As time passed, the number of believers outside didn't decrease; on the contrary, as the matter spread, even more believers poured in.
These believers, while bowing to the Earthly Venerable, also gave a salute to Feng Zhihao as a courtesy.
Chu Zhiyuan, while watching Feng Zhihao, was recalling Feng Zhihao's previous actions, his incantations, and his hand seals.
At the same time, he was sizing up the Earthly Venerable statue, as well as a quiet room behind the Thick Earth Hall.
That quiet room was simply furnished, with only a couch and a desk.
On the north wall hung a landscape painting.
With his heightened senses, he could clearly see that there was another painting beneath the landscape painting.
The figure in the painting was the Earthly Venerable, identical to the image of the Earthly Venerable in the main hall.
The Earthly Venerable in the painting stood atop a steep mountain peak, stepping on a giant rock, his body radiating golden light.
The golden light formed a circular mirror behind him, and within the golden mirror were continuous mountains, a vast land, strange patterns, and strange characters.
A total of nine characters were embedded on the edge of the golden light.
Chu Zhiyuan raised his sword-like eyebrows.
He suddenly realized that he couldn't remember this painting.
Similar to the characteristics of the phoenix纹, he could see it clearly but couldn't remember it.
Looking at the painting again, it seemed newly drawn at first glance, but upon closer inspection of its material, he could vaguely feel its age; it was an ancient painting.
His heightened senses suddenly focused on this painting.
Instantly, he felt a strange power isolating his detection.
He couldn't detect the material of this painting.
Time continued to pass, and people came and went in the Thick Earth Hall. Some noticed him, but they were in a hurry and didn't pay much attention.
Chu Zhiyuan stood with his hands behind his back in front of the withered flower garden, his expression calm.
Zou Fang stood beside him, still silent.
Guo Chi, however, glared at the main hall from time to time, wishing he could rush in, drag Feng Zhihao out, and slap him a few times to teach him what respect was.
Chu Zhiyuan kept looking at that strange painting, examining it in minute detail, searching for more details, and then trying to copy it.
Unfortunately, it still didn't work.
This painting couldn't be copied. As soon as he moved his hand and the thought of drawing it came to mind, his mind would go blank, and he would be at a loss.
He found it even more wondrous, so he focused on those nine strange characters.
Comparing them with the ancient texts and alien texts he had read in the Tongtian Pavilion, he quickly found these nine characters in his memory: Town, All, Absolute, Mountain, River, River, River, Without, Measure.
These nine characters could be written out.
An hour later, Feng Zhihao walked out of the main hall, glanced at Chu Zhiyuan and the other two, turned around and walked towards the backyard, with no intention of meeting them.
"You..." Guo Chi was furious at his behavior and couldn't help but curse, but Chu Zhiyuan interrupted him with a wave of his hand.
Guo Chi glared at Feng Zhihao angrily, watching him leave leisurely, his figure disappearing into the moon gate on the east side.
He turned to look at Chu Zhiyuan.
Chu Zhiyuan shook his head: "Let's wait a little longer."
"Your Highness, he... he..." Guo Chi felt it was outrageous.
Chu Zhiyuan shook his head and said, "We've already waited, let's wait until the end."
Guo Chi said indignantly: "Your Highness..."
"There will be a time when he wants to see Your Highness!" Guo Chi sneered.
He glanced at Zou Fang.
Zou Fang's radiant face was expressionless.
Clearly, she was also angry.
They all felt that even if Feng Zhihao was arrogant, there was a limit. Treating a prince like this was too much.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled.
As a martial artist, it was normal to have a bit of a temper. He wasn't scolding himself, just putting on airs and striking a pose. There was no need to be furious.
Although he was already annoyed in his heart, he still maintained a calm demeanor.
His mind was still on that painting.
When Feng Zhihao came out again, he went straight to Chu Zhiyuan, cupped his fist and said lightly: "Sorry to have kept Your Highness waiting, I am guilty."
Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "Young Master Feng, I have long admired your name. Just now, I personally witnessed the Young Master rescuing people from danger, and I wanted to ask for some advice in person."
"I dare not accept the advice, it's just a little trick," Feng Zhihao said indifferently: "Your Highness is a noble, you shouldn't come here."
Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said: "Why can't I come here?"
"This crude place will only tarnish Your Highness's nobility."
"No matter how noble I am, I'm not that delicate," Chu Zhiyuan shook his head: "If I hadn't come here, how could I have personally witnessed the Young Master's heroic posture of rescuing people from danger."
The corner of Feng Zhihao's mouth twitched.
He felt that Chu Zhiyuan's words were full of sarcasm, which made him very uncomfortable.
Saving people was indeed a good thing, but being repeatedly mentioned and praised so exaggeratedly made him really uncomfortable.
Chu Zhiyuan said: "May I ask, what method did the Young Master use to cure the old man's heart disease?"
The old man had a typical heart disease, myocardial infarction, but he recovered quickly under that strange power, the effect was like a miracle.
This kind of rapid action on the body, even better than spiritual medicine, made him very curious.
If he had this kind of power, it would be equivalent to having a life-saving elixir, which could restore injuries at any time, whether he was injured during a fight with someone or suffered backlash during practice, he could be rescued in time.
This was equivalent to having several more lives.
For this, it was nothing to be treated a little coldly.
Feng Zhihao's eyes suddenly became vigilant, and he frowned at Chu Zhiyuan.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "Young Master doesn't have to force yourself. Each sect in the world has its own secret teachings, and I won't commit such a taboo."
Feng Zhihao said indifferently: "There is nothing that cannot be said. My Thick Earth Sect acts upright and aboveboard. Everything can be told to others. It is the Imperial Heaven and Earth Scripture that every member of our sect can practice."
"Imperial Heaven and Earth Scripture... It is indeed extremely wonderful." Chu Zhiyuan nodded slowly: "I see that the Young Master is chanting incantations and holding seals, not a martial arts mental method, right?"
"Our sect's practice is different from ordinary martial arts sects," Feng Zhihao said indifferently: "We do not take striving for strength and killing as the foundation."
Chu Zhiyuan nodded: "The Thick Earth Sect emphasizes virtue and nurturing the heart, which the imperial court also highly approves of."
Feng Zhihao smiled faintly: "We are already grateful that the imperial court does not suppress us, and we dare not expect approval."
Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "The imperial court is very good to the Thick Earth Sect."
"..." Feng Zhihao remained noncommittal, with only a sneer on the corner of his mouth.
Chu Zhiyuan shook his head secretly.
This Feng Zhihao is conceited and arrogant, and doesn't take himself seriously. Is it because of the decline of the Qing Prince's Mansion, or because he has the Thirteenth Prince, the Huai Prince's Mansion, as his backing?
He cupped his fist and said: "Young Master, how about we spar a few moves?"
Feng Zhihao was stunned.
He originally thought that Chu Zhiyuan, relying on his nobility, would not take action personally, because losing would be too embarrassing.
Especially since the Qing Prince's Mansion had been sealed for thirty years, as the prince of the Qing Prince's Mansion, he had to keep his tail between his legs and be honest, never being high-profile or flamboyant, so he became an official in the Ministry of Rites instead of joining the army to earn military merits.
He didn't expect that he would really have the guts to fight him.
He was a martial arts genius, a genius who could be compared with the true disciples of the four major sects, and he dared to fight him?
Chu Zhiyuan said: "I have long heard of the Young Master's talent. The opportunity is rare, so I will personally ask for advice. This is also the Young Master's opportunity."
"What opportunity?"
"An opportunity to vent your anger."
Chu Zhiyuan looked at him with a smile.
Of course, he could see that Feng Zhihao was not only indifferent to him, but also held a grudge.
As for where the grudge came from?
There was no other intersection between them, no personal grievances, it was likely because of his identity, and he was being implicated.
"... Your Highness really dares to fight me?"
Feng Zhihao suppressed his surging emotions and asked slowly.
"Is the Young Master afraid?"
Chu Zhiyuan was still smiling, which made Feng Zhihao's anger even stronger.
The believers coming and going around also heard their conversation and looked over one after another.
Feng Zhihao narrowed his eyes, glaring at Chu Zhiyuan coldly, examining Chu Zhiyuan.
Chu Zhiyuan looked at him with a smile.
"... Follow me!" Feng Zhihao turned and left.
Chu Zhiyuan followed, and Zou Fang and Guo Chi also followed.
Passing through the moon gate on the east side, they came to a courtyard behind.
This courtyard was empty and no one was there. In the center was a small martial arts training ground, on one side was a dilapidated flower garden, and on the other side was a weapon rack, obviously for his usual martial arts practice.
Feng Zhihao stood in the center of the courtyard and said lightly: "There are too many people, Your Highness will lose face if you lose. This is the right place."
There was always a possibility, what if this prince's martial arts were stronger than his?
Winning against him was nothing, but losing would damage his reputation as the young master of the sect.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said: "The so-called good deeds have good rewards. The Young Master is kind, and it will save himself from losing face."
"Let me say in advance, I will not be soft on you because you are a prince!"
"Then let's see the truth under our hands!"
Chu Zhiyuan turned and came to the weapon rack, pulled out a wooden sword.
Feng Zhihao did not take a weapon, and raised both palms to his chest.
Seeing him like this, Chu Zhiyuan threw the wooden sword back on the weapon rack and stretched out both palms: "Please——!"
