Chapter 344: Ji You Wakes Up
On the sparse phoenix tree leaves, the moon's white dew first gathers.
In the deep autumn, the mountain's leaves clustered into millions of golden foils on the branches. Whenever the cold wind swept through, it was a shower of falling leaves, scattering golden hues everywhere and dyeing the mountains.
At this moment in Jixiang Hall, Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu were squatting in the side hall, having adjusted the warm water in a porcelain basin. Then, with gentle movements, they began to undress Ji You.
From outer robe to inner robe, and then his undergarments.
Three full months had passed since he fainted in the ruins.
Ji You's condition had eased considerably. His shrunken Meridians gradually returned to their original state, no longer shrinking back as they initially did whenever treatment stopped.
This was what they called the stable state achieved after natural healing.
Thus, Tianshu Academy began to try using Medicinal Pills on him half a month ago, starting with a quarter, then a half, gradually increasing the dosage while giving him enough time to adapt.
Danyang Zi also came once every day, using Medicinal Pill light to assist in his treatment, dissolving the medicinal properties while nourishing his body.
His complexion was now far better than before, and the vitality within his body grew increasingly robust, but he had yet to wake up.
This recovery speed seemed extremely long to ordinary people, but both the new Dianzhu (Hall Master You) You Yingqiu and Danyang Zi
felt that this was already quite Heaven-Defying.
Because if an ordinary person suffered such injuries, setting aside whether they could survive, even if they did, it would take a year to recover to this extent.
This also began to make You Yingqiu and Zuoqiuyang re-examine the Body Refining lineage.
However, due to the medicinal properties, Ji You would break into a fine sweat after each treatment, requiring a wipe-down.
This task naturally fell to Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu, who were close by to care for him.
As his clothes were removed one by one, Ji You's sturdy Physical Body, covered in scars, appeared before them, then was jointly arranged into a 'too' (Great) shape.
Although they had seen it many times, the two women's cheeks still flushed, and they looked around nervously with shy eyes.
Honestly, their Master Jian was truly brave.
Splash, splash—a silk handkerchief was soaked in warm water, then wrung semi-dry after absorbing the water.
Ding Yao took it from Zhuo Wanqiu's hand, held it, and gently wiped his body.
As she passed over his chest, a strong heartbeat gave them a sense of reassurance.
"Young Master's body smells so strongly of medicine."
"The Life-Giving Creation Pill Master Jian gave him is very potent, so it's not surprising for the smell to diffuse."
Ding Yao looked up slightly after hearing this: "Has Young Master already taken it?"
Zhuo Wanqiu nodded: "He took it the day before yesterday at noon, so a strong medicinal smell is normal. This indicates that Young Master has absorbed it well and will recover soon."
"But it smells a bit strange. Go to the back hall and get some soap pod powder to dissolve in the basin."
"You go."
"?"
"I'm afraid you won't be able to resist sneaking a touch." Zhuo Wanqiu revealed the truth.
Ding Yao narrowed her eyes after hearing this: "Last time, when you were washing Young Master's hair, I also helped you get the comb."
"I didn't sneak a touch."
"Who believes that—"
Zhuo Wanqiu thought for a moment then stood up: "Just this once."
Ding Yao calmly wiped Ji You's shoulder and said: "Next time, it's your turn."
Hearing this, Zhuo Wanqiu neither agreed nor disagreed, but silently turned and went to the back hall. She returned with the soap pod powder, only to see Ding Yao's cheeks flushed even more.
After dissolving the soap pod powder in the basin, a faint, elegant floral scent slowly wafted up.
The two women changed to new silk handkerchiefs, re-wiped Ji You, and dressed him in clean inner garments. After completing everything, they gently laid him back on the bed.
"You go pour out the water, I'll get the food."
"Okay."
Zhuo Wanqiu responded, picked up the used warm water, and left the main hall with Ding Yao. One went to the drain on the west side, and the other went outside the hall door to wait for the Disciple delivering food.
This was how they lived day after day, quietly with a touch of boredom. The only interesting thing was wiping down their Young Master.
By the time Zhuo Wanqiu had poured out the water, washed the silk handkerchief clean, and hung it to dry, Ding Yao returned with breakfast.
Tianshu Academy's hospitality was quite good; the food provided was much better than what ordinary Disciples could eat at Immortal Meal Workshop, and the combination was excellent.
After sitting down, Ding Yao ate while staring blankly at the fried dough sticks on her plate. After a while, she suddenly noticed Zhuo Wanqiu looking up, her eyes somewhat surprised.
And the direction of her gaze was precisely where Ji You lay.
"What's wrong?"
"Young Master's hand seems to have moved." Zhuo Wanqiu looked at Ding Yao after regaining her composure.
Ding Yao was stunned for a moment and immediately looked up as well. After observing for a long time, she couldn't help but say: "No movement, you must have seen wrong?"
Zhuo Wanqiu frowned slightly: "Maybe I just wish Young Master would wake up too much."
"He'll definitely wake up. Didn't Dianzhu You say that at this rate of recovery, he'll surely wake up in six months? Let's eat first."
"Mm."
Zhuo Wanqiu nodded, beginning to chew the Spirit Plant in her bowl.
But as she ate, she suddenly noticed Ding Yao also looking up. Before she could ask, a long, drawn-out gasp echoed from within the hall, instantly freezing her swallowing motion in her throat.
With a whoosh, both women instantly stood up and ran towards the distant bed with delighted expressions, only to see Ji You, who had been lying flat, slowly opening his eyes.
He felt as if he had a very, very long dream. He dreamt of the orphanage in Linchuan, of his younger siblings, and also of Yan Shu with a ponytail, and Caiwei wearing denim shorts, the two of them strolling down the street, each with a chubby baby.
Various dreams mixed together, making his thoughts extremely chaotic, leaving him completely unaware of where he was.
It wasn't until he saw Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu rushing to the bed that his consciousness gradually began to clear a little.
"Young Master."
"Young Master, you're awake?"
Ji You's unfocused eyes gradually converged, staring at the two for a long time before his gaze sharpened: "Chu Xian is dead. Where's the tsundere?"
His last thought had been at the moment he severed Chu Xian's head; after that, he remembered nothing.
And what he was thinking of now was his last thought from three months ago in the ruins: the Linxian Realm Yao Race seizing the Sacred Artifact, and the most dangerous one was the tsundere.
"Young Master, Master Jian is fine."
"Really?"
Ding Yao nodded: "Really. After you were sent back to Tianshu Academy due to severe injuries, we immediately returned to Lingjian Mountain. Master Jian is fine; she even arranged for us to come to Tianshu Academy and guard you without leaving your side."
"She won?" Ji You asked, his lips dry from not having drunk water for a long time.
"We don't know either. When we arrived at Lingjian Mountain, that Zhuang Family Yao Race member was already dead. Master Jian suffered some injuries, but they weren't serious."
In fact, to this day, many people wonder how the Young Master Jian of Lingjian Mountain, with her Boundless Realm cultivation, survived this catastrophe targeting the Sacred Artifact.
Even Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu didn't understand how Master Jian managed to kill that Yao Race member.
However, for them, as long as Master Jian was fine, nothing else mattered.
"How is Dan Sect doing now?" Ji You asked after regaining his composure. "Dan Sect's hong furnace has the prohibition placed by the Six Great Immortal Sects back then, so they weren't the first target of those Yao Race members. They are still in a sealed mountain state and have not been attacked."
Ji You slowly let out a breath of relief after hearing this. His previously sharp eyes gradually softened, revealing a hint of weakness.
He felt as if he had been trampled by a dozen elephants; every part of his body ached.
That damned Chu Xian, he was too difficult to kill.
When he used his Dao Sword as the formation base to unleash the Immortal-Startling Sword Array, he truly felt all the Qi within his body being rapidly squeezed and taken away. The memory still sent shivers down his spine.
While contemplating, Ji You looked around: "Is this Tianshu Academy? How long have I been asleep?"
Zhuo Wanqiu answered: "Young Master has been asleep for three months."
Ji You frowned tightly after hearing this, feeling a dull headache.
Seeing this, Ding Yao immediately massaged his temples: "Young Master, to kill Chu Xian, not only were your Meridians drained, but your Divine Thought was also over-consumed. You should rest a bit more, and we'll go inform the others."
"Please get me some more food. I feel so hungry right now I could eat an ox."
"Okay."
After a brief exchange, Ji You closed his eyes again, while Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu quickly ran out.
One went to the Immortal Meal Workshop, and the other went to find You Yingqiu, Danyang Zi, Cao Jinsong, and others.
They were naturally overjoyed to see their Young Master wake up, but whether this meant he was completely out of danger, and if there were any other unhealed injuries, all needed to be checked by professionals.
You Yingqiu was currently in Purple Bamboo Zen Forest, answering questions for the Disciples of the academy about issues encountered during their cultivation.
When she entered the Inner Courtyard, she had not received personal guidance from her Master, so she paid particular attention to these matters after taking office.
As the report of "Ji You is awake" came, You Yingqiu, who was in the middle of teaching, immediately stood up, stepped into the air, and headed towards Jixiang Hall, leaving behind a group of somewhat bewildered young Disciples.
Before these Disciples could start discussing, they saw a figure from the Immortal Guest Courtyard to the north also hurrying towards Jixiang Hall—it was Danyang Zi, the Dan Sect Elder currently residing at Tianshu Academy.
At the same time, Zhuo Wanqiu had swiftly arrived at the foot of the mountain and ran into Cao Jinsong's courtyard.
"Cao Instructor."
"?"
Before the breathless Zhuo Wanqiu could finish her sentence, Cao Jinsong suddenly stood up and headed towards the Inner Courtyard.
Zhuo Wanqiu followed immediately, also calling Wen Zhengxin and Ban Yangshu along the way.
By the time the three arrived, Ji You had already fallen back into a deep sleep.
However, compared to when he was in a coma, his current slumber had a faint, audible snore, instantly putting their minds at ease.
You Yingqiu and Danyang Zi, who had arrived earlier, were by his bedside. The former was observing his demeanor, while the latter was internally examining his condition with Medicinal Pill light.
A moment later, Danyang Zi retracted the Medicinal Pill light from his palm and gently stroked his long beard: "He has recovered about eighty to ninety percent. He just hasn't eaten for too long, so his state is very weak, which is why he fell back into sleep."
You Yingqiu looked at Ji You after hearing this: "I didn't expect him to recover this much in just three months."
"Given Young Master Ji's Physical Body strength, taking three months to wake up indicates a very serious injury. His smooth passage through this crisis is also thanks to the timely treatment he received initially."
"What's needed next?" You Yingqiu turned and asked.
Danyang Zi stroked his beard and said: "Strengthening the foundation and cultivating the Origin Qi. I need to return now to open the hong furnace and refine some Medicinal Pills with this efficacy for him to take."
"Then I will trouble Elder. If you need anything during the Alchemy process, you can directly instruct the Master's Courtyard."
"Thank you, Sect Leader You."
Cao Jinsong also gently raised his hand at this moment, bowing slightly to Danyang Zi. Danyang Zi returned the bow and then walked out of the main hall.
"How long until Junior Brother Ji wakes up?" Wen Zhengxin couldn't help but look at You Yingqiu.
"Wait a bit. A nap won't be too long."
Perhaps because he had received reassuring answers from Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu, Ji You slept very soundly, without even a hint of a dream.
It wasn't until midday, when the warm sunlight dispelled the chill of late autumn, casting a golden glow, that he slowly woke up.
And when he opened his eyes, he saw Cao Jinsong and the others all sitting in the main hall. Upon seeing him wake up, they immediately swarmed around him.
"You unfilial Disciple, you finally woke up? Three months, a full three months!"
“I know, Instructor, you want to say that you’ve already paid three months of my monthly salary.”
“?”
Cao Jinsong’s eyes widened. He hadn’t expected someone’s thought process to be so convoluted. After his beard trembled slightly, he immediately denied it: “No, actually, I was just scaring you. You only slept for three days.”
Ji You said, “I don’t believe a word you say,” then pushed himself up from the bed and looked around. “Why are only the three of you here? Where are the Lu Family Sisters, Lu Hanyan and Lu Qingqiu?”
“The two sisters returned to Yun Province. I will write to them later to inform them of your situation.”
“What about Rulong Immortal Emperor?”
Ji You inquired about those who weren’t present, one by one.
Someone in a comatose state cannot perceive the passage of time. For him, three months felt like an instant of darkness, so his mind still lingered at the time just after the catastrophe.
Just as he was afraid that the tsundere ghost hadn’t waited for him to sever the Heavenly Dao Sacrifice, and that the Dan Sect would suffer because of it, he was also afraid that other people he knew had met with misfortune.
Cao Jinsong, Wen Zhengxin, and Ban Yangshu exchanged glances. After a long silence, Cao Jinsong said, “Ru Long went to join the army.”
“Join the army?”
“After those Barbarian and Yao Race were executed, Ru Long came to see you once, and then quietly returned to Central Province, to the shattered clan land of the Bai Sect. But within a few days, that clan land was occupied by others.”
Wen Zhengxin continued Cao Jinsong’s explanation: “After the calamity ended, Qingyun World was like it had been shattered and reassembled. All the existing Sects were eager to annex the fallen Sects to strengthen themselves. The struggle has not ceased even today, and the Bai Sect was also among those being fought over.”
Hearing this, Ji You fell silent.
If someone loses something, it will inevitably be gained by someone else. This outcome could be said to be perfectly normal.
Especially in the eyes of the world, the Bai Sect was considered the guilty party, so no one would be polite to them.
Rulong Immortal Emperor had loved leisure since entering the Tianshu Academy and was not dedicated to cultivation. Now that he was the only one left of the Bai Sect, it was difficult for him to defend his clan land alone.
Thinking of this, Ji You’s brow suddenly furrowed. “What does ‘join the army’ mean?”
“It means he joined the army. After we learned that the Bai Sect’s land was taken, we went to Central Province to help him, but he didn’t seem to have a strong desire to reclaim his clan land. At that time, Daxia sought help from the Immortal Sects, and Ru Long told us that he had already signed up to join the Zhenbei Army.”
“Wait, did something happen in the North?”
Daxia sought help from the Immortal Sects, and Ru Long joined the Zhenbei Army. This clearly indicated that war had broken out in the North.
Cao Jinsong couldn’t help but sigh. “Not long after you fell into a deep sleep, the allied forces of the Barbarian and Yao Race broke through the northern wall and invaded the Northern Plains, then continued south.”
“The great formation of the northern wall didn’t work?”
“It’s not that it didn’t work. On that day, the Sacred Artifact was sealed by Chu Xian, the Yao Race, with the Heavenly Dao Sacrifice, and the northern great formation also briefly failed for an instant. The defending army later went to investigate and found that the stationed soldiers had been dead for many days. It was speculated that the Barbarian took advantage of that time to tamper with the wall, destroying the array foundation on the western side, and then invaded while the Human Race was greatly weakened.”
“What about Feng Province?”
“Feng Province is fine. The damaged part was the northwestern section of the wall, which is very far from Feng Province. So, after the Yao Race and Barbarian entered the North, they didn’t travel thousands of miles to attack Feng Province, but instead invaded Yun Province and You Province. They have now occupied the northern part of You Province.”
Hearing Cao Instructor’s words, Ji You couldn’t help but recall the incident when he met Fang Ruoming in the Chu Pit.
At that time, it was because the western section of the wall had problems due to disrepair, so he received a military order to send craftsmen for repairs. It seems it was precisely because of this that a loophole was exploited during the Heavenly Dao Sacrifice.
This world truly has causes and effects, an inescapable cycle.
Wen Zhengxin now looked at Ji You. “The Lu Family Sisters also rushed back home because Yun Province was embroiled in war. However, the good thing is that with the North as a buffer, the people of You Province and Yun Province had already evacuated in advance. Qingqiu wrote to me yesterday, saying that the people from the Foster Care Pavilion have also fled.”
Ji You raised his eyes to look at his Senior Sister. “So, what’s the current war situation?”
“With support from the Immortal Sects and Sects, the Barbarian and Yao Race have been stalled and have not yet fully conquered You Province and Yun Province. However, based on the development of the war, this should be a matter of time, which is why the Lu Family Sisters returned. It is said that the Ling Shi Business Association has already decided to temporarily leave Yun Province.”
“If Yun Province falls, then one-third of Qingyun World’s Spirit Stones will be controlled by the Yao Race.”
Qingyun World’s largest Spirit Stone mining areas are the Snow Region, where the Yao Race resides, then Yun Province, and thirdly, Central Province.
If Yun Province is conquered, it would be almost equivalent to the Yao Race controlling all Spirit Stones, which might be even worse for the Human Race than Yun Province being conquered itself.
It seems the Yao Race is increasing its power, not just simply planning to attack the Human Race.
Ji You didn’t have the ability to worry about the world, but the problem was that since the three races were at war, the business of exchanging food for Yao Stones to earn money couldn’t be done anymore.
This was the worst news he had heard since waking up. He was so upset that he couldn’t help but want to dig for money in Cao Instructor’s embrace.
After a long silence, a vague figure suddenly flashed through Ji You’s mind, making his eyes instantly narrow.
It was a moment when he had forcibly woken up due to the pain of expanding his Meridians, and he had seen an elderly old man.
Vaguely, he heard someone begging him to be the Sect Leader Master, but that old face, in his perception, had always been the old doctor he hadn't seen for a long time.
“Where is the Sect Leader? I want to see him.”
Ji You regained his senses and spoke softly.
Cao Jinsong didn’t understand why he suddenly wanted to see the Sect Leader, but You Yingqiu, who had been standing not far away, turned her head, her eyes narrowing slightly.
Seeing no one answer, Ji You couldn’t help but speak again, “No matter what, I have done my utmost for the Tianshu Academy. It’s not too much to want to see the Sect Leader, is it?”
“It’s not too much, but it’s a bit difficult.”
“Does it cost money—?”
Cao Jinsong shook his head. “It’s more difficult than that.”
Ji You confidently waved his hand. “Impossible.”
Wen Zhengxin and Ban Yangshu twitched the corners of their mouths slightly, thinking, “As long as it doesn’t cost money, it’s not difficult, right?”
At this thought, they remembered Ji You, who, despite being severely injured, still didn’t forget to donate Chu Xian’s storage gourd. They felt that this seemed to be a form of Dao Heart clarity.
“What exactly happened?”
“The Sect Leader passed away. If you want to see him, you must Ascend first,” Cao Jinsong murmured.
Ji You was stunned. “When did this happen?”
“It was also not long after the catastrophe ended. You Dianzhu (Hall Master You) succeeded him as Sect Leader, and is now the current Sect Leader of our Tianshu Academy.”
Ji You looked at You Yingqiu upon hearing this, and saw her nod gently, feeling somewhat surprised.
Although “an old man as Sect Leader, all under heaven is Kuang Cheng’s” was a joke by Kuang Cheng, he always felt an inexplicable connection between himself and the Tianshu Academy.
The Heavenly Book he sensed was different from others, and he even got a tsundere ghost for free. Moreover, the Night Watcher Legacy he obtained was also inseparable from the Tianshu Academy.
Most importantly, if the Sect Leader was indeed that old doctor, then his repeated visits and chats with him must have been problematic.
The doubts had not yet been clarified, and a person who had lived for countless years had just passed away, which truly made him somewhat incredulous.
“It’s all bad news.”
“There’s good news too.”
“?”
Wen Zhengxin spoke, “Xuan Yuan Sect Leader died during the catastrophe. Now, the Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion is in constant internal strife.”
Ji You nodded after hearing this. “That’s a bit good. Anything else?”
“Cao Instructor has Broken Through.”
“Innate Realm?”
Cao Jinsong nodded, releasing the aura around him, which revealed a profound mystery containing the aura of the Heavenly Dao.
Perhaps it was also because of this catastrophe that he found blessings in misfortune. Not long after returning, he crossed the threshold, and now his Realm has stabilized. “An Innate Realm can be an Elder, right?” Ji You felt his monthly salary was about to increase.
Cao Jinsong waved his hand. “It’s not as simple as you think. Not all Innate Realm cultivators can become Elders. I still need to gain insight into the Heavenly Dao.”
“Don’t belittle yourself. I think you can.”
“If only you were in charge.”
The Tianshu Academy’s Elder system indeed has its own set of standards. It’s not just about having sufficient cultivation; one also needs to have a profound understanding of the Heavenly Dao and integrate it into techniques.
Cao Jinsong, like Ji You, came from humble beginnings and didn’t know much about comprehending the Dao to form techniques. He indeed had not yet met the standards to become an Elder.
However, upon hearing the five words “I think you can,” You Yingqiu, who was standing beside everyone, seemed to ponder, then fell into a period of judgment.
“Oh, by the way, has my food been brought?”
“It’s here. Young Master, do you want to eat in bed or get up?” Ding Yao asked obediently.
Ji You controlled his legs to move slightly. “Get up. I feel like my bones are going to rust.”
Cao Jinsong reached out to support him. “You only slept for three days. I haven’t even paid your monthly salary, so it’s not that exaggerated.”
“?”
“Why are you looking at your Master? Eat.”
Ji You sat down at the dining table, picked up a spoon, and ate while continuously thinking.
He had slept for too long, and too many changes had occurred in the world.
The struggles between Sects, the invasion of the Barbarian and Yao Race, and the Sect Leader’s passing all brought him immense shock, making it difficult for him to fully process everything at once.
This feeling was like having amnesia, being at a loss in a suddenly changed world.
Most importantly, although the great disaster instigated by the Chu, Li, Zhuang, and Bai Sects and others did not truly succeed, there were still many things that hadn’t been thoroughly investigated.
A large part of what he knew was pieced together through his own conjectures, and whether it was correct was still uncertain.
Ji You took a sip of rice porridge, then looked up at You Yingqiu. “You Dianzhu (Hall Master You), after this calamity, did the Tianshu Academy capture any live captives? Is there a conclusion on how it started and ended?”
You Yingqiu spoke upon hearing this. “I knew you would ask this. Senior Brother Zuoqiu has already prepared the case files, but your mental state is not good right now, and the forceful struggle for Divine Soul with the Heavenly Dao also caused some damage. Rest well for a day, and he will tell you personally.”
“Thank you.”
Ji You had just woken up and was indeed not suitable for long conversations. After eating, he sunbathed for half an hour, then began to recuperate again.
Cao Jinsong and the other two did not stay long in the hall. After accompanying him while he sunbathed, they left Jixiang Hall, planning to return tomorrow.
Wen Zhengxin and Ban Yangshu lived in the Inner Courtyard. They bid farewell to Cao Jinsong before the vast forest, and then Cao Instructor slowly descended the mountain path.
Ji You’s awakening relieved him of a heavy burden, and even his steps became incredibly light.
However, as soon as he walked back to his courtyard, he saw a figure waiting respectfully at the door.
“Wang Hui, Disciple of the Master’s Courtyard, greets Cao Instructor.”
“Master’s Courtyard? What brings you to me?”
“Replying to Instructor, the Elder Council of the Inner Courtyard has invited you.”
Cao Jinsong was stunned, thinking, “Ji You was in a coma for three months and nothing happened. He’s so well-behaved he doesn’t even speak. Why is the Elder Council inviting me now?”
However, despite not understanding, he still followed the young Disciple back to the Inner Courtyard, turning around the Purple Bamboo Zen Forest to the back mountain.
He entered the secluded and deep Elder Council.
As the sun set, he slowly emerged from the Elder Council, holding an Elder Immortal Robe and a white jade Elder token.
Looking at these two items, Cao Jinsong’s face was filled with bewilderment.
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