Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 1323 - 1319: Hard to Find

The two combined their strength in a strike, a joint effort, with power far exceeding twice their individual strength.

Though not reaching the level of a Spirit Venerable, it surpassed the typical Venerable Perfection.

To dissolve it with such ease, shows the formidable might of the Autumn Moon Mirror.

"Little junior brother, off you go." Ning Dongge laughed: "Quickly go and return."

Zhang Ji Yuan laughed: "Waiting for your good news."

"I’m off."

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, clasped his fists, and the Heaven-Reaching Order glowed as he vanished.

Upon leaving the Heaven-Reaching Sect, he appeared at his own courtyard within the Heavenly Sword Branch.

At this time, Huang Zhengyang had already arrived outside his courtyard, hearing his voice: "Brother Huang, please come in."

Huang Zhengyang pushed the door open and came in.

Chu Zhiyuan came to greet him at the courtyard gate, smiling: "Brother Huang, is there any good news?"

"Good news, well, recently the Undying Evil Venerable hasn’t descended."

"That’s cause for celebration."

"There’s also some bad news."

"Is it about the secret technique?"

"Alas... the Court doesn’t have such a secret technique." Huang Zhengyang shook his head: "I searched for a long time and couldn’t find it."

Chu Zhiyuan laughed: "If there were such a secret technique, someone would have mastered it by now."

Huang Zhengyang was not convinced: "Even the Ascension Technique remains unmastered."

Chu Zhiyuan said: "The Ascension Technique is different; it’s quite dangerous, one dare not delve deeply into it."

Having cultivated it, he realized its danger stopped people from diving deeper in practice.

Likely, many have stumbled over this, so people later only sampled it shallowly, not daring to delve deeply.

Resulting in no one ever mastering it.

If there were a secret technique without danger, no matter how difficult, someone would eventually master it.

The world is vast, and never lacks prodigies.

"Alas!" Huang Zhengyang sighed: "It seems there’s no way to completely eradicate the Evil Sect."

"The Evil Extermination Department still needs to continue to exist." Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

Biyuan Heaven, compared to Yujing and Da Meng, is much larger, making it challenging to eradicate the Evil Sect like in the Little Outer Heaven.

Only to handle matters as they come.

Huang Zhengyang said: "I would rather see the Evil Extermination Department dissolved."

Chu Zhiyuan laughed: "Brother Huang, your mind is clear and bright, naturally you’d think so."

Others may not be the same.

Even the Court may not think that way.

A department involves too much power and interest from top to bottom.

How could it be affected by one person alone?

Huang Zhengyang looked around and lowered his voice: "Brother Chu, I am to be the next Director."

Chu Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow.

Huang Zhengyang said: "This time, the Undying Evil Venerable and the Evil Sect made trouble at the Imperial City, and I established quite some merit, so I have the opportunity to take over as Director."

"What about Director Zhou?"

"The Director is leaving the Evil Extermination Department."

"Where to?"

"The Director is entering the Ministry Hall."

"I see," Chu Zhiyuan said: "That’s also cause for celebration."

The Evil Extermination Department is just one division under the Six Ministries, subordinate to the Ministry of Justice.

Even as a Director, compared to officials in the Ministry of Justice, is still two ranks lower.

Moving from Director to the Ministry of Justice is a promotion, entering the official promotion sequence of the Court.

"I feel the burden on my shoulders growing heavier, almost unbearable."

"Haha..."

"Brother Chu, don’t laugh; it truly is the case."

"Careful and cautious, like walking on thin ice," Chu Zhiyuan laughed: "You can certainly handle being the Director."

"The key lies in capability." Huang Zhengyang shook his head: "I am far inferior to Director Zhou."

Chu Zhiyuan laughed: "When Director Zhou first took this post, he was probably not as capable as you."

Huang Zhengyang said: "I feel Director Zhou at that time was stronger than me now. He was naturally composed, calm in the face of matters, unlike me, so impatient."

"Brother Huang, your relationships up and down are far closer than Director Zhou’s." Chu Zhiyuan laughed: "Once something happens, you won’t lack help."

Huang Zhengyang laughed: "That’s true especially with you, Brother Chu."

Chu Zhiyuan waved his hand and laughed: "Brother Huang, you flatter me. Without your trust, I’d be hampered, achieving nothing."

The Court and Martial Arts Sect, especially with the Four Great Sects, have a subtle relationship.

The Evil Extermination Department and the Four Great Sects even compete against each other, not harmonious.

If not for Huang Zhengyang’s open mind and generosity, many matters, he couldn’t intervene, much less gain merit and Faith Power.

Thus, the two can be considered to mutually achieve each other.

"No need for thanks," Huang Zhengyang waved: "Once I become Director, I fear I won’t be able to visit often."

Chu Zhiyuan nodded: "As Director, holding high position and power, you must be steady. ... Rest assured, if anything arises, send for me, I’ll come and speak."

Huang Zhengyang revealed a smile.

Chu Zhiyuan asked: "Brother Huang, is there any change over at the Evil Suppressing Abyss?"

Huang Zhengyang replied: "Over at the Evil Suppressing Abyss, nothing changes for thousands of years; no need to worry, no need to rush over."

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

...

The twilight deepened, and the slanting sun cast its glow.

Chu Zhiyuan appeared atop a mountain peak on an ancient tree, standing on its tip, welcoming the wind.

A layer of golden haze covered the verdant green sight.

In the forest of peaks, shadows stretched long amidst the lush greenery.

The sky flew with strange birds, sweeping over him, gliding over the peaks, sometimes diving towards the valleys between the mountain peaks.

His left hand held that crystal-clear stone, complexion serious, with a slight furrow of sword-like brows.

Relying on this strange stone, releasing his senses, it should be nearby, but somehow feels off.

In the concentrated feeling, the location keeps changing, sometimes above, sometimes below, sometimes to the left, sometimes to the right.

Could the Grotto Heaven actually move on its own?

He soon thought of the concept that the Grotto Heaven could be a Divine Artifact, wondering if it’s actually alive.

If he intends to find it, it won’t be easy.

Ning Dongge and Zhang Ji Yuan sensed the direction as southeast, while his was southwest.

Therefore, it’s not mistaken, but rather it’s changing, so when they sensed it, it was indeed in the southeast direction, while when he sensed it, it was in the southwest direction?

As soon as this thought arose, he quickly rejected it.

During the sensing process, it didn’t reveal itself as moving.

Only now, is it moving.

Where exactly is this Grotto Heaven?

He closed his eyes amidst the dusk breeze.

Standing on the ancient tree at the mountain peak, gently swaying with the tip of the tree, yet it didn’t affect his concentrated sensing.

Suddenly, the Grotto Heaven disappeared.

He frowned and opened his eyes.

The sun had set, and the glow gathered to half the sky.

The glow retreated from the forest, leaving only twilight shrouding.

He smelled the unique scent of dusk, his expression growing heavier.

It actually vanished.

Could it be his sensing was truly wrong, or is there a problem with this stone?

Looking down at this strange stone, with the advent of dusk and the setting sun, the stone actually had a streak of black silk.

His expression slightly changed.

Focusing on intuition, he immediately sensed an unexplainable danger, faintly present.

As if this danger is, for now, at a considerable distance.

So the Heaven-Reaching Order glowed, and in the next moment, he directly appeared within the Heaven-Reaching Sect.

As soon as he appeared outside the main hall, he first looked at the strange stone.

The black silk vanished.

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, it truly predicts omens of disaster, extremely intriguing.

Alas, it can only predict disasters, cannot predict good fortunes.

Ning Dongge came out of the Light Gate: "Little junior brother, how did it go?"

Chu Zhiyuan explained the previous situation.

"Moving..." Ning Dongge nodded: "This isn’t surprising, many Grotto Heavens are constantly moving, constantly changing locations."

Chu Zhiyuan said: "But this Grotto Heaven changes too quickly, as if executing Qinggong, making it hard to detect."

He already realized, with his current ability, it seemed he couldn’t capture the exact location of the Grotto Heaven.

Perhaps it requires a Spirit Venerable’s power?