Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 1319 - 1315: Abnormality

Chu Zhiyuan laughed and said, "Brother Ning, Brother Zhang, does our sect really have such secret techniques?"

"We have plenty of these miracle techniques," Zhang Ji Yuan said, "but even though it’s good, it’s not so easy to master this secret technique."

Ning Dongge laughed, "It’s difficult for others, but not for you, little junior brother."

"It really won’t be a problem for little junior brother," Zhang Ji Yuan chuckled. "Hey, our Heaven-Reaching Sect is not the same as it used to be."

Chu Zhiyuan asked, "Brother Ning, Brother Zhang, how many disciples do we have in our sect now?"

Ning Dongge laughed, "Little junior brother, you’re so clever, can’t you figure it out?"

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Counting the Sect Master and myself, there are nine of us in total?"

"Exactly," Zhang Ji Yuan answered.

"Then... will the Sect Master and the other senior brothers enter the Grotto Heaven this time?"

He had actually guessed that there were only this many people, but hearing that there were twelve Spirit Venerables, he thought the number wouldn’t be too small, yet it turned out to be quite few.

Ning Dongge shook his head, "Aren’t they in seclusion? They can’t come out, so we have to rely on ourselves."

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Will our sect’s Spirit Venerables intervene?"

"No, they won’t."

"What if Spirit Venerables from other sects intervene?"

Zhang Ji Yuan laughed, "Little junior brother, in the battle for the Grotto Heaven, if Spirit Venerables were involved, why would we be needed? We wouldn’t even know about this matter."

"Spirit Venerables won’t participate? Is it unwillingness?"

"It’s not unwillingness; it’s incapacity," Zhang Ji Yuan shook his head. "The Grotto Heaven and the current world we’re in are fundamentally different. Do you know what’s the most fundamental difference?"

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head.

He always thought the difference of the Grotto Heaven was the size of space.

It seems it’s not the case.

"The fundamental difference is that the Grotto Heaven has its own will, or in other words, the Grotto Heaven is a Divine Artifact."

"Divine Artifact..."

"If a Spirit Venerable enters, it would instantly anger it, causing it to attack, which no Spirit Venerable could withstand."

"Venerable ones won’t be attacked by it?"

"It ignores them."

"I see..." Chu Zhiyuan said, "Then are we the only ones who know about this Grotto Heaven? Can other sects know?"

"I’m afraid they know too," Ning Dongge sighed, "the Spirit Venerables have very well-informed channels."

Chu Zhiyuan frowned, "Aren’t the Spirit Venerables scattered afar, drifting in different worlds? How could they be so informed?"

"As far as I know, they sense each other’s presence," Ning Dongge said, "like stars in the night sky, though separated by distance, their changes are noticeable to each other."

"That means Spirit Venerables won’t interfere, only Venerables..."

Ning Dongge said, "If it’s another Grotto Heaven, Spirit Venerables don’t bother, but this Grotto Heaven..." Zhang Ji Yuan said, "It involves the Divine Race; they will pay attention, even act outside the Grotto Heaven."

Chu Zhiyuan asked, "What if we encounter Spirit Venerables?"

"They have Spirit Venerables, we have Spirit Venerables too, once out of the Grotto Heaven, our ancestors will secretly protect us."

"That’s good..." Chu Zhiyuan contemplated.

"Little junior brother, do you have any concerns?"

"I am thinking about the Profound Yin Palace," Chu Zhiyuan said with a serious expression, "I fear my wife might be in an awkward situation."

Zhang Ji Yuan laughed.

Ning Dongge asked, "What’s awkward about it?"

Zhang Ji Yuan laughed, "The Profound Yin Palace surely suspects our sister-in-law leaked secrets to little junior brother."

Ning Dongge gave him a glance, then smiled at Chu Zhiyuan, "It’s nothing, just explain to them that we have Miracle Techniques and can find the Grotto Heaven ourselves."

"Pff!" Zhang Ji Yuan laughed.

Ning Dongge glared at him.

Zhang Ji Yuan laughed, "Brother Ning, if the Profound Yin Palace was so reasonable, it wouldn’t be the Profound Yin Palace."

Ning Dongge huffed, "So you’re saying this pot of dirty water has to be thrown on sister-in-law?"

"Definitely," Zhang Ji Yuan shook his head, "I’ve personally witnessed their unreasonable behavior, much more domineering than us."

Ning Dongge frowned and pondered.

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head helplessly.

He hasn’t personally experienced if Profound Yin Palace is domineering.

But he’s always been able to come and go without obstacles, surely the Palace Master and Xiao Ruoling’s master know.

Still, not a hindrance.

So it’s not completely unreasonable.

Ning Dongge said, "How about this, we go in a little later."

He looked at Chu Zhiyuan, "I estimate, it’s not only the Profound Yin Palace that knows about the Grotto Heaven, not only us, other top sects will know, if we enter a little later, there’s no talking about leaking secrets."

Chu Zhiyuan hesitated.

Doing so would bring great losses; entering a step later might mean good things are taken by others.

Ning Dongge said, "Treasures in the Grotto Heaven are important, but sister-in-law is equally important, in comparison, people are more important than treasures."

"Brother Ning, where’s the Miracle Technique? Let me practice it first, see if I can master it soon." Chu Zhiyuan said.

He truly felt touched.

"You’re practicing now?" Ning Dongge said, "No rush, since we’ll go in a little later anyway."

"What if I can’t master it," Chu Zhiyuan said.

"Little junior brother, this won’t be difficult for you," Zhang Ji Yuan laughed.

He took out a thin booklet from his pocket and handed it to Chu Zhiyuan, "Here."

Chu Zhiyuan took it and quickly flipped through it; it was a detection technique.

Detecting space fluctuations.

Chu Zhiyuan looked up at them and nodded, "For the Taihao Jade Void Scripture, this isn’t difficult."

"Exactly," Zhang Ji Yuan smiled.

Chu Zhiyuan closed his eyes, started to drive his True Yuan, while sensing the Void’s fluctuations in the ethereal realm.

The core of this technique is comprehending the Void Dao.

For him now, it’s a piece of cake.

Moments later, as his Heart and Spirit aligned, the operating True Yuan began to transform, forming a special aura.

The special aura circulated within him, gradually forming an unusual pattern.

He slowly opened his eyes and smiled, "Mastered it?"

"You’re indeed the little junior brother," Zhang Ji Yuan admired, "It took me a month, Senior Brother Ning took two."

Ning Dongge glared slightly, "No need to mention that."

He took out an egg-sized oval stone from his pocket, "We should be able to find the Grotto Heaven with this."

Chu Zhiyuan examined the stone.

Egg-sized, crystal clear, with a faint black line, like a strand of hair.

Super Sense couldn’t delve into it; he couldn’t discern the specifics of the black line.

Chu Zhiyuan raised a brow, "Brother Ning, is this from the Divine Race?"

"Precisely," Ning Dongge handed the stone to him, "Take a look."

Chu Zhiyuan took it, feeling its warm, jade-like texture, and drew it close; it was clear and bright like an autumn pool.

Yet he couldn’t see the previous black line.

He was convinced he wouldn’t mistake it, so he placed it afar, but couldn’t see it either.

He returned it into Ning Dongge’s hand, and saw the black line again.

Then he took it back, but still no black line.

He passed it to Zhang Ji Yuan.

Ning Dongge and Zhang Ji Yuan watched him curiously.

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head.

The oval stone in Zhang Ji Yuan’s hand also had no black line.

He said, "Brother Zhang, stand where Brother Ning was."

Zhang Ji Yuan laughed, "What are you up to?"

He stood beside Ning Dongge, pushing Ning Dongge aside.

Ning Dongge made room, laughing, "Little junior brother, what’s up?"

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head; Zhang Ji Yuan’s hand still lacked the black line, so he returned the stone to Ning Dongge.

Even with a change in position and viewing angle, the oval stone in Ning Dongge’s hand still showed the black line.

Chu Zhiyuan asked, "Brother Ning, Brother Zhang, does this stone hold any mysteries?"

"None at all," Ning Dongge shook his head, "it’s plain and unremarkable, said to come from the Divine Race’s habitat, so it was kept."

Zhang Ji Yuan laughed, "Is this stone peculiar?"

Chu Zhiyuan nodded, "Brother Zhang, when you or I hold it, there’s nothing unusual, but when Brother Ning holds it, there’s a black line."

"Hmm—?" Ning Dongge wondered.

Zhang Ji Yuan looked at the stone in Ning Dongge’s hand and shook his head, "No, you probably saw it wrong?"

Ning Dongge stared at it as well, shaking his head, "Indeed, there’s none."