Chapter 217: Before Departure
Some things can only be understood after experiencing and witnessing them, allowing one to comprehend the lives of those individuals.
Otherwise, it would be like an old farmer who has never seen an emperor in his life; no matter how grand his thoughts, he would only imagine the emperor's hoe to be made of gold.
Even their casual tea-drinking is a form of cultivation; how can ordinary people compare?
Ji You couldn't even imagine the life of the Celestial Book Institute Head Teacher, and he felt a deep worry for the old man's grand endeavor.
Subsequently, a notice was issued by the Master's Courtyard.
The departure date for Tianshu Academy to attend the Tiandao Conference was set for the fifth day of the seventh month, on the Wuchen day.
At that time, cultivators from all over the world will gather in Zhongxing County to celebrate the grand event, witness the prosperity of the Immortal Dao, and jointly explore the profound mysteries of the Great Dao.
Yuan Caiwei sent a letter, saying that the wheat seedlings he sent were growing exceptionally well. She also mentioned hearing that he had secured a spot and that she would arrive in Shengjing City with her sect on the third day of the seventh month, then travel to Zhongxing County with Tianshu Academy.
Alchemists have no combat ability and need escorts when traveling, so it was not surprising for her to depart with Tianshu Academy.
Cao Jinsong, Wen Zhengxin, and Ban Yangshu also planned to join the Tiandao Conference for the excitement and to cheer on Ji You. Ru Long Immortal Emperor had gone home to visit relatives and had not yet returned, presumably held up by something, but he did send a letter back, saying he would arrive in Zhongxing County with his Family and meet them there.
Pei Ruyi also wrote to them, stating she would arrive around the same time and had arranged a meeting place with Wen Zhengxin.
Fairy Ru Yi has a strong obsession with cultivation; otherwise, she wouldn't have stayed at Tianshu Academy for ten years. For such a major event, it was impossible for her not to attend.
The Seven Great Immortal Sects would not provide accommodation for self-funded spectators like Cao Instructor. However, because Zhongxing County has hosted the Tiandao Conference multiple times, there are many inns in the vicinity, and even entire rented estates are available.
However, estates and the like would likely be unaffordable for Cao Instructor, given his financial situation, which led him to marry off a Disciple for Spiritual Tea.
If the inns raise prices due to the crowd, they might even have to sleep on the streets.
As for Ji You, as a participating Disciple, all his affairs would be taken care of, so he didn't need to worry about sleeping on the streets with Cao Instructor.
At this moment, he was in the Sword Forest, holding a wooden sword and standing proudly among the green bamboo, conducting a prolonged, face-to-face training session with the sweating Lu family's Second Miss.
For others, the Tiandao Conference was the biggest event, but for her, the Autumn Tournament was more pressing. Ji You didn't have much time to instruct her, so he simply sparred with her, pointing out all her flaws.
As a result, her perky buttocks were struck many times in a single day. Although it couldn't be seen through the gauze skirt and silk trousers,
it must have been completely red.
"Don't always blindly imitate the sword forms I've demonstrated. A sword is strongest when it feels natural in your hand. You must develop your own understanding based on your personal sword-wielding habits."
"Yes, Senior Brother."
"Your sword strikes need to be steadier. The rise and fall, the thrust and the center, that constitutes a complete sword strike. The Sword Qi in between must not pause."
"Yes, Senior Brother."
"Your waist is still not flexible enough; it appears somewhat stiff, greatly limiting your power. You've had this bad habit from the very beginning."
"But Senior Brother, I don't know how to make my waist more flexible."
"Forget it, it will get better after you get married—."
Lu Hanyan's eyes widened upon hearing this, and her sword form instantly became a bit chaotic. Her buttocks were hit with a "smack" by the bamboo sword, and she let out a whimper.
Lu Qingqiu was guarding her younger sister on the west side of the bamboo forest, strictly adhering to Ji You's instruction of "don't let anyone disturb" when he entered.
At this moment, she pricked up her ears, listening to the continuous "smack, smack, smack" sounds and occasional cries of pain emanating from the forest, as well as her Junior Brother's childish voice. She couldn't help but blush.
That seductive girl...
However, a strict teacher indeed produces outstanding Disciples. Although her sister's buttocks were swollen and perky, her swordsmanship had indeed improved significantly in recent days.
Lu Qingqiu had sparred with her younger sister, Lu Hanyan, the day before yesterday and found that her sister's combat strength had far surpassed her previous level; just her opening stance put her under immense pressure.
Ji You had said he wouldn't teach Spiritual Sword Mountain Sword Dao to outsiders, but her sister's current sword strikes already faintly showed the posture of the Sword Dao. After much thought, it must be that Ji You taught her his insights other than the Spiritual Sword Mountain Sword Dao.
Coupled with the Sword Manipulation technique she had learned earlier, her perky buttocks weren't for naught.
Moreover, her sister didn't consider it a punishment at all; instead, she saw it as a reward.
Lu Qingqiu listened for a long time, couldn't help but bite her pearly teeth lightly, and then waited until noon, when she heard the whistling of Sword Qi in the bamboo forest suddenly stop.
Turning her head, she saw Ji You slowly walking out of the forest, followed by Lu Hanyan, whose cheeks were flushed. Her red lips were lightly bitten, and she was gently stroking her buttocks with her hand as she walked.
"I've taught almost everything that needed to be taught. For the Autumn Tournament, let Miss Lu Er do her best."
Lu Qingqiu averted her gaze from her sister's buttocks: "Thank you, Young Master Ji, for your generous instruction."
Ji You glanced at Lu Hanyan: "She still has many shortcomings. You should make a note of them and supervise her practice later. However, there's no need to be too harsh. Her current level is already quite good; Fang Jincheng will find it difficult to catch up."
"I will follow all your instructions, Young Master."
Ji You enumerated Lu Hanyan's current shortcomings to Lu Qingqiu, then bid her farewell without lingering,
even declining the invitation to have lunch together.
The last few sounds made by Lu family's Second Miss were a bit moist; he was afraid of being aroused.
He was a proper teacher, and his method of teaching Lu Hanyan was the same as Pei Ruyi's method of teaching Ruru: the main idea was that a strict teacher produces outstanding Disciples. No matter how difficult it was to remember, if it hurt enough, they would always remember.
Ruru, that gluttonous girl, ate ten meals a day, but she was also beaten into diligence and studiousness.
This shows that spanking as a teaching method is legitimate and reliable, and the teaching content is standardized and rigorous.
As for why he taught a Rebellious Disciple who wanted to hit on her teacher, the only possibility was that Miss Lu Er was not a proper student—
Lu Qingqiu watched Ji You leave the Sword Forest, gazing as his white robes fluttered like the wind down the mountain. Then she looked at her sister: "Why did you make so many mistakes today? Young Master Ji hit you—he hit you until he was sweating."
Lu Hanyan looked at Ji You's retreating figure and thought to herself that she hadn't made that many mistakes; some of them were probably because Senior Brother Ji got addicted to hitting and did it on purpose.
Seeing her sister not respond, Lu Qingqiu remembered Ji You saying not to be too harsh, so she changed her tone and offered to take her to lunch.
Lu Hanyan asked her sister to wait, as she needed to return to her courtyard to change into a fresh pair of silk trousers. At this time, Ji You had already left the Outer Courtyard and headed to Shengjing City along the Nishan Sacred Path to purchase some items.
Zhongxing County also had a Qionghua Pavilion, but it didn't offer discounts, whereas the one in Shengjing City, after he promoted their goods, would give him a discount.
After Ji You finished his purchases, he rolled up his sleeves and walked out the door. His eyes were drawn to more than ten chariots radiating Spiritual Qi, so he paused on the stone steps and watched for a long time.
These chariots all flew high banners, embroidered with different Family crests.
Twin-lotus flowers bloomed on bronze plates, nine-star marks encircled iron swords, and Yin and Yang twin fish connected tail-to-tail. Behind these chariots with high-flying Family crests, countless figures floated in the air on swords, each appearing with an Immortal-like demeanor, gracefully landing on the street.
There were young Young Masters in their prime, Fairy maidens from Immortal sects with flowing robes and jade ornaments on their heads, and some old men with arrogant expressions,
walking with their hands behind their backs, with long swords inlaid with gold and silver-ringed treasure sabers at their waists, surging into the city like a tide.
The Tiandao Conference was held in Zhongzhou, and these Worldly Sect were from far away, so they had set off early. When passing through Shengjing City, they planned to stay for a few days to sightsee and rest.
Because of this grand occasion, the East and West markets had begun to close in recent days. Many hawkers and porters no longer entered the city, fearing they might accidentally offend a high-status Immortal.
The four major restaurants and three major estates in the capital had earned far more in recent days than during the Tianshu Academy preliminary selection.
Before long, Ji You saw a group of high-ranking officials and nobles appear on the street. They then bowed and approached the Immortals from all directions, receiving them enthusiastically, almost gathering all hundred surnames.
Qingyun World had always been like this; anything related to the word 'Immortal' was a big deal.
However, Ji You had indeed rarely seen such a magnificent scene as today.
After watching for a while, he stepped down from the threshold, walked towards two cultivators in front of a pleasure house, then patted two beggars sitting nearby, took them to the west city, gave them some copper coins, and told them to play elsewhere.
These beggars had little worldly experience and, unlike adults, wouldn't assess the situation. If they truly caused trouble at this time, it wouldn't be easy to handle.
Ji You then turned back to the main street. After a few steps, he saw a middle-aged man and slightly paused.
The unkempt middle-aged man stood in front of a residence, staring at him with bloodshot eyes.
Although his hands were hidden in his wide brocade sleeves, they were still visibly trembling.
Ji You was stunned for a moment, then turned his gaze towards the two headless stone lions, and silently headed towards Kuang Cheng's residence.
"Brother Ji, when do you plan to depart for the Tiandao Conference?"
"On the fifth day of the seventh month, I will go with the Master's Courtyard. Cao Instructor and his group will travel by carriage, and Senior Sister Pei should also come from Feng Province."
"I'll probably be leaving around the same time, traveling by carriage with the Immortal Monitoring Bureau. We can then meet in Zhongxing County."
The Tiandao Conference involved many mundane affairs, such as meals, accommodation, banquets, and venue arrangements. Immortals, who are unburdened by worldly matters, would naturally not toil over these things, so these responsibilities fell to the Great Xia Dynasty.
Previously, the pro-Immortal faction was responsible for the Immortal gathering, but this year, the heavy responsibility fell to the Master of Immortal Supervision.
Kuang Cheng, as the Master of Immortal Supervision, naturally had to go along.
However, he didn't have to worry about being separated from Wei Rui, as Wei Rui would go along with several princesses from the palace and Zhao Yunyue from Prince Chong's Mansion to join in the fun.
Without the watchful eyes of the capital, the chubby boy might just find his match between Kuang Lang and Kuang Lang.
"The completion of the official road in Feng Province and the autumn harvest should both take place during the Tiandao Conference. I might not have time to oversee them, so you'll have to keep a close eye on these matters. If any trouble arises, notify me. I've also informed Cao Instructor and Senior Brother Ban, and they will help you."
Hearing this, Kuang Cheng looked up: "Kuang and Brother Ji are both from Feng Province, so this is only right. Brother Ji just needs to focus on the battle. I will inform you immediately if anything happens."
Ji You glanced at him, thinking, 'You're so timid about matters of life and death, but when it comes to this kind of thing, you're like you've eaten a Snickers bar.'
At this thought, Ji You suddenly paused: "What's going on with that Dou Shangshu?"
Kuang Cheng was slightly taken aback, looking at him uncertainly: "Dou Shangshu came to find you?"
"No, I saw him on my way here, right outside the Dou Mansion. His eyes were wide open, as if he wanted to devour me, and his face was extremely pale, as if he hadn't slept for a long time."
"That's not surprising—"
"?"
Kuang Cheng pondered for a moment before speaking: "A few days ago, a report came from the capital saying that Dou Yuankong had gone missing.
The only things recovered were a servant he carried with him and a blood-stained sleeve."
Ji You was slightly startled, then his brow furrowed, thinking, 'No wonder that Dou Shangshu's Killing Intent was so strong.'
When he returned from the Snow Region, he had threatened Dou Yuankong never to return to the capital. Now that something had happened to him, it was not surprising that Dou Shangshu would direct his hatred towards him.
"Dou Yuankong has some cultivation. Ordinary people shouldn't be able to harm him. How could he suddenly disappear?"
"He was probably robbed by privately cultivating mountain bandits. The Master of Immortal Supervision is currently investigating, but because his servant died after escaping back, no clues have been found yet."
Kuang Cheng finished speaking and looked up: "He harbored malicious intentions towards Brother Ji at the time, wanting to harm Brother Ji through the Yao Race envoy.
This calamity can be considered a cycle of retribution. Brother Ji doesn't need to blame himself."
Ji You pursed his lips: "It's not self-blame, I just feel like I'm now like other cultivators, able to take someone's life with a single word."
Kuang Cheng shook his head: "Brother Ji is destined to be different from other cultivators. I have always thought so. Even my colleagues in the Master of Immortal Supervision say that if all cultivators in the world were like Brother Ji, there would truly be peace."
Ji You looked up at him: "But even a hero can't always resist temptation. Do you know that people in the academy have already started trying to set me up with matches? Some have even clearly written down the dowry, which is extremely tempting. I am already no match for beauty,
and I certainly cannot fully resist such worldly possessions."
"Is Brother Ji not afraid of being pierced to death by Fairy Yan?"
"I am a little afraid."
Kuang Cheng reached out and supported the table: "With a sharp sword in hand and beloved ones in his heart, Brother Ji naturally won't be blinded by external things."
Ji You glanced at him, thinking, 'That 'ones' you used is very subtle. Such skillful use of words and phrases is practically asking for my life.'
Kuang Cheng then raised his eyelids: "By the way, Brother Ji, will Fairy Yan go to the Tiandao Conference?"
"That, I don't know either."
Ji You hadn't told Kuang Cheng about Yan Shuyi's identity, but since he held a position in the Master of Immortal Supervision, he had access to the dossiers of the various great Immortal Sects, so the origin of the surname Yan couldn't be hidden from him.
However, Kuang Shusheng was one of the few people he could completely trust, so even if he knew, Ji You didn't think much of it.
As for whether Yan Shuyi would appear at the Tiandao Conference, he really couldn't say for sure. Logically speaking, the Tiandao Conference was extremely important to the Immortal Realm, and the five 殿 Masters of Tianshu Academy would all attend,
and some even said that the Head Teacher would also appear.
Then the little Master Jian of Lingjian Mountain should also appear.
But for the tsundere Fairy, breaking through to the Wujiang Realm was the most crucial issue, an issue that even affected the overall stability of Lingjian Mountain.
However, the matter of Breakthrough was inherently mysterious, whether short or long, and it was estimated that even she herself couldn't say for sure when she would be able to Breakthrough.
But even if she didn't go, Zhuo Wanqiu and Ding Yao would go, so he could just ask them then.
Kuang Cheng then asked, "What about Miss Yuan from Dan Sect? Is she going?"
"She wrote to me today, saying that she would come to Shengjing first, and then depart with Tianshu Academy. The opening of the Sage's Dao-Proving Ground seems to require a Dan Master."
"So that's how it is."
"?"
Ji You took out a packet of tea leaves from his 懷: "Spiritual Tea given by someone else, I'm leaving it for you. Although you don't cultivate Immortals, drinking it should still sharpen your senses and prolong your life."
Kuang Cheng took the tea leaves and examined them for a long time: "I've heard of Spiritual Wine, but Spiritual Tea is unheard of."
"It's something poor people can't see. Even Cao Jinsong wanted to drink it, but I didn't give it to him."
"Isn't this a bit too valuable?"
"I'm not charging you."
Ji You then left Kuang Cheng's place and walked along the main road towards Ni Mountain in the afternoon as the sun set in the west. As he walked, he noticed that the cultivators who had entered earlier were now appearing in restaurants and tea houses, discussing amongst themselves.
This was different from their expressions Ji You had seen earlier.
Because although their previous expressions had some enthusiasm, they weren't as ecstatic or as surprised as they were now.
The Tiandao Conference was a well-known event and shouldn't be that surprising, so according to Ji You's judgment, something else must have happened.
However, these Worldly Sect were quite cautious when they went out, using Magical Artifacts to block sound, so no news leaked out, and Ji You couldn't inquire. He returned to the Tianshu Academy's mountain gate along the mountain path, and after entering, he found that the expressions of the Disciples in the academy were very similar to those he had seen on the street earlier. They were also gathered in groups of three or five, talking non-stop.
And this time, without the obstruction of those personal Magical Artifacts, Ji You's ears clearly heard what they were discussing.
The matter was still related to the Tiandao Conference, specifically to the Integration Dao Realm.
The two Dragon and Phoenix direct Disciples of the Chen Clan were going to participate in the Integration Dao Realm competition at this Tiandao Conference, with the goal of entering the Sage's Dao-Proving Ground and Breaking Through to the Sky Soaring Realm within it.
Immortal Sect direct Disciples and what Immortal Hall direct Disciples or Immortal Pavilion direct Disciples were not the same concept. Even someone with a high status in the Tianshu Academy's Inner Courtyard like He Lingxiu was far inferior to them.
If one had to compare, it was probably the distance between Senior Sister Pei and her, or even greater.
After all, Immortal Sect direct Disciples were very likely to become a Head Teacher and wield a Sacred Artifact in the future.
The already perilous Integration Dao Realm battle, with the participation of Immortal Sect direct Disciples, naturally put immense pressure on those who intended to achieve a ranking, so much so that everyone in the city who had reached the Integration Dao Realm felt uneasy.
In the Inner Courtyard, He Lingxiu, Shi Junhao, Xiao Hanyan, and Chai Hu all fell into grave silence after hearing the news.
However, although this news was surprising, it was not mentioned the most.
The most mentioned, and most shocking news, came from the Xuán Hǎi, the Linglan Mountain with three peaks standing side by side.
There are many female cultivators in the world who like to call themselves goddesses or Fairies.
But only Shuyi, the little Master Jian of Linglan Mountain, was truly called a goddess by the entire Qingyun World.
Among the Seven Great Immortal Sects of the current age, except for Tianshu Academy which did not yet have direct Disciples, all other Immortal Sects already had direct Disciples.
Yan Shuyi was not the oldest among them, but she had always been the one with the highest cultivation, showcasing her Prodigy-like demeanor.
And just this morning, a clear Phoenix cry soared into the sky, and the originally rainy Ling Province was cleared into a sunny expanse.
The little Master Jian Shuyi of Linglan Mountain broke through her seclusion and was now the youngest Wujiang Realm cultivator in the current age, without exception.
This news was brought by the Mountain and Sea Pavilion of the Southern Immortal Sect after Ji You entered Kuang Cheng's small courtyard, and it had spread throughout the city in just half an hour.
"Cao Instructor, have you heard?"
"I've heard. The little Master Jian of Linglan Mountain has entered the Wujiang Realm. Such talent is truly beyond reach. She is indeed a goddess descended to the mortal world, worthy of the name."
"Not that, I mean the matter of Junior Brother Ji finding silver."
Cao Jinsong looked over with a bewildered expression: "He found silver?"
Ban Yangshu was startled: "No? I just returned from sending a letter in Shengjing, and I met Junior Brother Ji at the mountain gate. He was beaming, so I thought he had found silver."