Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 1244 - 1240: Tracking

Ding Chonglou smiled bitterly and said, "Junior Sister, if anyone wants to find them the most, it’s naturally me."

Dong Muyu said, "Even the Sect Leader can’t do anything?"

Ding Chonglou replied, "The Sect Leader’s desire to find them is not less than mine, but these guys are truly unpredictable and mysterious."

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Senior Brother, they’re entirely focused on taking your life, knowing your identity, right?"

"I’ve already reported my background," Ding Chonglou said. "When they heard it was the Heavenly Sword Sect, they attacked even more fiercely, as if they came specifically to kill our Heavenly Sword Sect disciples."

"Could it be aimed at our Heavenly Sword Sect disciples? ... They might also be assassinating our other senior brothers and sisters?" Dong Muyu frowned slightly. "We need to investigate quickly."

"The Sect Leader has already sent out a warning," Ding Chonglou said. "He instructed our fellow members who are outside."

Dong Muyu let out a sigh of relief, "The Sect Leader is wise."

Ding Chonglou looked at Chu Zhiyuan, "Junior Brother, I believe they will eventually reveal their flaws."

Chu Zhiyuan said, "If they’re deliberately assassinating us Heavenly Sword Sect disciples, we need to find them quickly... Senior Brother, how about we return to the ambush site again?"

"Alright," Ding Chonglou agreed readily. "Elder Xu and the others should be there now."

"Then let’s set off as soon as possible," Chu Zhiyuan said. "The sooner the better."

"Then let’s go." Ding Chonglou stood up. "We can leave right now."

Dong Muyu said, "So urgent? Rest for a night to recover your energy before leaving?"

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head and said, "The sooner, the more at ease, Senior Sister, Brother Ding and I will set off now."

Dong Muyu said, "Then... should Junior Sister Hongzhao come along? She’s also at the Nine Transitions stage."

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

Li Hongzhao went with him, carrying Ding Chonglou, and they quickly descended Heavenly Sword Peak, speeding off towards the Northwest like the wind.

...

By evening, the last rays of the setting sun shone upon the lush forest.

Tired birds returned to the trees, and the mountain peak shrouded with woods became lively.

Chu Zhiyuan and the other two stood on a mountain top, with a gentle breeze in the twilight.

"Right here." Ding Chonglou’s eyes sparkled as he pointed to the foot of the mountain. "I was just about to start a fire and rest for the night when suddenly a few masked, black-robed figures emerged, attacking me crazily."

Chu Zhiyuan said, "It seems Elder Xu and the others have finished their investigation."

Li Hongzhao said, "No one left to guard it?"

Such an important place should be guarded, even after the investigation is over.

One reason is to prevent anyone from sabotaging, another is in case the culprit returns to the crime scene.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "They’re hidden in the shadows."

"How many people?" Li Hongzhao’s phoenix eyes flickered as she looked around, slightly shaking her head.

She didn’t manage to notice the hidden Heavenly Sword Sect disciples.

"Four people." Chu Zhiyuan said.

Li Hongzhao turned her beautiful head, "Four people?!"

Chu Zhiyuan nodded with a smile, "Didn’t find any of them?"

Li Hongzhao snorted softly.

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, "A Nine Transitions Venerable, yet couldn’t detect a single one. It seems our Heavenly Sword Sect’s skill in concealing aura is quite formidable."

Li Hongzhao said, "Are there really four?"

"Two in the Northwest, two in the Northeast," Chu Zhiyuan said. "Three hundred meters away from us, right on the opposite slope."

"No wonder, three hundred meters away!"

Li Hongzhao snorted softly, her phoenix eyes shimmering as she scanned the opposite slope.

Ding Chonglou laughed, "It’s a bit unfair to Li, three hundred meters, how could it be detected?"

Li Hongzhao smiled sweetly, "Brother Ding is reasonable."

As she spoke, she shot a glance at Chu Zhiyuan.

She understood Chu Zhiyuan’s intention, trying to pour cold water over her.

After stepping into Nine Transitions, indeed, there was a feeling of vastness in the world, with endless possibilities.

Looking now, it’s clear that she’s not yet at the realm of ultimate freedom, and her cultivation cannot be slackened; she must continue to strive.

Ding Chonglou’s expression was solemn as he gritted his teeth and looked at Chu Zhiyuan, "Junior Brother, shall we go down and take a look?"

Coming to this spot naturally brings back the memories of the time—shock, terror, despair, and anger, all flood back into his heart.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Brother Ding, please."

Ding Chonglou performed Qinggong himself, skimming over the treetops to reach the foot of the mountain.

He stopped at the edge of the forest and pointed into the woods, "They emerged from here!"

Chu Zhiyuan took a step inward, walking slowly, his gaze wandering.

He walked over a hundred steps from outside the woods, then turned right, walked another hundred steps, then turned left and walked another hundred steps, finally crossing over the hill and reaching the opposite peak.

Midway up the mountain, in a cave, lay a pile of ash from a bonfire.

Beside the ash were some small broken bones.

"This place is...?" Ding Chonglou frowned, staring at the cave.

It seemed to be a cave usually used by hunters for temporary shelter.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "They should have stayed here and eaten something."

While speaking, he bent down to pick up a twig nearby, using it to lift a small piece of bone and brought it to his eyes for examination.

"Is this what they ate?" Li Hongzhao said.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

Ding Chonglou’s eyes shone brightly, "Elder Xu and the others haven’t found here!"

Li Hongzhao asked, "Can you find those guys through these things?"

Chu Zhiyuan pondered.

Li Hongzhao added, "These things have traces of their aura, can’t they be found?"

Ding Chonglou replied, "According to Elder Xu, these guys have peculiar auras that can’t be sensed."

Li Hongzhao was curious, "There’s an aura that can’t be sensed? ... It must be some treasure masking their aura?"

Ding Chonglou said, "Their True Yuan is very peculiar. It didn’t leave any trace within my body and disappeared completely. In short, these guys are too strange to be figured out with common sense."

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Senior Brother, do you think they want to kill you or capture you alive?"

"Capture me alive?" Ding Chonglou was stunned.

He focused his mind, entering the painful scene of the past once more.

After a moment, he shook his head, "I think they want to kill me; there was no intention of capturing me alive."

Chu Zhiyuan seemed lost in thought.

Li Hongzhao asked, "Did you discover anything?"

Chu Zhiyuan threw away the twig, once again bent over, picked up a tiny bone with his hand, and then picked up another.

He touched all the small bones on the ground, stood up, took the handkerchief Li Hongzhao handed over, wiped his hands, and sighed, "I did feel a trace of aura, very faint, yet familiar."

Li Hongzhao’s spirit lifted, and Ding Chonglou’s eyes brightened instantly.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "It’s the aura of the Undying Evil Venerable."

The aura of the Undying Evil Venerable is a manifestation of spiritual power, a pure will that surpasses the power level of the current Venerables.

His spiritual power was mighty, and having the experience of practicing the Evil Venerable Heart Method, he recognized it upon contact.

Li Hongzhao and Ding Chonglou both showed puzzled expressions.

"You haven’t heard of the Undying Evil Venerable?" Chu Zhiyuan asked.

Both shook their heads.

Chu Zhiyuan proceeded to tell them about the origins and formidable nature of the Undying Evil Venerable.

Li Hongzhao said, "So, it was the Undying Evil Venerable behind this? ... But why do this, why target us instead of the Evil Extermination Department?"

Chu Zhiyuan looked at Ding Chonglou.

Ding Chonglou glanced at himself, bewildered.

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, "There might be other reasons; we need to find them first."

"How do we find them?" Li Hongzhao asked, "Can we find them at all?"

"Let’s give it a try," Chu Zhiyuan said.

He closed his eyes and formed a handprint.

Above his head, the Demon Suppressing Divine Tree slowly emerged, piercing through the top of the cave and drilling into the mountain.

Dots of crystalline light fell from the mountain, landing on his body.

He assumed a solemn expression, forming a handprint.

The Golden Sword emerged from his waist, glided lightly over the ground.

White light spread from the Sword, touching the tiny bones on the ground, directly reducing them to powder.

The next moment, the Golden Sword flew out.

Chu Zhiyuan opened his eyes, released the handprint, and said in a deep voice, "Follow it."

He placed a hand on Ding Chonglou’s shoulder, floated out of the cave, and chased after the Golden Sword.

Li Hongzhao took a glance at the cave, then flew out to catch up.

Two hours later, they had crossed dozens of mountains, finally arriving at a forest.

No words from Chu Zhiyuan were needed; Li Hongzhao and Ding Chonglou naturally slowed their breathing.