Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 893: Chapter 889: Found

He didn’t believe that Emperor Yuanzhen would obediently hand over Cheng Yunzheng.

He would definitely deny it in every possible way, even shirk responsibility.

It’s destined to be a futile effort.

Li Cunren made a trip in vain.

Rather than going with him in vain, it would be better to go directly himself.

After all, this involves Li Miaotan, and as the Prince Consort, he cannot stand by.

More importantly, he also wanted to visit the Yuanzhen Imperial City himself to investigate.

Previously, he couldn’t find Cheng Yunzheng because, first, he used a treasure to obscure the aura, blocking the Insight of Super Sense.

Second, he was no longer in the Phoenix Imperial City.

Now it seems to be the second reason.

Since it’s known that he has returned to Yuanzhen Imperial City, can Super Sense detect him?

If it can, then I’ll take action directly and quickly retreat.

With Li Cunren around, it actually becomes more restrictive.

”Brother-in-law...” Li Cunren showed a moved expression.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Big Brother, what if the Emperor shirks responsibility?”

Li Cunren’s face darkened, and he sneered, ”Then he’s being ungrateful!”

”Are you going to stop the marriage alliance between the two dynasties?” Chu Zhiyuan asked, ”Not letting Third Brother marry the Thirteenth Princess?”

”... It’s possible!” Li Cunren replied with a grunt.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”I fear this won’t threaten Emperor Yuanzhen, will it?”

”Then we’ll go to war!” Li Cunren sneered, ”Little Sister’s loss cannot be taken in vain!”

Chu Zhiyuan frowned.

Li Cunren said, ”This matter has been suppressed, and once it spreads, the court and the public will be roused, with a high fighting spirit.”

Little Sister has the Phoenix Bloodline, noble in blood, regarded as the pride of the Dynasty.

Cheng Yunzheng used such a treacherous method, leveraging the power of the Demon Clan and Demon Clan to kill Little Sister.

Any commoner or official in the Phoenix Dynasty who hears this won’t let it rest, they would definitely go to war.

Chu Zhiyuan became solemn.

Once the Phoenix Dynasty goes to war, Yuanzhen is sure to lose, it’s just a matter of the extent of the loss.

Will the Yuanzhen Dynasty bear inevitable defeat and losses, or hand over Cheng Yunzheng?

He thought for a moment, reconstructing the image and disposition of Emperor Yuanzhen from the beginning to the end.

After a while, he concluded Emperor Yuanzhen would rather go to war than hand over Cheng Yunzheng.

This is the final bottom line of being an Emperor.

”Big Brother, this is inappropriate.” He shook his head, ”Without giving Emperor Yuanzhen a way out, he won’t back down.”

”Then let the people of Yuanzhen clearly see, in the eyes of Emperor Yuanzhen, what’s more important: one Cheng Yunzheng, or thousands of soldiers!”

Even if the Yuanzhen Dynasty tries hard to change the narrative, framing it as the Phoenix Dynasty’s provocation and initiating the war, it can’t erase the fact.

It was Cheng Yunzheng who first broke the oath, and Emperor Yuanzhen chose to shield him and go to war, resulting in Yuanzhen’s defeat and loss of soldiers.

The common people can sometimes be foolish but can also be shrewd, especially when it concerns their own interests and lives.

At that time, public sentiment will waver; let’s see if Emperor Yuanzhen will be afraid.

The stability and loyalty of the people relate to his cultivation and lifespan.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”What if they act preemptively, saying we’ve framed Cheng Yunzheng, then Emperor Yuanzhen claims he’d rather go to war than hand over any Yuanzhen person, and then they fight desperately on the battlefield, it’ll be very troublesome.”

Morale is ultimately important on the battlefield.

Li Cunren’s expression became solemn, frowning, ”He won’t submit?”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Most likely not.”

”He’d rather go to war than submit?”

”Even without Cheng Yunzheng, a war would break out in a few years, so using this to threaten him is useless.”

”Hmm... what other ways are there?” Li Cunren frowned, pondering hard, ”He must have some fears.”

Chu Zhiyuan sighed, ”Even a tiger won’t eat its cubs, it’s impossible to force him to hand over Cheng Yunzheng; we have to find him ourselves.”

”It’s difficult!” Li Cunren sighed.

Even if the Yuanzhen Dynasty is weak, the Imperial City is full of experts and countless defensive treasures.

Furthermore, there is the National Treasure there.

If Cheng Yunzheng hides among them, plus the court’s cover, finding him is very difficult.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”I’ll go this time and try to find him.”

Li Cunren said, ”If you really find him, and take action... you’ll suffer a great loss, it will be dangerous then.”

They might not kill him, but they would cripple him.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”My Qinggong is decent, I can escape with my life.”

Li Cunren thought for a moment, ”Wait a bit, I’ll report to Father, and request the Leaving Beast Order.”

With the Leaving Beast Order, the Wentian Pavilion’s intervention can be stopped.

Thinking of this, he turned and hurriedly left.

Chu Zhiyuan looked serious, pondering whether he could find Cheng Yunzheng.

If Cheng Yunzheng couldn’t be found, this trip would seem a bit ridiculous.

If he could be found, could he take the opportunity to cripple him?

Fu Zheng came in lightly, beaming with a smile.

Seeing her like this, Chu Zhiyuan knew things went well at the Phoenix Villa side.

”Your Highness, the Li Huo Fist Sect and the Phoenix Sword Sect started fighting.”

Chu Zhiyuan was taken aback.

Fu Zheng smiled, ”Didn’t expect that, did you?”

Chu Zhiyuan asked, ”Did the Li Huo Fist Sect erupt again?”

”Zhou Tianchuan is sensible, but Zhou Tianyue isn’t.” Fu Zheng shook her head continuously, ”After returning, he became more and more unwilling, so he roused the disciples of the Li Huo Fist Sect, planning to besiege Sister Lu and Sister Mo... they claimed Sister Lu’s Secret Manual was fake, deliberately hiding key parts, making it impossible to succeed.”

Chu Zhiyuan frowned, ”And then?”

”Hehe, twelve experts, all handled by Sister Lu alone.” Fu Zheng shook her head: ”After Sister Lu mastered the Fallen Abyss Sword Technique, her cultivation advanced by a First Transition.”

Chu Zhiyuan asked, ”And you?”

”I’m about to advance to the First Transition too,” Fu Zheng said excitedly, ”This Fallen Abyss Sword Technique is truly profound.”

The Fallen Abyss Sword Technique has a significant impact on one’s mental state, but in resisting this influence, the mental state becomes more solid and pure, thus advancing further.

She felt she was just a small step away from entering the Second Transition.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded with satisfaction, ”The Li Huo Fist Sect hasn’t given up?”

”I’ve heard that the Li Huo Fist Sect is deploying more Venerables,” Fu Zheng said, ”The Phoenix Sword Sect is also deploying several Venerables, planning to leave the city to kill the Demon Clan and Demon Clan, deciding victory by the number of Demon Clan and Demon Clan defeated.”

Chu Zhiyuan laughed.

Unexpectedly, they plan to decide superiority this way, clearly, the two sects haven’t truly fought in earnest.

Fu Zheng said, ”If the Li Huo Fist Sect wins, the original secret manual of the Fallen Abyss Sword Technique will be handed over to them.”

”What if the Phoenix Sword Sect wins?”

”The Li Huo Fist Sect must compensate with a treasure sword, likely called the Heavenly Phoenix Sword. It originally belonged to an expert of the Phoenix Sword Sect, but after his death, the sword fell into the hands of the Li Huo Fist Sect and has never been returned.”

She then asked, ”Your Highness, who do you think will win?”

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head.

”Not the Phoenix Sword Sect?” Fu Zheng was puzzled, ”I don’t think the Li Huo Fist Sect is that strong.”

”The strength of the Li Huo Fist Sect and the Phoenix Sword Sect is not that different,” Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Who wins is hard to say.”

Fu Zheng said, ”I hope the Phoenix Sword Sect wins, the Li Huo Fist Sect is really not great.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”What about the other two sects?”

”They’re watching from the sidelines,” Fu Zheng said, ”I reckon, among the Four Great Sects, there’s not one with a genuine good relationship, the scheming is intense.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

He wasn’t particularly concerned about the covert struggles within the Four Great Sects; his focus was still on Li Cunren.

Li Cunren quickly returned with the Leaving Beast Order, a letter, and a gold small sword.

Li Cunren solemnly handed the gold small sword to Chu Zhiyuan, ”With this, you represent the Father Emperor on a diplomatic mission.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded solemnly.

This little golden sword was covered with patterns, vaguely forming a string of divine language.

”This letter is for Emperor Yuanzhen,” Li Cunren also handed over the letter to him, along with the Leaving Beast Order, admonishing, ”The Leaving Beast Order must be submitted when you return, make sure not to lose it!”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”It absolutely won’t be taken.”

Li Cunren nodded hastily, ”Right, better to lose it than to let it be taken... When do you depart?”

”I’ll depart now,” Chu Zhiyuan said, ”The sooner the better.”

”Alright, then depart, remember not to act recklessly.”

”Of course,” Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”But I might not necessarily find Cheng Yunzheng.”

Li Cunren gritted his teeth, ”He can’t escape, if not found in a year, then two, if not two, then ten, he must be found and disabled!”

Chu Zhiyuan slowly nodded.

The Phoenix Dynasty will never let Cheng Yunzheng go, for Cheng Yunzheng to live peacefully, he must assume a new identity.

...

Yuanzhen Imperial City

Chu Zhiyuan transformed into another person, becoming a mediocre middle-aged man.

This middle-aged man carried a hint of a merchant’s demeanor, one look and people would know he was a trader.

As dusk approached and lanterns were first lit, he strolled into the city gate, wandering within the city.

He neither revealed his identity nor displayed the gold medal.

With the Leaving Beast Order, there was no need to worry about Wentian Pavilion spotting him.

Thus, he began searching for Cheng Yunzheng within the city.

He thought it very likely that Cheng Yunzheng had already changed his appearance, becoming another person.

This person was likely still within the Court, under the Court’s protection.

Thus, he visited all the Court officials’ residences, and also checked all the Prince Mansions.

However, he did not find Cheng Yunzheng.

Within the range of his Super Sense, there was no Cheng Yunzheng.

He was confident that even if Cheng Yunzheng had the miracle technique to disguise himself, he couldn’t hide from the Super Sense.

Super Sense directly sees through flesh and skin, seeing one’s aura, seeing the operation of their mental method.

Even seeing heart, liver, spleen, stomach, lungs, seeing many things others can’t see.

With these, even if Cheng Yunzheng changed his appearance, he couldn’t hide from the Super Sense.

After searching once with Super Sense, he searched again, this time giving up insight into everyone’s mental method, instead using a remaining wisp of aura on a Spiritual Treasure.

This lingering aura was on the Nine Dragon Shield, not directly erased.

This was intentional when he refined it back then, a flash of insight.

Now it was time to use it.

He concentrated on sensing this wisp of aura, but could sense nothing.

An empty expanse, vast and white, as if Cheng Yunzheng no longer existed in the world.

Cheng Yunzheng’s aura had vanished from the world, unable to resonate with the aura on the Nine Dragon Shield.

Chu Zhiyuan opened his eyes, his expression grave.

In such circumstances, either he was truly dead, or he possessed a treasure to mask his presence.

Like a treasure similar to the Leaving Beast Order.

Fengtian Palace had penetrated the concealment of such a treasure, finding his general location, yet he lacked Fengtian Palace’s abilities, unable to find him.

With a serious expression, he walked thoughtfully through the streets.

As lanterns were lit and the bustling street was filled with people, he blended in, unobtrusive.

Street by street, he began to walk, abandoning the sensation of aura, directly using the tedious method of examining the insides of everyone.

He aimed to find Cheng Yunzheng through heart, liver, spleen, stomach, and lungs.

As dawn broke, he suddenly stopped, a smile emerging.

Finally found him!