Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 1120: Chapter 1116: Scouting the Path

Lu Xiaolu surveyed the surroundings and sighed, ”Truly frightening.”

All the women around nodded in agreement.

They are the top experts of Guanghan Palace, each a Venerable Seventh Transition to Ninth Transition, amongst the most formidable warriors in the world.

Originally, it was thought that even if facing a Great Demon, though they might be outmatched, they could still pose a threat and retreat safely.

Never did they expect to encounter such a powerful Great Demon.

In front of this Bear Demon, they were like children, posing no threat at all.

The Bright Moon Divine Sword couldn’t even pierce its defenses.

Lu Xiaolu asked, ”Senior Sister Qi, will we still encounter demons like this?”

”I’ve never heard of such a Great Demon,” Qi Qingmei said, retrieving the Demon Core, shaking her head as she looked around. ”Had we known such a Great Demon was present, the Palace Master wouldn’t have sent us here.”

If it weren’t for Chu Zhiyuan being here, they would definitely have suffered a setback on this mission.

They might have even lost skilled fighters.

Lu Xiaolu asked, ”Are there more demons like this?”

She looked at the thoughtful Chu Zhiyuan: ”Junior Brother Chu?”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded, ”There will be.”

”Really, more?” Lu Xiaolu exclaimed in surprise, ”How many more?”

Chu Zhiyuan sighed, gazing at the distant mountains, ”Why would this Bear Demon ambush here? It must have been dormant here, awakened by us, or stirred by other demons.”

”Dormant?” Qi Qingmei asked, ”Actually, isn’t it guarding this place?”

Chu Zhiyuan solemnly nodded, ”It should be guarding. Since it’s a guardian, how could there be only one Bear Demon?”

Qi Qingmei lowered her head in thought, speaking slowly, ”We encountered it fifty miles into Qinglian Sea. If we go another fifty miles or so, will more Great Demons be guarding there?”

”Impossible, right?” Lu Xiaolu said, ”The last time Heavenly Sword Sect’s experts didn’t encounter so many Great Demons, did they?”

Qi Qingmei replied, ”They probably didn’t face such troublesome Great Demons, otherwise, it wouldn’t have turned out that way.”

If not for Chu Zhiyuan’s assistance this time, even these experts couldn’t have withstood the Bear Demon.

Their strength vastly surpasses Heavenly Sword Sect’s experts. If the Sect had encountered the Bear Demon, it might have been mostly annihilated.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Then is there an issue with our route?”

”It seems so,” Qi Qingmei sighed.

This is just bad luck.

Chu Zhiyuan asked, ”Senior Sister Qi, shall we continue forward?”

Qi Qingmei’s clear gaze swept across the women.

They wore grave expressions.

If there are more demons like this, they shouldn’t forge ahead.

This time, it was Chu Zhiyuan and Qi Qingmei’s combined effort that barely killed the Bear Demon.

But luck played a part.

Had Chu Zhiyuan not struck the Bear Demon’s fatal weak point, they would still be fleeing in disarray.

If they encountered such a demon again, luck might not be on their side.

Qi Qingmei said calmly, ”The Palace Master instructed me not to force things... we’re here on orders to cleanse Qinglian Sea, but if the situation proves difficult, we’re not obligated to complete the mission.”

Lu Xiaolu glanced at her fellow senior sisters and spoke up, ”Senior Sister Qi, in this situation, I’m afraid we can’t continue.”

She knew she was the most suited to speak this, as the other senior sisters were too embarrassed.

Qi Qingmei asked, ”Then should we head straight back to the palace?”

Lu Xiaolu said, ”Returning to the palace is our only option, right? Unless we’re waiting for the other Three Sects to act together?”

”...” Qi Qingmei remained silent.

Lu Xiaolu suddenly widened her bright eyes, and the other experts followed suit in looking at her.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Senior Sister, how about I scout ahead?”

Qi Qingmei looked over, frowning slightly, ”You alone?”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded, ”I’m capable enough that if there truly are Great Demons, I can escape.”

”I’ll go too!” Lu Xiaolu hurriedly said, ”Junior Brother, my Qinggong won’t slow you down!”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”Senior Sister Lu, if I truly clash with a Great Demon, I fear I won’t be able to look after you.”

”I can run fast,” Lu Xiaolu said.

Chu Zhiyuan turned to Qi Qingmei.

Qi Qingmei contemplated quietly, ”Junior Brother Chu, it’s too dangerous.”

Chu Zhiyuan chuckled, ”I have a keener sense, it should be fine. Me scouting might be safest.”

”There’s me too,” Lu Xiaolu said eagerly.

Chu Zhiyuan glanced at Qi Qingmei.

Qi Qingmei stared at him.

Lu Xiaolu hurriedly said, ”I’ll go with you, together.”

Qi Qingmei glared at her, ”Junior Sister, don’t cause trouble!”

Lu Xiaolu instantly protested, ”Senior Sister, I have Qinggong skills...”

Qi Qingmei said in exasperation, ”No matter how good your Qinggong is, can it dodge ambushes from a Great Demon?”

Beside them, a woman whispered, ”Xiao Lu, Senior Sister Qi is right. If that Great Demon aims to strike Junior Brother Chu, it might ambush you first?”

”I...” Lu Xiaolu opened her mouth.

She found herself unable to refute.

Her Qinggong is great, but the terror of Great Demons lies in being undetectable.

If they go after Junior Brother first, she’s indeed unable to dodge.

”...Then Junior Brother Chu, please take care,” Qi Qingmei said slowly.

A feeling of helplessness filled her heart.

She really didn’t want Chu Zhiyuan to lead the charge and take such risks.

But she dared not leave the women alone, fearing a Great Demon might approach and they’d be defenseless.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and patted the Jade Heaven Sword, ”I still have a sword, which is enough for self-defense.”

He decided to seize this chance to absorb merit from Demon Suppression Divine Palace to see if he could activate the ancestral acupoint and perfect the Heavenly Yuan Technique.

The power of the Jade Heaven Sword needs recovery, and spiritual power can accelerate its restoration.

”Alright, we’ll wait here. Don’t force it. If you sense trouble, retreat immediately, or signal us, and we’ll come!”

”Understood, understood, then I’ll be going. Senior Sister Lu, let’s join forces next time.”

Lu Xiaolu glared at him, ”Be careful, don’t die!”

”Xiao Lu!” Qi Qingmei instantly glared at her.

The other women also scolded her with their eyes.

Chu Zhiyuan chuckled and waved, heading off.

Lu Xiaolu kept watching his silhouette vanish, sighed, ”Didn’t expect Qinglian Sea to be so dangerous!... We were tricked.”

If the Palace Master knew Qinglian Sea was so perilous, he probably wouldn’t have made such a decision, rushing to be the first to purge it.

Qi Qingmei sighed lightly, ”Our understanding of Qinglian Sea is indeed insufficient.”

This time, it was reckless and aggressive; they underestimated Qinglian Sea.

Chu Zhiyuan drifted forward, covering over ten miles in a short time, then halted abruptly.

The next moment, he disappeared, appearing within the Demon Suppression Divine Palace.

He assumed a peculiar stance, and then absorbed the floating golden light spheres within the hall.

Absorbing strands of merit converted into mysterious power vibrating at his forehead.

All around him gold light flashed, unlike the condensed merit golden light, like dancing Golden Snakes.

Spring thunder loomed faintly at his ears.

His body seemed to be fracturing, yet reassembling, over and over, each break and reformation.

This strange sensation brought him immense pain, yet he gritted his teeth, maintained by sheer determination.

Suddenly sensing something amiss, his form flickered, vanishing from Demon Suppression Divine Palace, reappearing at his original position.

Just emerged, a swarm of Ape Demons lunged at him, swift as the wind.

Dozens of Ape Demons surged forth, like raging waves crashing the shore, unstoppable.

His figure blurred as twenty streaks of clear light shot from his sleeve toward the Ape Demons.

Continuously dodging the dense Ape Demons, the Flying Knives flew at them.

Golden light flashed, turning into blazing Golden Flames, one after another Ape Demon vanished.

By the time he retreated two miles, dozens of Ape Demons had been annihilated, completely erased from the world.

They didn’t even process what was occurring before being destroyed by the Flying Knives.

Chu Zhiyuan contentedly looked at the clusters of Merit Golden Light within the Demon Suppression Divine Palace.

Unexpectedly encountering so many demons, this round might nearly break open the ancestral acupoint.