Cold dew startles the late autumn, watching the chrysanthemums gradually yellow in the morning. A thousand homes swept leaves in the wind, and ten thousand miles of geese followed the sun.
Before the sun’s rays penetrated, the white dew was vast.
A large number of cultivators from Zilong Commandery, which belongs to Anyuan City, passed by and were grandly entertained by the local Prefect.
They had just come from the northwest, starting from the Dongping Mountain Range and searching all the way to this place. At this point, they were somewhat exhausted, and their Faces also showed solemnity.
Although Bu Qirong was dead, those Immortal Sect Elders who were on their last legs had not given up.
They were ordered to continue searching the mountains for three consecutive days, attempting to find if there were any surviving members of the Bu family.
The result was… nothing.
Afterward, they went to investigate the wine estate, the residence of the Xia family head, visited the local government office, and consulted the county gazetteer.
Countless complex pieces of information were collected in a basket, piled together in disarray.
It was still unclear whether these pieces of information were useful or not; they just waited to be handed over to the Elders, who might be able to connect them into a coherent line.
Jiang Yan, Yan Qiubai, and Jiang Yuerou were also resting here, along with the severely injured Jiang Chenfeng, Xie Chenyu, and others, planning to return to the Sect by Immortal ship.
As they ate and drank, their fatigue eased considerably, and their taut nerves gradually relaxed.
But just then, the sound of gongs and drums from the street attracted their attention.
So they walked out of the Prefect's Mansion and looked out.
On the official road of Zilong Commandery, tax-collecting officials drove grain carts back and forth. The disciplinary rods were raised high, looking incomparably majestic.
Some stooped commoners were carrying heavy sacks towards this place, walking towards the carriages under the watchful eyes of the swaggering officials.
It was common for some elderly individuals to be kicked and beaten for being too slow in carrying the sacks.
The Prefect of Zilong Commandery stood beside them, bowing respectfully and saying, “Every year after the autumn harvest is the day our commandery collects taxes. Half of the grain goes into the national treasury, and the other half is sent to our Immortal Sects to support the Immortals.”
A Mountain Sea Pavilion Disciple, upon hearing this, couldn't help but ask curiously, “Can we Immortals eat so much grain?”
“Part of it will be exchanged for gold and silver, re-entering the market and sold back to the common people. Another part is acquired by Yun Province to feed the miners throughout the province, and what is exchanged for the Immortals are Spirit Stones.”
“And another part is exchanged by Zhong Province and Yu Province to feed the workers at the Spiritual Seed farms. In short, it will satisfy the Immortals.”
These cultivators had been practicing in seclusion deep in the mountains for years, oblivious to worldly affairs. Many of them were hearing for the first time that their daily food, clothing, and expenses came from this, and they found it vivid and lively.
Seeing that the Immortals were quite interested in this, the Prefect of Zilong Commandery spoke again: “However, this year, the tax offerings for the Immortals might be a bit less.”
“Why is that?”
“A new trading company has opened in the city, employing a large number of our common people to work there. They promised to pay the taxes in full on the day of collection, but—”
A Mountain Sea Pavilion Disciple frowned slightly: “Not enough?”
The Prefect of Zilong Commandery waved his hand upon hearing this: “The quantity is sufficient, but there will inevitably be losses during transportation, especially with the continuous rain these past few days. Many have sprouted on the way, and such cannot be used.”
“There’s such a thing?”
“This humble official has been troubled by this matter for the past few days. It just so happens that you Immortals passed by, so I dared to ask you to make a decision for this humble official.”
The Prefect of Zilong Commandery waved his sleeve and summoned a young man from behind him: “Yesterday, my son led people to reason with that trading company’s manager on behalf of you Immortals, but he was beaten and kicked out of the door by that manager.”
The son of the Prefect of Zilong Commandery also cupped his hands and stepped forward: “That damned trading company, I don’t know whose influence they are relying on, they are truly detestable, and they even insulted the Immortal Sect, simply unruly commoners!”
In fact, ever since Xia Qirong’s death, those Elders eager to extend their lifespans had been unpredictable, and some Disciples were also holding grudges with nowhere to vent.
Upon hearing this, some busybodies proudly raised their heads, wanting to go and see what was going on, and incidentally, regain some sense of their existence as Immortals to balance their Dao Heart.
So, the Prefect of Zilong Commandery and his son performed three kowtows and nine prostrations, leading the way forward.
In reality, grain during transportation is always covered with rainproof cloth, so even if it gets damp, it won't easily sprout. And the so-called loss is not actually due to transportation, but rather human intervention.
The government runners all knew that the grain on the carts was tax offerings and would not dare to touch it easily, but the local officials always couldn't help but scheme.
Because in the years before this trading company existed, the common people's tax offerings were collected by them, and it was an established rule to demand more to fill their own pockets.
However, as the number of migrant workers increased, this trading company bypassed individual households and directly conducted public-to-public grain transactions, with the accounts meticulously clear, leaving almost no opportunity for them to skim off profits.
The Prefect of Zilong Commandery was a new official with three fires, and he had been eyeing this trading company for a long time.
Now, with the power of the Immortals, he was naturally impatient.
And seeing them depart, the remaining people couldn't help but chuckle softly.
The mountain is lonely, and it is inevitable that some people want to be superior. However, for others, it is best to do less of such things that can easily tarnish one's Dao Heart.
However, very quickly, those who had gone with them returned with complex expressions, holding a bag of grain in their hands. The Prefect of Zilong Commandery and his legitimate son, who followed behind them, looked somewhat fearful, keeping their heads down the whole way.
Because just now, those Immortal sirs didn't even enter the door; they just had a few equal conversations with the manager of that trading company, and then turned around and came back.
What terrified them was that the manager was actually just a Mortal.
“Did that trading company soften?”
“They spoke very politely, and when the conversation was pleasant, they even sold us a few bags of grain at a high price.”
“???”
Showing off will affect one's Dao Heart, but curiosity will not.
In fact, the Human Race's path to Immortality began with curiosity about the Heavenly Dao.
Thus, many people curious about this trading company successively went along the road, and when they saw the sign of “Wulu Trading Company,” they instantly fell silent.
Feng Province initially had no cultivators, but then one suddenly appeared.
Subsequently came Asked the Mountain, Autumn Tournament, Heavenly Dao Conference. After going through all these, many people began to know of his existence.
His surname is Ji, his given name is You, and his courtesy name is Wulu.
Of course, there were also rumors that his courtesy name was Bochang.
At this moment, the manager of Wulu Trading Company bravely asked them if they needed grain, so each of them ended up with an extra bag of grain.
This scene made the Prefect of Zilong Commandery and his son tremble with fear.
Afterward, everyone returned to the Prefect’s Mansion. Whether they had bought grain or not, they all fell silent.
Many unexpected things happened in the Dongping Mountain Range, such as the appearance of the Barbarian Race and the killing of Bu Qirong.
But what remained most unforgettable was what happened to Ji You.
It was just that they had been searching the mountains for the past few days, coupled with various scattered investigations, leaving little time for communication.
It was only at this moment, upon seeing that trading company from Feng Province, that they began to deeply ponder everything that had transpired on Dongping Mountain.
Ji You, who was rumored to have fallen into a Bottleneck and would be stuck at the Tong Xuan Realm for the rest of his life, suddenly appeared on Dongping Mountain, then drew his sword to kill an Evil Seed of the Innate Realm, and even defeated a Wujiang Realm Elder from his own Sect.
This alone was enough to render people speechless, so much so that many still found it hard to accept.
And what was even more astounding was another matter concerning Ji You—
Bu Qirong was someone whom the Great Immortal Sects had issued a death order to capture alive, yet he was killed by Ji You right before their eyes.
They clearly felt that the Elders were furious at the time, wishing they could grind Ji You to dust, but before they could act, those people were stopped by the Little Master Jian of Lingjian Mountain with the power of a Sacred Artifact.
As the only one among the Seven Great Immortal Sects to wield a Sacred Artifact, known throughout the Qingyun World for her cold beauty, the Little Master Jian specifically acted on his behalf. This incident had already caused astonishment at the time.
What was even more perplexing was the reaction of those Elders.
The Little Master Jian already held the status of a Sect leader, so her words naturally held sway over all living beings.
However, the Qingyun World had always adhered to rules; even a Sect leader could not openly and arbitrarily interfere in the affairs of other Sects.
If Ji You were a Disciple of Lingjian Mountain, then even if he slaughtered a Worldly Family, with the Little Master Jian of Lingjian Mountain stepping forward, others would not dare to do anything to him. But the problem was that Ji You was a Disciple of Tianshu Academy.
But for some inexplicable reason, those Elders all suppressed their resentment.
In other words, those Elders all believed that the Little Master Jian of Lingjian Mountain had a legitimate reason to get involved in Ji You's affairs.
Later, Ji You fainted on the mountain and was taken away by the Little Master Jian of Lingjian Mountain, and the people of Tianshu Academy had no objections, as if he should have been taken away by the Little Master Jian of Lingjian Mountain.
They were far away at the time and did not hear Yan Shuyi’s phrase “family matter,” but they each had their own thoughts to some extent.
Some thought Ji You was a spy for Lingjian Mountain.
But others thought Yan Shuyi had taken a liking to Ji You and wanted to poach him for Lingjian Mountain.
Of course, there were even bolder ideas, which seemed the most reasonable, but once they surfaced in their minds, they would find them unbelievable.
Only Jiang Yan remained silently with a slightly widened gaze, her heart already confirming an answer: “Those two women who were serving by Ji You’s side at the time, they were your Little Master Jian’s personal maids, right?”
Yan Qiubai, sitting beside her, parted her red lips slightly: “Sister, you remember now?”
“When Lingjian Mountain’s qin carriage arrived at Xianxian Garden, I was only focused on the Little Master Jian and didn’t get a good look at their appearances, but I think even if I had seen them clearly, I probably wouldn’t have dared to believe it.”
“I also looked for a long time before I was sure I hadn’t seen it wrong.”
The image of Ji You holding a sharp sword appeared in Jiang Yan's mind, and her eyelashes trembled slightly.
After narrowly escaping death in the eastern valley of Zhuiying Gorge, she had asked Yan Qiubai, saying that if Yan Qiubai didn't want to recruit Ji You as a son-in-law, she would go for him herself.
In reality, she was speaking the truth.
Previously, Ji You was only in the Tong Xuan Realm, which wasn't enough to make her genuinely consider actively recruiting him as a son-in-law.
Even if his combat power vaguely surpassed the Tong Xuan Realm, his background as a private cultivator from the countryside was still a point of contention.
But that time in the valley, the combat power Ji You displayed directly exceeded her imagination, making her feel that she didn't need to hesitate.
She knew about Ji You and Yuan Caiwei's situation, and knew that becoming his official wife would be very difficult, but recently she heard that Dan Sect was in contact with Mountain Sea Pavilion, intending to marry their daughter to Mountain Sea Pavilion's Saint.
This made Jiang Yan feel that with one less competitor, her chances were still quite good.
However, she had never expected that even Yuan Caiwei might not be able to become the official wife, because the Master Jian of Lingjian Mountain was also Ji You's Dao Companion.
But Jiang Yan did not blame Yan Qiubai for not telling her the truth.
Because even she, a Disciple of Asked the Dao Sect, dared not easily discuss this matter, let alone Yan Qiubai, a Disciple of Lingjian Mountain...
“I always thought the Master Jian of Lingjian Mountain was aloof and unparalleled, like a true goddess descended to the Mortal world.
Now it seems different.
I remember during the Heavenly Dao Conference, Tianshu Academy and Lingjian Mountain seemed to have been assigned to the same courtyard?”
“Sister Yan, before this matter is personally confirmed, it's better not to make random guesses—”
Both fell silent, but Yan Qiubai knew what Jiang Yan was going to say.
If they were truly Dao Companions, then perhaps Tianshu Academy being assigned to the same courtyard was not a coincidence; it was her Master Jian wanting to stick with him.
However, recalling the cold and arrogant image of the Master Jian in her mind, she felt that it just didn't match up—
After the cold dew, the temperature plummeted, and the chill was biting.
The common people still lived a poor but stable life, preparing for winter after paying their taxes, while Disciples from various Sects returned to their respective Sects with all the information about the Bu family.
At the same time, people from the Academy also returned one after another.
The first to return to Ni Mountain were Qin Rong and Ji Jingyao's group.
They had gone to search for the barbarians, but their strength was simply no match, so they had to hand it over to the Zhenbei Army.
And then, the group led by Elder Fang and Ge Elder, who continued to search for clues about the Xia family, returned.
News of their return to the mountain had spread early throughout the Inner Courtyard and Outer Courtyard, so as soon as the convoy entered the city, a large number of Disciples from Tianshu Academy's Inner Courtyard and Outer Courtyard came out to greet them.
However, in reality, a large portion of these people wanted to take this opportunity to inquire whether a naturally formed Spirit Treasure had truly appeared in the Dongping Mountain Range, as everyone said.
Coincidentally, a carriage from An Yuan City also arrived at this moment, crushing a puddle of cold autumn rain that had gathered.
Although it was going in the same direction as Elder Fang's group, that carriage seemed particularly isolated.
And the other carriages also seemed to deliberately maintain a distance from it, staying on the left side.
At first, the Tianshu Academy Disciples standing at the entrance thought this carriage was not with Elder Fang's group, but unexpectedly, it stopped together with them at the entrance of Tianshu Academy.
The first to alight was Elder Fang.
His Face was pale, and his steps were unsteady, instantly making everyone at the gate realize he was injured, causing them to widen their eyes.
Everyone in Tianshu Academy knew that Elder Fang was a Wujiang Realm mighty figure, and they couldn't help but start discussing who could have injured him.
While they were discussing, the curtain of the solitary carriage that had returned was also lifted, and then Ji You jumped down from the carriage, attracting everyone's attention.
The Disciples who returned to the Academy with Elder Fang naturally knew what had happened, and seeing Ji You again at this moment, their expressions were somewhat complicated.
And on the stone steps, Elder Fang looked over with venomous eyes, his gaze filled with furious anger, and also a hidden fear.
That day in the dense forest, he had his protective spells shattered by Ji You's sword, suffering a backlash, while Ji You's waist and abdomen were pierced by his own Qi.
But he knew in his heart that if he went all out, he could definitely cripple Ji You, but Ji You could take his old life.
Ji You at this moment also looked at him directly with cold eyes, his gaze full of disdain.
This wasn't him getting a little carried away after inspecting his vital energy; it was mainly because Elder Fang's money bag was truly too enticing.
So enticing that even another fight might not be out of the question.
However, the Disciples who remained in Tianshu Academy were unaware of the truth, and seeing this scene, they felt bewildered.
“Ji You was really taken to the Dongping Mountain Range?”
“Definitely.”
“I didn't expect him to return safely, but I wonder how many times he can be this lucky—”
“But does anyone else find it strange? Why didn't they return together?”
“Did he offend Elder Fang? I just saw Elder Fang's gaze, it looked like he wanted to cut him into a thousand pieces.”
“This Ji You is already an eyesore to the Elder Council, and now he's offended Elder Fang too.
He hasn't even broken through to the Rongdao Realm yet, how is he going to live his days after this?”
“He's always been like this—”
While the matter of the Bu family attracted Immortal Sects in droves, life in Ni Mountain was relatively stable.
Some people were in seclusion breaking through to new realms, while others were eating, drinking, and having fun, mingling in various social settings.
However, because the news of the naturally formed Spirit Treasure appearing in the Dongping Mountain Range was spreading like wildfire, many people were secretly paying attention.
So when Elder Fang's group returned, many people were watching from the side.
At this moment, Fang Jincheng stepped forward to Changle Princess Zhao Yunyue's side: “My apologies, Elder Fang is tired from the journey, and his mood is probably not good.
Please allow me to report on the Immortal Appreciation Meeting later.”
“It's fine.
After all, the matter of my Prince Chong's Mansion is a small matter, and it naturally depends on Elder Fang's time.
My father and I are not in a hurry.”
The expansion of the Immortal Supervisorate made it difficult for the pro-Immortal faction, and there was also considerable pressure in the imperial court.
Also, due to no longer having control over the tax offerings, coupled with the Ling Shi Merchant Association, which he cooperated with, constantly reducing production, his connection with the Immortal Sects also became increasingly tenuous.
Therefore, Chong Wang went to great lengths, collecting many good things such as Medicinal Pills, Magical Artifacts, and spirit blades, planning to invite some Immortals over to hold a banquet.
The purpose was still to pressure his imperial nephew, hoping to regain control of the tax offerings from the Immortal Supervisorate.
However, for such a banquet, if the attendees' status was not high enough, it would be meaningless, so Zhao Yunyue set her sights on Elder Fang.
On one hand, it was because her friendship with Fang Jincheng was quite good, and on the other hand, she heard that Elder Fang was extremely fond of teacups.
Coincidentally, Chong Wang had collected a set of tea ware that had been nurtured in spiritual light for decades, which could be considered catering to his preferences.
But seeing Elder Fang's furious expression, Zhao Yunyue also felt that it was not appropriate to bring up this matter at this time.
So she turned her head and looked at Ji You at the gate.
The enmity between Elder Fang and Ji You originated from Fang Jincheng and Lu Hanyan, and then reached its peak during the Heavenly Dao Conference preliminaries.
But in her opinion, Elder Fang was, after all, a figure of authority in an Immortal Sect's Elder Council; openly showing such hostility towards a Disciple who was only in the Tong Xuan Realm was somewhat beneath his status.
Just then, everyone heard a cold snort.
Elder Fang flicked his sleeve and left, soaring into the air with a gloomy expression, disappearing into the vast forest with a whoosh.
However, what surprised everyone was that Ge Elder, who followed, also stopped in front of Ji You just like Elder Fang.
Just when everyone thought Ji You had offended two Elders at once, Ge Elder suddenly raised his hand, bowed to Ji You, and slowly performed a 禮.
The surrounding Disciples instantly straightened up, their eyes widening as they watched Ge Elder's bent back.
Because whether it was an Immortal Sect or a Worldly Family, the Elder's status was higher than an Instructor's, and even higher than a student's.
According to the rules, there had only ever been instances of Disciples bowing to Elders, and never an Elder bowing to a Disciple.
At this moment, Ge Elder slowly stood up.
When Xia Qirong approached him with eight Evil Seeds, it was Ji You who drew his sword and saved his life.
Although he knew Ji You's original intention was not to save him, gratitude was still necessary.
He had originally intended to give Ji You some money, rather than bowing down like this.
The reason he changed his mind was because Ji You's vital energy was too terrifying.
Most importantly, he now knew that Ji You was not a private cultivator from the countryside with no background at all.
If his background were revealed, the entire Tianshu Academy would probably be shaken.
Therefore, by bowing in front of everyone, Ge Elder indeed harbored some intention of currying favor.
In his opinion, an Elder bowing, such a respectful gesture, would definitely be more sincere than money.
Who knew that in the next instant, Ji You merely returned a somewhat perfunctory shallow smile, then turned and left, ignoring him.
“No money given, just empty gestures.”
“What's the point of bowing to me—?”
At the same time, the three Masters of the Master's Courtyard, as well as the Hall Masters in the Inner Courtyard, were all looking towards his figure.
In their gaze, the long-disappeared white-robed swordsman now gave them the feeling of a fierce tiger returning to the mountain.
They knew that Ji You had instigated the matter of the Xia family.
Some agreed, others opposed, but in reality, the Immortal Sects, including Tianshu Academy, were still secretly investigating the matter and had not considered Xia Qirong's death as the final outcome.