Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 1099: Chapter 1095: Return Journey

From the feeling of the two clones, he knew, this is the Venerable.

Life level ascension, the five senses became sharper, perception more enriched, and the body more solid and agile.

It could be said to be a rebirth.

Each body had slight differences, but overall they were nearly identical.

It truly was an ascension in the level of life, no wonder there was such crushing power.

He clasped his hands in salute: ”Thank you, Senior Sister Qi!”

Absorbing the soul, experiencing a death, empathizing deeply.

His own clones could also achieve this, but unfortunately, it couldn’t work on oneself, only on others.

So it was of no help to himself.

Unexpectedly, Qi Qingmei could do it, which was clearly a secret technique of Guanghan Palace.

Qi Qingmei happily used this on him, it could be called a great grace.

Qi Qingmei waved her jade hand: ”Alright, no need to be so formal with us.”

Chu Zhiyuan’s help to Guanghan Palace along the way was not only a life-saving grace.

Without Chu Zhiyuan’s assistance, who knows how many Venerables would have been lost on this journey.

Out of the thirteen in this group, at least half would have been lost.

This was just reciprocating a favor.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded slowly: ”Yes.”

Zhou Chongming and the experts from All Heavens Sword Peak looked at Chu Zhiyuan in surprise.

Zhou Chongming said: ”Nephew Chu, how long have you been in the sect?”

Chu Zhiyuan coughed lightly and smiled: ”Elder, were you fighting two Great Demons or four Great Demons?”

He didn’t want to say too much, lest it be shocking.

”...Two.” Zhou Chongming looked at him thoughtfully and answered.

He vaguely guessed that perhaps the time he joined was very short.

One could tell, with such a talented disciple, it was impossible for him to be unnoticed.

It’s been a long time since anyone ascended from Little Outer Heaven.

Probably, he joined the sect after he left the mountain.

Altogether, it’s less than three months.

Such a cultivation speed is indeed astonishing, not to be publicized.

Such a prodigy, if known by the Evil Demons, they would surely try everything to assassinate him before he grew strong.

Chu Zhiyuan pondered.

”What is it, something wrong?” Zhou Chongming asked.

Chu Zhiyuan said: ”I sensed four breaths.”

Zhou Chongming said: ”Is it these two Great Demons and their Companion Beasts?”

”How many Companion Beasts does a Great Demon have?”

”Only one.” Zhou Chongming said: ”Companion Beasts are like another life to them, even if they die, as long as the Companion Beast lives, they can live again through the Companion Beast.”

”I see.” Chu Zhiyuan realized.

Zhou Chongming said: ”At the level of a Great Demon, they are very difficult to kill, but these Great Demons are also life-adverse and won’t risk everything unless necessary.”

Qi Qingmei snorted: ”They cling to life and fear death, so they don’t grow to their full potential.”

Zhou Chongming laughed: ”Luckily so, if they were all fearless and death-defying, the world would be in chaos, ... if not for that, I would have suffered this time!”

If those Great Demons weren’t cowardly and came charging desperately, he could cut down one Great Demon, but not two in time.

Some of the experts around him would have surely died.

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head slowly: ”These four breaths should also be Great Demons.”

Those four breaths came from different sources, and the giant snake was not among them.

It was evident that among these four breaths, at least the giant snake’s breath was absent.

They were very likely all Great Demons.

”Four Great Demons?” Zhou Chongming’s expression changed slightly.

Chu Zhiyuan said: ”If the disciple is not mistaken, it should be four Great Demons.”

”Four Great Demons...” Zhou Chongming said slowly: ”It seems the deeply hidden Great Demons in Qinglian Sea have finally moved, they’ve been alarmed after all.”

Qi Qingmei said: ”Master Zhou, you planned to clear out Qinglian Sea while the four Great Demons were secluded, so that when they emerge, the situation would be against them, and they couldn’t succeed, right?”

Zhou Chongming nodded: ”Indeed.”

Qi Qingmei said: ”Didn’t expect there to be two more Great Demons, are the two outside of the four Great Demons from elsewhere, or achieved inside Qinglian Sea?”

Zhou Chongming slowly shook his head: ”Hard to say.”

Qi Qingmei said: ”If these two are from within Qinglian Sea, then perhaps there are Treasures or Secret Manuals inside?”

Zhou Chongming’s expression was grave.

Lu Xiaolu said: ”Senior Sister, perhaps it was just a coincidence?”

Qi Qingmei shook her head: ”Great Demons are very different from others, it’s very difficult to achieve, even in a hundred or several hundred years there may not be one, how could two suddenly appear?”

Lu Xiaolu said: ”What if it was just a coincidence?”

Qi Qingmei gave her a white-eyed look.

Zhou Chongming said: ”We need to clarify this first, I haven’t seen these two Great Demons before, when I return, I’ll draw a portrait, and let the other sects recognize it to see their origin.”

”That’s the right move.” Qi Qingmei nodded.

”... In this case, we should retreat.” Zhou Chongming thought for a moment: ”For now, don’t worry about this side.”

Lu Xiaolu asked: ”Will they ambush us halfway?”

Zhou Chongming smiled: ”I don’t think they dare now.”

Originally, the four had a chance to severely damage this side, but they feared the Heavenly Sword too much to push too hard.

And now with the thirteen Venerables of Guanghan Palace, they dare not.

Thinking of this, Zhou Chongming said: ”Return to the mountain first, figure things out, then prepare to deal with them!”

This operation was a failure.

Inaccurate intelligence led to this mishap, owing a significant debt of gratitude.

This debt of gratitude needs to be repaid, and with one’s life.

Chu Zhiyuan closed his eyes, shaking his head after a moment.

Lu Xiaolu, always observing him, whispered when she saw this: ”Couldn’t sense it?”

Chu Zhiyuan said: ”It should be some secret technique or Treasure used to mask the breath.”

After reaching Venerable, the Super Sense also evolved, as did the sensing of the Demon Suppressing Divine Tree.

Even so, the breath of the four Great Demons couldn’t be discovered.

It’s evident they have secret techniques or Treasures.

Great Demons cannot be underestimated.

”Then let’s go.” Zhou Chongming turned to look at the All Heavens Sword Peak experts: ”Stay alert.”

”Yes.”

...

Chu Zhiyuan was still wrapped by white silk around his waist, protected at the center by the experts of Guanghan Palace.

He shook his head helplessly.

Originally, he told Lu Xiaolu that he wanted to travel on his own, but Lu Xiaolu glared at him, calling him fussy.

So, it continued as it was.

He could also use the opportunity to cultivate.

The experts of Guanghan Palace were faster, far surpassing the experts of Heavenly Sword Sect.

Thus, they went ahead, soon leaving a gap of about ten miles.

From afar, they saw small white dots, needing to focus their power into their eyes to see clearly.

This separation was also to avoid being ambushed and wiped out in one blow.

With closed eyes and concentrating, Chu Zhiyuan suddenly opened his eyes: ”There’s an ambush.”

”Charge through.” Qi Qingmei coldly ordered.

Chu Zhiyuan said: ”Be careful, this ambush has experts.”

As he spoke, ten clear shadows lightly flew from her sleeves, soaring into the distance.

They didn’t slow down, already drawing their swords, Qi Qingmei held the hilt.

Charging forward about ten miles, golden flames soared, followed by screams.

”Ah!”

”Ah—!”

From far in the trees below came earth-shattering screams, chilling to hear.

A bright moon rose, and twelve sword lights followed, shooting toward the trees below.

”Ah...”

Screams echoed again and again.

Chu Zhiyuan and Lu Xiaolu stopped, observing the Evil Demons leaping out of the forest.

This time it was still the Leopard Demon, moving incredibly quick, but countered by the Flying Knives, unable to unleash its speed before being struck.

With the twelve women joining in, the screams intensified.

When Zhou Chongming and the others rushed over, only three corpses lay on the ground; the remaining thirty or so had been extinguished.

Zhou Chongming and the others looked in astonishment at the women of Guanghan Palace, then at Chu Zhiyuan.

This time, they witnessed firsthand the slaughter like cutting through vegetables with the cooperation of the women together with Chu Zhiyuan.

Realizing, no wonder they treated Chu Zhiyuan so differently.