Chapter 118: Three Steps, Three Looks Back
After noon, the early summer temperature began to rise, but Lingjian Mountain remained cool and refreshing with mountain breezes.
The eighth 【Willow Color New】 descended, and Ji You was cut straight back, but then he raised his sword again to meet it, as if tireless.
Under this intense Sword Qi, the surrounding green bamboos trembled violently, and the entire Sword Forest was filled with rustling sounds.
Immediately after, the ninth 【Willow Color New】 rose with a hum, and the sword light pressed down as if to completely engulf Ji You.
But a dull Sword Intent immediately rose from beneath the sword, clanging to parry it.
Amidst the clash of Sword Qi, another person walked out of the third forest.
He wore a dark blue robe and had a long sword tied at his waist.
It was very lively on the mountain today, because Tianshu Academy Disciples had come to Lingjian Mountain to Ask the Dao, and almost all the fellow cultivators in the sect had gone to watch the battle, but he had not.
Because the three words 'Tianshu Academy' were like an insult to him.
Gongshu Chou walked to the second forest with a frown, and suddenly heard a bright sword hum, followed by the sharp Sword Qi of that 【Willow Color New】.
He knew someone was breaking through the second forest, so he turned to look, and when his gaze touched the white figure, his brows instantly furrowed.
"Ji You—"
Gongshu Chou muttered, stopping in his tracks.
During the siege of Tianshu Academy at the ruins, because his Spirit Origin was suppressed by Evil Qi, he was almost pierced through the heart by Ji You, who was only at Junior Third Realm Completion at the time, so he would never forget this person in his life.
After returning to the mountain, he swallowed a large amount of Medicinal Pills, and his injuries had now healed, but the scar on his chest, like the one on his heart, could not be removed.
Gongshu Chou watched Ji You, immersed in the Dao of the Sword, seemingly unaware of his arrival, and couldn't help but reach out and grip his sword.
The lingering Sword Intent and the Killing Intent hidden in his heart continuously surged at this moment.
But after much thought, Gongshu Chou did not draw his sword. Instead, he withdrew his gaze and turned to walk out of the forest.
He had indeed almost died at Ji You's hands, which was a great humiliation for him, a Rongdao Realm cultivator.
However, if it hadn't been for that stab, he would have remained in the ruins to continue searching for immortal opportunities, and then been refined into a Medicinal Pill by the Zheng Family Old Ancestor, becoming someone else's immortal opportunity.
So, Gongshu Chou was unclear whether that stab counted as enmity or kindness.
The humiliation would certainly have to be returned, because it concerned his Dao Heart, but at least this time, he could choose not to kill him.
Not killing him was kindness; once this kindness was repaid, only enmity would remain.
Gongshu Chou finished his thoughts and turned to leave, but before he had taken a few steps, he suddenly stopped, sharply turned his head to look at Ji You, his eyes slightly wide.
"Tianshu Academy came up the mountain yesterday morning and was arranged to settle down before noon."
"How could he have met Willow Color New so quickly?"
Gongshu Chou recalled the time the Tianshu Academy Disciples came up the mountain, and his face showed surprise.
Because only one day had passed from yesterday noon until now, or rather, not even a full day, and Ji You had already so effortlessly reached 【Willow Color New】?
He had heard before that Ji You was now at Tong Xuan Realm, and he thought it would not be difficult for him to pass the first level.
But the second forest had stronger Killing Intent than the first, and the Sword Qi was also incredibly powerful. It had trapped many Lingjian Mountain Disciples, and some whose Realm was unstable were still trapped in the heart of the forest yesterday, not even having seen what kind of sword Willow Color New was.
Yesterday, someone clearly said he used sixteen swords to pass 【Xiao Chong Shan】, so how did he see 【Willow Color New】 so quickly after just one night?
"He truly lives up to being the one who injured me—"
Gongshu Chou pondered for a long time, thinking that while it was a bit fast, it was also reasonable.
Because if he were truly ordinary, no different from other cultivators, how could he, a Rongdao Realm cultivator, have been injured by him?
Back in the ruins, he already felt that the opponent's Spiritual Qi was very abundant, so it wasn't unheard of for him to break through to this point without rest.
Just then, Gongshu Chou heard a sound of breaking air, and looking up, he saw Ji You's figure flying backward from the furious Sword Qi, landing on the ground.
Then he seemed extremely unwilling, and once again met the attack, striking at the re-forming Sword Qi.
Gongshu Chou couldn't help but shake his head: "No matter how strong he is, this is all he can achieve at his Realm."
The second forest was already the limit for the Tong Xuan Realm, and no cultivator of this Realm had been able to withstand 【Willow Color New】 so far.
Even if Ji You was exceptionally talented and could reach the third level, it would probably take a long time.
But unfortunately, the Asking the Dao had already begun today, and even fighting for two days and two nights would not be enough time.
Gongshu Chou intended to leave for the third time, but after a few steps, he stopped again. He turned back once more, and now there was a glimmer in his eyes.
Strange.
He hadn't paid much attention just now, but only now did he realize that Ji You's Sword Intent had been constantly changing.
If there was anyone in this world most familiar with Ji You's sword, it would be Gongshu Chou. This familiarity even surpassed that of Wang Xin'an, Ji You's Dao of the Sword master.
Because Gongshu Chou had truly crossed swords with Ji You, even fighting to the brink of life and death.
But looking at his sword now, he found that both its Qi and Intent were vastly different. There were many familiar elements, yet within the familiarity, there was a sense of strangeness, appearing very profound—
He frowned slightly, watching silently as Ji You was cut down repeatedly, gradually losing patience.
The Sword Intent was indeed becoming more profound, but its power had not increased at all.
In fact, a few times it was much weaker, almost hitting his shoulder. If Ji You hadn't reacted quickly, he might have already stained the Sword Forest with blood.
There were also several times when the sword forms changed, bringing with them changes in Sword Intent, becoming incredibly complex and unstable, but then the next sword became perfectly clean.
Gongshu Chou couldn't understand it, and then turned to leave.
Not long after Gongshu Chou left, a clear and fierce Sword Qi dissipated, and Ji You retrieved his sword and retreated, Spiritual Qi overflowing beneath his feet.
At this moment, the eighteenth 【Willow Color New】 scattered among the bamboo forest, and the Sword Forest, which had just been raging with wind, suddenly became quiet.
Ji You brushed off the bamboo leaves on his body, then raised his sword, and his figure vanished in a flash of light—
The sun quickly began its descent, moving little by little.
At this moment, the sword hum on Wangjian Platform never ceased, also mixed with the roar of various techniques, continuously resounding through the empty valley surrounded by the three peaks, from dawn until not yet noon.
Ji You, who had entered the third Sword Forest, now retreated and walked down the mountain.
The swords in the second forest were very strong, consuming a lot of his energy.
He was a bit tired and hungry now, and his condition was not very good.
And the swords in the third forest were even stronger; they were indeed not something a Tong Xuan Realm Disciple could contend with head-on. He needed rest and time to digest.
At this time, Gongshu Chou, who had gone down the mountain to find food, walked back towards the Sword Forest and happened to meet Ji You on the mountain path. The atmosphere between their four eyes began to solidify.
"After taking the Medicinal Pills in the forest, put the bottle away. Don't litter (in my home)."
"?"
Gongshu Chou was stunned for a moment, then saw his brows furrow, wondering what he meant?
This is my Lingjian Mountain, not your Tianshu Academy!
Ji You then brushed past him, his brows slightly furrowed as he walked down the mountain path, thinking that Gongshu Chou seemed to have no Killing Intent towards him, which was quite strange.
Ji You returned his sword to its sheath and walked down the mountain towards Xuanfeng Peak, hearing the occasional loud sword hum continuously echoing around the mountains.
He stopped halfway up the mountain, his eyes shimmering with golden light, his Divine Thought greatly stirred.
As far as his gaze reached, He Lingxiu was surrounded by a halo of magical techniques, with lightning and fire complementing each other, constantly clashing swords with Yan Shujing before her.
And Yan Shujing of Xuanfeng Peak continuously struck with her sword like a startled swan, her crisp and decisive Sword Intent resounding through the nine heavens.
Tong Xuan Realm Disciples might still be able to see clearly, but Disciples at Junior Third Realm Completion and below could only catch afterimages.
Suddenly, light and Sword Qi continuously collided, and sword edges trembled against each other.
One had fierce Dao of the Sword, with a clear Dao Heart.
The other had profound Dao techniques, often accompanied by dancing wind, ethereal like a ghost, and also interwoven with lightning techniques between the sword blades.
Then came a thunderous sound, as He Lingxiu slashed with her sword, lightning flashing and roaring within the sword light, and the violent aura was clearly audible even halfway up the mountain, grand and imposing.
But this was not the Dao of the Sword; this was a magical technique.
Ban Yangshu had once told him that the pure Dao cultivators of Tianshu Academy commonly used what He Lingxiu was currently demonstrating: 【All Techniques Applied】.
Chu River being taken home by his family for Dao transmission probably also involved similar techniques.
However, at this moment, Ji You frowned slightly, sensing a hint of unease.
Ji You was at the Tong Xuan Realm and couldn't discern the subtle differences in skill between higher Realm cultivators, but he could sense Sword Qi.
Yesterday in the Sword Forest, he had a brief encounter with Yan Shujing. When she had just emerged from the Sword Forest, her entire body was brimming with Sword Qi, which should have been her strongest state.
But at this moment, the Sword Intent on Yan Shujing was a few points weaker than yesterday.
In other words, she was not yet using her full power.
Just then, footsteps sounded on the mountain path, and Zhuo Wanqiu walked over, calling him Young Master softly.
She and Ding Yao represented Xuanfeng Peak and were responsible for this Asking the Dao event, but they were also instructed to personally serve Ji You, so the two arranged a shift. Today Zhuo Wanqiu came, and tomorrow Ding Yao would come.
When Ji You was in the Sword Forest, she was waiting at Wangjian Platform. Now, calculating that the time was about right, she came to meet him.
"Which round is it?"
"The third round, one win and one loss."
And just as the two were speaking, a surging Sword Intent suddenly rose.
Yan Shujing lightly tapped her toes, and fierce Sword Qi soared into the sky, the sword light like the brilliance of the bright moon, cleaving down from the heavens.
The Wangjian Platform was silent for five breaths, and all sounds ceased abruptly at this moment.
At the edge of the high platform, a trace of blood overflowed from He Lingxiu's lips, her eyes filled with resentment and unwillingness.
Seeing this, the Tianshu Academy Disciples' eyes flashed with disbelief, and everyone froze at this moment, unable to accept the result before them.
They had traveled thousands of miles from the Northern Lands, crossing Middle Province, Liang Province, and Yong Province, to reclaim Tianshu Academy's honor.
But they never expected that the first battle of the Asking the Dao would be their loss.
"Great Xia Holy Sect, truly weak—"
"This isn't even Jing'er's full strength. That girl, she's holding back a bit."
On the high platform, the Chief of the Inner Pavilion of Mountain and Sea Pavilion, the personal Dao Protector Venerable of Asked the Dao Sect, and the Elders of Lingjian Mountain all stroked their beards and chuckled, their mockery undisguised.
At this moment, on the other side of the high platform, the Yao Emperor's Son, whose eyes shimmered with blue demonic pupils, closed his folding fan, his eyes deep.
His Imperial Father had told him before allowing him to enter Kyushu to be wary of the Seven Great Immortal Sects, especially Tianshu Academy.
But in today's battle, he did not see anything about Tianshu Academy that required their vigilance; at least in terms of combat power, he did not see it.
And Lingjian Mountain's performance this time was somewhat beyond his expectations.
If it weren't for fear of the Human Race saying that their Yao Race was too arrogant, he would have liked to send a few people to test Yan Shujing's sword.