Chapter 245: Return
A cool breeze rustled on a clear, high-sky autumn day.
The Heavenly Dao Conference in Xianxian Garden continued, with the arena matches progressing intensely.
At that time, sword light and saber gleam constantly flashed, and the roar of magical arts echoed across the sky.
Ba Yang, who broke through his Realm just before the match, failed to defend his position and was defeated by Zhu Yao with two wins, stripped of his Master of the Arena title. His iron saber was bent, and he nearly lost an arm, leading to his regrettable exit.
Normally, if a Tongxuan Upper Realm cultivator defeated an Integration Dao Initial Realm cultivator, it would surely cause a huge uproar. Zhu Yao, the newly rising Prodigy of Asked the Dao Sect, might even become famous throughout the Qingyun World because of it.
But the truth was, this battle didn't create much of a stir.
The reason, of course, was that there had already been a similar one before.
Ba Yang, from a small Worldly Family, had no Magical Art Legacy and relied purely on the strength brought by his Realm. He couldn't compare to Immortal Sect disciples like Yan Hao, who had deep Immortal Sect Legacies and countless Sword Dao techniques.
And Zhu Yao was not only from a thousand-year-old Worldly Family but also highly valued by Asked the Dao Sect, placing him on a completely different level.
Therefore, this similar “Tongxuan defeating Integration Dao” battle was far less thrilling than the previous one, and the strength displayed by both in that fight was within everyone's acceptable range.
In addition, another cultivator who broke through his Realm just before the match, Hao Feng, challenged Zhuang Zixin, the younger brother of Zhuang You, a direct disciple of Lingjian Mountain.
It was clear that his approach to the duel was similar to Ba Yang's, trying to overcome skill with brute force through wide, sweeping movements, but things didn't go as he wished. The challenge ultimately ended in his defeat.
And the last one, You Bai, shared a similar fate with the previous two, being blasted off the arena by a direct disciple of Asked the Dao Sect using clever Magical Arts.
At this point, all three cultivators who broke through their Realm just before the match, despite their humble origins, stopped here.
For small Worldly Families to rise, there has only been one way for thousands of years: one person must rapidly increase their cultivation, elevate the Family's status, and gain more resources.
Whether it was Ba Yang or You Hao, both were put forward by their Families, bearing the important mission of Family revitalization.
But in front of Immortal Sects and thousand-year-old Worldly Families, they remained insignificant figures who would be forgotten after a glance.
“These few battles are very interesting.”
“What makes them interesting?”
“They directly show everyone the formidable power of Immortal Sect disciples and thousand-year-old Worldly Family disciples, and also reveal a truth to the Qingyun World: cultivators without Magical Art Legacies, even if they are one minor Realm higher than others, ultimately cannot threaten these Worldly Family disciples with deep backgrounds.”
“That sounds a bit despairing.”
“Taken in isolation, it is indeed regrettable, but who hasn't gone through this? This is the true foundation of Immortal Sects and those thousand-year-old Worldly Families.”
As they chatted, the crowd of spectators suddenly thought of a figure, and their discussions abruptly ceased.
It wasn't uncommon for the Heavenly Dao Conference in previous years to have such situations, with frequent praises for Immortal Sects and thousand-year-old Worldly Families. However, this time, as they repeated similar conversations, they felt unable to continue.
Indeed, direct disciples of Immortal Sects and thousand-year-old Worldly Family disciples seemed insurmountable, but this year's Heavenly Dao Conference had one more person who brought despair.
And that person's origin wasn't even a small Worldly Family; he was just a rural private cultivator who was exceptionally admitted into Tianshu Academy.
At this moment, in front of Xianxian Garden, carriages in Zhongxing County City.
The carriages, arranged in a column, attracted countless cultivators in the city, as well as some poorly dressed women and children, and received unprecedented attention from Immortals.
The Tianshu Academy group was also in the city at this time, silently drinking in a restaurant.
Xiao Hanyan, after winning the third round with a Magical Artifact, ultimately stopped at the arena stage, defeated by Jiang Chenfeng of Asked the Dao Sect with a sword strike.
At the same time, Shi Junhao, who was chosen as a defender, coincidentally encountered the elderly man named Lin Hong.
After a great battle, he was one move short, and this Hall Master candidate ultimately lost to his opponent.
What remained were only He Lingxiu, Chai Ze, and Yu Shiliu, and their opponents were all formidable.
So the atmosphere among them wasn't good; they had little to say to each other. Thus, when the carriages passed by, they couldn't help but instinctively turn their heads.
“What are these for?”
“They’re going to Feng Province.”
“Feng Province?”
The owner of the restaurant and tea house was already accustomed to this, and he opened his mouth to explain to the guests in the shop: “The autumn harvest in Feng Province has begun.
Carriages from several nearby cities have been hired by them for harvesting wheat. Looking at this momentum, it should be a great harvest this year.”
Upon hearing this, the cultivators in the tea house and restaurant couldn't help but exchange glances.
Actually, this wasn't the first time they had heard the words “harvesting wheat.”
Because ever since the arena match where he defeated Yan Hao, Ji You had disappeared. Although it was a small matter, it was enough to arouse people's curiosity.
Then news began to spread that Ji You had gone home to harvest wheat during his free time.
At that time, everyone's hearts were extremely complicated upon hearing this.
Because it felt as if he had been waiting to harvest wheat, and during the wait, he felt bored, so he came to participate in a Heavenly Dao Conference.
Some people also recalled what he said when he established his Worldly Family in Feng Province, when facing the questions from those foreign Immortal Villas about how much tax tribute he wanted: he wanted to ensure that the children in his Family could grow up, and that those who went out could return home, no matter how late.
Then people realized that farming seemed to be more important to Ji You than cultivation.
But what puzzled people was how strong he was despite this.
At this time, Ji You and his group were traveling across the Feng Province, inspecting the renovated official roads along the way and investigating the preparations for the autumn harvest.
They went northward, tapping and asking questions along the way.
Along the way, they discovered that some foreign Immortal Villas had quietly become empty, leaving only vacant houses.
Upon inquiry, nearby villagers said that these Immortal Villas had generally left very quickly in a short period of time.
However, Immortal residences were places Mortals dared not enter, so how these Immortal Villas left, which path they took, and where they went, no one could clearly explain.
After Ji You established his Worldly Family in the Central Plains, it became difficult for foreign Immortal Villas to survive, so it was not surprising that they wanted to move. However, the number of those moving away was even greater than last year, which genuinely surprised Ji You a little.
Actually, after Feng Province's grain production increased, these foreign Immortal Villas would not necessarily have a bad life if they were diligent and hardworking. Who knew these people couldn't endure a little hardship?
Subsequently, the group passed through Yuyang County and, after discussion, decided to stay there for a few days.
Everyone missed their long-unvisited hometown, especially the little girl Qiu Ru, who rushed towards the three mud houses outside the city as soon as she got off the carriage.
Life used to be tough, but for a child like Qiu Ru, it was inevitable to feel nostalgic for her childhood home.
And Kuang Cheng and Wei Rui exchanged glances, tacitly walking towards Kuang Family's old residence.
As for Yan Shuyi, she naturally mumbled about looking around casually, then followed Ji You back to the Ji Family's old residence.
Because it was the day of the autumn harvest, there were quite a lot of people in Yuyang County. The neighbors saw Ji You bringing a beautiful Fairy back to the old residence, and they discussed it among themselves.
“Is this… bringing a wife back?”
“Looks like it—”
“She also has two maids with her; she must be a Young Miss from a prominent Family.”
“More than just a prominent Family, she must be a Young Miss from an Immortal Family. Look at what she’s wearing on her head; I once saw a piece the size of a fingernail. It was said to be a Spirit Stone, and at that time, she was even questioned by Fengxian Villa.”
“No wonder, her temperament is truly extraordinary. She looks even more noble than the Immortal Lord of Fengxian Villa.”
Paifang Street hadn't changed much over the years. People gathered at the street corner, discussing and couldn't help but look at the Fang Family residence not far away.
The incident of the Fang Family breaking off the engagement was well-known back then. Later, Ji You's exceptional admission to Tianshu Academy and his establishment of a Worldly Family also caused a sensation. Now, two years have passed, and it inevitably makes people feel that things are no longer the same.
Yan Shuyi followed Ji You, eyes straight ahead, cold and dignified, but her peripheral vision kept darting around.
Their words couldn't escape her ears, and they sounded somewhat interesting.
Because normally, when people discussed her, it was always about her being the next Head of Lingjian Mountain or the wielder of a Sacred Artifact. This was the first time anyone discussed her, saying she was someone's wife or something.
These people were truly ignorant; they had only met a few strangers, yet they were mistaken for his wife.
Yan Shuyi didn't get angry at their loose tongues. She raised the corners of her mouth, feeling very magnanimous.
Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu were also looking around at this time, observing the place where Ji You grew up, and couldn't help but feel a slight tremor in their hearts.
They had seen many elegantly landscaped Immortal Family villas, and many blessed lands with abundant Immortal Qi, but they had never been to such a barren place covered in yellow earth before.
And it was hard for them to imagine that their Master Jian's husband was born here.
At this moment, Ji You had reached the entrance of the Ji Family's old residence, took out the key given by Qiu Zhong, and unlocked the door.
He had expected to find a courtyard overgrown with weeds, but to his surprise, it was extremely clean, with hardly any dust, and no cobwebs as he had imagined.
Yan Shuyi followed him in, walked into the room where Ji You had lived for many years, and looked around, unable to help but ask, “What do you envision Feng Province becoming in the future?”
“I don't know how far it will go, but it will definitely get better and better, so that the elderly have a dignified end, the strong have a purpose, the young have growth, and the widowed, orphaned, lonely, disabled, and sick are all cared for.”
“And what about your future?”
“I don't have too many aspirations. I just want to continue getting stronger, so I'm not helpless when things happen, and then I want to marry whoever I want and have as many children as I want.”
As Yan Shuyi traveled this path with Ji You, she saw the new appearance of Feng Province and was very curious about what this place would become in the future.
At the same time, she was also curious about what Ji You wanted for his future, whether it was to establish a Worldly Family that would stand for a thousand years, or to retreat into the mountains and forests.
And when she heard him say “have as many children as I want,” her eyes couldn't help but become wary, and then she couldn't resist punching him.
She really didn't dare to try first, because the Lingjian Mountain's Young Master Jian was not only afraid of the dark but also of pain.
Ji You rubbed his slightly aching shoulder, turned to look at the noble and cold Young Master Jian's Face, which showed fear of being bullied, and found it very cute, so he couldn't help but pinch her fair white cheek.
Seeing this, Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu exchanged glances, then walked out as if nothing had happened, and cleverly closed the door.
Seeing how
sensible
the two maids were, Yan Shuyi couldn't help but narrow her eyes.
Ji You also narrowed his eyes.
Actually, he just wanted to pinch her Face; he didn't plan to do anything further.
But since everyone had left, it felt a bit like not giving them Face or wasting their good intentions if he didn't do something—
The house was not lit, and the environment was somewhat dim.
Yan Shuyi silently chanted
pervert
in her heart, and in a moment, she gently opened her arms to the embracing hands, her red lips slightly parted.
The tsundere's kissing skills were already excellent, and their kissing was as natural as greeting each other, but amidst the smooching sounds, there was still Sword Qi on guard, which made Ji You laugh and cry.
Actually, he didn't say he had to make a baby, and besides, he couldn't beat the tsundere right now, so whether to make a baby or not was up to her.
But she was so vigilant, which could only mean she was secretly thinking about it too.
As for the question she had asked earlier about Feng Province and himself, Ji You really hadn't thought much about it.
One person's strength cannot change this world; Ji You understood this from the very beginning.
So his initial thought was very simple: he just wanted to eat a full meal, and what happened later completely exceeded his expectations.
Now Feng Province is getting better, the common people can eat, and children all over the street are no longer sallow and emaciated.
It's a good thing for things to continue this way day by day, of course, assuming no disasters happen in the future. As he thought about it, Ji You suddenly felt a soft, elastic, round and flat mass in his palm that he couldn't hold onto, and then his lips felt a sharp pain, and a sweet, metallic taste filled his mouth.
This time, Yan Shuyi really bit down, her teeth deeply embedded in the corner of his lip, and she hadn't let go. At the same time, her body was filled with fierce Sword Intent, her eyes were extremely cold, but her cheeks were flushed, and she couldn't help but give him two more punches.
Injuries will always hurt, and cultivators are no exception.
Ji You squatted down and sat on the edge of the bed, holding the delicate and soft Young Master Jian in his arms. After she was settled, he waved his hand and slapped her plump backside.
The Young Master Jian trembled and immediately opened her eyes fiercely and cutely, her fair white teeth couldn't help but bite down harder.
“Pervert, you dare to pinch everything even though you're not stronger than me!” The smooching sounds continued into the night. The Kuang Family hosted a banquet at their home and invited them to attend.
Yan Shuyi and Ji You's lips parted, gently panting, gazing at each other for a long time, then tidied their clothes and went out,
walking past Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu as if nothing had happened.
At this moment, no one knew that the Young Master Jian's backside and her roundness were both a bit fiery.
Cao Jinsong and the others came from Fang Mansion; they were unwilling to go to Ji You's house because they assumed he had nothing there.
In comparison, Fang Mansion's hospitality was extremely thorough.
When they reached Paifang Street, they saw Ji You, Yan Shuyi, Ding Yao, and Zhuo Wanqiu walking towards them.
However, their gaze was mainly on Ji You's lips, looking at the bleeding wound, and they stopped and held their breath slightly.
Last winter, a girl stayed in Ji You's courtyard for more than half a month.
After she left, Ji You's lips had two more bite marks.
At that time, they never knew who that woman was, and they wondered why a girl of Yuan Caiwei's status could accept another woman staying overnight in Ji You's courtyard.
Now, the answer seems to have emerged, gradually becoming clear from the layers of mist.
At this moment, the four of them couldn't help but glance warily at the Lingjian Mountain's Young Master Jian, whose eyes were slightly cold.
This aloof Master Jian plays quite a game with the Rebellious Disciple in private. Preparation for the autumn harvest then began to advance step by step. More cultivators joined the combined harvesting team and obtained the Magical Artifact, the Curved Moon Scythe, than last year.
At this time, only a few days remained until the final competition.
To avoid attracting attention, the Lingjian Mountain's Young Master Jian returned from Feng Province on the seventh day. Before leaving, she kept peering out the carriage window, looking again at everything she had seen on the way there.
Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu could tell at a glance that the Young Master Jian was a bit reluctant to leave, but it was hidden by her aloofness. They were somewhat surprised at how quickly the Master Jian had developed a sense of belonging to Feng Province.
Actually, this was not surprising, after all, that home in Lingjian Mountain was just a mountain peak to her.
But the strange man's home, with Qiu Ru running around every day calling her
Elder Sister
and Old Qiu indirectly hinting that it would be lively with a baby, was much more vibrant than before.
Moreover, this sense of belonging wasn't something she developed after arriving; it actually existed before she even came. After all, last winter in Shengjing, when she heard a vendor say that Feng Province was not good, she nearly lost her temper.
After Yan Shuyi and her group returned, Ji You returned the next day, his carriage reaching Xianxian Garden in one day.
At that time, his boots and the hem of his clothes still had un-dried mud, truly looking as if he had just come from the fields, which greatly astonished the Prodigies in Xianxian Garden who considered themselves Immortals.
【Finished working in the fields, came back to participate in the Heavenly Dao Conference finals】
Furthermore, the wound at the corner of his mouth also drew attention, making people wonder if there was anything in the Inner Courtyard that would bite people. Under everyone's gaze, Ji You strode back to his courtyard. Before his bottom had even warmed the seat, he heard a sound of
Brother-in-law
echoing in the courtyard.
Then, a figure scurried into his room.
“Brother-in-law, long time no see!”
Yuan Chen ran into the room at this moment, slightly panting, and then saw the wound at the corner of Ji You's mouth, instinctively averting his gaze.
Young Master Jian's Elder Sister is truly lustful.
In fact, counting the days, Ji You also knew that they should have returned, so he wasn't too surprised to see him: “Has the Xianxian Holy Land opened?”
Yuan Chen nodded: “My Elder Sister and I returned yesterday. We only heard that you went home after we arrived.”
“Where are you living now?”
“In the garden next door.”
Ji You looked out the door after hearing this: “Where's your Elder Sister? Didn't she come back with you?”
Yuan Chen turned and pointed to the small building opposite: “Young Master Jian's Elder Sister called her over as a guest.”
Yan Shuyi knew Ji You's return date. The little jealous one timed it perfectly, directly calling Yuan Caiwei away and personally watching her.
After Yuan Chen finished speaking, he added: “I just came here to tell you, and I'll go back in a bit.”
Ji You looked at him strangely: “Aren't you most afraid of your two Elder Sisters meeting each other, yet you're actively going back?”
“I'm not staying with them. I met a new friend, a novel writer. He's a great storyteller. I was late this time and missed several of your matches, Brother-in-law, so he told me all about them.”
“You and Gongshu Chou really are two peas in a pod—”
“Huh, how does Brother-in-law know that person is named Gongshu Chou?”
“That son of a bitch is a repeat offender.”
Yuan Caiwei was currently sitting on the second floor of the small building opposite, looking at Yan Shuyi.
Since their parting in Shengjing, another autumn had passed in the blink of an eye. The two sisters hadn't seen each other for a long time. Now, as they looked at each other, scenes of their childhood oath to be sisters for life couldn't help but surface in their minds.
Who would have thought sisters would act like this? Yan Shuyi was somewhat speechless.
Ji You was currently chatting with Yuan Chen, and imperceptibly, he felt a surge of Sword Qi rising from the opposite side.
Heh, the tsundere herself didn't dare to try, but she vigorously prevented others from trying. Is there still any law?
Yuan Chen quickly left, rushing to hear Gongshu Chou's next installment about his brother-in-law's matches.
And no sooner had he left than visitors arrived at Ru Sheng Courtyard. Leading the way were the four, Cao Jinsong, who had rested at the inn earlier, followed by the long-unseen Bai Rulong, and the Lu Family sisters who had rushed from Tianshu Academy to watch Ji You's match.
Lu Hanyan recounted how Tianshu Academy's Autumn Tournament resulted in both sides being injured, and how she and Fang Jincheng eventually entered the Inner Courtyard for cultivation together.
Upon hearing this, Ji You nodded, thinking that these old fellows had at least done something decent. Then he looked at Rulong Immortal Emperor: “What about you? Why did you only come now?”
“Something happened at my home.”
“?”
“My aunt and my younger brother went missing. My father is in seclusion, so I had to stay for a longer period.”
Ji You was stunned to hear this: “How could they go missing?”
Bai Rulong raised his eyes: “I'm not sure what happened. My Family members also can't explain it clearly, but it's nothing serious.”
The aunt Bai Rulong mentioned was his father's second wife, and the younger brother, Bai Sihou, was born to the aunt.
When he returned home this time, he heard from his Family that his younger brother and aunt had both disappeared, and his father had been in seclusion the entire time, not showing his Face, making the Family atmosphere quite strange.
Although Bai Rulong had never been highly regarded due to the presence of his aunt and younger brother, and he secretly harbored some resentment, they were still Family after all.
Bai Rulong took a few young members of his Family to search for them, but after searching everywhere and finding nothing, he felt he had done his utmost and gave up.
On the way here, Cao Jinsong and the other three had already heard him talk about this, and they found it somewhat strange. So they raised their eyes to look at Ji You, and saw that Ji You also couldn't help but frown slightly, with a constant sense of unease flashing across his Face.
“Brother Ji, have you seen any beautiful girls at the Heavenly Dao Conference these past few days?”
Bai Rulong's words at this moment pulled everyone's thoughts back.
Cao Jinsong and Wen Zhengxin's group couldn't help but glance at the small building opposite after hearing this, thinking,
Look? What the hell is he looking at?
Sure enough, Ji You shook his head like a true gentleman. The most beautiful one was right opposite; he hadn't looked at anyone else besides her.