Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 1145: Chapter 1141: A Chance Encounter

Leaving Heavenly Sword Peak, he seemed to walk within a vivid landscape painting.

The surroundings were lush and verdant, with overlapping mountain ranges and vibrant life.

He used the Wind Riding Cloud Technique, skimming along the treetops, crossing one mountain after another, flying past many rivers, always heading north.

In his mind, a map occasionally appeared, which he compared to the scene beneath his feet, constantly correcting his direction.

The Imperial City was reportedly more than five thousand miles away.

Originally, he could have sent a message via a carrier pigeon, but there was a risk in doing so.

To avoid interception, such a message had to be delivered in person.

He traveled northward, passing one peak and river after another. Even while cultivating, his Super Sense continued to provide Insight.

If he encountered a demon, the Glazed Glass Blade effortlessly dealt with it.

He found there weren’t as many demons as he’d imagined; typical peaks hosted only wild beasts, with no demons in sight.

Only those continuous mountain ranges, locations abundant in Abnormal Power, housed demons.

Now he could see clearly the presence of Abnormal Power and its density.

Every mountain peak possessed Abnormal Power, though to varying extents — thick or thin.

In areas where Abnormal Power was dense and plentiful, demons could easily arise. If those rich in Abnormal Power connected to form ranges, a Great Demon would appear.

Chu Zhiyuan contemplated.

The root of demons’ emergence was clearly Abnormal Power; if it could be eliminated, would it not cut off the origin of demons?

At that time, they only needed to eradicate the existing demons, extinguish one, reduce one.

Eventually, all demons across the world would be wiped out.

But how could Abnormal Power be eliminated?

He suddenly stopped atop a peak, his intense gaze scanning up and down the mountain.

Before him, wisps of light mist seeped from the deepest underground, piercing through the hard rock and earth, gliding past grass and trees, swirling upward.

Without these peaks, Abnormal Power would immediately dissipate and drift into the sky.

With these peaks, the rise of Abnormal Power slowed, much like a traffic jam.

This caused the wild beasts on the mountain to undergo mutations, turning into demons.

The source of this Abnormal Power came from the deepest underground; even if these peaks were leveled, the source of Abnormal Power couldn’t be reached.

Seeing this, Chu Zhiyuan shook his head.

A Flying Knife emerged from his sleeve, infused with the rich aura of the Demon Suppressing Divine Tree, traversing the mountain. Wherever it passed, Abnormal Power vanished like snow meeting boiling water.

But that was all the Flying Knife could do; even penetrating the mountain, it couldn’t go too deep.

And once the aura of the Demon Suppressing Divine Tree left the Flying Knife, it dissipated quickly.

Attempting to use the aura of the Demon Suppressing Divine Tree to eradicate this Abnormal Power was impossible.

This Abnormal Power was everywhere, whereas the Demon Suppressing Divine Tree was limited.

Thus, this grand goal was unattainable; he could only slay demons as he saw them.

Unless one possessed the power to alter heaven and earth.

Unfortunately, he himself did not possess such power now, and considering the world’s martial limits, likely no one did.

He quickened his pace, cultivating while urging the Glazed Glass Blade to eliminate demons.

In five days’ time, the Light of Merit within the Demon Suppression Divine Palace was dense and abundant.

...

By evening, the setting sun stained the mountains and forest red, painting the sky crimson as well.

He finally arrived at the Imperial City.

His Super Sense had Insight into its details from several hundred miles away.

But even from close by, standing under the city gate, it was still awe-inspiring.

Indeed, the Imperial City lived up to its reputation, exuding an extraordinary aura and one that stirred the soul.

The city gate and walls stood tall and imposing, weathered by time, exhibiting an indestructible essence.

Standing outside the city, one felt an immovable presence.

Not only was it unshakeable by human hands, but even time could not shake it.

It was as if this city would eternally endure between heaven and earth, eternal and unchanging.

At the city gate, the comings and goings of pedestrians were under the scrutiny of twenty-four City Guards.

Dressed in silver armor, their armor gleamed brightly as they stood in two rows, forming a corridor.

All entering pedestrians needed to pass through this corridor.

No one was exiting through this city gate; exiting was done through another gate.

Of the first pair in each row, both had eyes flashing with golden light, scanning the citizens entering the city.

Chu Zhiyuan recognized at once that they practiced a unique Miracle Technique, their eyes likely capable of detecting demons and evil spirits.

He joined the crowd and walked inward with them.

Under the gaze of these four pairs of golden eyes, it felt as though his entire body was laid bare, with nothing to hide.

At that moment, their eyes widened suddenly, golden light shining brightly.

The City Guards rushed over in an instant, charging toward him.

Chu Zhiyuan did not move, calmly turning his head to watch.

However, he saw eight City Guards pounce on an old woman behind him.

The old woman wore green, appearing aged and frail, her steps laborious, struggling to walk.

A long line of people awaited entry behind her.

Facing the eight City Guards storming toward her like tigers and wolves, she suddenly swayed, easily dodging aside.

With a silvery laugh, she said, ”Interesting!”

Eight City Guards drew their blades, slicing through the air toward her.

But, midair, she twisted, changing directions twice, gracefully weaving through the crisscrossed blades, floating afar.

”Demoness, where do you think you’re going!” The eight City Guards shot out like arrows from the string.

Chu Zhiyuan stood with folded arms, but the other City Guards scolded him, ”Why are you standing there? Hurry into the city, lest you cause collateral damage and lose your life!”

Chu Zhiyuan cupped his fists, saying, ”Officer, which Evil Sect does this demoness belong to?”

He released a hint of his aura, the aura of a Seventh Transition Venerable causing their expressions to change slightly.

The initial impatience and anxiety were quickly restrained.

”It’s an evil spirit!” one guard said in a low voice. ”If we hadn’t discovered her, had she entered the city, who knows what kind of havoc she’d wreak!”

This guard was a handsome middle-aged man, his expression calm, solemnly watching his eight colleagues and the old woman retreating in the distance.

Chu Zhiyuan frowned, ”This evil spirit must have other tricks, officers...”

”It’s enough.” The guard said in a deep voice, ”She can’t escape.”

Chu Zhiyuan hesitated, ultimately shaking his head, ”She should be a Fifth Turn Venerable.”

In his view, the cultivation of those eight City Guards was far inferior to the old woman.

At least two Realm levels apart, the old woman didn’t display as a Third Transition Venerable, but a Fifth Turn.

The difference between Fifth Turn and Third Transition is substantial, sufficient to crush eight City Guards.

The handsome middle-aged man’s expression changed slightly.

Chu Zhiyuan pulled out a token from his sleeve, flashed it in front of them, ”I am Chu Zhiyuan of the Heavenly Sword Sect.”

The handsome middle-aged man suddenly realized, cupping his fists, ”So it’s an expert from Heavenly Sword Sect, Mr. Chu, is she truly a Fifth Turn?”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded, ”This woman understands the Concealing Breath Technique, which seems not uncommon among evil spirits, correct?”

The handsome middle-aged man glanced at the four young men with flashing golden eyes.

Their expressions were ugly.

One young man said, ”We could only see black mists surging from her body, an evil venerable’s shadow behind her in the sky, but we couldn’t discern her Realm.”

Chu Zhiyuan asked, ”Which Evil Venerable is it?”

”The Thousand-legged Evil Venerable,” the young man replied solemnly, ”an evil spirit from the Divine Movement Sect.”

Chu Zhiyuan slowly nodded.

He had heard of the Divine Movement Sect, a more advanced evil sect than the Myriad Blood Sect, one of the world’s few renowned evil sects.

After a moment of thought, he said, ”I shall meddle this once today and lend you officers a hand.”

With eight out of twenty-four City Guards now running, already a third, it was unwise to dispatch further manpower; this location would be left vulnerable.

An evil spirit or demon might take the opportunity to force entry; even if they didn’t get in, it would cause panic, leading to disastrous effects.

Assembling forces was still feasible, but evidently, they didn’t wish to make a big scene.

”Thank you, Mr. Chu!” The handsome middle-aged man said, ”I am Guo Fengchang.”

”General Guo, I shall proceed then.”

Chu Zhiyuan flickered, soaring into the air, reaching the fray in a blink.

Aloft, sword drawn, he and the sword became one, cutting a streak through the air, crashing into the melee, aimed directly at the old woman.

The old woman shifted, dodging easily, effortlessly eluding the sword tip.

But Chu Zhiyuan’s sword suddenly slashed horizontally, startlingly swift and unexpected, the old woman instinctively palmed the sword tip.

Her hands were greyish, like withered branches.

The Shadowless Divine Sword’s tip suddenly shimmered with golden light.