Imperial Cultivation-Chapter 898 - 894: Closed Doors

Chu Zhiyuan said, "The Emperor has spoken, are the two sects ignoring him?"

He thought there was no need for more action, even having the Eldest Prince mediate personally.

As long as the Emperor spoke, the two sects would naturally stop, they couldn’t possibly defy the Emperor.

"Heh." Li Cunren shook his head with a smile: "Brother-in-law, it seems you don’t understand the Four Great Sects... right, in Yujing, do the Four Great Sects obediently listen to the Emperor?"

"More or less." Chu Zhiyuan hesitated.

The main character didn’t really understand the Four Great Sects, only having contact with the Profound Yin Palace, and not much with the other three sects.

Therefore, he didn’t have a deep understanding of the relationship between the Four Great Sects and the Court.

Because they have their own Cave Mansions and don’t rely on the Court, the Four Great Sects have relatively independent status.

"Not here." Li Cunren shook his head: "The Four Great Sects hold higher status." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

"The Emperor speaks, and they don’t listen?" Chu Zhiyuan was surprised.

Li Cunren said, "Feigning compliance is also possible, if it’s not pleasing, they don’t really listen. If it doesn’t involve a major matter, even Father has no way to blame them."

Chu Zhiyuan slowly nodded.

The Empress is the Young Palace Master of Yukunlun Palace, indicating the deep entanglement between the Four Great Sects and the Imperial Family.

You are in me and I am in you, so it is very hard to punish the Four Great Sects, there would be too many obstacles.

Li Cunren said, "Therefore, we must personally go over to mediate, preventing them from passing the buck."

"Elder Brother alone is enough." Chu Zhiyuan said.

Li Cunren shook his head: "My words now carry no weight, I need you to help me, brother-in-law."

"Me—?" Chu Zhiyuan laughed: "If Elder Brother’s words are not enough, I am even less significant."

"Don’t forget who you represent." Li Cunren said.

Chu Zhiyuan realized and laughed: "Is my wife’s reputation now so high?"

"Withstood the first wave of assassination from the Demon Clan, meaning almost no more falls, the future will be the number one in the world."

"I see."

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

The Phoenix Bloodline, never to fall, destined to be the number one in the world.

It seems the deterrent force of being number one in the world is strong enough, even stronger than a future emperor.

"Brother-in-law, shall we go?"

"Leaving now?"

"By tomorrow, who knows if they will clash again today. If a life is lost, the trouble would be great."

"...Alright." Chu Zhiyuan contemplated for a moment, then agreed.

He would represent Li Miaotan and back Li Cunren, which felt very novel to him.

Turns out, I am now holding onto such a strong backing.

It is even comparable to the Emperor’s backing.

——

Phoenix Villa

Chu Zhiyuan and Li Cunren stood shoulder to shoulder in front of the mansion, eyeing the majestic gate tower.

The gate tower of this villa was triple-tiered, resembling three eagles stacked together, ready to soar into the sky at any moment.

Four Venerables stood behind Li Cunren.

And an Inner Eunuch was quietly following, easily overlooked.

Chu Zhiyuan looked at Li Cunren, then at the tightly closed gates of the villa.

Although Li Cunren had already mentioned the attitude of the Four Great Sects, which had prepared him, the scene before him still exceeded his imagination.

To actually pretend not to see, not knowing, keeping the gates closed and not welcoming them.

This kind of attitude truly shocked him.

Li Cunren saw his astonished expression and smiled bitterly, "I expected this."

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head.

Fu Zheng and Li Yuzhen didn’t come along, avoiding Fu Zheng from being caught in the middle and being put in a difficult position.

Chu Zhiyuan pursed his lips slightly.

The Inner Eunuch behind him was an elderly man with a head full of white hair, who stepped forward to knock on the door knocker.

"Knock... Knock... Knock... Knock"

In the quiet street, the sound of the door knocker was clearly audible and traveled far.

However, after the knocker sounded, there was no movement inside the mansion, as if no one was there.

Chu Zhiyuan’s face darkened, he frowned and said, "This is going too far, isn’t it?"

This was giving the Eldest Prince and himself the cold shoulder.

This was directly showing them no face, simple and rough, truly unlike the methods of a Great Sect.

Li Cunren snorted, "Keep going, I don’t believe they won’t open the door!"

"Knock knock knock knock..."

The Inner Eunuch continued knocking.

The sound of the knocker kept ringing continuously, spreading far in the dusk.

Chu Zhiyuan’s face grew increasingly ugly.

However, Li Cunren was perfectly calm, showing no signs of anger.

He was evidently more prepared, also anticipating that the Phoenix Sword Sect would act this way.

Chu Zhiyuan turned his head and said, "Elder Brother, should we just break in?"

"Don’t." Li Cunren quickly waved his hand: "We are here to mediate."

If they really broke in forcefully, that would not be mediation but seeking trouble.

Chu Zhiyuan snorted, "Where is the authority of the Imperial Family?!"

"Brother-in-law, our Imperial Family doesn’t assert authority before the Four Great Sects."

Chu Zhiyuan snorted, "Elder Brother, isn’t this the result of indulgence?"

Li Cunren shook his head helplessly, "There’s nothing we can do. It’s been like this for generations, very difficult to change."

Chu Zhiyuan said in a deep voice, "Then let me do it!"

Li Cunren said, "Brother-in-law, why be the villain, be patient, and negotiate."

Chu Zhiyuan, full of discontent, shook his head repeatedly.

Yet Li Cunren waited calmly and composedly.

After ringing the knocker dozens of times, nearly a hundred times, finally, footsteps were heard.

Soon after, the door was opened, and an old man, bent with age, walked out.

He looked blankly at Chu Zhiyuan and the others, gazing at Li Cunren, and asked puzzledly, "I am deaf, may I ask who you esteemed guests are...?"

Li Cunren gently said, "Old gentleman, where is your Master Zhuang?"

He could see that this bent old man possessed deep cultivation, almost achieving Venerable status.

Clearly, he could not be deaf, only pretending to be so.

There was no need to expose someone pretending to be deaf.

"The Master? The Master is currently in seclusion." The old man smiled cheerfully: "Perhaps you could come another day? The Master won’t come out for ten days or half a month."

Chu Zhiyuan said crossly, "Alright, drop the act, have your Master come out and speak properly."

The old man smiled: "Esteemed guest, the Master is indeed in seclusion."

"Then who is in charge?" Chu Zhiyuan asked.

Mediation often involves one playing the good cop and one playing the bad cop.

He could only play the bad cop himself, he couldn’t let Li Cunren do it.

From the moment they arrived at the Phoenix Outer Villa, they had already commenced their roles as good cop and bad cop.

"The one in charge is the Vice Institute Master, but the Vice Institute Master has already gone out and hasn’t returned yet."

Chu Zhiyuan pursued, "Then besides the Vice Institute Master, who else can make decisions?"

"Then it would be the four Altar Masters, but the four Altar Masters are cultivating and should not be disturbed."

Chu Zhiyuan said coldly, "All four Altar Masters are engaged in cultivation and cannot be disturbed?"

"Kindly understand, dear guests." The old man smiled: "Perhaps, come another day?"

Chu Zhiyuan said coldly, "So if a foreign enemy invades now, there would be no one to take charge?"

"Then only the four Altar Masters could forcefully stop it, for now..."

"That’s not necessary," Li Cunren said with a smile: "What about Lu Qingyuan, Miss Lu?"

"Miss Lu is starting her evening class." The old man smiled: "It’s also not a good time to disturb."

"It seems soft tactics are useless," Chu Zhiyuan shook his head repeatedly, suddenly his expression turned solemn, and he slowly said, "Master Zhuang, please come out to meet us!"

His voice slowly spread throughout the entire villa, entering the ears of every villa disciple, as if he was speaking next to them.

Using Super Sense, he had already seen the scenes within the Phoenix Villa, seeing them each practicing unbothered by the knocking sound outside.

Each had their own roles at the Phoenix Villa, someone knocks on the door, naturally, someone would respond, no need for them to worry.

They also believed it could be handled, hence paid no attention to this triviality.

Chu Zhiyuan’s words suddenly entered their ears, making them involuntarily tense up.

Li Cunren said, "Master Zhuang, if you don’t come out now, we will have to break in, and it won’t look good for either party."