Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 885: Chapter 881: Inheritance

Li Cunren waved his hand to let Meng San leave, and they set off, heading toward the Imperial City.

On the way, they encountered two groups of Demon Clan experts, whom Chu Zhiyuan decisively eliminated.

The Soul Light inside his Haoyang Demon-suppressing Mirror grew increasingly abundant.

But for the space inside the Haoyang Demon-suppressing Mirror, it was just a handful of water in a vast ocean.

The Soul Light was already sufficient, reaching the limit of this body, unable to absorb any more.

However, now it was necessary to refine the Spiritual Treasure, requiring a massive consumption of Soul Light, making even more insufficient.

Outside the Imperial City, there were many Demon Clan experts, and upon entering the city, he found that many experts had surged in.

A rough estimate suggested that nearly tens of thousands of Martial Arts experts had newly entered.

Although Phoenix Imperial City was vast, the influx of tens of thousands of Martial Arts experts made it noticeably more lively.

In this world, as long as you became an expert, you’d never worry about silver.

Since money came easily, naturally, it was spent lavishly, with each being a lavish spender.

The entire Imperial City became a bit more lively.

After entering the city gates, Chu Zhiyuan bid farewell to Li Cunren and returned to his Prince Consort Mansion.

Sun Qiying followed closely behind.

While Chu Zhiyuan strolled leisurely along the bustling street, his Super Sense had already enveloped Cheng Yunzheng.

Cheng Yunzheng’s location in the Four Directions Pavilion was quite lively, with people in both Yuanzhen Hall, Yujing Hall, and several smaller pavilions.

Chu Zhiyuan ignored the envoy group from Yujing Hall, focusing directly on Cheng Yunzheng.

Cheng Yunzheng looked perfectly normal.

But he soon discovered that this Cheng Yunzheng was no longer the original Cheng Yunzheng.

Clearly, this was an advanced Miracle Technique, altering muscles and changing bones, rather than a simple Disguise Technique.

If not for the Super Sense, which directly Insighted his inside and outside, it would truly have been impossible to detect the anomaly.

From the outside, he looked identical, with no abnormalities.

Sun Qiying curiously looked around.

Chu Zhiyuan asked, ”Mr. Sun, what do you think?”

Sun Qiying sighed, ”It’s indeed the world’s foremost city.”

The Phoenix Dynasty was the foremost in the world, and its capital’s prosperity far surpassed other cities, earning the title of the world’s foremost city.

Just by looking at the shops and teahouses along the street, he could feel the stark contrast with the prosperity and bustle of Yuanzhen Imperial City.

The air seemed different.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Mr. Sun, if you wish to leave the mansion, perhaps you could disguise yourself and avoid notice during this period, and no one will pay attention to you.”

Sun Qiying nodded.

The two walked slowly to the Prince Consort Mansion, where You Lan led a group out to greet them.

After washing up, Chu Zhiyuan sat lazily by the stone table in the small courtyard, sipping tea leisurely while listening to You Lan report on the state of the mansion.

Fu Zheng also reported the information obtained from Qianji Tower.

”Your Highness, Zhou Yifan is now very obedient, saying that Your Highness has done him a life-saving favor, and he has no way to repay it.”

”He is someone who adapts to the circumstances.”

”Your Highness, regarding the matter of the Heavenly Person Cave Mansion this time, I find it suspicious.”

”Hmm—?”

”Before anyone could even see the Cave Mansion appear, the Heavenly Person Inheritance was taken.” Fu Zheng shook his head, ”Who knows if it’s true or false.”

”You suspect... there is no Heavenly Person Inheritance?”

”I feel there might not be one.” Fu Zheng said, ”The information Qianji Tower obtained is also limited.”

Chu Zhiyuan looked thoughtful.

Fu Zheng said, ”I suspect someone deliberately framed the Phoenix Sword Sect.”

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, ”The news from the Rain Listening Platform is not like that.”

”The Rain Listening Platform confirmed that a disciple of the Phoenix Sword Sect acquired the inheritance?”

”Yes, Lu Qingyuan from the Phoenix Sword Sect.”

”I see...” Fu Zheng frowned, ”Then she’s exceptionally lucky.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Investigate this Lu Qingyuan and see what she’s made of.”

”Yes.” Fu Zheng nodded solemnly, ”By the way, Your Highness, this Sun Qiying, Mr. Sun is...?”

Chu Zhiyuan then recounted Sun Qiying’s background, explaining the whole story.

Fu Zheng furrowed his brow, ”Do you really trust him? Could it be another plot? If he can infiltrate Cheng Yunzheng’s side, he can infiltrate our side too.”

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, ”Let’s trust him for the time being and see his actions going forward.”

”Should we have someone monitor him?” Fu Zheng asked.

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, ”Treat him like Mr. Lu.”

”Understood.” Fu Zheng nodded in agreement, then her expression became serious.

Chu Zhiyuan looked at her.

Fu Zheng softly said, ”Your Highness, Qianji Tower’s investigation into the Ascension situation of each Little Outer Heaven has results.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Go on.”

”Disciples have ascended from the Four Great Sects of the Three Great Dynasties, but not from any of the three dynasties themselves.”

”None of the prince mansions have ascended ones?”

”In the past ten thousand years, none.”

”It’s the same for us, Phoenix, and Yuanzhen?”

”Yes.” Fu Zheng nodded gently, ”When they ascend, they become one of the princely heirs of each mansion. Once they appear, they won’t be unknown, but it seems something went wrong—there were ascensions ten thousand years ago, but none in the past ten thousand.”

Chu Zhiyuan’s expression turned somber.

Fu Zheng was puzzled, ”Your Highness, is this matter important?”

Chu Zhiyuan slowly said, ”This indicates that the world is undergoing variations.”

”But the Four Great Sects’ ascensions are unaffected.” Fu Zheng said.

Chu Zhiyuan replied, ”The methods of the Four Great Sects differ, as do their Ascension Techniques.”

”How so?” Fu Zheng asked curiously.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”They likely use Spiritual Treasures, utilizing them to ascend.”

He knew that the Profound Yin Palace operated like this, but wasn’t sure about the other Four Great Sects.

But if none of the Three Great Dynasties had any ascensions, the situation was dire.

So where have the ascending ancestors of these past years gone?

Did they fail to ascend, enter Secret Lands, or ascend to elsewhere?

Or perhaps, did their ascension go awry, lost between the heavens and the earth?

Fu Zheng tilted her head, ”What exactly went wrong, could it be due to the continuous expansion of the Demon Realm and the Demon World?”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded slowly, ”Quite likely.”

Fu Zheng sighed, ”But with the growing strength of the Demon and Demon Worlds, we truly have no solution.”

This was common knowledge.

The Demon Realm and Demon World were continually expanding, constantly consuming the Human World.

This was an irresistible trend, irreversible over millennia.

Every year saw a small encroachment, imperceptible over a decade, but obvious over ten thousand years.

Humans were desperately fighting in the Outer Realm Battlefield, resisting the Demon Clan and Demon Clan. Despite many talents emerging, they still couldn’t overpower the experts from the two Demon Clans.

Failing to overpower them meant not obtaining Boundary Stones, thus unable to expand their own world.

Chu Zhiyuan waved his hand, ”Let’s watch and see.”

Since ascensions face issues, rushing into ascension is inadvisable.

The quickest method is leveraging Spiritual Treasures.

Spiritual Treasures...

He contemplated, deciding to first complete the refinement of the Spiritual Treasure.

To see if he could unveil the mysteries of Spiritual Treasures, whether they could facilitate ascension.

If not, he’d seek other Spiritual Treasures.

”Yes.” Fu Zheng noted Chu Zhiyuan’s downcast mood, refraining from further speech, and withdrew.

She returned shortly with a Purple Sandalwood Box in hand, ”Your Highness, the Great Prince sent a eunuch with a box for you.”

Chu Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow, nodding toward the stone table.

Fu Zheng placed the Purple Sandalwood Box on the table and opened it herself, revealing another small box inside.

This small box was a copper box, beside it lay a key.

Fu Zheng intended to use the key to open it, but Chu Zhiyuan stopped her, gesturing her to bring it over.

Fu Zheng, puzzled, handed the copper box, about a foot square, to him.

Chu Zhiyuan took the key from the Purple Sandalwood Box, an ancient and elegant key a thumb’s length, and lightly tapped it three times on top of the copper box.

”Click.”

The copper box clicked open, revealing two thin booklets inside.

One glance at these two thin booklets showed they were freshly transcribed, exuding the fragrance of ink.

”Your Highness, this is...?”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”It should be the Heavenly Person Inheritance that appeared this time.”