Imperial Cultivation

“Today, the Emperor flew into a rage during the court assembly, complaining about the uselessness of those senior officials responsible for negotiating with the Great Zhen envoy.”

“They really are…”

Chu Zhiyuan really wanted to say they were useless, but these words shouldn't come from his own mouth. After all, they were important officials of the court, the cream of the crop.

How could they be useless?

It was only because their interests differed that they seemed hesitant and entangled, making people anxious.

Ultimately, it was because the Great Jing was currently in a precarious situation.

Through the information from the Surveillance Department, Chu Zhiyuan knew that Great Zhen and Great Meng were also engaged in secret warfare.

Great Jing, Great Zhen, and Great Meng stood in a tripartite balance, bordering each other and constantly restless, with give and take, waxing and waning.

Great Meng was weak in the beginning, and Great Jing and Great Zhen both took advantage of it, but now that Great Meng had risen, Great Zhen and Great Jing were the unlucky ones.

They could only blame the two countries for not working together to completely subdue Great Meng back then.

If there hadn't been infighting between the two countries, Great Meng wouldn't have had the opportunity to rise, but unfortunately, time cannot be reversed, and there are no regrets in this world.

Great Meng is too strong now.

The Iron Cavalry of Trampling Clouds is invincible.

What can be done now is for the two dynasties to unite and resist Great Meng.

“The Emperor has spoken,” Xiao Youping stroked his beard and smiled, “Your marriage doesn't need to be too hasty, you can take your time.”

“That couldn't be better,” Chu Zhiyuan said with a smile.

But he didn't completely relax.

Great Zhen is determined not to change its mind, either the talks will break down, or they will compromise, it just depends on who is more willing to go all out.

Right now, it seems that Great Jing is less willing to go all out.

Xiao Youping said, “I heard that Huang Shirong of White Cloud Sword Palace has already entered the Grandmaster realm, a Grandmaster at the age of twenty-three—

The first time in history!”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded slightly.

Xiao Ruoyu said in surprise, “A Grandmaster at the age of twenty-three? Has Miss Huang really become a Grandmaster?”

“This Miss Huang is usually very low-key, not showing off her talents, but she actually became a Grandmaster at the age of twenty-three,” Xiao Youping said with emotion, “This can also boost the morale of my Great Jing.”

He speculated that the Great Zhen envoy was extremely optimistic about the future of the Fourth Prince, believing that he would become a Great Grandmaster.

If the Prince becomes a Great Grandmaster, he can retreat and become an important official, having a significant impact on the court, or he can advance and become the next emperor.

Such a Prince becoming the Great Zhen's consort would be extremely beneficial to Great Zhen.

Pillow talk has always been extremely powerful.

If the Great Zhen princess becomes the Empress, the impact will be even greater.

The Emperor is a lonely man, but he also has feelings. Even a slight influence can have a great impact on the two countries.

Chu Zhiyuan said, “The White Cloud Sword Palace's prestige will greatly increase this time.”

“Inevitably,” Xiao Youping said, “But fortunately, the current Four Great Sects are connected to the imperial court, inseparable from each other. If the White Cloud Sword Palace is strong, then the imperial court is strong.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded slightly.

Before parting, Chu Zhiyuan transmitted a message to Xiao Ruoling, telling her to seize the time to cultivate, consolidate her realm, and heal her injuries as soon as possible.

Forcibly breaking through the Jade Tower caused damage to her meridians.

However, even if the Duke's mansion is declining, its cultivation foundation far surpasses that of the Prince Qing's mansion. There is no shortage of elixirs for healing injuries, and she will soon recover.

After Chu Zhiyuan returned to the Prince's mansion, he was once again pulled aside by Bai Ningshuang and Chu Yi for a barrage of questions.

Where did you go today, what did you buy, what did you eat, is Xiao Ruoling unhappy about anything, and what else should you pay attention to?

Chu Zhiyuan made a few perfunctory remarks and suggested that he wanted to seclude himself for cultivation, then returned to Listening Waves Courtyard.

Just as he returned to Listening Waves Courtyard, Liang Guanjie returned to report,

“Your Highness, after that Song Tianhai went back, he was thoroughly beaten up, and he's completely bedridden.”

“Oh—?”

“Duke Kang found out that he had sneaked out and was furious. Moreover, he had also drunk a little wine today, so he went on a drunken rampage. If he hadn't drunk wine, he wouldn't have gotten so angry.”

“Drank wine…” Chu Zhiyuan revealed a playful smile.

Song Tianhai was acting crazy under the influence of alcohol at the time, and as a result, Duke Kang also gave him a lesson under the influence of alcohol. This was really a coincidence, and quite ironic.

Liang Guanjie chuckled and said, “This time, Song Tianhai was beaten very badly. Not only did he vomit blood, but he also couldn't move. Even so, he was still directly sent out of the Duke's mansion and set off overnight to the northwest border.”

Liang Guanjie said, “Your Highness, should we continue to follow him?”

“Forget it,” Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, “Has that informant in the Duke Kang's mansion been exposed?”

Liang Guanjie smiled and said, “Informing will definitely result in a beating. Song Tianhai was quite righteous and protected him, so he wasn't kicked out of the mansion.”

“Continue to keep him,” Chu Zhiyuan said, “You never know when he might come in handy.”

“Yes.”

Liang Guanjie saw Chu Zhiyuan pick up his teacup and tactfully excused himself and left.

Chu Zhiyuan began his seclusion, staying deep within Listening Waves Courtyard and cultivating diligently.

Either circulating the Great Violet Sun Formula and the Jade Lock Golden Gate Formula, or refining the fourth level of the Dragon Transformation Formula.

The Jade Lock Golden Gate Formula is a slow and steady process, impacting again and again.

With the blessing of the Dragon Blood Pearl, the Wonder Spirit Pearl, and the Flying Dragon Pearl, the marrow refinement layer is constantly accelerating.

Chu Zhiyuan wanted to speed up the process through such concentrated cultivation.

Only by entering the Grandmaster realm would he truly have the power to protect himself. Relying solely on guards felt somewhat lacking and insecure, and he was also constrained in his actions, not even daring to go to the outer city.

The Heavenly Origin Formula and the Earthly Origin Formula were used in rotation, always maintaining abundant energy.

When he was hungry, he would have Mo Yi and the others bring him something to eat. When he was thirsty, he would drink water. He persevered without rest, always in a state of cultivation.

This time, he clearly saw the changes in the Wonder Spirit Pearl.

Every midnight, the jade liquid inside the Wonder Spirit Pearl would suddenly fill up, no matter how much was consumed during the day, it would instantly return to fullness.

Under Ultra-Sense, everything was illuminated and understood.

At the moment midnight arrived, a strand of white thread descended from the void, piercing straight into the Wonder Spirit Pearl.

This white thread was both illusory and real, resembling the smoke rising from sandalwood.

The white smoke of sandalwood rises vertically, while it was upside down, descending from the void.

Both were thin and continuous, endlessly stretching.

Chu Zhiyuan watched the white smoke in surprise, but unfortunately, the white smoke led directly to the void above, far beyond the range of Ultra-Sense's observation.

Not to mention that Ultra-Sense was only a little over one hundred and twenty meters now, even if it were one thousand two hundred meters, it would probably be far from reaching its source.

This Wonder Spirit Pearl is indeed magical, worthy of being an object from beyond the heavens.

Then, based on this thin line, could he find its origin?

Is there really a heaven beyond the heavens?

Staring at the Wonder Spirit Pearl, countless questions floated in Chu Zhiyuan's mind, but none could be answered.

He would observe it every midnight.

Since there was no way to trace its origin, then he would look at its composition, what kind of aura it was, to have such wonderful effects.

But Ultra-Sense was blocked by an invisible force, just like how he couldn't probe into the Wonder Spirit Pearl at the beginning.

He still didn't give up and would probe every midnight.

The efficiency of secluded cultivation was far better than usual.

Such tireless cultivation, the progress was more rapid than he imagined.

On the evening of the fifth day, when the third Dragon Blood Pearl had already faded, and there wasn't much left, he suddenly heard a dragon's roar in his ear.

The dragon's roar shook the heavens and the earth, filling every part of the world, omnipresent.

He felt dizzy and his vision blurred, and a golden giant dragon appeared before his eyes.

The golden giant dragon was about a hundred meters long, its dragon scales were as large as a person, emitting dazzling golden light, and the scales were covered with strange patterns.

The dragon's eyes were like basin-sized glass beads, flashing with five-colored light, the faint five-colored light seemed to ignite his soul.

Then, his soul began to burn.

He was as if he was in a sea of ​​fire, as if he had fallen into molten lava, his whole body was in unbearable pain, he wanted to scream but couldn't make a sound.

Sweat quickly poured out and soaked his body, as if he had been fished out of the water.

At this moment, Ultra-Sense was still illuminating the present.

The pain was unbearable, but he still remained calm, illuminating every change inside and outside his body.

Under Ultra-Sense, he found that his face was twisted and ferocious, his back and spine were bulging, and each bulge was like a row of stakes, ready to break through the skin and crack out.

The purple-gold bone marrow was being reorganized, and some small bones were added between the bones, making the bones much thicker than before.

The bone marrow had already turned into purple-gold, as if gold had been melted into golden juice and then mixed with charcoal powder, becoming thick and heavy.

The skin and flesh had not changed much, only the blood had become three points more scarlet, and the speed of its flow in the body had greatly increased.

A moment later, another earth-shattering dragon roar echoed in his mind.

He slowly opened his eyes.

A series of cracking sounds rang out.