Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 1262 - 1258: Advancement

Chu Zhiyuan glared at her.

Li Hongzhao chuckled, "The master can’t expel me from the school for this... This secret technique isn’t that essential; it’s useless to others."

"That’s favoritism."

"So what if it’s favoritism?" Li Hongzhao said, "Is it true that I can’t play favorites?"

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, "You will lose the trust of the Imperial Family, especially with your sensitive status."

"I don’t expect them to truly trust me; my background is plain to see, it can’t be changed."

"... Don’t be reckless." Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, "I want the Court to openly pass the secret technique to me."

"If you retreat in this matter, they’ll be even more unwilling."

"If they don’t give it to me, so be it," Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "Even if they gave me the secret technique, I might not necessarily be able to practice it."

Li Hongzhao said, "Others might not succeed, but you definitely will."

"... Look at my sword." The Golden Sword swiftly leaped out of its sheath, hovering in front of her.

She stretched out her jade hand to grip the hilt, her left hand forming the sword technique as she gently caressed the sword spine, feeling inside the sword.

She raised her eyebrows slightly, "Its spiritual nature has increased significantly, ... the more the Undying Evil Venerable comes, the better; just don’t let it be too overwhelming."

"How could there be such a good thing." Chu Zhiyuan laughed.

"Are you really not practicing the secret technique?" Li Hongzhao lightly waved the Golden Sword, feeling its spirit.

"No need."

"Not practicing is a waste of practice." Li Hongzhao snorted, "No need to worry about its origins."

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head.

Li Hongzhao rolled her eyes at him, tossing the Golden Sword back to him, "Consider it my request to you."

Chu Zhiyuan laughed heartily.

The Golden Sword paused in the air, then suddenly dove back into its sheath.

Their situation was truly peculiar, with one eager to steal the secret technique, and the other in need but refusing.

To outsiders, it seemed very unusual.

"Is Senior Song still cultivating?"

"Yes, the master spends most of the time cultivating, occasionally instructing me, sigh—!"

"Shall we go out for a walk?" Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "Staying in this Secret Land is too stifling."

"Let’s go!" Li Hongzhao’s phoenix eyes brightened.

"Let’s go."

Chu Zhiyuan placed a hand on her fragrant shoulder, and the two vanished from the spot.

The next moment, they appeared on a bustling street in the city.

Li Hongzhao swept her phoenix eyes over the surroundings.

The street was bustling with crowds, lively and bustling.

The shouts of vendors on both sides rose one after another, as if competing with each other, calling out one after another, unwilling to be outdone.

The citizens on the street all wore swords or knives, giving them a bold and spirited demeanor.

Looking at the buildings on both sides, listening to the people around, and smelling the mixed scents, Li Hongzhao felt as if she had returned to Da Meng in a dream.

She turned to look at Chu Zhiyuan, hesitantly asking, "Is this...?"

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "That’s right, it’s Tianjing."

"Truly Da Meng’s Tianjing?" Li Hongzhao’s phoenix eyes sparkled, "Did we really return?"

"Yes, we returned... My Earth Origin Technique has now progressed."

"Can we still go back?"

"Let’s go." Chu Zhiyuan placed his hand on her fragrant shoulder again, disappearing from the spot.

The people passing by seemed to see nothing.

Chu Zhiyuan’s spiritual power could already warp their senses, making them overlook what they saw.

A moment later, the two reappeared.

Li Hongzhao looked up to the sky.

Chu Zhiyuan also looked up.

In the void above, the Emperor’s Sword stretched across the emptiness, vast and majestic, like a sleeping dragon.

Chu Zhiyuan looked down at the Golden Sword.

He seemed to see the Golden Sword hanging its head, not daring to move.

This was the overwhelming pressure, like a child seeing a parent.

Chu Zhiyuan asked, "Can you still control the Emperor’s Sword now?"

Li Hongzhao lightly nodded, "It still recognizes me."

"So if you and Li Biyang were controlling it at the same time, who would it listen to?"

Li Hongzhao thought for a moment, closed her phoenix eyes for a moment, and then smiled sweetly, "Right now... it listens to me."

"Why?" Chu Zhiyuan asked, "Aren’t you the former master?"

"Because my merit is greater." Li Hongzhao smiled faintly.

Chu Zhiyuan understood.

Li Hongzhao said, "My merit on the imperial throne is extremely high, still remembered by the people of the world, hehe, I’ve benefited from your aura."

"The Emperor’s Sword, huh..." Chu Zhiyuan gazed toward the direction of the Jade Dynasty.

One of his regrets was not being able to truly control the Emperor’s Sword.

If he had mastered the Emperor’s Sword, would the current Golden Sword be stronger, possibly evolved into the true Emperor’s Sword?

Li Hongzhao laughed, "Since you can return, do you want to reclaim the imperial throne?"

"...Forget it." Chu Zhiyuan shook his head.

In the end, it’s an impossible task.

Even the Emperor’s Sword no longer acknowledges me, as I can’t stay here to be Emperor.

The cultivation environment of Little Heaven Beyond is far inferior to Heavenly Sword Peak, let alone Outer Heaven.

Li Hongzhao suddenly extended her jade hand, "Give me your sword."

"Why?" Chu Zhiyuan laughed and asked, "Is there a good method?"

The Golden Sword swiftly emerged from the sheath at his waist, floating in front of Li Hongzhao.

Li Hongzhao grasped the hilt with her right hand, her left hand forming the sword technique, the sword nestled lightly against her brow.

The sword spine touched the center of her brows.

A red light slowly lit up between her brows.

As the red light emerged, deep within the light, a phoenix faintly flew.

The phoenix merged with the Golden Sword and entered it, the sword began to redden.

The red light enveloped the sword, resembling a longsword carved from rouge, with intricate patterns upon its blade.

These patterns vaguely depicted a phoenix, moving with the red light, as if the phoenix were dancing in flight.

Through sensation, Chu Zhiyuan felt the Golden Sword filled with curiosity and excitement.

Li Hongzhao’s spiritual power and bloodline strength, upon merging with the Golden Sword, did not suppress the sword’s spirit, but instead, enhanced it.

The Golden Sword, as if sitting atop a phoenix, was carried by it into the sky.

Chu Zhiyuan looked up at the sky.

In the void above, the Emperor’s Sword floated leisurely, its vast majestic power pervading.

Suddenly, it descended a force.

This vast power directly poured upon the Golden Sword, causing it to radiate light instantaneously.

This radiance crashed like a sun, with people around crying out, shielding their eyes.

Chu Zhiyuan had long closed his eyes, with Super Sense still illuminating.

Under this intense power infusion, the Golden Sword transformed from crystal-clear as ice to pure gold.

Chu Zhiyuan felt the Golden Sword.

The Golden Sword, bathing in heat, felt both uncomfortable and delightful, the sensation enigmatic.

Chu Zhiyuan carefully sensed, feeling it was tempering the Golden Sword.

In the frenzied power, the Golden Sword purified, expelling impurities, becoming purer.

Amidst the discomfort, it grew transparent and became lighter.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled.

...

After a quarter-hour, the Golden Sword’s light faded, returning to its original state.

It appeared unchanged, still like an ice sculpture, crystal clear, still exquisite and delicate.

Yet internally, it had undergone a significant transformation, its quality substantially elevated.

Li Hongzhao released her jade hand, looking at him with a cheerful smile.

The Golden Sword floated in the air, slowly drifting back into the sheath at his waist.

Chu Zhiyuan placed his hand back on her fragrant shoulder, and the two vanished.

The people around stood up in surprise, touching their eyes, then looking around.

They still remembered the strong light just now, nearly blinding them.

Yet now, there was no longer any sensation; their eyes didn’t hurt, and there was nothing unusual.

As if earlier was just a fleeting dream, merely an illusion.

Chu Zhiyuan and Li Hongzhao arrived at his small courtyard, sitting beside a stone table.

Li Hongzhao skillfully began brewing tea.

Chu Zhiyuan took out the Golden Sword, carefully contemplating and sensing its changes.

Li Hongzhao’s phoenix eyes flickered, looking quite pleased.

This time harnessing the Emperor’s Sword’s power to facilitate the Golden Sword’s evolution had a significant effect.