Chapter 322: The Struggle for the Ruins
From noon until evening, the sky gradually darkened.
Ji You flipped through the case files transcribed by the County Magistrate's scribe until the end, then took out a large scroll from his Storage Gourd.
The scroll was covered in densely packed text, with circles and lines connecting them, looking incredibly complex.
Ji You picked up a brush and wrote down the relocation date of Fengxian Mountain Manor on it, then filled in keywords like “gnawing,” “smell of blood,” and others.
With a flick of his finger, he lit the lamps, illuminating the study with a dim yellow light. A wisp of Spiritual Qi rose with the wind, lifting the entire scroll into the air.
Ji You moved back a few steps and observed the scroll.
“Immortal Master bestows Medicinal Pill.”
“Fewer and fewer people.”
“Summoned to cultivate secret techniques elsewhere.”
“Their five senses seem to be getting duller and duller.”
These words or short phrases were all transcribed by him from messages left behind by other vanished Immortal Villas or from the discussions of the surrounding common folk.
The earlier ink had already dried, yet it seemed to proclaim a deception leading to certain death.
Ji You leaned against the window, watching silently. With his palm facing down, more than a dozen brushes in the brush holder spun continuously in the air, arranging themselves into various shapes.
Sometimes like a six-pointed star, sometimes like a celestial map of the night sky, so much so that Fang Zhongzheng’s lacquered red desk gradually had a deep pit spun into it, and the surface lacquer peeled off into fragments.
After observing for a long time, Ji You’s gaze fell to the bottom right of the scroll.
That area was specifically reserved when organizing clues, and it listed the names of various Sects such as the Du Family, Bai Family, Liu Family, Li Family, Zheng Family, Tianshu Academy, Chen Clan, and Chu Family.
The Immortal Villas in Feng Province were mostly collateral branches of Sects, and these Sects were the true controllers behind those vanished Immortal Villas.
The reason Ji You wrote them down was because of the four words “Immortal Master bestows Medicinal Pill” that Tan Huizhi’s grandson had mentioned before his disappearance.
When he was in State Prefecture, he had asked the Immortal Villa’s Disciple who could be called an Immortal Master.
According to those Disciples, the so-called Immortal Master referred to the Master-in-charge Elder dispatched by the Sect to which the Immortal Villa belonged.
In other words, if the Immortal Villa had problems due to the so-called Immortal Master bestowing Medicinal Pill, then the Karma naturally lay with these Sects.
At this moment, Ji You picked up a brush and wrote the four characters “Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion” after the names of those Sects.
Fengxian Mountain Manor was backed by Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion; this was almost common knowledge in Yuyang County.
Moreover, Ji You had a memory from the year he first arrived in Qingyun World: the sound of gongs and drums and firecrackers could be heard from the mountain.
He remembered that at the time, Chen Fuzi had told him that an Immortal Master from the Supreme Sacred Sect was visiting.
Ji You observed for a long time, his gaze constantly shifting between these Sects and Immortal Sects.
It was already night, with a bright moon and sparse stars, and the courtyard behind the County Magistrate’s residence was filled with guests.
Jia Sicong, Dong Wei, and a group of Chen Fuzi’s former Disciples gathered, specifically to visit Fang Ruoyao, who had returned from the Immortal Sect.
Fang Zhongzheng had specially arranged a banquet for them, but as the dishes were served, no one touched their chopsticks. Instead, they looked across the large courtyard at the front window of the study to the south.
Because candles were lit in the study, the shadows of the room were clearly projected onto the doors and windows.
They knew that Ji You had also returned and was in Old Master Fang’s study.
The reason they didn’t touch their chopsticks was that they were wondering whether to invite Ji You to join them.
“After our parting in Yuyang County back then, we classmates haven’t seen each other for many years. Fairy Ruoyao, why don’t you invite Ji You to come out and drink with us?”
“That’s right, the matter of the annulled engagement has passed for a long time. With Ji You’s magnanimity, I don’t think he would still hold a grudge.”
“I even flirted with Widow Wang at the village entrance with him back then; we shouldn’t be so distant. If Fairy Ruoyao doesn’t want to go alone, we will accompany her.”
Fang Ruoyao hesitated for a long time after hearing this, then slowly got up. The other few people also followed suit. However, just as they were about to head towards the study, the figure projected onto the doors and windows by the candlelight suddenly stood up.
Then, a scorching aura pressed down with a roar. In everyone’s eyes, a Sword Qi appeared in the air, and a heavy force surged into the sky, creating a shimmering ripple across the firmament.
Under the moonlight, thick layers of clouds were directly torn through for a hundred li.
Seeing this, everyone sat back down.
Before the dishes were served, they had also begged Fang Ruoyao to demonstrate some Immortal Arts, and they had been amazed just by seeing Spiritual Qi surge into a ball in her palm, capable of lifting a teapot from a distance.
But at that moment, they vaguely felt that what Fang Ruoyao had cultivated in five years and what Ji You had cultivated in five years seemed to be different things.
If only they had known, they should have invited him to eat a few more baskets of steamed buns back then.
Jia Sicong trembled slightly, recalling the opportunity that year to walk a grand path to the heavens.
Three days later, at dusk, Ji You arrived in Central Province.
Most of the Sects on his scroll were gathered within Central Province, such as the Liu Family and the Du Family, and the Zheng Family Old Ancestor’s old residence was also in the neighboring county.
He felt that if these Sects truly had problems, there couldn’t be no clues. The reason they hadn’t been discovered might be because the Sects were closed off from each other, and many things had gone unnoticed, so he wanted to investigate thoroughly.
Moreover, from a spatial distance perspective, he felt that the Sects closer to the Zheng Family were more likely to have problems.
However, to his surprise, all these Sects had their gates tightly shut, with roaring magical formations around them and an eerie silence within.
In addition, there were rotating cultivators guarding all entrances to the Dao field, with shifts every two hours.
However, after several inquiries, he did learn of another avenue: a water shop in Lingbi City.
“The Liu Family’s water has always been delivered by us. Speaking of which, we have been serving Immortals for decades.”
“That Old Master Liu only ever uses water from the stream on Jade Spring Mountain for his tea.”
The water shop owner was an old man in his fifties who chattered incessantly in the face of Ji You’s silver.
Ji You listened, then tapped the table lightly with his fingertip: “Do you still deliver these days?”
“No deliveries anymore. Some time ago, the Liu Family sent someone specifically to say they didn’t need water for now.”
“That Old Master Liu doesn’t drink tea anymore?”
The water shop owner waved his hand: “They just don’t want us to deliver anymore, but they will fetch the water themselves.”
Ji You pondered for a while after hearing this: “Did you cause some trouble that made the Liu Family unwilling to use you anymore?”
“What are you saying, Young Master? Our Runquan Water Shop is a century-old business, specializing in our trade, and we’ve never been spoken ill of. To be honest, those Immortal masters have profound magical power and can fly through the sky and burrow into the earth, but fetching water might not be as easy for them as it is for us.”
Hearing Ji You’s doubt, the water shop owner was clearly a little displeased and pouted, defending himself for a long time: “If Young Master doesn’t believe me, you can go ask Old Xu at the vegetable shop. They also stopped delivering vegetables, and it was at the same time as us.”
Ji You was silent for a moment: “When did it start?”
“Around the middle of last month.”
“And before you stopped delivering water, did anything happen to the Liu Family?”
“A group of people left in a hurry by carriage for half a month, then came back, and immediately after that, they stopped needing water and vegetables, keeping their gates closed all day.”
After the water shop owner finished speaking, he looked at Ji You: “Young Master, are you here to order water or not? Why do you keep asking about the Liu Family?”
Ji You smiled upon hearing this, left the silver in his hand, then got up and left the water shop.
The Liu Family sent people to attend the Youxian Assembly, and after they returned, the entire Family went into strict lockdown. High above, Ji You hid in the clouds, looking down at the Liu Family’s large residence, somewhat unable to understand the connection.
Then he stepped through the air, spending two full days flying to the Li Family, located in the northwest of Central Province.
Aside from the few Sects adjacent to the Zheng Family Old Ancestor, Ji You felt that the biggest problem was the Li Family, the reason naturally being Li Ruilin.
In his opinion, even if Li Ruilin was a collateral branch Disciple, he should still have siblings and parents.
But he had been missing for so long, and the only one searching for him was Huang Yueniang, which seemed extremely unreasonable.
What made him feel even more suspicious was that the Li Family was almost as strictly guarded as the Liu Family, and the timing was almost identical, both around the Youxian Assembly.
The Li Family was a millennium-old Sect, much larger in scale than the Liu Family.
Their Family’s Dao field was itself a city, almost comparable in size to Shengjing, but after the protective Family formation was raised, he couldn’t even step through the city gate.
He investigated around the Li Family for a long time, then went to the Worry-Free Commerce in a nearby city.
He had promised the Tsundere that he would go find her after returning to Feng Province, but he hadn’t thoroughly investigated this matter deeply buried in Feng Province, and he always felt a bit uneasy, so he wrote her a letter, wanting to postpone for a few days.
After sending the letter, Ji You found an inn to stay.
He had been traveling back and forth between several major provinces these past few days, consuming a lot of energy, and needed a brief period of meditation to recuperate.
After three days of recuperation, his body gradually became full, and he set his sights on the Bai Family, Du Family, and Chu Family.
At the same time, on Lingjian Mountain by the Xuán Hǎi coast.
Yan Shuyi, dressed in the Master Jian’s Immortal Robe, stood atop the mountain peak, looking down.
In her line of sight, the children she had brought back from Feng Province were catching loaches along the mountain stream, their silver-bell-like laughter occasionally ringing out.
Seeing this, the Young Master Jian couldn't help but raise her hand and gently caress her lower abdomen.
Although the Youxian Assembly had been tried several times without her getting pregnant, she now unconsciously began to feel a little bit like a mother, especially in the first few days after returning, she even dreamed at night of moving into a small courtyard in Feng Province, holding a small hand and strolling around.
Of course, there were also little Tianshu Academy Disciples appearing in that dream.
The Young Master Jian was very stubborn in her dream, pulling her mini-me, who resembled her, and teaching him to call a strange uncle, only to get spanked.
In front of the mini-me, Yan Shuyi endured the rudeness of the little Tianshu Academy Disciple, only to have her legs propped up again at night, being told to have another one.
She had sat in the Master Jian’s position for twenty years, always high above, and had never before thought that she would one day live such a life.
However, when she saw it in her dream, she found it quite interesting.
Just then, footsteps sounded from behind her, and Ding Yao ascended from the foot of the mountain, breaking through clouds and mist to reach the peak.
“Master Jian, I’m back.”
Yan Shuyi put away the hint of infant-like color in her eyes, turned around expressionlessly, and looked at Ding Yao: “Opened?”
Ding Yao nodded: “Opened—”
“What’s the situation?”
“Preliminary inspection shows a considerable quantity inside.”
Yan Shuyi nodded after hearing this, her gaze falling on the Tianjian Peak opposite.
Since returning from the Youxian Assembly, Lingjian Mountain had continuously received news about the Immortal Sect opening the Legacy, causing many of the Elders on the mountain to become increasingly restless.
Among them were Tianjian Peak, as well as her father, uncle, and many Elders of Xuanjian Peak.
Because the Holder of the Artifact and the Sect Master were not the same person at Lingjian Mountain, internal strife had persisted for a long time, with deep rifts and much mutual suspicion.
But on this matter, the two peaks, usually at loggerheads, stood on the same side.
Because in their view, no matter how the Lingjian Mountain Legacy’s ownership was decided, the first priority was to ensure Lingjian Mountain’s overall transcendence.
Previously, several other Immortal Sects had greatly increased their strength due to the Immortal Fate within their Legacies; if they, due to their mutual opposition, neglected the Immortal Fate, then Lingjian Mountain in the future would surely incur the wrath of other Immortal Sects.
So the two peaks immediately agreed and went to open the Legacy.
Yan Shuyi was indeed the Master Jian, but with the two peaks reaching a consensus, she could not forcefully stop the matter.
Especially after the Youxian Assembly trip, she truly hadn't seen any strangeness appear in the fruit-takers, so she could only turn a blind eye.
Because her father’s argument was correct: if other Five Great Immortal Sects were allowed to grow stronger, Lingjian Mountain would surely face disaster, and she could not act capriciously based solely on her feelings in such matters.
Yan Shuyi came back to her senses and looked at Ding Yao: “Since it’s confirmed there are many fruits, have they discussed how to allocate them?”
Ding Yao lowered her voice: “The Peak Master agreed to give Wenjian Peak two-tenths, and the remaining eight-tenths will be equally divided with Tianjian Peak.”
“Equally divided? Father’s plan is excellent, but Yan Zhong is not a fool; with such a division, Tianjian Peak will surely not agree.”
“As Master Jian expected, Tianjian Peak indeed did not agree.”
Originally, the Young Master Jian had set up a scheme using Medicinal Pill distribution, pulling Wenjian Peak into the fold, and now the relationship between the two peaks was growing closer.
So from Tianjian Peak’s perspective, although the distribution was four-four-two, it might as well be seen as a four-six split, because they were certain that Wenjian Peak’s two-tenths would eventually fall into Xuanjian Peak’s hands, so they naturally would not agree.
Yan Shuyi’s eyelashes trembled slightly, and at the same time, she waved her hand, releasing a wisp of Spiritual Qi to lift a little girl who had almost fallen into the stream during her play.
Seeing this, Ding Yao couldn't help but narrow her eyes, thinking that the Master Jian, watching these little children play every day, must be thinking of having one for the Young Master again.
Just then, the sound of a horn echoed from the Test Sword Platform of Lingjian Mountain, attracting both their gazes.
Below the sea of clouds, countless Disciples emerged from their rooms upon hearing the horn, gathering at the Test Sword Platform.
Subsequently, the Disciples with other surnames were kept within the Sect, while the Disciples with the Yan surname were selected by the Elders of the two peaks, then led down Lingjian Mountain.
The Legacy had been opened, and its interior preliminarily explored, so naturally, it needed guards, and also more people to enter.
Below the mountain, where Sword Qi surged like a torrent, countless Disciples departed, and at the same moment, Zhuo Wanqiu’s figure ascended the mountain.
Upon reaching the peak of Xuanjian Peak, she approached Yan Shuyi and handed over a letter in her hand.
“Master Jian, a letter from Asked the Dao Sect.”
“Asked the Dao Sect?”
Ding Yao looked at Zhuo Wanqiu strangely: “Why is Asked the Dao Sect sending a letter at this time?”
Zhuo Wanqiu shook her head, her eyes also filled with confusion.
Yan Shuyi reached out and took the letter, opened it, read it silently for a moment, then softly spoke: “A conflict has erupted on Moon Soul Plateau.”
“They fought with the Chen Clan?”
Yan Shuyi nodded: “The Vice Sect Master of Asked the Dao Sect wrote, asking our Lingjian Mountain to assist, promising us three-tenths of the gains from the Legacy on Moon Soul Plateau.”
Zhuo Wanqiu opened her mouth after hearing this: “I didn’t expect that after such a long stalemate, they still ended up fighting.”
The Legacy on Moon Soul Plateau was the only Legacy that remained sealed to date.
It was located on the border of Qing Province, but a part of it bordered Yu Province, so both Asked the Dao Sect and the Chen Clan coveted it.
After the Youxian Assembly ended, Asked the Dao Sect took the lead, dispatching many Disciples to guard the Legacy, and the Chen Clan immediately sent Disciples to surround the mountain, with the atmosphere between them having been tense for a long time.
Some time ago, a traveling Sect member sent word that they had agreed to sit down and discuss the ownership, but unexpectedly, they started fighting in the blink of an eye.
Ding Yao thought for a moment and then suddenly showed a hint of confusion: “Logically speaking, Asked the Dao Sect’s strength should not be weaker than the Chen Clan. With two sides in opposition, why would they specifically give up three-tenths to ask our Lingjian Mountain for assistance?”
“Not just Asked the Dao Sect, there are also people from Mountain and Sea Pavilion involved on Moon Soul Plateau.”
“But after the incident at Qi Ridge, the Legacies of the world were all divided. A part of Moon Soul Plateau spans into Yu Province, and moreover, the Dao Fruit in Asked the Dao Sect’s Legacy is very scarce, so their fighting is barely understandable, but why is this Mountain and Sea Pavilion also so disregardful of the rules?”
The Young Master Jian’s eyelashes trembled slightly after hearing this: “I don’t know what Mountain and Sea Pavilion is thinking for now, but Asked the Dao Sect has always wanted to bind itself with our Lingjian Mountain. Asking our Lingjian Mountain to assist in the Legacy dispute seems to be for hitting two birds with one stone.”
The Seven Great Immortal Sects have balanced each other for many years. If Lingjian Mountain were to get involved now, it would be bound to Asked the Dao Sect for the next hundred years.
Because no matter what they thought, other Immortal Sects would consider them allies.
Ding Yao pondered thoughtfully for a moment: “Master Jian, how should we respond?”
“Lingjian Mountain is currently in turmoil over the division of the fruits. For now, we will not respond to this matter. Go and ask Qi Elder to come out of seclusion and go to Moon Soul Plateau on my behalf to observe the situation of their dispute and await developments.”
“Yes.”
Ding Yao cupped her hands and accepted the order, then headed towards Qi Elder’s location.
Before long, a Sword Qi soared into the sky from the residence located between Tianjian Peak and Xuanjian Peak.
Zhuo Wanqiu watched for a long time, then couldn't help but turn to her Master Jian: “I feel like this matter is getting more and more out of hand, and I feel a bit uneasy—”
The Young Master Jian looked in the direction where the Sword Qi had departed and said: “A world that has been stable for so long suddenly becoming turbulent will naturally make people instinctively worry about disaster.”
“But the Young Master said that should be a good outcome.”
“The ‘good’ he speaks of is not the good of good and evil; it merely means it’s harmless. However, those who want to snatch the fruits do have good and evil distinctions. Cultivation emphasizes having nothing external to the heart and following the Dao of nature, but Legacies concern Lifespan, Realm, and Dao cultivation. No one can control their greed, and their bottom line will be lowered.”
Yan Shuyi murmured softly, her beautiful Phoenix eyes gradually deepening.
After the Primordial Era, the Human Race had always diligently cultivated, seeking the Immortal Dao, and nothing too tempting had appeared to incite a struggle.
Even she had never witnessed a confrontation between three Sects and was somewhat unable to estimate how far this matter would go.
If the little Tianshu Academy Disciple were on the mountain, it would be good; she could still discuss it with him. However, she had received his message today, stating that he had something to investigate and could not come for now.
Thinking of this, the Young Master Jian couldn't help but tilt her head.
She used to do things in a deeply hidden manner, secretly orchestrating events, and this was the first time she had the idea of wanting to listen to others’ opinions, feeling a slight strangeness in her heart (Please vote for monthly tickets, please vote for monthly tickets, please vote for monthly tickets).
