Chu Zhiyuan sat cross-legged on the couch, put the Golden Sword back across his knees, and frowned.

Heaven-Reaching Sect?

According to what this Su Qi said, the Heaven-Reaching Sect will come looking?

Is the Heaven-Reaching Sect really that vast in Divine Skills, or is there some mystery in this Ascension Technique that can trigger the Heaven-Reaching Sect’s perception?

Like the Heavenly Sword Secret Scripture, where Cultivators can sense each other?

He concentrated his mind to sense for a moment, then shook his head.

He did not give rise to any strange perception, nor detect anyone cultivating the same Cultivation Technique.

Then how would the Heaven-Reaching Sect Disciples know that in this world someone has mastered the Ascension Technique?

But thinking about it, it doesn’t seem that hard.

Biyuan Heaven is so vast, yet there is only one Imperial City; likewise, no matter how vast a world is, it has a center.

If they have eyes and ears in the central city of every heaven and earth, they can know this news.

Will the Heaven-Reaching Sect send Disciples over?

If they come, what attitude will they have—will they reclaim their own secret technique, or want him to join the Heaven-Reaching Sect?

Besides that, what else might they do?

He was very curious, and at the same time felt a sense of urgency, wanting to become stronger as much as possible before the people of the Heaven-Reaching Sect arrive.

As things stood, it would be hard to break through the Extreme Realm and step into Spirit Venerable in a short time.

Then it should be done on the Golden Sword.

Do everything possible to increase the power of the Golden Sword.

At this moment, Zhu Lingyun was still talking with Su Qi and the others.

"Brother Su, I also have an idea."

"What good idea does Brother Zhuo have?"

"This Ascension Technique of Chu Zhiyuan restrains our Descent Technique, doesn’t it?" Zhu Lingyun said. "Then what if we don’t make a move personally, and instead have those experts of the Evil Sect act?"

"What do you mean?"

"We don’t make a move. Let the experts of the Evil Sect encircle and kill him, how about that?"

"Experts of the Evil Sect..."

"Borrow a knife to kill; borrowing just one knife feels unstable—why not borrow a second knife?"

"...Brother Zhuo, you really are vicious!" Su Qi laughed.

"Vicious, this move is vicious!" The round-faced middle-aged man praised, "Excellent! ...But can we drive them to besiege Chu Zhiyuan?"

The thin middle-aged man frowned. "I’m afraid it won’t be that easy?"

"Doesn’t the Evil Sect also hate Chu Zhiyuan to the bone?"

"Not necessarily," Zhu Lingyun said. "It seems Chu Zhiyuan has mainly dealt with us; he hasn’t really gone all out against the Evil Sect."

"He’s dealt with Evil Venerables as well," Su Qi said. "If an Evil Venerable gives the word, how would those Evil Sect Disciples dare disobey?"

"An Evil Venerable’s word..." The thin middle-aged man frowned.

Su Qi smiled faintly. "I have my own plan."

Zhu Lingyun was curious. "Brother Su, what good plan do you have? Our Wanxiang Sect has already been destroyed; we can’t contribute any strength."

Su Qi looked at the other two.

They both shook their heads.

The round-faced middle-aged man said helplessly, "There’s no Sect under me."

"Me neither," the thin middle-aged man said.

Su Qi sighed. "You two caves really are this well-behaved?"

"No choice, the inspections are strict," the round-faced middle-aged man said. "And everyone’s timid!"

"Same here," the thin middle-aged man said coolly.

Su Qi shook his head, thought for a moment, then said, "Then I’ll give it a try."

"You can command the Qianye Sect Disciples to act, can’t you?" Zhu Lingyun said. "This Qianye Sect is no ordinary Sect."

The thin middle-aged man and the round-faced middle-aged man both brightened up.

Su Qi waved his hand with a smile. "It’s nothing much. They can’t handle Chu Zhiyuan."

Zhu Lingyun said, "But they can join hands with other Sects and act together."

"All the better," the round-faced middle-aged man chuckled. "Brother Su, we’ll be counting on you then."

"Fine, I’ll give it a try," Su Qi said.

...

Early morning.

Just as Chu Zhiyuan got off the bed couch, his brows suddenly twitched; his figure flickered and vanished.

The next instant, he appeared in his own small courtyard in the Heavenly Sword Branch and called out, "Brother Huang, come in."

Huang Zhengyang pushed the door open and entered, smiling. "I wasn’t going to come, but I couldn’t trust their arrangements, so I had to make the trip myself."

"Brother Huang, sit and have a cup of tea."

Chu Zhiyuan had already seen that around the Heavenly Sword Branch, twelve experts were lying in ambush at the four corners, hidden within several courtyards, ready to rush out at any time.

The lowest Realm among these twelve experts was Eighth Rank Venerable; they could be called the elite of the elite.

Sending these elite experts here to Guard him was great sincerity.

Huang Zhengyang said, "I just received word that two more Undying Evil Venerables have descended."

Chu Zhiyuan said, "I’ll go handle it after breakfast... Brother Huang, if the Heaven-Reaching Sect comes knocking, how will they deal with me?"

"The Heaven-Reaching Sect?!"

"It’s very possible the Heaven-Reaching Sect will learn that I’ve mastered their secret technique and come looking."

"This..." Huang Zhengyang frowned in thought. "This isn’t a secret technique you stole; it’s one conferred by the Court. It has nothing to do with you."

"Besides, I’ve inquired—this Heaven-Reaching Sect isn’t some Evil Sect; they won’t act recklessly."

"They really won’t act recklessly?"

"Brother Chu, if the Heaven-Reaching Sect comes, the Court will step in to mediate."

Chu Zhiyuan smiled. "Excellent."

"Brother Chu, hurry and eat; we’ll deal with those two fellows as soon as possible!"

"Come on, let’s eat outside," Chu Zhiyuan said.

Huang Zhengyang’s eyes widened. "You dare go out to eat now?"

Chu Zhiyuan smiled. "Even if the news that I’ve mastered the secret technique spreads, they won’t act that fast."

"Then let’s hurry. In a few days there’ll be no chance."

...

The two did not bring the Guards along. Like two swimming fish, they wove through the bustling crowd and soon arrived at a restaurant, taking seats by a window on the third floor.

Above the Imperial City in the early morning drifted all kinds of food aromas.

The various scents mixed together, forming a unique fragrance that set one’s mouth watering.

Just as Chu Zhiyuan and Huang Zhengyang sat down, hearty laughter rang in their ears.

The laughter shook the entire restaurant until it trembled.

Huang Zhengyang frowned, his expression wary.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled. "Who is this, what a loud voice."

Huang Zhengyang shook his head.

"How satisfying, how satisfying!" Amid the laughter, sounds of praise followed.

"I never imagined that this Mr. Chu of the Heavenly Sword Sect would truly be such a prodigy!"

"So the Undying Evil Venerable is about to be eradicated?"

"Heaven does have eyes!"

"It also shows the Court’s wisdom—decisively bestowing the secret technique, giving rise to the present situation."

"But ultimately, it’s still because Mr. Chu is a prodigy!"

"Without the Court bestowing the secret technique, no matter how much of a prodigy Mr. Chu is, he’d have no way to deal with the Undying Evil Venerable."

"Even before this secret technique, Mr. Chu was already able to kill the Undying Evil Venerable."

"But killing the Undying Evil Venerable here doesn’t harm his true body; it’s just busywork and can’t curb his rampancy."

...

Chu Zhiyuan’s expression turned odd.

Huang Zhengyang had also heard this loud conversation and frowned.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "What are they doing—seizing the credit ahead of time."

"Ulterior motives!" Huang Zhengyang snorted. "They’re sowing discord between you and the Court."

Chu Zhiyuan smiled. "I doubt they’re that deliberate; they’re probably just single-mindedly trying to grab credit."

Huang Zhengyang said, "Now is precisely when you are riding high, Brother Chu; you must not grow careless instead."

"...Right. Thank you for the reminder, Brother Huang." Chu Zhiyuan slowly nodded.

The more one is in high spirits, the easier it is to get carried away, act without sufficient caution, and provoke needless trouble.

Listening to the chatter outside, they quickly finished breakfast, then floated out of the building and headed beyond the city.

At noon, the two returned to the Imperial City.

The two Undying Evil Venerables had already been dealt with, and Chu Zhiyuan felt he had gained enormously.

These two Undying Evil Venerables had both descended near the city outskirts, each by a large city with a population of several hundred thousand.

By the time they arrived, tens of thousands of people were already thronging around the Undying Evil Venerable Statue.

Under their gaze, Chu Zhiyuan destroyed the Undying Evil Venerable, and at the same time cast the Ascension Technique.

This granted him a vast amount of Faith Power, causing the Golden Sword to undergo a qualitative transformation.

The Sword grew ever lighter and more ethereal, seeming to exist and not exist at once.