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Chapter 83: Chapter 81 Fifth Grade
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Four Directions Pavilion
Cheng Tianfeng stood dumbfounded in the small courtyard, looking up at the bright moon in the sky.
The bright moon hung like a hook.
With only half of its light remaining.
Yet it was exceptionally bright.
Under the moonlight, Cheng Tianfeng’s face was pale, his eyes filled with confusion.
An emaciated old man appeared beside him at some unknown time and spoke softly, "Tianfeng, have you figured it out?"
Cheng Tianfeng turned his head to look at the old man, "Uncle Master, I just can’t understand why I lost... we are both at the Ninth Layer realm, right? And I possess the strengths of two families, how could I possibly lose to him?"
"There’s something odd about him, otherwise, he wouldn’t have tamed the Heavenly Dragon Divine Horse."
"Very odd indeed!"
"He must have consumed some sort of mystical artifact, his physical body is strong, his blood and qi are vastly superior to that of an ordinary person."
"That must be it!" Cheng Tianfeng gritted his teeth and said, "His strength far exceeds mine, and he’s faster than me, he must have consumed some sort of heavenly materials and earthly treasures!"
He felt that he did not lose due to martial arts but due to luck.
"Next time... next time..." Cheng Tianfeng said with resentment, "I will definitely trample him underfoot!"
The emaciated old man nodded with satisfaction, "It’s good to have such fighting spirit."
He was worried that the blow had been too hard on Cheng Tianfeng, causing him to lose all his fighting spirit, which would be a huge loss to Wentian Cliff and Da Zhen.
On the contrary, if he could pull through, his mind would be more resolute, and his future even brighter.
Cheng Tianfeng looked at the old man, "Uncle Master, I have a request to make."
"Tell me about it," the old man Mo Chunyu said.
"I wish to ask Uncle Master to abduct Xiao Ruoling back to Da Zhen to be my woman."
"What?"
"I want to take Xiao Ruoling! Take his woman away!"
"...Nonsense!" Mo Chunyu’s eyes widened instantly, pointing at him with his mouth open, wanting to scold him but holding back, and finally he snorted heavily, "At a time like this, you’re still thinking about women!"
"Taking her will relieve me of this resentment, only then can my mind be at peace, otherwise, I won’t be able to eat or sleep!"
He had been humiliated, had his Heavenly Hidden Pendant destroyed, and his Heart Inquiry Blade stolen — he swore he would not live as a man if he didn’t avenge this!
Mo Chunyu fell silent.
He could understand Cheng Tianfeng’s pain.
After all, he had been a favored child of heaven since childhood, and had never suffered such a loss.
And it happened under the eyes of the public, concerning the face of Da Zhen and Da Zhen’s princess, getting beaten time and again, anyone would find it unbearable and would need to vent to calm their emotions.
But to vent like this...
"Uncle Master, is it impossible?"
"This is Yujing, and that is the daughter of the State Duke Mansion, the heir’s wife!"
Taking an ordinary woman is one thing, but Xiao Ruoling is different.
If Xiao Ruoling were really taken, it would certainly alarm Chu Qingquan.
With one slash of the Emperor’s Sword, I would be obliterated.
Cheng Tianfeng showed disappointment, "Uncle Master, are you afraid as well?"
"I am." Mo Chunyu replied without hesitation, "I haven’t lived long enough yet!"
"If we trick her out of the city and take her away, by the time Da Jing reacts, we would already be in our Da Zhen..."
"Three thousand miles, even if I raced for my life, I couldn’t escape the Emperor’s Sword, one slash and I would be dead."
"They would first have to confirm it was us who took her, maybe they’d dally for a few days."
"...It’s not worth the risk, Tianfeng, don’t throw your life away for a woman, it’s not worth it!"
"Would Da Jing dare kill me?" Cheng Tianfeng sneered, showing disdain, "Even if you gave them ten gallstones, they wouldn’t dare!"
"Chu Qingquan may cripple you, but if he does so with reason, even Your Majesty couldn’t say anything. At most, they’d cripple Chu Zhiyuan too."
"Is it really not possible, Uncle Master?"
"It really isn’t possible!"
"..." Cheng Tianfeng looked toward the direction of Prince Qing Mansion where Chu Zhiyuan was, with an expression of unwillingness.
"Focus on your martial arts training, Chu Zhiyuan will go to the Divine Capital soon, you can spar with him then and wash away your shame!"
"It seems he will soon go to the Divine Capital." Cheng Tianfeng shook his head, "There’s not enough time." 𝘯𝑜𝑣𝑝𝑢𝘣.𝑐𝑜𝑚
"Your Master has a Heavenly Dragon Pill, consuming it can greatly strengthen the body, giving boundless strength and speed like lightning."
"Hmm—?"
"But this pill is dangerous, if you cannot withstand its power, your body will explode and you will die."
"...That will do!"
"With your current cultivation, dealing with someone of the same realm should be effortless, but you encountered such a monster."
Mo Chunyu was deeply moved.
Fortune is fickle, Da Jing produced such a monster, with luck defying the heavens.
If they had the opportunity to nip off someone with the potential to become a Great Grandmaster, it would be a great service to Wentian Cliff and Da Zhen.
But he couldn’t intervene, and if he really went to the Divine Capital, Mo Chunyu would even have to protect his safety.
Thinking of this, his gaze turned toward the direction of Prince Qing Mansion, then toward the Imperial Palace, his eyes shimmering with light.
——
The next day, as soon as Chu Zhiyuan awoke, even before washing up, Zou Fang reported that early in the morning, Huang Cheng had arrived with a reward from the Emperor.
Chu Zhiyuan hastily washed up and went to the front.
Huang Cheng, dressed in a purple robe, accompanied by two red-clad eunuchs, smiled and cupped his hands to congratulate Chu Zhiyuan as soon as he entered the hall.
Chu Zhiyuan said with a smile, "Huang Imperial Envoy, sorry to trouble you again, what does the Imperial Grandfather command?"
"This time, I brought this," Huang Cheng said with a smile, taking a jade token from his sleeve and presenting it with both hands to Chu Zhiyuan, "Congratulations to Princely Heir Zhiyuan."
Chu Zhiyuan accepted the jade token, it was a Fifth Grade Merit Token.
The smile quickly spread across his face, Chu Zhiyuan cupped his hands, "Huang Imperial Envoy, please send my thanks, much gratitude to the Imperial Grandfather."
Fifth Grade Merit.
Two ranks higher than he had originally anticipated.
He had thought initially that acquiring a Seventh Grade Merit would be good enough.
The difference was significant with two grades apart.
"I will convey the Princely Heir’s gratitude to the Emperor." Huang Cheng said with a cheerful smile, "Congratulations, with this Fifth Grade Merit, Princely Heir, your abilities will be greatly enhanced."
"I accept your kind words," Chu Zhiyuan said with a smile, "A Fifth Grade Merit, once I take a look in a few days, I’ll see what it can be exchanged for."
"If it were me, I’d exchange it for a spirit pill, but Princely Heir is different, so I don’t dare to advise."
"What spirit pill would the Imperial Envoy exchange it for?"
"Back when my blood and qi were weak, I exchanged it for a Primordial Blood Pill, but Princely Heir’s blood and qi are surging like rivers, it’s different."
"Then what suggestion does the Imperial Envoy have?" Chu Zhiyuan asked with interest.
Huang Cheng, after all, was a Great Grandmaster.
"If you ask me, exchange it for a Miao Wu Pill." Huang Cheng said with a smile, "Upon taking this pill, one enters a state of enlightenment, many who reach Innate Perfection find their path to becoming a Grandmaster through this pill."
"Miao Wu Pill..." Chu Zhiyuan mused, "To think there’s such a spirit pill."
"It can be taken only once in a lifetime." Huang Cheng explained, "After the first time, it’s useless for the next."
"Then why not save it for Grandmaster Perfection?"
"Searching for the Great Grandmaster path, Miao Wu Pill is useless," Huang Cheng shook his head, "One must rely on their own comprehension."
"Miao Wu Pill..." Chu Zhiyuan cupped his hands, "Thank you, Imperial Envoy."
Huang Cheng said with a smile, "This is just my personal opinion, the Princely Heir might want to consult further."
Chu Zhiyuan nodded.
"By the way," he continued, "I must also discuss with the Imperial Grandfather about the placement of those two Heavenly Dragon Divine Horses."
"What does the Princely Heir intend for them?"
"To enter the Little Chixia Mountain."
"This..." Huang Cheng showed a troubled look, "Princely Heir, these two fine horses would be sufficient for Feiyan Valley, letting them enter the Little Chixia Mountain is rather..."
Entering the Little Chixia Mountain would be a bit too intimidating to the demon beasts.
Once they go in, they will undoubtedly dominate the Little Chixia Mountain, and the demon beasts there will suffer suffocation.
"Then let them enter Feiyan Valley."
"... Allow me to report this to the Emperor."
"Thank you, Imperial Envoy."
Chu Zhiyuan continued contemplating how to place these two divine steeds.
Keeping them at the Prince Mansion would certainly be more secure, but the Prince Mansion is too confining for them, unable to stretch, too unfair to them.
They are originally the spirit of heaven and earth, and it is not suitable to confine them to a stable.
If released into the wild, it wouldn’t feel safe either.
If some Great Grandmaster came running to capture them...
Unable to subdue them, they might be forced to commit suicide.
So placing them in a hunting ground would be best.
With the Imperial Palace Guards guarding the hunting ground, outsiders are not allowed entry, allowing them to run freely inside.
Since he spends his days in the Inner City nowadays, even the finest horses cannot run within the Inner City.
Once he becomes a Grandmaster, then he’ll be free to exit the Inner City, then ride them at leisure.
...
After Huang Cheng laughed and left, Chu Zhiyuan returned to Listening Pavilion.
Super Sense had long been sensing the Flying Knives and Jade Pendant Fragments.
After a night of absorbing moonlight, they looked unchanged on the outside, still dull, and had no alluring qualities.
Under the Super Sense, the two Flying Knives faintly glowed with a subtle light.
Through this slight glow, he saw the tiny words, as thin as hair, appear faintly, seeming vague and elusive.
One knife said "Inquiry," and the other said "Heart."
Chu Zhiyuan’s sword-like eyebrows furrowed.
"Heart Inquiry."
Heart Inquiry Blade?
He delved quickly into his memory.
He found nothing.
Wentian Cliff, Heart Inquiry Blade, the names sounded somewhat similar.
But Wentian Cliff’s martial arts heritage had always been a mystery, with the Inspection Department having no clues.
He thought for a moment and finally placed them on the rockery, instructing Zou Fang, Mo Yi, and the other four women not to touch them casually.
Perhaps after absorbing enough moonlight, more clues would be revealed.
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