Imperial Cultivation

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You Lan said softly, "Your Highness, there's no need to force it, cultivation can be done anywhere."

"Aunt, why are you feeding me this nonsense!" Chu Zhiyuan said irritably, "If it's really the same, let them all come back to practice, don't go to Great Bright Peak!"

You Lan said helplessly, "Since the Emperor forbids it, we can't just force our way in. If we really anger the Emperor, you'll be confined."

"What if I force my way in, being confined is just the chance for secluded cultivation," Chu Zhiyuan snorted.

You Lan quickly said, "But it's different, Your Highness, you can be in seclusion for a month, but can you do it for a year? Or even three years?"

"...Alright." Chu Zhiyuan's expression changed slightly.

Being confined for a month or two is fine, but if it's a year or three, that would be terrible.

You Lan said softly, "After surviving a great disaster, there must be blessings to follow. Your Highness, knowing you should cultivate now is not too late."

"I have good aptitude, even if I start cultivating late, I can catch up with them!" Chu Zhiyuan said proudly.

You Lan nodded with a smile, "Yes, Your Highness has excellent aptitude. As long as you work hard to catch up, you can quickly catch up with others."

Chu Liezhao had great aptitude, but he was restless and volatile, often giving up halfway, unable to calmly focus on cultivation.

In fact, he feared hardship and difficulty, she also knew that the Infinite Brightness Scripture was extremely arduous.

Many Princes had this issue, but none of them were as severe as him.

More importantly, he had some tendencies towards self-destruction, self-abandonment, and self-exile.

You Lan sighed inwardly, all of it rooted in Consort Yun's early death.

She shook her head secretly.

Good people don't live long, Consort Yun was so gentle and beautiful, yet died young, truly heaven's injustice.

Whenever she thought of Consort Yun pulling her hand on her deathbed, asking her to take care of Your Highness, she felt guilty.

In the end, she failed the Consort's trust, unable to make Your Highness happy and cheerful, instead leaving him gloomy.

Chu Zhiyuan looked up at the sky.

The sky was clear and blue, with not a cloud in sight.

The sun shone obliquely, casting golden light everywhere.

He said, "Aunt, I'll go check on those two Hidden Guards."

You Lan looked at him with relief.

In the end, Your Highness still took after Consort Yun, with a kind and benevolent nature.

He just covered himself with a shell of irritability and anger as protection.

——

Little Bright Peak is a small mountain within the Imperial City, a hundred meters tall, covering an area of about a hundred acres.

The entire mountain is enveloped by lush greenery, from afar appearing green as smoke.

Entering the mountain is tranquil and secluded, though it's in the bustling city, it feels like the deep mountain.

Halfway up the mountain is a cemetery.

Chu Zhiyuan, in a purple robe, stood silently in front of two tombstones.

You Lan, in a clean and neat plain robe, stood beside him, well-groomed from head to toe.

The two tombstones stood side by side, surrounded by clusters of fresh flowers and newly burnt paper ashes.

Chu Zhiyuan stood still in front of the tombstones, examining them as if looking at their owners.

He recalled in his mind but couldn't remember what the two of them looked like.

Ordinarily, Chu Liezhao didn't pay attention to these Hidden Guards at all.

In his eyes, the Imperial Secret Guards were a group, not individuals, with no need to know who they were.

After all, they rotated shifts and weren't specifically responsible for any one Prince.

He never saw them as people, only as tools.

So he never noticed what they looked like or what their names were.

Thinking of this, he shook his head.

These two died for Chu Liezhao, truly not worth it.

They, being orphans, went through layers of selection to finally become Imperial Secret Guards, overcoming countless trials.

As Imperial Secret Guards, they practiced top-tier martial arts heart methods and received great resources for cultivation, with excellent treatment.

This was essentially selling their lives.

The blame lay only in their bad luck, getting stuck with the troublemaker, Chu Liezhao.

Guarding other Princes wouldn't have been so dangerous.

He could imagine how the Imperial Secret Guards now disdained him, wishing to stay as far away as possible.

The Chu Liezhao he reincarnated into truly lived too miserably.

Always considered himself the most miserable person in the world, resentful and blaming others.

Hot-tempered and easily angered, he lashed out at will, regardless of status, even daring to act recklessly before the Emperor.

This was tantamount to alienating himself from everyone.

In the vast world, the only ones who truly cared for him were You Lan, Chu Zhen, Chu Qiao, and Consort Hui.

Consort Hui's patience and tolerance for him likely stem from repaying Consort Yun's kindness.

To say she had deep feelings for him was impossible.

Anyone dealing with Chu Liezhao would have long grown cold-hearted.

"Did the two of them have families?" Chu Zhiyuan slowly asked.

"They both have children."

"Wives and children, both?"

"Zhou Juzhi's older child is ten, the younger one six; Chen Haoming's older child is twelve, the younger one eight."

"Bring their wives and children into the residence," Chu Zhiyuan shook his head.

"Your Highness is wise!"

You Lan immediately smiled.

Sighing inwardly.

It's said that after surviving life-and-death calamities, a person undergoes a transformation.

Now it seems, after this calamity, Your Highness instantly awakened, suddenly becoming sensible.

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, "Let their children study at White Deer Academy, if they wish to practice, send them to White Cloud Sword Mansion."

"Yes!" You Lan nodded firmly, "Their wives can do some chores in the residence."

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, "Provide for them, don't make them work, have them manage things."

You Lan nodded, "Your Highness is indeed thorough."

Chu Zhiyuan turned and walked away, stepping on the White Jade Stone steps, his footsteps clearly audible.

The surroundings were extremely quiet, only the chirping of birds, no other sounds.

Not far ahead, they encountered four young men in combat uniforms.

Seeing Chu Zhiyuan, they were momentarily stunned, then cupped their fists in salute.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded slightly, his pace uninterrupted.

You Lan maintained a serious expression, walking gracefully as if she hadn't seen them.

Only when Chu Zhiyuan and others were far away, disappearing from view, did the four of them start whispering.

"Ninth Prince actually came, truly surprising!"

"He does have a bit of conscience."

"It's said that this Your Highness has the heart of a wolf and lungs of a dog, ignorant of gratitude, seems not entirely accurate."

"Maybe he was forced to come, just putting on a show."

"Sigh... this is also our fate, he came to have a look, no matter how he came, he counts as grateful, old Zhou and old Chen didn't die in vain."

The four nodded in silent agreement and continued forward, arriving at the two tombstones.

——

Chu Zhiyuan strolled through the city with his hands behind his back, speaking to You Lan, "I want to see the things they brought back."

You Lan asked, "Is Your Highness seeking clues to the enemies?"

Chu Zhiyuan nodded, "And those two internal traitors in the residence, have the courtyards been searched?"

"Hidden Guards Zhou and Chen brought back a torn sleeve, it's already been taken by the Inspection Department... the two courtyards in the residence remain untouched."

Chu Zhiyuan said coldly, "Get that sleeve back, I want to see it."

"Your Highness, tracking and investigation skills are still stronger within the Inspection Department, with many extraordinary people."

"I still want to take a look."

"...Very well." You Lan reluctantly agreed.

Though Your Highness has changed greatly, his temper hasn't changed much.

Chu Zhiyuan quickened his pace, barely paying attention to the bustling crowd around, appearing indifferent.

In fact, he was observing in secret.

The people coming and going on the streets, almost all cultivated, their auras strong or weak.

Everyone almost universally wore weapons at their waists, even those young ladies carried sabers and swords alike.

This was a world where everyone practiced cultivation.

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