Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 862: Chapter 858: Toying

Chu Zhiyuan no longer forced the issue.

It would be the same even if it were Yujing.

No matter how much merit Fu Zheng achieved, she remained an outsider in the eyes of the Phoenix Dynasty.

That’s not quite the same for myself.

At least I have the identity of a Prince Consort, the tie to the Twelfth Princess, and the Spirit Communication Pavilion as my guide.

After sending them off, Li Cunren had no intention of leaving and followed him back to sit at the stone table.

”Brother-in-law, are you still looking for Cheng Yunzheng?”

”I’ll take a look first, then decide whether to act.”

”Mm, it’s actually not necessary for me to say this.” Li Cunren said, ”Brother-in-law, you handle things very steadily.”

Looking carefully at what Chu Zhiyuan does, you’ll find that he often succeeds in a single move.

He won’t act without assurance.

”Brother-in-law, are you going to the Outer Realm Battlefield?”

”I’ll head over soon.”

”The Outer Realm Battlefield, with your luck, brother-in-law, you should find some fortuitous encounters and advance your cultivation.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, ”Perhaps I’ve exhausted my luck and won’t harvest anything further.”

”Lucky people tend to remain lucky, like the Twelfth Sister, with her noble birth, strong lineage, and married to a good husband.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and asked, ”What advice do you have for me, Big Brother?”

He knew Li Cunren wouldn’t mention the Outer Realm Battlefield without reason.

Li Cunren’s expression turned solemn: ”I have a friend who disappeared on the Outer Realm Battlefield.”

Chu Zhiyuan frowned.

Li Cunren slowly said, ”He doesn’t have Li Yuzhen’s luck; there’s no trace of his remains.”

Chu Zhiyuan asked, ”Revenge for him?”

”Find him,” Li Cunren replied, ”Find his remains.”

Chu Zhiyuan frowned and asked, ”Are you sure he’s already dead?”

”He’s been missing for ten years. If he weren’t dead, he should have returned long ago; his Heart Communication Pearl lost contact many years ago.”

As he spoke, he took a round pearl from his pocket and handed it to Chu Zhiyuan: ”This is his Heart Communication Pearl.”

Chu Zhiyuan glanced at it.

It was a gray-brown bead, looking like a wooden bead.

He took it, feeling its weight, as though it were made from ironwood.

Li Cunren gazed intently at Chu Zhiyuan: ”With this pearl, can you find him?”

Chu Zhiyuan closed his eyes.

After a moment, he opened them, puzzled: ”Can this pearl contact and sense him? With no one else?”

”Yes.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”There’s still a faint trace of connection; the person on the other side isn’t dead, right?”

Li Cunren’s spirit suddenly lifted, his eyes shining.

”At least not completely dead,” Chu Zhiyuan said, ”The connection is weak but hasn’t completely disappeared; there’s still a trace remaining.”

He handed the pearl back to Li Cunren.

Li Cunren took it and placed it on his forehead, closing his eyes to concentrate and sense.

After a moment, he opened his eyes and shook his head in disappointment.

He sensed nothing.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”I’ll give it a try, but I may not be able to save him.”

”He was my scribe, highly gifted but his temperament was too reckless. He acted solely on instinct, without considering consequences, likely being too venturesome on the Outer Realm Battlefield, leading to his downfall.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

Li Cunren solemnly said, ”If you can find him and save him, brother-in-law, there will surely be a generous reward!”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and nodded, ”Regardless of any reward, I’ll do my utmost.”

...

At dawn

Chu Zhiyuan appeared atop a peak outside the South City Gate.

In a white robe, hands behind his back, he stood atop a boulder, overlooking the surrounding mountain ranges.

Layer upon layer, green like smoke.

Fu Zheng, in a green outfit, furrowed her brows and looked around.

”Isn’t this guy up to some trick?”

”He’s being deceitful?”

”This guy has a bellyful of cunning schemes,” Fu Zheng snorted, ”Can’t be too guarded.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Just meeting him, is it necessary to play tricks?”

”Your Highness only wants to meet him, but he might not see it that way,” Fu Zheng said.

She felt Zhou Yifan must be extremely wary and wouldn’t take it lightly.

Not to mention his identity, even his impressive battle achievements were shocking enough.

She truly couldn’t grasp where Zhou Yifan found the courage to defy Chu Zhiyuan.

Could there be other backing behind him?

Thinking over it, she could only conclude this reason.

Chu Zhiyuan stood with his hands behind his back, pondering the matter of Cheng Yunzheng.

Fifth Prince Yuanzhen, Cheng Yunzheng, unexpectedly acquired a Spiritual Treasure, capable of rivaling him.

What exactly the Spiritual Treasure was, he would probably have to find out himself, relying neither on the Phoenix Dynasty, Heavenly Palace, nor the Inspection Department, let alone Qianji Tower.

Then, he would have to use the Heavenly Concealment Pearl.

Not wanting to use it until crucial, as every use increased the risk of exposure.

The Heavenly Concealment Pearl was most powerful when its existence remained unknown.

He felt the pearl’s cleverness was not to launch a direct sneak attack from the shadows, but to observe from the shadows, uncover secrets, pinpoint weaknesses, and then deliver a lethal blow.

Time slowly passed.

The sun rose higher and higher, the surrounding mist gradually dissipating, revealing the true appearance of the peaks.

Chu Zhiyuan asked, ”Which Prince or Prince walks closest with Qianji Tower?”

”From my observation, none,” Fu Zheng shook her head lightly, ”But if there weren’t, Zhou Yifan wouldn’t dare be so bold.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Others surely consider recruiting Qianji Tower, just as I do.”

”Your Highness, I also guard against such scenarios, so I have someone watching, yet I haven’t found any traces interacting with the bureaucracy or Imperial Family.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

Fu Zheng said resentfully, ”Seems like he’s being deceitful, afraid to come.”

Still not coming by now, clearly pretending, completely not intending to show up.

Intentionally mocking us and Your Highness, it’s simply courting death!

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Then let’s go back... Can you mobilize Qianji Tower’s people now?”

”Only a small part,” Fu Zheng said shamefully.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded, ”A small part will do, to ascertain the whereabouts and position of the Yuanzhen Mission.”

”Understood.” Fu Zheng said solemnly.

Chu Zhiyuan slowly ascended, the Moon Silkworm Frost Robe lifting him higher, then drifting towards the distance.

Fu Zheng followed suit, driving her Qinggong, asking, ”Your Highness, what about this Zhou Yifan...?”

”Daring to toy with me, it’s interesting; let’s not rush, probe deeper first,” Chu Zhiyuan said.

A baiting move like this cannot be met with frantic rage and immediate confrontation.

Could fall into a trap.

More than ever, need calmness, not hastiness, to ascertain the underlying situation first.

Is Zhou Yifan recklessly provoking, unaware of peril, or doing it intentionally?

”You go to his place, find him, and question him,” Chu Zhiyuan said, ”You can get angry but don’t strike.”

”...Understood.” Fu Zheng slowly nodded.

The two separated at the city gate; one returned to the Prince Consort Mansion, the other sought Zhou Yifan.

Chu Zhiyuan’s Super Sense extended, continuously following Fu Zheng, watching her proceed directly to the outside of a courtyard, vigorously knocking on the door.

The elderly man opening the door was no sooner pulling it open than she barged in, heading straight to the front hall, shouting aloud, ”Zhou Yifan!”

The white-haired elder shook his head helplessly, closed the door, then leisurely returned.

Fu Zheng shouted in the front courtyard, ”Zhou Yifan, come out now!”

”Haha...”

Amidst a hearty laugh, a handsome young man strides energetically into the front courtyard, fist in hand saying, ”Miss Fu, what brings you here?”

Fu Zheng glared fiercely at the handsome young man in a gray robe, sneering, ”Zhou Yifan, you’re playing me?!”

”What do you mean by that?” Zhou Yifan appeared innocent.

”Why didn’t you show up?”

”Show up where?” Zhou Yifan looked bewildered.

”We agreed to meet this morning at Jiming Mountain outside South City!”

”Ah—?” Zhou Yifan smacked his forehead, hastily said, ”That’s my fault, I completely forgot about it!”