Imperial Cultivation

Zhu Lingyun glanced at him.

Zheng Pingzhang’s smile froze: "Isn’t it right?"

Zhu Lingyun said, "A few more hits, and I’ll lose my life first!"

"This..." Zheng Pingzhang was puzzled.

Ji Qingyun said, "This staff takes a great toll on the spirit."

Zhu Lingyun lightly said, "It’s not just the spirit it consumes."

"What else?"

"Lifespan," Zhu Lingyun said, "Just those two moves cost me ninety years of lifespan!"

"Ah?!" Zheng Pingzhang jumped in shock and hurriedly said, "Ninety years of lifespan?"

Zhu Lingyun plucked a white hair from his head, let it drift to the ground after releasing it.

Unnoticed, a few strands of white hair had appeared on his head.

He again drew the Golden Staff from his sleeve and tossed it to Zheng Pingzhang: "You try it."

Zheng Pingzhang caught it like it was a searing hot iron and wished to throw it away immediately.

He forced a smile and said, "I’d better not try it."

Ji Qingyun’s face also changed: "It actually consumes lifespan?"

Zhu Lingyun said, "How many times have you used it?"

Ji Qingyun shook his head hurriedly, "I didn’t use it before, only used it once."

"With one use, it should be ten years of lifespan, the second use thirty years, the third sixty years, the fourth one hundred years, ... more or less," Zhu Lingyun chuckled, "You’ve got good luck."

Zheng Pingzhang quickly smiled and said, "The Sect Master’s luck has always been excellent, otherwise he wouldn’t have obtained this treasure."

Ji Qingyun said, "It’s really hard to say if this is a treasure."

Its power is strong, but similarly, the backlash is too fierce, and the conditions it requires are harsh.

Once it’s used, you’re placed on the chopping block, and if the opponent has a Venerable or expert below the Venerable level, you’re finished.

Zheng Pingzhang returned it to Zhu Lingyun with a bitter smile: "Divine Venerable, thank you for your effort."

He didn’t want to sacrifice even a single year of lifespan, feeling constant regret and remorse for the loss.

He would rather flee and not use up ninety years of lifespan in a fight.

Zhu Lingyun took it back and put it into his sleeve, saying plainly, "What have you planned for the remaining experts?"

Ji Qingyun said, "Let the disciples come, without the Venerable, they’re no match."

"Yes, yes, let them come!" Zheng Pingzhang quickly agreed.

Zhu Lingyun waved his hand, indicating they should act quickly.

His heart and spirit concentrated once again on the Golden Staff, feeling its strangeness.

What he said to the two, he only told half the truth.

This Golden Staff indeed consumes lifespan, but it also generates a peculiar energy aura.

As soon as this aura appears, it is fiercely attacked by the Miao Jing Spirit Water, as if encountering a mortal enemy.

He remained seated, observing the life-or-death battle between the Miao Jing Spirit Water and this wisp of aura.

To his relief, ultimately, the Miao Jing Spirit Water prevailed, finally shattering that aura and dispersing it.

He breathed a long sigh of relief.

The warning in his heart was unprecedented and intense, more so than during a life-and-death crisis.

He knew that without the Miao Jing Spirit Water, he would surely not be able to resist this wisp of foreign aura.

This aura is absolutely not typical spirit or willpower, as it managed to give him such an intense sense of danger.

He speculated it was an even more sinister presence that could possibly not only kill him but also bind or even control his soul.

This Golden Staff is not a benevolent artifact, but rather a cursed object.

No wonder the Miao Jing Spirit Water reacted so strongly the moment it was obtained.

Thinking of this, he once again took out the Golden Staff from his sleeve and examined it carefully.

The Super Sense kept on Insight, and it appeared to be just an ordinary staff, with the only special aspect being its material.

It was made of Undying Golden Essence.

This itself already indicated its extraordinariness.

While he focused intently on the Golden Staff, Zheng Pingzhang had already left, and Ji Qingyun remained to regulate his breath.

Once the peculiar aura was completely resolved, Zheng Pingzhang returned.

Seeing him open his eyes, Zheng Pingzhang cupped his hands with a smile and said, "I’ve already sent someone to bring them over."

Zhu Lingyun nodded, took out the Golden Staff again, thought for a moment, then looked up at Ji Qingyun: "I shall discard it."

Ji Qingyun was taken aback.

Zheng Pingzhang quickly said, "Discard it? Divine Venerable, where to?"

"Is there a sea nearby?" Zhu Lingyun asked.

Zheng Pingzhang quickly shook his head: "No."

Ji Qingyun said, "Divine Venerable, the nearest sea is thousands of miles away."

Zhu Lingyun said, "Let’s make a trip to the seashore and throw it into the sea, so it won’t be easily retrieved."

"This..." Ji Qingyun hesitated.

Zheng Pingzhang said, "Divine Venerable, this little thing could be life-saving in a critical moment."

It isn’t used usually because it consumes lifespan, and who wouldn’t want to live longer?

But at a crucial moment, when surrounded by several Venerables or even Nine Transitions Venerables, using it could solve the problem.

As an Elder of Wanxiang Sect, he had countless nightmares of being hunted and attacked by the experts of the Demon Hunting Bureau.

Zhu Lingyun gave him a sidelong glance.

Ji Qingyun hurriedly said, "Divine Venerable, shall we set out for the seaside now?"

"Hmm, let’s go," Zhu Lingyun said.

Zheng Pingzhang helplessly looked at Ji Qingyun.

Ji Qingyun unhesitatingly led the way forward, shooting off directly.

Zheng Pingzhang, with Zhu Lingyun beside him, didn’t dare to complain to Ji Qingyun via Sound Transmission into Secret.

...

Chu Zhiyuan sheathed his sword, smiling as he looked at the disheveled Li Hongzhao.

Li Hongzhao’s dark green combat uniform was torn in several places, revealing her fair skin.

She held her longsword, frowning, lost in deep thought.

The moves were clearly fine, so why was she in such a disarray and weakness?

Every move was countered, unable to effectively defend, let alone attack.

Chu Zhiyuan’s swordsmanship seemed ordinary and straightforward, yet incredibly apt.

This appropriateness wasn’t just in terms of speed and timing but also held a mystical quality she tried to grasp.

Chu Zhiyuan watched her with a smile, not interrupting.

Li Hongzhao occasionally swung her sword, simulating her previous moves.

She clearly remembered every encounter between them, capable of re-enacting them flawlessly.

But despite her continuous practice and re-enactment, she never got the hang of it.

After a long while, Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "No need to waste your efforts."

Li Hongzhao broke from her deep thought, looking up at him.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "The subtlety lies in my sword."

Li Hongzhao looked at Chu Zhiyuan’s Golden Sword: "This sword isn’t fully formed yet."

Chu Zhiyuan smiled as he handed it to Li Hongzhao.

Li Hongzhao received the sword, her left hand forming a sword technique, fingertips gently brushing across the Golden Sword’s blade.

She arched her slender eyebrows, shaking her head: "It has some spirituality, but not to this extent."

Chu Zhiyuan said, "It is displaying its wonders, aiding me."

The Golden Sword’s spirituality manifested vividly at this moment, remarkably.

It tuned in to Chu Zhiyuan’s intent, slightly adjusting itself to be more harmonious.

This harmony was something no ordinary longsword could achieve.

This slight harmony brought a distinctive essence different from other longswords.

This essence induced mysterious changes in the swordsmanship.

In their intricate and exquisite swordsmanship, even the tiniest changes immensely enhanced the power.

"The Emperor’s Sword seems like..."

"Your Emperor’s Sword doesn’t need to be like this, nor to deploy sword techniques," Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "What’s more, your Emperor’s Sword and mine are different, without this from start to finish refinement and harmony."

"...True," Li Hongzhao admitted, "Such arduous effort, who knows what form it might become."

She vaguely sensed that Chu Zhiyuan’s sword might differ from the Emperor’s Sword in the future.