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Chapter 217 Before departure
You can only understand the kind of life those people lead after you've tasted or seen it for yourself.

Otherwise, one would be like an old farmer who has never seen an emperor in his life. No matter how big one's thoughts are, one would only think that the emperor's hoe is made of gold.

Even sitting idly and drinking tea is a form of spiritual practice for them; how can ordinary people compare?

Ji You couldn't even imagine what kind of life the headmaster of the Heavenly Academy was living, and he felt deeply worried about the old man's great cause.

Subsequently, the proclamation of the Executive Yuan was issued.

The departure date for the Heavenly Academy to the Heavenly Dao Society was set for early July, on the day of Wuchen.

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 path, and jointly explore the profound mysteries of the Great Dao.

Yuan Caiwei sent a letter saying that the wheat seedlings he sent were growing very well, and that she had heard that he had obtained a place. She also said that she would go to Shengjing with Zong on the third day of the seventh month, and then go to Zhongxing County with Tianshu Academy.

Since alchemists lack combat skills and need someone to look after them when traveling, it's not surprising that they set off with the Heavenly Academy.

Cao Jingsong, Wen Zhengxin, and Ban Yangshu also planned to go to the Heavenly Dao Society to join in the fun and cheer for Ji You.

Emperor Long Xiandi has returned home to visit his relatives and is temporarily unable to do so. It is unknown what has kept him there. However, he did write a letter back saying that he will be going to Zhongxing County with his family and that we will meet again then.

Pei Ruyi also wrote to them, saying she would arrive around the same time and had arranged a meeting place with Wen Zhengxin.

Fairy Ruyi is obsessed with cultivating immortality; otherwise, she wouldn't have insisted on staying at the Heavenly Academy for ten years. She couldn't possibly be absent from such an important event.

The seven major immortal sects will not prepare accommodations for Cao Jiaoxi and the other spectators who came on their own. However, since Zhongxing County has hosted the Heavenly Dao Assembly many times, there are many inns in the surrounding area, and even entire manors can be rented.

However, given Instructor Cao's financial resources, who is marrying off his disciple for the sake of Lingcha, he probably can't afford to live in a manor.

If the inn raises its prices again due to the large number of people, we might have to sleep on the streets.

As for Ji You, he is a disciple participating in the competition, and all his affairs will be taken care of by someone else, so he doesn't need to worry about sleeping on the streets with Instructor Cao.

At this moment, he was in the Sword Forest, holding a wooden sword and standing proudly among the green bamboo, conducting a long face-to-face training session with the second young lady of the Lu family, who was covered in fragrant sweat.

For others, the most important thing right now is the Heavenly Path Society, but for her, the Autumn Battle is much more urgent.

Ji You didn't have much time to instruct her, so he simply sparred with her and pointed out all her flaws.

So her pert buttocks were slapped many times in one day. Although it couldn't be seen through the gauze skirt and silk trousers, they must have been bright red.

"Don't always blindly imitate the sword techniques I showed before. The sword is always strongest when you are comfortable with it. You should develop your own understanding based on your own sword-wielding habits."

"Yes, senior brother."

"The sword strike must be more steady. Only when it rises and falls, strikes and strikes, can it be considered a complete sword strike. The sword energy cannot stop in the middle."

"Yes, senior brother."

"Your waist is still not flexible enough and appears somewhat stiff, which greatly limits your power. You've had this bad habit from the beginning."

"But senior brother, I don't know how to make my waist more flexible either."

"Never mind, things will get better after you get married..."

Upon hearing this, Lu Hanyan's eyes widened, her swordplay momentarily faltering. She was struck on the buttocks with a "smack" from the bamboo sword, letting out a whimper.

Lu Qingqiu was guarding the west side of the bamboo forest to protect his sister, strictly following Ji You's instructions when she went in: "Don't let anyone disturb you."

At this moment, she pricked up her ears, listening to the "slap slap slap" sounds rising and falling in the forest, along with the occasional cries of pain and her senior brother's whimpering. She couldn't help but blush.

Sassy girl...

However, strict teachers do produce outstanding students. Although my sister's buttocks are swollen and perky, her swordsmanship has indeed improved a lot in the past few days.

Lu Qingqiu had sparred with her younger sister Lu Hanyan again the day before yesterday and found that her sister's combat strength had far surpassed that of before. Even her sister's starting stance put Lu Qingqiu under great pressure.

Ji You once said that he would not teach the swordsmanship of Lingjian Mountain to outsiders, but his sister's swordsmanship now shows signs of swordsmanship. After thinking about it, it must be that Ji You has passed on his insights into swordsmanship other than that of Lingjian Mountain to her.

In addition to the sword control technique she had already learned, it's no wonder her buttocks are so perky.

Moreover, the younger sister didn't see it as punishment at all, but rather as a reward.

Lu Qingqiu listened for a long time, then couldn't help but bite her teeth lightly. She then waited until noon, when she heard the whistling of sword energy in the bamboo forest suddenly stop.

Turning around, Ji You had already slowly walked out of the woods, followed by Lu Hanyan, whose cheeks were flushed, her red lips slightly bitten, and who was gently stroking her buttocks as she walked.

"I've taught you pretty much everything I need to. As for the autumn battle, let Miss Lu do her best."

Lu Qingqiu withdrew his gaze from his sister's buttocks: "Thank you for your generous instruction, Young Master Ji."

Ji You glanced at Lu Hanyan: "She still has many shortcomings. Make a note of them and keep an eye on her practice. But don't be too harsh on her. Her current level is already quite good, and Fang Jincheng will have a hard time catching up."

"I will do as you say, young master."

Ji You told Lu Qingqiu about Lu Hanyan's shortcomings one by one, then said goodbye to her without staying any longer, and even declined the invitation to have lunch together.

The last few moans of the second young lady of the Lu family were a little wet, and he was afraid of being overwhelmed.

He was a proper teacher, and the way he taught Lu Hanyan was the same as how Pei Ruyi taught Ruru. His main principle was that a strict teacher produces outstanding students. No matter how hard it was to remember, you would always remember it if you were beaten hard.

Ruru, that gluttonous girl, eats ten meals a day, but she's been beaten into being diligent and studious.

This shows that the method of spanking is legitimate and credible, and the teaching content is standardized and rigorous.

As for why she would produce a rebellious disciple who wanted to challenge her master, the only possibility is that Miss Lu was not a proper student...

Lu Qingqiu watched Ji You leave the Sword Forest, gazing at him as he descended the mountain in his white robes, then looked at her younger sister: "Why did you make so many mistakes today? Young Master Ji hit you... hit you until you were sweating."

Looking at Ji You's figure, Lu Hanyan thought to herself that it didn't seem like there was too much wrong. Some of the fighting was probably done on purpose by Senior Brother Ji when he got addicted to it.

Seeing that his sister did not answer, and remembering Ji You's words about not being too harsh, Lu Qingqiu changed his tune and said he would take her to lunch.

Lu Hanyan asked her sister to wait a moment, as she needed to go back to the courtyard to change into a pair of silk trousers...

Ji You had already left the outer courtyard and gone to Shengjing City along the Nishan Sacred Way to buy some things.

Zhongxing County also has Qionghua Pavilion, but there are no discounts, while the Shengjing store will give him a discount after he promotes the product.

After Ji You finished shopping, he rolled up his sleeves and walked towards the door. He was immediately attracted by more than ten carriages exuding spiritual energy, so he stood on the stone steps and looked at them for a long time.

These carriages all had large flags flying high, embroidered with different family crests.

Twin fiery lotuses bloom on a bronze plate, nine celestial marks encircle an iron sword, and yin-yang fish intertwine their tails...

Behind these carriages adorned with family crests, countless figures floated on swords, each exuding an air of otherworldly grace, gracefully landing on the streets.

Young men in their prime, young ladies from immortal sects in flowing dresses and adorned with jade ornaments, and some proud old men with their hands behind their backs, carrying gold-inlaid longswords and silver-ringed daggers at their waists, surged into the city like a tide.

The Heavenly Dao Society was held in Zhongzhou, and these families were all far apart, so they set off early and planned to stay in Shengjing for a few days to sightsee and rest.

Because of this grand occasion, the East and West markets have been closed for the past few days, and many vendors and laborers no longer enter the city, fearing that they might accidentally offend the noble immortals.

The four major restaurants and three major estates in the capital have earned far more in the past few days than they did during the preliminary selection for the Heavenly Academy.

Before long, Ji You saw a group of high-ranking officials and nobles appear on the street. They then bowed and walked towards the immortals from all directions, warmly welcoming them. They almost gathered all the surnames of the hundred families.

Qingyun Tianxia has always been like this; anything involving the word "immortal" is considered a major event.

However, Ji You has rarely seen such a spectacular scene.

After observing for a while, he stepped down from the threshold and went to meet the two cultivators in front of the brothel. Then he patted the two beggars sitting nearby, took them to the west city, gave them some copper coins, and told them to go play elsewhere.

These beggars have little experience in dealing with people and are not as good at assessing situations as adults. If they get into trouble at this time, it will not be easy to deal with them.

Ji You then turned back to the main street, and after walking a few steps, she saw a middle-aged man, so she stopped slightly.

The middle-aged man stood unkempt in front of a mansion, staring at him with bloodshot eyes.

Although her hands were hidden in the wide brocade sleeves, they were still visibly trembling.

Ji You paused for a moment, glanced at the two headless stone lions, and then silently headed towards Kuang Cheng's residence.

"Brother Ji, when do you plan to set off for the Heavenly Dao Society?"

"On the fifth day of the seventh month, I will go with the head of the academy. Instructor Cao and the others will go by carriage. Senior Sister Pei should also come from Fengzhou."

"I will also be heading there around the same time, in the carriage of the Directorate of Immortals. I will be able to meet Brother Ji in Zhongxing County then." The Heavenly Dao Society is involved in many mundane affairs, such as meals, accommodation, banquets and venue arrangements. Immortals who are detached from worldly concerns will not bother with these matters, so these tasks fall to the Great Xia Dynasty.

In the past, the Immortal Alliance was responsible for the Immortal Gathering, but this year the heavy responsibility has fallen on the shoulders of the Immortal Supervisory Office.

As the supervisor of the Imperial Observatory, Kuang Cheng naturally had to go along.

However, he didn't need to worry about being separated from Wei Rui, because Wei Rui would be going with several princesses from the palace, as well as Zhao Yunyue from the Chongwang Mansion, to join in the fun.

Without the eyes and ears of the capital, the chubby boy might find a place among the Kuang brothers.

"The finishing touches on the official road in Fengzhou and the autumn harvest should all be done during the Heavenly Dao Assembly. I may not have time to take care of them, so you'll have to keep an eye on these things. If any trouble arises, please let me know. I've also spoken to Instructor Cao and Senior Brother Ban; they will help you."

Kuang Cheng raised his head upon hearing this: "I am from Fengzhou just like Brother Ji, so it is only right. Brother Ji, you only need to focus on the battle. I will convey anything to you as soon as possible."

Ji You glanced at him and thought to herself, "You're so hesitant about things that are about life and vitality, it's like you've just eaten a Snickers bar."

Thinking of this, Ji You suddenly paused: "What's the deal with that Minister Dou?"

Kuang Cheng was slightly taken aback, and looked at him uncertainly, saying, "Minister Dou came to see you?"

"No, I saw him on my way here, right in front of the Dou residence. His eyes were wide open, as if he wanted to devour me, and his face looked terrible, like he hadn't slept in a long time."

"That's not surprising..."

"?"

After a moment of contemplation, Kuang Cheng spoke: "A few days ago, a report came from the capital saying that Dou Yuankong had gone missing. Only one of his servants was found, along with a bloodstained sleeve."

Ji You was slightly taken aback, then frowned, thinking to himself that no wonder Minister Dou had such a strong murderous aura.

When he returned from the snowy region, he threatened Dou Yuankong never to return to the capital. Now that he's in trouble, it's not surprising that Minister Dou would direct his hatred at him.

"Dou Yuankong has some cultivation; ordinary people shouldn't be able to do anything to him. How could he suddenly disappear?"

"It was probably robbed by bandits who practiced asceticism. The Imperial Academy is currently investigating, but because his servant died after escaping, they haven't found any leads yet."

After saying this, Kuang Cheng raised his head and said, "He harbored malicious intentions towards Brother Ji at the time, and wanted to use the demon clan delegation to harm Brother Ji. This calamity can be considered as retribution. Brother Ji, you don't need to blame yourself."

Ji You pursed her lips: "It's not that I blame myself, it's just that I feel like other cultivators now, able to take someone's life with just a 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 company say that if the world were full of cultivators like Brother Ji, then there would truly be peace."

Ji You looked up at him: "But even a hero can't resist being tempted. Do you know that people in the courtyard have already started to arrange marriages for me? Some have even written down the dowry details clearly. It's extremely tempting. I can't resist beauty, so I can't completely resist such things."

"Brother Ji, aren't you afraid of being stabbed to death by Fairy Yan?"

"I am a little scared..."

Kuang Cheng reached out and held onto the table: "With a sharp sword in hand and a good man in heart... Brother Ji will naturally not be blinded by external things."

Ji You glanced at him, thinking to herself, "You used the word 'men' very subtly. Your skill in choosing words is practically trying to kill me."

Kuang Cheng then raised his eyelids and asked, "By the way, Brother Ji, will Fairy Yan be going to the Heavenly Dao Society?"

"I don't know about that either."

Ji You had not told Kuang Cheng about Yan Shuyi's identity, but since he worked at the Imperial Immortal Administration, he had access to the records of various immortal sects, so he could not hide the origin of the surname Yan 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 anything of it.

As for whether Yan Shuyi will appear at the Heavenly Dao Society, he really couldn't say.

Logically speaking, the Heavenly Dao Assembly is extremely important to the cultivation world. All five hall masters of the Heavenly Academy will go there, and some even say that the sect leader will appear.

Then it's time for the junior appraiser of Spirit Sword Mountain to appear.

But for the proud fairy, breaking through to the limitless realm is the most crucial issue, which even involves the overall stability of Spirit Sword Mountain.

Breaking through a cultivation level is an extremely mysterious process, and the time it takes can vary greatly. Even she herself probably doesn't know when she will be able to break through.

Even if she doesn't go, Zhuo Wanqiu and Ding Yao will, so we can ask them later.

After hearing this, Kuang Cheng asked again, "What about Miss Yuan from the Dan Sect? Is she going?"

"She wrote to me today, saying that she will come to Shengjing first, and then set off with the Heavenly Academy. It seems that the opening of the place where the sages proved their Dao requires an alchemist."

"I see."

"?"

Ji You took out a packet of tea from his pocket: "This is spiritual tea that someone gave me. I'm keeping it for you. Even though you don't cultivate immortality, drinking it should still improve your hearing and vision, cure diseases, and prolong your life."

Kuang Cheng held the tea leaves in his hand and examined them for a long time: "I've heard of spirit wine, but I've never heard of spirit tea before."

“These are things that poor people wouldn’t even look at. I wouldn’t even give Cao Jingsong a drink if he wanted to.”

"Isn't this a bit too expensive?"

"I'm not charging you any money."

Ji You then left Kuang Cheng's place and walked along the afternoon avenue as the sun set towards Mount Ni. As he walked, he saw the cultivators who had entered earlier already appearing in the restaurants and teahouses, discussing among themselves.

This was different from Ji You's expression when she saw them before.

While his previous expression had shown some enthusiasm, it wasn't as animated or surprised as it was now.

The Heavenly Way Society is common knowledge and not particularly surprising, so according to Ji You's judgment, something else must have happened.

However, these aristocratic families were quite cautious when they went out, all using magical artifacts to block sound, and they did not reveal anything, so no one could find out.
Ji You followed the mountain path back to the gate of the Heavenly Academy. Once inside, he found that the disciples' expressions were very similar to those he had seen on the street earlier; they were also gathered in groups of three or five, talking incessantly.

This time, without the obstruction of those personal magical artifacts, Ji You could clearly hear what they were talking about with his keen hearing.

The matter is still related to the Heavenly Dao Society, or more precisely, to the Fusion Dao Realm.

Two dragon and phoenix disciples of the Chen Immortal Clan will participate in the Fusion Realm competition of this Heavenly Dao Assembly, with the aim of entering the Ancient Sages' Proof Ground and breaking through to the Responding Heaven Realm.

The direct transmission from the Immortal Sect is not the same as the direct transmission from the Immortal Palace or the Immortal Pavilion. Even someone like He Lingxiu, who holds a high position in the inner courtyard of the Heavenly Book Academy, is far inferior to him.

If we had to compare them, the distance between her and Senior Sister Wen would probably be greater, or even greater.

After all, he is a direct disciple of the Immortal Sect and is very likely to become a sect leader in the future, and wield sacred artifacts.

The already perilous battle for the Fusion Realm has become even more intense with the participation of a disciple from an immortal sect. This has put immense pressure on those aiming for a ranking, causing unease among all those in the city who have reached the Fusion Realm.

After learning the news, He Lingxiu, Shi Junhao, Xiao Hanyan, and Chai Hu from the inner courtyard all fell into a solemn silence.

However, although this news was surprising, it wasn't mentioned the most.

The most frequently mentioned, and most shocking, news came from the Spirit Sword Mountain, a place with three peaks standing side by side on the shore of the Xuanhai Sea.

There are many female cultivators in this world who like to call themselves goddesses or fairies.

But only Yan Shuyi, the young appraiser of Lingjian Mountain, was truly regarded as a goddess by the entire Qingyun Continent.

Of the seven great immortal sects in the world, all except the Heavenly Academy, which has not yet had a direct disciple, have already had one.

Yan Shu was not the oldest among them, but he always had the highest cultivation level, which showed his extraordinary talent.

This very morning, a clear, sharp sword cry soared into the sky, clearing up the rain-soaked Lingzhou.

Yan Shuyi, the young master of Lingjian Mountain, has broken through his seclusion and is now the youngest Wujiang in the world, without exception.

The news was brought by Ji You from the Southern Immortal Sect's Mountain and Sea Pavilion when he entered Kuang Cheng's courtyard, and it spread throughout the city in just half an hour.

"Has Instructor Cao heard about this?"

"I've heard that the young master of Lingjian Mountain has entered the Boundless Realm. Such talent is truly beyond the reach of others. She is indeed a goddess descended to earth."

"No, I meant the silver that Junior Brother Ji found."

Cao Jingsong turned around in astonishment: "He found some silver?"

Ban Yangshu was taken aback when he saw this: "No? I just returned from sending a letter from Shengjing and met Junior Brother Ji at the mountain gate. He was all smiles, so I thought he had found some silver."

(End of this chapter)