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Chapter 275 If the Sword Breaks Through the Elders' Pavilion
As disciples from various immortal sects returned one after another, stories about Dongping Mountain gradually began to circulate.

However, all the major immortal sects seemed to have reached a consensus, saying that they had discovered a rare treasure of heaven and earth in the Dongping Mountains, which was a spiritual seedling that had taken human form and was difficult to capture.

In fact, this act of concealment is tantamount to a form of defense.

Because in the eyes of the major immortal sects, if the power of the evil seed can truly overturn the existing cultivation methods, it will not be easily known to more people until this power is in their own hands.

Especially for some large and powerful families, if they obtain this method, they might have other ideas.

On the other hand, even though people with powerful backgrounds like Fang Jincheng were curious about the matter, they were unable to find out the truth.

This is not a matter of defense, but rather a consideration for maintaining the stability of one's Dao heart.

In the eyes of the elders, if they knew that there was a power in this world that could allow people to cross borders continuously and reach the peak of combat power, then the enlightenment of sitting in the deep mountains would be extremely difficult for them to endure.

The desire for shortcuts and the aversion to arduous practice are human nature, and cannot be avoided.

As for the news of the barbarians appearing in the mountains, it was naturally also suppressed.

Therefore, apart from the high-ranking members of the Immortal Sect, everyone else felt that this world was greedy for shortcuts and averse to arduous cultivation. This was human nature, and it was unavoidable. The Dao was very stable, but little did they know that it was already in a state of shaky precariousness.

After Ji You returned to Tian Shu Academy, he did not make any public statement about the matter.

His original intention was to seek peace and stability in the world, and he naturally understood that the fewer people who knew about this matter, the better.

So when Cao Jingsong asked him if he had gone to the Dongping Mountains, he readily admitted that he had indeed gone to search for the Spirit Seed.

Cao Jingsong had no doubt whatsoever.

The main problem is that Ji You's greedy character is too deeply ingrained in people's minds. He would steal any silver that was already in someone's hands, so how could he possibly let go of the spiritual treasures growing in the mountains?

Therefore, what Zuo Qiuyang said to He Lingxiu when they went to the snowy region was correct.

An obvious weakness may not always be a weakness, but it can be a good cover-up.

However, while Cao Jingsong and others lamented the perilous situation, noting that even Elder Fang had returned injured, and marveled at Ji You's incredible luck in escaping unscathed, Ji You did not shirk responsibility.

"Elder Fang's pathetic state was actually caused by me beating him up."

"...?"

"He tried to take it from me! He's a professional, so he just took it!"

Cao Jingsong, Wen Zhengxin, Ban Yangshu, and the others remained silent for a long while before asking, "You... managed to snatch it?"

Ji You shook his head after hearing this: "There are still Divine Travel Realm cultivators in the arena, so naturally I couldn't snatch any. I just settled for Elder Fang's money bag instead."

After a moment of silence, Cao Jingsong held his breath.

After returning from the sacred land of the sages, they had experienced Ji You's aura, but they never imagined that Ji You could defeat Elder Fang of the Boundless Realm.

"You unfilial disciple, you really dare to steal from anyone! Aren't you afraid he'll make things difficult for your master?!"

"Even if we don't beat him up, hasn't he already given us enough trouble?"

Cao Jingsong pondered for a while: "That's true... Sigh, let's just beat him up. We even got a money bag, so it's not a complete loss."

Ji You suddenly shook her head: "Actually, I only found out later that I had suffered a huge loss."

"Where did we lose money?"

"We lost a child."

"?"

While Ji You was chatting with Cao Jingsong and others, a letter from Kuang Cheng was delivered to him.

When the Heavenly Academy sent people to investigate whether Ji You was the one who committed the murder in the Dongping Mountains, Kuang Cheng was also questioned.

He had been working tirelessly, and upon receiving news of Ji You's return, he couldn't help but ask to meet him.

When facing Kuang Cheng, Ji You revealed a little more information.

One reason is that Kuang Cheng is a cautious person who knows what is important and what is not.

On the other hand, Ji You needs Kuang Cheng to use the power of the Immortal Observatory to monitor the Dongping Mountains area, and also needs to understand the movements of those immortal sects.

The old man in the Immortal Sect was already on his deathbed, but now the Bu family had stirred up his will to live. He didn't believe that Bu Qirong's death would make them face the end of dying with equanimity again.

When Kuang Cheng heard about this, he remained silent for a long time, his face gradually turning pale.

Because he, like Ji You, knew about the incident where Qingwa encountered a group of babies transported from Qiling, he naturally understood why Ji You was determined to risk killing Bu Qirong.

He gripped the teacup, absentmindedly swirling it a few times, but his mind remained restless.

Fengzhou has developed very well in recent years. During Ji You's absence, he has been in charge of the autumn harvest and knows that this year's grain production has doubled again.

Wulu Trading Company saved many people, including many children.

Kuang Shusheng, like Tie Niu, a farmer from Zhongzhou, felt that life was getting better and better, but he never expected to hear such a calamity.

"There are some things that are beyond our control. We can only try our best to resolve some troubles. So, Lao Kuang, all I need is for you to keep an eye on the news for me and not get too involved, because the most important thing for a person to do is to live."

Kuang Cheng looked at him: "Brother Ji, when you went to Dongping Mountain, did you know that you would definitely survive?"

Ji You put down her teacup: "Of course, who would dare to do something that could cost them their life, especially since there's no money to pay for it?"

“But Brother Ji said that you didn’t know that Fairy Yan would appear in the Dongping Mountains in time before you went there, so Brother Ji didn’t expect to be alive.”

Ji You's smile faded: "You scholar, you listened very carefully, but that's different. That's what I deserved..."

After leaving Kuang Cheng, Ji You returned to the Heavenly Academy.

He tidied up the small courtyard that he hadn't lived in for a long time and washed the clothes he had changed in the Dongping Mountains.

Among those clothes, he also saw the arrogant ghost's light green bellyband, and a fragrant sock rolled up inside.

This must have been something she casually tossed onto her clothes when they slept in the same bed that night, and he accidentally brought it back with him.

Who would have thought that the renowned and aloof Master of Lingjian Mountain would secretly take off her clothes and leave them lying around...

Ji You soaked the bodice in water and washed it clean, planning to put it on her herself when she came back next time. Then she looked up towards the direction of the back mountain.

What has Elder Fang been doing these past few days?

"Reporting to the steward, Elder Fang is recuperating from his injuries."

"Where are the others from the Elder Council?"

"They are studying the documents brought back from Qingzhou, and they discuss them in the hall every day. However, disciples are not allowed to enter, so they don't know what they are discussing."

The cold autumn wind blew into the courtyard, carrying with it deep yellow fallen leaves, causing the banners erected in the courtyard to flutter loudly.

In the main hall, which faces north, the disciple in charge of the affairs pavilion, who had just returned from the back mountain, reported the results of his observations.

This disciple, named Sun Dong, was not in the core of the Management Academy and had not participated in the affairs of the Dongping Mountains. He had previously stayed in the Heavenly Book Academy.

Because a large number of people were transferred from the head of the academy, he had to do all the work that others used to do, which made him so tired that he wanted to quit every day.

He thought things would get better once the steward and other colleagues returned, but for some reason, he felt the atmosphere in the courtyard had become even more tense.

This feeling was as if the Heavenly Academy was about to face a major battle.

In particular, Manager Qin and Manager Lang always had solemn expressions on their faces. Although they didn't lose their temper, it still had an impact on the disciples.

The disciple pondered for a moment, then couldn't help but raise his head.

In sight, Manager Qin, Manager Ji, and Manager Lang were all holding their own teacups. Manager Qin and Manager Ji nodded slightly after hearing their reports.

Just then, Wen Siyuan stepped out from the courtyard filled with the autumn wind: "Steward, I'm back."

What has Ji You been doing these past few days?

"I stayed in the courtyard the whole time, aired out the quilts, and then had tea with Cao Jingsong and others. I also went down the mountain once to see Kuang Cheng, the official in charge of the Immortal Bureau."

Wen Siyuan felt the same way as the disciple from before, that ever since Elder Fang and Ji You returned to the sect, the atmosphere in the management office had been very tense.

This tension seems to stem from the relationship between Ji You and Elder Fang.

The students in the academy are all guessing that Ji You has been sent to the Dongping Mountains, and he thinks so too.

But he didn't know what had happened in the Dongping Mountains that would cause the atmosphere to become like this.

Moreover, the head of the Secretariat has always wielded considerable power. If the head of the Secretariat has any questions and is unable to interrogate Elder Fang, he can simply summon Ji You to inquire. Why be so cautious in his observation?

"Fortunately, Elder Fang was not confused by Ji You's injury. Otherwise, if our disciples had used the sword techniques of Lingjian Mountain to break through the Heavenly Book Academy's elders' pavilion, not to mention the prestige of the Holy Sect, we would have become a laughing stock of the whole world."

Qin Rong put down his teacup, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes.

Ji Jingyao breathed a sigh of relief: "It seems that my Tianshu Academy can remain peaceful for a while longer."

Elder Fang has always been vengeful and never lets those who have offended him get away with it.

Ji You had extinguished any hope that would extend his lifespan and even attacked him with his sword. In the eyes of the Dean of Affairs, Elder Fang must have wished he could grind him to dust.

Although Ji You's combat strength is beyond the reach of the Elders' Pavilion, there are still other people around Ji You.

For example, Lu Hanyan, Lu Qingqiu, Cao Jingsong, Wen Zhengxin, Ban Yangshu, and Bai Rulong.

Most importantly, there was still a scholar in the capital who was his sworn brother.

It would be far too easy for the Immortal Sect to kill a mortal, even if he were an official of the Great Xia Dynasty.

In Qin Rong and Ji Jingyao's view, Ji You must have anticipated the risks involved, which is why he only rested in Anyuan City for a short time before rushing back to Tianshu Academy on the same day as Elder Fang, precisely to guard against this.

Most importantly, Ji You has never been one to settle things peacefully.

Back when he was sent as an envoy to the snowy region, he dared to exhaust himself by supporting forty-nine mountains despite only possessing the combat strength of the Profound Realm, and stand against the barbarian king.

If Elder Fang really takes action, they have no doubt that Ji You would dare to take his sword and charge towards the back mountain.

Fortunately, five days have passed without any news from the Elders' Council, so the possibility of them making a move is probably slim.

Qin Rong then came to his senses, looked at the stunned Wen Siyuan and Sun Dong, and waved them away.

Ji You's combat strength is different from the Bu family's transformation into an evil species, so there's no need to deliberately hide it. However, it's better to have fewer people around when talking about it behind your back.

At this moment, Wen Siyuan and Sun Dong walked outside and looked at the Elders' Pavilion in the distance, their eyes somewhat dazed.

At this moment, Lang Hetong was also looking in the direction of the Elders' Pavilion.

He had never witnessed the events at Dongping Mountain Range. In fact, when Qin Rong and Ji Jingyao told him that Ji You's combat prowess had reached the Boundless Realm and that he had defeated Elder Fang, he did not believe it.

But seeing that the Elders' Council really didn't react at all, he had no choice but to believe it.

However, the fact that the Elders' Council had not done anything and that Ji You was still fine disappointed and puzzled the other disciples in the academy.

When the students from the Heavenly Academy returned, everyone noticed the way Elder Fang looked at Ji You, guessing that Ji You had offended Elder Fang again.

They had hoped for a good show, but their expectations were dashed.

The most unhappy of them all was Fang Jincheng.

Just a few days before everyone returned, Lu Hanyan went into seclusion, saying she wanted to break through to the Tongxuan Realm.

Although it's just a breakthrough in a minor realm and not that surprising, it's a completely different story when compared to something else.

Because he hasn't even touched the threshold of the minor realm yet, and if Lu Hanyan really breaks through, then his story about being hospitalized because of his great-grandfather will truly be confirmed.

Fang Jincheng had always hoped that his grandfather would give Ji You a big blow, not only to vent his anger, but also to perhaps destroy Lu Hanyan's Dao heart. However, the reality was completely different from what he had imagined.

"Perhaps Elder Fang is simply magnanimous and disdains to get angry with a mere Tongxuan disciple."

"impossible!"

"?"

Fang Jincheng quickly realized what was going on and said fiercely, "I'm not saying my grandfather is narrow-minded, I'm saying that Ji You is such a clown, so annoying to be around, how could my grandfather keep him?" Zhao Yunyue was still busy with the Immortal Appreciation Gathering for Prince Chong, so she found Fang Jincheng again.

Hearing about the harmonious atmosphere at the Heavenly Academy, the princess of the Great Xia Dynasty was actually somewhat puzzled.

Elder Fang's gaze that day was still vivid in my mind, as if a raging fire was about to erupt, sending chills down my spine. It was impossible for him to be so calm...

At this moment, Ji You was in the courtyard, looking towards the back mountain with some disappointment.

Elder Fang's purse had initially impressed him greatly, and he believed the Elders' Pavilion should be even more extravagant.

He sighed, put the gleaming sword he had just cleaned back into his sheath, and unfolded the letters that had been delivered that day.

The daughter of the Dan Sect was unaware that he had gone to Dongping Mountain. The contents of the three letters she sent were the same as usual, mainly sharing her daily life.

After reading several letters, Ji You noticed that she hadn't asked about the Bu family, leaving him unsure whether the Dan Sect was unaware of the matter or if the Dan Sect leader hadn't even told his own daughter.

If even the Ruodan Sect is unaware of this, then the other six major immortal sects have truly kept it a secret.

There was also a letter from Yan Shuyi. The arrogant ghost arrived at Lingjian Mountain on the third day after his return and sent him a letter from Nanhua City.

The letter contained only eight characters: "Focus on the Way, this life's destiny is over."

Ji You couldn't believe it at all, thinking to herself that she was just afraid I would give her a gift.

That damned Elder Fang...

After reading the letter, Ji You met with Lu Qingqiu, who had sent a message to invite him. As for Lu Hanyan, she was in seclusion and did not come along.

To Ji You's surprise, Lu Qingqiu's aura was noticeably different from before.

She was one of the two outer disciples of the Heavenly Academy who entered the Profound Realm this year.

It was only when Lu Qingqiu truly reached the Tongxuan Realm that he could realize how terrifying Ji You's talent was—that after being admitted to the hospital, he refused to take any pills or spirit stones and managed to step into the Tongxuan Realm before Chu He.

However, to Ji You's surprise, the other person who entered the Tongxuan Realm was someone he knew, namely Xiang Fu, the daughter of the Prefect of Danshui County.

Then, the outer courtyard suddenly became lively.

Every day, many disciples go to the Enlightenment Arena to compete, and people from Shengjing City also take this opportunity to come and watch the battles.

The Bu family's affair caused all the immortal sects' autumn battle admissions to be postponed, including the Heavenly Academy.

So when Qin Rong and Ji Jingyao returned, they began preparations for the autumn battle.

The Autumn Strike not only determines the number of students admitted, but also the resources that outer court disciples will receive in the future, so many disciples will come to participate.

Just like before Ji You, Du Zhu and Chu He competed, Lu Qingqiu had also faced off against them.

Among them, the most outstanding performers were Lu Qingqiu and Xiang Fu.

Xiang Fu, in particular, received a lot of attention in the arena competition because of a very special situation this year.

Last autumn, the enrollment of students by the seven major immortal sects was not smooth. The Heavenly Academy only had one student who had reached the lower three realms of perfection, Peng Yu, the great-nephew of Elder Peng of the Elder Hall.

Because there were no competitors, many people thought he would definitely be the one to enter the inner circle this year.

Unexpectedly, even after Qiu Dou had delayed for two months, he was still stuck at the threshold of the Five Profound Lights, and was still quite a distance from the Profound Realm.

The Heavenly Academy had a precedent. The year before Ji You entered the academy, none of the disciples that year had reached the Profound Realm. According to the rules, they would go back a year and find a Profound Realm student from the second year to enter the academy.

Among the second-year students, Xiang Fu, who had just broken through to the Profound Realm, was the one who had achieved this breakthrough.

She didn't anticipate this beforehand; rather, she was already working extra hard because of the difference in their social status.

Especially when Ji You won the top spot on the Heavenly Dao Association ranking, all the disciples from Fengzhou were more eager to compete than the other disciples.

The reason why everyone in the Heavenly Academy paid special attention to her was because, theoretically, this spot should have belonged to Xiang Fu.

The problem is that the difference in their social status is too great.

Peng Yu is from a prominent family and is also the grand-nephew of Elder Peng of the Yingtian Realm. Even if he hasn't reached the Tongxuan level, the Elders' Pavilion would turn a blind eye to it given their nature.

After all, Fang Jincheng had already been forcibly sent to the inner courtyard last year because of Elder Fang's influence.

In contrast, Xiang Fu comes from a low-level official family in Fengzhou, without any powerful backers, and unlike Peng Yu, she was born in the same year.

In the eyes of the disciples of the Heavenly Academy, even if it should have been her, it wouldn't have been her.

The governor of Danshui County, Xiang Xuan, was overjoyed to learn that his daughter would have such an opportunity. However, upon hearing this discussion, he realized that his daughter's chances were slim.

The Xiang family also climbed up from the bottom, just like the Kuang family. It took generations of hard work for them to become officials, which gave their daughter the right to cultivate.

Now that he's heard his daughter can get into the inner court, how could he be willing to give up?

So, at dusk after the duel, he took Xiang Fu to find Cao Jingsong, since Cao Jingsong was the only person he knew in the Heavenly Academy.

In fact, Cao Jingsong had been thinking about this matter as well, and he knew their purpose before they even spoke.

"You want to enter the inner courtyard?"

"think……"

Xiang Fu had never actually mentioned wanting to enter the inner courtyard, not even when her father dragged her here. However, she still told her instructor the truth.

If one could truly enter the inner academy, who would want to remain an outer academy disciple and be expelled after five years?

But even she herself knew that her chances were far too slim.

Cao Jingsong stroked his long beard: "If you want to enter the inner courtyard, there are ways."

Xiang Fu's eyes widened: "Really?"

Do you know Lu Hanyan?

“I am naturally aware that Miss Lu was born in the same period as me.”

Cao Jingsong nodded: "If you want to enter the inner academy, follow her example and go find your senior brother Ji."

Xiang Fu was taken aback: "Learn swordsmanship? But instructor, my problem right now isn't sparring, and the autumn battles have already started. No matter how smart I am, I'm afraid I won't be able to learn it."

"Do you really think Lu Hanyan was able to enter the inner courtyard because she learned swordsmanship? Silly child, I'm not telling you to learn swordsmanship, I'm telling you to ask your senior brother Ji out whenever you have free time, and try to go to places with lots of people."

"This……"

"You only have this one chance now, so go and give it a try."

Although Xiang Fu didn't understand, she still followed Cao Jingsong's advice and went to the inner courtyard to submit a note.

In fact, Ji You was notoriously difficult to invite to Tian Shu Academy, but she still managed to get him to come out. She felt that Senior Brother Ji seemed to have received instructions from Instructor Cao as well.

And so, throughout the entire Heavenly Dao Society, the two would occasionally come out for a stroll, leaving many people completely bewildered.

The Autumn Tournament at Tian Shu Academy ended quickly, after all, this year's disciples were indeed far inferior to Ji You's generation.

The discussion on the outcome of entering the inner court was very slow because many people were struggling with the issue.

According to the rules, Xiang Fu should indeed be admitted to the hospital, but the problem is that there are two factors that are outside the rules.

Elder Peng has been working tirelessly these past few days, hoping to leverage the power of the Elders' Pavilion and the awkward relationship between the Elders' Pavilion and Ji You to win Ji You's favor.

Of the three elders who held power in the pavilion, Elder Fang clearly stated that Peng Yu should be chosen, while the remaining two elders pondered for a long time and delayed making a choice.

It wasn't until one of the discussions that Elder Ge, lost in thought, murmured, "Ji You is only in his twenties."

Those in power can sometimes be confused, but they can also be easily enlightened by a single sentence.

Ji You was only in her early twenties, while Elder Fang was already nearing his death...

Subsequently, the results of the Elders' Council referendum were sent to the Executive Council, and the choices of the five hall masters were also sent over.

After tallying the names, the three heads of the management office wrote down the final names on the notice with complicated expressions.

That evening, as fiery clouds stretched across the sky, the disciples of the Head of the Academy posted the notice board on the notice board of the Ascension Jade Platform.

All the disciples, both inside and outside the inner courtyard, came here to see the result.

However, an unexpected outcome occurred, which they had not expected.

Xiang Fu, who was also standing in front of the bulletin board, widened her eyes and stared at it for a long time, her face full of disbelief.

Amidst gasps of surprise, everyone turned to look at Xiang Fu.

Whether it's a celestial sect or a noble family, there's rarely anything fair; everything depends on background and origin.

Xiang Fu's background and origins were the worst in the Heavenly Academy, a world apart from Peng Yu's...

"I always thought the Autumn Battle at Tian Shu Academy was very solemn and serious, but what happened last year and this year makes me realize that I was wrong."

"The reason you have this idea is because your class was the most different in recent years. Chu He has a high status, and you are strong enough."

Ji You looked up at Cao Jingsong: "The instructor is quite resourceful. Aren't you afraid of being stabbed to death by Yan Shuyi?"

Cao Jingsong looked up at the sunset and said, "I have never married, not because I have no one I like. When I was admitted to the hospital through a quota, I also had the hope of forming a Daoist partnership with someone."

"and after?"

“I am from Fengzhou. After leaving the academy, I had nowhere to go, so I could only join the head academy and become an instructor. She, on the other hand, went back to get married and had children.”

Ji You clicked her tongue: "There's such a thing..."

Cao Jingsong looked at Ji You: "If you want Fengzhou to improve, your strength alone is not enough. You need to learn to win people's hearts. Of course, being in good health is even better!"

Ji You gave a thumbs up: "The teacher's words are truly enlightening. Next time Yan Shuyi comes to visit, please ask the teacher to tell her about them."

After listening, Cao Jingsong immediately waved his hand modestly: "No need, you can convey my main points."

"A terrible habit!"

"The villain!"

The results of the selection process for students within the Heavenly Academy's inner courtyard quickly spread throughout the academy, sparking much discussion in Shengjing.

In fact, at first, those who were not from the Heavenly Academy were not very interested in this, mainly because the quality of this year's students was indeed too poor.

The reason this result has suddenly attracted attention is because it was so unexpected.

Xiang Fu was from Fengzhou, while Peng Yu was a member of the Elders' Pavilion.

In their view, even if Xiang Fu were at the peak of her Tongxuan realm, she would never be able to enter the inner courtyard.

Because Fengzhou was Jiyou's territory, and Elder Fang of the Elders' Pavilion had a deep grudge against him.

The Elders' Council has a great deal of power in selecting students for the Inner Court. This time, however, the elders seemed to disregard Elder Fang's feelings and instead gave Ji You face.

At this moment, a group of officials from the Immortal Appreciation Faction gathered in the Chongwang Mansion to discuss the Immortal Appreciation Gathering. Upon hearing this news, they fell silent.

Just like before, King Chong also worshipped Peng Yu.

Since there was no one else, he figured he couldn't go wrong choosing from among them.

But this result completely baffled him.

Zhao Yunyue, meanwhile, sat by the pond with a serious expression, staring blankly at the fish food in her hand for a long time.

She has a good relationship with several disciples in charge of affairs at the Heavenly Academy. These past few days, she has been busy with the Immortal Appreciation Gathering and has had a lot of contact with them.

She heard a few rumors yesterday, but just laughed them off as jokes.

The results of today's selection of students for the inner academy of the Heavenly Academy, and the various connections behind them, seem to prove that the saying is not a joke.

Elder Fang's wounds were inflicted by Ji You...

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(End of this chapter)