Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 82: Chapter 80 Flying Knife

Chu Zhiyuan first picked up a Flying Knife.

The knife, as thin as a cicada’s wing, seemed dull without an edge, neither the tip nor the blade was sharp to the touch.

He thought this shouldn’t be the case.

Cheng Tianfeng wouldn’t carry two unsharpened Flying Knives as toys, would he?

After infusing True Qi, it suddenly felt like water blending with milk.

But the knife didn’t change.

The knife’s tip and blade remained as blunt as paper edges, not sharp at all.

He flicked his hand.

The Flying Knife fell onto the opposite desk, bounced off with a "bang," and landed on the floor.

Chu Zhiyuan was puzzled, and called out, "Zou Fang."

Zou Fang, who stood opposite, floated over to pick up the knife and handed it back to him.

Chu Zhiyuan examined the Flying Knife carefully under the light.

Thin as a cicada’s wing, hard in texture, cold and heavy as if forged from frost.

There was a faint pattern inside, which looked like a leaf just by the design.

It looked very much like a willow leaf cut halfway, then embedded with a guard and handle.

The guard and handle were simple and plain.

These patterns were not like Feng Wen or any other exotic script, just some lines that seemed like channels for transmitting power.

He immediately tried channeling Gang Qi from the Washing Sword Technique into the knife.

Still, it made no difference.

He tossed the knife, constantly using Super Sense to focus and discern, but found nothing.

They seemed like ordinary, unsharpened Flying Knives.

But he was certain that if they were useless, Cheng Tianfeng wouldn’t carry them.

Super Sense detected nothing unusual, it was the first time encountering such a situation, piquing his interest and curiosity even more.

...

The Flying Dragon Ball was placed aside, and the Third Layer of the Dragon Transformation Technique circulated within his body. Although not as rapid as absorbing the aura of the Dragon Bone, one could not always rely on the Dragon Bone.

There would be no more opportunities to exploit the Emperor in the future, and chances to obtain the Flying Dragon Bone would be few and far between.

The essence lay in one’s own cultivation.

With the Flying Dragon Ball present and the first two layers of the Dragon Transformation Technique, although not as fast as absorbing Dragon Bone, the progress was still considered rapid.

After observing for a while, he took out the three fragments of the Jade Pendant, which when pieced together could be completely restored.

The Jade Pendant was round but had lost its luster.

Initially, when worn around Cheng Tianfeng’s neck, it was lustrous like water, but now it was dull.

Without the spirit light, it had lost its wonder.

When it had spirit light, there was a layer of mist blocking it, making it impossible to penetrate; now it could be comprehensively understood without hindrance.

After a moment, he put down the three Jade Pendant Fragments.

No wonder Cheng Tianfeng didn’t look for them afterward, allowing Huang Cheng to secretly take them to him.

They probably had no remaining significance.

Now they’re no different from ordinary stones, neither patterned nor powerful, nothing to detect, dismissible as waste stones.

Such a miraculous item, once broken, became like this; the key seemed to be the inherent spirit light.

He felt disappointed but hadn’t given up, inspecting the two together.

The Flying Knife felt just right, stirring a burgeoning impulse, prompting him to open the window and shoot the knife out towards a rock on the courtyard’s artificial hill, again and again.

With Super Sense, he could continuously adjust his hand movements, correcting, and making his shots increasingly precise.

Shoot one knife, then another, with Zou Fang retrieving the first knife while the second shot out.

Zou Fang moved like the wind, exceptionally fast, appearing beside the rock one moment, in front of him the next, unfailingly and tirelessly.

After shooting thirty-two knives, Chu Zhiyuan achieved pinpoint accuracy.

However, he knew that his current precision came from constant adjustment, and waking up tomorrow morning might require another recalibration.

Only when the muscles in both hands remember the action can he truly achieve infallibility.

While calibrating, he continued discerning the two knives and the Jade Pendant Fragments, noticing slight changes in the knives under the moonlight.

The Jade Pendant Fragments remained unchanged.

A faint power entered the two knives, granting them an almost imperceptible sheen, invisible to the naked eye but detectable by Super Sense.

He estimated that after a month of moonlight, the Flying Knives would develop a visible sheen.

However, he couldn’t wait for a month, so he placed both on the stone table in the courtyard, and for the first time allowed the Listening Waves Courtyard to extinguish the lanterns, letting them bathe in moonlight.

Since living alone in the courtyard, the Listening Waves Courtyard had remained brightly lit like daylight, permitting no darkness.

Now, in the darkness, the two objects lay quietly on the stone table.

Chu Zhiyuan began to rest.

The day’s experience made him feel a year had passed, filled with bountiful harvests and thrilling excitement.

——

"I stab! Stab again, I’ll stab again! Haha!"

"Amazing!"

"So incredible!"

Since returning to the Duke Mansion, inside the painted boat in the rear garden, Xiao Ruoyu had been excitedly swinging his sword again and again, mimicking how Chu Zhiyuan wielded his sword.

As if he had transformed into Chu Zhiyuan, knocking Cheng Tianfeng away again and again, refreshingly and heartily, laughing to the sky at times.

Xiao Ruoling smiled, letting him vent.

The two maidservants excitedly inquired about the situation at the time; they weren’t allowed into Fengtian Hall, waiting outside the palace instead.

Listening to Xiao Ruoyu’s recounting, they too became excited.

Duke An was already fast asleep, having drunk too much at the evening banquet, where the seven other Dukes out of the eight kept toasting him enthusiastically.

They were both envious and jealous, turning jealousy into toasts, while saying nice things and feeding him the love potion, making him happily accept every toast.

With such a son-in-law, he was exuberant, filled with unprecedented confidence, greeting all comers without fear.

Having finished two teacups, Xiao Ruoling laughed and said, "Alright, Little Tiger, it’s time to rest; you have to get up early to practice tomorrow."

"Sister, aren’t you happy?"

"Happy."

"But you don’t seem excited, like you expected it; did you receive the news beforehand?"

"No."

"Then how can you remain so calm? You’re indeed impressive."

Elder sister had always been serene, calm like still waters, rarely moved by anything.

"It’s just a sparring match, winning or losing is normal."

"But this isn’t just a sparring match, it’s about whether we marry or be married to a princess, marry a princess?" Xiao Ruoyu said, his face suddenly changing, urgently asking, "Who’s marrying a princess?"

Xiao Ruoling asked, "You don’t know?"

"I think I overheard, but didn’t catch it clearly."

"He’s marrying a princess, and later will go to Da Zhen to choose a princess to marry."

"But he already has you, elder sister, he’s already betrothed!" Xiao Ruoyu hurriedly said.

No wonder elder sister wasn’t excited; so there’s more to this story!

Xiao Ruoling smiled.

Xiao Ruoyu hastily said, "This won’t work, there can only be one official Heir’s Wife, and it has to be you!... I absolutely won’t agree to a Da Zhen princess as the official Heir’s Wife!"

Xiao Ruoling sighed, "That depends on the Emperor’s decree."

Seeing that Chu Zhiyuan stood up for her, it was indeed thrilling, but unexpectedly, he still had to marry a Da Zhen princess.

Although they were just betrothed, with little interaction and no deep feelings, requiring marriage to slowly cultivate affection.

But no matter what, he’s to be her husband; it felt like something of hers was being taken away, triggering a sense of unwillingness.

Xiao Ruoyu said, "Then tomorrow, let father submit a petition."

He wouldn’t agree, and neither would father; it’s imperative to argue logically, even the Emperor shouldn’t act arbitrarily; there’s a proper order to things.

It’s a significant matter concerning elder sister’s entire life, not allowing any compromise.

"Hmm, go to sleep first." Xiao Ruoling said.

Xiao Ruoyu said, "Then you should also go to bed early, don’t overthink, there’ll be a way."

"Little Tiger has grown up, knows how to comfort people." Xiao Ruoling smiled faintly, covering her mouth.

"...Then I’m leaving." Xiao Ruoyu gave her a disgruntled look, feeling his worries were unnecessary; elder sister didn’t take it to heart.

He floated out of the painted boat, gliding on the lake water until he disappeared.

Xiao Ruoling went to the bow of the boat, looking at the shimmering lake under the moonlight.

The shimmering lake mirrored the moonlight, peaceful and soothing.

Beneath the moonlight and the faintly shining lake, her stunning face tilted slightly, her eyes deep and dreamy.

After a long time, she couldn’t help but sigh, gracefully rising like a cloud drifting away from the hills, leaving the scene.