Chapter 150: A Place to Belong
By the end of July, the autumn chill deepened.
It was precisely the time when the autumn wind was biting, and white dew formed as morning frost.
The war between the Barbarians and Great Xia at Hantie Pass had somewhat subsided, with both sides suffering heavy losses.
The Yao Race, meanwhile, established the Tianbao Pavilion in Kyushu, a commercial enterprise directly serving Human Race cultivators.
Additionally, the impact of Tianshu Academy's Autumn Tournament gradually expanded.
Chu River, whose hand bones had been severed, was taken back to You Province, and no news of him had been heard since.
At the same time, because the outcome of the Autumn Tournament was beyond everyone's expectations and too decisive, questions about Ji You's Physique began to circulate.
Upon learning that he seemed to possess a Physique comparable to the Chu Family's Seven Apertures Exquisite Body, everyone felt as if they were witnessing the imminent rise of another millennium Worldly Family.
However, what was perplexing was that both Princess Changle's intentions and the Young Miss of the Yunzhou Lu Family's intentions had gone unanswered.
“It's said that Ji You is somewhat indifferent to women?”
“Indeed, I heard from people at Tianshu Academy that he never averts his gaze when facing women; he doesn't even spare them a second glance.”
“Could there truly be such a gentleman in Qingyun World?”
“I don't find it strange at all, because only such a person could be worthy of Lingjian Mountain's description of a clear Sword Heart, and also be free from external distractions, allowing him to roam freely in the Immortal Dao.”
However, whenever such rumors spread, those privy to the inside story would always retort with a dismissive 'bullshit'.
Especially an Immortal Emperor named Ru Long, who deeply detested such rumors.
He claimed that before entering Tianshu Academy, he was a pure Worldly Family youth, and it was only by following this gentleman that he learned to appreciate buttocks.
Amidst this public uproar, the Princess from Prince Chong's Mansion grew increasingly cold-faced.
Before sending letters and hair to Ji You, she seemingly never imagined she would be rejected; she even thought Ji You might be more eager than herself. Yet, now she was the subject of gossip, which caused her face to look unpleasant for several days.
Especially when some compared her to other women who also wished to form a Dao Companion relationship with Ji You, pointing out her shortcomings, her vexation intensified.
Thus, despite the open attitudes among cultivators, Princess Changle still harbored a trace of resentment towards Ji You.
At this moment, Ji You sat in a carriage, leaving Tianshu Academy as autumn deepened, heading northwest.
Beside him sat three others: Kuang Cheng, holding a scroll; Pei Ruyi, meditating with her eyes closed; and Cao Jinsong, constantly checking a map.
The selection for the Inner Courtyard was not urgent, but the academy's autumn recruitment was about to begin.
As in previous years, Cao Jinsong and Pei Ruyi needed to go to Feng Province to select talented Disciples for Tianshu Academy.
This period also happened to be Tianshu Academy students' visitation days, so after the Autumn Tournament concluded, Ji You decided to travel with them, intending to return to Yuyang County for a visit.
Before setting off, Ji You made a special trip to Void Mountain.
The Lingjian Mountain Young Master Jian was still in seclusion. When she emerged for a rest, she coldly looked at him, found him, hugged him for a while, then stared at his chest for a long time, and then somewhat irritably kicked him out.
In Ji You's words, she was a heartless woman—
As for Kuang Cheng, his involvement in the matter of “the Yao Race entering Kyushu for trade” had temporarily concluded, so he took the opportunity to request leave and return with Ji You.
Perhaps due to being highly regarded by the Great Xia Emperor, coupled with his excellent performance in the “Tax Embezzlement Case” and the “Yao Race Trade” incident, he was now a Langzhong in the Ministry of Revenue, concurrently serving as the Director of the Reception Office of the Immortal Supervision Bureau.
He was just one step away from securing a cultivation quota for his family.
However, while Kuang Cheng's official career was smooth, his romantic life remained difficult.
He still didn't know how to get along with Wei Rui; they rarely met, though they did exchange more letters.
“Feng Province has three cultivation quotas, all of which come from the Zhenbei Army.”
“In addition, Feng Province has six children of officials who are cultivating in several nearby Immortal Villas, and they are almost at the Aptitude level to enter the academy. I paid close attention to a few when I came last year, and they should be about the same this year.”
As the carriage jolted, Cao Jinsong murmured, holding the scroll in his hand, his heart filled with anticipation.
The source of this anticipation, in the end, was Ji You.
Recalling a year ago, he came to Yuyang County for Fang Ruoyao, but instead found a Junior Third Realm Completion who achieved two Realms overnight and was not yet crowned.
And now, this Junior Third Realm Completion had opened the Inner Courtyard with his sword.
The carriage then slowly stopped at a small town in Feng Province called Yunxia Town. Everyone decided to rest here first, eat and drink, and then continue their journey.
Yunxia Town was located on a vast loess plateau, surrounded by barren yellow earth and countless ravines, making it impoverished and desolate.
As everyone entered the town, they saw countless square pits arranged neatly on the ground, but not a single house stood above ground.
Upon closer inspection, these square pits were three zhang deep and over five zhang long and wide, with ramps leading to the bottom. All four sides were cave dwellings, with clearly visible doors and windows, which were the traditional residences of Yunxia Town.
There was no stone here, and not much wood, so the people of Yunxia Town dug into the earth to create their homes, living in them for a thousand years.
Besides Yunxia Town, there were countless other impoverished small towns in Feng Province where people lived in such underground dwellings.
And in the courtyard they approached, an old farmer with dark skin emerged from a cave dwelling. Seeing them, he immediately bowed and knelt in the pit, trembling all over.
Ji You and Kuang Cheng stood above, watching. Upon seeing this, they instinctively avoided him, then silently departed.
At this moment, in another carriage, Fang Ruoyao also disembarked, followed by her maid, Shuang'er.
Fang Ruoyao originally had no plans to return home for a visit, but when she learned from Pei Ruyi that they were going back to Yuyang County, she decided to return as well.
The six then found a secluded spot to settle down, took out their provisions, and rested.
“Look here, Fallen Moon Immortal Estate. A student I was optimistic about last year is cultivating here. This Immortal Villa is inherited from Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion, so this student might not be monitored by me alone. Therefore, we should go here first, then we'll return to Yuyang County, and then pick up the other students before returning.”
Cao Jinsong pointed to a spot on the southwest side of the Feng Province map, reading it aloud to Ji You and Pei Ruyi.
Li You spoke upon hearing this: “I need to go to the provincial capital.”
Cao Jinsong turned to him: “Establishing a Worldly Family cannot be rushed. After all, you are still alone right now.”
“The qingyun immortal rules didn't say a single person couldn't establish a Worldly Family. Besides, this year's tax collection is about to begin.” “You want to target the tax offerings? Acting like this might incur hatred.”
Feng Province has no local Worldly Sect, but it has many Immortal Villas that are inherited from other Immortal Sects, just like Fengxian Mountain Manor.
The power of these Immortal Villas is not significant; their Masters are at most Rongdao Realm cultivators.
These Immortal Villas found it difficult to expand among the Worldly Sect in Yun Province, You Province, and Central Province, so they relocated to Feng Province.
They accounted for more than 20% of Feng Province's tax offerings.
A portion of these tax offerings was consumed by the Immortal Villas, while the other portion was transported away to be consumed by the Immortal Sect Worldly Sect.
The people of Kyushu suffered, and the people of Feng Province suffered the most.
Cao Jinsong knew that Ji You, now intending to establish a Worldly Family alone, wanted to single-handedly contend against all the foreign Immortal Villas in Feng Province and reclaim these tax quotas as a local Worldly Family.
Although the qingyun immortal rules were jointly formulated by the Seven Great Immortal Sects, their deterrent power still relied on people.
Although Ji You had entered the Inner Courtyard, he was still only in the Tong Xuan Realm. Those foreign Immortal Villas might not truly be willing to hand over the tax offerings.
Cao Jinsong actually also intended for Ji You to establish a Worldly Family here, but it was still a bit too early.
“Instructor, Ji *Shidi* (Junior Brother Ji) is not alone.”
“?”
Cao Jinsong turned to look at Pei Ruyi.
Pei Ruyi opened her mouth: “I will join too.”
“But it's just the two of you—”
“Not just the two of us, there's also Ban Yangshu, Wen Zhengxin, and Bai Rulong. They told me before we left.”
Pei Ruyi looked at Cao Jinsong: “I couldn't enter the Inner Courtyard, and for several years I've been wondering where I could go after leaving Tianshu Academy. I think I've found my place to belong now.”
Within the Seven Great Immortal Sects, the Rongdao Realm might not be considered a profound cultivation, but in Feng Province, such a cultivation was already top-tier.
And an Immortal Villa with three Rongdao Realm cultivators would be powerful enough.
After a long silence, Cao Jinsong stood with his hands behind his back: “Then before we return to Tianshu Academy, we will go to the provincial capital.”
Ji You and Kuang Cheng exchanged glances, then cupped their hands before them, bowing deeply to the dusty loess plateau.
Fang Ruoyao stood not far away, watching them, silent.
“Let's eat first. It seems we still have a long way to go.”
“Yes.”
Lunch ended hastily, and then the six boarded the carriage, passing over the dusty yellow earth and crisscrossing ravines, heading towards Dan Shui County, the location of the Fallen Moon Immortal Estate.
Dan Shui County was one of the largest counties in Feng Province, located in the heartland. The student Cao Jinsong mentioned was Xiang Fu, the daughter of Governor Xiang Xuan.
Xiang Fu had been cultivating with the cultivators of Luoyue Mountain Villa since childhood and had reached the early stage of Condensation and Refinement last year.
In a place like Feng Province, reaching such a Realm was actually considered exceptionally talented.
However, the Fallen Moon Immortal Estate also belonged to the Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion, so whether Xiang Fu would be willing to listen to Cao Jinsong and enter Tianshu Academy was still unknown.
Cao Jinsong planned to first sound out Xiang Xuan, and after dealing with the Governor, he would go to see Xiang Fu.
However, when the six arrived at the Governor's Mansion, they found Xiang Fu was already there.
“The Fallen Moon Immortal Estate moved away half a year ago.”
“Moved away?”
Xiang Xuan, a middle-aged man with a goatee, bowed and nodded to Cao Jinsong upon hearing the question: “Replying to Immortal Elder, yes, they moved, but—we never saw when they left.”
Ji You and Kuang Cheng couldn't help but exchange glances: “It was also suddenly empty?”
“Exactly. At that time, Fu'er had already been sent home for over half a month. I thought moving was an excuse, and that she was simply being disobedient. So after a few days, I prepared some gifts to visit the Immortal Villa, only to find it already deserted.”
Ji You frowned slightly: “Just like Fengxian Mountain Manor?”
Kuang Cheng flicked his long sleeve: “This is good news. One less Immortal Villa means one less obstacle for Brother Ji to establish a Worldly Family.”
Cao Jinsong, like Pei Ruyi, also thought this was good news.
They had originally come to recruit Xiang Fu, and initially worried that she was too close to the people of Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion and would be unwilling to go to Tianshu Academy. They never expected such a fortunate turn of events.
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