Imperial Cultivation

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"Who are you?" the young man said in a deep voice, "What are you doing here?"

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "The scenery here is excellent, so I stopped to appreciate it."

"This is not a place for sightseeing. If you know what’s good for you, leave immediately!" the young man said coldly.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled at him, "Oh—? Why is it not a place for sightseeing? Clearly, the scenery is beautiful, lush and vibrant, filled with a peculiar aura. It’s truly a wonderland."

"Peculiar or not, leave quickly!" the young man said coldly.

His gaze swept over Zou Fang and then looked at Chu Zhiyuan, "Otherwise, you’ll find it impossible to leave!"

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, shaking his head, "In this vast world, is there anywhere I cannot go?"

"Who are you?" the young man snorted coldly, "Such arrogance!"

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "Shouldn’t you introduce yourself before I tell you who I am?"

"Do you really want to know who I am?" the young man sneered.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded, "Surely you are not a disciple of the True Essence Sect?... An elder?"

The young man’s expression changed slightly, his eyes turning cold and sharp.

A surge of aura slowly gathered, pressing down like a mountain.

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, "Looks like I guessed right? Then may I ask which elder of the True Essence Sect you are?"

The young man stared at Chu Zhiyuan hesitantly, eyes blazing.

From the looks of it, Chu Zhiyuan’s martial arts were not strong, his aura weak as if he couldn’t even fight.

But the Zou Fang standing beside him was a Grandmaster.

The reason the young man kept talking and did not make a move was because he was wary of Zou Fang.

Someone attended by a Grandmaster is definitely not an ordinary person, not even a princely heir would be attended by a Grandmaster.

In both the Court and the Martial Arts Sect, a Grandmaster is a peak existence, high in status.

In the sect, they are elders or supreme elders, and in the court, they are guest elders of the Grandmaster Mansion, never reduced to menial tasks.

Not even a prince qualifies.

Unless it’s the Emperor.

But the current emperor of Da Jing couldn’t possibly be this young.

Hence, he was extremely curious, and a bit apprehensive.

Chu Zhiyuan saw that he was just sizing up Zou Fang without speaking, so he smiled and said, "Are we going to fight?... Giving your name is no big deal, hiding like this lacks the grandeur of a Grandmaster."

"How did you know I am a Grandmaster?" The young man frowned.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "A Grandmaster can still be recognized, right?... The main altar of the True Essence Sect is right here, isn’t it?"

"You are... Chu Zhiyuan?!" The young man’s expression changed slightly.

He had been feeling uneasy before, vaguely sensing something, and now he finally understood.

In this world, the only one who could have a Grandmaster attendant would be a future emperor.

That future emperor could only be the Fourth Prince of Da Jing, Chu Zhiyuan!

He thought of this and his expression changed slightly, with the intention to withdraw.

Chu Zhiyuan was too mysterious, with his hands stained with the blood of countless Evil Sect disciples.

Let alone the Innate masters killed by him, even Grandmasters exceeded ten.

Though he, too, was a Grandmaster, he had just achieved it.

Not to mention Zou Fang beside him, making his odds even slimmer, retreating seemed the best choice.

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, "Seems like you know my name... pleasure to meet you."

"...Pleasure to meet you." He gritted his teeth.

Inwardly apprehensive, fearing he couldn’t escape today unless he used a secret technique.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "You’re thinking about how to escape now, aren’t you?"

"Does the Heir intend to destroy the main altar of the True Essence Sect?"

"Hmm, now it’s your True Essence Sect’s turn," Chu Zhiyuan nodded, "It’s too late for you to escape now, you are doomed."

The young man said solemnly, "How can the Heir let me go?"

He secretly activated his internal power.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "There’s no way I could let you go."

With that, the Sword Soul moved.

The young man’s eyes flickered, soon dimming completely until they extinguished.

Chu Zhiyuan watched him slump to the ground lightly and sat down cross-legged, "Please watch over me."

A small flying knife floated out from his sleeve and pressed against the young man’s forehead on the ground.

Chu Zhiyuan’s hands formed a seal, his lips moving silently, chanting a spell.

A sudden breeze brushed by, a certain strange feeling brushing past his face.

Zou Fang’s expression turned solemn, looking around alertly.

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He felt something strange about that breeze.

Soon after, he saw Chu Zhiyuan stop moving, entering a meditative state without any activity.

Zou Fang’s expression became more and more vigilant, looking around, ready to act at any moment.

After a cup of tea’s time, the young man who was lying motionless suddenly trembled, slowly opening his eyes.

Zou Fang’s expression changed slightly.

Before his eyes, the young man slowly sat up, his actions stiff.

His face showed confusion and unfocused moments, occasionally clearing up.

Zou Fang stepped closer to Chu Zhiyuan, watching the young man intently, his palm gathering spiritual energy.

The young man looked around from side to side, scanning the area, his eyes getting brighter.

Zou Fang looked at Chu Zhiyuan, finding him still motionless as if in deep meditation.

He watched the young man closely.

The young man finally withdrew his gaze from surveying the surroundings and turned his head to Zou Fang, suddenly smiling, "Zou Fang."

Zou Fang was taken aback, looking at the young man, seeing a faintly familiar warmth in his smile.

The young man suddenly wiped his face, and when he looked up again, he had assumed Chu Zhiyuan’s appearance.

"You..." Zou Fang was startled, "The Heir?"

He turned to look at Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan had opened his eyes by now, smiling.

Zou Fang looked at Chu Zhiyuan and then at the young man who had transformed into Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan chuckled, "Confusing you, right?"

"What is this, my lord?" Zou Fang asked.

"Body Outer Form," Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "The Body Seizing Technique really works."

He was merely trying the technique as an experiment, without using his own soul but rather using the Sword Soul.

This gave room for error.

Unexpectedly, it was so smooth, successful at first try, transferring the Sword Soul from the flying knife into this body.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "If he doesn’t speak, can you tell the difference?"

"...The aura is still different," Zou Fang nodded, "I can tell right away."

Chu Zhiyuan said, "I haven’t been able to cultivate my mental method yet; it’ll be better once I practice for a while."

"My lord..." Zou Fang was extremely surprised, "What kind of miracle technique is this?"

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "A secret technique from the Eternal Spirit Secret Scripture. Only you and I know of this, no one else should be informed."

"Understood," Zou Fang said quickly.

Chu Zhiyuan sighed, "When I ascend in the future, he shall stay to accompany my father and mother, ensuring no gaps."

"But..." Zou Fang was stunned.

Both Chu Zhiyuans spoke at the same time, "The body outer form and I are one entity. He is me, and I am him."

Zou Fang widened his eyes in surprise, looking at Chu Zhiyuan and then at the other Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan looked at his opposite self, shaking his head, "It’s like looking into a mirror, but different, standing together feels odd."

This feeling was very peculiar, like looking into a mirror yet simultaneously akin to a state of dual use.

But both sides were himself, like his left hand and right hand.

The young man’s appearance across swiftly changed into that of an ordinary middle-aged man.

Zou Fang breathed a sigh of relief.

That awkward feeling finally dissipated.

Seeing two identical Chu Zhiyuans was too impactful for him.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "The avatar still needs a bit more practice. I’ll need to find a place for secluded cultivation to completely change the mental method and enhance my cultivation."

"The Heir is wise," Zou Fang quickly nodded.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "When he comes to find you next time, if you can’t spot the flaw, then you’ll have passed the test."

Zou Fang quickly nodded.

Watching the avatar drift away, Chu Zhiyuan simultaneously held two perspectives.

He withdrew his mind.

The Sword Soul now had the mental capacity equivalent to a person in their twenties, maintaining his thought processes unhindered by limited intelligence.

Between him and the avatar, a single thought could synchronize them, a single thought could separate their actions.

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