Chapter 315: Uneven Dao Fruits
As night fell, stars filled the sky.
Within the vast training ground, red lanterns glowed, and a gentle evening breeze accompanied the banquet.
Immortals and Sect members from Qingyun World silently raised their cups and chopsticks, not lifting their heads, eating with focused solemnity, as if oblivious to everything around them.
Yet, only in the pauses between chewing would one notice them subconsciously looking up at the latecomer at the Tianshu Academy's table, observing him eat unhurriedly with a calm expression, his gaze slightly askance, as if born that way.
Slurp, slurp—At Lingjian Mountain's immortal table, Yan Tai, the Peak Master of Tianjian Peak, was savoring immortal soup when his expression subtly changed.
Though his demeanor was composed, he had been constantly plotting how to find an opportunity to kill Ji You. Suddenly, he felt a faint cool breeze under the table, coming in waves, causing the table skirt to sway gently.
In such a formal setting, who would be shaking their foot under the table?
He lifted his head, his gaze sweeping across the banquet. Everyone looked profoundly enigmatic, especially the Young Master Jian, who was particularly icy.
Surrounded by important figures from the Immortal Sects, he couldn't rudely release his Divine Thought. After searching for a while and finding no source, he had no choice but to give up.
At this moment, Yan Shu casually parted her lips, bringing a spoonful of soup to her mouth.
At dusk, as the night deepened, people in the west began to stop drinking and leave their seats.
Ji You had also finished eating. He grabbed a handful of Spirit Sunflower Seeds from the table and then stood up to leave.
Seeing him rise, Cao Jinsong, Ban Yangshu, Wen Zhengxin, and others also put down their bowls and chopsticks, following the walkway in the direction he had gone.
They hadn't seen Ji You in a long time and had many questions for him to answer.
At this moment, Lingjian Mountain's Young Master Jian remained composed, not even lifting her gaze. She continued to use her chopsticks, taking small sips, as if nothing concerned her, showing no interest in the departing figure.
But it wasn't long before she couldn't sit still. She put down her chopsticks and sat in a daze for a while, then rose under the dim night sky.
Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu, seeing this, also rose from the Disciple's table and followed her.
In fact, they had already put down their chopsticks when Ji You left, preparing to go, because they knew their Master Jian would surely be unable to sit still once her husband departed.
However, at this moment, several Sects from Ling Province came forward, presenting their invitation cards, inviting Yan Shu to private banquets.
Chen Xi of the Chen Clan also rose, intending to invite her to her own courtyard for a chat.
Shang Xiyao, the direct Disciple of Asked the Dao Sect, was also among Chen Xi's invitees. Seeing this, he stood up and walked towards Yan Shu: "Last time at the Tiandao Conference, I was in seclusion, so I wasn't there. It must have been many years since we last met. The night is still young, Young Master Jian, why don't you join us for a chat?"
Everyone knew that Shang Xiyao admired Lingjian Mountain's Young Master Jian and had made several grand visits to Lingjian Mountain, so this scene attracted many gazes.
"My apologies, I am tired today."
Yan Shu spoke softly, nodding to the few people, then stepped towards the pavilion where she was staying.
Seeing this, Shang Xiyao's smile gradually faded.
The current wielder of Lingjian Mountain was a woman, and to continue the Bloodline, she would inevitably marry. Furthermore, facing Tianjian Peak, she needed more assistance, so other Immortal Sects had many designs on her.
Thus, many years ago, Shang Xiyao had chosen to make a grand display, hoping to claim the title first through rumors.
Over the years, he had taken several concubines, but the position of his main wife remained vacant. Yet, despite years of attempts, he repeatedly met with setbacks.
He frowned secretly, not knowing what the other party was thinking. His Dao Heart was a mess, but in the end, he didn't show it, turning to leave with Chen Xi, Huo Xingzhong, and others.
As figures disappeared from the Juxian Banquet, the white jade training ground gradually became empty.
Some young Disciples who were to compete tomorrow returned to their courtyards, planning to rest well, while more people gathered at the Lou Wailou in Rihua County.
The Prefect of Rihua County had invited a song and dance troupe and an opera company, hosted by the local Sect, with the intention of inviting them to seek pleasure.
But too much had happened tonight, leaving them with no desire for pleasure; they merely talked incessantly.
"It seems the direct Disciple of Asked the Dao Sect and the Young Master Jian are not as close as outsiders thought. I even thought they truly had a marriage destined."
"Most people think so, but in reality, Shang Xiyao never met the Young Master Jian during his many visits to Lingjian Mountain. The two are not familiar, and the Young Master Jian has always disliked anyone trying to interfere with Lingjian Mountain through her."
The head of the Long Family from Yong Province murmured in response, then blinked slightly: "However, Master Jian will eventually marry. For the sake of Lingjian Mountain's reputation, she cannot marry down. I truly wonder who she intends to choose."
He Long, an Elder of the He Family, frowned upon hearing this: "Aside from Yuan Caiwei of the Dan Sect, I haven't heard of her being close to any other direct Disciple."
"Master Jian's marriage will undoubtedly be a major event that could shake the world. How could people like us possibly understand it? However, the disparity between direct Disciples is certainly evident today."
Upon hearing this, several Sect Heads in the building nodded.
Although, apart from Tianshu Academy, each Sect had direct Disciples, and to outsiders, they seemed similar, the true wielder of the Magical Artifact indeed possessed a superior aura.
Just like Chen Xi, when she presented her invitation, she had to slightly bow half her body out of respect.
The few people were chatting and laughing when they suddenly saw Guo Huai, an Elder of the Guo Family, who had been deep in thought, open his mouth as if to say something.
So everyone stopped smiling and turned to look at Guo Huai.
In truth, they all knew what Guo Huai wanted to say, but they didn't know how to begin.
"You all, do you think that Ji You also came to participate in the Youxian Assembly?"
After he spoke, everyone's thoughts returned to the scene where Ji You walked through the moon gate, his expression calm, and was invited to the main table by the Elder of Tianshu Academy.
He Long, an Elder of the He Family, shook his head: "His name is not on Tianshu Academy's roster for the competition, so he probably won't participate in the duels."
Guo Huai opened his mouth with a complex expression: "Didn't they say he offended the Five Great Immortal Sects? Could it be a rumor?"
"The matter of the Five Great Immortal Sects questioning Tianshu Academy is plain for all to see; it certainly cannot be false."
"Then why can he come so openly, and the Five Great Immortal Sects have no reaction? And why is his seat at the same table as the Palace Lord?"
As his words fell, everyone in the hall narrowed their eyes, then once again fell into the same silence as at the Juxian Banquet.
And the same atmosphere, similar conversations, also appeared in the discussions of others.
Throughout the entire deep night, everyone could not erase the image of Ji You stepping into the Gathering of Immortals from their minds.
At the same time, Ji You was in the East Courtyard of the pavilion where Tianshu Academy was staying, swaying back and forth, studying the spirit tea provided by the Youxian Assembly.
Behind him, Cao Jinsong, Ban Yangshu, and Wen Zhengxin gazed at his back, their eyes filled with bewilderment and incomprehension.
"Rebellious Disciple, what exactly did you do this entire spring?"
"I cultivated, and along the way, I listened to some tunes."
Cao Jinsong's mouth twitched: "Cultivated to the point where the Five Great Immortal Sects jointly pursued you? I thought you went to extort money at people's doorsteps!"
Ban Yangshu also had a strange look: "Did your tunes happen to lead you to the Immortal Sect Master's bed?"
Ji You turned around upon hearing this: "This matter, it's a long story."
"Then tell it briefly."
"I killed five Wujiang Realm cultivators."
Cao Jinsong's mind instantly froze. He immediately pressed his temples: "Stop, you... you should tell it at length. Your master is old and can't handle anything too stimulating."
Ji You thought, 'This Rebellious Disciple is so troublesome': "The situation is very complicated. You only need to know that the Five Great Immortal Sects are so hostile towards me because five Wujiang Realm Elders died by my hand. That's all."
As his words fell, the room instantly fell silent. Under the dim candlelight were three shocked expressions.
The Wujiang Realm is the fourth Realm among the Upper Five Realms, already worthy of the title of a Great Power. Even for an Immortal Sect, a Wujiang Realm cultivator is a valuable fighting force.
For Cao Jinsong and the others, such figures had always been very distant from them; they had rarely even seen the Wujiang Realm cultivators of Tianshu Academy in ordinary times.
They couldn't imagine that Ji You had actually slain such powerful cultivators, and five of them at that.
Cao Jinsong looked at him with a shocked expression: "One from each family?"
Ji You nodded: "All neatly done, no family was slighted."
"Why did you kill them?"
"To save someone, I had no choice."
Ban Yangshu clenched his trousers at this moment: "From the Dan Sect?"
Ji You was silent for a long time, then looked up: "It is indeed related to the Dan Sect, and the sealing of the mountain was also due to this matter. However, I was in the right, so the Five Great Immortal Sects dared not do anything to me in public."
Wen Zhengxin interjected: "Even so, since the Five Great Immortal Sects are hostile towards you, it means there's still risk here. Why did you come to the Youxian Assembly to join the fun?"
"Among the Seven Great Immortal Sects, besides the Dan Sect, the other six are secretly plotting something. I feel there's a problem and need to see it with my own eyes."
"Again the Dan Sect, again Wujiang, even Tianshu Academy is involved? What exactly happened?"
"Another ancient ruin has been opened—"
Upon hearing this, the hearts of the three instantly trembled, their eyes widening even more than when he said he killed five Wujiang Realm cultivators.
At the time of the Qi Ridge incident, Cao Jinsong did not participate, but Ban Yangshu and Wen Zhengxin were both there and naturally knew the dangers involved.
They had originally thought that after the Zheng Family Old Ancestor's death, the matter was concluded, but they never expected another ancient ruin to be opened.
And at this moment, they finally understood why Ji You had gotten into such great trouble, and they also linked it to the various anomalies in Qingyun World.
"Do you want to know what happened after another ancient ruin was opened?"
Upon hearing this, Wen Zhengxin and Ban Yangshu immediately waved their hands and shook their heads.
Cao Jinsong roared: "Rebellious Disciple, shut up!"
They couldn't kill Wujiang Realm cultivators; they still needed to live.
Qingyun World was not a world of open information. Sometimes, one had to be wisely ignorant to live peacefully. They had long been accustomed to such things.
In fact, Ji You hadn't decided whether to fully disclose the matter to them. After all, it was a matter of great importance, and sometimes knowing might not be better than not knowing.
So, upon hearing their refusal, he also stopped the impulse to elaborate.
They only needed to know the general idea and be prepared in their hearts.
Ji You regained his composure: "The Five Great Immortal Sects questioned Tianshu Academy. It's said that people from the Elder Council were sent to Feng Province?"
Cao Jinsong nodded: "These old fellows did some decent things, not letting the people of Feng Province suffer. As for Kuang Shusheng and Old Qiu, were they taken away by Lingjian Mountain?"
"Yes."
"No wonder."
After speaking, Ji You looked out the window: "It's about time. I'm going out for a bit."
Under normal circumstances, they would surely ask, 'It's already dark, where are you going? The Five Great Immortal Sects are all watching you.'
You should behave yourself, but at this moment, he said nothing.
Because he knew that the Master Jian of Lingjian Mountain was probably waiting for him.
With a few thoughts, Wen Zhengxin couldn't help but recall the arrogant Empress who had looked down on everyone at the Juxian Banquet earlier, so when he sent Ji You out, he couldn't help but pay attention to the pavilion where the Master Jian of Lingjian Mountain was staying.
It was already dark, but there were no lights in the pavilion, indicating she was going out for a secret rendezvous.
Who would have thought that such a cold person would secretly sneak out in the middle of the night to find her husband?
Under the dim night sky, Ji You gracefully left the Rihua Immortal Garden, then went to the west of the city, arriving at the gate of an ancient courtyard.
This place was extremely far from the Immortal Garden, and there was Spiritual Qi slowly flowing around, indicating that Magical Artifacts must have been set up.
Before he came, he had sent a message to Yan Shuyi, and the message he received was this address. He figured Yan Shuyi had anticipated that countless eyes would be on him and knew it was inconvenient to meet in the Immortal Garden, so she specifically rented a courtyard.
Ji You reached out to push the door, then gently opened the courtyard gate.
In the quiet courtyard, Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu were waiting. Hearing the sound of the door opening, they immediately turned to look.
"Young Master."
"Long time no see."
"Young Master!"
"Huh?"
Ji You had just finished speaking when he was drawn by a voice. He then saw a little girl run out from inside the door, and his expression couldn't help but show surprise: "Why is Qiu Ru here too?"
"She kept saying she missed you, and Master Jian also said it was time to bring her out to see the world, so she brought her along."
"You've grown taller."
Ji You looked at Qiu Ru in front of him, realizing she was a head taller than when he last saw her.
Qiu Ru took out a honey date from her pocket and secretly slipped it into his hand.
Ji You rubbed her head and looked at Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu: "How are Kuang Cheng and Wei Rui?"
"They are all doing well too."
"Where is your Master Jian?"
"In the room, she said she was waiting for Young Master to enter—"
"Huh?"
Ji You narrowed his eyes, then stepped towards the door facing him.
The Master Jian was standing in the lit room, her soft, fair, small jade-like feet resting on the bamboo under the window.
She had already removed her glazed immortal crown when she arrived. Now, her long hair cascaded like a waterfall to her waist, and she stood with her hands behind her back, gazing at the night sky behind the house, looking profound and unfathomable.
At this moment, Yan Shuyi, hearing the sound, slowly turned and looked at Ji You, her expression as unapproachable as it was at the Juxian Banquet: "How is Dan Sect now?"
On New Year's Eve, the Master Jian thought her waist hurt, but by a strange twist of fate, she was filled.
However, she was always stubborn, refusing to admit she had called him 'husband' or that she had eaten for him. She kept threatening Ji You to forget, so upon seeing him again, she maintained her cold and arrogant Master Jian persona.
As for Ji You, he was still a stranger she had only met a few times, the friend of Rui'er's lover.
But after all, she had been slept with, and had once curled up in his arms, trembling uncontrollably, even calling him 'brother' and 'husband,' and was forced to admit she was a little water tiger. So when Yan Shuyi spoke, she didn't dare to look him in the eyes, but instead looked elsewhere, as cool and aloof as an immortal.
Ji You replied, "The Disciples on the mountain are fine, with no casualties, but our foundation has been completely depleted, and our allied Sects have suffered heavy losses. It will be difficult to recover in a short time."
"What about Tianchi in Yong Province and Duanhun Mountain in Yu Province?"
"Just as you messaged me, they have all been opened."
As Ji You spoke, he sat cross-legged at the tea table and poured tea into a cup.
Yan Shuyi saw this and also sat down. As soon as her snow-white feet stretched across the tea table, Ji You took them into his palm and placed them on his lap.
After a moment of hesitation, she didn't struggle, her eyes still arrogant, as if those were not her jade feet.
"Tianchi, Duanhun Mountain, Great Barren Forest, and if you count Qi Ridge, there are about four opened ruins?"
"No, if you truly count Qi Ridge, there should be five."
"Where is the other one?"
Yan Shuyi raised her eyes: "Baihe Valley in Qing Province, the Chen Clan also opened a ruin."
Ji You narrowed his eyes after hearing this: "It seems that after trying the Dao Fruit of the Great Barren Forest, the other Immortal Sects can no longer hold back. However, there's something we might not have thought of before."
"What is it?"
"Not all ruins have Dao Fruit, or rather, the quantity of Dao Fruit in all ruins is not the same. The ruin in Asked the Dao Sect's possession should be far inferior to the one opened by Mountain and Sea Pavilion."
"Huh?"
After leaving Tianchi in Yong Province, he went to Duanhun Mountain in Yu Province. He observed it for several days under the strict guard of Asked the Dao Sect and found that fewer and fewer people were entering and exiting.
And everyone who had gone in came out with a solemn expression.
Afterward, most of the carriages traveling between Duanhun Mountain and Asked the Dao Sect returned empty.
All signs indicated that not much had appeared from the ruin in Duanhun Mountain, so Asked the Dao Sect's expression was very grim.
The most crucial thing was that they had participated in the Great Barren Forest incident, and in comparison, they should feel like they had opened the wrong blind box.
Upon hearing this, the Master Jian paused slightly.
They had always focused on the number of ruins opened, but they hadn't expected such a large disparity in the quantity of Dao Fruit within them.
Ji You then looked up: "There are countless ruins in Qingyun World, but not many are on the scale of Qi Ridge. This will likely cause conflict hereafter."
Yan Shuyi spoke with a solemn expression: "People are not troubled by scarcity but by inequality. The Seven Great Immortal Sects have been evenly matched for these years, allowing them to balance each other. If the difference is so great, there will undoubtedly be continuous contention."
"However, in my opinion, whether the fruit is good or bad is even more important."
"As of now, there have been no issues reported after consuming the Dao Fruit."
Ji You took a sip of tea: "What about Lang Kun of the Lang Family? There were rumors that he reanimated after death, biting many Disciples, very similar to how Evil Seeds need to feed on Human Race blood and flesh. I asked Qi Elder to inform you; what were the results of your investigation?"
Yan Shuyi shook her head: "I sent people to investigate this matter. Lang Kun did indeed obtain a Dao Fruit, but his cause of death was indeed due to old age."
"But in recent years, the Yao Race has encroached, and strange phenomena have appeared, leading everyone to believe that the Human Race's Luck would be lost. Yet, the Human Race suddenly received a gift from Heavenly Dao. I just don't feel right about this matter."
"So that's why you came to the Youxian Assembly?"
Ji You nodded: "I want to see those who have consumed the fruit with my own eyes."
Yan Shuyi raised her eyes: "Among those who arrived at the Youxian Assembly today, besides the Sects who are not yet aware, others share the same idea as you."
The Youxian Assembly could not compare to the Tiandao Conference, neither in terms of appeal nor reputation, both were slightly lacking.
But yesterday, countless Sects were surprised because many important figures appeared at this Youxian Assembly, even more than at the Tiandao Conference.
Everyone was puzzled as to why the Seven Great Immortal Sects valued the Youxian Assembly more than the Tiandao Conference. In reality, what the Immortal Sects wanted to observe, just like Ji You, was something unknown to others.
Which method of consuming the Dao Fruit was better, whether Disciples with different talents would have different reactions when consuming the same fruit, and whether the Dao Fruit obtained from different ruins were the same—all these were crucial.
In other words, this was an observation experiment after fruit consumption. During their discussion, Ji You had already peeled the Ling Kui seeds he brought from the Juxian Banquet into a small pile.
The two of them drank tea and chewed, and the atmosphere gradually quieted down.
The necessary information had been conveyed, and what needed to be discussed had been discussed, so naturally, there was nothing else to say.
The Master Jian then came back to her senses, her eyes suddenly becoming cold and arrogant: "I am aware of the ruin situation. You have done well. Although you are a Disciple of Tianshu Academy, your loyalty is evident. This Master Jian will reward you later. You may withdraw for now."
Ji You looked up: "Huh?"
Yan Shuyi subtly tried to pull back her feet, but found them immobilized.
At this moment, a gaze looked towards her lower abdomen, causing her beautiful eyes to narrow slightly.
"What are you staring at?"
"I'm looking for my own child—"
"Huh?"
Ji You answered honestly, and saw the feet on his lap curl slightly. At the same time, a burst of Sword Qi roared, seemingly intending to strike down the little Disciple of Tianshu Academy who was spouting nonsense and fabricating things that never happened, to prevent him from making up stories.
However, just then, the two suddenly heard soft footsteps from outside the door.
This place was, after all, Rihua City. Although far from the Immortal Garden, there was no guarantee that someone wouldn't secretly follow them.
The two instantly became alert, their Divine Thought surging out as they looked towards the door.
In the courtyard, Qiu Ru wore a flower crown woven from willow branches, holding a bronze mirror she had gotten from Ding Yao. One hand gently stroked her lower abdomen, her eyes carrying a hint of arrogance, as she walked back and forth in the courtyard, pretending.
Children's understanding of this world is still in its nascent stage, so they like to imitate.
Especially girls, they like to imitate whoever they find pretty.
Seeing this, Ji You turned to look at Yan Shuyi.
Actually, he had always doted on the Master Jian of Lingjian Mountain. Even when she took the wrong medicine before, he couldn't bear to tease her. This time, he didn't come with lustful intentions, nor did he insist on bullying her the moment they met.
However, he just couldn't stand Yan Shuyi's stubbornness.
The Master Jian was looking at Qiu Ru, contemplating whether to blame Ding Yao or Zhuo Wanqiu, when she suddenly saw Ji You's fingertip move slightly. Then she heard a soft 'ouch,' and saw the room door close with a gentle breeze.
Under the tea table, those snow-white jade feet couldn't help but curl slightly.
Then, the Sword Qi in the room began to continuously rise.
Yan Shuyi, held in his embrace, radiated Killing Intent, her eyes like a raging snowstorm, then she continuously bit Ji You's lips lightly, her clothes gradually scattering in their struggle, round and full.
Before long, the snow-white Master Jian was pressed onto the bed on the right side of the tea table in their struggle.
Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu now looked at the bright moon in the sky, their expressions somewhat bewildered.
"Do you think we should go back to sleep, or continue waiting here?"
"Master Jian said she would return after meeting the little Disciple of Tianshu Academy. She's staying at the Immortal Garden tonight, and told us to wait."
"But Master Jian took a flower petal bath specifically when she arrived—"
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