Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 909: Chapter 905: Reaching for the Stars

Chu Zhiyuan instantly felt the aura of the woman before him shift dramatically, like a giant dragon soaring into the sky.

In an instant, her power surged, her speed likened to lightning.

She transformed into a streak of red, swiftly approaching, and in a flash struck out with over a dozen palms.

The palm shadows were of White Jade, so clear that one could even see the patterns.

Over a dozen White Jade palm imprints enveloped Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan’s figure flickered, shifting positions continuously amid flashing movements, his palms flying, meeting the White Jade imprints with palm imprints depicting Six Dragons Playing with the Pearl.

”Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang...”

The collision of palm imprints released a power even more violent than before.

Where the palm winds passed, those ancestral-return corpses shot away like meteors.

The surrounding strong men ran wildly, avoiding like venomous snakes and scorpions.

But no matter how fast they were, they couldn’t match Chu Zhiyuan and the red-robed woman.

In their rage, they flew up, spraying Blood Arrows in the air, mixed with chunks of flesh.

While evading, Chu Zhiyuan used Super Sense continuously, observing their state, shaking his head.

If they were humans, in such a state, with five viscera shattered, survival would be near impossible.

Yet these experts of the Demon Clan, even with viscera severely damaged and shattered, were still undying.

Their vigorous life force allowed them to still move, and their powerful life force enabled rapid recovery of the viscera.

This situation was identical to consuming the Great Brightness Pill, with life force protecting the body, accelerating physical recovery.

”Keke keke...”

Crisp laughter echoed through the air.

The red-robed woman’s voice leisurely sounded in the sky: ”No wonder you’re the human expert jointly wanted by the Nine Sects!”

Her voice calm and collected, yet her actions were remarkably swift.

While parrying her jade palms, Chu Zhiyuan asked: ”Which sect is the lady from?”

The red-robed woman suddenly revealed herself a step away from Chu Zhiyuan, her bright eyes gleaming, echoing with the glimmer at her brow.

”You now qualify to know my name.” The red-robed maiden snorted lightly: ”Hu Yuni from Star-picking Cliff!”

She furrowed her delicate brows, gazing at Chu Zhiyuan: ”Chu Liezhao, do you have a Spiritual Treasure on you?”

His speed too fast, power too strong, defense too formidable.

She found herself helpless against him!

He was Venerable, but here, weakened a notch; no matter how mighty a Venerable came here, only left with the Cultivation of a Venerable One Transition.

She was Heavenly Demon Fifth Layer, overwhelmingly surpassing him in Realm.

Furthermore, she was an extraordinary talent from Star-picking Cliff, appearing once in ten thousand years, not only power strong, speed unrivaled, any aspect could overpower humans.

Nothing but a Spiritual Treasure could explain it.

Chu Zhiyuan said: ”What bounty has the Nine Sects placed on me?”

Hu Yuni chuckled: ”Whoever can take your life may cultivate a hundred years in Demon Abyss.”

Chu Zhiyuan raised a brow: ”Demon Abyss?”

Hu Yuni replied: ”Entering Demon Abyss for a hundred-year cultivation guarantees becoming a Great Heavenly Demon; it’s the ultimate temptation indeed.”

”A Great Heavenly Demon can attain immortality?” Chu Zhiyuan shook his head with a smile, appearing indifferent.

”A Great Heavenly Demon can live as long as heaven and earth.” Hu Yuni snorted: ”Coexisting with Demon Abyss, unchanging as long as heaven and earth remain, Demon Abyss undefeated, then a Great Heavenly Demon undying.”

Chu Zhiyuan said: ”Are such Great Heavenly Demons everlasting? Have you seen them?”

”Of course we’ve seen them.” Hu Yuni snorted: ”How do you think the Nine Great Sects came to be?”

Chu Zhiyuan raised his eyebrows: ”Nine Great Heavenly Demons?”

Hu Yuni examined him: ”Kill you, then there will be a Tenth Great Heavenly Demon!”

Besides her eyes, the glimmer at her brow also scanned him.

Through Super Sense, Chu Zhiyuan saw that luminescence resembling a diamond, as an eye.

This eye round like a pupil, radiating dazzling light, preventing glimpsing its shape and appearance, only visible as a luminescent mass.

Further Insight couldn’t penetrate.

He could conclude, Super Sense couldn’t perceive Hu Yuni’s essence and form due to this eye.

It emitted a peculiar force, enveloping Hu Yuni, isolating Super Sensory Illumination.

”What’s your Spiritual Treasure?” Hu Yuni gently shook her head: ”Very peculiar.”

Chu Zhiyuan said: ”If so, then I shall take my leave.”

Hu Yuni snorted: ”You can’t escape.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled: ”You can’t hold me.”

Hu Yuni’s speed was exceptional, power formidable, changing another Venerable, yet he could withstand.

Hu Yuni, for the bounty, certainly wouldn’t call for another expert of the Demon Clan.

”Hmph, I haven’t used my ultimate move yet.” Hu Yuni wrinkled her delicate nose: ”The first to force me into using my ultimate move, with pride even in death.”

Chu Zhiyuan laughed: ”Ultimate move? Not used earlier?”

While speaking, he pointed to the corpses on the ground: ”You don’t care for their lives at all?”

These corpses mostly exhibited ancestral-return, resembling bears.

”Their lives have nothing to do with me.” Hu Yuni chuckled: ”They’re not disciples of Star-picking Cliff.”

”Then let’s eliminate them first.” He flickered.

When dashed to a distant halt, the strongmen peering over lost their heads.

They roared in anger.

Not fearful, but furious over being utterly powerless.

Chu Zhiyuan’s figure flickered between visibility, switching Swift Light Sword into his hands.

The sword light flashed, and a head rolled.

”Screech——!”

Hu Yuni emitted a sharp call.

Chu Zhiyuan, like a wisp of breeze, drifted away, speed extraordinary.

”You can’t escape——!” Hu Yuni called out again, chasing after.

Chu Zhiyuan waved his palms, a dark dot emerged, then rapidly expanded to form a Light Gate.

Chu Zhiyuan instantly darted into the Light Gate.

As soon as he disappeared, the Light Gate rapidly shrank into a small black dot, vanishing the next moment.

”Bang bang bang bang bang...”

Just as the tiny black dot disappeared, a red shadow flashed, and Hu Yuni appeared.

Watching the tiny black dot vanish, she furiously struck out with her palm, making the ice peak tremble.

...

Twelfth Prince Consort Mansion.

The bright sunlight couldn’t disperse the solemn atmosphere in the courtyard.

Zhuang Juyue and the others were waiting inside with solemn expressions.

Only Fu Zheng and Li Yuzhen were speaking.

Fu Zheng was recounting his experiences and observations in the demon realm.

Li Yuzhen nodded gravely and occasionally asked questions.

Lu Qingyuan added comments from the side.

The entire courtyard was shrouded in a heavy oppression.

”If the woman in red is this powerful, she might not be an ordinary Heavenly Demon.” Li Yuzhen shook her head, ”She could very well be from one of the Nine Great Sects.”

She continued, ”There is a vast difference even between Heavenly Demons, and those from the Nine Great Sects are far superior to ordinary ones.”

”That demoness is too formidable. If we encounter her, we likely won’t survive, but Your Highness is different,” Fu Zheng said nonchalantly, ”She can’t trap Your Highness.”

Lu Qingyuan lightly furrowed her brows and turned to look at Zhuang Juyue.

Zhuang Juyue, lost in thought, remained silent, her bright eyes flickering.

She realized she was too optimistic.

Originally, she thought that after discovering the passage to the demon realm, if the masters of the various sects worked together, they could launch a surprise attack on the demon realm and alleviate the pressure on the human race.

But now she understood that after arriving in the demon realm, their Cultivation became incredibly weak while the demon experts were immensely strong.

Those big burly men were manageable, but the woman in red could not be resisted.

If they encountered her, they might not withstand ten moves.

This time, with the protection of Chu Zhiyuan, without him, they would likely face total annihilation.

The demon realm was more terrifying than imagined.

Thus, one should not enter lightly, nor should the Light Gate be opened casually.

If a top-tier demon expert, like the woman in red, emerged, it would be disastrous.

Fu Zheng chuckled, ”Sister Lu, don’t worry, Your Highness is absolutely fine.”

Lu Qingyuan nodded and glanced at the other Venerables.

All these Venerables were silent, their expressions grave, brows tightly furrowed.

These Venerables, previously full of pride, believed that with so many of them in the demon realm, they could roam freely and remain unharmed.

Unexpectedly, upon entering the demon realm, their Cultivation was weakened while the demon experts became so formidable.

What’s more frightening was the woman in red, who could vanish like Fu Zheng, and the palm force she demonstrated in her exchange with Chu Zhiyuan was terrifying.

If it were them, they couldn’t withstand a single strike, suffering severe injuries or even death.

This colossal gap was hard to bear.

More distressing was the possibility that Chu Zhiyuan might be trapped trying to hold her off.

Amidst gratitude, they felt shame mixed with some anger.

The anger stemmed from self-loathing over their own incompetence.

They, being Venerables, hadn’t felt this sense of powerlessness in a long time.

Fu Zheng, seeing their forlorn expressions, shook his head helplessly, ”Gentlemen, there’s no need for this. I know Your Highness best, and that demoness can’t harm him.”

”That demoness is too strong,” Lu Qingyuan sighed.

”No matter how strong, it won’t matter,” Fu Zheng snorted, ”Your Highness has a Spiritual Treasure, he can escape.”

Seeing everyone so dejected, she had to remind them that Chu Zhiyuan possessed a Spiritual Treasure.

”Right, a Spiritual Treasure!” Lu Qingyuan’s spirits lifted, quickly asking, ”What Spiritual Treasure does Prince Consort have?”

Fu Zheng smiled without speaking.

Spiritual Treasures are the most secretive matters, a trump card, and shouldn’t be revealed carelessly.

”Huh?”

At this moment, everyone noticed a black dot suddenly appear before them.

In an instant, the black dot expanded into a Light Gate.

Through the Light Gate stepped Chu Zhiyuan.

The Light Gate once again became a tiny black dot, disappearing into the Void.

”Your Highness!” Fu Zheng cheered, ”I told you, no one can defeat Your Highness!”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and waved, his gaze sweeping over the Venerables, nodding, ”No losses, right?”

Zhuang Juyue smiled sweetly, ”Rest assured, Prince Consort, no personnel were lost. How was it over there?”

”It was formidable. I could only slip away,” Chu Zhiyuan shook his head with a smile, ”Let’s talk about it next time.”

Zhuang Juyue asked, ”Who was it?”

”From Star-picking Cliff, Hu Yuni,” Chu Zhiyuan said, ”It was just a stroke of bad luck this time.”

”Star-picking Cliff’s Hu Yuni...” Zhuang Juyue’s face changed slightly, quickly saying, ”Prince Consort, I actually think we were very lucky.”

Chu Zhiyuan acted as if listening intently.

Zhuang Juyue softly said, ”If it weren’t for this encounter, we wouldn’t have known how perilous the demon realm truly is. Without that demoness from Star-picking Cliff appearing, we would think the demon realm was just like that, growing bolder and sending more people in, leading to ultimate destruction.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

This was indeed likely to happen.

After all, the demon realm had many valuable items.

Aside from Ice Jade, there are numerous treasures, as the Spiritual Energy is more abundant and the demon clan doesn’t have as much need for Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.

Human greed would lead to more experts venturing in when benefits were visible and danger seemed minimal.

At that time, encountering someone like Hu Yuni could indeed lead to total annihilation.

”Star-picking Cliff is one of the Nine Great Sects, all disciples are exceptionally talented great demons,” Zhuang Juyue gently shook her head, ”This Hu Yuni is extremely renowned, a prodigy among prodigies, no wonder!”

For tens of thousands of years, countless experts were sent to the demon realm, never to return.

Yet over the years, through dedicated searching, occasionally capturing demons alive, some information about the demon realm was obtained.

The demon clan has no Court, no nation, but the Nine Great Sects are its foundation.

The Nine Great Sects hold a status in the demon clan equivalent to the Heavenly Palace, with power far surpassing Wentian Pavilion or the Observatory, and their influence is akin to those dynasties like Phoenix, Yujing, and Yuanzhen.

Every disciple of the Nine Great Sects is outstanding, and Hu Yuni is one of the most exceptional among them, no wonder she’s so formidable.