Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 884: Chapter 880: The Victor

After observing Emperor Yuanzhen’s demeanor, he sensed something suspicious lurking behind.

Thus, he inclined more towards trusting Chu Zhiyuan’s judgment.

This Cheng Yunzheng had a double to sneak away in Phoenix Imperial City.

If this were truly the case, it would be toying with the Phoenix Dynasty, rendering it a laughing stock.

This sort of thing is absolutely unacceptable.

They quickly packed their things, while Li Cunren returned to the Imperial Palace once more.

An hour later, they left Yuanzhen Imperial City.

Yuanzhen Imperial City closes its gates at night; Li Cunren handed over a Token to the city guards, who opened the gate to let them leave.

Upon exiting the Imperial City, Chu Zhiyuan saw Sun Qiying constantly looking back, and said, ”Mr. Sun, are you reluctant to leave?”

”Alas...” Sun Qiying stroked his beard with a sigh: ”I wonder if there’ll be another chance to come back.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Once the clamor subsides, Mr. Sun, you can come back if you wish.”

”Let’s hope such a day comes.” Sun Qiying replied.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, ”Mr. Sun, do you think Cheng Yunzheng will get away?”

Sun Qiying gave a helpless bitter smile: ”Your Highness, I...”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Understood.”

Sun Qiying was evidently certain that Cheng Yunzheng would escape this ordeal.

Having such confidence in Cheng Yunzheng, there must be a reason.

Perhaps it’s Cheng Yunzheng’s intellect, or Cheng Yunzheng’s Miracle Technique, or Cheng Yunzheng’s Treasure.

It must be one of the three, perhaps even two or all three.

Li Cunren said from the side, ”It seems that upon our return, we’ll discover Cheng Yunzheng is a substitute.”

”It should be a substitute.” Chu Zhiyuan nodded slowly.

If it were me, having a substitute, I would use it as early as possible.

To avoid complications and the scheme becoming convoluted over time.

”We should hurry back then,” Li Cunren said, ”to find him!”

Sun Qiying remained silent.

Li Cunren said, ”Mr. Sun thinks we can’t find him?”

Sun Qiying sighed: ”The Fifth Prince has foreseen all this.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”If Cheng Yunzheng has a Treasure that conceals fate, even Fengtian Palace may not locate him.”

Li Cunren glanced at the Leaving Beast Order in his sleeve, his face somber.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Do your best then.”

Li Cunren’s expression grew grim: ”We must find him!”

——

The morning sun rose, bathing the world in golden light.

Chu Zhiyuan and the others stood atop a mountain peak, looking down at the official roads and forests below.

A wide official road wended its way through the mountains, stretching into the distance.

”No movement?” Li Cunren turned his head, ”This is odd indeed.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

Super Sense had already probed nearly a hundred miles around, finding nothing unusual.

No Demon Clan nor Demon Clan members were found, there were even fewer Martial Arts experts.

This situation was drastically different from when they passed through earlier.

In just two days, such a stark change occurred; it truly was odd.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Is it that some news has drawn everyone away?”

”What news?” Li Cunren frowned.

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head.

Li Cunren thought for a while, then took out a black Token from his bosom.

The black Token adorned with strange patterns suddenly seemed to come alive, faintly glowing.

Chu Zhiyuan felt an invisible force spread outward.

Twenty miles away, a merchant caravan journeying suddenly made a middle-aged knight turn his head.

He looked directly at the location where Chu Zhiyuan and the others were.

Super Sense revealed that he too had a black Token, nearly identical to the one Li Cunren held.

Only the pattern on his Token differed slightly from Li Cunren’s.

As Li Cunren’s Token patterns lit up and flickered, his Token also began to glow.

Chu Zhiyuan raised his eyebrows.

Such a Token must be a Treasure.

This is the foundation of the Dynasty, unsurprising.

That middle-aged man dismounted swiftly, approached the caravan leader, and whispered several words, then gracefully slipped into the nearby woods.

He activated his Qinggong, moving like a wisp of smoke, covering twenty miles in an instant, arriving at the mountain top.

He clasped his fists towards Li Cunren in salute: ”Subordinate Meng San, greets Your Highness.”

”What happened recently?” Li Cunren asked, ”Why are there no people here?”

”The Heavenly Person Cave Mansion has emerged.” Meng San said solemnly, ”It has already been claimed.”

Li Cunren quickly asked, ”Who obtained the Heavenly Person inheritance?”

”A Disciple from the Phoenix Sword Sect.”

”Phoenix Sword Sect!?” Li Cunren frowned.

Chu Zhiyuan asked, ”Phoenix Sword Sect, one of the Four Great Sects?”

”Indeed.” Meng San replied in a grave tone, ”It’s a female Disciple from the Phoenix Sword Sect, Miss Lu Qingyuan who obtained the inheritance.”

”What inheritance?”

”It’s said to be a set of Sword technique, along with a mental method to complement the Sword technique. The exact Sword technique and mental method details have yet to be revealed.”

Li Cunren said, ”The Disciple from Phoenix Sword Sect obtained it, so the others scattered?”

Meng San shook his head, ”They’re trying to seize the Sword technique and mental method.”

”Ha!” Li Cunren laughed.

Meng San said, ”Though knowing it’s hard to snatch the Sword technique, they are unwilling to give up without trying.”

”Phoenix Sword Sect is one of the Four Great Sects after all.” Li Cunren shook his head, ”Would they really think success is possible?”

”They believe the other Three Sects are secretly acting, so they think there’s a chance for scrambling through chaos.”

”Scrambling through chaos requires capability.” Li Cunren shook his head, ”They are asking for trouble; and what about Miss Lu?”

”She remains in the Imperial City, hasn’t left.” Meng San replied.

”Hasn’t returned to Phoenix Sword Sect?”

”The news from the Platform is that she hasn’t left the Imperial City.”

”...This is odd.” Li Cunren turned to Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded, ”Normally, after obtaining the inheritance one should return to the sect immediately, as soon as possible, to receive protection.”

Lu Qingyuan’s actions are exceedingly abnormal.

Having obtained the inheritance, she’s not in a hurry to return to Phoenix Sword Sect, but remains within the city.

It’s as if she fears no one will come to rob her.

Has she sufficient confidence, believing no one can snatch it away, or is there another reason?

”She’s asking for turmoil.” Li Cunren snorted, ”She gained benefits yet doesn’t flee promptly, remaining in the Imperial City doing what?”

If she directly returned to Phoenix Sword Sect, others would be helpless.

They can’t just dash into Phoenix Sword Sect and seize the Heavenly Person inheritance; that would be courting death.

”Any news from Rain Listening Platform?” Chu Zhiyuan asked Meng San.

Meng San replied, ”Reports suggest Miss Lu is in the process of comprehending this Sword technique, at a critical moment, thus unsuitable for departure.”

”Any casualties?” Li Cunren asked, ”No fights?”

Meng San solemnly stated, ”Phoenix Sword Sect has already killed over thirty martial experts, all forcefully intruding into Phoenix Villa.”

”Killed well!” Li Cunren spoke resentfully, ”Overestimating themselves.”

He then said, ”Brother-in-law, let’s hasten our return to the city.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded, ”It’s better to hurry back, but Brother, isn’t this matter beyond our concern?”

Li Cunren chuckled, ”I certainly won’t meddle unnecessarily, but brother-in-law, aren’t you curious about the Heavenly Person inheritance?”

Chu Zhiyuan replied, ”Curiosity aside, Phoenix Sword Sect surely wouldn’t hand it over, right?”

Li Cunren laughed cheerfully, ”For others, naturally they won’t, but for us it’s different, they might offer us a copy for reference.”

Chu Zhiyuan showed a curious expression.

Li Cunren explained, ”This new inheritance, cultivating it is cumbersome and dangerous, mutual exchange and reference bring great benefits.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Do they truly possess such magnanimity?”

”Their martial arts are sufficiently powerful; while the Heavenly Person Martial Arts inheritance is valuable, it’s not vitally so. They don’t mind letting the other Three Sects know along with the Imperial Family.”

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, ”That indeed calls for observation.”

In this aspect, the Four Great Sects of the Jade Dynasty differ, not being so generous.