Chapter 116: Go Bathe First!
The setting sun began to sink, the fiery red sky silently receding westward, dyeing the heavens with rosy clouds.
The golden sun wheel now seemed to hang on the edge of the Cloud Top Heavenly Palace, causing golden light to spread everywhere, while the surrounding sky gradually darkened.
Zhuo Wanqiu was standing outside the Sword Forest, while Ding Yao was chatting with several Disciples who had finished their journey through the Sword Forest.
After chatting for a while, Ding Yao swayed her waist and walked over, glancing into the forest.
“I never thought, so this is the man Master Jian is fond of?”
“What does Senior Sister Ding want to say now?”
“Although I haven't passed through the Sword Forest, those Disciples just now did. They said that while the Xiao Chong Shan is a killing technique, Qi Elder had greatly reduced its power when he set up the Sword Forest. Yet, Ji You took sixteen attempts to pass, which is truly eye-opening.”
Ding Yao crossed her arms, a sneer on her lips: “The Disciple I was talking to just now is named Yu Lin. He’s a Tianjian Peak Disciple who just entered the Tong Xuan Realm, and his Realm isn't too stable yet, but he only used eight Sword Intent to pass the Xiao Chong Shan.”
Zhuo Wanqiu frowned after hearing her, not saying a word, but she didn’t expect the other party to stop.
“Junior Sister Zhuo, did you see Elder Yan Ye’s gaze just now? She’s someone who loves the Dao of the Sword, but in the end, she didn’t even have the interest to watch.”
“He clamored to come to my Lingjian Mountain to learn the sword, and even feigned good intentions for Master Jian, saying she shouldn’t teach him. I thought he had extraordinary Sword Dao talent, but now it seems he probably knew he lacked confidence and was afraid of losing Face in front of Master Jian.”
Ding Yao turned to look at Zhuo Wanqiu: “When he goes back tonight, he probably won’t have the Face to see Master Jian again, and Master Jian probably won’t be embarrassed to look for him either, what do you think?”
1
Earlier in the courtyard, Zhuo Wanqiu had been just as sharp-tongued, mocking her into silence. This time, it was all returned.
Zhuo Wanqiu looked up upon hearing this: “There are always people suited to learning the sword, and there are always people not suited to learning the sword—”
“Zhuo Wanqiu, you yourself know clearly that he is not worthy of Master Jian. Master Jian is just temporarily infatuated with beauty and cannot see the bigger picture, but she will realize it sooner or later. This Ji You can’t even withstand the swords of our Lingjian Mountain, how could he be a good match for her?”
As they spoke, a rustling sound came from the sea of trees.
Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu regained their senses, looking up to see Ji You already emerging from the Sword Forest, holding his sword.
He had some shattered bamboo leaves on him, his hair crown was slightly disheveled, and he took a deep breath facing the setting sun.
The Sword Dao of Lingjian Mountain is indeed incredibly profound.
He was already starting to worry about He Lingxiu, who would be fighting tomorrow, especially after experiencing Yan Shujing’s Sword Intent just now, this worry intensified.
Zhuo Wanqiu walked towards him at this moment: “Young Master, how far did you get?”
“The sixth Sword Intent of the second stage.”
“Was that Xiao Chong Shan a bit difficult for Young Master?”
Ji You didn't expect to be asked this question, thinking Zhuo Wanqiu also wanted to try. He paused for a moment, then shook his head: “Not difficult, not difficult at all. It just looks a bit scary, but with a little seriousness, one can pass.”
Hearing his answer, Ding Yao behind him rolled her eyes speechlessly.
She thought to herself, how casual and light-hearted he is now, one couldn't tell how pathetic he was when he passed the Xiao Chong Shan just now.
But the Disciples of Mountain and Sea Pavilion, Asked the Dao Sect, and Lingjian Mountain all saw it. After tonight, the news that Tianshu Academy’s Ji You, with his Tong Xuan Realm cultivation, took sixteen attempts to enter the second stage of the Sword Forest would spread throughout the mountain. What was the point of such boasting?
In fact, Ding Yao’s few words just now did make Zhuo Wanqiu a bit unsettled.
After all, although Senior Sister Ding’s words were unpleasant, they were true.
Master Jian is the orthodox successor of Lingjian Mountain, the future Sect Master. For Young Master Ji to be worthy of her, he truly needs to be exceptionally brilliant.
However, his performance today against the Xiao Chong Shan was indeed far from brilliant.
Ji You didn't know that Zhuo Wanqiu was worried about him not being able to pass the threshold. Facing the lingering glow of the setting sun, he headed towards Xuanjian Peak.
At this time, in the small courtyard below the Heavenly Palace, on the newly replaced rug under the tea table, Yan Shuyi was holding a cup of tea and occasionally looking out the window.
Her crystal-clear, fair jade feet were tucked under her perky buttocks, and her pink, delicate nails were as exquisite as flower petals.
Since returning to the palace from here in the early morning, she had been cultivating until now, completing several cycles of Qi, and then comprehending the Dao in Void Mountain for three hours. The Qi around her had not yet dissipated.
The mountain is still quite restless, especially with the Sect Master’s clan uncle inviting Asked the Dao Sect and Mountain and Sea Pavilion for a tea party this time.
Although ostensibly to put Tianshu Academy in a bad light and make the world laugh, there might be other intentions hidden within.
Yan Shuyi disliked such behind-the-scenes machinations. The only way was to be the fastest sword.
Because if the sword is fast enough, it can cut through anything and bring clarity to the present.
After her cultivation ended, she wrote a letter to Dan Sect, sternly asking Yuan Caiwei what exactly she saw in Ji You, and then she came to this courtyard to meditate.
This was not a courtyard specially prepared for Ji You. In reality, it was her usual quiet retreat.
However, although it was a small house, it was still different.
That Cloud Top Heavenly Palace often had others entering and exiting, but this room was exclusively hers. Besides Ji You, no one else had ever been allowed in.
So, this morning, Zhuo Wanqiu and Ding Yao both stood outside, not daring to enter without permission.
Just then, the door was pushed open, and the last light before the sunset poured into the room.
Yan Shuyi looked out the door, her expression cold and quiet, her exquisite Face devoid of any emotion. In the sunlight, she truly seemed like a ruthless goddess, momentarily causing the three returning individuals to lose themselves.
However, very quickly, the little Master Jian’s eyes suddenly came alive, as if suddenly filled with spirit.
Then she squinted at Ji You, her expression carrying a hint of disdain.
“Why does your hair look like you’ve been in a chicken coop—”
Ji You had already shaken himself several times on the way here, but he was still a bit dusty and disheveled. Hearing this, he couldn’t help but say: “How can a little Master Jian say the Sword Forest is a chicken coop? This is a great disrespect to my Lingjian Mountain.”
Yan Shuyi paused, then pouted her small Face: “Lingjian Mountain is mine.”
“Perhaps it’s not mine—”
“?”
Yan Shuyi heard a hint of Dao Heart clarity in his words and felt like pulling out her sword to poke him.
Ji You was naturally very straightforward, after all, he even wanted to endure Tianshu Academy and change it into a bandit’s den.
Ding Yao was standing at the door at this moment, watching the two of them look at each other, thinking to herself that the goddess-like person just now was clearly the true Master Jian, but why had her Heart-Nature suddenly changed now?
Then Zhuo Wanqiu’s words from the morning echoed in her mind, constantly lingering.
Because the other person doesn’t care if he is Master Jian, Master Jian will subconsciously not act as the awe-inspiring Master Jian in front of him…
Then Ji You wanted to sit down and rest, but he was stopped by a sharp voice.
Yan Shuyi subconsciously crossed her arms, guarding her slender waist, and coldly instructed Zhuo Wanqiu and Ding Yao to prepare a bathtub for him and tell him to bathe first.
Although Ding Yao was reluctant, she still fetched water from outside and poured it into the bathtub, but her words were still unforgiving.
“Master Jian has a slight 潔癖, but she can tolerate it for those who are very close. However, just now Master Jian was afraid you would dirty her newly changed rug, so it seems Young Master Ji is not very close to Master Jian.”
“Senior Sister Ding Yao!”
Zhuo Wanqiu whispered, interrupting her: “Young Master Ji, don’t take it to heart. This small courtyard is Master Jian’s private room, and that rug was just changed after all.”
Ji You nodded, not responding.
Rug, 潔癖—
He chuckled softly, thinking to himself that his little Master Jian wasn't afraid of dirtying the rug; she was clearly afraid that if he achieved Dao Heart clarity later, he would hug her while dirty, which is why she made him wash up.
In fact, on second thought, Yan Shuyi wasn’t actually averse to being hugged by him. Although she didn’t say it, she was vaguely thinking about the next time.
Then Ji You took off his clothes and instructed Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu to leave.
Last time, Yuan Caiwei saw him; this time, he couldn’t let others have that cheap view.
Then he began to bathe, and the splashing sound of water continuously echoed from inside the room.
Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu had retreated to the main hall and were waiting quietly nearby.
However, it didn't take long before Zhuo Wanqiu heard Ding Yao, unable to bear the silence, speak up.
“Master Jian, Young Master Ji seemed to have some difficulties in the Sword Forest today. Qi Elder’s Xiao Chong Shan is indeed formidable, even a Tianjian Peak Disciple in the early Tong Xuan Realm barely passed it with eight Sword Intent.”
“Young Master Ji might have been tired from the journey yesterday and didn’t rest well, as he actually used sixteen Sword Intent to pass the first stage.”
“I heard some unpleasant things from the Disciples on the mountain, saying that Young Master Ji is full of empty reputation and outwardly strong but inwardly weak.”
Zhuo Wanqiu glanced at her, opened her mouth, and after a moment of thought, did not interrupt.
Master Jian would definitely ask about the Sword Forest. Although Ding Yao’s Dao Heart was somewhat muddled, she certainly wouldn't lie, at most she would embellish it as she was doing now.
She felt that instead of Master Jian asking Young Master Ji later and making him embarrassed to answer, it was better for Ding Yao to say it.
However, after Ding Yao finished speaking, Yan Shuyi showed no reaction, still holding the teacup to her lips as before, which made Ding Yao momentarily stunned.
“Master Jian?”
“?”
Yan Shuyi came back to her senses, took the bubbling teacup away from her lips, her cold Face slightly flushed.
Ding Yao found it incredible after seeing this, thinking to herself, 'I was being so sarcastic and loud just now, and you didn't even hear me?'
Then what exactly were you listening to?
Yan Shuyi only now retracted her gaze, and after being dazed for a while, she realized someone had spoken. So she looked up at Ding Yao: “What were you saying just now?”
“Reporting to Master Jian, I was just saying that Young Master Ji used sixteen Sword Intent to pass the Xiao Chong Shan, which seemed a bit difficult. The Disciples on the mountain are all saying he has an empty reputation.”
“He really has patience.”
“?”
Then Ji You finished washing up, walked out wiping his wet hair, which made Yan Shuyi lose herself in thought again.
After his hair was dry, the two of them went to fiddle with the stove in the back room, seemingly to light a fire and roast sweet potatoes.
Zhuo Wanqiu and Ding Yao exchanged glances, thinking to themselves that Master Jian seemed completely unconcerned that he used sixteen Sword Intent to pass the Xiao Chong Shan, but this didn't seem right.
Ji You might be stronger than average men in Master Jian’s heart, but even so, sixteen attempts were too poor. Master Jian couldn’t possibly have no reaction.
(Too busy approaching Chinese New Year, always something going on these days, or maybe it's my age, friends around me are all getting married. I will definitely try to add more updates during this period, and then, asking for monthly tickets—or2)