Imperial Cultivation

“Please come in.” A clear, cold voice suddenly rang out.

Zou Fang's blood surged, his face flushed red, and he was already slightly injured. Chu Zhiyuan shook his head.

This attitude isn't very friendly. It seems communication won't be easy; some tactics will be needed.

I wonder if this is intentional or if he genuinely harbors dissatisfaction? Doing it on purpose might be to appear more normal.

This book is first published on 𝕥 𝕨 𝕜 𝕒 𝕟 . 𝕔 𝕠 𝕞.

Being assassinated in Da Jing would naturally lead to dissatisfaction with Da Jing's protection, so he vents his anger on me.

The dissatisfaction in his heart may also be genuine. He cupped his fist and said, "I'm disturbing you."

Gao Jiuqu, dressed in a dark green robe, elegant and refined, cupped his fist from afar: "Welcome, Your Highness! I apologize for not greeting you sooner!"

The guards stepped back to make way.

Chu Zhiyuan cupped his fist and smiled: "Brother Gao, how is His Highness?"

Gao Jiuqu cupped his fist towards the sky and then towards the direction of Da Zhen in the distance, solemnly saying, "Thanks to the blessings of Heaven and the Emperor, His Highness is fortunately unharmed."

Chu Zhiyuan raised his eyebrows.

He thanked Heaven and the Emperor of Da Zhen, but didn't mention Da Jing. This is clearly an insinuation, implying dissatisfaction with Da Jing's inadequate protection.

Chu Zhiyuan pretended not to hear the hidden meaning and smiled with cupped fists: "May I visit His Highness?"

"This..." Gao Jiuqu showed a troubled expression: "Your Highness, please forgive me, His Highness is emotionally unstable and has just fallen asleep; it's really..."

Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "Then how about this? I'll wait here for His Highness. I must personally inquire about His Highness's well-being, otherwise it would be too impolite."

Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "No need for such trouble. I'll just stay and wait for His Highness to wake up... Brother Gao, didn't you want to spar with swordsmanship? Do you still have the mood now?"

"Now that His Highness is safe and sound after surviving the ordeal, I can rest assured... Then I'll learn from Your Highness's swordsmanship."

"I've always wanted to experience the swordsmanship of Wentian Cliff," Chu Zhiyuan said with a smile.

Gao Jiuqu led the way, and Chu Zhiyuan followed behind. They soon arrived at the internal training ground of the Da Zhen Pavilion.

Thirty-odd guards and attendants swarmed over, forming a circle. Chu Zhiyuan took off his Bright Moon Saber.

Zou Fang stepped forward to take it and retreated to the side.

Chu Zhiyuan drew his Qingying Sword and smiled: "As for swordsmanship, I've dabbled in many styles, making it complex and impure. Brother Gao, are you practicing the Wentian Sword Art?"

The Qingying Sword was like a pool of autumn water under the sunlight, clear and pure. "Indeed, it's the Wentian Sword Art," Gao Jiuqu said solemnly.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "Specializing in one discipline, I admire that greatly. I can't stand the boredom of practicing only one style. My heart is restless and difficult to tame. I admire Brother Gao's dedication the most."

Gao Jiuqu smiled: "Your Highness, please!" "Chi!"

Chu Zhiyuan thrust out a sword, light and agile.

The people watching the excitement felt as if a rainbow hung in the sky, and an indescribable beauty welled up in their hearts.

While sidestepping to avoid the attack, Gao Jiuqu thrust out his sword, striking first and arriving later, aiming straight for Chu Zhiyuan's heart.

Chu Zhiyuan twisted his waist and moved diagonally, probing forward along the tip of the sword, getting close to Gao Jiuqu.

While retreating, Gao Jiuqu leaned back, avoiding a sword light swept out by Chu Zhiyuan. The cold tip of the sword brushed past his nose, only a palm's width away. The chill on the sword seemed to have seeped into his pores, making his whole body tense. Chu Zhiyuan was obviously holding back, not activating his sword aura, purely using swordsmanship. Otherwise, this would have already shaved off the tip of his nose.

Chu Zhiyuan continued to twist and step forward diagonally, shrinking his body to avoid Gao Jiuqu's sweeping sword as he leaned back, getting even closer to Gao Jiuqu.

Gao Jiuqu kept retreating, sweeping horizontally or diagonally.

Chu Zhiyuan continued to stick close, pressing forward step by step, his sword light almost always rising upwards. The surrounding people saw the brilliance in this.

Chu Zhiyuan was only using one move—the upward-sweeping sword.

Almost every step used the same footwork, and every move was the upward-sweeping sword. Yet, it forced Gao Jiuqu to constantly dodge, using different moves to evade.

Chu Zhiyuan said earlier that he practiced a variety of styles, while Gao Jiuqu practiced pure swordsmanship, but the actual situation was the opposite.

This had to be said to be a great contrast, making people wonder if they had switched people, if the two had been swapped.

They suspected that Gao Jiuqu was the one using the upward-sweeping sword, and Chu Zhiyuan was the one constantly dodging.

What everyone saw was Chu Zhiyuan constantly pressing forward, constantly sweeping upwards, forcing Gao Jiuqu to constantly retreat and dodge.

It seemed that Chu Zhiyuan had gained the advantage, seizing the initiative and overwhelming Gao Jiuqu.

However, Chu Zhiyuan understood Gao Jiuqu's strength. Although it was the same Wentian Sword Art, Gao Jiuqu's was completely different from Cheng Tianfeng's.

They were almost not the same swordsmanship.

Gao Jiuqu seemed to be able to predict the direction of the sword moves in advance, dodging ahead of time.

The Wentian Sword Art seemed to truly ask the heavens, seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune, and had already lasted for twenty-four moves.

If it were someone else, they would have been struck by the sword long ago.

His twenty-four upward-sweeping swords seemed to be the same sword, but they had already integrated several sets of swordsmanship.

The simple move contained exquisite skill, simplifying the complex and creating amazing power.

"Ding..." The jade pendant on Gao Jiuqu's waist suddenly flew up and turned into two halves in the air. Chu Zhiyuan sheathed his sword and stood up, smiling: "I concede!"

Gao Jiuqu reached out to take the falling two halves of the jade pendant and solemnly cupped his fist: "Good swordsmanship!"

"I once saw the Wentian Sword Art on Brother Cheng. Brother Gao, is your Wentian Sword Art so profound because you practiced the Wentian Secret Art?"

"Yes." Gao Jiuqu frankly admitted, smiling: "The Wentian Secret Art and the Wentian Sword Art complement each other, which can greatly enhance the power of the Wentian Secret Art, but it's still not as good as Your Highness's swordsmanship."

"I also took a shortcut, taking the initiative. If you had seized the initiative, Brother Gao, the result would have been different... How about another round?"

"This… … …"

Gao Jiuqu felt that it was in line with his own intentions, but he also felt a little embarrassed.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "We are mainly sparring, the victory or defeat doesn't matter, please!" "Your Highness's magnanimity, Gao admires!"

Before he came to Da Jing, he heard from Cheng Tianfeng that Chu Zhiyuan was arrogant, presumptuous, sharp-tongued, ruthless, and extremely vicious.

But the Chu Zhiyuan he saw with his own eyes was straightforward, open-minded, friendly, and peaceful. He was not the same person Cheng Tianfeng described at all.

Obviously, Cheng Tianfeng was exaggerating because he hated Chu Zhiyuan for being defeated by him.

Those who are used to looking down on everyone are inevitably so extreme.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "The Wentian Sword Art I saw from Brother Cheng was already extremely exquisite. Brother Gao, with the addition of the Wentian Secret Art, it's even more wonderful. It's indeed a rare swordsmanship in the world. Seeing it once is a wonderful enjoyment."

Gao Jiuqu smiled: "Please!"

"Brother Gao, please make the first move." Chu Zhiyuan raised his Qingying Sword solemnly.

Gao Jiuqu no longer stood on ceremony, stepping on strange footwork and flashing behind Chu Zhiyuan to thrust out a sword.

Chu Zhiyuan seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, reversing the sword tip and retreating diagonally.

While just avoiding Gao Jiuqu's sword, the tip of the sword had already stabbed towards Gao Jiuqu's brow, forcing Gao Jiuqu to change his move. Subsequently, Chu Zhiyuan retreated and reversed the stab, forcing Gao Jiuqu to only dodge.

One stab and one dodge, after another twenty-odd moves, Chu Zhiyuan stabbed Gao Jiuqu in the shoulder, breaking his clothes but not touching his skin.

The two stopped their swords.

Gao Jiuqu stood in place, lost in thought.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and looked at him, cupping his fist at the beautiful middle-aged woman who floated out: "Mister Zhu."

"His Highness invites you," Zhu Caifu said faintly.