Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 1349 - 1345: Blocking the Street

Ning Dongge laughed, "Are you not practicing the Taihao Jade Void Scripture?"

Chu Zhiyuan replied, "The fortuitous encounter I had in Little Outer Heaven was a Miracle Method, different from our cultivation path."

"Junior Brother, the fundamental technique is still our Taihao Jade Void Scripture, which can directly cultivate to Spirit Venerable."

"Senior Brother Ning, I understand," said Chu Zhiyuan.

The Taihao Jade Void Scripture can be practiced in one go to Spirit Venerable. With the Three Cultivation Methods, my cultivation speed is already fast enough.

But it can be even faster.

The premise is to enhance spiritual power.

Cultivating with Xiao Ruoling and Shen Hanyue exhausts mental power; the vast mental power can only sustain one night’s expenditure.

Now, by mastering the Second Layer of the Human Element Skill, I can then practice the Second Layer of the Heavenly Yuan Technique.

This will rapidly enhance spiritual power.

Thereby extending the time spent cultivating the Taihao Jade Void Scripture with Xiao Ruoling and Shen Hanyue.

This is like sharpening the axe doesn’t delay the work of chopping firewood.

Ning Dongge nodded, "As long as you understand, cultivation should fundamentally focus on enhancing the realm."

He saw Chu Zhiyuan proficient in various Miracle Techniques, all of which require time and energy.

With this time and energy used to enhance the realm, maybe by now, he might have already entered the Spirit Venerable.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "Senior Brother, practicing Miracle Techniques can also enhance my understanding."

"...Indeed," Ning Dongge nodded, "You’ve been in seclusion for two days, you should go back and have a look, right?"

Chu Zhiyuan looked up at the great hall.

The hall’s ceiling was conical, with a two-meter diameter glass tile at the highest point, allowing the sun to shine directly.

"Then I’ll leave."

"Go ahead, go ahead."

Chu Zhiyuan flashed and disappeared.

The next moment he appeared at the Heavenly Sword Branch, Super Sense immediately extended with Insight.

...

The sun hung high, bright sunlight covering the earth.

Outside the Ministry of Industry Office, four City Guards in Mystic Robes, armed with long swords, stood lazily on both sides of the main gate.

All four had drooped heads, listless and lacking energy.

Hearing footsteps, they promptly straightened, standing firm and chest out, pretending to be mighty.

Amid the hurried footsteps, a young man in a red robe with a bird pattern briskly stepped over the high threshold.

Although he was not tall, his features were handsome and refined.

As he crossed the threshold, his pace suddenly slowed, walking leisurely and unhurriedly down the steps.

He nodded lightly towards the four City Guards.

"Lord Duan, just finished your duties?" the four City Guards asked with clasped hands, smiling.

"Going to have lunch," the handsome youth smiled.

"Lord Duan, not bringing a guard?"

"I’m just going to the restaurant next door for a bite, no need to mobilize guards."

"Lord Duan truly cares for the subordinates."

"Not at all, not at all."

He waved his hand, smiling as he walked outside.

This street of the Ministry of Industry Office also housed the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Revenue.

The street was filled with officials coming and going, rarely any commoners; it was clean, quiet, spacious and flat.

He walked east along the street, stopping abruptly a dozen meters away, frowning.

Two people stood in the middle of the street, blocking his path.

At the forefront was Huang Zhengyang, accompanied by Mo Qiuqiu.

"Huang Sizheng, a pleasure to meet you."

"Lord Duan, we’ve waited for you a long time!" Huang Zhengyang said coldly, "Finally, you’re out!"

Duan Tianhai smiled, "Is Huang Sizheng looking for me on official business or personal matters? For official business, we should go inside the government office; for personal matters... we have nothing personal to discuss."

"I think there’s plenty to discuss between us!" Huang Zhengyang sneered, "Personal grievances overshadowing official duties—is this what a clear and honest official like Lord Duan does?!"

"What personal grievances could there be between us?" Duan Tianhai smiled, shaking his head, "Isn’t this just your wishful thinking, Huang Sizheng?"

Huang Zhengyang sneered, "Lord Duan, do you realize the consequences of your obstruction?"

"I act according to official duty," Duan Tianhai said calmly, "Your Evil Extermination Department’s desire to deploy the God-Binding Rope is against regulations."

"Why is it against regulations?"

"The God-Binding Rope is already old and frail, able to be used at most three more times, and shouldn’t be wasted here."

"Duan Tianhai, do you realize how brutal the experts of the Dan Yang Heavenly Flower Divine Sect are? Do you know how many will die?"

"Can you be sure it’s experts from the Dan Yang Heavenly Flower Divine Sect coming?"

"Of course."

"What evidence do you have?" Duan Tianhai said calmly, "Based merely on your speculation, you claim experts from the Dan Yang Heavenly Flower Divine Sect will come? According to records, those experts were just inadvertently involved; there’s no passage between us and Dan Yang Heaven!"

"If they’ve come twice, they can come a third time, and if they do, and we can’t apprehend them immediately, several villages or even a city’s population could be silently massacred... then even if your position is stripped, it’s impossible to save those innocent lives!"

"Exaggeration, alarmism!" Duan Tianhai scoffed, "Turning a minor achievement into a great one, and a small danger into a grave one, only by exaggerating the danger can your achievements seem greater. These are means you’re most adept at in the Evil Extermination Department!"

"Duan Tianhai, you’re talking nonsense!"

"Huang Zhengyang, you’re the one talking nonsense!" Duan Tianhai sneered, "It’s said you even want to invite several tributes to form an array? Ridiculous!"

"What’s ridiculous about it?!" Huang Zhengyang snarled at him, "Setting a net to catch that guy and properly interrogate him would thoroughly end Dan Yang Heaven’s threat. This benefits the Court, benefits us in Biyuan Heaven!... Duan Tianhai, as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Industry, you’re obstructing this greatly—what’s your intention?!"

"Setting a net to wait? Ha!" Duan Tianhai sneered continuously, shaking his head, "Let me ask you, how do you know where he will appear? And if he appears, how will you know where?"

"I have my ways!" Huang Zhengyang replied coldly.

Duan Tianhai laughed heartily, shaking his head constantly, "I think you’ve gone mad wanting merit, trapped in a delusion!"

"Duan Tianhai, you know nothing!" Huang Zhengyang sneered, "A frog at the bottom of a well!"

"Unless a National Guardian Divine Artifact is used, how could it predict where Dan Yang Heaven’s Evil Demon will appear?" Duan Tianhai sneered, "You won’t be telling me it was shown by a Divine Artifact, right?"

"In any case, I have my methods," Huang Zhengyang replied coldly, "Moreover, in such matters, it’s better to err on the side of caution, just in case."

He couldn’t say it was predicted by Chu Zhiyuan.

To say so would only invite Duan Tianhai’s sarcasm and mockery.

"The use of the God-Binding Rope should be sparing!"

"Duan Tianhai, you will be the sinner of our Biyuan Heaven!"

"Ha ha, I’m acting according to official duty, and I’m the sinner of Biyuan Heaven?" Duan Tianhai sneered, "While you, Huang Zhengyang, are the hero of Biyuan Heaven?"

"Ignorance!" Huang Zhengyang shook his head, "Blinded by personal grievances, have you not considered if I didn’t have certainty, how would I dare to make such a grand move?"

"Just became a Director, and you’ve gone mad wanting to achieve merit, wanting to make a big splash, but I won’t accompany your madness, and the God-Binding Rope won’t be wasted for you!"

"Alright, alright," Huang Zhengyang gritted his teeth, "I’ll go to Mr. Feng and ask for approval."

"Ha, laughable, so naive! Will Mr. Feng listen to you or to me?"

"Because the God-Binding Rope is blocked, if it’s impossible to capture that demon, you’re the sinner, the Ministry of Industry can’t escape blame, I don’t believe Mr. Feng won’t have concerns!"

"Then go and try," Duan Tianhai smiled confidently, "Let’s see if you succeed."

Huang Zhengyang glared coldly at him.

Duan Tianhai responded with a smile.

Mo Qiuqiu felt anxious within.

Continuing this dispute, obtaining the God-Binding Rope would be impossible, and trouble would escalate.