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Chapter 207 Curling Up
Lu Hanyan's swordsmanship has improved tremendously. In the early morning, she only had a vague understanding of swordsmanship, but by dusk, she already had a decent grasp of it.

Thrust, chop, point, flick, collapse, intercept.

She has almost mastered the six basic sword techniques.

These are the foundations of swordsmanship. Only when the foundation is solid and the momentum is established can a swordsman, no matter how fluid and graceful his movements, always follow his heart and aim his sword correctly, without deviating from his intended form.

At this moment, the wind and waves in the sword forest gradually subsided, and Lu Hanyan sheathed her sword, already drenched in sweat.

Her face was still flushed, her cherry lips were slightly parted, and she was breathing slowly, her full chest rising and falling with the rhythm of her breath: "Senior brother, I'm done practicing~"

"improve rapidly."

"Really?"

Ji You nodded affirmatively. Lu Hanyan was indeed learning swordsmanship quite quickly, and compared to others, she could be considered to have excellent aptitude: "Today's progress is enough. Go back and rest for a while. Remember to soak your hands in warm water."

Hearing the hint of departure in her senior brother's words, Lu Hanyan felt a little disappointed, but still politely said, "Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother Ji. I am very grateful."

"Tomorrow at the same time, don't come too early or too late, just when the sun is rising."

"Will Senior Brother Ji come again tomorrow?"

"Ah."

Upon hearing this, Lu Hanyan's eyes, which possessed a bewitching quality like Lu Qingqiu's, instantly lit up.

She thought that Ji You had only gone to the Sword Forest on a whim and then personally gave her some guidance on a whim, and that it would be difficult to have such an opportunity again after today. However, she did not expect that her senior brother Ji had taken it seriously.

So the second young lady of the Lu family immediately nodded in agreement, and Ji You turned and left, walking up the mountain towards the sunset.

Outer disciples are not allowed to enter the inner courtyard unless there is a reason, while inner disciples are mostly cultivating in the Purple Bamboo Zen Forest for the sake of the Heavenly Dao Society, so they rarely see anyone coming and going.

As Ji You walked, all she could hear was the sound of the breeze rustling through the new leaves. She felt the surroundings growing quieter and quieter until even the wind stopped.

But it wasn't that the wind had stopped; rather, he had started thinking again.

When a person is thinking, their five senses are limited, and they become less sensitive to external sounds.

One step, two steps, three steps. Before Ji You could even leave the vast forest, her mood, which had been improving, began to sink again.

People always have free time; it's impossible to be busy all the time.

After a while, Ji You returned to the inner courtyard and pushed open the door to Wen Zhengxin's courtyard.

When Fairy Zhengxin saw her junior brother return, she stared at him intently for a long time. She felt that although he seemed to be fine, his mind was extremely heavy, and there was a knot of depression between his brows that he could not untie.

She had been watching Junior Brother Ji's appearance for several days now.

"How is the second young lady of the Lu family's talent in swordsmanship?"

"well enough."

"For you to say you're doing alright, it seems you're really quite good?"

Ji You sat down on the stone bench in the courtyard and said, "If we're talking about progress, she's far more talented than Fang Jincheng."

Wen Zhengxin pondered for a long time: "After the Imperial Academy changed the route for spirit stones, you and the Lu family ended up on opposite sides. I thought you wouldn't want the second young lady of the Lu family to enter the inner courtyard?"

“Lu Hanyan and Lu Qingqiu are of much better character than Fang Jincheng. A bad cultivator can't be any stronger. Besides, although the Lu family has male members, their cultivation talent isn't high. The Lu sisters have the potential to hold power in Yunzhou in the future, and then the children of the foster pavilion…”

Ji You suddenly paused.

Wen Zhengxin glanced at him thoughtfully: "Do you think the child slaves in the foster house would be better off if the Lu sisters were in power?"

"That's the truth."

The two chatted for a long time in the bedroom about cultivation, the Heavenly Academy, and the Heavenly Dao Society, before returning to their respective rooms.

Fairy Zhengxin has been cultivating much more diligently than before. Although she hasn't said it, Ji You senses that she intends to participate in the Heavenly Dao Assembly.

When she competed with He Lingxiu for the position of personal disciple, she did not lose because of her ability, but because of her background. So, although she did not show it in her daily life, she must have never been resentful in her heart.

He never showed it, but he was never willing to give up.

Ji You muttered to himself as he returned to the west wing, and then lay down on the bed.

Before long, Fairy Zhengxin officially began to meditate, and Ji You could clearly see spiritual energy flowing in the opposite room, gradually whistling.

So he remained silent for a long time, his body gradually curling up until he finally curled himself into a tight ball.

The question of the mind can indeed affect one's state of mind, especially when a particular distracting thought is not yet resolved, it can be magnified infinitely.

But besides this reason, Ji You was actually very clear about one thing: some things had never been forgotten, but had simply been suppressed over the long years...

The next morning, the sky was ablaze with rosy dawn, stretching across the blue heavens.

Ji You made some white porridge and left a portion for Wen Zhengxin. Afterwards, she went down the mountain again to the outer courtyard sword forest, still with a knot of melancholy between her brows.

Under the gentle breeze, the green bamboo of Jianlin rustled, and Lu Hanyan waited in the forest.

She arrived very early, and upon seeing Ji You, she immediately called out "Senior Brother" in a high-pitched voice. Then she handed the wooden sword that she often used to strike herself to Ji You's hand, and stepped into the woods, assuming a sword stance.

The following days were mostly like this, with Ji You constantly going back and forth between Wen Zhengxin's courtyard and the Sword Forest, leaving early and returning late.

Of course, Lu Hanyan's understanding of swordsmanship also increased day by day. Her sword aura became stronger and stronger, and her sword energy became extremely sharp, possessing the spirit to cut through all things.

This put immense pressure on Fang Jincheng, who was often with him in the Sword Forest, and every day he came and went in a gloomy mood.

However, Ji You was still very strict with Lu Hanyan, and would often slam his wooden sword down, making a loud cracking sound.

After each beating, Lu Hanyan would pause for a moment, then her eyes would flicker...

After seven days and nights of sword practice, on a clear spring day, the sound of swords suddenly echoed from an elegant courtyard by the Green Lake.

Lu Qingqiu rose gracefully in the courtyard, his sword sweeping across the sky, carrying spiritual energy as he moved swiftly, the blade whistling as it fell.

Her younger sister had been learning swordsmanship from Ji You for seven days, and as her older sister, she was very concerned about her progress.

Of course, she wouldn't doubt Ji You's swordsmanship skills, but she felt she should at least assess her sister's current combat strength.

At this moment, the Dao Sword came hurtling in.

Lu Hanyan stepped back and began to strike. Then, with the "humming" of the iron sword, the sword surged down like waves. A sharp aura surrounded her, instantly pressing Lu Qingqiu back, who dared not take the blow head-on.

Just as Miss Lu was about to return her sword to create space and find her sister's weakness to launch an attack, she suddenly felt a chilling aura rushing towards her.

The next second, the sharp tip of the sword was pressed against that fair neck.

Lu Qingqiu was stunned for a moment, and an incredulous look flashed in her eyes.

Pure Daoist cultivators don't actually have sword heart or sword energy when using a sword; they only use it as a medium for spiritual energy and spells. But just now, she realized that she hadn't seen her sister's movements clearly at all. Or rather, her sister's coordination with the sword was too smooth and fluid, leaving her not enough time to react.

With his sword pressed against his throat, Lu Qingqiu remained silent for a long while before sheathing his sword and chuckling lightly, "A fine sword."

Lu Hanyan returned her sword and cupped her hands, saying, "Thank you for your mercy, elder sister."

"It was you who went easy on me, not me."

Upon seeing this, the crowd gathered around the courtyard widened their eyes in astonishment.

Lu Qingqiu had a wide circle of friends and many sisters.

In the past few days, everyone has known that the second young lady of the Lu family is learning swordsmanship from Ji You. They are extremely curious, so when they heard that Lu Qingqiu was going to have a sword duel with her sister, they couldn't help but rush over.

These people included not only outer court disciples, but also several inner court disciples.

Seeing Lu Hanyan's sword easily pressed against Lu Qingqiu's throat, their eyes widened in astonishment.

The two looked alike and were at the same level of cultivation, but their swordplay was completely different.

Lu Hanyan's swordsmanship was very strong. Although it was still vastly different from the sword strike Ji You had unleashed in Cao Jingsong's courtyard, it already made people feel the difference between someone who knew how to use a sword and someone who didn't.

The key issue is that she has only studied for seven days.

Many people in the crowd had complex expressions, with jealousy and solemnity in their eyes.

Ji You is a private cultivator from the countryside, and his background and origins have always been criticized. However, no one has ever doubted his achievements in swordsmanship. After all, Lingjian Mountain, which is famous for its swordsmanship, said that he is a natural swordsman with a clear understanding of the Dao.

However, Lu Hanyan's current combat prowess has once again made everyone deeply aware of just how terrifying Ji You's talent is.

But what everyone envied even more was that Ji Youzhen was willing to teach her from early morning to late at night every day.

At this moment, Fang Jincheng, who was outside the crowd, had a gloomy expression. He then turned around and left, his fists clenched tightly as he departed.

My cousin has been saying these past few days that he's learning slowly, but he feels it's because he hasn't met a great teacher.

Although he didn't want to admit it, based on his own progress in learning swordsmanship and compared to Lu Hanyan's current combat prowess, he felt that his cousin's swordsmanship talent was far inferior to Ji You's.

At this moment, Lu Hanyan had already sheathed her sword and saw that many of her fellow disciples were looking at her, their eyes filled with admiration and fervor.

But the second young lady of the Lu family had a cold, empty gaze, like a proud crane.

Most young ladies from powerful immortal families are like this. When Lu Qingqiu was admitted to the hospital, her proud and aloof demeanor was exactly the same as hers.

Seeing that distant and indifferent glance, the male disciples who were staring at him couldn't help but sigh, thinking that a woman like this would be extremely difficult to pursue.

Even if someone were lucky enough to win her favor, they would probably be treated with utmost care and wouldn't dare to act recklessly.

"With this sword drawn today, Hanyan's chances of winning in the inner courtyard matter should be extremely high."

"Indeed, seeing Young Master Ji's meticulous instruction in swordsmanship, Fang Jincheng must be feeling a lot more pressure. I just caught a glimpse of him, and his expression seemed extremely unpleasant."

Lou Siyi and Sun Qiaozhi chattered away in front of Lu Qingqiu.

Lu Qingqiu smiled without saying a word, then turned to look at her younger sister.

My sister's combat strength has indeed increased significantly, and some of her sword techniques even show traces of Ji You's style. Her chances of winning in the inner academy have indeed improved considerably.

However, there was another obvious change in her younger sister that puzzled Lu Qingqiu.

Compared to seven days ago, my sister's buttocks seem to be much bigger and perkier, looking plump and full.

But her younger sister was only a year younger than her, and by that age, a woman's figure was basically set; it wouldn't change so much in a short time, and it certainly wouldn't only change one part, unless influenced by external forces...

"It seems that Ji You is really serious about this."

"Yes, if it were just a perfunctory effort, Lu Hanyan's swordsmanship wouldn't have improved so quickly."

Cao Jingsong and Ban Yangshu also watched the sword duel and pondered it for a long time on their way back to the academy.

Ji You's willingness to spend all his time on Lu Hanyan must have been influenced by Wenxin, but this, like his sudden return of everyone's money, is strange.

He had previously said that he wanted to break through to a higher realm, saying that regardless of his identity or background, he needed to gain higher combat power.

But now he's been doing nothing, spending all his time on other things.

People need to have a motive to do things, and Cao Jingsong and Ban Yangshu felt that none of the motives they had guessed so far could explain Ji You's current state.

"Have you heard? Many disciples in the outer academy are saying that Lu Hanyan has a very high chance of being admitted to the inner academy this year."

"Lu Hanyan? Who said that?"

That's what everyone's saying outside.

A group of teachers from the Foreign Languages ​​Department were chatting idly on a warm spring afternoon.

The instructor named Zhonglang returned from the Xian Shan Fang restaurant and immediately steered the conversation toward the autumn battle, instantly attracting the attention of the other instructors.

Another instructor named Luo Wen couldn't help but say after hearing this: "Although Fang Jincheng's speed in condensing Xuan light has slowed down recently, he is still one step ahead of others. Moreover, I have heard that Elder Fang of the Inner Court has been collecting Xuan Gathering Pills for him in recent days, and the Fang family has also sent people to protect him. How could it be more likely that it is Lu Hanyan? It's impossible."

The other instructors nodded in agreement, disagreeing with Instructor Zhong's hearsay.

Elder Fang, as an inner dean, has access to countless resources and numerous disciples, so they don't believe such words.

Upon seeing this, Zhong Lang spoke up: "The facts are pretty much as you said, but there's an unexpected one. Ji You has been coming down from the inner courtyard every day recently to personally instruct Lu Hanyan in swordsmanship. Her sister, Lu Qingqiu, only managed to withstand three moves from her."

"?"

Upon hearing this, the teachers abruptly stopped talking, and a serious expression appeared on their faces.

In this world, the strength of cultivators cannot always be determined solely by their cultivation level. Sometimes, their cultivation level and background also matter. Lu Hanyan was clearly inferior to Fang Jincheng.

But for some reason, upon hearing that Ji You had taught Lu Hanyan swordsmanship, they suddenly felt that the Second Miss Lu's winning rate seemed to be rising sharply.

Even with Elder Fang of the Inner Court standing behind Fang Jincheng, it seemed that he couldn't compare to Ji You standing behind Lu Hanyan.

Lu Hanyan is certainly no match for Fang Jincheng now, but if Ji You continues to teach her like this, then Fang Jincheng's chances of entering the inner academy are really in jeopardy.

Upon considering this, some instructors revealed a hint of disbelief as they pondered.

Because they seem to only now realize that Ji You's influence on them is now comparable to that of an inner court elder.

But upon closer reflection, it wasn't because of their level of understanding, strength, or status; in short, they couldn't explain why.

However, one question remains: why is Ji You so concerned about the Lu sisters' affairs, even coming down from the mountain every day to provide guidance?

Could it be that they really intend to take Lu Qingqiu into the academy? Or has she already been taken in?

Or perhaps, they should take both sisters in as well.

No one understood Ji You's motivation for acting at this moment, especially after Ji You stood on the opposite side of the Spirit Stone Merchant Guild, which made it even more incomprehensible.

In the third month of spring, catkins and gossamer threads fall, and wind and rain wash the city of flowers.

I wonder how Dong Guo's Qingming wine compares to Xi Chuang's Gu Yu tea.

The copper bells on the eaves swayed gently in the chilly spring breeze, making a soft, clear sound. The old peach tree outside the courtyard wall shook off its branches full of pink and white petals in the wind, and a few petals drifted in through the half-open window, swirling and landing on the pillow.

Before the eaves, insects began to rustle and crawl between the cracks in the stone steps, and the spring breeze that brushed against their faces soaked the pale green of the newly sprouted willow buds.

Ji You has been leaving early and returning late these past few days, channeling her energy into other things.

He taught Lu Hanyan swordsmanship, cleaned the courtyard for Senior Sister Wen, and chatted with Kuang Cheng. The knot between his brows gradually lessened, and the effects of his Daoist practice began to dissipate.

He started to fall asleep, and the images in his mind no longer suddenly flooded in like before.

Wen Zhengxin asked him several times what was wrong, but he didn't say anything. It was broad daylight, and Ji You stood in Wen Zhengxin's courtyard, tilting his head slightly, looking closely at the undergarments and trousers hanging on the bamboo poles.

At that moment, footsteps sounded from inside the chamber.

Fairy Zhengxin had not slept for seven consecutive days, constantly striving to break through her cultivation level. As she yawned, she came to the door and saw Ji You looking up at her underwear.

She was already used to it.

Look, it's not like you'll lose a piece of meat, or gain one...

With the free spirit of a cultivator, the Fairy of Righteous Heart was not as shy as a mortal woman. She even observed Ji You several times and judged that the one with the light pink embroidered lotus leaves was the one she liked best.

"Good morning, senior sister."

"Chao'an, are you going to teach that second young lady of the Lu family swordsmanship again today?"

Ji You looked up at her: "I'll go this afternoon. I need to visit Instructor Cao first."

Wen Zhengxin was putting on his boots in the house, preparing to go to Zizhu Zen Forest, when he heard this and couldn't help but feel a little strange: "Didn't we just go there a couple of days ago? Why are we going to see him now?"

Ji You raised the corners of her mouth: "Yesterday was the day when Tian Shu Academy paid the teachers their monthly salaries."

"You seem to be feeling better?"

"It's alright, it's just that I've run out of money lately, so I'm going to rob him for some. What about you, senior sister?"

After putting on his boots, Wen Zhengxin said, "Let's go to the Purple Bamboo Zen Forest."

Ji You nodded after hearing this: "Then I'll be going now."

"it is good."

Wen Zhengxin watched him leave, remained silent for a long while, and then followed him out. Looking at his swaying figure as he descended the mountain, he felt that his condition was indeed quite different from the previous few days.

Cao Jingsong has been busy with his beloved disciples these past few days. Xiang Fu has good talent and has now progressed from the upper stage of the Condensation Realm to the perfection of the lower three realms.

Although it was already April, even with Ji You's speed of condensing Xuan Guang, it would be difficult for her to break through before Qiu Dou, but Cao Jingsong wanted to encourage her.

After all, there are very few capable people in Fengzhou. Even if Xiang Fu can't enter the inner courtyard, it would still be better if she were a little stronger.

Cao Jingsong had just returned from the Enlightenment Hall and also picked up his monthly salary, which he had forgotten to collect yesterday. He placed the money bag on the stone table and had just finished brewing tea when he saw Ji You walking in from outside the courtyard.

He had been very worried about Ji You's condition these past few days and had asked Wen Zhengxin about it several times.

Because Ji You was deeply affected by this question, it lasted for almost half a month without any improvement. Sometimes his eyes were filled with hostility, and sometimes he was completely dejected, no longer as calm and composed as before.

He even took out his money pouch in front of Ji You several times, but the wicked disciple did not react at all, as if his heart was dead.

Even now, Cao Jingsong's worries remain undiminished.

"Why did you find time to come to my place?"

Ji You sat down on the stone bench and reached for the money bag: "Teacher, let's rob some money to spend."

Cao Jingsong: "?"

"Hey, this tea is really bad. Hasn't my beloved disciple come over lately?" Ji You picked up the teacup, poured himself a cup, drank it, and then picked up a pastry and said.

Cao Jingsong was taken aback for a moment, then looked at him and said, "What are they doing here when it's neither a holiday nor a festival?"

"The leaves are all broken, and they're not even as good as what my old Qiu drinks."

As Cao Jingsong watched him mutter to himself, just like Wen Zhengxin had when he saw him off down the mountain, his expression also became quite thoughtful.

Ban Yangshu and Bai Rulong quickly received Cao Jingsong's message and then rushed to the training institute by Biyue Lake.

Ji You had already left, leaving only Cao Jingsong, who was holding a cup of tea with a furrowed brow.

Upon seeing the two arrive so quickly, Cao Jingsong poured them tea: "Ji You came by earlier and robbed me of all my salary from last month."

"?"

Why do you seem happy?

"Doesn't that mean he's alright?"

Ban Yangshu frowned after hearing this: "You mean to say that Junior Brother Ji has broken free from the state of being trapped by distracting thoughts?"

Cao Jingsong nodded: "I feel he should have gotten through this hurdle. With his distracting thoughts gone, his original mindset has returned."

Upon hearing this, Bai Rulong held his breath, then pulled the money bag out of the pocket slightly to the right of his heart, unbuckled his belt, and hid it in an unknown place, his expression panicked.

This is not a good thing, this is a catastrophe.

Wen Zhengxin arrived later, and it was already afternoon when he reached Cao Jingsong's courtyard. After listening to their conversation, he couldn't help but nod and say, "I also think that Junior Brother Ji must have cleared his mind of distractions and his thoughts are clear, because he has been very active since last night and did not spend the night in the courtyard."

Ban Yangshu couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief: "His questioning lasted quite a long time, at least half a month, right?"

“It wasn’t just half a month; he’s been staying in my yard for sixteen days straight, and my…”

Wen Zhengxin paused here, coughed, and then added, "Some of my clothes have faded from his washing."

Bai Rulong looked up, a hint of doubt in his eyes: "Why do I need you to do the laundry? What did you and Brother Ji do, Senior Sister...?"

Wen Zhengxin spat at him: "It has nothing to do with whose clothes he's wearing. He just doesn't want to be idle, so he's always looking for things to do."

"So that's why he taught Lu Hanyan swordsmanship?"

"That's the main reason. On the other hand, he said it's because of the child slaves at the Lingkuang Foster House under the Yunzhou Chamber of Commerce. He thinks the Lu sisters are of good character and can do something for us in the future."

After saying this, Wen Zhengxin suddenly remembered something: "I think the distracting thoughts in Junior Brother Ji's mind are related to the child. It seems that was the case when Fengxian Manor captured Qiu Ru to make medicine."

"child?"

"I'm not entirely sure either, but this should be a starting point."

As Wen Zhengxin spoke, he recalled the struggle that suddenly flashed in Junior Brother Ji's eyes when they talked about the child slaves in Yunzhou Foster House yesterday.

After listening for a long time, Cao Jingsong raised his head and said, "But what exactly did he see in his heart? Once this tribulation is over, everything will be fine. I think this must be the strongest obsession in his heart, which is why it has lasted for so long. Now that the karmic obstacle has been broken, he should soon be able to find the opportunity to establish his path, and then merge with the Dao in the sacred land of the sages. His future is promising..."

Wen Zhengxin and Ban Yangshu nodded in unison, completely believing Cao Jingsong's words.

Although Qingyun Tianxia places more emphasis on background and connections, personal strength can sometimes have a significant impact.

Junior Brother Ji is extremely powerful. If his cultivation level were higher, he might actually be able to stand alone.

"..."

"Keep your posture still, as still as a virgin, and as swift as a rabbit. Your sword strikes should be steady, crisp, and as swift as the wind. Do not let any distracting thoughts enter your mind."

Ji You was in the forest at that moment, watching Lu Hanyan's every move. When he saw something was wrong, he struck her with his wooden sword.

Then, he saw Lu Hanyan looking shy.

Upon seeing this, Ji You was speechless.

In the past few days, he had been preoccupied with the profound questioning of the mind and hadn't paid much attention to Lu Hanyan. Only today did he notice her expression after she was beaten.

This girl didn't seem to see it as punishment, but rather as a reward.

This hobby is quite niche for a daughter of a prominent family...

If this were to happen to me, who was already troubled by lust at the very beginning of my self-examination, it would truly teach this second young lady of the Lu family a lot of techniques.

More importantly, if that were the case, he felt that the second young lady of the Lu family would be even more diligent in learning the posture than in learning the sword.

After instructing Lu Hanyan on swordsmanship, Ji You adjusted several of her sword-wielding postures and told her to practice diligently. He then reduced the number of times he swung his sword at her.

Firstly, I'm afraid it will actually break; secondly, I'm afraid it will actually break.

After Grain Rain, Ji You still went to the Sword Forest every day. After all, now that he had started something, he hoped to do it well.

However, he won't stay there for an entire day like he used to.

Because Lu Hanyan's sword style is already mature enough, she can continue to improve as long as she works hard, and there is no need to keep an eye on her like before.

He would only stay longer if Lu Hanyan said she didn't understand something.

However, those who claim to "not understand" are basically just pretending not to understand.

Cao Jingsong visited Jianlin several times during this period, and as time went by, his brows, which had been furrowed deeply because of Ji You's condition, furrowed once again.

He originally thought that Ji You had passed the previous test and that Dingdao should be easy to achieve, but now he realized that his wicked disciple had not been to Zizhu Zen Forest since he started repaying the money.

He spends his days in the Sword Forest, where there are many disciples, but no one has ever seen him meditating there.

At night, Ji You would still stay at Wen Zhengxin's courtyard as usual, and according to Fairy Zhengxin's observation, he never meditated late at night.

In other words, he never tried to find the way and examine his own heart again, as if he had completely forgotten about cultivation.

The same question also exists in the minds of some people in the inner courtyard.

On a clear morning after the rain, Mount Ni was lush and green in spring. He Lingxiu sat in the Purple Bamboo Zen Forest, drinking tea with Shi Junhao, Xiao Hanyan, Chai Hu and others.

He Lingxiu planned to go into seclusion to break through to a higher realm, so she sought advice from the others. During their casual conversation, she couldn't help but mention Ji You.

"It seems like he hasn't come to the Purple Bamboo Zen Forest to seek enlightenment for quite some time?"

"He is teaching the second young lady of the Lu family swordsmanship, probably in preparation for the autumn competition."

He Lingxiu held her teacup and pondered for a long time: "Strange, he was clearly working hard every day from early morning to late at night just a few days ago, but now I don't know why he suddenly gave up..."

Xiao Hanyan and Shi Junhao exchanged a glance, and then both fell into thought.

Some time ago, Ji You's aura fluctuations did not attract the light of heaven, nor did they trigger any connection to the Heavenly Book, indicating that he was probably searching for an opportunity to establish his Dao.

One day, when his aura suddenly became exceptionally powerful, Xiao Shi and the other man couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

If Ji You were to participate in the Heavenly Dao Assembly with his initial Dao Fusion realm, his chances of winning would not be high. In their eyes, he might not be a threat. However, once they recalled the sword strike from the Wilderness, they couldn't help but become more vigilant.

But who knew that he never came to seek enlightenment again, and even when he passed by the Purple Bamboo Zen Forest several times, he acted as if he didn't see it and didn't go in.

It's not that I don't want to, nor that I can't.

Ji You was on his way to the Sword Forest when he glanced at the Purple Bamboo Zen Forest as he passed by.

He never got past that hurdle, never.

He just kept trying to comfort himself, making himself feel a little better.

However, if one must eliminate distracting thoughts to attain the Dao, otherwise one's Dao heart will be corrupted by demons, then one should never be able to merge with the Dao, let alone achieve the stages of responding to heaven, boundless, or divine travel.

He had never thought about reaching the fifth realm before; his greatest wish was to reach the Profound Realm and then become a bandit in the mountains.

It wasn't until he encountered this moral dilemma that he realized he had embarked on a dead end.

One can deceive gods and ghosts, but one cannot deceive one's own heart. Some insurmountable past events will never be as light and breezy as one may appear.

But so be it. He used to live with these thoughts too. As long as he stops questioning his conscience, that's fine.

The human heart is a strange thing; if you don't ask it, it's as if many things never happened.

Ji You walked down the mountain and suddenly saw a large group of people heading towards the Sword Forest, shouting and yelling, which attracted a large crowd.

"A fight has broken out! A fight has broken out in the Sword Forest!"

"What's going on? A fight broke out?"

"Fang Jincheng and Lu Hanyan!"

The crowd then surged into the sword forest, where they saw two figures wielding swords clashing repeatedly, their cold glint flashing as they moved.

Judging from the sweat on their foreheads, they had been fighting for quite some time.

At this moment, Lu Hanyan's sword was like a series of surging waves, whistling as it fell, constantly suppressing Fang Jincheng, while the latter roared angrily and slashed fiercely with his sword. The sound of clashing swords was deafening, dazzling the eyes of onlookers.

Lu Qingqiu also rushed over upon hearing the news, along with Elder Fang's disciples and some instructors from the teaching academy, all of whom opened their eyes and watched intently.

There were other disciples in the forest before the two started fighting.

According to their explanation, Fang Jincheng's Dao heart has been extremely unstable in recent days, and he becomes more irritable each time he comes to the Sword Forest than he has been in the past few days.

The reason they started fighting wasn't anything special; it was just that the two had a verbal argument while practicing their swordsmanship separately.

But in fact, ever since Ji You appeared in the Sword Forest more than half a month ago, Fang Jincheng had wanted to test Lu Hanyan's combat power, and Lu Hanyan wanted to know if her sword could suppress Fang Jincheng.

Amidst the rustling bamboo forest, the sounds of swords clashing echoed continuously, sparks flying everywhere.

Fang Jincheng pressed forward, each move heavy with force, his killing intent undisguised.

But anyone with eyes could see that Lu Hanyan was not flustered at all, and she handled the situation with ease, parrying, striking, intercepting, slashing, and stabbing.

However, Fang Jincheng's intentions were fierce, and his sword flashed like lightning, making it impossible for her to find a weakness for the time being.

In just a few breaths, they had exchanged a hundred sword blows, and green bamboos were constantly snapping under the sweeping of the sword.

Everyone watched intently, their gazes following the two as they moved, before their eyes widened in horror.

Before their eyes, a beam of light shot up, and Lu Hanyan, stepping across the ground, slashed with her sword, striking Fang Jincheng's sword with a clang, causing him to stagger.

Before Fang Jincheng could regain his footing, he immediately felt a sharp blade rushing towards him, and in a panic, he raised his sword to block it.

Before he could even raise his iron sword, the sharp blade had already struck first, slashing open his collar and leaving a long gash. Fang Jincheng's eyes widened instantly, and he felt a chilling coldness creep up his spine.

If that sword tip had been just an inch further forward, it would have severed his throat.

Everyone was astonished at the sight, including Lu Qingqiu.

Fang Jincheng was actually a student of the same age as Ji You and Chu He. He entered the hospital a year later to avoid Chu He's sharp edge, so his cultivation level was very solid.

His strength should be much greater than that of Lu Qingqiu, who has been unable to enter the Tongxuan Realm for a long time. No one would have thought that he would be defeated so decisively by Lu Hanyan.

The sword forest fell silent instantly. After a long pause, everyone turned around and looked at Ji You, who was standing behind them, with astonishment.

(The readers' criticisms made me feel ashamed, so I worked hard all day and finally wrote 8,600 words. Please vote for me!)
(End of this chapter)