Imperial Cultivation

“The Cloud-Treading Iron Cavalry is strong, but it's not that much stronger than the Frostglaze Iron Cavalry or the Wind-Chasing Iron Cavalry,” Chu Zhiyuan said, his extrasensory perception constantly observing her: “The Great Meng has more iron cavalry?... Or are you saying, you have outside help?”

“Take a guess, maybe I'm just toying with you.”

“It seems you do have outside help.” Chu Zhiyuan nodded: “If it's outside help, only Great Zhen and us are bordering Great Meng, and the outside help isn't in this direction, so you're trying to divert our energy elsewhere.”

“Giggle giggle…” Li Hongzhao suddenly burst into laughter, swaying uncontrollably.

But she couldn't distract Chu Zhiyuan, his bright eyes fixed on her pupils with a smile. Her beautiful eyes held no laughter, only coldness.

Chu Zhiyuan chuckled: “I really guessed right.”

“Young Lord, you should be a storyteller; you'd definitely receive applause.”

“Your Highness regrets inviting me for this drink, doesn't she?” Chu Zhiyuan smiled: “Is it Great Lie?”

“Great Lie?” Li Hongzhao chuckled: “Great Lie is just a small place; how could it pose any threat to you?”

“Great Jian?” Chu Zhiyuan asked.

Li Hongzhao turned her phoenix eyes away, took a sip of wine, and sighed: “Having dinner with Young Lord is quite interesting; it's so amusing. I haven't laughed so heartily in a long time.”

Once the Young Lord is killed, Great Zhen will definitely retaliate by killing the Great Meng's Young Lord.

No matter how tight the defense is, if Great Zhen is willing to pay any price, they can still succeed in the assassination, which would set a bad precedent. The Young Lords of Great Meng, Great Zhen, and Great Jing combined aren't many; killing each other like this would quickly wipe them out.

No one wants that.

So killing the Young Lord is a taboo. Regardless of whether there is evidence, they won't act easily unless they are really colluding with an evil sect and using them as a scapegoat. But no one wants to touch the evil sects; they are all non-human monsters that everyone avoids.

When everyone thinks the target is Cheng Tianfeng, killing Mo Chunyu will be unexpected. Mo Chunyu probably didn't expect it either. Their goal isn't to break the alliance, but to weaken Great Zhen.

After all, the number of Grandmasters can be counted on two hands. Killing one has a huge impact on strength. To contain Great Jing and weaken Great Zhen.

Even more so, their target could also be Great Jing's Grandmaster!

Li Hongzhao glanced at him, looking helpless: “Chu Zhiyuan, don't talk nonsense. You, as a Grandmaster, don't know what price you have to pay to kill a Grandmaster.”

Chu Zhiyuan said: “Mobilizing four Grandmasters should be enough, right? The retaliation from Asking Heaven Cliff... Anyway, you're going to fight Asking Heaven Cliff, so what does it matter if they retaliate or not?”

“Killing a Grandmaster requires at least four Grandmasters,” Li Hongzhao said: “But Grandmasters aren't that easy to kill. Once they self-destruct, they can drag four Grandmasters down with them.”

Chu Zhiyuan said: “What about a sneak attack?”

“Wishful thinking!” Li Hongzhao said.

Chu Zhiyuan glanced around, cupping his fist towards the window to the left and apologizing with a smile: “Mr. Su, excuse me.” Across from the window, diagonally opposite, was also a restaurant, the Leisure Cloud Restaurant.

Inside a certain room in the restaurant, a middle-aged woman was sitting quietly, holding a book. She didn't seem to be there to eat, but to read for leisure.

Chu Zhiyuan even saw the book that this middle-aged female Grandmaster was reading, 《Nine Explanations of Constellations》, which talked about celestial phenomena. This ordinary-looking woman was the Great Meng's Grandmaster, Su Qiuyan.

Su Qiuyan had obviously heard what was happening here, saw Chu Zhiyuan's actions, put down the book, smiled, and then continued reading. Chu Zhiyuan breathed a sigh of relief.

The aura of a Grandmaster is extremely strong. He had just felt Su Qiuyan's dissatisfaction, and an overwhelming aura was faintly pressing down.

Li Hongzhao smiled: “Don't worry, Mr. Su won't kill you. Drink up.”

“Your Highness, please.” Chu Zhiyuan raised his glass. Both of them drank it in one gulp.

Li Hongzhao smiled charmingly: “Young Lord, if you have time, you might as well take a tour of our Great Meng and see our Great Meng's Tianjing.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded with a smile: “That would be great.”

Li Hongzhao regretted her words as soon as they left her mouth.

She shouldn't have invited Chu Zhiyuan to Tianjing.

This guy is a bit strange; he seems to be able to see through people's hearts, and his eyes are too sharp. One trip and he'd see through so many secrets.

Chu Zhiyuan said: “But Your Highness, don't worry. You know what kind of person I am.”

“That's true.” Li Hongzhao felt relieved and smiled.

Chu Zhiyuan is indeed afraid of death. Only when forced to the brink of despair will he muster enough courage to charge forward. So, under normal circumstances, he wouldn't go to Great Meng or risk going to Tianjing.

Chu Zhiyuan and Li Hongzhao then stopped talking much, only chatting about some trivial matters, such as the interesting things happening in Yujing City these days. Yujing City is too lively now, with countless things happening.

Chu Zhiyuan knew that she was afraid in her heart. He didn't bother to force her any further.

He had almost squeezed her dry. The matter of Great Lie was extremely important.

As for reminding Mo Chunyu, he could mention it.

He needed to see how the Surveillance Department was investigating the matter of Great Lie, and whether they would notice the strangeness of Great Lie because of the Great Lie's Young Lord. If he reminded them, it would give the imperial court more time to prepare, avoiding a sneak attack from Great Lie, which would be a great achievement.

When Chu Zhiyuan parted ways with Li Hongzhao and arrived at the Heavenly Treasure Department, it was already dusk.

The Heavenly Treasure Department was still very lively.

When Chu Zhiyuan left the Heavenly Treasure Department, it was already deserted and preparing to close.

A bright moon hung slanting in the sky.

He found an acquaintance in the Heavenly Treasure Department and asked, and indeed found a spiritual pill for strengthening the meridians. The Heavenly Treasure Department also had a spiritual pill similar to the Wind Riding Pill, called the Mortal Shedding Pill.

It didn't directly increase speed like the Wind Riding Pill, but comprehensively adjusted the body, cleansing the marrow and washing the bones. It was a first-grade pill.

Chu Zhiyuan left the Heavenly Treasure Department, walking on the streets that were even more bustling than during the day, walking in the noisy crowd, frowning as he thought about whether he could get a first-grade merit. His merits should be audited almost, could he reach the first grade?

He felt that he probably couldn't.

Then could he find a way to fleece the emperor again? As he pondered, he arrived at the Anguo Duke Residence.

In the back garden, the lights were brightly lit.

Xiao Ruoling had already changed into a white martial attire and was waving her sword in a small practice field. Chu Zhiyuan smiled.

Xiao Ruoling in a white martial attire was completely different from her usual quiet temperament. The usual robe covered most of her figure.

Now that she was wearing martial attire, one could see her explosive figure.

Slender legs, tall jade peaks, and a tightly pinched waist made her look strong and graceful, heroic and valiant, as if she were a different person. Xiao Ruoyu followed Chu Zhiyuan and also changed into a blue martial attire.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled: “What's your best sword technique? Why don't you show it to me.”

Xiao Ruoling stopped her long sword, standing upright, pretty and lively, her cheeks rosy and dewy.

“I just learned a set of sword techniques from my master today, the Inviting Moon Palace's Flower Between Moon Shadows Sword Art.” Chu Zhiyuan took a wooden sword from the weapon rack next to him, signaling Xiao Ruoling to attack him.

Xiao Ruoling waved her sword without hesitation, her figure flashing, and shadowy sword shadows enveloped Chu Zhiyuan, making it unpredictable.

Chu Zhiyuan thrust out a sword.

“Bang!” The sword shadows dissipated.

Chu Zhiyuan said: “Too slow.”

Xiao Ruoling shook her wrist, her arm was numb, causing half of her body to go numb. After recovering, she rushed up, conjuring a sword shadow again to envelop Chu Zhiyuan.

“Bang!” The sword shadow dissipated again.

Chu Zhiyuan said: “Still too slow.”

Xiao Ruoyu, who was watching from the side, was eager to try, and quickly said: “Sister, let me, let me, let's spar a few moves.”