[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-imperial-cultivation":3,"chapter-imperial-cultivation-imperial-cultivation-chapter-551":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Imperial Cultivation",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},1055360,1365,"Chapter 551 - 548: Pursuit","imperial-cultivation-chapter-551",551,"\u003Cp>```html\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Tianhe looked distressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He naturally knew that his request was too difficult for Chu Zhiyuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this secret agent leader was too important.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many secret agents were only known to this leader. If this leader died, it meant that these agents would be out of contact, completely lost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More importantly, this leader knew too many of Da Jing’s secrets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He also had the list and contact details of the secret agents in Tianjing City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he were dead, that would be troublesome enough, but the greatest fear was him being captured alive by Da Meng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If all the secrets were interrogated out of him, the entire network of secret agents in Tianjing City would be wiped out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Centuries of accumulation would be destroyed in an instant, this loss would be too great, unacceptable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Zhiyuan said, \"If he really gets caught, without enough leverage, we can’t exchange him back.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Princely Heir...\" Ma Tianhe helplessly repeated the severity of the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Zhiyuan surprisingly said, \"Those secret agents operate on a single-line contact, but surely there must be some secret records? If an accident really happens, isn’t it like abandoning them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If there are truly secret records, only the leader would know,\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Zhiyuan frowned, \"These secret records should be with the Emperor or the Director of the Inspection Department.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As far as I know, there shouldn’t be such secret records. He doesn’t trust anyone, only himself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you judge him dead or alive?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Most likely captured by Da Meng, hopefully, Da Meng doesn’t know his true identity.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let’s go to his home,\" Chu Zhiyuan said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Princely Heir...\" Ma Tianhe said, \"The sooner the better.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"After seeing his home, then we’ll know whether he’s dead or alive. If he’s already dead, we won’t bother wasting time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Very well.\" Ma Tianhe suppressed his anxiety and took out two masks from his sleeve, handing one to Chu Zhiyuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Zhiyuan took them, handed one to Zou Fang, and kept one for himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three left the small courtyard and headed to the Four Directions Pavilion’s main street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The main street of the Four Directions Pavilion was guarded by the Imperial Guard, with guards every three steps, a post every four steps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the three left the main street of the Four Directions Pavilion, they mingled into the bustling crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then they put on their masks and parted ways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Tianhe walked alone, turning right into a small alley, passing through it and turning into another alley, entering a house in the alley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moments later, Chu Zhiyuan and Zou Fang arrived in this courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Princely Heir, this is old Xu’s residence, it should be one of his courtyards.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Zhiyuan nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A crafty rabbit has three burrows; as the secret leader in Tianjing City, it was impossible for him to have just this one residence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mask he wore was of a plain-looking middle-aged man, drawing no attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zou Fang also had a plain appearance as a middle-aged man, not eye-catching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With these two faces, even if someone saw them, they’d find it hard to remember.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Zhiyuan closed his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under Super Sensing Illumination, the whole courtyard was mapped in his mind, from high to low, inside and out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Footprints in the courtyard, traces, and all the faintly circulating auras.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Zhiyuan opened his eyes, entered the house, and retrieved a strand of hair from the dirt floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This hair was long, fine, and resilient, with a sheen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is...\" Ma Tianhe was surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Zhiyuan said, \"This is a woman’s hair.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Tianhe was taken aback, \"Old Xu has a woman?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He doesn’t have a woman?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Old Xu’s wife is in Yujing City, and their relationship is very good.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then it’s strange.\" Chu Zhiyuan pinched the strands between his fingers, closed his eyes, and propelled his super senses to the extreme.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No way?\" Ma Tianhe exclaimed, \"Old Xu has another woman here?... It’s to disguise his identity, I suppose.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Zhiyuan opened his eyes and pulled another strand of hair from the dirt floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This hair was completely different from the first, thick and short, slightly yellowish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them, \"He’s still alive.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Can we find him?\" Ma Tianhe urgently asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Zhiyuan looked eastward, \"Let’s go, over there to check.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three stealthily left the house, entered the alleys, weaving through one after another, occasionally emerging onto the main street, moving through the bustling crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They eventually reached outside the East City Gate, and Chu Zhiyuan stopped, looking toward the eastern official road.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Princely Heir...\" Ma Tianhe looked at Chu Zhiyuan curiously, \"Not in the city?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That seemed peculiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If caught by Da Meng’s Rain Listening Platform, he should have been detained within Tianjing City, not outside it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most heavily guarded locations were the Imperial prison of Da Meng’s Ministry of Official Personnel Affairs, or the Rain Listening Platform’s secret surveillance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, \"Not in the city, the two are in the same place, let’s go, and have a look.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Zhiyuan continued onward, diving into the nearby woods, hopping lightly over tree branches.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zou Fang and Ma Tianhe followed behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In one breath, they rushed over thirty miles, entering the mountainous region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peaks rose one after another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Zhiyuan stopped midway up a mountain, peering at a peak opposite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the woods on the opposite peak, there was a manor concealed by the surrounding trees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless one approached closely, the manor wasn’t visible from either the mountain top or bottom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They are there.\" Chu Zhiyuan tilted his head slightly and smiled, \"It looks like they aren’t captured but are hiding there voluntarily.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earlier, he had inferred from the two strands of hair, speculating the woman had captured Da Jing’s secret agent leader Xu Jingwen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But quickly discarded the notion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, as Da Jing’s secret agent leader, Xu Jingwen should have had guards around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in that small courtyard, there were no traces of guards or signs of a struggle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Xu Jingwen wasn’t captured by this woman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant the two left together and came to this villa.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As to why they came here, whether to escape danger or for some other reason, they’d find out soon enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Tianhe said, \"Did old Xu realize he was exposed and quickly withdrew?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Zhiyuan remained silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Tianhe hastily said, \"Princely Heir, am I wrong? Is old Xu in trouble?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He’s in a tender trap.\" Chu Zhiyuan blandly remarked, \"Doesn’t appear he’s in trouble... his charming confidante isn’t an ordinary woman.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not ordinary?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A grandmaster from the Phoenix Sword Sect,\" Chu Zhiyuan said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Tianhe was taken aback, puzzled, \"Old Xu got involved with a Phoenix Sword Sect master?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He immediately frowned, \"This is...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He suddenly sensed something wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Phoenix Sword Sect was one of Da Meng’s Four Great Sects, hailing from Emperor Li Hongzhao’s sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The disciples of the Phoenix Sword Sect didn’t have the same status as Da Jing’s Four Great Sects, rather they were comparable to the Four Demon Sects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Disciples from the Phoenix Sword Sect were proud and held themselves in high esteem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jingwen, within Tianjing City, was merely a common merchant, how could he enchant a disciple of the Phoenix Sword Sect?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be the other way around, that he’s enamored with a female disciple of the Phoenix Sword Sect?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pondered this and his face changed slightly, \"Princely Heir, surely old Xu wouldn’t act recklessly!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Zhiyuan said, \"Tender traps are the heroes’ graves, let’s hope he doesn’t go astray... let’s meet him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ll go with you, Princely Heir,\" Ma Tianhe hastily said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, \"I’ll bring him over.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His body flashed and he was off effortlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moments later, he returned, carrying a burly, robust middle-aged man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This robust middle-aged man had an imposing presence with a lion-like nose and wide mouth, radiating integrity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Tianhe approached him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The burly Xu Jingwen cupped his fists and smiled, \"Lord Ma, it’s been a while.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>```\u003C\u002Fp>",1340,"2026-06-03T09:58:17.452Z","2026-06-03T09:58:23.466Z",1,"novelbin.me","e3ce097fe5210212cb1e1cf4ba23d3d067a2f7240526df1ec2fe054edeea772a","imperial-cultivation-chapter-552","imperial-cultivation-chapter-550",1378,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fimperial-cultivation-cover.jpg"]