Imperial Cultivation

Li Hongzhao snorted, "Let me give you a piece of advice, the Eastern Border isn't as weak as you think."

Chu Zhiyuan raised his sword-like eyebrows and smiled, "Does the Eastern Border have hidden masters?"

"What do you think?" Li Hongzhao scoffed, "Which of the four borders, east, west, south, and north, do you think is most suitable for hiding people?"

"...The Southern Border," Chu Zhiyuan said.

Li Hongzhao rolled her eyes at him and snorted, "The Southern Border is full of mountains, deep forests, and uninhabited areas. What would they hide there for? To live like savages?"

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Then the only one left is the Eastern Border."

The Northern and Western Borders are the areas of greatest concern to the imperial court, with large and disciplined garrisons, and are prone to war, so the army's combat power is astonishing.

The Eastern Border also has a garrison, but because there has been no war for many years, military discipline has long been lax and corrupt.

Such a place is a melting pot of people, the most suitable place to hide dirt and wickedness.

Li Hongzhao snorted, "You must know the true situation of the Eastern Border, right?"

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "Are you afraid I'll die?"

"I'm just afraid that you'll be ignorant and think the Eastern Border is a piece of cake, only to end up dying a violent death there."

"Heh heh..."

"No matter how powerful you are, as long as you underestimate your enemy, you might capsize in a gutter!"

"...If I die, you will also lose your whetstone, and the 'Phoenix Cry Piercing the Heavens' technique will stop progressing."

"Hmph, it's good that you understand!"

"It seems that your Great Meng indeed has spies in Jihai Town, and even in the Daliu Camp."

"...You fellow, you're really infuriating!" Li Hongzhao glared at him.

Her beautiful face was filled with a look of grievance and anger, as if her good intentions had been misunderstood.

Chu Zhiyuan remained unmoved and chuckled, "Your Highness, you're getting smarter now, and you even know how to use deception."

If he didn't understand her well enough, and couldn't judge whether she was telling the truth based on her subtle movements, he would indeed be confused by her.

Under the ultra-sensitive insight, he could see clearly whether her small movements were deliberate.

She is now getting more and more refined, and already knows how to mislead him through small movements.

But a person's movements are extremely complex, with one movement affecting all others, rather than being an isolated action.

Each mood and state of mind, the movement is composed of countless small movements.

It is impossible to notice every subtle detail of oneself, it requires vast mental power.

He has the Myriad Spirit Pearl and ultra-sensitivity, so he can see clearly, but others cannot.

Li Hongzhao can't.

By comparing the details, one can clearly understand which are deliberate small movements and what the real thoughts are.

This requires extreme understanding and familiarity with her.

Chu Zhiyuan has spent a lot of time observing and analyzing her, and is more than familiar with her.

Li Hongzhao cursed him inwardly for being cunning, but her beautiful face wore an expression of confusion and bewilderment: "What deception?"

"Haha..." Chu Zhiyuan laughed, "You've overplayed your hand and revealed your true colors?"

This was the experience she had summarized from several confrontations, she must not be moved by his words, otherwise she would lose control after a few words and expose everything.

This Chu Zhiyuan is a mixed bag, but extremely clever.

Every time she met him, she felt both a faint fear and excitement.

Afterwards, her cultivation would always improve a bit.

This led to her addiction, and she always wanted to find an opportunity to meet him and compete with him.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "If you don't want your Great Meng spies to die, then withdraw them quickly."

"...You're going to take drastic measures?" Li Hongzhao's bright eyes suddenly narrowed.

"Regardless of whether I suppress or appease," Chu Zhiyuan snorted, "I will never spare the person behind the scenes."

Li Hongzhao bit her pearly teeth and said slowly, "That's how it should be!"

Chu Zhiyuan smiled.

Li Hongzhao's bright eyes flickered, and she suddenly smiled, "The news of Consort Shu of Great Zhen passing away, you know about it, right?"

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Birth, old age, sickness, and death are inevitable."

Li Hongzhao stared at him intently, smiling brightly: "Do you feel happy? ... Cheng Miaozhen just got rid of you, and then suffered such a blow, you must be very happy inside, right?"

Chu Zhiyuan said, "I'm not so petty."

"Not petty? Hehehe..." Li Hongzhao suddenly laughed, her ample bosom shaking.

Chu Zhiyuan glared at her coldly.

"...Oh dear, Chu Zhiyuan, your skin is really too thick, you're too good at deceiving yourself," Li Hongzhao stopped laughing, her lotus face flushed: "It's really too ridiculous, laugh to death... Alright, alright, but this Consort Shu has come back to life, it's a fake death, it's really bizarre."

Chu Zhiyuan said, "A fake death isn't anything bizarre, is it?"

"Don't you think it's strange?"

"What's so strange about it?"

"...Chu Zhiyuan, you're not quite right," Li Hongzhao looked at him suspiciously.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Consort Shu's death is strange, I'm not right, is there anything normal in your eyes?"

"...Is it because of Cheng Miaozhen?" Li Hongzhao giggled, "Did Cheng Miaozhen hurt your pride?"

Chu Zhiyuan looked like he was too lazy to answer.

Li Hongzhao was puzzled: "Don't you think it's strange?"

Chu Zhiyuan didn't take it seriously: "It's nothing more than palace intrigue, scheming and plotting, what's there to talk about."

"...That's right," Li Hongzhao said, "It's nothing more than palace intrigue, it doesn't have much to do with us, but Cheng Miaozhen is miserable."

She shook her head and said, "She has never been favored since she was a child, and her older brother was sent to Wentian Cliff, and she relied on Consort Shu for life. She was sent to Great Jing to be married, and now her mother is dead, alas, truly alone and helpless... The most miserable princess is her."

Chu Zhiyuan smiled.

After she said that, Cheng Miaozhen did seem quite miserable.

He himself was miserable, being confined in the royal palace, but his family was together, making them closer and more intimate, and he didn't feel lonely.

Cheng Miaozhen was completely different.

Li Hongzhao said, "But fortunately, Consort Shu only faked her death and has come back to life."

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

"It seems that the Seventeenth Prince has also left Wentian Cliff and returned to Shenjing."

"The Seventeenth Prince..."

"The Seventeenth Prince has achieved success in his cultivation, and is now a Grandmaster."

"A Grandmaster is useless, right? Only a Great Grandmaster can change the situation."

"Being a Grandmaster at a young age means he will definitely reach the peak of the Grandmaster realm, and has the qualifications to compete for the throne. Cheng Miaozhen's status will also change accordingly."

Chu Zhiyuan slowly nodded.

Li Hongzhao's clear eyes glanced at him, smiling brightly: "You're quite unhappy, aren't you?"

Chu Zhiyuan snorted, "Can you talk about something serious!"

"This is the serious matter," Li Hongzhao said, "The Seventeenth Prince will definitely make trouble."

"And then?"

"He should come looking for you," Li Hongzhao said, "He can't do anything to the Great Zhen Emperor, so he will vent his anger on you."

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "What level Grandmaster is he?"

Li Hongzhao smiled, "He probably thinks you're at most at the fourth level, and will ask Cheng Tianfeng for your details, so he'll be more confident in defeating you and slapping your face."

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Don't worry, no matter how much he makes trouble, Great Jing and Great Zhen won't break off relations."

Li Hongzhao shook her head with a smile: "Then you underestimate the abilities of the Wentian Cliff disciples."

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Then we'll wait and see, bring on the food."

"...Hmph, bring on the food," Li Hongzhao glared at him and ordered resentfully.

The maid outside responded and quickly placed a table of dishes.

Chu Zhiyuan ate while engaging in a battle of wits and sharp words with her, arguing endlessly.

She occasionally looked out the window, and her bright eyes suddenly lit up, smiling, "What a coincidence!"

Chu Zhiyuan frowned.

He had already noticed that Gao Jiuqu was walking along the street and stopped in front of the Bright Moon Pavilion.

Then he stepped into the Bright Moon Pavilion and went up to the third floor.

Chu Zhiyuan pondered.

Li Hongzhao had already beckoned for the maid to go and invite Gao Jiuqu over.

After she left, she looked at Chu Zhiyuan with a smile: "If you're afraid to see him, it's not too late to leave now."

Chu Zhiyuan snorted: "You're afraid that he won't know that I'm meeting with you, right?"

To provoke the relationship between Great Jing and Great Zhen, she would never let go of this opportunity.