Chapter 166: How many do you want to have?
The myriad Laws and a thousand Daos in the world are infinitely profound, beyond what human power can fully comprehend.
However, grasping one or two of them can grant the ability to shake Heaven and Earth.
Friction generates electricity, accumulation explodes like thunder, convection forms wind, and Qi Condensation turns into rain.
Thus, the higher the Realm, the more one can shake the world, until with a wave of a hand, a gentle breeze wraps around the fingers, while a hundred miles away, the wind and clouds suddenly change. Ji You, in his Divine Thought meditation, had no external distractions, his Dao Heart was clear, and he began to guide Spiritual Qi to collide with each other, constantly experimenting, the Qi waves around him rising and falling.
“Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi seems to be a universal element that can transform according to a Cultivator’s thoughts, supporting different techniques.”
“So, this is why everyone feels that Spiritual Qi secretly contains the might of Heaven and Earth.”
“If it’s to ignite fire, Spiritual Qi is the fuel; if it’s to form ice, Spiritual Qi can be water. But how the Law power is mobilized is the key for the Human Race to master techniques.”
Ji You muttered, suddenly beginning to understand what Spiritual Qi meant to this world where one could Cultivate Immortals.
This elemental Qi was the Foundation for Cultivators to gain power from Heaven.
And Divine Thought is Innately close to the Heavenly Dao, unrestricted by reality. In this world, whatever he thought could be achieved, which is why Cultivation emphasizes meditation and Epiphany.
However, what Divine Thought conceives is, after all, just a false mental construct.
Humans need to observe the Heavenly Dao through Divine Thought, break through the barriers of thought and reality, use Spiritual Qi as a Foundation, and techniques as a channel,
to transform what is conceived in the mind into reality through techniques, so that all Laws can be applied to oneself.
Ji Hanfei, in the Tong Xuan Realm, began to have a shallow understanding of Cultivation.
Thus, Qi waves surged around him.
Hmm?
A fragrant scent?
Who is waving food in front of me?
Ji You muttered, continuing to guide Spiritual Qi in his subconscious to transform back and forth in meditation, with roaring winds and thundering waves.
At this moment, the celestial phenomena, driven by his thoughts, continuously collided, forming a momentum in front of him, gathering denser and denser, constantly surging.
But after several types of celestial phenomena appeared, the elemental currents within them began to become incredibly chaotic.
Then, they influenced and attracted each other, and not long after, with a muffled boom, the intertwined false celestial phenomena suddenly collapsed.
Ji You was silent for a long time, then slowly opened his eyes.
The matter of Epiphany, indeed, cannot be rushed.
His eyes were calm and unruffled when he opened them, but at this moment, his pupils trembled slightly, and he quickly couldn't help but be stunned.
“?”
The Little Master Jian of Lingjian Mountain was sitting sideways on a high rock next to him, staring blankly, exquisitely beautiful and cold, with an unquiet impatience between her brows.
Her snow-white long legs rested on the edge of the rock, and due to the height difference of her sitting position, her delicate jade feet dangled in front of him, ten round and smooth toes like blooming petals, crystal clear.
Ji You held his breath, finally understanding why he had smelled the aroma of food just now. Yan Shuyi also sensed the Qi waves around Ji You receding at this moment, and her feet instantly stopped swaying. Her slender willow waist involuntarily straightened, and she narrowed her eyes, beginning to exude an intimidating presence without anger, like an ice-cold beauty, but thick pink mist uncontrollably floated around her.
“You’ve already broken through the Realm so quickly?” Ji You was somewhat surprised.
Yan Shuyi didn't look back at him, but spoke coldly, looking straight ahead: “Not yet.”
Her voice was very soft, two and a half of the three words were like a baby’s.
Ji You stared at her for a long time: “Didn’t you say you wouldn’t come out of seclusion if you didn’t break through the Realm?”
“My Dao Heart couldn't find peace. I kept feeling something moving outside the door. I ran out to check, but found nothing.
After I finally calmed down back inside, I heard something moving again. I don't know what the problem was, so I came in to clear my mind, and unexpectedly, I met you.”
Yan Shuyi had been in seclusion for Breakthrough since she was young, and it had always gone smoothly.
But recently, this matter had started to become a bit difficult.
She felt someone was disturbing her, and her first suspicion was Ding Yao. She scolded her for a long time, telling her not to move around in the hall, but Ding Yao felt very innocent, feeling as if she had taken the blame for someone else.
Ji You looked at her thoughtfully: “When did your symptoms start?”
Yan Shuyi paused, as if realizing something: “Probably seven days ago.”
Seven days ago, Qingyun World began collecting tribute taxes, and Ji You also returned to Tianshu Academy around that time. This news was not a secret.
So it wasn't the wind moving, nor the clouds moving; it was her heart moving.
He had been in Feng Province before and couldn't come to Void Mountain for Epiphany. For Yan Shuyi, she couldn't even kick him if she wanted to.
But ever since she knew he had returned to Tianshu Academy, the Little Master Jian's state of mind had changed greatly.
She wanted to see him, but she had written a letter before, very domineeringly saying she wouldn't.
Her little mouth was also a bit stubborn, so she insisted that Ding Yao was running around outside her great hall,
making it impossible for her to calm down.
But in reality, she just missed the handsome man and had been constantly thinking about running over to him.
Ji You, like a skilled old Chinese doctor, saw the root of the problem at a glance.
A beauty who brings disaster—
Such outstanding looks, causing the Little Master Jian of Lingjian Mountain to be unable to Cultivate in peace. This would lead to a slower Cultivation speed, potentially causing internal strife within Lingjian Mountain in the future, leading to instability among the Seven Great Immortal Sects, and even indirectly affecting the overall situation of the world.
Although Ji You often criticized himself with the four words “a beauty who brings disaster,” he now deeply understood the power of these four words.
Damn it, this ordinary Ji Bochang!
He could actually cause chaos in the world just by his appearance.
Yan Shuyi saw him silent and didn't want him to think that she was distracted because of him, so she immediately changed the subject and started asking him about the Autumn Tournament at Tianshu Academy.
Chu River had inherited the Family's Huantian Technique, covered in Mystic Light for protection, and his fist and sword power were both terrifying. What Yan Shuyi found strange was that even so, he could only make Ji You's broad and massive, smooth as jade, sweat-drenched hot Physical Body turn red.
She had known since she was at Lingjian Mountain that this unfamiliar man had a strong Physical Body, but she didn't know how he Cultivated it.
Ji You, however, didn't pay attention to Yan Shuyi's question. Instead, he looked at her in confusion: “What smooth and broad, covered in sweat, and hot? Weren't you in seclusion at the time? How do you know so clearly?”
Yan Shuyi felt slightly uneasy after hearing this, then held her breath and looked away.
She was indeed in seclusion, but she had sent her best painter and writer to observe. Now, she even had a painting of the unfamiliar man with his bare chest hidden under her pillow.
But, she wouldn't tell him.
The Little Master Jian's eyes flickered, and she said calmly: “I heard it from others.”
“Who said it? So detailed.”
“I said it was others!”
Ji You slowly raised his head and looked at the space above Yan Shuyi's head.
Ever since he opened his eyes, he had noticed that pink gas had been floating upwards around Yan Shuyi, denser than ever before.
Although she didn't say it, after such a long time apart, he figured she must have missed him greatly in her heart.
But at this moment, the pink gas was changing, first drifting and turning yellow, then thickening into smoke, like a yellow Dragon, which filled him with shock.
Ji You recalled the passionate gazes of the female Cultivators in the courtyard when Chu River shattered his white robe on Baiyu Platform, exposing his chest, and turned to look at the Little Master Jian.
“Did you secretly come to see me?!”
“I didn't!”
Yan Shuyi felt annoyed by his question. She raised her crystal-clear jade foot, wanting to kick him, but then felt that kicking him would seem to reveal her embarrassment and anger, precisely proving that she was lying. So, her raised foot hesitated for a moment,
and then she naturally placed it in his lap.
Ji You glanced at it and instantly stopped asking.
She was already using her foot as a bribe, clearly trying to shut him up and prevent him from asking further.
“It’s a bit cold.”
Yan Shuyi's feet were being played with, and her cold face flushed: “It’s always been like this.”
Ji You squeezed them twice, and then Yan Shuyi suddenly spoke: “You haven't told me about your Physical Body.”
“Next time, if you happen to travel to Shengjing and meet me, I’ll tell you.”
“Then tell me about Feng Province.”
“Feng Province?”
“The Worldly Family you established.”
Upon hearing this, Ji You began to ramble, recounting their journey from Shengjing to Feng Province, and then from Yuyang County to State Prefecture.
The main point of this matter was the battle at Night City Mountain, but Ji You glossed over it, mainly describing his village and also introducing him to a few people currently in the village.
Old Qiu's Family, Chen Fuzi who taught, and the children he protected.
In addition, he also mentioned the Crescent Moon Blade and the joint harvesting.
Yan Shuyi listened carefully, and images flashed through her mind, making her want to go.
“When I established the Worldly Family, Cao Jinsong told me that for a Worldly Family to grow stronger, one must unite with external forces,
and second, continuously increase its population. He also said that the most important point for a Worldly Family to endure in the world is a continuous lineage,
so he advised me to immediately find a woman and start procreating endlessly.”
“?”
Yan Shuyi turned to look at him, her eyes slightly narrowed.
Ji You, however, puffed out his chest and raised his head, not feeling guilty at all, since Cao Jinsong had said all this, and he was merely repeating it: “I think Old Cao makes a lot of sense.”
The Little Master Jian was silent for a long time before speaking: “What exactly do you want to say?”
“Nothing, just sharing casually. I used to think that one person with one sword could conquer the world, but I gradually began to realize that a single person's strength is ultimately limited. It seems only a continuously growing Family can stand strong.”
Ji You didn't dare to make the Yan Kingdom map too short, so he continued to set the stage, pretending to say it with emotion, but found that Yan Shuyi was just looking at him, not speaking.
Her gaze, Sword Intent surging.
After a long silence, Ji You suddenly spoke: “What do you think?”
Yan Shuyi held her breath: “What do I think?”
“Procreating endlessly.”
“I don’t understand.”
Ji You swallowed: “I mean, how many do you—want to have?”
As his words fell, all the myriad Laws on the entire mountain began to become agitated, and the yellow-tinged pink aura suddenly turned into a cold hue.
Seeing this, Ji You knew it was over. The Yan Kingdom map was indeed a bit too short.
Then, a fierce Qi force whistled from the cliff.
Ji You retreated with a shock of his palm, and saw Yan Shuyi closing in with a roar. Her tender white hand carried immense power, like a splitting mountain, and he was forcefully pressed down.
In the Yingtian Realm, even without sword Dao and techniques, the sheer palm power made Ji You feel a great terror.
Amidst the flying Qi waves, Ji You resisted the palm strike, then used the momentum to fly horizontally.
At this scene, Yan Shuyi's eyes blinked slightly, and the cold aura around her began to turn pink again.
This unfamiliar man is quite powerful.
They all came here in the form of Divine Thought. Although they didn't know why they could materialize in this space, the only thing for sure was that the strength of their Physical Body was useless here.
Only after her palm landed did Yan Shuyi realize that his Divine Thought was also cultivated to be incredibly powerful.
It was even comparable to Integration Dao.
"Stop, no more fighting. I can't beat you."
Yan Shuyi abruptly stopped, looking at him with a stern face: "Just a mere Tong Xuan Realm."
Ji You stood up from the smoke and dust at this moment: "I'm leaving."
"Where are you going?"
"Back to continue Cultivating. I can't always be unable to beat you."
Upon hearing this, Yan Shuyi's surrounding Qi suddenly began to turn cold, even colder than before.
Ji You wondered what was going on. Was leaving not allowed either?
Then he saw her fly over, her palm striking like wind, her swaying figure truly like a Fairy descending to the mortal world.
A moment later, the Qi on Void Mountain gradually calmed down, without the turbulent waves from before, instead becoming incredibly serene.
At this moment, Ji You was embracing Yan Shuyi's slender waist, looking down at the Fairy in his arms whose eyes were gently closed and breathing was even.
It turned out she wasn't forbidding him from leaving; she was blaming him for not embracing her when they met this time.
This young Master Jian of Lingjian Mountain was also extremely tsundere. She wouldn't speak directly, insisting on acting out a scene where she would hit him, then conveniently stumble into his arms.
However, did she touch him?
Ji You recalled the sudden palm strike just now. It came fiercely but then suddenly changed direction, seeming to touch his chest twice.
Yan Shuyi was only feigning sleep at this moment, her eyes still having a small slit. She then looked at her lower abdomen.
This unfamiliar man, whom she had only met three times, wanted her to bear him endless offspring. He was truly audacious beyond belief.
It seemed he didn't even want his life anymore.
Her heart was filled with killing intent, but her feet at the edge of the cliff couldn't help but curl slightly.
After a long while, Yan Shuyi suddenly sat up straight: "I feel my Dao Heart has calmed down. I'm going back to Breakthrough. Don't disturb me anymore. If I don't enter Boundless from now on, I won't come back."
"Women in this world truly turn their faces and deny people—"
Yan Shuyi lightly tapped her toes and disappeared from Void Mountain, instantly returning to her sleeping quarters on Lingjian Mountain.
She forgot to ask him what Yuan Caiwei had seen after all.
The young Master Jian suddenly remembered something she had been thinking about for a long time, feeling a bit foolish.
At this moment, Ji You had already begun observing the Dao again, his surrounding Qi constantly surging.
After a while, he slowly opened his eyes, a slight contentment in his gaze.
Oh no, it turns out distracting thoughts don't disappear, they just shift—
In the following days, Ji You often came to Void Mountain to comprehend the Dao, but he indeed didn't see the tsundere Fairy again. He knew that after that one meeting, her Dao Heart had also settled down.
He felt that Yan Shuyi and he were probably the same kind of people, also taking on some responsibilities themselves, so they hoped to become stronger and always felt that time was not enough.
The next time they met, it would probably really be after a Breakthrough.
He stood up and walked down the mountain.
At this time, in the Outer Courtyard's Wudao Field, Fang Jincheng, Puyang Xing, Lu Hanyan, and a group of other Disciples were all comprehending the Dao, with piles of medicine bottles and dim Spirit Stones in front of them.
Countless people stood around, including Disciples from the Inner Courtyard, their brows slightly furrowed.
This scene was even more attention-grabbing than when Ji You comprehended the Heavenly Book.
As for the reason, it was because of Fang Jincheng.
The Fang Family was also a large Worldly Family in Qingyun World, but not as famous as the Chu Family.
However, the Chu Family had always been tied to Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion, and their Foundation in Tianshu Academy was far less profound than the Fang Family's.
So when everyone was comprehending the Heavenly Book, Chu River only managed to get guidance on comprehending the Heavenly Book from Ban Yangshu through his connection with Chong Wang, but Fang Jincheng was different.
Since he entered the academy, students from the Inner Courtyard would occasionally come to the Outer Courtyard from Chang Sheng Dian to personally guide him.
Although the Heavenly Dao is mysterious and can only be understood intuitively rather than explained in words, simply relying on oral transmission will inevitably lead to deviations. However, this is ultimately a direction for effort.
Thus, in just half a month, six Inner Courtyard Disciples successively shared their experiences in great detail with Fang Jincheng.
But even so, Fang Jincheng still hadn't comprehended the Heavenly Book.
Both the Inner and Outer Courtyards knew that this young master of the Fang Family had boasted on the day he entered the academy that he had seen a faint light during his first attempt to comprehend the Heavenly Book, which had astonished everyone at the time.
Because in the past hundred years, among those who entered the academy and comprehended the Heavenly Book, Ji You was the fastest.
At that time, everyone was saying that Fang Jincheng would probably be faster than Ji You, which meant his future achievements would be higher.
However, as time passed, everyone suddenly realized that this was nothing more than an empty boast.
So at this moment, Fang Jincheng's expression was extremely ugly.
He knew that he had the protection of his ancestors and would receive guidance from many Inner Courtyard Senior Brothers. He thought that comprehending the Heavenly Book would not be difficult, but he never expected it to be like this.
Meanwhile, Puyang Xing, who had chosen not to comprehend the Heavenly Book from the beginning and directly rushed to Breakthrough, had already gathered the first Mystic Light, and Lu Hanyan was close behind him.
"Could it be that Fang Jincheng's cultivation is all piled up with Spirit Pills, and his Aptitude is actually very dull?"
"It shouldn't be like that, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to Cultivate to Junior Third Realm Completion. Perhaps he just has no affinity with the Heavenly Book."
"But, in Taiwu 2 and early Taiwu, it seems no one comprehended the Heavenly Book either.
1
"There's such a thing?"
"Yes, Junior Brother Pan, who entered the academy in Taiwu 2, broke into Tong Xuan by his own strength."
"And Junior Brother Liu, not only did he not sense the Heavenly Book, but he also entered the academy the following year, because the students of that year failed to enter the Tong Xuan Realm. Junior Brother Liu was already in the Tongxuan Middle Stage at that time."
"I heard that no one has comprehended the Dao Stele of the Chen Clan for two consecutive years either."
"What about Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion?"
"The Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion's Sect Master has been in seclusion for many years, trying to Ascend to the Immortal Realm through the Xuan Yuan Pearl and the Law, so he naturally cannot sense it."
"You're saying, could it be that the Heavenly Dao's Luck is truly gradually dissipating? Otherwise, the Yao Race—"
"Nonsense, it's clearly just a lack of Aptitude. Otherwise, why could Ji You sense the Heavenly Book? Although he's not a great person, his talent is truly undeniable—"
Ji You watched for a while and couldn't help but shake his head.
In the past few days, Chang Sheng Dian's attitude towards him had softened considerably, and many Inner Courtyard Disciples came to bring him Spirit Wine and such.
Their words, both direct and indirect, all hoped that he could give Fang Jincheng some pointers.
But everyone said that to comprehend the Heavenly Book, one must see a faint light and then follow it. What he saw was a sky full of stars rushing towards him. How could he explain that?
So Ji You was too lazy to bother. Let the Outer Courtyard and Inner Courtyard say whatever they wanted.
Worldly Family Disciples were all cut from the same cloth, living off the common people's wealth, seeking the ethereal Immortal Dao. If there were fewer of them,
And their Realm was lower, it might not be a bad thing for this world.
Under everyone's gaze, Ji You stepped away from Ni Mountain via the divine path, heading towards Shengjing.
At sunset, in a remote small courtyard in Chunhua Alley's back street.
Smoke filled the kitchen located in the southeast corner, and the gurgling sound of boiling water emanated from it, as dozens of plump, white dumplings continuously floated in the water.
Kuang Cheng walked to the stove, rolled up his sleeves, and carried the steaming dumplings into the main house.
Ji You was sitting in the main house and took the dumplings from him.
Today was the Moon Festival, also a traditional festival in Qingyun World, on par with New Year's Day, both being highly valued folk festivals.
From evening onwards, the streets were already filled with continuous lanterns and brilliant lights.
This day last year, Kuang Cheng was diligently studying at Chunhua Inn, preparing for the imperial examination, and didn't pay attention to the festival. Today, he specially cooked dumplings and invited Ji You to celebrate together.
"After the tax collection, refugees from Yun Province and Central Province have successively migrated to Feng Province. It is said that several counties in Dan Shui County have seen a significant increase in population, mostly families."
Ji You picked up his chopsticks: "For thousands of years, people everywhere have been like this, struggling immensely just to live."
Kuang Cheng nodded: "Brother Ji, according to the qingyun immortal rules, you can legitimately reduce the tax contributions of Feng Province's people, but you cannot protect the people of other provinces. However, if all people could seek survival in Feng Province, it would have been good, but unfortunately—"
"Unfortunately, local government offices have begun to privately issue prohibitions, strictly forbidding their subjects from migrating?"
"Brother Ji is right—"
Ji You dipped a dumpling into the vinegar dish: "This is normal. If the people under their governance migrate to Feng Province, those officials will worry about whether next year's tax contributions can be paid in full. For the sake of their heads, they naturally have to issue strict prohibitions."
Kuang Cheng also knew this, but still sighed with a slight regret: "It's just a pity that not all people can migrate to Feng Province."
"Heh, you really know how to think. If it were truly as you say, and all the people migrated to Feng Province, then I would be the one to die."
"Brother Ji once said, 'Since ancient times, who can escape death? Let loyalty illuminate history.'"
Ji You glanced at him, thinking, this scholar of yours is really easy to brainwash.
Kuang Cheng turned around at this moment, opened the wall cabinet, and took out a jar of wine. He turned to look at Ji You: "I went to the orphanage today and brought some food to the children. On the way back, I bought a jar of wine, but it's only brewed from grain, not comparable to the wine used at banquets of those Worldly Family in the capital."
"Stop rambling, if there's wine, bring it over."
"This wine is only two taels of silver. I was afraid Brother Ji wouldn't be used to it—"
Ji You took the wine jar and tore off the seal: "Don't be silly, this kind of wine is reassuring to drink. The wine at the banquets of those Worldly Family looks clear, but I always feel it's the color of blood."
Kuang Cheng set out two wine bowls, looked up at the sound, and his expression was a bit confused: "Then why does Brother Ji still go?"
"I wasn't used to it at first, but then I thought, if I don't eat, wouldn't they just get everything? At the very least, after we're full, we can still mind some extra business."
"So that's how you can think about it—"
Ji You pointed at the dumplings at this moment: "Eat quickly. Later, the two of us lonely bachelors will go watch the lanterns."
Kuang Cheng was stunned for a moment: "Uh, Miss Wei and I have already made plans in advance."
(Everyone, Happy Lantern Festival! My wife and I are going to release sky lanterns!)