Imperial Cultivation

Chu Zhiyuan cupped his fist in a smile.

The best way to deal with Chu Zhiyao's bluntness was to downplay it and deflect the force.

Chu Mingxuan waved his hand and said, "Alright, Fourth Brother is already at the Ministry of Rites. We can't just transfer him halfway... Third Brother, how long are you staying this time?"

As he spoke, he invited everyone to take their seats.

One after another, delicious dishes were brought up, all tempting in sight, smell, and taste. The moment that jar of medicinal wine was opened, a fragrance wafted out, a unique medicinal scent mixed in with the aroma of the wine.

Just a whiff of this medicinal fragrance invigorated the spirit.

Chu Zhiyuan revealed a smile.

This kind of medicinal wine was extremely beneficial to the Dragon Transformation Art, saving him a lot of hard work.

"This time... I'm afraid I'll have to rest for a while," Chu Zhiyao slammed the table. "Da Zhen is going to get serious this time!"

"Third Brother, is Da Zhen really going to form a marriage alliance with us?" Chu Zhichuan asked with a frown.

"Yes."

Chu Mingxuan was puzzled. "How could Father Emperor agree?"

"We'll join forces to deal with Da Meng first. The new emperor of Da Meng has just ascended the throne and is very ambitious. Joining forces with Da Zhen is perfect for cleaning up Da Meng!"

"Aren't you afraid Da Zhen will play tricks?"

"Of course, Da Zhen will have to show sincerity."

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Third Brother, you came back early. Do you have any mission?"

Chu Zhiyao wore a very unwilling expression, his face gloomy. "It's estimated that the Da Zhen envoy will propose a competition. There will be princes and heirs in their envoy."

"Hmm..., if there is a competition, it must be equal. The heir must compete with the heir." Chu Mingxuan knew this most basic rule, the principle of equality between countries.

If the heir in the Da Zhen envoy proposed a competition and exchange of skills, then Da Jing would naturally have to send out an heir as well.

Chu Zhiyao sneered. "Da Zhen has an heir who is a martial arts prodigy, Cheng Tianfeng. He entered the Innate Realm at the age of eighteen."

"He became Innate at eighteen? How old is he now?"

"Twenty-two," Chu Zhiyao said slowly. "Four years have passed. Who knows which level he has reached!"

"He hasn't reached Grandmaster, has he?" Chu Zhiting said.

Chu Zhiyao frowned and shook his head. "If he really became a Grandmaster at the age of twenty-two, his name would have spread throughout the world long ago. It's impossible for him to keep it a secret."

To become a Grandmaster at the age of twenty-two would be an unprecedented achievement. How could they let go of such news?

This would be a huge boost to the prestige of the entire Da Zhen royal family, uniting the army and uniting the people, with endless benefits.

"Then Third Brother, you should practice hard and conserve your energy," Chu Mingxuan said. "Win glory for our Da Jing!"

They understood the purpose of Chu Zhiyao's return.

Among the heirs of Da Jing, there are only three in the Innate Realm. Chu Zhiyao entered the Innate Realm the earliest and has experience in the army. He is stronger than the Sixth Heir, Chu Zhihua, so naturally, he has to respond to the challenge of the Da Zhen heir.

Chu Zhiyao sized up Chu Zhiyuan. "Fourth Brother, you should take my place in the challenge!... I will inform the Imperial Grandfather to change the person."

"Ah?... That's not right!" Chu Zhiyuan wore a surprised expression and waved his hands hastily.

"Why isn't it right?!" Chu Zhiyao snorted. "You are stronger than me, so naturally you are more qualified to accept the challenge!"

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head. "I am not as experienced in battle as Third Brother, and I lack experience. I am too inexperienced and cannot take on such an important task."

"You are stronger than me, that's enough!" Chu Zhiyao snorted.

Chu Zhiyuan still shook his head.

Chu Zhiyao frowned and his face darkened. "Don't you want to win glory and honor for our Da Jing Dynasty?"

Chu Zhiyuan said, "I'm afraid of losing face for Da Jing due to my lack of experience."

Chu Zhiyao stared at him, and said in a deep voice, "If you can really win, it will be a great achievement."

"Third Brother, how great is this achievement?" Chu Zhiting asked curiously.

The three of them had not interrupted all along.

Privately, they felt that the best candidate was indeed Chu Zhiyuan. Chu Zhiyuan's combat strength far exceeded his mental cultivation level.

But saying this directly would hurt Chu Zhiyao's face too much.

...

"At least a Seventh-Rank Merit, right?" Chu Mingxuan looked at Chu Zhiyao. "Isn't that right, Third Brother?"

Chu Zhiyao slowly nodded. "That's right, at least Seventh-Rank."

Chu Zhiting and Chu Zhichuan immediately had their eyes lit up.

A Seventh-Rank Merit was out of reach for them. Not to mention the Acquired Realm, even the Innate Realm could hardly establish a Seventh-Rank Merit.

Eighth-Rank Merit was already the limit for Innate experts.

A Seventh-Rank Merit could not only be exchanged for more powerful elixirs and divine weapons, but more importantly, it could lead to promotion.

The higher the position, the more opportunities to obtain merit, and the greater the merit that could be obtained.

Chu Zhiyuan just shook his head, but he was determined in his heart.

Now that he had shown crushing strength, the choice was already destined to be his, and it was not up to him and Chu Zhiyao to decide.

This matter was high-reward and also high-risk.

That Cheng Tianfeng had entered the Innate Realm four years ago. What if he was a genius like himself, or even more outstanding than himself?

Now he might even be at the Innate Perfection Realm.

Once defeated, he would lose face for Da Jing, and he would be condemned by thousands of people.

But it didn't matter to him.

Qing Manor had improved slightly, but if it failed, it would at most return to its original state. The loss was not that great. With his super-perception and aptitude, he would eventually be able to rise again.

If he won, he would obtain a Seventh-Rank Merit.

A Seventh-Rank Merit could at least be exchanged for dozens of Marrow Cleansing Pills, which would be of great help to his cultivation.

He could also gain great prestige, which would greatly enhance the status of Qing Manor.

What's more, during the time before the competition, it was possible to get huge support.

The emperor couldn't just ignore it and not use methods to promote his cultivation to fight out the prestige of Da Jing, right?

This was related to the face of Da Jing, and even related to the interests of Da Jing.

So this was an extremely rare opportunity.

This opportunity was almost in his hands.

So why not put on a high profile?

Chu Mingxuan coughed twice and said in a deep voice, "If this Cheng Tianfeng is so powerful, then Fourth Brother, you should go. This is not a matter of modesty."

The Great Snow Avalanche Sword Art was invincible in the Innate Realm. No one could stop it, it was too fast.

If others practiced the Great Snow Avalanche Sword Art, they could only use one sword strike, but he could use one sword strike after another, treating the Great Snow Avalanche Sword Art as an ordinary sword art.

Who could stop this?

Unless they were faster than him.

Even the Grandmasters were not necessarily faster than him in terms of sword speed.

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head. "Third Brother came back from thousands of miles away..."

Chu Zhiyao snorted. "It doesn't matter whether I work hard or not. The key is to win and win glory for our Da Jing Dynasty's royal family."

Chu Zhiyuan still shook his head with a smile.

Chu Zhiyao said, "I'll be an alternate. If there are other heirs, I can still respond to the challenge. In short, Da Zhen will definitely take the opportunity to make things difficult in order to gain an advantage in the negotiations... But this is also risky. If you lose, you will be a sinner!"

Chu Zhiyuan still shook his head.

"Fourth Brother, are you afraid? Are you afraid of losing face if you fail?" Chu Zhiyao suddenly sneered.

"... Alas--! Since that's the case, then I'll give it a try." Chu Zhiyuan looked at Chu Mingxuan and shook his head. "Tenth Uncle, I shouldn't have come tonight."

Chu Mingxuan smiled embarrassedly twice. "Fourth Brother, you have no problem!"

Chu Zhiyao's sneer turned into a smile, and he slapped Chu Zhiyuan hard on the shoulder. "This is my Chu clan's son!"

He then said solemnly, "Be prepared. The Da Zhen envoy will arrive in the next few days."

Chu Zhiyuan slowly nodded.

Chu Mingxuan raised his wine glass and greeted, "Come, let's first wish Fourth Brother a good start, a great victory over the Da Zhen heir, and raise the prestige of our Da Jing!"

"Yes, a great victory!"

Everyone raised their glasses and drank heartily.

Then they started eating the dishes and talking idly.

Chu Zhiting inquired about the affairs in the army.

He wanted to go to the army very much, but because of his father, he could not go to the army, so he was extremely eager and curious about the army.

Chu Zhichuan was also very curious about the situation in the army.

Chu Zhiyao asked them where they were going to go. When he heard that they were going to the Town Defense Division, he shook his head repeatedly. "Listen to my advice, don't go to the Town Defense Division, just go to the army!"

The two hesitated.

He looked at Chu Zhiting. "Ninth Brother, don't go under Tenth Uncle's command."

"Father doesn't allow it." Chu Zhiting said helplessly.

"... Then there's really no way." Chu Zhiyao said regretfully, "It's too easy to earn merit in the army, especially on the border. There's a small fight every three days and a big fight every ten days. It's non-stop."

Chu Zhiyuan listened thoughtfully.

Chu Zhiyao said, "I have already established ten Ninth-Rank Merits. How is that possible elsewhere? ... Fourth Brother, how is it in the Ministry of Rites?"

Chu Zhiyuan nodded. "The Ministry of Rites is indeed a clean department. There are not many opportunities to establish merit."

"There are also many opportunities to establish merit in the Town Defense Division." Chu Zhichuan said, "Third Brother, we have inquired. The Town Defense Division is also fighting all day long."

"That's much more dangerous than in the army." Chu Zhiyao said, "In the army, you are at least a guerrilla general. You don't have to rush to the front."

Chu Zhichuan blinked, not expecting these words to come from Chu Zhiyao's mouth. He felt very strange.

He originally thought that Chu Zhiyao was leading by example, but he didn't expect that he was hiding behind and taking credit.

Chu Zhiyao saw his thoughts and snorted, "Don't think that the guerrilla general doesn't do anything and just takes credit. You have to command the army. If the command is wrong and leads to the loss of soldiers, you will be beaten and even lose your head."

Chu Zhiting hurriedly echoed, "Yes, it's very difficult to be a general. If the command is wrong and hurts the subordinates, you will not only be punished, but you will also feel very painful and unable to be at peace."

He often heard his father say that kindness does not control soldiers. People who are too soft-hearted will often cry bitterly in the middle of the night when they dream back, and even sleep restlessly.

Thinking of those soldiers who wholeheartedly supported him and trusted him, but lost their lives because of his mistakes, they would feel guilty and painful, and they would never be able to let go.

So people who are not ruthless enough should not go to the army.

And his nature was inherently weak, and he was most unsuitable for the army.

So not letting himself go to the army was not only to avoid suspicion, but also because his nature was incompatible. The most suitable place was the Town Defense Division.

Subduing demons and eliminating evil was justified, and it was most in line with his nature.

Once it was in line with his nature, it would also help his cultivation.

If it violated his nature, even if he made many contributions in the army, and had many elixirs, it would be difficult to achieve cultivation, and it would be almost impossible to cross the Grandmaster, let alone the Grand Great Master.

Chu Zhiyuan brought the topic back to Cheng Tianfeng again, wanting to understand Cheng Tianfeng's true strength as much as possible.