Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 224: Chapter 221 Dragon Mountain

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At first glance, it seemed like the Super Sense was experiencing a hallucination.

How could such a small stone wall contain so many towering peaks? It seemed unrealistic, yet it was the most real situation.

But he knew the Super Sense couldn’t hallucinate.

The only possibility was that this stone wall truly hid a mass of mountains.

This inexplicably reminded him of one word: Secret Land.

Information on Secret Lands and Grotto Heavens is almost entirely sealed, and he had only glimpsed slivers in miscellaneous books in the Tongtian Pavilion and Mingwu Hall.

Originally, when Chu Qingfeng and the others didn’t appear in time, he had various speculations.

The Miao Ling Pearl endowed him with a wild capacity for deduction and interpretation.

Among those was one speculation: they discovered a Secret Land and were drawn in.

Through the Sky-reaching Grass, he learned that time works differently inside the Secret Land.

It’s very possible they felt only short moments passed inside, while outside, a whole day had passed.

That’s why they hadn’t shown up.

"Secret Land?!"

Huang Shiron turned her head to look at him.

The two floated side by side under the moonlight, as if their feet didn’t touch the ground, the Grandmaster’s Protective Gang Qi allowing them to contact and leverage against the ground through a foot-thick layer.

Zou Fang hid like a shadow within his shadow, hardly noticeable.

Under the moonlight, one was handsome, the other beautiful, like a pair of perfect individuals.

The moonlight made Huang Shiron even more beautiful.

A beautiful face full of wonder.

Chu Zhiyuan slowly said, "It’s not impossible."

"A new Secret Land emerging?" Huang Shiron’s eyes brightened: "If so, that would be a great event!"

Secret Land means resources for cultivation.

The more resources, the more the Da Jing Court benefits, as well as the masters of the Military Suppression Department, and all four of the Great Sects are also beneficiaries.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "It could be a new Secret Land, or maybe not a new one, don’t be too happy just yet."

"..." Huang Shiron was puzzled.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "Perhaps it’s another Secret Land that moved here."

"Could that happen?"

"We know too little about Secret Lands."

"Sigh... if only it were a new Secret Land."

Chu Zhiyuan nodded: "Let’s hope it’s new."

The two floated back to the Outer City, across it, and into the Inner City.

Brilliantly lit, it was like a city that never sleeps.

The hustle and bustle were at their peak, extremely lively.

It seemed that everyone in the city had come out from their homes, filling the streets and alleys, lively beyond measure.

Chu Zhiyuan and Huang Shiron navigated as smoothly as fish, agile and unerring.

After entering the Inner City, the two parted ways on Phoenix Avenue, with Chu Zhiyuan heading straight to the Grandmaster’s Office, and Huang Shiron to the West Second Hall.

——

"Old Thirteen and the others have all disappeared?"

Great Grandmaster Chu Qingyan looked at Chu Zhiyuan in confusion, wondering if he had misheard.

Chu Zhiyuan recounted the day’s events.

Completely, including the fight with Zhang Youling.

Of course, he concealed the fact that Zhang Youling possessed a golden vertical pupil, only mentioning the green robe.

"...Such twists and turns." Chu Qingyan stroked his beard and said, "Originally, I thought it was just some trivial matter, didn’t expect it to have such true heritage."

"True heritage?"

"This Zhang Youling should be a True Disciple of the Yuding Sect, the future Sect Master." Chu Qingyan said, "Yuding Sect has some fortune; within a century, it produces a genius to become its pillar, ensuring the Yuding Sect’s stability."

"Able to become a Great Grandmaster?"

Chu Qingyan nodded: "There’s a great chance of achieving Great Grandmaster, but not everyone can, or the Yuding Sect would have been the world’s foremost a long time ago, leaving no room for us!"

Chu Zhiyuan let out a sigh of relief.

Chu Qingyan said, "You said there’s a Secret Land there?"

"Junior thinks it looks like one, but having never seen a real Secret Land, a Great Grandmaster needs to visit and check."

"Alright, you should go back and guard it well, I’ll report to the Emperor and send someone over."

"Yes."

......

Chu Zhiyuan first returned to the Prince Qing Mansion to change clothes.

The clothes he had on had gone through a battle, always feeling a lingering scent of blood.

The scent of blood had seeped into the fabric, blending with the material, and even the vibrations of Gang Qi couldn’t cleanse it completely.

With Super Sense, his senses were many times sharper than ordinary people, he could always sense an elusive scent lingering at his nose, which was very uncomfortable.

After washing up with Mo Yi and others attending to him, and changing into clean and fresh clothes, before leaving, he asked Chu Yi to go to the Duke An Mansion and inform Xiao Ruoling of his safety.

He could foresee that Xiao Ruoling must be worried sick at the mansion.

Chu Yi going over and saying a word could ease her mind.

Chu Yi cheerfully agreed, and, as expected, Li Suyue was also there, so the two went to the Duke An Mansion together to report safety.

When Chu Zhiyuan returned to the valley, it had already been surrounded by experts from the Military Suppression Department, some of whom had participated in the cleansing operation this time.

They greeted Chu Zhiyuan one after another, respectfully and eagerly addressing him as Fourth Prince.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded in response to each.

As Chu Zhiyuan re-entered the valley, Huang Shiron was already waiting at the entrance: "Are these people enough?"

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

More than thirty experts from the Military Suppression Department and several Grandmasters were enough to seal this place off.

The two engaged in some small talk.

The eradication of the Yuding Sect outside the city went smoothly, thanks to the joint efforts of the experts from the Military Suppression Department and the heroes summoned by the Summoning Order; none managed to escape, they were completely wiped out.

Achievements were numerous, and there was no loss of personnel.

However, the experts of the Secret Shadow Sect were nowhere to be seen.

This wasn’t considered unusual.

The Secret Shadow Sect and Yuding Sect, after all, were both Evil Sects, wary of each other, cooperating only to infiltrate the city, in the outskirts, they did not encounter each other.

Chu Zhiyuan suddenly stopped: "The Great Grandmaster has arrived."

He took a step outside, toward the circle formed by the Military Suppression Department experts, smiling at the purple-robed eunuch walking slowly, "Imperial Envoy Huang, it’s you indeed."

Huang Cheng chuckled, "Your Highness, a humble servant is here under orders to take a look."

Two middle-aged eunuchs in red robes, solemn and stern, accompanied him.

"Imperial Envoy Huang surely enjoys the Imperial Grandfather’s deep trust," Chu Zhiyuan remarked, "Imperial Envoy Huang, please, come inside."

"Your Highness, after you!"

Huang Cheng chuckled as he followed Chu Zhiyuan inside. As they walked, he said, "This time, Your Highness displayed extraordinary power; even in the palace, the news is known."

Chu Zhiyuan replied, "Just got rid of some pests, ... Imperial Envoy Huang, today the Great Grandmasters are quite busy."

"I’ve not paid much attention to the situation at the Grandmaster Mansion." Huang Cheng smiled.

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head inwardly.

Truly crafty, revealing nothing.

Huang Cheng couldn’t possibly be unaware of what Xuan Ri (Mystical Day) is.

Chu Qingyan was also reticent.

Chu Zhiyuan speculated, it might concern the Four Grotto Heavens and the Four Secret Lands, wondering if it was similar to a Beast Tide, where demon beasts become restless on this day, requiring more Great Grandmasters to stand guard.

With the Miao Ling Pearl combined with the Super Sense, he felt his guess was close to the truth.

Upon reaching the cliff, Huang Cheng’s face turned solemn, his cheerful expression vanished, replaced by solemnity and gravity.

The air around seemed to thicken.

With a composed face, he turned and said, "Return to the palace quickly, request the Emperor to send at least three Great Grandmasters over!"

"Yes." The two middle-aged eunuchs in red clasped their fists, turned around, and left.

"Everyone, evacuate the valley!" Huang Cheng said in a low voice.

His voice, though low, exploded in everyone’s ears like a thunder shock.

Huang Shiron signaled with her hand, and Wen Qianqian and Xu Mengyu followed her out.

Chu Zhiyuan also motioned with his hand.

Except for Zou Fang, Guo Chi and the others had no choice but to leave.

In the blink of an eye, only three people were left in the valley.

Chu Zhiyuan looked at Huang Cheng.

Huang Cheng stared at the stone wall, gravely saying, "Prince Yuan, you should withdraw too, as far away as possible."

"Is it not one of the original four Secret Lands and Grotto Heavens?"

Huang Cheng stared at the stone wall, gravely saying, "It’s the Dragon Mountain Secret Land, ...if the beasts of this Secret Land emerge, I’m afraid..."

"Is it because today is Xuan Ri, so the beasts will come out?"

"...Your Highness knows?"

"I figured it out."

Huang Cheng said, "Xuan Ri is when nature’s spiritual energy is most abundant in the Secret Land, also when many beasts experience tribulation, it’s quite bothersome, but never thought, the Dragon Mountain Secret Land actually..."

"Shouldn’t this situation appear?"

"...It should not."

"Isn’t that a good thing?"

"The Secret Land anomaly isn’t likely to be good."

"Does the Dragon Mountain Secret Land have other entrances?"

"...Your Highness, the entrances to Secret Lands are secrets within secrets, even I don’t know."

"Hehe..." Chu Zhiyuan laughed.

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