Imperial Cultivation-Chapter 1192 - 1188: Guiding the Way

The Demon Suppressing Divine Tree and the secret technique of Guanghan Palace combined together, its power far exceeded his imagination.

He could obliterate the clone of the Undying Evil Venerable.

Then, could he possibly chase the original world of the Undying Evil Venerable, and harm the Undying Evil Venerable?

To come and go as he pleases, causing such great harm yet being so carefree?

He pondered how to further enhance the power of the secret technique.

This secret technique had no division of layers, so its power strength came from the Demon Suppressing Divine Tree and his own spiritual power.

Because the ancestral acupoint was activated, his spiritual power was vast, and thus the secret technique’s power was so strong.

Ordinary people who complete this secret technique absolutely do not have such strong power.

To further enhance its power, one must enhance the spiritual power, and at this level, to enhance spiritual power, one must enhance the soul.

To enhance the soul, one must improve the Cultivation Realm, reach Nine Transitions, then Nine Transitions Perfection, even further stepping into the realm of Spirit Venerable.

The cultivation of the Heavenly Sword Secret Scripture accelerated again, but still fell short of Nine Transitions.

He felt that the key to faster enhancement lay in the Golden Sword.

With this thought, he decided to return to the Heavenly Sword Sect first and have a chat with Li Hongzhao.

...

Li Hongzhao was training with her sword in her courtyard when suddenly, her peripheral vision caught a flash, and she noticed someone had suddenly appeared.

She quickly gripped her longsword and turned her gaze, realizing that Chu Zhiyuan had already seated himself by the stone table in the small pavilion.

She drifted to Chu Zhiyuan’s side, sitting opposite him, curiously asking, "Why have you returned?"

Chu Zhiyuan picked up the teapot beside him, poured himself some tea, and filled Li Hongzhao’s cup as well: "Why can’t I come back?"

Li Hongzhao received the teacup, curiously asking, "Have the elders and senior brothers and sisters from the sect already arrived at the Imperial City?"

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head: "They aren’t in a hurry to reach the capital, it will still take a few days."

The key is to attract more evil demons midway, the more, the better.

Seeing now, the effect is remarkable, having killed many evil demons.

But their speed of progress is getting slower, it will take a few more days to arrive.

Li Hongzhao said, "Isn’t it obvious that this is a trap?"

"So what if they see it? The Feixue Cave Mansion is like a piece of meat hanging right in front of them, irresistible," Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "They will become increasingly unable to extricate themselves."

"Truly pitiful..." Li Hongzhao shook her head, sipping a bit of tea.

Chu Zhiyuan took out the Golden Sword and handed it to her.

Li Hongzhao examined the Golden Sword, noticing its peculiarity, curiously accepting it, her hand inadvertently sinking; quickly, she operated her powers and breathed out, slowly raising it.

Her crystalline left hand grasped the sword technique, her slender fingers gently stroked the sword body.

She sighed softly, "It’s becoming more like the Emperor’s Sword, except for its weight."

This sword is unimaginably heavy; if her cultivation hadn’t improved further, she might not be able to hold it.

How heavy the Emperor’s Sword is, she doesn’t know, because the Emperor’s Sword has a spirit, it’s suspended in mid-air, not needing her to hold.

Now it seems, this sword doesn’t have enough spirit to float in mid-air by itself.

However, she could faintly feel its spirit budding, surging, ready to break through at any moment.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "I’ve been refining it with a secret technique I comprehended myself, unsure if it’s right or wrong."

Li Hongzhao operated her aura; the Golden Sword had no response, the Mojin Sword Body showed no light nor aura, her aura entered as if into a sea.

"It’s somewhat interesting." Li Hongzhao laboriously swung the Golden Sword twice.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "What’s interesting?"

Li Hongzhao said, "It indeed has more spirit, and I feel the aura contained within it, much like the Emperor’s Sword."

Chu Zhiyuan extended his hand.

The Golden Sword suddenly broke free from Li Hongzhao’s jade hands, flew into his hand.

Chu Zhiyuan lightly waved it.

A vast power descended from heaven, shooting towards Li Hongzhao.

Li Hongzhao pushed out with her jade palm.

"Bang!" She was sent flying out of the small pavilion, displaying her graceful figure in mid-air, lightly landing, then flying up again, trying to soar back to the pavilion.

But Chu Zhiyuan waved the sword again.

Li Hongzhao pushed out her palm again, flipping through the air once, landing at the root of the wall ten meters away, her toe touching the wall, shooting back again.

Chu Zhiyuan waved the sword once more.

The vast power descended from the void again, sending Li Hongzhao flying, like a leaf swept by a storm out of the wall.

Li Hongzhao glared at him in mid-air.

Chu Zhiyuan sheathed the sword, smiled as he watched Li Hongzhao fold in mid-air, drifting down, landing in front of him and seating herself.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and asked, "How was it?"

"Foolish antics!" Li Hongzhao scolded.

Her bright eyes sparkled, snorting, "It does have a certain aura of the Emperor’s Sword."

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Isn’t it the true method of the Emperor’s Sword?"

Earlier, he had urged his power, allowing Li Hongzhao to truly experience it.

Li Hongzhao snorted, "That’s right, though still very weak, it is very pure."

Chu Zhiyuan smiled.

Li Hongzhao said, "Are you really going to take this path? It’s not easy, right?"

It’s not so easy to gather public opinion and sentiment.

First, one must make the people’s hearts return to him, which is the most difficult part.

If it were in Little Outer Heaven, after becoming the Emperor and ascending the imperial throne, the people’s sentiments would naturally return to him, concentrated in the Emperor’s Sword.

This is a path established over tens of thousands of years, solid and smooth.

If it were in Little Outer Heaven, being the Princely Heir of Prince Qing Mansion, with extraordinary cultivation and astonishing merit, he could also win over the people’s hearts.

But in this world of Biyuan Heaven, he is just a disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect.

No matter how strong he is, he can’t surpass the Court; it’s impossible for him to become the one whom people’s hearts turn to.

As a result, his cultivation of the Emperor’s Sword has become countless times more difficult, almost impossible to master.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Is the cultivation path of the Emperor’s Sword the only one?"

"What do you mean?" Li Hongzhao was puzzled, "Is there another way?"

"Do you know that the Emperor’s Sword is a clone of the Heavenly Sword?" Chu Zhiyuan said.

Li Hongzhao rolled her eyes, "Of course, I know!"

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Then why isn’t the cultivation of the Heavenly Sword following this path?"

It’s clear that the Heavenly Sword Sect doesn’t follow this path of gathering public sentiment.

Compared to the public opinion gained by the Emperor’s Sword, the Heavenly Sword Sect’s suppression of demons yields far less, indicating that the path of the Heavenly Sword isn’t this one.

Li Hongzhao lightly frowned, "Could it not be?"

Chu Zhiyuan said, "If it were about gathering public sentiment, the Heavenly Sword wouldn’t have its current power."

Li Hongzhao slowly nodded.

She could feel that the power of the Heavenly Sword surpassed that of the Emperor’s Sword.

Yet what the Heavenly Sword could gather in terms of public sentiment was obviously far less than the Emperor’s Sword.

Then why is that?

She gently said, "Is it the power derived from the Emperor’s Sword?"

Chu Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow, "Very likely, though there might be another path."

"What?"

"Merit." Chu Zhiyuan slowly said, "Killing demons and thus generating merit."

Li Hongzhao pondered, her bright eyes flickering, her thoughts racing.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Is there such a possibility?"

"... It could be merit, or it might be something else." Li Hongzhao shook her head, "This likely involves the most core secrets of our Heavenly Sword Sect, I’m afraid we can’t find out."

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head.

He didn’t expect Lu Wanshan to tell him, as this indeed is the secret of secrets, concerning the rise and fall of the Heavenly Sword Sect.

If the outside world knew, and thereby found a method to counter it, the decline of the Heavenly Sword Sect would be inevitable.

Li Hongzhao said, "The Emperor’s Sword has another function, which is to elevate one’s realm."

Chu Zhiyuan solemnly nodded, slowly saying, "This should not be publicly disclosed."

Li Hongzhao nodded, "I can mention the general idea, without passing on the specific mental method, which doesn’t violate any taboos."

Chu Zhiyuan’s spirits lifted.

Li Hongzhao said, "When you change your mental state, it’s not about controlling it, but embracing it, and naturally, you will gain something."

Chu Zhiyuan gently nodded, "Embrace..."

"The mystery within, you still need to carefully ponder, grasping its subtlety."

"Understood," Chu Zhiyuan slowly said, "I won’t say thank you then."

Li Hongzhao rolled her eyes at him.

Chu Zhiyuan took out a gold medal from his chest, half the size of a palm, and handed it to her, "I carved it myself, it can ward off evil."

Li Hongzhao took it and examined it, looking it over repeatedly.

"Besides usually calming the mind," Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "when there are evil spirits and demons nearby, it will respond, similar to my Demon Suppressing Saber."

Li Hongzhao caressed the Jade Token, "Does it have such a wonderful use?"

Chu Zhiyuan said, "For you, the most important is still the former, to prevent advancing too quickly and having an unstable mental state."

"Indeed, it’s very useful," Li Hongzhao smiled sweetly.

She felt the cool breath continuously emanating from within the Jade Token, making her feel tranquil and peaceful.

This offset the faint agitation and impulse in her heart.

Chu Zhiyuan closed his eyes and began once more to communicate with the Golden Sword.

This time, he thought of the Spirit Summoning Talisman, which had been lurking in the corners of his mind.