Chapter 275: If the Sword Breaks the Elder Council
As Disciples from the various Immortal Sects returned one after another, news about Dongping Mountain gradually spread.
However, the major Immortal Sects seemed to have unified their statements, claiming that a rare heaven and earth treasure, a spiritual seedling that had taken human form and was difficult to capture, was discovered in the Dongping Mountain Range.
In reality, such an act of concealment was nothing short of a precaution.
Because in the eyes of the major Immortal Sects, if the power of the Evil Seed could truly overturn the existing cultivation methods, it was not advisable for more people to know about it before this power was in their own hands.
Especially some of the larger Worldly Families, if they obtained this method, they might develop other intentions.
On the other hand, Disciples with backgrounds like Fang Jincheng, although curious about this matter, were unable to ascertain the true content.
This was not out of precaution, but rather for the sake of maintaining the stability of their Dao Heart.
From the Elders' perspective, if they knew that there was a power in this world that could allow people to continuously cross Realms and directly reach the Peak of combat power, then the quiet cultivation in the deep mountains would become extremely difficult for them to grasp.
Coveting shortcuts and disdaining arduous cultivation—this is human nature, unavoidable.
As for the news of the Barbarians appearing in the mountains, it was naturally also suppressed.
Therefore, apart from the high-ranking officials of the Immortal Sects, everyone else still felt that the Dao in this world was very stable, unaware that it was already on the verge of collapse.
After Ji You returned to Tianshu Academy, he did not make any fuss about the matter.
His original intention was to seek stability in this world, so he naturally understood that the fewer people who knew about this matter, the better.
So when Cao Jinsong asked him if he had gone to the Dongping Mountain Range, he also went along with it and said that he had indeed gone to search for a spiritual seedling.
And Cao Jinsong did not have the slightest doubt.
The main reason was that Ji You’s greedy persona was too deeply ingrained in people’s hearts; he would even snatch the silver in his hands, so how could he let go of a Spirit Treasure growing in the mountains?
Therefore, what Zuoqiuyang said to He Lingxiu when they went to the Snow Region was correct.
An overly obvious weakness is not necessarily a weakness sometimes, but it can be a very good cover.
However, while Cao Jinsong and others lamented the dangerous situation, even Elder Fang returned injured, and they praised Ji You for being able to retreat unscathed as a child of Luck, Ji You did not shirk responsibility.
“That Elder Fang’s pathetic state? Actually, I beat him up.”
“……?”
“He tried to snatch it from me! Is he a professional? Why would he snatch it?!”
Cao Jinsong, Wen Zhengxin, and Ban Yangshu remained silent for a long while: “Did you snatch it?”
Ji You shook his head after hearing this: “There was still an Innate Realm cultivator present, so I naturally couldn’t snatch it. I just settled for snatching Elder Fang’s money pouch.”
After a moment of silence, Cao Jinsong held his breath.
After returning from Xianxian Holy Land, they had felt Ji You’s aura, but they never imagined that Ji You could defeat Elder Fang of the Wujiang Realm.
“You wicked Disciple, you really dare to snatch from anyone. Aren’t you afraid he’ll make things difficult for your Master?!”
“Even if we didn’t beat him, has he made things any less difficult for us two old men?”
Cao Jinsong pondered for a while: “That’s true—? Oh, well, if you beat him, you beat him. And you even snatched a money pouch, so it’s not a loss.”
Ji You suddenly shook his head: “Actually, I only found out later that I lost big time.”
“Lost what?”
“Lost a child.”
“?”
While Ji You was chatting with Cao Jinsong and the others, a letter from Kuang Cheng was delivered to him.
When Tianshu Academy sent people to investigate whether Ji You was the one who killed people in the Dongping Mountain Range, Kuang Cheng also received inquiries.
He had been working diligently, and now that he received news of Ji You’s return, he couldn’t help but invite him to meet.
And when facing Kuang Cheng, Ji You revealed a little more.
On one hand, it was because Kuang Cheng was cautious and knew what was important.
On the other hand, Ji You needed Kuang Cheng to use the power of the Department of Immortal Supervision to monitor the Dongping Mountain Range area, and he also needed to understand the movements of those Immortal Sects.
The old fellows in the Immortal Sects were already dying, but now their desire for life had been stirred up by the Bu family. He didn’t believe that Bu Qirong’s death would make them Face the outcome of calmly accepting death again.
And when Kuang Cheng heard about this matter, he was speechless for a long time, and his Face gradually turned pale.
Because he, like Ji You, knew about Qingwa encountering a group of infants transported from Qi Ridge back then.
He naturally understood why Ji You had to risk his life to kill Xia Qirong.
He gripped the teacup, absently rotating it a few times, but his mind remained restless.
Feng Province had developed extremely well in recent years. During Ji You’s absence, he had been managing the autumn harvest, and he knew that this year’s grain production had doubled again.
Wulu Trading Company had saved many people, and also many children.
Kuang Shusheng, like the farmer Tie Niu in Central Province, felt that life was getting better and better, never expecting to hear such a disaster.
“Some things are beyond our capabilities to manage. We can only try our best to resolve some misfortunes. So, Old Kuang, I only need you to help me keep an eye on information. Don’t get too deeply involved, because a living person is the most useful.”
Kuang Cheng looked at him: “Brother Ji, when you went to Dongping Mountain, did you also know that you would definitely survive before you went?”
Ji You put down his teacup: “Of course! Who would dare to do something life-threatening when there’s no money involved?”
“But Brother Ji said that before you went, you didn’t know that Fairy Yan would appear in the Dongping Mountain Range in time, so Brother Ji didn’t expect to survive.”
Ji You’s smile faded slightly: “You scholar, you listen quite carefully, but that’s different. That was what I deserved—”
After returning from Kuang Cheng’s place, Ji You went back to Tianshu Academy.
He tidied up the small courtyard he hadn’t lived in for a long time and washed the clothes he had changed into in the Dongping Mountain Range.
And among those clothes, he also saw the tsundere’s tender green bellyband, and a fragrant sock rolled inside it.
This should have been casually thrown on his clothes when she slept in the same bed that night, and he accidentally brought it back.
Who would have thought that the young Master Jian of Lingjian Mountain, renowned throughout the world for her cold beauty, would casually discard her clothes in private—
Ji You immersed the bellyband in water, scrubbed it clean for her, intending to personally put it on her when she came down next time, then looked up towards the back mountain.
“What has Elder Fang been doing these past few days?”
“Reporting to Master-in-charge, Elder Fang is recuperating from his injuries.”
“What about the others in the Elder Council?”
“They are studying the documents brought back from Qing Province, discussing them in the hall every day, but Disciples are not allowed inside, so I don’t know what they discussed.”
The cold wind of late autumn blew into the Master's Courtyard, carrying deep yellow fallen leaves, tearing at the banners standing in the courtyard, making them rustle loudly.
In the main hall, which faced north from the south, the Disciple of the Master’s Courtyard who had just returned from the back mountain reported his observations.
This Disciple’s name was Sun Dong, and he was not at the core of the Master's Courtyard. He had not participated in the events of the Dongping Mountain Range and had remained in Tianshu Academy beforehand.
Because a large number of people from the Master's Courtyard had been transferred, all the work that was originally supposed to be done by others fell to him, making him so exhausted that he wanted to quit every day.
He originally thought things would improve after the Master-in-charge and his other colleagues returned, but for some reason, he felt that the atmosphere in the courtyard had become even more tense.
This feeling was as if Tianshu Academy was about to Face a major battle.
Especially Master Qin and Lord Lang, their gazes were solemn every day. Although they didn’t lose their temper, it still affected them, the Disciples.
This Disciple pondered for a moment and couldn't help but look up.
In his line of sight, Master Qin, Lord Ji, and Lord Lang were all holding their respective teacups. Among them, Master Qin and Lord Ji nodded slightly after hearing his report.
Just then, Wen Siyuan also stepped into the courtyard, which was filled with autumn wind: “Master-in-charge, I’m back.”
“What has Ji You been doing these past few days?”
“He’s been staying in his courtyard, sunning his quilt, then drinking tea with Cao Jinsong and the others. He also went down the mountain once to meet Kuang Cheng of the Department of Immortal Supervision.”
Wen Siyuan felt the same as the Disciple just now, thinking that ever since Elder Fang and Ji You returned to the Sect, the atmosphere in the Master's Courtyard had been very tense.
And this tension seemed to stem from Ji You and Elder Fang.
The students in the courtyard were all guessing that Ji You must have been sent to the Dongping Mountain Range, and he thought so too.
But he didn't know what happened in the Dongping Mountain Range that caused the atmosphere to become like this.
Moreover, the Master's Courtyard had always held great power; if the Master-in-charge truly had any questions and couldn't interrogate Elder Fang, they could also summon Ji You for inquiry, so why observe so cautiously?
“Fortunately, Elder Fang didn’t become muddled because he was injured by Ji You; otherwise, if an incident occurred where a Disciple from our courtyard used Spiritual Sword Mountain Sword Dao to break through Tianshu Academy’s Elder Council, let alone the might of the Holy Sect, we would probably become the laughingstock of the entire world.”
Qin Rong put down his teacup, a hint of relief in his eyes, and Ji Jingyao also sighed in relief: “It seems our Tianshu Academy can remain stable for a while longer.”
Elder Fang had always been a vengeful person, never letting anyone who offended him off easily.
Ji You had destroyed his hope of extending his Lifespan and even drew his sword against him; from the Master's Courtyard’s perspective, Elder Fang should have wished to grind him to dust.
Although Ji You’s combat power was no longer something the Elder Council could easily handle, Ji You still had other people around him.
For example, Lu Hanyan, Lu Qingqiu, Cao Jinsong, Wen Zhengxin, Ban Yangshu, and Bai Rulong.
Most crucially, in the capital, there was also his close friend, a scholar.
It was incredibly easy for an Immortal Sect to kill a Mortal, even if he was a Great Xia official.
In Qin Rong and Ji Jingyao’s view, Ji You must have also anticipated the risks involved, which was why he rested for a very short time in Anyuan City and rushed back to Tianshu Academy on the same day as Elder Fang, precisely to guard against this.
Most importantly, Ji You was never one to make peace.
When he was an envoy to the Snow Region, with only Tong Xuan Realm combat power, he dared to exhaust himself to lift the Forty-Nine Mountain Layers and directly confront the Barbarian Soldier King.
If Elder Fang truly made a move, they had no doubt that Ji You would dare to wield his sword and charge towards the back mountain.
Fortunately, five days passed without any news from the Elder Council, so the possibility of them taking action should be low now.
Qin Rong now came back to his senses, looked at the stunned Wen Siyuan and Sun Dong, and waved his hand to dismiss them.
Ji You’s combat power and the matter of the Evil Seed Incarnation were different and didn’t need to be deliberately concealed, but it was better to have fewer people present behind the scenes.
At this moment, Wen Siyuan and Sun Dong walked outside, looking at the distant Elder Council with somewhat dazed eyes.
At this time, Lang Hetong was also looking in the direction of the Elder Council.
He hadn't witnessed what happened in the Dongping Mountain Range; in fact, when Qin Rong and Ji Jingyao said that Ji You's combat power had reached Wujiang Realm and defeated Elder Fang, he didn't believe it.
But seeing that the Elder Council truly had no reaction, he had no choice but to believe it.
However, the fact that the Elder Council had done nothing and Ji You was still fine disappointed and somewhat puzzled the other Disciples in the courtyard.
When everyone from Tianshu Academy returned, everyone noticed Elder Fang's gaze towards Ji You, guessing that Ji You had offended Elder Fang again.
They had originally thought there would be a good show to watch, but their hopes were dashed.
Among them, the most displeased was Fang Jincheng.
Just a few days before everyone returned, Lu Hanyan went into seclusion, saying she was going to break through to the Tong Xuan Realm.
Although it was just a breakthrough in a minor Realm, it wasn't that surprising, but if there was a comparison, it would be completely different.
Because he still hadn't even touched the threshold of the minor Realm, and if Lu Hanyan truly broke through, his entry into the courtyard due to his great-grandfather would truly be confirmed.
Fang Jincheng had always hoped that his great-grandfather would give Ji You a hard time, which would not only be satisfying but perhaps also destroy Lu Hanyan's Dao Heart; who knew the reality was completely different from what he imagined.
“Perhaps, it’s just that Elder Fang is broad-minded and disdains to bicker with a Tong Xuan Disciple.”
“Impossible!”
“?”
Fang Jincheng quickly reacted and said fiercely: “I’m not saying my great-grandfather is narrow-minded, I’m saying that Ji You is like a clown, so annoying to have in front of my eyes, how could my great-grandfather tolerate him.”
Zhao Yunyue was still busy with the Immortal Appreciation Festival for Prince Chong, so she found Fang Jincheng again.
Hearing about the current harmonious atmosphere in Tianshu Academy, this Great Xia Young Miss was actually a bit puzzled too.
Elder Fang's gaze that day was still vivid, as if a raging fire was about to ignite, causing one's scalp to tingle; it was impossible for him to be so quiet. At this moment, Ji You was in the courtyard, looking towards the back mountain with some disappointment.
Elder Fang's money bag had made him exclaim in awe back then; in his opinion, the Elder Council should be even richer.
He sighed, put his sparkling clean Dao sword back into his pouch, and opened the several letters that had arrived today.
The Dan Sect’s daughter didn’t know he had gone to Dongping Mountain; the content of the three letters she sent consecutively was the same as usual, mainly sharing daily life.
After reading the letters, Ji You found that she hadn't asked about the Evil Seed, which made him unsure whether the Dan Sect was unaware, or if the Dan Sect Master hadn't even told his own daughter.
If the Dan Sect didn't even know, then the other Seven Great Immortal Sects had indeed concealed it very well.
There was also a letter from Yan Shuyi; the tsundere arrived at Lingjian Mountain on the third day of his return and sent him a letter from Nanhua City.
The letter only contained eight characters: “Focus on the Dao, this life’s 緣 has ended.”
Ji You didn't believe it one bit, thinking to himself, 'You're just afraid I'll give you a gift.'
Damn Elder Fang...
After reading the letters, Ji You also met with Lu Qingqiu, who had messaged him to meet; as for Lu Hanyan, she was in seclusion, so she didn’t come along.
What surprised Ji You was that Lu Qingqiu's aura was significantly different from before.
This year, two Outer Courtyard Disciples from Tianshu Academy entered the Tong Xuan Realm, and she was one of them.
It was only when she truly reached the Tong Xuan Realm that Lu Qingqiu could feel how terrifying Ji You's talent was back then, when he entered the courtyard and, without Medicinal Pills or Spirit Stones, still stepped into the Tong Xuan Realm a step ahead of Chu River.
However, what Ji You didn't expect was that the other person who entered the Tong Xuan Realm was also someone he knew: Xiang Fu, the daughter of the Dan Shui County Governor.
Subsequently, the Outer Courtyard suddenly became lively.
Every day, many Disciples would go to the Wudao Field for competitions, and people from Shengjing City would also come to watch at this time.
The matter of the Evil Seed had delayed the Autumn Tournament admissions for all Immortal Sects, and Tianshu Academy was no exception.
So, after Qin Rong and Ji Jingyao returned, they began preparing for the Autumn Tournament.
The Autumn Tournament not only decided the entry quotas but also determined the resources Outer Courtyard Disciples would receive in the future, so many Disciples would come to participate.
Just like before Ji You, Du Zhu, and Chu River competed, Lu Qingqiu had also entered the arena to duel.
And among them, the most outstanding performers were, of course, Lu Qingqiu and Xiang Fu.
Especially Xiang Fu, who received widespread attention in the arena competition because there was a very special situation this year.
Last autumn, the Seven Great Immortal Sects’ recruitment was not smooth; Tianshu Academy only had one Junior Third Realm Completion, who was Peng Yu, the great-grandnephew of Elder Peng of the Elder Council.
Because there were no competitors, many people thought he would definitely enter the Inner Courtyard this year.
But unexpectedly, even after the Autumn Tournament was delayed for two months, he was still stuck at the threshold of the Five Mystic Light, quite a distance from the Tong Xuan Realm.
Tianshu Academy had a precedent: the year before Ji You entered the courtyard, none of the Disciples that year reached the Tong Xuan Realm.
According to the rules, they would look to the previous year and seek a second-year student who had reached Tong Xuan Realm for admission.
And the Tong Xuan Realm student among the second-year students happened to be Xiang Fu, who had just broken through the Realm.
She hadn't anticipated this point beforehand, but had already been working exceptionally hard due to the disparity in status.
Especially when Ji You won the top spot in the Tiandao Conference, all Feng Province Disciples worked even harder than other Disciples.
The reason why the people of Tianshu Academy paid special attention to her was that this quota theoretically belonged to Xiang Fu.
But the problem was that the status gap was too large.
Peng Yu was a Worldly Family scion and the grand-nephew of Elder Peng, an Innate Realm cultivator; even if he hadn't reached the Tong Xuan Realm, the Elder Council would have turned a blind eye.
After all, last year, Fang Jincheng had already been forcibly admitted into the Inner Courtyard due to Elder Fang's influence.
In contrast, Xiang Fu came from a low-level official Worldly Family in Feng Province, had no backing whatsoever, and wasn't born in the same year as Peng Yu.
In the eyes of Tianshu Academy Disciples, even if it should have been her, it wouldn't be her.
Xiang Xuan, the Prefect of Dan Shui County, didn't know his daughter would have such an opportunity; he ran over in ecstasy, but only understood after hearing the discussions that his daughter's chances were slim.
The Xiang family also climbed up from the bottom, just like the Kuang Family, spending generations of effort to become officials and allow their daughter to gain cultivation qualifications.
Now, hearing that his daughter could enter the Inner Courtyard, how could he willingly give up?
So, in the twilight after the duel, he dragged Xiang Fu to find Cao Jinsong, as he only knew Cao Jinsong in Tianshu Academy.
In fact, Cao Jinsong had also been pondering this matter and knew their intention before they even spoke.
"You want to enter the Inner Courtyard?"
"Yes—"
Xiang Fu had never actually mentioned wanting to enter the Inner Courtyard, not even when her father dragged her there, but she still told her Instructor the truth.
If she could truly enter the Inner Courtyard, who would want to remain an Outer Courtyard Disciple and be dismissed after five years?
It was just that even she herself knew her chances were too slim.
Cao Jinsong stroked his long beard lightly: "If you want to enter the Inner Courtyard, it's not impossible."
Xiang Fu widened her eyes: "Really?"
"Do you know Lu Hanyan?"
"Miss Lu Er is from the same period as me, so of course I know her."
Cao Jinsong nodded: "If you want to enter the Inner Courtyard, learn from her and go find your Senior Brother Ji."
Xiang Fu paused: "Learn sword? But Instructor, my problem isn't with combat right now, and the Autumn Tournament has already begun; no matter how intelligent I am, I'm afraid I won't be able to learn it."
"Do you really think Lu Hanyan could enter the Inner Courtyard because she learned sword? Silly child, I'm not telling you to learn sword; I'm telling you to invite your Senior Brother Ji out when you have nothing to do and try to go to crowded places."
"This—"
"You only have this one chance now; go give it a try."
Although Xiang Fu didn't understand, she still followed Cao Jinsong's advice and submitted a note to the Inner Courtyard.
Actually, Ji You was notoriously difficult to invite out from Tianshu Academy, but she still managed to do so; she felt that Senior Brother Ji seemed to have also received instructions from Cao Instructor.
Thus, throughout the entire Tiandao Conference, the two would occasionally go out for strolls, leaving many people utterly bewildered.
Tianshu Academy's Autumn Tournament ended quickly, as this batch of Disciples was indeed far inferior compared to Ji You's batch.
The discussion for entering the Inner Courtyard was very slow because many people were struggling.
According to the rules, Xiang Fu should indeed have been admitted, but the problem was that there were two factors outside of the rules.
Elder Peng had also been busy these past few days, hoping to use the power of the Elder Council and the awkwardness between the Elder Council and Ji You to pull Ji You over.
Among the three Elders who held great power in the Council, Elder Fang clearly stated that Peng Yu should be chosen, while the remaining two Elders deliberated for a long time, delaying their decision.
It wasn't until a certain discussion about this matter that Elder Ge, lost in thought, murmured, "Ji You is only in his twenties."
Those in power can sometimes be very confused, but sometimes they can also be enlightened by a single sentence.
Ji You is only in his twenties, while Elder Fang is already close to dying of old age...
Subsequently, the Elder Council's public vote results were sent to the Master's Courtyard, and the decisions of the five Hall Masters were also sent over.
After compiling the statistics, the three Masters-in-charge of the Master's Courtyard finally wrote down the final names on the announcement with complex expressions.
That evening, as the fiery clouds streaked across the sky, the Master's Courtyard Disciples posted the announcement on the notice board of the Ascension White Jade Platform.
A crowd of Disciples from outside the Inner Courtyard gathered there to view the results.
However, what they had originally believed would be an unsurprising result turned out to be unexpected.
Xiang Fu, also standing in front of the notice board, widened her eyes, stood rooted to the spot, and stared for a long time, her Face filled with disbelief.
Amidst the gasps of surprise across the field, everyone turned to look at Xiang Fu.
Whether it was Immortal Sects or Worldly Families, there was rarely anything fair; everything depended on background and connections.
And Xiang Fu's background and connections were the worst in Tianshu Academy, a world of difference compared to Peng Yu—
"I always thought Tianshu Academy's Autumn Tournament was solemn and proper, but last year's and this year's events made me feel that I had misunderstood."
"The reason you have this thought is that your batch is the most different in years; Chu River's status is high enough, and you are strong enough."
Ji You looked up at Cao Jinsong: "Instructor is quite resourceful, aren't you afraid of being killed by Yan Shuyi's sword?"
Cao Jinsong looked up at the evening glow across the sky: "I haven't married until now, not because I don't have someone I like. When I entered the academy through a quota back then, I also had hopes of forming a Dao Companion with someone."
"What happened then?"
"I am from Feng Province. After leaving the academy, I had nowhere to go, so I could only enter the Master's Courtyard and become an Instructor, while she went back, got married, and had children."
Ji You clicked his tongue: "There's such a thing—"
Cao Jinsong looked at Ji You: "If you want Feng Province to improve, your strength alone isn't enough. You must learn to win people's hearts. Of course, good health is even better!"
Ji You gave a thumbs up: "Instructor's words are deafening. Next time Yan Shuyi comes to visit, please tell her."
Cao Jinsong immediately waved his hand modestly after hearing this: "No need. My core message can be conveyed by you."
"Evil Instructor!"
"Evil Disciple!"
The results of Tianshu Academy's Inner Courtyard selection quickly spread out of Tianshu Academy, causing a stir in Shengjing.
Actually, at first, those not in Tianshu Academy had no interest in this, the reason being that this batch of students was indeed too poor.
The reason why these results suddenly gained attention was precisely because they were too unexpected.
Xiang Fu was from Feng Province, while Peng Yu was a Disciple of the Elder Council.
In their eyes, even if Xiang Fu was a Tong Xuan Realm cultivator in her prime, she would never have been able to enter the Inner Courtyard.
Because Feng Province belonged to Ji You, and Elder Fang in the Elder Council had a deep enmity with him.
The Elder Council had significant power in the Inner Courtyard selection, and this time, those Elders seemed to have disregarded Elder Fang's Face, instead giving Ji You Face.
At this time, in Prince Chong's Mansion, a group of pro-immortal officials were gathered to discuss the Immortal Appreciation Conference, and they fell silent after hearing this news.
Just like that year, Chong Wang also offered sacrifices to that Peng Yu.
Because there was no one else, in his opinion, choosing from one of them would surely not be wrong.
But this result directly stunned him.
Zhao Yunyue, at this moment, sat by the pond with a solemn expression, holding fish food in her hand, lost in thought for a long time.
She had a good relationship with several Disciples in the Master's Courtyard of Tianshu Academy, and these days, being busy with the Immortal Appreciation Conference, she had more contact with them.
Yesterday, she had heard a few rumors, but only laughed them off as jokes.
However, today's results of Tianshu Academy's Inner Courtyard selection, with its various underlying connections, seemed to suggest that those words were no joke.
The injuries on Elder Fang were inflicted by Ji You (Seven thousand for monthly votes!)
