Imperial Cultivation

The next day when he awoke, he lay on the bed, feeling as if only a short time had passed.

He had gone to sleep with the moon high in the sky.

Now, the sunlight flooded the window paper, and fresh air wafted into his nostrils.

Footsteps sounded from outside.

He called out, "Aunt, come in."

He got up and sat cross-legged.

Focusing inward on his Dantian, the Yin Yang Fish was lazily rotating, slow and leisurely.

You Lan pushed the door open and said helplessly, "Your Highness, it's not early; you should go to Great Bright Peak."

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Let's have breakfast first, it's not too late to go after eating."

He had now found the key to accelerating cultivation and was no longer in such a hurry.

Having discovered the mysteries of Great Bright Peak, a day of cultivation there was worth several days, even dozens of days, of others' practice.

This mystery was beyond the grasp of others; even knowing it, they couldn't achieve it.

Because they lacked Super Sense and couldn't have Insight over such a vast area.

On Great Bright Peak, using the eyes to see the sun and the mountains only revealed fragments.

They couldn't achieve the bird's-eye view that Super Sense provided, and couldn't form a visualization.

You Lan called the maids to set the table.

Chu Zhiyuan ate unhurriedly, then picked up the White Jade Token, injected a breath into it to activate it, and a crystal-clear door appeared before him.

He stepped through the door, and the scene changed to a magnificent and towering snowy peak.

The sun was already blazing, dyeing the east side of the snowy peak gold.

Chu Zhiyuan saw the two Imperial Guards standing there waiting for him.

Seeing Chu Zhiyuan appear, the two hurriedly stepped forward to greet him, clasping their fists.

Chu Zhiyuan asked, "Have you thought it over?"

The two hesitated for a moment, finally showing a look of shame, and the round-faced youth said embarrassedly, "Please forgive us, Your Highness."

"You..." Chu Zhiyuan shook his head. "No wonder you're doing so poorly."

The two smiled wryly.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Do you think that just because you don't want to enter my mansion, you won't?"

The two were startled.

Chu Zhiyuan chuckled. "If I'm not mistaken, you'll be placed into my mansion by Wei Boyuan."

Their expressions changed slightly.

"Your Highness, is that possible?" The round-faced youth hesitated. "If we don't want to, the manager wouldn't force us."

"Hehe... naive!"

Chu Zhiyuan performed Qinggong and walked up the mountain.

Wisps of breath emerged from the Yin Yang Fish, circulating through his feet and drawing external forces to support the soles of his feet.

An invisible force lifted his feet upward and forward, making him glide as if riding the wind.

He had already discovered the fundamental difference between Outer Heaven Martial Arts and Little Outer Heaven Martial Arts.

The essence of Outer Heaven Martial Arts was leveraging external forces.

The breath within the body served only as a guide, the advance party, to invite external support.

Accomplishing great things with minimal effort, using a small bit of force to accomplish a task ten times larger.

The two Imperial Guards followed behind Chu Zhiyuan, their expressions fluctuating as they watched him reach Jingsi Cliff, sit cross-legged on the warm jade cushion, motionless, with surging energy around him.

They exchanged a glance, their expressions serious.

Being masters with Perfection of Transformation Realm, just a step away from the Divinity Transformation Realm, they naturally could see Chu Zhiyuan's shifts in energy.

His rapid absorption of Spiritual Energy, the purity of that energy, far exceeded the normal scope.

His fierce and pure Spiritual Energy not only surpassed their own levels when in the Qi Transformation Realm, but was also far beyond that of the other princes, an unprecedented occurrence.

The world said the Ninth Prince was dull, with poor aptitude, yet the scene before them shattered this rumor.

Quite the opposite, the Ninth Prince's aptitude was so strong, even surpassing any of the other princes.

Setting aside all else, merely regarding the cultivation at the Qi Transformation Realm, the Ninth Prince had achieved an astonishing swiftness.

In a short time, he was likely to catch up with the progress of the other princes and might even step into the Transformation Realm sooner than they.

The situation yesterday could have been a coincidence, an error in their judgment.

Today being the same proved that he wasn't merely fortunate; he was indeed a genius.

Everyone believed that the lowly gifted Ninth Prince was actually a prodigious talent in cultivation.

Chu Zhiyuan, eyes closed, suddenly said, "Do not speak to Wei Boyuan about my cultivation situation."

"...Yes."

The two hesitated slightly before agreeing.

They then felt it inexplicable.

This matter should not be hidden from Manager Wei, otherwise it would be dereliction of duty.

Yet they agreed anyway.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "If there are no unexpected changes, you will be transferred to my mansion."

It was estimated that when Wei Boyuan transferred them, he had already planned to have them enter the Prince Mansion.

Chu Zhiyuan continued, "Being my guards is indeed troublesome; in the future, one may have to go to the Phoenix Dynasty and possibly face assassination."

Their expressions became solemn.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Precisely because it's a hard job, Wei Boyuan will surely send those who have offended him, or the ones he dislikes, to do it. Count who among the Imperial Guard has offended him or whom he disapproves of, and you'll guess the candidates for my mansion's guards."

Their faces grew increasingly grim.

With Chu Zhiyuan's analysis, they gradually believed his judgment.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Of course, apart from these people, there will be one or two of his informants; keep your eyes wide open, help me ferret out these informants without giving yourselves away."

The two remained silent.

Chu Zhiyuan ceased talking, focusing on cultivation.

——

The sun set in the west, having thoroughly sunk down, and dusk enshrouded Great Bright Peak.

Chu Zhiyuan rose and left Jingsi Cliff.

The two Imperial Guards followed him from a yard away, gliding smoothly along.

When Chu Zhiyuan was halfway down, nearing the base of the mountain, he suddenly turned to look.

Three figures in violet swiftly approached; still, it was the Fourth Prince and his two companions.

Chu Zhiyuan displayed a peculiar smile and greeted with clasped fists, "Fourth Brother, what a coincidence."

The Fourth Prince nodded. "Indeed, quite the coincidence."

He didn't stop walking and intended to pass by Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan stepped aside to let him through.

The Fourth Prince glanced at him unexpectedly and continued forward, not expecting Chu Zhiyuan to act so.

In the past, he would stand firmly in place, blocking the path, forcing him to detour.

The Sixth Prince narrowed his eyes slightly, following the Fourth Prince silently.

When the plump Twelfth Prince passed by Chu Zhiyuan, he suddenly swung sideways, intending to knock Chu Zhiyuan away.

Chu Zhiyuan had been observing the three with acute Insight, keenly aware of their small movements and subtle expressions.

Against the Twelfth Prince's maneuver, he had already anticipated it.

Side-stepping, he deftly avoided it.

The Twelfth Prince stumbled having hit nothing.

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, "Twelfth Brother, you're becoming more and more hopeless."

The Twelfth Prince steadied himself and glared at him discontentedly, "What did you say, Brother Nine?!"

Chu Zhiyuan said, "If you want to teach me a lesson, do it openly; why resort to such petty tricks!"

He turned to look at the Fourth Prince, who had stopped, "If there's something to do, or something to say, do it and say it openly, don't engage in underhanded tricks or speak malicious words, it disgraces us Princes!"

The Fourth Prince's face darkened slightly.

Back when Chu Liezhao went mad and attacked people, he suffered because he didn't expect Chu Liezhao to be behind him, overhearing and suddenly reacting.

Commenting on Consort Yun behind her back was indeed inappropriate.

He was unjustified, so the Emperor lightly punished Chu Liezhao.

Looking back, it felt unbearable, and he often reminded himself to be careful with words and not speak recklessly.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "How about this, Twelfth Brother, you want to punish me, right? I'll give you a chance! Let's have a sparring match ten days from now, do you dare?"

"Do you really dare to spar?" the Twelfth Prince scoffed. "Then why wait ten days?"

Chu Zhiyuan said, "My current cultivation is too low; I'm not your opponent."

"In ten days, you'll be a match for me? Such big talk, Brother Nine!"

"Why not give it a try?" Chu Zhiyuan said.

"Alright!" The Twelfth Prince nodded vigorously, "Brother Nine, don't regret it, don't cry then!"

Chu Zhiyuan sneered, "With you?"

He shook his head, his gaze turning to the Fourth Prince, "Fourth Brother, care to have a match too?"

"No need." The Fourth Prince said blandly, "Let's go."

He turned and continued forward.

The Sixth Prince cast a deep look at Chu Zhiyuan, while the Twelfth Prince snorted twice at Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan dismissively snorted back twice, stepped through the door back to his own courtyard.

In less than half a day, the news that he would be sparring with the Twelfth Prince in ten days spread throughout the Imperial City.