Imperial Cultivation

Xu Haode asked, "Did the imperial court agree?"

Chu Zhiyuan nodded and said, "The imperial court's thousand Stepping Cloud Iron Cavalry will be at my disposal, cooperating with the destruction of the Evil Sect's main altar."

The truly useful ones are the Stepping Cloud Iron Cavalry; those Imperial Guards are just there to gain merit, gilded.

They cannot be entrusted with truly dangerous tasks, so they cannot be considered useful people.

"A thousand Stepping Cloud Iron Cavalry—" Xu Haode smiled: "Not very useful, but having the imperial court's attitude is much better."

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "The Stepping Cloud Iron Cavalry are still very useful; the power of their military formations is immense."

Xu Haode was skeptical.

He knew military formations were powerful, but these Stepping Cloud Iron Cavalry couldn't all be Grandmaster experts.

One Grandmaster expert could be worth dozens of Innate experts.

These thousand Stepping Cloud Iron Cavalry, combined, could only be worth a dozen Grandmasters.

A dozen Grandmasters together wouldn't be a threat to the Evil Sect's main altar's grand formation.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "It seems, Mr. Xu, you haven't witnessed the power of the Stepping Cloud Iron Cavalry."

Xu Haode shook his head.

He had never been in the military and had never fought on the battlefield.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "For breaking formations, they are more effective than martial arts experts."

Xu Haode said, "Then I'll wait to witness their power. I'm leaving now."

Who would have thought that Xu Haode, this successor of the Evil Emperor, would be so enthusiastic about killing the Evil Sect's demonic people?

Xu Haode's cultivation was also improving, and killing the Evil Sect's demonic people was also greatly beneficial to him.

Just like himself.

The setting sun cast its last rays.

The Tianjing City in the twilight became even more bustling.

Chu Zhiyuan and the three women left the Sifang Inn and found a restaurant to sit down.

The four of them sat on the first floor of the Feixue Tower, at a table near the window.

"The imperial court's negotiations are progressing too slowly; who knows when they'll be finished?" Shen Hanyue complained, "We can't stay here forever, can we?"

Xiao Ruoling said, "Don't be anxious."

"Senior Sister, the sect's affairs can't all be handled here; some are very urgent."

"Sister Shen, there's a way," Xu Yingying said with a smile.

Shen Hanyue glanced at her sideways: "I don't need you to tell me."

"I insist on saying it," Xu Yingying smiled, "which is for you to go back first."

"I knew you wouldn't say anything good!" Shen Hanyue snorted: "I want to be with Senior Sister."

"Sister Xiao wants to be with the Prince," Xu Yingying said with a smile.

Xiao Ruoling blushed and scolded, "Yingying!"

Xu Yingying giggled: "What's there to hide? You're engaged already; there's nothing wrong with wanting to be together."

Chu Zhiyuan coughed lightly: "Someone's coming."

The three women closed their red lips and looked at the approaching young woman.

It was a beautiful young woman with bright eyes, curiously looking at Chu Zhiyuan: "Are you the Fourth Prince?"

Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "This young lady is—?"

"This little girl is Miao Xiuyue, greetings to the Fourth Prince."

"Miss Miao, you don't need to be so polite," Chu Zhiyuan clasped his fist in return and smiled: "I wonder what brings you here?"

He saw at a glance that this was a disciple of the Phoenix Sword Sect, young but already at the Great Perfection of the Innate Realm, about to step into the Grandmaster Realm.

Behind her were several gazes following her, from a table not far away with six young men and women.

"This little girl wants to ask if the White Rainbow Style of Senior Brother Zhao Rongfei of the Golden Saber Sect was taught by the Prince?"

"...It is."

Chu Zhiyuan pondered for a moment and nodded in admission.

"This White Rainbow Style is extremely powerful," Miao Xiuyue praised: "Is there only this one style?"

"This one style is enough, isn't it?" Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "If this one style can't achieve anything, the remaining styles will be the same."

"Then how many styles are there in total?"

"There are nine styles in total," Chu Zhiyuan said: "But they are just variations; the power is the same."

In his opinion, this move wasn't the strongest; it hadn't even used the Way of Illusion and Reality, and it could even combine the Way of Speed and Slowness with the Way of Illusion and Reality.

"As expected of the Prince," Miao Xiuyue praised.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "Miss Miao, your sect's swordplay is already strong enough; His Majesty's swordplay is top-notch."

"You saw through it?" Miao Xiuyue said in surprise: "Do you recognize me?"

Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "The disciples of the Phoenix Sword Sect are easy to recognize."

Among the Four Great Sects, he was most familiar with the Phoenix Sword Sect's inner cultivation method.

Miao Xiuyue said, "Then I won't disturb the Prince any longer; this little girl will take her leave."

She clasped her fist in salute and turned to leave.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and clasped his fist in return.

Shen Hanyue said, "It seems Zhao Rongfei has made a name for himself."

Chu Zhiyuan said, "That one style should be able to defeat the true disciples of the same generation."

Shen Hanyue said, "Using only that one saber technique?"

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

Shen Hanyue said, "What kind of saber technique is this? Have I ever heard of it?"

"A move I comprehended myself; let's call it the White Rainbow Style for now," Chu Zhiyuan said: "I've comprehended a total of nine moves; their power is still acceptable."

Now, he no longer needs moves to kill; he only uses the saber soul.

After he comprehended this saber technique, it was shelved, which was a pity, a hidden gem.

They should shine in the world.

Zhao Rongfei using the White Rainbow Style and shocking the younger generation of disciples of the Four Great Sects can be considered as making a name for it.

"I'll witness it when we get back," Shen Hanyue said curiously.

Xu Yingying also looked at him eagerly.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and nodded.

He suddenly raised his head.

A white shadow shot in through the window, heading towards Xiao Ruoling.

Xiao Ruoling reached out and caught it.

Resting in her jade palm was a jade-white little bird.

The size of a swallow.

Its feathers were flawlessly white, without a single stray feather, gleaming with a gentle luster, as if carved from white jade.

It was extremely spirited, its eyes bright, curiously looking at Chu Zhiyuan.

Xiao Ruoling took down the bamboo tube from its snowy-white claws and took out a small piece of demon crystal from her sleeve and handed it to it.

It pecked lightly, and a small piece of the demon crystal was missing; then it pecked again, and another small piece was missing; after seven pecks, it ate the entire piece of demon crystal.

Chu Zhiyuan praised.

Demon crystals are extremely hard, as hard as gemstones.

This little fellow's beak is no different from a precious sword.

Shen Hanyue furrowed her brow: "Using the Snow Feather means it's the most urgent news."

Xu Yingying looked at Xiao Ruoling curiously.

Xiao Ruoling handed the note to Shen Hanyue, who looked at Chu Zhiyuan after reading it.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "You should go back first; there won't be any results here for a while."

Xiao Ruoling furrowed her brow.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "I can't run away; you can come back as soon as you've dealt with things."

"...Alright, then we'll leave right away," Xiao Ruoling nodded lightly.

Shen Hanyue looked at Xu Yingying.

Xu Yingying snorted: "Fine, fine, I'll go with you too."

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and nodded.

Shen Hanyue sighed: "Once we go back, our cultivation will slow down again."

Being by Chu Zhiyuan's side these past few days, with him judging the lunar phases, their rapid progress was unimaginable.

But suddenly leaving, they would immediately be unable to judge the lunar phases, and the speed of their cultivation would suddenly slow down.

It was like turning from a galloping steed into a shuffling old woman.

This kind of gap was too great to accept.

A phantom image flew out of Chu Zhiyuan's sleeve and landed on his hand, a small, exquisite flying knife, which he handed to Xiao Ruoling.

Xiao Ruoling took it and looked at Chu Zhiyuan curiously.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "I'll use this to tell you the lunar phases."

Shen Hanyue looked at the small, exquisite flying knife in surprise.

Xiao Ruoling nodded lightly, put the flying knife into her sleeve, and looked around.

"Should we go back to the Sifang Inn to pack our luggage first?"

"Let's not go back," Xiao Ruoling shook her head gently: "Lest we have to take it again when we come back."

Chu Zhiyuan said, "I'll see you off for a while. Let's go."

He got up and walked out.

Zou Fang threw a piece of silver on the table and followed him out.

Guo Chi and the others followed closely behind.