Imperial Cultivation

Sitting cross-legged on the couch, outside the opened casement window was a bright moon.

Several wisps of clouds were illuminated silver by the moonlight.

Chu Zhiyuan raised his head and stared at the bright moon.

The Flying Dragon Pearl activated the third level of the Dragon Transformation Art, and wisps of aura diffused out, falling onto the bones and strengthening them bit by bit.

After a day, he felt that his bones were stronger.

As the bones became harder by a thread, the body's speed and strength increased by a thread.

This thread seemed weak, but at a critical moment, it could determine life and death.

He allowed the Dragon Transformation Art to circulate, while examining the Jade Tower in his throat.

Only five levels of the Jade Tower remained. The seven levels that had been broken through only existed as phantoms and no longer hindered the flow of True Qi.

It was still not enough.

That meant he could only use the Meridian Cleansing Art, but unlike the Dragon Transformation Art, there was no shortcut to accelerate it; he could only do it bit by bit.

The progress slowed down immediately.

Unless he had Dragon Blood Stones again, allowing him to continue opening apertures. The more apertures he opened, the faster the True Qi would circulate, and the faster the Meridian Cleansing Art would be.

A night passed, and he went to the Mingwu Hall early in the morning.

As soon as he arrived at the training ground of the Mingwu Hall, Chu Mingxuan and the others immediately winked and nudged, and even Chu Zhiyao, who was always serious and solemn, showed a strange smile.

But before they could make fun of him and Xiao Ruoling's matter, they were suppressed by Chu Qingfeng, who told them to be honest, concentrate on their practice, and not waste time.

Chu Zhiyuan set up the Ziyang Stance and practiced the Great Ziyang Art.

When the sun rose higher, he went to the Ministry of Rites, and after reporting for duty, he went directly to the Supervisory Department.

Ma Tianhe quickly ran out to greet him.

Chu Zhiyuan followed him into the courtyard. When they arrived at a small house, he said, "Lord Ma, are there any files from the Duke's Mansion?"

"Yes," Ma Tianhe hesitated, "But—"

Chu Zhiyuan said, "I don't have the authority to access them now?"

Ma Tianhe hesitated for a moment, and finally gritted his teeth, "Which Duke's Mansion does the Heir want to see?"

"If it's possible, all the Duke's Mansions would be best. If not, then the Anguo Duke's Mansion," Chu Zhiyuan said, "If that's still not possible, then just the records from the last hundred years."

Ma Tianhe forced a smile, "Please wait a moment, Heir. I'll go find them."

"Thank you," Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

He watched Ma Tianhe hurry out of the house, run through two courtyards behind, and finally stop in a quiet small courtyard.

The small courtyard was elegantly decorated with artificial mountains and strange rocks, small bridges and flowing water. Beside the stone table in the pavilion, a middle-aged man was pacing with his hands behind his back, his heroic face showing solemnity.

Ma Tianhe rushed to the outside of the pavilion steps, cupped his fist and saluted, "Lord Supervisor, the Fourth Heir wants to access the Anguo Duke's Mansion's files."

"Only the Anguo Duke's Mansion's?"

"Yes, just those within the last hundred years."

"—Give it to him."

"Yes!"

Ma Tianhe lowered his head and retreated from the small courtyard.

Chu Zhiyuan touched his chin, his eyes gleaming.

This middle-aged man was Leng Nanfeng of the Supervisory Department, called the Supervisor, but in reality, he was no different from the Director.

The Director of the Supervisory Department was the Grand Eunuch of the Forbidden Palace.

But the Grand Eunuch usually stayed in the palace to serve the Emperor, and the affairs outside needed to be handled by the Supervisor, nominally the second person, but actually the first.

Ma Tianhe led people to carry in more than a dozen boxes of files, and Chu Zhiyuan carefully read through them.

Two hours later, Chu Zhiyuan put down the last volume of files, got up, and came to the window.

Zou Fang, knowing what to do, stepped forward and opened the window.

Bright sunlight and piercing cold wind rushed in at the same time.

Chu Zhiyuan's mind cleared, and his spirits lifted.

He had finished reading all the records of the Anguo Duke's Mansion in the last hundred years.

He saw the ups and downs, rise and fall of the Anguo Duke's Mansion in the last hundred years, and the fate of each person in the mansion.

Among them was Xiao Ruoling.

Xiao Ruoling had been staying in the Anguo Duke's Mansion, never going out, never apprenticing to a master, and only practicing the Anguo Duke's Mansion's family martial arts.

The Eight Great Duke's Mansions each had their own heritage, all of which were the top heritages in the world.

The Anguo Duke's Mansion's heritage was the Boundless Jinghai Scripture. The current Anguo Duke's aptitude was ordinary, and it was said that he had forced his way into the Grandmaster realm, but the twelve-year-old Little Duke was extremely talented, and had already practiced the entry level at a young age. Chu Zhiyuan's mind flashed with the image of the young man beside Xiao Ruoling last night.

One could not judge a book by its cover. He never expected that this silent, seemingly dull young man had actually cultivated the Boundless Jinghai Scripture.

Thick, vigorous, and overbearing, using softness to overcome hardness, and using momentum to overwhelm people, unstoppable.

Rampage was the fundamental characteristic of the Boundless Jinghai Scripture.

The previous generations of Anguo Dukes were all heroic men, rough and generous, but this generation of Anguo Duke was refined and gentle, and his temperament was not suitable, so he failed to cultivate the Boundless Jinghai Scripture.

It was very rare that the quiet Xiao Ruoyu could cultivate it.

His sword eyebrows furrowed. Even his extrasensory perception could not see the abnormality of Xiao Ruoling, so it was only natural that the Supervisory Department could not see it either.

He originally wanted to corroborate it through other channels, but now it seemed that he couldn't find it.

This Xiao Ruoling was becoming more and more unfathomable.

The Anguo Duke's Mansion was vast, slightly inferior to the Qing Prince's Mansion, and the range of extrasensory perception was not enough to spy on the reality of daily life.

He thought for a while, and finally shook his head and bid farewell to Ma Tianhe.

On the vast lake surface in the backyard of the Anguo Duke's Mansion, there was a half-sized colorful painted boat, rising and falling with the ripples of the lake.

A green-clothed young man stepped on the surface of the lake with his toes, floating and walking, crossing two hundred meters as if walking on flat ground, drifting into the painted boat like a fallen leaf.

The painted boat was elegantly and simply decorated, with light smoke curling up from the exquisite animal-shaped incense burner, which was refreshing.

Beside the Xuan case in front of the window, a peerless beauty was holding a scroll and concentrating, like a statue of white jade.

Wearing a wide green robe, with black hair draped over her shoulders, it made her face even more white and jade-like, and her eyes were as deep as a secluded pool.

Two green-clothed maids stood aside, occasionally changing the incense in the animal-shaped incense burner, or replacing the cooled tea with new tea, gently and quietly.

Without a sound. "Sister," the green-clothed young man lifted the bead curtain and came in, "It's time to eat. Father is waiting."

The peerless jade beauty put down the book, stretched her waist, and the undulating curves under the wide green robe were vaguely visible: "Xiaohu, what time is it?"

"It's noon. I'm starving. Hurry up," Xiao Ruoyu said.

Xiao Ruoling got up: "I was too engrossed in reading. Let's go. Is Father better?"

"He's completely sobered up," Xiao Ruoyu shook his head: "I really don't understand, what's so good about drinking? Why do you have to drink so much?"

Xiao Ruoling smiled sweetly and touched his head: "My Xiaohu hasn't grown up yet. When you grow up, you'll like to drink."

Xiao Ruoyu hurriedly shook his head and shook off her jade hand: "Sister!"

Xiao Ruoling smiled and said: "Okay, okay, I won't touch your head. Xiaohu has grown up and can't touch his head anymore."

Xiao Ruoyu said dissatisfiedly: "And your tone, sister, is like coaxing a child! —Why did Father drink so much last night? It's the first time I've seen him drink so much."

"He met someone who wanted to drink."

"Who is it?"

"Didn't you see?"

"—That Qing Prince?" Xiao Ruoyu asked.

Xiao Ruoling nodded.

Xiao Ruoyu frowned and said: "I really don't understand what Father is thinking, he favors the Qing Prince's Heir. I saw him, he's mediocre and unworthy of you!"

Xiao Ruoling burst out laughing, her face illuminating the boat.

Xiao Ruoyu said: "If it was the Ying Prince's Heir, then he would be worthy of you, but unfortunately, he's already married."

Xiao Ruoling smiled and said: "Father has his own reasons."

"The Qing Prince's Mansion is too poor. Becoming the Qing Prince's Heir's consort, you will definitely be bullied."

"You—," she said, "If you say these things to Father, how can you not be scolded? Don't say it in front of Father again!"

"—Okay, I won't say it then," Xiao Ruoyu grunted unwillingly.

Last night, he took the opportunity to mention this idea to his father, which provoked a severe scolding from the Anguo Duke, making him extremely dissatisfied.

Of course, he didn't dare to say it again today, otherwise he would still be scolded.

Don't look at how Father is obedient to his eldest sister and listens to everything she says, but he always reprimands himself and never speaks properly.

"Let's go, don't keep Father waiting," Xiao Ruoling's jade hand hooked his arm.

At this time, the painted boat had already docked, and the two went straight to the front hall of the front courtyard.

The Anguo Duke was already sitting at the round table made of sandalwood with a dragon playing with a pearl, with a tired look on his face, his face yellow, and listless.

He had handsome features and a thin figure, looking frail and weak, even if his face was not good, it was still difficult to hide his refined temperament.

"Father."

The two came in and saluted.

The Anguo Duke, Xiao Youping, waved his hand weakly: "Let's eat."

The maids next to him quickly filled a table with food, all of which were delicious in color, aroma, and taste, most of which were light and not heavy on meat.

While eating, Xiao Youping asked: "You met the Fourth Heir yesterday, right, Ling'er, how do you feel?"

"I can't see through him," Xiao Ruoling shook her head gently: "Father's vision is indeed amazing."

Xiao Youping smiled and said: "He has the bearing of a dragon and phoenix, right?"

Xiao Ruoling nodded gently: "He is indeed worthy of being the number one person of this generation."

Xiao Ruoyu opened his eyes wide, looking left and right, feeling that he couldn't understand what they were saying.

"The Qing Prince is benevolent and values relationships, and the Qing Princess is also of extremely good family style, so there is absolutely no need to worry about their child's character," Xiao Youping said: "A good appearance alone is not enough, the heart must also be stable, he is the husband most like Ling'er!"

"But Father—"

"Don't speak!" Xiao Youping glared at him: "You don't understand anything, just watch obediently, just listen obediently."

"How can I—"

"Xiaohu," Xiao Ruoling smiled and said: "Last night, he only looked at me twice. Can other men do that?"

"—Could it be that he doesn't like women?" Xiao Ruoyu's face changed.

"Nonsense!" Xiao Youping was furious and threw his chopsticks at Xiao Ruoyu.

Xiao Ruoyu dodged nimbly, avoiding the chopsticks, and said unconvinced: "I don't believe that any man can resist looking at eldest sister, unless he doesn't like women."

Xiao Ruoling stretched out her right palm, which was like mutton-fat white jade, caught the chopsticks that were shot into the air, lightly, swiftly, and accurately, and handed them back to Xiao Youping: "Father, ignore him."

Xiao Youping pointed at him: "Stop associating with those bad friends, you won't learn anything good!'"

Xiao Ruoling said: "Father, Xiaohu is also grown up, it's not surprising that he knows these things, but Xiaohu, don't worry, he likes women,

He is just calm, can control himself, which is very rare, just by this point, he is worthy of being a hero."

"Then it's settled," Xiao Youping said.

Xiao Ruoling nodded gently.

Xiao Ruoyu wanted to say something, but was glared at by Xiao Youping, so he had to shut his mouth and sit back at the table to eat.