Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 205: Chapter 203: Communicating with Spirits

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With a focused visualization, everything suddenly went black before his eyes.

It felt as if his soul was abruptly sucked away.

Startled, Chu Zhiyuan was about to pull back, but he found clarity instead, an indescribable feeling emerging.

This sensation was akin to being in a dark room and suddenly opening a window and door, with bright sunlight and fresh air pouring in.

All the pores and senses of his body were instantly activated.

He had come alive again.

He felt an immediate affinity with the world around him.

It was as if he had died once and was reborn, regaining life anew, reminiscent of when he first awakened the Fetal Mystery.

Everything seemed amiable, everything appeared so lovable, making him want to draw close, embrace, and love everything.

He wished he could sing loudly, dance with the heavens and the earth, and dance with all things in the world.

In such a state, he suddenly flickered and appeared beneath a peach tree in the courtyard, reaching out to gently touch the branch.

He was once again in a daze.

In his daze, he felt as if he had become a peach tree.

The air was imbued with a cool, fresh scent; the soil fragrant and warm, the cold wind coming and going mercilessly, the sunlight full of power.

The land revived in spring, flourished in summer, became stark in autumn, and lay hidden in winter, year after year, as blossoms repeatedly bloomed and withered.

The owner of this courtyard grew from childhood ignorance, through youthful earnestness and persistence, to young adult tranquility and grace, amidst the lively bustle of people and the coming and going of maidservants and attendants.

Chu Zhiyuan seemed to witness the entire life journey of the peach tree, witnessing all its experiences in the river of time.

Viewing everything that happened in Listening Waves Courtyard from another perspective felt both familiar and unfamiliar to him, quite novel.

At the last moment, he saw himself appear in front of the peach tree, slowly reaching for a branch.

He awakened leisurely.

Waves of fatigue surged over him, like he hadn’t slept for three days and nights.

The Heavenly Yuan Technique was in operation.

Sweet dew descended upon the Bai Hui acupoint, as though it directly dripped onto the blossoms of the brain, and the refreshing sweetness invigorated him.

Once his spirit was replenished, he recovered.

This was different from fully releasing the Super Sense.

Fully releasing Super Sense meant countless pieces of information rushing into the mind simultaneously.

Dispersing numerous thoughts, it was as if one’s avatar split into thousands, processing all that information at once.

After processing this information, it was as if one had lived for a very long time, long enough to feel weathered, numb, and fatigued.

Yet when he became the peach tree at that moment, he consumed vast spiritual power, but once replenished, he felt an inexplicable sense of fullness.

It was as if he had received some kind of supplement, invisible yet tangible, and though unsure what it was, it surely benefited him.

He vaguely judged it to be the soul.

The Spirit Summoning Talisman, this indeed was spirit summoning, thereby supplementing one’s own soul?

Making one’s soul more elevated, broader, capable of accommodating all things, thus truly merging with heaven and earth?

His imagination ran wild for a moment.

When he looked at the peach tree again, he developed a strange feeling that this peach tree was like his own flesh and blood.

With a gentle touch, he felt a sense of kinship as if blood and flesh were linked.

He could embody it at any time, merge with it, viewing himself from its perspective.

Most extraordinary indeed.

When he turned to another peach tree, he felt the same sentiment.

He was greatly amazed.

Could it be that from now on, upon looking at any peach tree, he’d feel this kinship as if they were siblings, able to merge with them at will?

If this were truly the case, it would indeed be magical.

The name of the Spirit Summoning Talisman was not exaggerated.

He thought for a moment, deciding not to rush to verify, first looking at the patch of green bamboo in the corner of the wall.

...

A quarter-hour later, he opened his eyes, his gaze shining bright and intense.

The Heavenly Yuan Technique had fully replenished the spiritual depletion, leaving a curious sense of fullness and satisfaction lingering in his heart.

The green bamboo in his sight all exuded a familiar feeling, like a reunion with beloved family and friends after many years.

By pressing a stalk of green bamboo, he directly merged with it; the green bamboo became him, and he became the green bamboo.

The green bamboo held no memories, no feelings, but all were presented clearly in his mind.

All things possess a spirit.

This spirit is Spiritual, it is spirit light, it’s a blend of memories, sensations, experiences, and something obscure yet profound, condensed into spirit light.

The Spirit Summoning Talisman enabled him to merge with the spirit light of all things.

Looking toward the direction of King Jing Mansion, gratitude filled him, for this Second Uncle was truly generous.

Such a wondrous talisman, yet passed to him.

Unfortunately, this talisman cannot be transmitted to others, only shared heart to heart.

One cannot transmit it until reaching the Grandmaster Realm.

Without needing much thought, he understood that the immense benefits he received were due to his father, Chu Minghou.

He had received Chu Minghou’s grace, basked in Chu Minghou’s light.

However, he wondered how Chu Mingze and the Emperor’s discussion went, had the father and son turned against each other.

Thinking along these lines, he exited Listening Waves Courtyard, heading to the Prince Mansion’s rear garden, seeing the peach trees and bamboo groves.

Each evoked a sense of closeness.

Connecting with one tree’s spirit connected him with the spirit of that kind of tree; there was no need to connect with each individual tree.

This saved a lot of effort.

He analyzed carefully, finding within it a principle of heaven and earth.

Spiritual light connects.

The more abundant the spiritual light, the less they connect with each other, while the simpler the spiritual light, the more they connect instead.

Like humans and animals, each human, each animal—all have their own spirit light, all different.

However, humans are the spirit of all things; could this talisman not connect with the spirit light of humans?

Upon pondering this, he suddenly sensed a dangerous feeling.

Instantly shivered with alertness.

What does this dangerous thought imply?

It implies that one absolutely cannot use this Spirit Summoning Talisman on people, or it would bring lethal danger.

Is it because the spiritual nature is too abundant, consuming too much, thereby causing instant exhaustion leading to death when used?

Or due to other reasons?

He could only ponder, but dared not test.

Testing would mean death.

——

In the evening, as Bai Ningshuang returned for dinner, she spoke of great events unfolding in the palace.

The Second Prince and the Emperor did not come to blows, nor did they fall out.

Prince Jing, Chu Mingze, did not choose to become a Sect Hierarch of the Yongling Divine Sect, but rather went to the Four Great Grotto Heavens and the Four Great Secret Lands.

To guard the Secret Land, never to emerge again.

This surprised Chu Zhiyuan greatly.

Chu Yi also exclaimed in wonder, "Guarding a Secret Land? Isn’t it just like being imprisoned?... Clearly, he could have become the Yongling Divine Sect’s Hierarch."

"Who knows," Bai Ningshuang curiously said, "No one really understands what your Second Uncle is thinking!"

"Really strange," Chu Yi looked at Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan seemed thoughtful.

"Yuan’er, what do you think?"

"There are too many possibilities," Chu Zhiyuan said. "With the Imperial Grandfather around, not even a Great Grandmaster would act recklessly."

No matter how strong a Great Grandmaster is, under the Emperor’s Sword, there is no resistance.

Did the Second Prince realize this, or is there other inside information?

Why did the Yongling Divine Sect aid Da Meng in capturing Fuyuan Town?

Is there any connection with the Second Prince achieving the Grandmaster Realm?

Overall, this matter is shrouded in mystery, and there’s currently no way to perceive it clearly, no need to overly exert one’s mind.

"Yuan’er, what did your Second Uncle pass down to you?"

"A talisman, not martial arts."

"Such stinginess!" Bai Ningshuang pursed her red lips.

Seeing Chu Minghou glaring over, she chuckled, "Alright, alright, not speaking ill of him, anyhow, in Prince’s eyes, he’s just your good Second Brother!"

Chu Minghou snorted, "He is indeed."

If it were other matters, he couldn’t care less, yet he wouldn’t tolerate anyone slandering Chu Mingze, despite being implicated and having his mansion sealed for thirty years, it remained the same.

Bai Ningshuang said, "In this way, it’s also good, sparing countless troubles, our mansion’s situation might improve a bit."

The Prince Mansion hadn’t been able to rise all because of King Jing. Now with King Jing gone, the Emperor’s anger should have subsided. Surely, the situation of their mansion should improve?

This remark again drew a glare from Chu Minghou.

Chu Zhiyuan then went to Duke An Mansion and took two small Cold Jade Boxes from Xiao Ruoling, which contained Sky-reaching Grass.

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