Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 769: Chapter 765: Undercurrents

He indulged in a moment of imagination, then, as his excitement subsided, returned indoors and sat on the bed to start practicing the Infinite Brightness Scripture.

With the Heavenly Dragon Bloodline, he could freely practice the Spiritual Abyss Body Cleansing Record and had achieved considerable success.

But these were not the essence.

The essence was still the Infinite Brightness Scripture.

Upon entering the Divinity Transformation Realm and achieving the status of Venerable, life would undergo a fundamental leap.

Lifespan would suddenly become lengthy, potentially reaching ten thousand years.

Of course, that would require the Ninth Transitions of the Divinity Transformation Realm; before the Ninth Transitions, it wasn’t that exaggerated.

Before cultivating, he first sensed his current lifespan.

After condensing the Heavenly Dragon Bloodline, just the first transformation had already granted him a thousand-year lifespan.

If he could practice to the second transformation, his lifespan wouldn’t just double; it might increase by more.

He was extremely curious about what kind of bloodline the Heavenly Dragon Bloodline was?

What relationship did it have with the Divine Race, and what about the Phoenix Bloodline?

He quickly set aside these thoughts and took eight Karma Stones from his sleeve, arranging them around himself.

He closed his eyes, focusing on the Infinite Brightness Scripture.

He visualized Great Bright Peak, entered the Infinite Brightness Realm in his mind, and began absorbing spiritual energy.

A vortex of spiritual energy formed in the void above his head, condensing into spiritual drills and entering the Xiao White Snake in Shan Zhong.

The eight Karma Stones emitted an abnormal energy, which merged with the spiritual energy and entered Shan Zhong.

Outside the Xiao White Snake, the eighth ring of light flickered in and out.

This was about to step into the Ninth Transitions.

When he finished his practice, it was already the second half of the night.

He sat quietly on the bed, frowning in thought.

According to the current speed of cultivation, to solidify the eighth ring of light would take at least a month.

And to achieve perfection, the ninth ring of light must form, and only then could he begin the breakthrough to the Divinity Transformation Realm.

It seemed impossible to do it in time.

Unfortunately, this encounter did not significantly benefit his realm improvement.

...

Early the next morning, he rose early, having grown accustomed to heading to Great Bright Peak early in the day.

Now unable to go to Great Bright Peak, he felt somewhat unaccustomed.

His bones contracted, shortening by a few inches, the bones on his face shifted, repositioning his features and changing their spacing.

Though the change seemed minor, he had already become someone else.

Fu Zheng watched him change, witnessing him transform into another person.

”Your Highness, what an amazing Disguise Technique.” Fu Zheng said in amazement.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled.

He didn’t need a mirror; his Super Sense directly perceived himself, very satisfied with the change.

The appearance of a person is truly miraculous; without changing the features, just altering the spacing gives an entirely different impression, a completely different person.

Fu Zheng said, ”This is very convenient.”

You Lan required various ointments to assist with disguise and needed time to apply them.

This, however, was done instantly.

If pursued, one could blend into a crowd and instantly change to easily escape.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Let’s go.”

The two left the Princess Mansion.

The guards outside remained vigilant, their eyes glaring at them intently.

Having seen Fu Zheng before, Chu Zhiyuan’s unfamiliar appearance made them focus on him.

Chu Zhiyuan and Fu Zheng strolled down the street, slowly moving from the serene, spacious, and orderly streets to the bustling and noisy main street.

Stalls of all kinds were already set up on both sides, various shops had opened, and pedestrians came and went in a continual stream.

Children chased each other, provoking bursts of angry scolding and reprimands.

They didn’t mind and continued their games.

Chu Zhiyuan and Fu Zheng sat on the second floor of a restaurant.

On the first floor, customers gathered around tables, talking loudly and exuberantly.

The second floor was somewhat better, with three or four people per table and some spacing, not so noisy.

The third floor had even quieter private rooms.

Wanting to hear firsthand the various news from Phoenix Imperial City, he naturally wouldn’t go up.

Fu Zheng called over a waiter, ordered some food, and casually glanced around, using Sound Transmission into Secret: ”Your Highness, we’ve already run into people from Qianji Tower.”

Chu Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow: ”So soon?”

Fu Zheng said, ”This Busheng Restaurant is actually a Qianji Tower stronghold.”

”... No wonder.”

Fu Zheng had been observing here, which was why he chose this restaurant, originally a Qianji Tower stronghold.

Using a high-end restaurant built in the city center was indeed a shortcut to gathering intelligence.

”Your Highness, what information should we gather?”

”Information on the princes, princely heirs, and nobility within the Imperial City, as detailed as possible.”

”Understood.”

The two chatted while making small talk.

Chu Zhiyuan’s ears suddenly perked up, frowning.

Fu Zheng also furrowed her eyebrows.

”I say, the Twelfth Princess shouldn’t marry someone from Yujing!”

”That Prince Yujing is no good!”

”Why isn’t he good?”

”Think about it, his mother passed away, and now the Twelfth Princess has had an accident!”

”Did he bring bad luck? Is he jinxed?”

”I don’t think it’s bad luck; he’s naturally hard to beat, jinxing his kin!”

”Hmm... makes some sense. Last time, he was nearly killed in an assassination attempt, but he survived. He’s too stubborn, and such stubborn people often jinx their kin!”

”Moreover, as a reckless and incompetent prince, why should he marry the Twelfth Princess?”

”Actually, it’s more like he’s marrying into the family, since he’s not taking the Twelfth Princess back, but coming here.”

”Even if he marries in, there’s no need to pick someone like him. There are plenty of Princes from Yujing, and plenty of princes from the Yuanzhen Dynasty wanting to marry into the Twelfth Princess Mansion!”

”Why choose this Ninth Prince?”

”There must be some inside story behind this!”

”Yes, there’s something going on!”

...

Fu Zheng occasionally sneaked a glance at Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan said irritably, ”I’ve heard this too many times, it doesn’t matter.”

Fu Zheng breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly said, ”These ignorant fools are not worth paying attention to, ... it’s just so infuriating!”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled.

He had long anticipated this situation.

Just hearing it with his own ears, even with understanding, he couldn’t prevent the irritation in his heart.

Rationality is rationality, and emotion is emotion.

Fu Zheng said, ”Your Highness, if everyone thinks this way...”

She thought of the possibility that if everyone in the Phoenix Imperial City thought this way, from top to bottom it would be the same.

Then Chu Zhiyuan’s situation would be more difficult than imagined.

These people might just talk, but some would take direct action.

Such as those princes, princely heirs, and young marquises, who would definitely provoke and humiliate him.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”There’s no choice but to change their minds.”

”How to change them.” Fu Zheng showed a difficult expression: ”Beat them into submission?”

If he were a Venerable, it would be fine, but now he is not, even if he defeated a group of people, it would only incite dissatisfaction and continuous challenges.

In the end, he would offend everyone.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”In this situation, fighting is the only option.”

”...Then we need to find someone to make an example of.” Fu Zheng thought for a moment: ”I will find one as soon as possible.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded: ”We must carefully select the best candidate for establishing authority.”

First, their cultivation realm must be high enough, preferably a Venerable, and secondly, he should be able to beat them.

He could defeat a general Venerable.

Provided he doesn’t encounter someone who is deceptively strong or extraordinary in combat.

This Venerable’s martial skill shouldn’t be too powerful, otherwise, losing wouldn’t be establishing authority, but rather losing face, which would be more troublesome.

”I say, just cancel this engagement!”

”Yes, cancel it!”

”With the Twelfth Princess’s unparalleled beauty and extraordinary talent, this Prince Yujing is simply unworthy!”

”Then who is worthy of the Twelfth Princess?”

”The Young Marquis Ming would be a good match!”

”Young Master Ming?... He indeed is a good match!”

”Young Master Ming is not only exceptionally handsome but his martial arts are astounding, and he excels in military strategy, worthy of the Twelfth Princess!”

Chu Zhiyuan frowned.

Fu Zheng quickly said, ”Could these guys be doing it on purpose?”

Chu Zhiyuan snorted, ”How disrespectful.”

Clearly, their prior trampling was for this final statement.

Is someone fanning the flames in secret, or do they have other motives?

He looked at Fu Zheng.

Fu Zheng nodded gently, ”I’ll immediately find out about this Young Master Ming.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

At this moment, the dishes arrived, and Chu Zhiyuan began to eat breakfast, casting his gaze elsewhere.

These people didn’t mention the assassination attempt on Li Miaotan.

Nor did anyone mention the peculiar phenomena at the Twelfth Princess Mansion yesterday.

The former might have been covered up, and the latter might have become commonplace?

At this thought, suddenly he heard discussions about the peculiar phenomena.

”Did you see the dark clouds over the Twelfth Princess Mansion?”

”Yes, I happened to be eating, looked up and saw it, quite marvelous!”

”It must be the result of the concentration of spiritual energy, and the Twelfth Princess succeeding in cultivating some miracle technique again?”

”The Twelfth Princess has such outstanding talent and incredible comprehension, she can easily master these miracle techniques, truly enviable!”

”If I had such talent, where in the world couldn’t I go?”

”Haha, Old Wang, how could you have such talent, the Twelfth Princess has the Divine Race bloodline, that’s why!”

”Not only does the Twelfth Princess have the Divine Race bloodline, but also the Phoenix Bloodline, truly the pride of heaven.”

”With both great bloodlines, how could she not be strong? Alas, paired with a worthless fool!”

”This Prince Yujing is said to be a complete idiot! I really don’t know why he was chosen initially!”

”I say, only Young Marquis Ming is worthy of the Twelfth Princess!”

”Indeed, Young Master Ming is far superior to this Ninth Prince of Yujing!”

”What we say doesn’t count, the Emperor decided, what can we do?”

”Old Hu, isn’t your son an Imperial Censor?”

”An Imperial Censor can’t speak recklessly, it’s already settled, especially agreements between emperors can’t be changed.”

”If someone were to overthrow this Ninth Prince, they couldn’t marry, right?”

”That would be a great crime!”

”It’s his own lack of ambition and poor ability, who can he blame?”

”Who dares? I see everyone is indignant, yet no one dares to act, not a single real man at court!”

”What a court without a single real man!”

”Let’s see if anyone dares to deal with this Ninth Prince when he arrives!”

”With so many admirers of the Twelfth Princess, maybe someone will take action.”

”I doubt it, we’ll see!”

”Old Hu, don’t underestimate our men in Phoenix Imperial City!”

”Humph, let’s wait and see!”

Chu Zhiyuan’s face darkened upon hearing this.

Fu Zheng frowned slightly, lowered her voice, and transmitted sound into secret: ”Your Highness, I will immediately have them find out about this Young Master Ming.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

Fu Zheng got up and gracefully left.

Chu Zhiyuan’s gaze scanned the restaurant below, insightfully observing these people.

Could it be that this Young Master Ming is the hidden instigator?

It smells somewhat of using a borrowed knife to kill.