Imperial Cultivation-Chapter 1220 - 1216: Harvest

Chu Zhiyuan appeared shaken, quickly putting the Golden Sword into his sleeve and letting out a sigh of relief: "That was close!"

He looked up at the sky, shook his head and said, "My Giant Spirit Sword is truly gone."

The four elders eyed him thoughtfully.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "You four seniors should also have spirit swords or other spiritual artifacts, why not give it a try? This altar indeed holds many mysteries."

The round-faced elder said gruffly, "Do you think spiritual artifacts can be obtained just by wishing for them?!"

Chu Zhiyuan smiled without saying anything.

The round-faced elder snorted, "You must be quite favored in the Heavenly Sword Sect?"

Chu Zhiyuan replied, "This sword was acquired by myself, it’s not from within the sect."

"Extraordinary encounter?"

"Yes."

"Your luck is truly exceptional!" The round-faced elder was displeased.

Spiritual artifacts are rare in the world, and the four of them are merely tributes, not qualified to obtain spiritual artifacts.

Chu Zhiyuan sighed, "If my luck was truly that good, I wouldn’t have gained and then lost the Giant Spirit Sword, ... oh, Spirit Sword!"

He looked heartbroken.

The four elders found it immensely satisfying.

The value of a spirit sword is astonishing, losing it is a tremendous loss.

Such a huge loss is also the consequence of his reckless bravado, saving them the trouble of dealing with him.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Seniors, what exactly is this Secret Land, the Imperial Ancestral Temple?"

"You don’t need to know!" The burly elder said in a deep voice, "It’s time for you to leave!"

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Then this junior bids farewell, I’ll go and pay my respects."

"A piece of advice, if you behave so presumptuously within the Four Saints Hall, at best you’ll lose your martial arts, at worst, your life!" The burly elder said coldly.

The round-faced elder quickly nodded, "Indeed, not like here where you can act out, you’d be dealt with swiftly!"

Chu Zhiyuan clasped his fists, "Thank you four seniors for your generosity, forgiving this junior’s rudeness."

"Humph, it’s good that you understand." The round-faced elder snorted, "Your martial hero demeanor won’t work in the Imperial City, you need to change!"

"Yes." Chu Zhiyuan nodded in agreement, "Then this junior takes his leave."

"Go ahead." The round-faced elder waved him off.

Chu Zhiyuan once again bowed, descended the altar, and headed towards the main hall to the south.

...

An hour later, he appeared outside the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Huang Zhengyang was standing at the door waiting.

Seeing him come out, he walked up, glanced him over, and let out a sigh of relief, extending his hand.

The two walked side by side, gradually leaving the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Super Sense once again surveyed the scene, still shrouded in dense fog, nothing clear.

"How was it?" Huang Zhengyang asked, "You didn’t break any rules, did you?"

"Not really." Chu Zhiyuan replied with a smile, "Brother Huang, were you afraid I would cause trouble?"

Huang Zhengyang said, "The rules of the Imperial Ancestral Temple are strict, any small violation is a big deal, Brother Chu, being from the Heavenly Sword Sect, you’re not used to such strictness."

Chu Zhiyuan nodded, "The rules are indeed strict, ... quite an eye-opener."

Huang Zhengyang said, "It’s evident that Brother Chu, you’ve changed somehow."

Chu Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow.

Huang Zhengyang said, "The change is very subtle, but it’s indeed different."

If one weren’t familiar with Chu Zhiyuan, it would be hard to notice this change.

Such a minute change gave him an entirely different feeling.

Previously, Chu Zhiyuan was like a Treasure Sword, even sheathed, one could faintly sense its power.

Now, he seemed to merge completely with the Void, his strength undetectable.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "Perhaps it’s the influence, changing my mental state."

He realized now he was completely different.

In his mind’s void, a pool of autumn water hovered, shimmering with clear light, bright and translucent.

This was the strange artifact he obtained at the altar.

He had felt its wondrous utility.

It ceaselessly purified the mind and the light of the soul.

This is a change from the soul level.

The purification of the soul is an area and level that cultivation methods can’t reach.

With this strange treasure, one can ceaselessly purify the soul and mind, causing a qualitative change.

According to the Evil Venerable, this is the fundamental step into the Spirit Realm.

How does this Spirit Realm differ from that of a Spirit Venerable? Are they the same level?

"No matter what, congratulations to Brother Chu for progressing even further." 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"Thanks to your help, Brother Huang."

"Oh, no need for such words between us!" Huang Zhengyang waved his hand unhappily, "Too formal."

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and nodded, "Did you gather any news on the Evil Sect planning to assault the city gate?"

"I’ve already set people in place, keeping watch."

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Is there still a statue of the Undying Evil Venerable?"

"There hasn’t been one in the past few days, which is good news, maybe there won’t be any more."

"Very possible." Chu Zhiyuan said, "Seeing it’s ineffective, there’s no need to waste effort."

Undying Golden Essence is very precious, repeated losses would pain the Undying Evil Venerable too.

He himself hoped they would continue to throw them down, strengthening the Golden Sword.

But it seems the Undying Evil Venerables are reluctant, not wanting to throw down any more statues.

...

Chu Zhiyuan returned to the Heavenly Sword Branch, sitting on the couch of his small courtyard, holding the Golden Sword.

He examined the Golden Sword, full of smiles.

The Golden Sword was now different from before, having undergone a qualitative change.

Previously he had been painstakingly refining it, wanting to bring out its spirituality, but it required time’s accumulation, not something achievable in a short time.

This accumulation could take years, decades, even centuries.

But now, with the infusion of that strange energy, the Golden Sword had finally awakened.

A consciousness akin to a child’s appeared within the Golden Sword, forever solidifying its spirituality.

Though the spirituality was weak, weak and none are absolutely different states.

This weak spirituality, with the support of his secret techniques, would continuously grow stronger.

He had an endless supply of spiritual power, this growth rate would exceed imagination.

At this rate, the Golden Sword would quickly grow to become like a Heavenly Sword.

With a spiritual Golden Sword, it could aid his cultivation, rather than simply consuming himself to enhance it.

It could now nourish him in return.

And its power is stronger too.

...

Zhu Lingyun sat cross-legged on a large rock atop a mountain peak, hands forming seals, slowly opening his eyes.

He picked up the Giant Spirit Sword on his knee, examining it.

This Giant Spirit Sword also carried a trace of strange energy.

With the memories of the Evil Venerable, the Evil Venerable’s cultivation methods, the Evil Venerable’s cultivation, plus this strange energy, he was about to break through to the Undying Evil Venerable, and then continue on, using this strange energy to enter the Spirit Realm and become a Divine Venerable.

The appearance of a Divine Venerable, according to the memories of the Evil Venerable, is to live as long as the heavens and earth, undying and immortal, coming and going without a trace.

For Chu Zhiyuan, cultivating this path, may not necessarily reach that level.

This was indeed a huge temptation.

He sighed and shook his head.

Thinking about the cultivation method of the Undying Evil Venerable, he lost interest.

The cultivation method of the Undying Evil Venerable was still about plundering and slaughter.

Upon this thought, all notions vanished, and he tossed the Giant Spirit Sword away.

In the next moment, Chu Zhiyuan appeared, catching the Giant Spirit Sword before vanishing.

...

A quarter-hour later, Zhu Lingyun raised his head to look westward, seeing He Lingchuan and Zhong Lingyun approaching gracefully.

He glanced at the two and closed his eyes again.

Now that he had acquired that strange treasure, understanding their thoughts was easy.

The strange energy was similar to that of the Demon Suppressing Divine Tree, inherently restraining to the Evil Venerables.

Within the Giant Spirit Sword and Golden Sword, there was evil power, more in the Giant Spirit Sword, and a trace lingering in the Golden Sword as well.

This time all was removed, completely purified.

They invited him to join, for no other purpose than to draw out the strange treasure in a crucial moment, seriously wounding or even destroying him.

Thus, they could indirectly gain the strange energy from him.