Chapter 216: Recruitment
He Lingxiu had been busy defending the arena for the past few days. Only after securing her spot did she relax, but she also heard many discussions in the courtyard, which aligned with what Xiao Hanyan had said.
Those who had witnessed the scene of the Forbidden Sword, the Sword Release, and the Dharma Robe, although they couldn't understand it, had at least seen it with their own eyes. For someone like He Lingxiu, who had only heard about it, her curiosity was even stronger.
Seeing Junior Brother Ji walk over at this moment, dressed in white and with a restrained aura, He Lingxiu couldn't help but observe him carefully, realizing that he was indeed still at the peak of the Tong Xuan Realm.
But for some reason, despite being a whole major Realm lower, He Lingxiu could feel a surging aura wash over her as he approached, making her heart tremble.
The other six people, like He Lingxiu, felt an unusual aura at close range, not caused by a difference in Realm, but by something else.
It originated from the depths of their hearts, then spread to their Divine Thought, from the inside out, not from the outside in, making it difficult to explain clearly.
In fact, after the preliminary rounds, several of them had encountered Liu Qichen, who had attacked the arena in the second round, and out of curiosity, they had asked him about what had happened then.
On that day, the Elder Council had reminded him that when facing Ji You, he must not defend; only by attacking would he have a chance. However, Liu Qichen ultimately switched from attacking to defending. What everyone was curious about was the reason for his sudden action.
Liu Qichen said it wasn't a block.
Blocking is a chosen action; offense and defense lie in the transformation of thought.
But the moment Ji You raised his sword, he felt as if he had been locked onto by a colossal beast, his entire body trembling, and his only thought left was self-preservation.
So, calling it a block was incorrect; it was merely an act of self-preservation stemming from his heart.
Was it because of Ji You's Body Refining? Or was it something else he couldn't explain?
The Dao cultivation path is traceable, with the height of one's Realm being the most intuitive. However, Body Refining is a minor Dao with more disadvantages than advantages, and there's almost no record of it in the Qingyun World.
At this moment, Ji You arrived at a spot next to He Lingxiu, lifted his robe, and sat down.
He didn't know most of the people here, but he had some acquaintance with Senior Sister He, who had a broad mind.
Seeing him sit down, He Lingxiu couldn't help but say, "That day, after I came out of seclusion, I met Junior Brother on the mountain path. Junior Brother said that getting this spot was a close call, but I later heard that Junior Brother only used four swords. Is that really a close call?"
"It was indeed a close call."
He Lingxiu glanced at him: "What was the 'call'?"
Ji You heard her and said, "Naturally, others were surprised, but Bochang was not in danger."
"It can be explained—that way?"
"Actually, I took a bit of a shortcut. Perhaps others thought I couldn't use the Spiritual Sword Mountain Sword Dao and relaxed their guard against me,
which gave me a few more opportunities. If they had fought with all their might, perhaps the outcome wouldn't have been this way. It's a pity no one tried, otherwise, my true colors would have been revealed."
Ji You attributed his overwhelming victory that day to a shortcut, making himself seem less formidable.
It was like intelligent mountain bandits who, when first robbing, would pretend to be unarmed to facilitate future client development.
He now most hoped that someone would suddenly jump out, shout, "What are you pretending for?" and then, with a cackle, give him a sword strike, solving his problem of a pig-like appetite after Body Refining and an empty wallet.
However, his reputation in Tianshu Academy was too great, so the probability of encountering such a stubborn person was very small.
When the Tiandao Conference came, in an environment where most people didn't know him, he might encounter such passionate clients.
As expected, the four people in the Rongdao Realm naturally didn't believe him.
As for Wu Zhen, he might indeed have relaxed his guard and thus was put to sleep with one sword.
After all, everyone at the time thought that without the Spiritual Sword Mountain Sword Dao, Ji You was a toothless tiger. But the subsequent Liu Qichen had almost maxed out his defense, yet he still couldn't hold out until the fourth sword.
However, those in the Tong Xuan Realm, such as Wang Gaocen and Gu Zetao, were lost in thought.
"How is Wen Zhengxin doing now?"
"She's fine. She made me treat her to a meal the day before yesterday. She's still cultivating and comprehending the Dao step by step. But Senior Sister He, my Senior Sister Wen didn't lose."
He Lingxiu looked at him sideways: "When we entered the academy, our ages were similar, and we were both female cultivators from the same hall, so we could be considered friends. But Wen Zhengxin didn't understand at the time that direct Disciples aren't necessarily chosen based solely on cultivation, and this wasn't something I could choose."
Ji You didn't respond after hearing this.
In his opinion, the structure of the Qingyun World had been solidified for so many years, and under such circumstances, fairness could not be sought. However, when encountering such things, he still felt awkward deep down.
It was like seeing commoners toil and struggle, only for most of their labor to be offered to the Immortals on the mountain, allowing them to cultivate without distraction in these deep mountains and old forests.
In the past, he had heard people say that where there is oppression, there will inevitably be resistance.
However, there is an insurmountable gap in strength between cultivators, let alone between Immortals and Mortals, but he still couldn't stand it.
Seeing his silence, He Lingxiu shifted her body, and with a twist of her waist, there was a 'Duang' sound.
Upon seeing this, Ji You squinted his eyes in deep thought, thinking to himself, 'My stubborn Senior Sister Wen still lost a bit.'
At the very least, she lost a C.
In the following hour, the three Masters-in-charge from the Master's Courtyard arrived and spoke to everyone about the Tiandao Conference.
The Tiandao Conference will be held west of Shengjing, in Zhongzhou, at a large northern county named Zhongxing County.
Since the Primordial Era, that has been the territory of the Human Race.
Therefore, Zhongxing County has a Primordial Dao Field, which will be the venue for this Tiandao Conference.
The actual Tiandao Conference is not entirely the same as the common person's concept of it. It is not just pure martial arts competition; it also includes a Dao Discussion Conference.
The Dao Discussion Conference is participated in by the Elders and has nothing to do with the Disciples. The Disciples primarily participate in the martial arts competition.
There are nearly a hundred Worldly Families in the Qingyun World that are over a hundred years old, plus the Immortal Sects. This time, there will be over two hundred Tong Xuan Realm participants and one hundred Rongdao Realm participants, so it will be conducted in a group arena defense format.
The number of arenas and the specific rules have not yet been announced, but it is expected to be similar to the previous group battle format.
Participants will be randomly assigned to different battlefields. Finally, the main arena champions from each group will compete for the top ten. It will be a high-intensity competition, and the duration will be beyond imagination.
It is not uncommon for someone to break through a Realm during the competition.
And according to the rules of the Tiandao Conference, even if a Tong Xuan Realm participant breaks through to the early Rongdao Realm or even the middle Rongdao Realm during the competition, they will still compete as a Tong Xuan Realm cultivator.
Therefore, in recent years, in order to gain access to the Ancestral Dao Comprehension Ground, many Immortal Sect Disciples would even suppress their Realm before the competition, breaking through directly upon entering to increase their chances of winning.
The reason the Master's Courtyard emphasized this was to give them more preparation.
As expected, among the four Tong Xuan Realm participants, except for Ji You, the others' expressions gradually became solemn.
The combat strength of some Tong Xuan Realm cultivators from century-old Worldly Families is actually average, likely not comparable to those from Immortal Sects.
Random assignment means that opponents are not necessarily of the same standard, and some might even encounter someone who breaks through to the next major Realm just before the competition.
So, after Qin Zhangshi finished speaking, discussions about whether the competition system was fair gradually arose.
Ji You listened to the whispers and found it very interesting.
The preliminaries within the Immortal Sect were also unfair, but they were the beneficiaries, and perhaps they hadn't cared before.
Now that the situation was reversed, they began to pursue fairness and justice.
In fact, this was the same as what He Lingxiu had just said: in an unfair situation, those who benefit fully will calmly say, 'I couldn't choose either.'
But once they are at a complete disadvantage, these people will say, 'Why can't we choose?'
However, a very good point was that Ji You felt he would meet many potential clients at the Tiandao Conference—
In addition to the competition system, the Masters-in-charge of the Master's Courtyard also thoroughly analyzed some formidable opponents they might encounter, as well as those who might break through before the competition, based on the circulating list, urging everyone to pay close attention.
He Lingxiu looked at Ji You at this moment: "What does Junior Brother think about the possibility of someone breaking through during the competition?"
Ji You came back to his senses: "I'm only responsible for drawing my sword; winning or losing is the business of the Heavenly Dao."
"That has a touch of the Dao following nature."
He Lingxiu rose from her seat: "Later, all of you Senior Brothers and Junior Brothers are going for tea together. Junior Brother Ji, why don't you join us?"
Ji You looked up when he heard her: "I have some matters in the Outer Courtyard, so I need to go down the mountain later."
"It's Spirit Tea, sent by some Worldly Families from Zhongzhou. It's been stored for a while. If Junior Brother likes it,
you can take some back."
"?"
After leaving Qingfeng Hall, everyone gathered at the tea pavilion in the Purple Bamboo Zen Forest.
Regarding the rules of the Tiandao Conference that the Master's Courtyard had just announced, everyone was discussing animatedly, with all sorts of opinions.
Ji You, however, was not interested in this; he was more interested in the tea in front of him.
This tea came from Lingcha Mountain and had been cultivated for many years. After a cup, one could feel a clear stream of Qi circulating continuously within their body.
This was what Disciples of Immortal Sects drank daily, which was nothing unusual for others, but for Ji You, it was a glimpse of the Heavenly Palace, something that a pauper could not even imagine.
He Lingxiu moved closer to him at this moment: "My Zizai Hall has an Elder surnamed Qiu, unrelated to the Elder Council. This tea is offered by a manor under the Qiu Family. Elder Qiu has a granddaughter who is not yet married."
Ji You held his teacup: "Senior Sister He, are you trying to set me up?"
"Just wondering if you're interested in getting to know her?"
"I still have a few entangled women around me, so I'll pass for now."
He Lingxiu glanced at him: "If you have the capability, your main wife can still be the daughter of the Dan Sect; there's no conflict."
As the saying goes, one man's meat is another man's poison; that's how it works.
Some people had practical conflicts of interest with Ji You, so naturally, they couldn't stand him.
But there were also those who saw his limitless talent and considered him a good investment.
He Lingxiu spoke very subtly, but her meaning was probably that Ji You should be sitting with them.
This spiritual tea and spiritual fruit, though rare to those below, were merely common items in their eyes.
Having obtained an entry invitation to the Tiandao Conference, Ji You now saw the olive branches extended by the Families united by Zizai Hall, such as the He Family, the Zuoqiu Family, and this Qiu Family, and other aligned forces.
After all, in He Lingxiu's view, Ji You was highly likely to enter the Sage's Dao Proving Ground, and upon his return, he might even touch the threshold of the Yingtian Realm.
A Tong Xuan Realm cultivator might not be worth offending some Elders who disliked him.
But an Yingtian Realm cultivator was a completely different matter.
More importantly, if he truly married a daughter of the Dan Sect, then the sisters would naturally become relatives.
Listening to her words, Ji You thought to himself that with an arrogant Fairy keeping his backyard in check, whether Yuan Caiwei could be the main wife depended not on his capability, but on her own.
"Junior Brother Ji, you are different from the other Disciples in the academy. With your talent, you shouldn't just be an ordinary Disciple who can't even enter the Five Great Halls. The matter of Night City Mountain in Feng Province is no longer a big concern for many; you should plan for yourself."
Ji You yawned: "Leaning on a strong backer is excellent, and participating in a preliminary selection naturally won't prevent me from using my Sword Dao, but the problem is that once I lean on them, I'll have to follow wherever they go."
He Lingxiu raised her teacup to her lips: "I know you care for Mortals, but marriage won't make things difficult for you."
"But sometimes, one can't help but be constrained, so it's freer to be a rural rogue cultivator; you can do whatever you want."
"Junior Brother is a strange person."
"Not strange, just afraid that if I question my Dao Heart again, I will still feel ashamed."
In fact, in the past few days, Ji You had received many letters, seeking to become Dao Companions.
Some were written by Senior Sisters in the academy, and some by Young Misses of Worldly Families in the capital, encompassing everything imaginable.
They were even more sensational than those he received when he first entered the Inner Courtyard.
Of course, some letters were written by parents on behalf of their daughters, stating that their Family had a daughter who was well-educated, sensible, and had reached marriageable age, and so on.
Among them were princesses from the Great Xia Dynasty and Young Misses from Worldly Families around Shengjing.
Some letters even specifically listed dowry inventories: how much gold, how much silver, how many acres of fertile land, and how many piles of Spirit Stones.
His weakness in this regard was no longer a secret; almost everyone wanted to hit his heart with this.
But in this world, there is no such thing as being untainted by mud.
Ji You had a slender, long, fair leg to lean on, and he wouldn't be controlled, so he naturally wasn't willing to choose smaller legs.
He drank a few cups of tea, listened to a few people chatter, then got up and left the Purple Bamboo Zen Forest.
Seeing him float away in his white robes, the tea pavilion suddenly fell silent, and then everyone looked towards He Lingxiu.
Although they were unwilling to admit it, the current Ji You indeed had sufficient reasons to be recruited. What He Lingxiu was thinking, other Worldly Family forces were also thinking.
However, this person was unmanageable.
In everyone's eyes, this personality, to put it nicely, was self-righteous; to put it bluntly, it was self-important.
Without a Dao lineage, without a Legacy, and unwilling to be recruited, in their eyes, he was merely someone who hadn't encountered anything beyond his capabilities, which allowed him to be so carefree.
At this moment, Ji You had arrived at Cao Jinsong's courtyard and informed them about the rules of the Tiandao Conference, which also led to discussions among the few of them.
However, their emotions were clearly not as intense as those of the participants.
On one hand, they didn't need to compete, and on the other hand, they were already somewhat numb to such unfairness.
Ji You now took out the tea leaves given by He Lingxiu, put them into the teapot, and while pouring hot water, also mentioned He Lingxiu's intention to set him up.
Cao Jinsong stroked his long beard and spoke: "I've heard of this Qiu Family. They don't have many members, but their overall strength is quite decent. They can be considered a mid-tier century-old Worldly Family. With your current talent, since some people are jealous, naturally others will try to recruit you. This is not surprising."
Ban Yangshu spoke upon hearing this: "They underestimate Junior Brother too much. The Lu Family, a similar century-old Worldly Family, has two, and they are sisters."
Ji You glanced at him: "You can't just say things like that. It's merely a relationship of a strict Instructor producing outstanding Disciples. How did Senior Brother Ban develop the same bad habit as Ru Long Immortal Emperor?"
"Uh, it was just a joke."
"Then do you feel a chill where your money pouch is?"
Ban Yangshu raised the corners of his mouth: "Every time I come to Instructor Cao's courtyard, I leave my money pouch in the Inner Courtyard first."
Wen Zhengxin spoke upon hearing this: "Junior Brother is right not to pay attention to them. Most Worldly Families in Qingyun World are like this. When they recruit you, they speak very well, but once the marriage is truly formed, it's hard to say. Even Feng Province might be affected then. Their Dan Sect is different, after all, the Dan Sect has no combat power, so Junior Brother Ji won't be coerced."
Cao Jinsong agreed with Zhengxin Fairy's words: "There are too many temptations in this world. A slight carelessness can lead to being deeply entangled. Lu Da and Liu Qichen are both like this. It's good that you can maintain your integrity like your Instructor."
After Instructor Cao finished saying the four words "maintain your integrity," he suddenly sniffed, and a grand tea aroma suddenly entered his nostrils, causing his whole body to shiver with clarity.
"What kind of tea is this? Why is it so fragrant?"
"Just smelling it makes my Dao Heart feel much clearer; it's truly profound."
"Has Instructor Cao received gifts recently?"
"No, I haven't even seen this tea bag.
1
Ji You lifted the teapot and poured tea into each of the three people's cups: "It was given to Zizai Hall by the Qiu Family.
He Lingxiu brought me some, saying it's spiritual tea, something paupers can't drink."
Cao Jinsong and the other two picked up their teacups, and as the hot tea went down, they instantly felt a spiritual flow spread within their bodies, instantly clearing the Qi apertures, their vision immediately became clear, and even their Dao Hearts became much calmer.
The three exchanged glances, and their gazes towards Ji You became strange.
"Actually, thinking about it differently, taking a concubine from the Qiu Family isn't bad. Although the Lu Family has two sisters, perhaps Miss Qiu is more beautiful."
"Instructor Cao is absolutely right. Although Worldly Families are all the same, isn't there a saying that you can emerge from the mud untainted?"
"The Dan Sect's daughter seems gentle and sensible, and she will definitely allow you to take concubines. Wasn't it like that on New Year's Day? You had women in your courtyard, and she didn't say anything; you even spent several days together."
"?"
Ji You watched their attitudes change as if they had swapped faces. After looking around, he specifically criticized Cao Jinsong: "Instructor, you're truly spineless. You can't even withstand such a small test?"
Cao Jinsong narrowed his eyes: "What good is integrity? Do you think your Instructor is truly pure? No, I am pure because no one tests me—"
