Chapter 346: The Human Race's Luck Was Severed
Back then, Chu River's defeat in the Autumn Tournament meant his wish to access the Heavenly Book was thwarted. According to those captured, they did not give up.
Immortal opportunities were within reach, far easier than cultivating in seclusion, and offered more immediate feedback.
No one would be disheartened by one or two failures; instead, it made them even more fervent.
Under the arrangements of the Chu Family and the Li family, they began secretly planning the Tiandao Conference.
Whether it was Zhu Shun, Zhu Yao, Li Yunlang, Zhuang Zixin, or Zhuang You, these hot prospects from the Tiandao Conference all stepped onto the arena with ulterior motives.
They fought their way through, aiming to secure a ranking in the Tiandao Conference and thus enter the Xianxian Holy Land.
Just as Du Zhu and Bai Rulong were arranged as backups when Chu River entered Tianshu Academy, besides these individuals, there were also some who failed to rank in the Tiandao Conference but were inextricably linked to this matter.
For example, Ba Yang and You Bai, who broke through just before the competition, were all arranged as escorts to help them secure a top ten spot.
In fact, Ji You had already speculated about this part earlier.
Because when he chased them all the way to Risheng City and saw Zhu Shun, Zhuang You, and others, he had a strong sense of déjà vu, as if they had entered the Xianxian Holy Land together, and vaguely guessed that they must have done something there.
This conjecture was confirmed, or rather, further detailed, in this confession.
“The Heavenly Dao is connected to the Human Race's Luck, and the Human Race's Luck connects all living beings of the Human Race; this is common knowledge in Qingyun World.”
“But what few people know is that this is not a nebulous concept.”
“The intersection of the Human Race and the Heavenly Dao's Luck is in the Myriad Generations Peace Temple deep within the Xianxian Holy Land, built by the Seven Great Immortal Sects of yesteryear.”
“The Heavenly Dao relies on controlling the world's races, and its control over the human world also comes from the Luck of the race.”
“To eliminate the power of annihilation after consuming Medicinal Pills, we must enter the Xianxian Holy Land and sever the most direct connection between the Heavenly Dao and the human world, thereby liberating the ruins.”
Ji You lowered his head, reading this statement from Zhu Shun repeatedly.
At the time, he did have questions: why did some people, after entering the Holy Land, not focus on cultivation but instead came and went in a hurry? He also wondered why all the Prodigies of the world wanted to enter the Xianxian Holy Land, yet a few left early after merely visiting.
And the biggest question came later, when he felt the same malice in the Xianxian Holy Land as he had in Qi Ridge.
Now, all these questions had answers.
Most importantly, he had previously never understood how the Chu Family and others manipulated the Heavenly Dao to allow artifacts from the ruins to appear, thus setting up everything in advance; now, this mystery was finally solved.
Seeing him lost in thought, Zuoqiu Yang couldn't help but say, “Not long after you all entered the Xianxian Holy Land, blood mist permeated the Xuán Hǎi, followed by months of torrential rain, and some grain yields had husks but no kernels. This must have been a Heavenly Revelation.”
“A warning from the Heavenly Dao?”
“You could interpret it that way.”
The purpose of a warning is naturally to be known, and there should be people in this world who can understand it,
But, there were no Night Watchers.
Ji You pondered for a long time before looking up: “Did severing the Luck only release the ruins, without any other major disaster?”
Zuoqiu Yang shook his head: “The concept of Luck has always been mysterious. We also find it hard to understand what else it might cause besides liberating the ruins, and we're not sure how they severed it. Moreover, the Xianxian Holy Land cannot be opened at present, so we have no opportunity to investigate.”
The Xianxian Holy Land is a shattered space that can only repair itself once every five years.
If forcibly opened before it is fully repaired, the entire space would turn into nothingness, ceasing to exist.
Therefore, they would find it difficult to verify this part or make amends in the short term.
But just as Ji You had asked, other Immortal Sects also became worried after seeing this testimony.
Because according to the history of Qingyun, the Lasting Peace Race was overthrown by a joint effort of the Yao Race and the Human Race precisely because they lost their Luck, eventually leading to their entire race being consumed by fire, while the Human Race thrived and stood for a thousand years.
The previous Yao Emperor also traveled to the Snow Region and endured a thousand years of hardship because, as he put it, “Luck is no longer with our race.”
Now that the Human Race's Luck has been severed, no one knows if they will repeat the fate of the Lasting Peace Race and face racial extinction.
They even couldn't tell if the successful crossing of the Northern Border City Wall by the Yao Race and the Barbarian, and their subsequent southward advance, was also due to the Heavenly Dao beginning to protect them.
If so, then the Human Race, having lost its Luck, might be unable to escape its ultimate end, no matter how much it struggles.
“These demons truly disregard everything.”
“The Heavenly Dao offers infinite temptation, and for them, if this succeeds, even if the Human Race is annihilated, they can still Ascend early and achieve eternal freedom and auspiciousness, so naturally, they have no need to worry.”
Ji You suddenly rubbed his eyes, feeling a sharp pain in them.
You Yingqiu was right; his Mental Energy was very weak now. Even after resting for a day, continuous reading still caused him discomfort.
“My vision is a bit blurry, and my forehead aches. Please, Hall Master Zuoqiu, narrate the rest of the content for me.”
“Alright.”
Zuoqiu Yang picked up the remaining case files and spread them out one by one.
The Hall Master of Tianshu Academy held a position second only to one, wielding immense power. Even the Elders of the Elder Council had to treat him with respect, let alone a Disciple.
But at this moment, Zuoqiu Yang was completely obedient, which would surely shock others if they saw it.
Because this feeling was truly like a subordinate reporting to a superior.
“The subsequent events align with our previous conjectures. The Immortal Sect opening the ruins because of the Dao Fruit was itself a trap they set.”
“After the Qi Ridge incident, all the ruins were placed under the Immortal Sect's supervision, making them difficult to access. Their supply of Infant Pills was almost depleted. By entering the Xianxian Holy Land to liberate the immortal opportunities of the ruins, their goal was to make the Immortal Sects open all the ruins themselves.”
“Dou Yuankong and the Bu family were merely a catalyst.”
Upon hearing this, Ji You looked up: “Dou Yuankong never actually went to the Xia Family Winery, did he?”
Zuoqiu Yang raised his eyes: “You know about this too?”
“After I forcefully killed Xia Qirong in the Dongping Mountain Range, I returned near the Xia Family Winery and inquired among the local people. They said the Bu family winery had always been heavily guarded, forbidding strangers from approaching. Dou Yuankong didn't have that much power.”
“Indeed, Dou Yuankong never went to the Bu family from beginning to end; he was invited by people from the Du Family.”
According to the testimony, the Sects colluding to cause trouble, after severing the Human Race's Luck, had been planning to make the Immortal Sects covet the ruins again and open them themselves, without exposing their involvement.
So, they jointly set up a trap, using Dou Yuankong as bait and the Xia family as the hook.
When Ji You returned from his mission to the Snow Region, the first thing he did upon arriving in the capital was to sever the lion's head from the Dou mansion, an event that caused a great stir at the time.
Later, when Dou Yuankong disappeared, Dou Shangshu blamed everything on Ji You and searched everywhere, even seeking help from many Sects.
To be honest, the disappearance of an official's son in Great Xia wouldn't normally attract the attention of cultivators.
But the problem was that this matter involved Ji You, and Ji You was already making waves in Qingyun World at that time.
Perhaps for this very reason, Dou Yuankong was chosen and, through the Du Family's invitation, traveled far to Qingzhou.
The Du Family Clan Chief confessed that they secretly threw Dou Yuankong into a pit, making him witness firsthand the transformation of humans into Evil Seeds, and then placed him near the Xia family, who had been chosen as pawns.
The Bu family indeed played the role of transporters, and in their plan, they were the most useless existence.
What they knew was only what the colluding Sects needed them to know, and they were completely ignorant of what they shouldn't know.
Dou Yuankong's scratches indeed attracted the attention of the Immortal Sects, and the Xia family thus entered their sights.
Under the original plan, the Xia family's increased combat power and ability to mutate into Evil Seeds would inevitably arouse the Immortal Sects' greed, leading them to investigate thoroughly and eventually be led to the ruins.
But who knew that Xia Qirong was killed by Ji You under the noses of countless Boundless Realm experts before he even had a chance to speak.
Zuoqiu Yang looked at Ji You after saying this: “Many people didn't understand why you traveled thousands of miles to the Dongping Mountain Range and wiped out the Xia family.”
“Because I didn't know about the liberation of the ruins. I only knew that to bring out the immortal opportunities from the ruins, infants needed to be harmed as vessels.”
“Is that all?”
“Isn't that enough?”
“It's not that it's not enough, it's just that you might not know that many people in the Seven Great Immortal Sects suspected you were involved in the disaster of the ruins, yet they never expected your reason to be so surprisingly simple.”
Zuoqiu Yang's words were true. After Ji You risked his life to kill Xia Qirong, many people suspected his motives, thinking he might still be connected to the disaster of Qi Ridge.
In their view, if it weren't for that, why would Ji You be so eager to kill Xia Qirong to silence him?
Especially since Ji You's combat power was so peculiar; even Elder Fang of the Boundless Realm couldn't defeat him, which further deepened this suspicion.
Yet, they never imagined that Ji You's reason for killing would be so simple.
If such a reason were attributed to someone else, Zuoqiu Yang would simply reply, 'Nonsense.'
But when attributed to Ji You, recalling all his past actions, it made him feel so real and unquestionable.
“What happened next? After Xia Qirong was killed by me, how was the Great Barren Forest opened?”
Ji You was unwilling to have his motives for the matter investigated further, so he asked about what happened next.
"Once a person's greed is aroused, it's very difficult for it to dissipate, especially for those whose Lifespan is nearing its end; it's even more impossible for them to give up."
Zuoqiu Yang turned to look at him: "Those who were captured alive couldn't explain it clearly; it's probably because their plan was interrupted by you and they had to improvise. However, to lure a group of people who are almost crazed with the desire to extend their Lifespan, leading them to the Great Barren Forest is not a difficult task."
"Speaking of which, after the disaster occurred, where did Elder Fang and the others go?"
Reminded by Zuoqiu Yang's previous words, Ji You suddenly remembered those old geezers who just wouldn't die.
"They must have been killed," Zuoqiu Yang said after some thought. "Those Barbarians went to absorb the immense Immortal Fate in the center of the ruins to achieve Immortality; perhaps they became nourishment."
"That truly is one of the few pieces of good news."
Zuoqiu Yang offered no comment on his assessment, but instead put down the case file in his hand: "You were personally involved in the subsequent events, so there's no need for me to say more."
Ji You now lowered his head again to look at the case files: "It sounds like there are no omissions, but is everything they said true?"
"This confession was compiled into a case file a month ago, and during this month, all the Seven Great Immortal Sects have been investigating based on this file. So far, it seems consistent with the facts, and the traces they accidentally left behind also match up. Only the Chu family is currently untraceable."
"Because of the invasion of the Barbarian and Yao Races?"
"Exactly," Zuoqiu Hall Master nodded. "You Province has been occupied by the Barbarian Race, so the part about the Chu family cannot be investigated for now."
Ji You couldn't help but glance out the back window towards the Northwest: "Speaking of the Barbarian and Yao Races' attack, Hall Master Zuoqiu doesn't seem nervous at all."
"They won't keep heading south."
Zuoqiu Yang said, stroking the table: "The Barbarian Race and Yao Race have long lived in the extreme north's harsh cold. Their population is not large, and the vast Northern Border City Wall and Youyun Two Prefectures are already enough to fulfill their desire to return to Qingyun World. Moreover, they still fear the power of Sacred Artifacts and will not easily enter the heartland."
The Barbarian and Yao Races took advantage of the Human Race's weakness, forcibly crossed the Northern Border City Wall, catching the Human Race off guard.
However, the Human Race possessed Sacred Artifacts, which remained an insurmountable obstacle for them.
They captured Youyun Two Prefectures because the Yao Emperor and Barbarian Emperor confirmed that the Xuan Yuan Sect Master was dead, but in a short time, they absolutely would not dare to advance south again.
"But since the Barbarian and Yao Races have returned to Qingyun World, they will never be satisfied with just the Youyun Two Prefectures."
"That's true, but the problem is that after the disaster, the Human Race suffered heavy losses and needs time to recuperate. Only when their Origin Qi recovers will they be strong enough to drive them out of the Northern Border again."
"......"
In the afternoon, Ji You, seated in his wheelchair, was pushed out of Zizai Hall by Ding Yao, heading down the mountain.
After learning the full story of the disaster from Hall Master Zuoqiu, his mood was extremely complex.
Because, in his opinion, the root cause of this disaster was indeed greed, but it didn't just stem from families like the Chu family or Li family; it came from the entire Qingyun World.
The Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion's greed for the Seven Apertures Exquisite Body led to the Chu family's surging hatred, and the long-standing class divisions also led to the ambitions of Sects like the Bai family, not to mention the Immortal Sect Elders' craving for Lifespan.
So, who was right and who was wrong, was truly difficult to say.
Ji You turned his head slightly at this moment and saw that Ding Yao was also silent, so he couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"
Ding Yao came back to her senses slightly: "After hearing the full scope of this matter, I suddenly feel that this seemingly peaceful Qingyun World has always harbored hidden dangers. Perhaps the person who brushes past you has a surging evil intent."
"The outcome is good, after all."
"Mm."
Ji You retracted his gaze and looked at the red sun under the autumn sky.
This disaster had passed, but the problem was that if the Luck bound to the Human Race by the Heavenly Dao was truly severed, it would definitely not be as simple as just liberating the ruins.
The two walked down the mountain, deep in thought, when they saw three Master-in-charge from the Master's Courtyard standing on the mountain path.
After the captured Barbarians confessed, their testimonies were compiled by these three, so they clearly knew what role Chu River played in this matter.
Recalling how they had received promises from the Chu family and sent him to Qi Ridge to die, a chill ran down their spines.
It was precisely because the entire chain of events was completed, revealing a grand scheme that almost overturned the entire world, that they realized how formidable Ji You was for repeatedly nipping the disaster in the bud.
However, Ji You's attention was not on them, but on the Master's Courtyard Disciples behind them, who were holding shovels and repairing the road.
Seeing this scene, Ji You's brow furrowed slightly, and his expression was a little strange.
"They've started repairing the road," Ding Yao was also a little surprised.
"It's probably because the Barbarians damaged a lot of buildings when they came, so they're repairing it along the way," Ji You responded.
Ding Yao nodded: "Are we going back to Jixiang Hall now?"
Ji You thought for a moment, then shook his head: "I've been cooped up in the room for too long. Push me out for a walk."
"Where shall we go then?"
"Let's go sit at Instructor Cao's courtyard and see if he has anything good there."
Ding Yao nodded, then pushed Ji You all the way down the mountain to Cao Jinsong's courtyard.
As soon as they entered the courtyard gate, Ji You saw Cao Jinsong, chest puffed out, moving in and out of the room, taking out various useful items. After packing them into wooden boxes, he moved them into the courtyard.
Wen Zhengxin and Ban Yangshu were also there, helping along with some Master's Courtyard Disciples.
Additionally, Instructor Ma, Instructor Ding, and several other Instructors were present. They weren't doing any physical work, but simply watching everyone moving in and out of the house and courtyard.
Looking inward from the entrance, the house had been emptied, with only some inexpensive furniture remaining.
Wen Zhengxin walked over at this moment, carrying a box, and upon seeing Ji You, couldn't help but say, "Junior Brother is here. How are you feeling?"
"Still a bit weak. What's going on with Instructor Cao? Is he being expelled from Tianshu Academy?"
"Bah!"
Cao Jinsong strode over, speaking in a booming voice: "I received notification from the Elder Council yesterday that I've been promoted to Inner Courtyard Elder, and I'm moving up the mountain to live today."
Hearing this, the most complex expressions among those present belonged to Instructor Ding and Instructor Ma.
Neither of them had recruited any outstanding students in the past two or three years, and had been diligently cultivating the Dao. They had entered the Innate Realm earlier than Cao Jinsong, but their status was still Instructor.
Because comprehending the Heavenly Dao and forming a spell was not an easy task; sometimes it took even more time than breaking through a realm.
But who would have thought that Cao Jinsong would become an Elder first, and even an Elder officially listed in the Elder Council?
They naturally knew this didn't follow normal procedures, but they could understand why this outcome occurred.
The two looked at Ji You with complex eyes, thinking that the saying 'a mother's status rises with her child's' was not uncommon in Sects, but 'a Master's status rises with his Disciple' was a first.
Five years ago, they had even mocked Cao Jinsong for bringing back a self-cultivator from the countryside, never expecting such a result five years later.
"You condensed your Heavenly Dao insights into a spell?"
"No," Cao Jinsong frankly waved his hand.
Ji You stared at the chest-bursting Instructor Cao for a long time, then remembered the suddenly started mountain road construction.
Strange, why do I feel like I'm the one who inherited the position of Sect Master?
Under the autumn sun, in front of Zizai Hall, on the high cliff.
Zuoqiu Yang and You Yingqiu stood side by side, looking down.
Through the continuous repairs by the Master's Courtyard Disciples, the original deep pit was gradually filled and leveled, and the entire mountain road slowly became smooth. Steps were even dug in overly steep areas.
Seeing this, Zuoqiu Yang couldn't help but turn to his Junior Sister: "Although Master said to listen to Ji You's decisions more, he didn't say we had to listen to all of them, did he? It's one thing for Cao Jinsong to be promoted to Elder as soon as he entered the Innate Realm, but repairing the road too? He won't be in that wheelchair for much longer."
"Senior Brother, you don't know, in the Heavenly Pivot Art's definition, there are no small matters in the Qingyun World."
You Yingqiu said softly: "When Master was alive, he told me a story about a butterfly in Ling Province that flapped its wings, changing the surrounding airflow. This airflow, days later, stirred up a powerful hurricane in Zhong Province. The pit filled today, who's to say it won't be incorporated into the Heavenly Dao tomorrow, just like when Chu River entered our Tianshu Academy, no one could have imagined the risk of overturning the Qingyun World behind it."
"Well said," Zuoqiu Yang was suddenly convinced.
"What did Ji You discuss with Senior Brother today?"
"He just clarified the full story of this disaster, and also about them severing the Human Race's Luck in the Xianxian Holy Land."
You Yingqiu nodded gently after hearing this, her eyelashes trembling slightly.
Just as Ji You was concerned, after learning that the Human Race's Luck had been severed, everyone felt that it would definitely not be as simple as just liberating the ruins, because when a race loses its Luck, it will inevitably overturn the entire Qingyun World, just like the demise of the Lasting Peace Race in the past.
"I will be going into seclusion tomorrow. I will have to trouble Senior Brother to bear more of the Sect's affairs."
"You're going to cultivate the Heavenly Pivot Art in seclusion?"
"Precisely. No matter what happens next, I must first cultivate the Heavenly Pivot Art to Perfection and see what Master wanted me to see."
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