Cheng Tianfeng's face was already dark and grimy, making it impossible to discern any change in his complexion, but the awkwardness in his eyes was clear.
Chu Zhiyuan said, "Brother Cheng, surely these two couldn't have deceived Grandmaster Mo, could they?" Grandmasters possess an unimaginable, keen intuition.
No matter how skilled Jade Cauldron Sect experts are at concealing their aura, they can't fool a Grandmaster. Cheng Tianfeng retorted unhappily, "Master Uncle Mo went to your Prince's mansion!"
Chu Zhiyuan raised a brow, then chuckled, "He went to discuss the art of painting with my father; I didn't expect the two of them to be so compatible." Since his first visit, Chu Minghou's interactions with Mo Chunyu had become frequent.
Both were proficient in painting, and each had their unique achievements. Exchanging ideas greatly benefited both of them. He didn't try to stop them; besides, if anyone were to stop them, it would be the Emperor, not himself.
In his opinion, interacting with Mo Chunyu was much safer than with his Second Uncle.
"Then he truly deserved this tribulation." Chu Zhiyuan chuckled. "If it were me, I would definitely keep a Grandmaster by my side when bringing outsiders in, after all, there are too many people who want to assassinate you, not just these evil sects."
Cheng Tianfeng snorted coldly.
He also secretly regretted it, all because he was blinded by lust, his mind clouded, and he was too eager. The key was meeting Li Hongzhao.
Every time he saw Li Hongzhao, he couldn't help himself, his mind consumed by desire.
Li Hongzhao's beauty was too intense, making him unable to extricate himself and unable to resist. Yet, he couldn't obtain her.
So, every time he bid farewell to Li Hongzhao, he couldn't wait to bring a beauty into his room, venting his frustrations to quell the fire in his heart and regain peace. "Brother Cheng, you are also a perceptive person. Ordinary experts can't deceive you. Is it the Jade Cauldron Sect, or the Secret Shadow Sect?"
"It's the Jade Cauldron Sect, aided by the damned Heavenly Concealment Sect!"
"Heavenly Concealment Sect? What Heavenly Concealment Sect?"
"The Secret Shadow Sect is just a branch of the Heavenly Concealment Sect. The Heavenly Concealment Sect has a unique skill that can help people conceal their aura."
"Which unique skill?"
"The Heavenly Cloak Secret Art!"
Chu Zhiyuan looked at him in surprise.
"The Secret Shadow Sect is just a branch; the true main line is the Heavenly Concealment Sect, that is the truly terrifying one!"
"Heavenly Concealment Sect..." Chu Zhiyuan pondered.
He hadn't heard of this name.
If they were truly this powerful, even among the Great Zhen's sects, he should have heard of them. Observing Cheng Tianfeng's subtle expression, he wasn't lying, which meant this sect was extremely secretive.
"That jade pendant you destroyed was the Heavenly Concealment Jade, a treasure of the Heavenly Concealment Sect."
"What about the matching swordplay?"
"Also from the Heavenly Concealment Sect."
"Your Asking Heaven Cliff actually has the Heavenly Concealment Sect's inheritance?"
"Hmph, what do you want to ask? Are you trying to say that we, Asking Heaven Cliff, are colluding with the Heavenly Concealment Sect?!"
"If it were Brother Cheng, you would also have this suspicion, wouldn't you?"
"Because we, Asking Heaven Cliff, once encircled and suppressed the Heavenly Concealment Sect, almost wiping them out, and obtained some of their inheritance."
"That's quite a coincidence."
"Don't be sarcastic. How can a mere Grandmaster like you fathom the abilities of our Asking Heaven Cliff's founder?!"
"Alas..., a mere seventh-level Grandmaster like myself indeed cannot fathom the abilities of Grandmasters."
Chu Zhiyuan shook his head and smiled.
Cheng Tianfeng's face stiffened, his gaze burning as he stared at him.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled and nodded, "That's right, Brother Cheng, I am now at the seventh level."
Cheng Tianfeng took a few deep breaths, calming down: "Congratulations."
"Haha..." Chu Zhiyuan laughed, "Brother Cheng even said I was hypocritical."
Cheng Tianfeng snorted: "Forget it, congratulations my ass, I don't want to congratulate you... But don't be smug, I'll be waiting for you at the Grandmaster level, watching you struggle bitterly, unable to reach the Grandmaster level."
Chu Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow.
"You really obtained the Heart-Questioning Knife Art?" Cheng Tianfeng asked casually.
"Heart-Questioning Knife Art?" Chu Zhiyuan chuckled. "I used the Ancient Void-Exorcising Sword Sect's Void-Exorcising Sword Art. Has Brother Cheng heard of the Void-Exorcising Sword Sect?"
Cheng Tianfeng frowned, thoughtful.
He had indeed heard of the Void-Exorcising Sword Sect, and had heard his master mention the Void-Exorcising Sword Art. It was when talking about the Heart-Questioning Knife Art that his master had unintentionally mentioned the Void-Exorcising Sword Sect's Void-Exorcising Sword Art, hailed as the number one miraculous sword art in the world, comparable to the Heart-Questioning Knife Art.
But only Grandmasters could truly unleash its power. He didn't expect Chu Zhiyuan to have actually mastered the Void-Exorcising Sword Art! Others couldn't possibly master it, but this guy might. Heaven is truly blind!
"But what is the Heart-Questioning Knife Art?" Chu Zhiyuan asked, "Is it the knife art that comes with this flying dagger?"
"Then you should return the Heart-Questioning Knife to me, shouldn't you?" Cheng Tianfeng said, "You've played with it enough."
Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "What Heart-Questioning Knife?"
"...Truly the height of shamelessness!" Cheng Tianfeng snorted coldly.
"Brother Cheng, tell me about the Heart-Questioning Knife Art."
"Everyone in the world knows the Heart-Questioning Knife Art, how can you not know it?"
"I really haven't heard of it."
"The Heart-Questioning Knife contains the inheritance of the Heart-Questioning Knife Art. Five hundred years ago, an ancestor used this knife to terrify the martial arts world of the Great Mongol, Great Zhen, and Great Jing, and was hailed as the number one flying knife art."
"No wonder I haven't heard of it," Chu Zhiyuan smiled.
Being beaten to a pulp by a Great Zhen person isn't something glorious, so it's understandable that they wouldn't mention it. No wonder Chu Qingyan determined that I was using the Heart-Questioning Knife Art; he must have known about this knife art.
"That ancestor greatly regretted learning this knife art, saying that this knife art was too harmful and better not to be learned, so he didn't pass it down."
"How is this Heart-Questioning Knife Art harmful?" Chu Zhiyuan smiled.
"Since you didn't obtain it, then forget it."
"Brother Cheng must have mastered it too, right? Otherwise, why would you use it as a trump card?"
"I keep it by my side to study, only to understand, not to practice."
"That doesn't sound like you, Brother Cheng... Tell me, what are the harms?"
"...Telling you is fine, this knife art will damage the soul, making it impossible to reach the Grandmaster level." Cheng Tianfeng said with a smile, "Your comprehension is extraordinary, you must have understood it, right? Haha!"
He laughed after saying that.
He felt incredibly happy.
This is the consequence of stealing his Heart-Questioning Knife; cleverness is ruined by cleverness!
This guy probably mastered both the Void-Exorcising Sword Art and the Heart-Questioning Knife Art. That's why he has such terrifying destructive power, sweeping through the Secret Shadow Sect.
Chu Zhiyuan nodded indifferently: "So that's how it is. Paying such a high price, its power must be extremely astonishing."
"Since it damages the soul, it naturally involves the power of the soul, imbued with a trace of the Grandmaster's power. How can its power not be astonishing?"
"The power of a Grandmaster... No wonder," Chu Zhiyuan slowly nodded. "Then how do you comprehend this knife art?"
Cheng Tianfeng stared at him intently, wanting to see clearly whether what Chu Zhiyuan said was true or false.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "Since you say so, I really have to study it carefully. I only thought it was a sharper flying knife, I didn't know it had such strange properties."
Cheng Tianfeng sneered: "Would you consider this a forceful seizure?"
Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "Just spoils of war... Brother Cheng, take good care of your injuries." He was about to bid farewell and leave.
"Wait." Cheng Tianfeng called out to him.
Chu Zhiyuan looked at him with a smile.
Cheng Tianfeng stared at him, slowly saying: "As far as I know, Li Hongzhao is preparing to kill you."
Chu Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow.
Cheng Tianfeng snorted: "That woman, beautiful as a flower, has a heart like a serpent."
Chu Zhiyuan nodded solemnly: "Thank you, Brother Cheng, farewell!"
"I'm leaving tomorrow," Cheng Tianfeng said, "Departing from Jade Capital."
Chu Zhiyuan was startled: "So soon?... Hearing this suddenly, I really hate to part with you, Brother Cheng."
"Hmph!" Cheng Tianfeng said, "Leaving secretly, to avoid being disturbed again... Are you really not coming to my Divine Capital?"
"I'll come and take a look after becoming a Grandmaster."
"...Then there's no hope. I'll come over again next time," Cheng Tianfeng shook his head. "Chu Zhiyuan, my Great Zhen also has geniuses, even more powerful geniuses than me."
Chu Zhiyuan smiled.
"He's my Asking Heaven Cliff's senior brother," Cheng Tianfeng said solemnly. "You can't beat him; he's about to step into the Grandmaster level soon."
Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "Will he come over to teach me a lesson, to vent your anger?"
"That's right!" Cheng Tianfeng snorted.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled, clasped his fist, and left.
