Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 1333 - 1329: Injured

Standing atop this mountain peak, he fell into deep contemplation.

The earlier scene was quite peculiar.

Standing here, it was the closest point to what the Heaven Peeping Skill sensed.

Then, through the precise predictions of the Donghuan Saint Technique, he foresaw its changes and the next position, urging the Taihao Jade Void Scripture to enter that place.

He was just about to discern whether it was a new Grotto Heaven or the East Huan Sacred Valley when he was immediately cast out.

This expulsion was deadly.

If not for possessing the Earth Origin Technique, a unique cultivating method differing from the usual, not requiring the use of True Yuan, he would have by now been smashed into pulp, with no bones left.

Was it really that new Grotto Heaven?

Was it the East Huan Sacred Valley?

Clutching the Strange Stone, he concentrated again, and the Golden Pupil opened once more.

The next moment, he vanished, appearing outside the previously crisscrossed mountain peaks.

Lush ancient trees exuded a unique aroma, delightful to the senses.

In the sky, a giant crimson eagle swooped down, suddenly accelerating, darting towards the woods midway up the mountain.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Amidst the muffled sounds, cries and roars intermingled, until finally, the giant eagle took flight again, wobbling in the air, with blood raining down the sky.

A White Ape leaped out from the woods, as swift as lightning.

Standing six meters tall, it climbed a giant tree in a few strides, roaring towards the sky, beating its chest vigorously, and making a show of force towards the giant eagle.

The Super Sense revealed that this Crimson Eagle and White Ape were even stronger than the Giant Demons of the Biyuan Heaven.

They were on par with the physical strength of Chu Liezhao’s clone.

Among these three mountain ranges, there were still fourteen such formidable Strange Beasts.

Just as he was about to continue the Insight, there was a flash before his eyes, and he found himself once more stepping into the void, plummeting straight down.

Suspended mid-air without support, his True Yuan was locked as if he were a cripple, and more fatally than last time, his body was paralyzed and unable to move.

He could only roll his eyes to look below.

White clouds resembled snowy mountains as his body rapidly descended towards these snow mountains, then passed through them.

Passing through the thick clouds like snow mountains, a layer of clouds blocked the view below, visible through slits between cloud layers, where the mountains and rivers appeared like a chessboard, rivers like winding lines.

Everything was minimized.

His body continued to fall, skimming past patches of drifting clouds, the scene below becoming clearer.

The biting cold kept invading and then invading, striving to freeze him stiff.

He subtly shook his head, ceasing to feel this strangeness, and with a flash, vanished.

The next moment, he appeared within the Heaven-Reaching Sect.

Instantly, his heart felt at peace, completely relaxing.

The great hall was unusually empty.

He raised an eyebrow.

Had ten days passed?

According to what he had seen earlier, Ning Dongge only left the hall on the tenth day, returning to his residence in the Outer Heaven.

Everything was too odd.

He circulated his True Yuan, quickly dispelling the bone-chilling cold, and then disappeared with a flash.

The next moment, he appeared in Xiao Ruoling’s courtyard within the Profound Yin Palace.

In Xiao Ruoling’s courtyard, four women sat around a table, their laughter chiming non-stop.

Xiao Ruoling saw Chu Zhiyuan appear, stood up to greet him, her smile radiant as a flower.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded slightly towards Jiang Luan and Huang Jiaoyun who were seated at the table, and asked Xiao Ruoling: "How long has it been since I last came over?"

"It’s been ten days." Xiao Ruoling replied.

Shen Hanyue leapt over gracefully: "Princely Heir, have you also been in seclusion for rigorous cultivation?"

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

Shen Hanyue said: "We just came out of seclusion too, and Junior Sister Huang and Junior Sister Jiang came to visit us."

Huang Jiaoyun and Jiang Luan stood up, clasped their fists in greeting, and then took their leave.

Xiao Ruoling did not hold them back and escorted them out of the courtyard.

Upon her return, Shen Hanyue had already shared big news.

"Princely Heir, do you know why our trial was canceled?"

"Wasn’t it due to safety concerns?"

"Of course not." Shen Hanyue snorted: "It’s because that Grotto Heaven couldn’t be found, it disappeared again!"

Chu Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow, looking at Xiao Ruoling.

Xiao Ruoling approached gracefully, sighed softly, and said: "This new Grotto Heaven is extremely peculiar, suddenly vanishing, disappearing without a trace."

"That is indeed peculiar." Chu Zhiyuan nodded: "Wasn’t it being watched by a Spirit Venerable?"

Shen Hanyue said: "There was indeed a Spirit Venerable guarding it, but it vanished in an instant, and even the Spirit Venerable couldn’t find it."

Chu Zhiyuan said: "Isn’t there anything that can locate this Grotto Heaven?"

Just like that Strange Stone.

It was indeed a clue to finding the Grotto Heaven.

It’s unlikely that the Profound Yin Palace found that Grotto Heaven for no reason, they should have had a clue.

"It’s no use." Shen Hanyue said: "It no longer works, cannot be found."

Chu Zhiyuan was surprised: "It can also fail?"

Shen Hanyue said: "Anyway, this new Grotto Heaven is extremely bizarre, utterly preposterous."

Xiao Ruoling gently nodded.

Shen Hanyue said: "Luckily we didn’t go in, otherwise, who knows where we would have ended up, perhaps unable to return."

"We have the Xuan Guang Shuttle." Xiao Ruoling added.

Shen Hanyue said: "But what if the Xuan Guang Shuttle also becomes useless at that moment."

Xiao Ruoling remained silent.

This is not entirely impossible.

Because this affair is indeed too incredible, even several Spirit Venerables failed to guard this new Grotto Heaven, beyond imagination.

Chu Zhiyuan was deep in thought.

The courtyard no longer had any force to block, no longer preventing his Super Sense from extending outward.

Evidently, they had given up on secrecy, this news was likely to spread soon.

Shen Hanyue’s eyes sparkled: "Princely Heir, it seems your stone predicted things accurately, should I try it again?"

Chu Zhiyuan took it out from his bosom and handed it to her.

Shen Hanyue carefully cradled the translucent Strange Stone in her jade hands.

Chu Zhiyuan focused and observed: "At least for a few days, it should be safe."

Shen Hanyue rejoiced instantly, smiling: "Then I am relieved. I was just about to go out and have some fun."

Chu Zhiyuan looked at Xiao Ruoling.

Xiao Ruoling said: "We have to accompany Senior Sister to Glazed Heaven."

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

Xiao Ruoling: "We might have to stay for about a month before returning."

Chu Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow: "A month?"

Shen Hanyue said: "Princely Heir, you can just visit Senior Sister, you two are married, there’s nothing big about it, Senior Sister Guo won’t say anything."

Xiao Ruoling nodded sheepishly, "Husband can come visit me."

"That sounds good." Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "Then let’s focus on our cultivation."

The three then began their joint cultivation with their palms together.

...

At dawn, Chu Zhiyuan left the Profound Yin Palace and arrived at the Heavenly Sword Branch.

Standing with hands behind his back inside the courtyard, he pondered how that mysterious place not only warped space but warped time as well.

Such an oddity truly made him wary.

The Taihao Jade Void Scripture rapidly strengthened the body, but the second layer of the Human Element Skill was still a long way off.

It was even farther compared to the strength of a Spirit Venerable.

There was no shortcut to this, only step by step visualization, to thoroughly solidify the Spiritual Abyss Twelve Peaks within the Lao Gong Acupoint.

Even the First Peak hasn’t been stabilized yet.

He went to the bed to begin focused practice of the Earth Origin Technique, visualizing the Spiritual Abyss Peaks within the Lao Gong Acupoint.

As he gradually got into the groove, suddenly his heart skipped a beat, sensing a mysterious stirring of his lifeblood.

He quickly exited the visualization, furrowed his brow and pondered, then vanished in an instant.

In a courtyard under the Phoenix Secret Realm, he suddenly appeared.

The elegant and serene courtyard was suddenly filled with the intense sound of coughing, heartbreaking and lung-ripping.

Chu Zhiyuan frowned, softly said: "Injured?"

Though his voice wasn’t loud, it distinctly traveled into the inner room of the courtyard.

"Come in." A hoarse and low voice responded, it was Li Hongzhao’s voice.

Chu Zhiyuan pushed the door open, entered the room, and saw Li Hongzhao sitting on the bed cross-legged, face pale as paper.

Li Hongzhao’s hair was disheveled, wearing wide robes, her sickly appearance undeniable.

Once captivatingly beautiful, she now looked dull and pale, extremely weak.

Chu Zhiyuan frowned as he observed her, his gaze falling on her back: "Injured?"

Li Hongzhao forced a smile: "I took a hit."

"Who did it?" Chu Zhiyuan said coolly.