Imperial Cultivation

What exactly are the identities of these two people?

Are they secret guards sent by Grandfather Emperor? Or spies from other mansions, or other unknown forces?

Just seeing them conceal their aura and hide their presence, fooling the guard captain Guo Chi and the personal eunuch Zou Fang, both grandmaster experts, one knows they possess top-notch aura concealment techniques, definitely not from ordinary forces.

They are currently tracking; if they were to launch a surprise attack, could Guo Chi and Zou Fang react in time? The current me wouldn't be able to withstand it.

Those old men in the restaurant were right; in this world, one's martial arts must be good.

Even if I am a future prince, I must diligently cultivate; I cannot completely entrust my life and death to others.

… …

It has been a year since breaking the mystery of the womb and awakening the memories of my previous life.

In my previous life, I was struck by a meteorite falling from the sky during a donkey trip, and when I woke up, I was already the imperial prince Chu Zhiyuan in this high martial world, and my five senses had mutated.

The range of perception of my five senses has greatly increased, as if I possess the divine ability to see the subtle and illuminate the obscure.

Inwardly, I can penetrate my own body, skin, muscles, fascia, bones, bone marrow, blood, meridians, acupoints, and even hidden apertures.

Outwardly, I can encompass a range of twenty zhang, seeing, hearing, tasting, and smelling everything.

I call it "Super-Sense."

The reason why I was able to advance from the seventh level to the ninth level of the acquired realm in one year is due to this clear and detailed inner observation.

The memories of my previous life and the memories of this life are completely fused and indistinguishable from each other; I am both Chu Yuan of my previous life and Chu Zhiyuan, the heir of Prince Qing in this life.

The Qing Royal Mansion is in decline, but a starving camel is still bigger than a horse. As the only heir of Prince Qing, even if I lie flat and do nothing, I can still inherit the title of prince and live a life of luxury.

But I understand that other things can be put aside, but martial arts cultivation must be grasped tightly.

Grandmaster guards are not necessarily foolproof; it would be a great injustice to be assassinated when such rare wealth and honor are bestowed upon me.

Moreover, the higher the cultivation realm, the longer the lifespan.

The innate realm has a lifespan of one hundred and twenty years, the grandmaster realm two hundred, and the grand grandmaster realm starts at three hundred years.

Three days ago, the Great Jing Emperor issued an edict lifting the thirty-year ban on the Qing Royal Mansion and allowing me, the heir, to cultivate in the Mingwu Hall.

The Mingwu Hall is a place for princes and heirs to practice martial arts, containing marvelous skills and secret techniques, and taught by grand grandmasters. It is a coveted opportunity for martial artists all over the world.

The Little Purple Sun Formula I practice is a secret tradition of the imperial Chu family and is the most top-notch acquired skill in the world.

To practice the innate skill, the Great Purple Sun Formula, one must go to the Mingwu Hall.

Moreover, after reaching the perfection of the acquired realm, to step into the innate realm, one must break through three barriers and needs to practice specialized barrier-breaking secret techniques. The Mingwu Hall has the most top-notch barrier-breaking secret techniques.

Having entered the Mingwu Hall, with both top-level marvelous skills and secret techniques and guidance from famous teachers, I am somewhat impatient.

… …

The Qing Royal Mansion occupies an area of five hundred acres, about six hundred meters long and wide.

The front of the mansion is deserted, without a single guest.

A royal mansion with such a desolate entrance is unique in the entire Jade Capital City.

Seeing Chu Zhiyuan approaching slowly from afar, the guards immediately straightened their bodies and saluted solemnly.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded lightly, as if he didn't see their laziness.

The royal mansion is in decline, and the guards and servants of the royal mansion naturally lack energy and spirit, which cannot be eliminated by strict discipline.

These guards are decadent and lazy, but they are all one-in-a-million innate experts and are the cornerstone of the royal mansion's safety, so they cannot be too harsh.

… …

Chu Zhiyuan stood under the steps, looked at the royal mansion's gate and lanterns, and shook his head: "Has the Department of Internal Affairs not come yet?"

Zou Fang said softly: "Young Master, the Department of Internal Affairs replied that it will take another two days."

Chu Zhiyuan said indifferently: "It's been a month, right?"

"… … Yes." Zou Fang nodded lightly, a layer of cyan flashed across his face, suppressing his anger.

The Department of Internal Affairs is responsible for repairing the residences of the imperial family. The Qing Royal Mansion asked the Department of Internal Affairs to repaint the doors, windows, and tiles a month ago, and replace the lanterns and other things together.

The Department of Internal Affairs readily agreed, but said that there were limited craftsmen, who were still busy elsewhere and needed to wait two days.

Two days and then two days, it has been delayed for a month.

He knows the reason; it is obvious that they were cut in line. These people in the Department of Internal Affairs are notoriously opportunistic, but he didn't expect them to be so bold.

No matter how declining the Qing Royal Mansion is, it is still the royal mansion of a prince. They dare to be so negligent, it can only be said that these people in the Department of Internal Affairs really deserve to be taught a lesson!

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, exhaled a mouthful of turbid air, stepped up the steps and entered the side door of the royal mansion, and after passing the Pine and Crane Longevity screen wall, there was a wide lotus pond.

The pond water comes from a hot spring, and a misty fog is like a thin veil rolling on the surface of the water, with pavilions and towers above, where one can view lotuses and admire fish.

A chubby old man with white hair and beard floated over lightly as if his feet did not touch the ground, cupping his fists and saluting: "Young Master."

Chu Zhiyuan did not stop walking: "Where are Father and Mother Consort?"

Guard Captain Guo Chi has already stepped down.

Zou Fang saluted Feng Xi, the white and fat chief steward of the royal mansion.

"The Prince is speaking with Grandmaster Li Mohuai in Yunguang Pavilion."

"Father has finally invited this master painter to the royal mansion, fulfilling his wish… Where is Mother Consort?"

"The Princess Consort just returned from the palace and is in the back garden."

"No one came to the mansion today either, right?"

"… … No." Feng Xi shook his head.

Chu Zhiyuan spoke while walking without stopping.

The Qing Royal Mansion has been unbanned for three days, but no one has visited, which is very embarrassing.

In another two days, I'm afraid it will spread throughout the entire Jade Capital.

He waved his hand, indicating that Zou Fang did not need to follow, and walked alone through several courtyards to the lush back garden.

The hot springs keep the trees and flowers still vibrant.

The clear lake actually has a bit of a vast atmosphere, with wisps of white air steaming on the surface of the lake, and pavilions and towers scattered on the lake.

"Zheng zheng… …"

The sound of the zither is coming from a waterside pavilion.

He stepped into the lakeside corridor and followed its winding path to the waterside pavilion.

Two maidservants, both with captivating beauty, stood outside the pavilion, offering a graceful curtsy and welcoming smiles to Chu Zhiyuan.

One smiled demurely, the other with a charming innocence.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded slightly and entered the pavilion.

A woman in a lotus-root-colored palace dress was bowing her head and playing the zither.

On her dark, glossy temples, a golden hairpin swayed gently.

The lotus-root-colored palace dress was woven with strands of gold thread, which shimmered subtly with each movement, revealing its extravagance.

Her jade hand abruptly pressed down on the strings, and the zither music came to an abrupt halt.

She raised her head to look at Chu Zhiyuan.

Her face was like a lotus blossom, with slender eyebrows and phoenix eyes, the corners of her eyes hinting at a sharp determination.

It was Princess Consort of Qing, Bai Ning霜.

“Mother,” Chu Zhiyuan said with a smile, “Don’t get upset and ruin your health. It’s not worth it.”

The zither music was filled with resentment and unwillingness.

Because he had awakened the mystery within the womb, and had not transmigrated to replace the original body, his past life was him, and this life was also him, without affecting his familial ties.

Because they had been confined to the estate, the four members of their family were even closer.

“Zheng!”

Bai Ning霜 swept the zither strings fiercely with her delicate fingers, and said resentfully, “Why would I be angry? I expected these ungrateful people long ago!”

Chu Zhiyuan sat down on an embroidered stool that a maidservant had brought over and said with a smile, “Mother, think more positively. Things are much better now than before. We can come and go freely. We’ve always lived our own lives behind closed doors, so why bother with others?”

Bai Ning霜 snorted, “I’d rather be confined to the estate than suffer this humiliation!”

“Did you run into other princesses in the palace?”

“They all acted like they didn’t see me, infuriating me!”

“……”

“Thirty years ago, they were very affectionate, but now they’re turning their backs on me!”

“And those palace maids and eunuchs, they all have such arrogant expressions, those who rely on their master's power to bully others!”

“Mother, you didn’t lose your temper, did you?” Chu Zhiyuan asked with a smile.

This sounded exaggerated, an overreaction born of sensitivity. Even the boldest eunuchs and palace maids wouldn’t dare to show disrespect to a prince or princess.

“I’m not that stupid! … It’s just that the more I think about it, the more suffocated I feel!”

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head.

In a place like the imperial palace, a stage for fame and fortune, it was inevitable that people would fawn on the powerful and step on the weak.

“Yuan’er, when you go to the Mingwu Hall, work hard,” Bai Ning霜 said with a snort, “Don’t be like your father, a pushover who doesn’t offend anyone. If you can suppress them, then suppress them fiercely!”

In the eyes of outsiders, a carefree prince living a life of leisure was enviable, but little did they know that princes were also divided into different classes, and those at the bottom were also subjected to humiliation and harbored a stomach full of bitterness.

To escape the bottom tier, one had to seize power, and the source of power lay with the Emperor.

The Emperor valued martial arts highly. As a grandson of the Emperor, the quickest way to gain favor was through martial arts cultivation.

Yuan'er was a martial arts prodigy. At the age of twenty, he had reached the perfection of the Houtian realm, and he had achieved this through his own exploration. He would definitely catch the Emperor’s eye.

But after a serious illness a year ago, Yuan'er had become calm and mature, losing his sharp edge.

After entering the Mingwu Hall, he would definitely think that Qing Wang Estate was now weak and that it was better to be discreet and bide his time, not to offend those princes and grandsons.

“Alright, I’ll listen to Mother,” Chu Zhiyuan said with a smile, nodding.

Bai Ning霜 snorted, “I’ve seen through it. The more you show weakness, the more you’ll be bullied.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded in agreement and offered a few more words of comfort.

“Yuan’er,” Bai Ning霜 suddenly lowered her voice, “Your Imperial Grandmother told me some news.”

“Oh?” Chu Zhiyuan asked with a smile.

His Imperial Grandmother was the birth mother of his father, Chu Minghou, Consort Rou.

Thirty years ago, people respected the son because of the mother, and the son was valued because of the mother.

Thirty years later, people respected the mother because of the son, and the mother was valued because of the son.

Chu Minghou was the third son. If he hadn’t been unable to practice martial arts and had no status, Consort Rou would have long become a noble consort or even an imperial noble consort.

With Qing Wang Estate sealed, her life in the palace was also difficult.

Therefore, as soon as the estate was unsealed, Bai Ning霜, as the daughter-in-law, couldn’t wait to enter the palace to visit her, going there every day with endless things to say.

Bai Ning霜 glanced at both sides.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled at the maidservants and waved his hand to dismiss them.

Bai Ning霜 watched them close the pavilion door before lowering her voice and saying, “Your Imperial Grandmother said that there is a Jade Lock Golden Gate Art in the Mingwu Hall, a secret method created by the Emperor himself to break through barriers.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, “Imperial Grandfather was the strongest genius of the Chu clan in history. It’s not surprising that he created a secret technique.”

“Your Imperial Grandmother said that this secret technique was created by the Emperor by integrating ancient miraculous arts. It can be said to be an extremely powerful method for breaking through barriers.”

Chu Zhiyuan frowned slightly.

After reaching the perfection of the ninth level of Houtian, one had to break through the three hidden barriers of Weilu, Jiaji, and Yuzhen in order to truly connect the bridge between heaven and earth and enter the Xiantian realm.

Secret techniques for breaking through barriers were extreme and dangerous methods. One wrong move could lead to cultivation deviation, so practitioners often sought stability, preferring slow progress over haste.

The Emperor was a rare genius in the world. It was not surprising that he created a miraculous art, but the completion of a technique required time and the accumulation of wisdom.

This was like the development of drugs in his previous life, which required testing and modification on a sufficient number of people.

This secret technique might be suitable for Emperor Chu Qingquan, but not necessarily for others. It might be a miraculous art for Chu Qingquan, but it might be fatal to others.

“Has anyone practiced this secret technique?”

“In the beginning, some people wanted to practice it, but they couldn’t, so later no one practiced it anymore. Everyone was tight-lipped about it, never mentioning it. If your Imperial Grandmother hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t even have known about it.”

Chu Zhiyuan was thoughtful.

The princes and grandsons must have suspected that there was something wrong with this secret technique, but they couldn’t say it, nor could they show this suspicion, so as not to anger the Emperor.

Not mentioning it and pretending not to know was the best way.

“If you can master this Jade Lock Golden Gate Art, you will definitely gain the favor of your Imperial Grandfather! … Yuan’er, you are a martial arts prodigy. Others may not be able to practice it, but you may be able to.”

“… Alright, Mother, I’ll try to practice it,” Chu Zhiyuan said with a smile, but in his heart, he didn’t think much of it.