The author of this article

Chapter 255 Natural and man-made disasters
In the mountains and forests at night, countless taut bowstrings vibrated incessantly under the darkness.

The gleaming arrows, carrying swaying spiritual energy, shot off with a "thud," radiating a clear, silvery light under the moonlight, and flew into the valley in a vast, overwhelming barrage.

The swift sword swept through the surrounding air, causing a buzzing sound to rise wherever the arrow passed.

In the valley where the arrow was pointing, countless figures using spiritual energy to traverse the air were slashing downwards with swords and blades.

"puff--"

Under the gleaming blade, the hideous evil corpse was slashed to the ground by the iron blade, and then its head was severed with a final blow.

At the same time, flashes of lightning appeared intermittently, striking out with each palm strike in the darkness, quickly filling the mountain wind with a burnt smell.

However, this lightning magic has no lethal effect on evil species; its only use is to disperse a horde of evil species that has gathered in a wave.

And so, the spiritual energy flowed through the valley until dawn, when the mountains and fields fell silent, not even the chirping of insects or the calls of birds could be heard.

At this moment, the people from the Immortal Supervisory Bureau and the local cultivators breathed a sigh of relief as they watched the evil corpses that had all been slain in the valley. They then rested for a long time in the slightly chilly mountain air.

This was almost a battle devoid of any skill.

The bodies of the evil race are too tough. According to the Zhenbei Army squad, even the barbarians cannot compare to their physical strength.

This allowed those who had only heard of the remnant race in historical records to once again experience the terrifying nature of the race that had ruled the world for millions of years.

Even sophisticated spells might not be effective against such things; pure slashing is more efficient, but it consumes a great deal of one's own strength.

After a long rest, the Imperial Observatory remained vigilant, still holding iron knives, and began to examine the corpses.

After confirming that nothing had been missed, everyone turned to look at the flattened hilltop.

In fact, breaking a mountain is not a terrible technique. Theoretically speaking, as long as the sword is sharp enough and the strength is great enough, it can be done.

The problem is, no one can say for sure what level of skill is needed to reach that level of combat power...

But they were certain that this was not something anyone could do; otherwise, they wouldn't have thought that a powerful figure would intervene in the mountain before they went up.

At this moment, Ji You had already left the mountains and was sitting in front of a stall in Wangyue Town, having his meal in the dim morning light.

A strong physique requires more calories, and the simplest way to achieve this is through food intake.

While he was at the sacred site of the ancients, he didn't need to make a move, so he could ignore it. However, the two sword strikes last night had taken a huge toll on him, and he needed to replenish his strength.

After eating a bowl of hot, plain noodles, Ji You looked towards the mountains and forests.

He had just come out of the sacred site of the sages yesterday evening, and he sensed something was wrong as soon as he came out.

It was so quiet all around that there wasn't even the chirping of insects or birds.

At the same time, there was a rotten smell that kept wafting through the air.

Ji You was naturally very familiar with this smell, because he had smelled it many times when he went to Wanzhuo Mountain with the Tianshu Academy to search for the missing Yuan Caiwei.

That was the smell of evil, a rotten smell as if it had been dug out of the soil.

So Ji You followed the mountain range and indeed saw the evil creatures roaming back and forth in the valleys.

He had stayed in the sacred land of the ancients for a long time and had no idea what was happening outside. He never expected that this would be the thing that would greet him when he came out of the pass.

Even so, he quickly figured out how to stop the evil creatures from escaping, so he swung his sword and cut off a mountain peak, blocking the side mountain path.

Even now, he still doesn't understand why evil seeds have reappeared in Qingyun Tianxia.

After breakfast, the sun rose higher, and the mountain air gradually subsided.

As the group that had gone into the mountains gradually withdrew, several members of the Supervision Department came before Ji You and bowed slowly.

“Young Master Ji, I am Mu Jing, the supervisor of the Immortal Inspection Office. I am grateful for your help in eliminating the evil seed.”

Ji You put down her chopsticks: "Even if you hadn't come, I would have still made it. We can't keep these evil things in the mountains forever; they might become a source of trouble someday. But where did so many evil creatures come from? Could it be that some ancient ruins have reopened?"

Mu Jing shook her head upon hearing this: "The appearance of the evil seed was very sudden. Our Immortal Observatory has been investigating for a long time, but we have not yet found its source, because some of the registered ruins have not shown any signs of being opened."

Upon hearing this, Ji You frowned, and her eyes became much deeper.

After the Qiling incident, Yan Shu also told him that there was a dungeon under the Zheng family's mansion that had imprisoned many evil beings.

Now, if these evil creatures don't originate from the ruins, they are very likely to come from a similar place.

But if that's the case, then it's even more terrifying.

This shows that the Qiling incident is not over yet. Some things may seem like natural disasters, but they may also be man-made disasters.

But this thing is neither alive nor dead, it's just a rotting body, and Ji You can hardly imagine what it can do.

"Has any evil species appeared in Fengzhou?"

After pondering for a while, Ji You looked at Mu Jing again.

Compared to such worldly affairs that are like a raging torrent beyond human control, he was more concerned about the situation in Fengzhou.

Mu Jing nodded after hearing his question: "Yes, but the Zhenbei Army's main camp is stationed in Fengzhou, and there has never been any trouble."

"Has anything else happened in the past six months?"

"That's too much..."

"?"

Mu Jing's subsequent words made Ji You realize that she had missed so many amazing sights.

For example, there was a month of torrential rain, a sudden blizzard in the northern border, and the red mist that swayed from the Xuanhai Sea.

He knew that the strange phenomenon represented instability in the Heavenly Way and chaos in the laws of nature, which was definitely not a good thing.

But what Ji You cared about even more was the timing of these events.

According to Mu Jing, all of these things happened when the sacred site of the sages began to show a mysterious aura.

Too many coincidences are no longer coincidences. Strange phenomena in the heavens and the appearance of evil spirits—Ji You felt that these things seemed to be connected.

Besides this matter, according to Mu Jing, the barbarian and demon races have also made some unusual moves recently. The barbarian army has once again left the Ten Thousand Mountains and is stationed outside the northern border. The demon race's merchants were recalled, but when they returned, they were all new faces.

The only thing that could make these two races eager to make a move was the idea of ​​returning to Kyushu.

The fact that these two races are now making unusual movements inevitably makes people wonder if they have seen something, such as destiny or disaster. The connection between these two things makes people feel even more uneasy.

In addition, Mu Jing also told Ji You the news that Dou Yuankong had been injured by the evil seed and had become mentally impaired after being rescued.

After hearing this, Ji You pondered for a long time. He wanted to ask for more details, but Mu Jing told him that he was only responsible for the siege of the evil species in Sanli County. Kuang Cheng knew more about the specific investigation details than he did.

In addition, Mu Jing told him everything she knew about the cultivation world.

For example, the Chen Clan and the Mountain and Sea Pavilion had another conflict, and the Dao Seeking Sect's direct disciple, a holy son, broke through his cultivation barrier and went to visit the Spirit Sword Mountain.

Upon hearing this, Mu Jing felt a sudden surge of sword energy and was somewhat bewildered.

How is Spirit Sword Mountain doing lately?

"?"

Mu Jing was stunned for a moment before realizing that he was asking about Lingjian Mountain instead of Tianshu Academy: "I don't know much about Lingjian Mountain. Apart from the matter of the Lingjian Mountain Master, I haven't heard of any major events."

Upon hearing the name "Arrogant Ghost," Ji You turned around and asked, "What is it, Junior Appraiser?"

"After the Daoist clansmen emerged from seclusion, they visited Lingjian Mountain, but were rejected by the young master, who said that he already had someone he loved."

Ji You was slightly taken aback: "She said herself that she has someone she likes?"

Mu Jing nodded: "It was said by her own mouth, but not many people believe it. Most people think it's just an excuse, a pretext by the young master of Lingjian Mountain who doesn't want the Dao Asking Sect to interfere in his sect's affairs. After all, such a majestic fairy is probably hard to be moved by."

Upon hearing this, Ji You couldn't help but glance at him, thinking to herself that this was all due to the deep-rooted prejudice people held against fairies.

Is it hard for you to fall in love?

Every time Yan Shuyi went to play with him, she would have to wash her own pants afterward. It was her cold expression that fooled too many people.

Mu Jing glanced at him and asked, "Brother Ji, why aren't you saying anything?"

Ji You came to her senses: "I do believe that he has a sweetheart, and he must be a handsome and dashing man in good health."

"?"

"How is the Pill Sect doing?"

"There are rumors that the direct disciple of the Pill Sect is trying to control the sacred artifact, so much so that many fairy maidens from noble families have come to the mountain as guests. In addition, some young masters have also visited the daughter of the Pill Sect. However, the daughter of the Pill Sect has also announced that she has a sweetheart."

Mu Jing knew that the daughter of Danzong had a secret affair with Ji You, so when he asked about Danzong, it didn't seem as strange as when he asked about Lingjian Mountain.

Upon hearing this, Ji You thought to herself that Yuan Caiwei was quite something; she could even pull off a dream collaboration.

After hearing this, Yan Shuyi probably became jealous for a long time.

After Mu Jing finished speaking, she looked at Ji You and said, "During Young Master Ji's time in the ruins, Brother Kuang often mentioned him."

Where is Kuang Cheng now?

"In Shengjing, the recent floods and the emergence of various evil species have caused considerable trouble. The Guidance Department is currently handling the paperwork for disaster relief."

Ji You looked up at him and asked, "Where are you going next?" Mu Jing looked southwest and replied, "There's a place in Zhongzhou where evil spirits gather. We need to go there to clean it up before returning to the capital."

Ji You pondered for a while and then said, "Can I go with you and hitch a ride back to Shengjing?"

Mu Jing opened her eyes wide: "Of course we welcome you. With Young Master Ji accompanying us on this trip, no evil spirit will be able to escape."

When will you set off?

"Although the evil seed has been completely eradicated, we still need to search the surrounding area. On the one hand, we are afraid that we may have missed any, and on the other hand, we want to find clues about its origin. So we originally planned to leave this place tomorrow morning."

After sitting idly with Mu Jing for a while, a servant-like person from Wangyue Town suddenly walked over.

The visitor stopped in front of Ji You and presented a card with both hands: "Young Master Ji, I am Liu Quan, a servant of the Liu family in Zhongzhou. My second young master is a fellow student of you at the Heavenly Academy. Hearing that you are here, the head of the family specially ordered me to come and invite you."

"I'm just passing through; I'll be heading somewhere else later."

"It's just a banquet, it won't take up too much of your time, young master."

Ji You looked up upon hearing the voice: "A banquet? A banquet is fine."

Mu Jing glanced at the empty plate on the table: "Young Master Ji has already eaten."

"I was only three-tenths full."

"?"

Ji You hadn't eaten enough, and since someone was bringing him food, he had no reason not to go. So he gladly accepted the invitation, got up from the stall, and headed to the Liu family under the servant's guidance.

At this moment, the young men from the aristocratic families who had followed them into the mountains were still gathered along the roadside heading south from Wangyue Town.

The cruelty and savagery of the evil species left a deep impression on them, so much so that they hadn't spoken much since they came out of the mountains, and had been silently watching Ji You's figure.

As they watched him approach along the road, their gazes became even more focused.

For most of the year, Ji You was in seclusion, and no one had seen him.

It wasn't until someone emerged from the sacred site of the sages that news arrived that he was still in Tongxuan, sparking a great deal of discussion.

They talked about these things last night, still speculating about his limited talent, and this news made many of them feel much more at ease.

Especially Tang Jingming.

Actually, during the Heavenly Dao Assembly, he always felt that he had a great chance.

Even though he later lost to Ji You, and after waking up he heard that Ji You had taken the top spot, he still felt that as one of the best among the scions of a noble family, he was not far behind, and if he worked hard to catch up, he might have a chance.

So when he heard that Ji You had stayed in the sacred land of the sages for so long and was still only at the Tongxuan realm, he even felt that Ji You had wasted the opportunity that should have belonged to him.

This is the difference between seeing something with your own eyes and hearing it from others.

Until last night, when he entered the mountain, Ji You used his sword to cut through the desolate mountain under the moonlight, suppressing all the evil species.

He didn't actually see the moment the mountain broke, but he felt the rising sword energy very clearly.

This stark contrast made him suddenly realize that Ji You was actually not on the same level as him at all.

His mind had always been focused on catching up with those renowned disciples of the Immortal Sect, but the performance of Ji You from Sword Howling in the Mountains last night showed that he was already at the level of a direct disciple of an Immortal Sect.

But Qiu Hanyue's feelings were even more complicated.

A girl from a modest family like her, when not facing any challenges, always feels that being strong isn't the first choice.

But when she saw the evil corpse rushing towards her yesterday, she realized how important it would be to have a powerful person protecting her.

It's a sense of security amidst turmoil that nothing else can compensate for.

Seeing Ji You walking along the road, Qiu Hanyue, who was hesitating, couldn't help but softly ask, "Ji You, you've come out of seclusion?"

Ji You turned to look at her, her gaze slightly confused.

He seemed to think for a while before remembering who the person was, and then nodded politely to him.

In fact, Ji You didn't have any particular opinion about this Qiu family's daughter. She was like a stranger whose name he knew, and he would greet her out of habit.

Seeing this, Qiu Hanyue was slightly taken aback.

She then remembered that she had only met Ji You briefly once. She remembered Ji You clearly because everyone remembered that figure clearly on the day of the Heavenly Dao Gathering.

Conversely, she was only a woman who had met Ji You once.

Subsequently, Ji You was invited into the Liu family.

The Liu family of Zhongzhou is also a family closely associated with the Heavenly Academy. Their children and grandchildren have always been quite talented. Although they are not top-tier in Zhongzhou, they are still well-known.

The Liu Qichen who challenged him in the preliminary rounds of the Heavenly Dao Society was a member of this Liu family.

It's not surprising that the Liu family wanted to host a banquet for Ji You, given their close relationship with the Heavenly Academy.

However, the Liu family patriarch was not the only one attending the banquet; an elderly patriarch of the Liu family with white hair and beard was also present.

The banquet lasted until late afternoon, and the conversation revolved around Fengzhou and Tianshu Academy. It was clear that the Liu family intended to befriend Ji You, and Ji You, being treated to their meal, naturally couldn't refuse them.

By the time Ji You left the Liu family, the sun was already setting. The head of the Liu family personally saw him off at the door. When he returned, he saw his patriarch standing in the courtyard, still staring in the direction Ji You had left.

"When I first heard that the private cultivators in the countryside of Fengzhou had defeated the Heavenly Sword Peak bloodline who was about to break through the realm, I didn't believe it."

"The families that can survive in the Qingyun world for a long time have a foundation that is not as simple as it seems on the surface, let alone the immortal sects."

"But seeing it now surprised me."

“Cultivators are too superstitious about realms and auras, but Ji You’s combat strength is definitely not as simple as it looks.”

"Perhaps even I would find it difficult to deal with him, after all, I am getting old."

"?"

Upon hearing this, the head of the Liu family opened his mouth slightly, a look of disbelief flashing in his eyes.

The Liu family patriarch was a master of the Yingtian Realm. Such a level of mastery could make one an elder in a celestial sect, and naturally, he was a figure not to be underestimated in aristocratic families.

His lifespan is now nearing its end, so for the past ten years or so he has been in seclusion, trying to break through to the Boundless Realm before his time is up, and to defy the heavens to save his lifespan. He is unwilling to waste even a single moment.

However, he made a special trip out of seclusion to see Ji You, and this matter quickly spread to the ears of many aristocratic families in the surrounding area.

Even if members of prominent families lived in the same state, they rarely saw each other.

Especially those who had reached marriageable age, such as Tang Jingming, Liu Qichen, Qiu Hanyue, and Sheng Xiyu, did not rush home, but chatted idly in a quiet courtyard.

"Your Liu family patriarch gave him a special look? What did he say?"

"The ancestor said... do not be superstitious about realms, and do not be deceived by auras."

"Why?"

He said that even if he wanted to deal with Ji You now, it would be difficult.

"Your Liu family ancestor has already touched the threshold of the Boundless Realm!"

"The ancestor was certainly being modest, and even specifically mentioned that he was old, but I think that no matter what, Ji You, who has spent more than half a year in the Holy Land of the Sages, should have surpassed the Fusion Realm."

For those who cannot ascend to immortality, the purpose of cultivation is actually quite simple.

Firstly, it's for longevity, and secondly, it's for combat power, because only with sufficient combat power can one have enough deterrence in the world of Qingyun.

After the Heavenly Dao Gathering, everyone knew that Ji You's combat power was astonishing; he was able to defeat Yan Hao, who had reached the Fusion Dao stage, even when he was only at the Profound Realm.

Unexpectedly, after he returned from the sacred land of the sages, he would actually get an old patriarch of a noble family in the Yingtian Realm to say such things.

The key point is that Ji You is still very young and has a long, long way to go before his time comes.

Everyone here felt that his talent for enlightenment had been exhausted, and he had fallen into a bottleneck that everyone feared and could not break through, otherwise he would not have been stuck at this level.

Even so, he can hone his skills over a long period of time and eventually make further progress.

Therefore, strictly speaking, the Liu family patriarch's credentials are actually less valuable than Ji You's; the difference between the two is merely a matter of time.

Several of Qiu Hanyue's close friends were also in the courtyard at this time. After listening, they looked at each other for a long time, and then turned to look at Miss Qiu with cautious expressions.

Qiu Hanyue turned her gaze, looking at them with a cold expression, causing her close friends to look away.

The one who was most adept at dodging was Sheng Xiyu, who had given her the idea to have Qiu Hanyue personally go to Ji You to refuse the marriage proposal.

When they first heard that Qiu Hanyue was to be betrothed to a disciple of the Heavenly Academy from Fengzhou, they did laugh and joke.

The laughter wasn't malicious, but there was still a hint of mockery.

After all, they had never heard of Ji You at that time, and didn't even know that such a surname existed.

So in the minds of these sisters, Qiu Hanyue was destined to marry into a poor, remote village and become a concubine for a country bumpkin. Even Qiu Hanyue herself thought so.

But now, hearing the discussions around them, recalling the soaring sword energy when the evil seed raged last night, and thinking of the words of the Liu family patriarch, they realized that the He family wanted to act as matchmaker, but the one they were actually trying to marry was the Qiu family.

That was close! My sister almost got to live a good life.

Qiu Hanyue withdrew her gaze at this moment and clearly realized what kind of person she might have married.

(End of this chapter)