Imperial Cultivation

After drinking a cup of tea, Chu Zhiyuan bid farewell and left.

A first meeting shouldn't be too long, nor too rushed.

They agreed to go shopping the next afternoon, then have dinner at Drunken Immortal Restaurant, hoping to lure out Song Tianhai.

After he returned to the Qing Wang Mansion, Bai Ning霜 and Chu Yi crowded around, insisting on hearing about his visit to the An Guo Duke's Mansion, their curiosity overwhelming.

Chu Zhiyuan brushed them off with a couple of words, saying he needed to cultivate, and then mentioned the plan to go shopping together tomorrow afternoon and have dinner at Drunken Immortal Restaurant.

Bai Ning霜 and Chu Yi beamed upon hearing this.

As Chu Zhiyuan was talking to them, Feng Xi came in to report that the General of Kang's Mansion had sent a box of items, specifically for the Heir.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Bring it here."

Feng Xi quickly brought in a small box made of purple sandalwood. When opened, three Dragon Blood Pearls reflected in Chu Zhiyuan's smiling eyes.

His extrasensory perception had already seen the three Dragon Blood Pearls inside the box.

The Kang Guo Duke's Mansion was indeed wealthy and generous.

However, this Kang Guo Duke was not good at dealing with people. Since he was giving them, he only gave three Dragon Blood Pearls, he should have added something else at least.

Deep down, he still looked down on the Qing Wang Mansion.

Or perhaps, it was to avoid suspicion, to prevent the Emperor from misunderstanding.

Since he paid so much attention to the Emperor's opinion, the An Guo Duke's statement was not entirely correct. The Kang Guo Duke was not truly willing, and still harbored ambition.

He still held hope for Song Tianhai.

Chu Zhiyuan closed the box and bid farewell to Bai Ning霜 and Chu Yi, instructing Chu Yi not to be lazy before leaving.

She should practice the Minor Return to Origin Steps diligently.

"We've already practiced it very well," Chu Yi said discontentedly, "We practice especially fast with Sister Li."

Chu Zhiyuan sized her up.

Chu Yi puffed out her chest: "Sister Li will come later, you can come and see!"

"Forget it."

"Big Brother—!" Chu Yi immediately grabbed his arm: "Just watch for a little while, see what we need to improve."

Simply absorbing the aura of the Dragon Blood Pearls wouldn't make the marrow refinement progress so quickly, but with the aura of the Miraculous Spirit Pearl, the progress was more than three times faster.

In addition to the stimulation of the Flying Dragon Pearl, marrow refinement would probably be completed in about a month.

At that time, he would reach the Great Perfection of the Acquired Realm, and the Great Perfection of Marrow Refinement. Perhaps the path to Grandmaster could be found quickly, thus stepping into the Grandmaster Realm in one fell swoop.

The more he thought about it, the happier he became, and a smile appeared on his face.

He practiced the Dragon Transformation Art for a while, then the Jade Lock Golden Gate Art, alternating between the two with persistent effort to attack the last layer of the Jade Tower, without feeling monotonous.

This good mood lasted until he went to the Ministry of Rites in the morning the next day. As he was looking through that volume of files, Gao Lingfeng reported that an elder from the Chengxin Sect was requesting an audience.

Through his extrasensory perception, Chu Zhiyuan saw the Chengxin Sect elder outside, an old man with white hair and a youthful face.

He was not tall, dressed in a faded gray robe, simple and peaceful.

He had a kind of inexplicable approachable aura, as if he could get along with anyone, without a trace of sharpness around him.

A turtle was lying dormant in the void above his head.

The turtle was retracting its head and feet, only revealing its shell. The shell was crystal clear and lustrous, like carved from white jade, which was the White Jade Turtle Dharma Idol.

The Dharma Idol was clear, so his cultivation was above the third heaven of the Grandmaster Realm.

"Please come in," Chu Zhiyuan said.

Gao Lingfeng quickly led the gray-robed old man into the room.

After entering the room, the gray-robed old man clasped his fist: "This old man, Chu Yunxian, greets the Vice Minister."

Chu Zhiyuan clasped his fist: "Elder Chu is looking for this official, what is the matter?"

Chu Yunxian slowly took out a letter from his bosom, carefully unfolded it, and presented it with both hands: "This old man was entrusted to deliver a letter to the Vice Minister."

Gao Lingfeng stepped forward to take the letter and handed it to Chu Zhiyuan.

Zou Fang stepped forward to take the letter, carefully looked at it, and only after finding nothing unusual did she hand the plain paper inside the envelope to Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan sat behind the desk, took it, and scanned the plain paper. His expression gradually became solemn.

Chu Yunxian watched Chu Zhiyuan peacefully.

Chu Zhiyuan quickly finished reading, frowned and said, "What is said on this is all cloudy and misty, making me confused." Chu Yunxian smiled and said, "Does the Lord have anything he doesn't understand?"

"Using treasures in exchange, spiritual pills in some quantity, what kind of spiritual pills are they?" Chu Zhiyuan said, "Also, what do you want to exchange for?"

Chu Yunxian said, "Exchange for the things on He Jiuji's body."

"The relics of He Jiuji were stolen, is that your doing?" Chu Zhiyuan said coldly, "Chengxin Sect, what great courage you have!"

"The Lord has misunderstood," Chu Yunxian shook his head: "We are also investigating the theft of He Jiuji's relics."

"Then what is the relationship between He Jiuji and you?" Chu Zhiyuan said: "He was hired to kill Elder Bai Jingmang of the Zhenyi Sect, did you hire him?"

"Lord, we only asked He Jiuji to steal our things, not to have He Jiuji kill people."

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head: "The Chengxin Sect has a good reputation, but it is actually involved with He Jiuji, which makes people have to suspect whether your Chengxin Sect is deceiving the world and stealing its name."

Chu Yunxian was not provoked, and still maintained his peaceful composure, smiling and said, "The Lord is about to step into the Grandmaster Realm, right?"

"Still a little short."

"The Lord has peerless aptitude, so it shouldn't take too long. To become a Grandmaster, one must comprehend the path of the Grandmaster."

"Yes," Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

"If there are spiritual pills to assist, it will be easier to find the path of the Grandmaster."

"The Myriad Enlightenment Pill, right?"

"The Lord really knows, but in this world, in addition to the Myriad Enlightenment Pill, there are some treasures or spiritual pills that have the same effect, does the Lord know?"

"Oh?" Chu Zhiyuan pondered, smiled and said: "What other treasures and spiritual pills can be compared with the Myriad Enlightenment Pill?"

He already understood that Chu Yunxian had come to test whether he knew about the Miraculous Spirit Pearl.

To be able to quickly find him, the Nine Li God Sect really had some ability.

However, the Chengxin Sect was actually behind the Nine Li God Sect, this was the first time he knew, it should also be a secret.

"As far as this old man knows, there are the Spiritual Rhinoceros Pearl, the Viewing Clouds Pearl, and the Qi Immortal Grass."

"I haven't heard of any of them. Can they be exchanged at the Tianbao Division? How many merits do they each require?"

"These are all extraordinary objects from outside the world, not within the Tianbao Division."

"Then what is there to say!" Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "Alright, stop beating around the bush, this official doesn't have so much free time. If there's nothing else, leave."

"This old man has disturbed you greatly, I will take my leave."

"Don't bother," Chu Zhiyuan waved his hand, signaling Gao Lingfeng to send the person away.

When Gao Lingfeng returned, he saw Chu Zhiyuan staring at the plain paper with a playful look, and couldn't help but be curious: "Lord, who is it?"

Chu Zhiyuan handed it to him to read.

Gao Lingfeng swept his gaze over the signature at the bottom of the letter, and his expression changed slightly: "The Nine Li God Sect?!"

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "Lord Gao performed well, he didn't show any unusual expression."

When Chu Yunxian mentioned He Jiuji's relics, Gao Lingfeng didn't show any unusual expression, as if he didn't know about He Jiuji's relics.

Although Gao Lingfeng was upright, he wasn't without shrewdness.

Even without shrewdness, he would have it after several years of experience in the officialdom.

"What is on He Jiuji's body that is worth the Nine Li God Sect mobilizing? The Nine Li God Sect—." Gao Lingfeng's expression was uncertain.

Of course, he knew about the Nine Li God Sect, knew that their Four Great Demonic Sects were independent, not under the jurisdiction of the imperial court, and free.

This was also a source of chaos.

Over the years, there have been many criminals who have fled into the territory of the Four Great Demonic Sects, thus escaping the imperial court's pursuit.

The existence of the Four Great Demonic Sects was a challenge to the imperial court.

And the things personally pursued by the Nine Li God Sect were definitely not ordinary treasures.

He glanced at Chu Zhiyuan warily.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "Lord Gao also wants to know what this treasure is? Why not simply ask Chu Yunxian."

"Elder Chu Yunxian of the Chengxin Sect has a very great reputation," Gao Lingfeng shook his head: "He has a very high prestige in Yujing."

"Does the Chengxin Sect have a connection with the Nine Li God Sect?"

"As far as this subordinate knows, there isn't."

"Then is it a personal connection? Or is it hidden from the world?"

"—This subordinate will investigate!" Gao Lingfeng said solemnly.