiyin Great Refining Form, right?”

”Yes.”

”... Not bad, not bad.”

Chu Zhiyuan let out a sigh of relief.

His original worries were lessened a bit.

Previously, he was worried about potential dangers on the journey to Outer Heaven.

Secondly, he worried that once she reached Outer Heaven, she would be alone, and Shen Hanyue might not manage well.

Now, with four Holy Daughters added, the Holy Daughters of Yao Yue Palace are not ordinary people. Coupled with their experience in their position, they can be relied upon.

”For the other Holy Daughters, this is a rare opportunity,” Chu Zhiyuan said, ”They could live longer and experience a broader world.”

Xiao Ruoling’s exquisitely beautiful face showed melancholy as she looked towards the north, ”What a pity...”

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, ”It’s too late.”

If they returned now to bring Duke An and Xiao Ruoyu, they wouldn’t make it in time.

For Duke An and Xiao Ruoyu, it is a final farewell, unless they also can ascend.

This is almost impossible.

This is destined to be Xiao Ruoling’s greatest regret, his remorse.

Xiao Ruoling forced a smile, ”Actually, it doesn’t matter. When I became the Holy Daughter of Yao Yue Palace, I made some preparations.”

When she left the Duke Mansion then, she knew it meant a permanent departure, and it would be hard to return.

Time is like a river, flowing away with no return.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Ruoyu will marry a good family’s daughter, have many children and grandchildren, and will not let the Duke An Mansion decline.”

Xiao Ruoling lightly nodded.

Chu Zhiyuan could accomplish this.

The gates of the Profound Yin Palace flickered increasingly brighter.

Chu Zhiyuan concentrated his senses.

He didn’t sense any danger, but felt it was changing, as if about to leave.

”Hurry up, hurry up!”

The voice of Shen Hanyue came floating from afar.

With her voice, Shen Hanyue and a group of six appeared, approaching quickly.

Four beautiful women floated over, with two supporting a charming middle-aged woman.

Her looks were similar to Shen Hanyue, unmistakably her mother.

”Princely Heir.” The four women arrived gracefully, smiling like flowers as they saluted.

Shen Hanyue’s mother also clasped her hands in greeting.

Chu Zhiyuan clasped his hands in return.

He marveled inside.

No wonder it’s the Taiyin Great Refining Form.

Looking at them, they seemed only five or six years older than Xiao Ruoling, youthful and beautiful.

Chu Zhiyuan clasped his hands, ”I entrust Ruoling to you. I will go there to find her in the future.”

”Will the Princely Heir also ascend?” A lovely woman with almond-shaped face asked playfully, ”Even in Outer Heaven, to be husband and wife?”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled silently.

He turned to look at Xiao Ruoling, reaching out his hand, ”And the Flying Knife?”

Xiao Ruoling retrieved the Flying Knife from her sleeve.

Chu Zhiyuan took the Flying Knife.

The Bright Moon in his mind dimmed.

He took a deep breath.

The Bright Moon split again, forming two moons, one dim, the other dimmer.

The dim moon swiftly emerged from his mind, landing on the Flying Knife.

The Flying Knife glimmered, then returned to normal.

But compared to before, the soul of the Flying Knife was brighter.

He handed the Flying Knife back to Xiao Ruoling.

Xiao Ruoling accepted it, placing it back into her sleeve, treasuring it dearly.

Then she pulled a jade pendant from her chest, handing it to Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan took it, feeling its warmth and fragrance.

He knew it was a Lifebound Jade Talisman.

Xiao Ruoling softly said, ”My junior sisters’ are in the sect, mine is not left there.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded, clutching the jade pendant tightly, softly saying, ”Act cautiously, don’t rush.”

Xiao Ruoling nodded, ”I understand.”

The gates of the Profound Yin Palace flickered more intensely, now starting to dim.

”We can’t delay any longer, let’s go in.” The lovely woman urged, ”It’s almost closing.”

”Go.”

The lovely woman led the way inside, followed by the other three women.

Shen Hanyue supported her mother as they followed.

The four women approached the gate but didn’t stop, continuing forward, then disappeared into the flickering Jade Gate.

But Shen Hanyue paused.

Xiao Ruoling stared intently at Chu Zhiyuan, her deep and mesmerizing eyes sparkling.

Chu Zhiyuan reached out to hold her, embracing her tightly.

”Senior Sister, come in quickly, time is running out.” Shen Hanyue urged outside the Jade Gate.

Chu Zhiyuan released Xiao Ruoling, suppressing his overwhelming reluctance, softly saying, ”Go.”

Xiao Ruoling gazed deeply at him, wanting to imprint him in her memory forever.

”Senior——Sister——!” Shen Hanyue urged, ”It’s not like you won’t see him again, hurry up!”

She had no doubt that Chu Zhiyuan would ascend, just a temporary separation.

Once up there, a closed-door cultivation passes in the blink of an eye, upon coming out, they can meet again.

The Jade Gate of the Profound Yin Palace grew dimmer and dimmer.

Xiao Ruoling took a deep breath, stepped back from Chu Zhiyuan, then turned and drifted towards the Profound Yin Palace.

Shen Hanyue linked arms with her, left holding Xiao Ruoling, right holding her mother, the three of them disappearing inside the Profound Yin Palace’s door, leaving Chu Zhiyuan filled with melancholy and reluctance.

He pondered, wishing to try if he could step into the Profound Yin Palace.

As he approached the Profound Yin Palace, the repelling force grew stronger, reaching two zhangs away, he could no longer advance.

Veins bulged on his forehead, spiritual energy surging, weakening layer upon layer of the force, his Dragon Transformation Technique had given him boundless strength.

But even so, he could not move forward another step.

The Jade Gate of the Profound Yin Palace flickered several more times, slowly dimming and rapidly losing its light.

Soon it disappeared before his eyes.

His heart felt suddenly empty, staring at where the Profound Yin Palace once stood.

A mountain peak quickly rose under his gaze, and the ground beneath him lifted, becoming a mountain peak as well.

A quarter of an hour later, he was standing atop a mountain, surrounded by peaks.

The mysterious nature of the Secret Land was truly beyond imagination, the rapid transformation of such a terrain and environment must have been wrought by immense power.

He thought to himself that even if he cultivated to the peak, he couldn’t achieve anything like this.

He held the jade pendant, concentrating his gaze.

The jade pendant absorbed the surrounding aura, its inner spiritual energy like icy springs.

A thread as thin as a little finger soared into the sky, spiraling up into the night, vanishing into the night sky.

He focused intently, sensing.

Vaguely, he felt Xiao Ruoling’s aura.

He sensed for an hour, then finally breathed a sigh of relief.

It seemed she hadn’t encountered any danger and should have arrived safely.

He wondered what it would be like there.

As the inheritor of the Profound Yin Palace, even if she ascended, she likely wouldn’t be troubled.

She handled things cautiously and meticulously, unlikely to suffer losses.

He took a deep breath, sweeping away the many distractions, his mind returning to purity.

The Bright Moon in his mind was dim, needing replenishment, he had to slay a batch of Evil Sect demons!

Thus, he left the Secret Land, returned to the Purple Sun Villa, returned to Yujing and cleansed the Evil Sect demons once again.

Then he returned to Tianjing, also purging a round of Evil Sect demons.

The Bright Moon in his mind shone brightly once more.

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