Imperial Cultivation

In the early morning, after having breakfast, he went to the True Martial Courtyard.

As soon as he entered the cave where the True Martial Courtyard was located, he saw the Third Prince, Chu Lieyang.

Chu Lieyang was, as always, the first to arrive at the True Martial Courtyard.

“Third Brother,” Chu Zhiyuan greeted with a fist and palm salute, and sat down on the warm jade futon furthest away.

He closed his eyes and focused on cultivation.

His time in the True Martial Courtyard was limited, so he had to strive to improve his realm as much as possible.

He had just closed his eyes when the Third Prince's voice came from his ear: “Ninth Brother, have you heard a certain piece of news?”

“A marriage proposal? Could it be a proposal for her?” Chu Zhiyuan asked playfully.

The Third Prince nodded solemnly: “Indeed, it is a marriage proposal for the Twelfth Princess.”

Chu Zhiyuan was taken aback.

The Third Prince shook his head, revealing a look of pity: “You really didn't know.”

Chu Zhiyuan's face darkened, and he frowned with a cold smile: “Are they trying to poach from me?”

“They are indeed trying to poach from you, Ninth Brother, what do you plan to do?”

Chu Zhiyuan sneered: “The Twelfth Princess is quite a desirable commodity.”

The Third Prince snorted unhappily and said, “Why can't the Twelfth Princess be a desirable commodity?”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, sizing up the Third Prince, and said with a chuckle, “Third Brother is also quite fond of the Twelfth Princess.”

The Third Prince snorted: “Ninth Brother, have you ever met the Twelfth Princess?”

“I haven't met her in person, has Third Brother seen her with his own eyes?”

“I have seen her with my own eyes, she is truly stunning, a peerless beauty! … Speaking of which, this is also Ninth Brother's good fortune, Ninth Brother, you are unaware of the blessing you have.”

“Hahahaha!” Chu Zhiyuan burst out laughing.

The Third Prince frowned as he looked at him: “Is what I said so laughable?”

Chu Zhiyuan said with a chuckle: “Third Brother, do you want to be the imperial consort, to go to the Phoenix Dynasty as a hostage, with your life in the hands of others?”

“Being a hostage is fine, they wouldn't dare to kill anyone,” the Third Prince said, “Being a hostage isn't as dangerous as you imagine.”

“Alas…” Chu Zhiyuan shook his head and sighed: “Third Brother, you are blinded by beauty, aren't you?”

The Third Prince frowned: “They wouldn't dare to kill our princes.”

“Why wouldn't they dare?”

“If they kill our prince, it would be a never-ending feud, even to the point of killing their prince.”

“The two dynasties are already at war, why fear these things?” Chu Zhiyuan smiled disdainfully: “Even if they kill me, would the imperial court sacrifice more princes for a dead prince? … Moreover, princes who are hostages are originally unwelcome, so it wouldn't matter if they died.”

“The Emperor will definitely not let it go.”

Chu Zhiyuan snorted: “If the Emperor were really that tough, he wouldn't agree to such conditions, sending me as a hostage… What can't be obtained on the battlefield, don't even think about obtaining through other means.”

“I think they wouldn't dare,” the Third Prince, Chu Lieyang, shook his head: “Ninth Brother, you are too pessimistic.”

“Forget it, I can't win against you, Third Brother, do you want to replace me?” Chu Zhiyuan smiled: “I would be more than happy.”

“Impossible,” Chu Lieyang shook his head.

Chu Zhiyuan said: “Has Third Brother ever tried?”

Chu Lieyang shook his head: “I know without asking.”

Chu Zhiyuan's spirits lifted: “Third Brother, how about we try together, and let you replace me as the imperial consort, how about it?”

He thought that if Chu Lieyang wasn't muddleheaded and blinded by beauty, he wouldn't agree.

Chu Lieyang pondered.

Chu Zhiyuan looked at him in surprise.

He felt that Chu Lieyang was indeed blinded by beauty, and had lost his mind.

This was impossible.

Not to mention whether the Jade Scenery Dynasty would agree, even the Phoenix Dynasty would never agree.

Where would that place the Twelfth Princess? This was equivalent to humiliating the Twelfth Princess.

Chu Lieyang sighed and shook his head: “It is destined to be an unfulfilled fate in this life, Ninth Brother, you should cherish the Twelfth Princess.”

Chu Zhiyuan said: “Third Brother, since you have seen the Twelfth Princess, you should know her temperament, right?”

“Yes, she is indeed a bit arrogant, after all, she comes from an extremely noble background and deserves this pride.”

“There are many princesses, like Zhen'er and Qiao'er, how obedient are they, which one is as arrogant as her, with her eyes above her head, and domineering?”

“The Twelfth Princess is different, she has divine blood.”

“If the divine race was so strong, why would they be wiped out? The divine race is extinct, what does she have to be proud of?”

“It seems Ninth Brother doesn't know, divine blood is extremely beneficial to cultivation, even becoming her imperial consort will bring endless benefits.”

“What benefits?”

“You will improve your bloodline and improve your aptitude.”

“Improve by how much?”

“A transformation like rebirth.” The Third Prince said solemnly, with a glint in his eyes: “So I say Ninth Brother, you are blessed, you are unaware of the blessing you have.”

“Rather than improving my aptitude, I would rather stay in the imperial city, be a mediocre prince, live a life of ease and wait for death, than to be a hostage, constantly living in fear.”

“Lacking ambition.” Chu Lieyang shook his head disapprovingly.

He was extremely disdainful of Chu Zhiyuan's ambition.

Having the good fortune to be born a prince, one should naturally live a wonderful life, how can one be mediocre?

Having the best cultivation resources, having good aptitude, what qualifications does one have to live a life of ease and wait for death, not cultivate properly, not strive upwards?

Strive to see the most dangerous peaks in the world, strive to achieve the Spirit Venerable, be invincible in the world, and have a lifespan of ten thousand years.

Chu Zhiyuan thoughtfully looked at the Karma Stone Wall, looking at the Light Incantation.

This was the first time he had heard that divine blood could actually improve bloodlines and improve aptitude, this should be a secret among secrets.

Was his Third Brother so obsessed with the Twelfth Princess because of her beauty, or because of his feelings, or because of her divine blood?

Perhaps it was a mixture of all these factors that formed a fatal attraction, making him unable to control himself, and constantly longing for her.

“Ninth Brother, be careful anyway, don't really let someone poach from you, and fail to become the imperial consort.”

“……”

“What's even worse is, I'm afraid that after you are poached, you will still have to be the hostage, but not the Twelfth Princess's imperial consort.”

Chu Zhiyuan's face suddenly changed.

There was really this possibility.

“Even further, you can't be the imperial consort, but you still have to be the hostage.” Chu Lieyang shook his head: “This is the most tragic thing.”

“Third Brother, actually, I think it's better to be just a hostage than to be an imperial consort while being a hostage.”

“Being an imperial consort adds a layer of security and protection,” Chu Lieyang said, “Being just a hostage, the situation will be even more miserable.”

Just thinking about it, one knows that a hostage, without any other identity, without other protection, will inevitably suffer humiliation.

In the Phoenix Dynasty, there are many who hate his existence, such as the families of those who died in the war between the two dynasties, such as those meritorious nobles, or even any minister in the court.

If they have the opportunity to take revenge, they will not let it go, and will often find trouble with him, taking pleasure in humiliating him.

He came out to be a hostage, and the Jade Scenery Dynasty can't help much, can't be a backing, no one will support him, and naturally he will be wantonly humiliated.

Chu Zhiyuan said solemnly: “Third Brother, what do you advise me to do?”

“Find the Twelfth Princess, the Princess is proud and arrogant, and will never easily change her imperial consort, you just need to write a letter, expressing your admiration for the Princess, thereby strengthening the Princess's heart, and she will not choose anyone else.”

“Third Brother, thank you so much, what a terrible idea.” Chu Zhiyuan shook his head and laughed.

Based on his understanding of the Twelfth Princess, if he sent her such a letter, it would only incur the Twelfth Princess's disgust, and would be of no use.

Is Third Brother doing this on purpose?