At the first quarter of the Dog Hour, at the Tianshu Academy female dormitory.
Fang Ruoyao finally felt the True Spirit within her body this morning, so she spent the entire night, and with Pei Ruyi’s guidance, she successfully entered the Elementary Spirit Awakening Realm.
It took her ten days from learning the Dao Source General Outline to finally sensing the Celestial Spirit.
Although it was only the most Elementary state of the Lower Three Realms, she was still greatly encouraged.
Because she knew that Ji You was still stuck at Junior Third Realm Completion and had not advanced an inch.
This made her feel that what she said in Yuyang County that day, “I may not be worse than him, just started later than him,” would not just be an empty boast.
She couldn’t keep using Ji You’s fiancée’s title; it would eventually be exposed.
Therefore, she had to surpass Ji You.
However, at this moment, she suddenly saw a Senior Sister rushing past her window, then a second, a third, a fourth…
Finally, a disheveled and unkempt Senior Sister also ran out of the female dormitory.
This Senior Sister seemed to be named Qiao Rong; she had been in the academy for four years, but her Divine Thought was not strong, and she couldn't bear the cost of long-term Medicinal Pill consumption, ultimately getting stuck at the step of sensing the Heavenly Dao and unable to advance.
Two years ago, she gave up on directly observing the Heavenly Dao and began researching how to sense the Celestial Book.
Finally, her last lingering hope died, and she had been slacking off ever since.
In another six months, she might be expelled from Tianshu Academy, but being expelled didn't mean she had nowhere to go.
Tianshu Academy also had affiliated small Sects and villas, similar to the relationship between Fengxian Villa and Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion, distributed throughout the world, returning once a year for the Sect’s Heaven Worship ceremony.
And this Senior Sister Qiao Rong had not been interested in anything in recent years; the only thing that interested her was what she sought but couldn't obtain.
Someone sensed the Celestial Book.
Was it Chu River or Lu Qingqiu?
After careful thought, Fang Ruoyao felt it should be Chu River.
Young Master Chu was a descendant of an Immortal Sect noble family, possessing the aura of a noble Young Master; he was usually stern, but he was quite noticed by female cultivators in the Outer Courtyard.
Especially those from small places like her, who had never seen such a person, would often discuss him for a long time at night.
“Young Master Chu is truly an Immortal figure…”
“It seems Lu Qingqiu won’t get an Inner Courtyard spot this year.”
Fang Ruoyao pondered for a long time, never remembering her former fiancé, and then immediately got out of bed and followed the crowd to the Wudao Field.
Under the night sky, the Wudao Field was packed with people; Young Miss Fang had never known that the Outer Courtyard had so many Disciples.
At this moment, some even stepped on Mystic Light, suspended over the lake, craning their necks towards the center of the Wudao Field.
It seemed that in every generation, there were always exceptionally talented individuals who soared ahead, shattering the Dao Heart of many contemporary Disciples, leaving so many others stagnant.
Fang Ruoyao also tiptoed to look forward but found that her gaze couldn't penetrate the crowd.
However, at this moment, someone saw her, paused slightly, remembered the rumors she had personally acknowledged, and then pulled their fellow cultivators around them, moving to the left and right.
“?”
“What’s going on…”
Ever since Fang Ruoyao entered Tianshu Academy, she had become unnoticeable.
After all, this was a place where status was determined by cultivation and family background; she had the lowest cultivation and humble origins, so it was naturally to be expected.
But now, seeing everyone make way for her suddenly made her feel somewhat overwhelmed.
However, some who were unaware remained in place, but after being whispered to by a Fellow Daoist, they suddenly understood and moved aside.
With doubt and confusion, Fang Ruoyao walked in somewhat nervously.
Slowly, she began to see the vast Celestial Light within the Wudao Field, then stopped, her eyes trembling.
At the very center of the Wudao Field, in the best position, stood a person clutching his chest.
He seemed severely injured, his eyes unfocused, as if he had experienced great hardships; it was Young Master Chu River of the Chu family.
There was also another person, clutching the corner of her skirt, biting her thin lips, her eyes filled with complex emotions.
And Ji You sat in the western part of the field, with Celestial Light surging around him, already in a profound and mysterious Realm, his brow slightly furrowed, and Mystic Light flickering in and out.
It was this furrowing of his brow that pierced people’s hearts like a sharp sword.
Because if he were completely bewildered, it would mean he hadn’t seen anything, but this furrowed brow indicated that he was learning, and still learning!
A Fellow Daoist’s bewilderment allows me to sleep soundly, but a Fellow Daoist’s furrowed brow keeps me tossing and turning; this is the reality of the cultivation world!
“Ji You…”
“The one who sensed the Celestial Book is Ji You…”
At this moment, Fang Ruoyao stood frozen in place.
Just then, on the peak of Ni Mountain, two grand halls hidden in the clouds suddenly flickered with spiritual light, soaring into the sky, trailing long fiery tails.
The next moment, an old Daoist in a golden-threaded cloud-patterned robe and a middle-aged woman wearing hairpin flowers and an eight-panel skirt appeared on the Wudao Platform.
Disciples immediately recognized the two as Inner Courtyard Hall Masters Zuoqiuyang and You Yingqiu, and they all bowed in salute.
Tianshu Academy has five great holy halls: Self-Sovereign, Auspicious, Longevity, Untainted, and Desireless. Zuoqiuyang presides over Self-Sovereign, and You Yingqiu presides over Auspicious.
They are in charge of the cultivation of Inner Courtyard Disciples and rarely come to the Outer Courtyard except for admission ceremonies; only when an Outer Courtyard Disciple senses the Celestial Book will they be drawn there.
“How long has it been?”
Ban Yangshu respectfully replied, “It has been three quarters of an hour.”
Zuoqiuyang frowned, “What time?”
“It is indeed three quarters of an hour.”
You Yingqiu was slightly surprised and turned to look at Zuoqiuyang.
Hall Master Zuoqiu pondered for a moment, then asked Ban Yangshu, “Were you present when he sensed the Celestial Book?”
“Reporting to Hall Master, this Disciple was present.”
“Tell me in detail.”
Ban Yangshu meticulously recounted Ji You’s sensing of the Celestial Book, and also mentioned that even though he was not in a state of enlightenment, the Celestial Light still poured down with him.
After listening, Hall Master Zuoqiu showed no expression, exchanged a glance with You Yingqiu, and then both vanished from the spot.
The next instant, the two had returned to the peak of Ni Mountain, entering the depths of the vast sea of clouds.
“Since his return to the Immortal Realm, sensing the Celestial Book has become incredibly difficult; it’s been a long time since any Disciple could observe the book for so long.”
“Junior Sister You, haven’t you noticed? Time is not the biggest problem; it’s the state.”
Zuoqiuyang placed his wide sleeves behind his back, his brow deeply furrowed: “How can one sense the Celestial Book without being in a state of enlightenment? Could it be that the Celestial Book is sensing him? This concerns the Legacy of the Dao, and I always feel this is not a good thing.”
You Yingqiu was about to open her mouth to discuss it with him, but before she could speak, she suddenly stopped and bowed respectfully forward.
Zuoqiuyang was slightly startled and immediately bowed with her.
“Master Head Teacher.”
On the black mountain cliff facing the forest and cloud seas, an old man stood with his hands behind his back, his faded sleeves fluttering with the mountain gusts.
This old man was the Celestial Book Institute Head Teacher, who had been in the Linxian Realm for over two hundred years but had never Ascended.
You Yingqiu couldn’t help but sniff slightly at this moment, smelling alcohol, and couldn’t help but be surprised: “Master drank?”
“Just a small pot.”
“Didn’t you say you would never drink again?”
The old man looked at them with a smile: “What happened in the Outer Courtyard?”
Zuoqiuyang immediately said: “There is a Disciple in the Outer Courtyard who sensed the Celestial Book while not in a state of enlightenment. It’s very strange. Junior Sister and I were about to report it. Should we monitor him closely?”
“No need, no need. It’s just sensing the Celestial Book; why make such a fuss?”
“Sensing the Celestial Book while not in a state of enlightenment, isn’t that unusual?”
The old man stroked his long beard and let out a burp: “I just summoned the Celestial Book to manifest; that kid simply has extremely good Luck and caught the easiest time to sense the Celestial Book.”
Zuoqiuyang suddenly understood: “No wonder it’s like this; it turns out it wasn’t his ability, but Master’s doing.”
You Yingqiu frowned at the sound, thinking, Master just said he was drinking heavily, so why did he say he summoned the Celestial Book to manifest? How strange.
Master is the longest-living Immortal in the world. After his old friend returned to the Immortal Realm back then, he clearly said he would never drink again.