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Chapter 309 Crimson Fruit
Under the cover of night, tiny, exquisitely carved feet swayed wildly with each bump, accompanied by soft, whimpering sounds.

The styles of the Dan Sect's daughter and the Little Master of Lingjian Mountain are quite different.

The young apprentice possesses cultivation, and even when subjected to a strong attack, he still manages to whisper and curse, while simultaneously adding to the commotion with howling sword energy, just like his assertive personality.

However, the daughter of the Dan Sect kept her mouth shut, only using interjections when she couldn't help but call out "Young Master Ji" in a broken voice.

This is due to personality traits; the resulting reactions to force are completely different.

If Ji You were to judge, he would find both reactions quite interesting.

However, from this perspective alone, Yan Shuyi does seem more like the older sister, while Yuan Caiwei seems more like the younger sister.

In the midst of the fierce wind and rain, the little flowers behind the house were splashed with water.

As the last rays of sunlight faded outside the window, night surged in and filled the Dan Mountain.

In the quiet of the late night, the darkness was incredibly thick.

Ji You opened her eyes and looked down at the round and flat Yuan Caiwei in her arms.

The delicate Danzong daughter, unable to withstand the torrential rain, had drifted off to sleep after the clouds and rain cleared. Her breathing was even, and her sleeping face was serene, though her long, curled eyelashes were still wet with tears.

This wasn't him bullying her; he was just using a counter-mindset strategy against the seemingly dignified but greedy girl.

Ji Youbo got up, covered her with the quilt, dressed herself, and pushed open the bamboo door in the dark night, walking out of Yuan Caiwei's courtyard.

After killing Chu Hong last night, he encountered Qi Zhengyang and asked what the Immortal Sect wanted to refine. Qi Zhengyang did not give a direct answer, but simply agreed to meet him at the foot of the mountain.

He actually wanted to go down the mountain at noon today, but he couldn't use his spiritual energy then.

The Immortal Sect returned empty-handed with countless casualties, and they might be lying in ambush at the foot of the mountain, so he could only go to see them after nightfall.

There was a slight delay in the middle, mainly because the young man was full of energy.

A mountain breeze carrying moisture swept towards me, its coolness settling on my skin.

At this moment, Danshan Mountain had fallen into silence, with only a few scattered lights flickering in the distance, echoing the stars in the night sky.

Ji You closed the courtyard gate and then walked silently to the front of the mountain.

After a day of cleaning, the bloodstains on the nine-tiered steps had been wiped clean, and the broken stone slabs had been removed, leaving only the original dirt road, which looked as if no fierce battle had taken place.

He descended the nine-tiered steps and then headed towards the mountain gate located at the front of the mountain path.

The Dan Sect was already sealed off, and the protective array was no longer shut down. However, Ji You had gone to treat his injuries after killing people and had not yet returned the array core. So he easily passed through the array and headed down the mountain.

Below the Dan Sect lies a small town called Huichun Town, much like Nanhua City at the foot of Lingjian Mountain. Most of its inhabitants are descendants of families with distant blood ties to the Dan Sect.

Therefore, many shops in this city have signs for pills and medicines, just like the numerous sword pavilions that stand in Nanhua City.

Ji You landed on the cobblestone street of the town, then wandered through the deserted alleys under the night sky, and after several twists and turns, arrived at the Yue Lai Inn.

Although it was already late at night, the inn was not completely closed because it was a business of providing accommodation; instead, a waiter was left at the counter.

However, the servant was propping his head up with his arm and dozing off in the dim candlelight.

Ji You didn't make a sound. He turned around and went upstairs to the second floor. He then arrived at a guest room and spoke softly in a low voice.

Elder Qi.

"Enter."

With a creak, the door was gently pushed open.

Inside the room, Qi Zhengyang, the chief swordsman of Lingjian Mountain, was sitting on the bed in meditation, his aura faintly visible.

Hearing footsteps approaching, he slowly opened his eyes, the golden light in them fading as he looked at Ji You.

"How's the injury?"

"Fortunately, it was at the Dan Sect. I recovered very quickly after the treatment, otherwise I would have been bedridden for a long time."

"I never expected that all five Boundless Realm experts would die at your hands."

Qi Zhengyang murmured, a hint of sigh flashing in his eyes.

Many years ago, the Heavenly Academy went to Lingjian Mountain to ask questions. That was the first time he met Ji You. At that time, he only thought that Ji You was a rare sword talent. He never expected that Ji You would have reached this level after only a few years.

However, he felt that only a man like this could be worthy of their Spirit Sword Mountain's young appraiser.

Qi Zhengyang snapped out of his daze and got up from the bed: "Sit down."

Ji You sat down at the square table in response: "What kind of precious materials does the Immortal Sect want the Pill Sect to refine? Why have they been at peace for hundreds of years, and why did it suddenly escalate to the point of attacking the mountain yesterday?"

"This matter has to start with the new yuan."

"?"

Qi Zhengyang looked at Ji You: "You were personally involved in the Dongping Mountains incident, so you must know about it. The Master spent the winter with you in Shengjing, so you must also know the whereabouts of those immortal sect elders afterward?"

Ji You nodded: "They searched all over the world for clues about the Bu family, and it is said that they eventually returned to Qingzhou."

"That's right, but what you don't know is that after they returned to Qingzhou, they opened a ruin located in the Great Wilderness Forest."

"?"

Upon hearing this, Ji You slowly raised her head, her eyes becoming deep and thoughtful.

In fact, he had guessed long ago that the Dan Sect's calamity might be because the elders who were investigating the Bu family's affairs found something.

But he did not expect that after such a long period of peace since Qiling, another ruin would be opened.

Back then, he was sent to Qiling by the Heavenly Academy to enter as cannon fodder, and he had personally witnessed its devastation.

Qi Zhengyang glanced at him: "Are you thinking about Qiling?"

"Yes."

"This time is different from Qiling."

"?"

Qi Zhengyang looked at him and said, "After the rise of the human race, people from all generations have tried to explore the ruins, but they have never been able to enter. But this time, the Great Wilderness Forest was entered very easily, and someone even brought something out of it."

As soon as he finished speaking, a flash of light appeared between his palms, and a crimson fruit appeared in his hand.

The fruit is about the size of an egg, with a transparent, gelatinous surface. Inside, fiery red liquid constantly surges and emits a mysterious light.

Ji You took the fruit from his hand, her eyes gradually widening.

"Vermilion Fruit?"

"Indeed, the Vermilion Fruit. This is the same fruit that caused a great deal of contention in Qiling back then. It was named the Vermilion Fruit because of its bright red appearance. Those with exceptional talent can directly advance in their cultivation level after consuming it."

"Impossible, how could this thing have been taken out?"

Ji You's thoughts were instantly pulled back to the night he escaped Qiling from the Hongshan Mine tunnel with Yuan Caiwei and Yuan Chen.

They encountered a robbery on the road, and out of professional habit, he demonstrated what professionalism meant to the robbers, ultimately obtaining a storage gourd.

The situation was urgent, and he didn't have time to look closely, so he could only take his men and leave first.

As soon as they went outside, the storage gourd exploded.

The other items inside the gourd were intact, but the two Vermilion Fruits that those people had stolen were reduced to ashes.

At that time, they realized that the things in Qiling were contrary to the way of heaven and could not be brought out. Even if they were forcibly brought out, they would be destroyed by the way of heaven.

But at this moment, he was holding a real, existing red fruit in his hand.

Upon thinking of this, Ji You instantly realized a possibility, and his face turned extremely gloomy.

Qi Zhengyang suddenly waved his hand to suppress his energy: "The judge wants to tell you something, don't have any murderous intent. This fruit was brought out directly, not in the way you think."

"If items from the ruins are taken out directly, they will be destroyed."

"That's why I said this is different from the Qiling incident."

Qi Zhengyang stroked his long beard and said, "After those immortal sect elders who were nearing the end of their lifespans entered the ruins, all the major immortal sects sent disciples in. However, because of the lesson learned from the Qiling incident, the disciples sent in did not dare to eat indiscriminately. Instead, they wrapped their clothes in their clothes and brought them out. Surprisingly, they were not destroyed by the Heavenly Dao."

A hint of doubt flashed in Ji You's eyes: "Why is that?"

"I don't know either, but there have always been rumors in Qingyun Tianxia that the Heavenly Dao is abnormal, but there has never been any direct evidence. However, the things in the ruins have now been brought out, so perhaps it really is because the Heavenly Dao has changed."

"So, the reason the six major immortal sects came to Dan Mountain to forcibly borrow alchemists is to refine this item?"

"Not only this, but they also brought back other exotic flowers and fruits from the ruins, each one just like this, brimming with divine energy."

Qi Zhengyang said solemnly, "No one can say for sure what the effects of the relics are. Naturally, they need alchemists to refine them. But this is, after all, a destiny of immortality. The six major immortal sects want to monopolize it, which is why they want to capture alchemists and bring them back to the mountain."

Upon hearing this, Ji You looked back at the vermilion fruit in her hand.

The fruit emitted a continuous, mysterious light, and its crimson color flowed endlessly within it. If you looked at it for too long, you would feel an urge to swallow it whole.

"Just because of a small fruit, they're going to kill people and attack the mountain?"

"So what? You should know that the reason why the six major immortal sects let the alchemists go back to rebuild the alchemy mountain was not because they suddenly repented, but because the alchemists were almost extinct. Now, after hundreds of years of recuperation, the number of alchemists has continued to grow, which is just enough in the eyes of the major immortal sects."

Ji You raised his head and said, "Capture a group of alchemists and kill them, as long as the foundation of the Pill Sect is not damaged?"

After a long silence, Qi Zhengyang nodded: "That interpretation is acceptable."

"Could it be that alchemists really cannot cultivate the path of immortality?" "Of course they can. The path of immortality and the path of alchemy are originally from the same source. But one of the conditions that allowed the Alchemy Sect to be rebuilt was that the Alchemy Sect must never have any cultivators."

"The seven sages of the past were sworn brothers, is it really appropriate for their descendants to act in this way?"

Qi Zhengyang sneered: "That was a thing of the distant past. The human race has been gradually forgetting its roots."

After a long silence, Ji You's thoughts returned to the ruins: "Besides the fruit, what else was discovered in the Great Wilderness Forest ruins?"

"There is still a central area where no way to enter has been found, but based on Qiling's experience, there must be something there that could cause even more trouble. Their first visit to the alchemist was actually to prepare for that place."

"But the five major immortal sects failed to achieve their goal this time. What will they do next?"

"They will naturally not give up this opportunity to become immortals. Without alchemists, they will probably use people to test their skills. Besides, when they enslaved alchemists back then, many immortal sects also preserved some alchemy classics."

After hearing this, Ji You said, "Perhaps they have already tried."

Qi Zhengyang was taken aback by the sound, turned to look at Ji You, and a look of doubt flickered in his eyes: "You've already tried it?"

“Back then, someone in Qiling took the Vermilion Fruit and broke through to a higher realm on the spot. I don’t believe they would wait until they captured the alchemist and brought him back to the mountain with such a thing in their hands.”

That's not entirely wrong.

Ji You placed his hands on the square table, pondered for a long time, and then suddenly had a thought: "Elder Qi, do you know an elder of the Mountain and Sea Pavilion named Lang Kun?"

Qi Zhengyang came to his senses: "I know. Lang Kun's lifespan is about the same as mine. I met him at the Heavenly Dao Assembly when we were young, but I heard recently that he has passed away..."

Qi Zhengyang suddenly paused at this point: "You mean, Lang Kun ate this stuff?"

“I happened to be passing through Qingzhou at the time and heard rumors that strange things happened after Lang Kun died. I didn’t think much of it then, but now I feel that the timing is a bit coincidental, though I have no evidence.”

"I will report this matter to the judge and send someone to investigate."

After Qi Zhengyang finished speaking, he looked at the vermilion fruit in Ji You's hand again: "The appraiser said that you have a good relationship with the daughter of the Dan Sect, and asked you to secretly give the fruit to her and see what it contains."

Upon hearing this, Ji You began to understand why people said that although the young master of Lingjian Mountain was a weapon wielder, he did not support Lingjian Mountain solely because of the Lingjian.

From beginning to end, she arranged for herself to find an opportunity to guard the mountain, and arranged for Qi Zhengyang to be her backup plan for the worst-case scenario.

At the same time, he also wanted to use Qi Zhengyang to hand over the Vermilion Fruit to himself and bring it to Yuan Caiwei.

However, they have a good relationship?
They were not only on good terms, but Ji You recalled the raging storm that had lasted until midnight, and thought to himself that they should be "knowing each other inside and out".

Just then, Qi Zhengyang's voice rang in his ears again.

"The Master also wants you to leave the Pill Sect as soon as possible after you have resolved the matter."

"vinegar concentrate……"

She keeps saying she's cut off all emotional ties, but she's still secretly afraid her best friend will steal her good food.

Ji You reached out and put the Vermilion Fruit into his storage gourd. Then, glancing at Xiao Bai's window, he decided to go up the mountain to deal with the fruit.

However, he had just gotten up and was walking towards the door when Qi Zhengyang called him back again.

"There's one more thing, which I forgot to mention, since you kept asking me about it."

Ji You turned around: "What is it?"

Qi Zhengyang stood up and looked at him: "The Great Wilderness Forest is not the only place that can be opened."

"?"

"After the Qiling incident, all the major immortal sects strictly guarded the nearby ruins, treating them as their private property. After the Great Wilderness Forest incident, many immortal sects secretly checked the ruins under their control, and several have already been entered. So this is just the beginning."

It was early morning, just as dawn was breaking.

Street vendors were already operating in Huichun Town, and rising heat continued to spread into the sky.

Ji You walked through the town, went around the back mountain and entered the mountain. All the way, she was thinking about everything Qi Zhengyang had told her. After a while, she arrived at Yuan Caiwei's bamboo house courtyard.

As soon as he entered, he saw Yuan Chen and Yuan Bingqing, who were sitting in the courtyard drinking tea with Yuan Caiwei.

Upon seeing Ji You return, Yuan Chen immediately asked, "Brother-in-law, how are your injuries?"

"The recovery is excellent."

"Come and have some tea."

Ji You looked at Yuan Caiwei and saw her looking very serious, with a serene expression, playing the role of a mature and elegant older sister in front of Yuan Chen.

She wasn't like this last night when she was kicking her legs in my arms.

Ji You stepped down to the tea table and sniffed lightly: "What kind of tea is this? Why does it smell like medicine?"

"Adding honeysuckle can soothe the throat, but for some reason, my sister's voice suddenly became hoarse."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Caiwei's eyelashes trembled slightly, her mind filled with images of her crying and being penetrated.

She actually woke up quite early, and when she found that Ji You wasn't there, she felt a little flustered. She only felt a little calmer when she saw him return.

However, without any vows of eternal love or expressions of affection, they were once again entangled in a mess.

The key issue is that when she was bumped into, she lost her composure and forgot to naturally address him as "husband" or something similar.

Even without the formal commitment to a relationship, Yuan Caiwei still felt that he was more of a sisterly man than a man, despite his well-mannered and knowledgeable demeanor.

Then, Yuan Bingqing took out two storage gourds from her bosom.

Yesterday, Dan Zong was busy treating the wounded. She and her fellow disciples were on a long journey and only now had time to bring them here.

In addition to the two storage gourds, she also took out some pills to strengthen her constitution and nourish her vital energy.

After chatting for a few more minutes, Yuan Bingqing left the courtyard.

As for Yuan Chen, he casually wanted to stay, but Yuan Bingqing took him away to check on the injuries of the patriarchs of those aristocratic families.

So, only Ji You and Yuan Caiwei remained in the courtyard.

"Where did Young Master Ji go this morning?"

"I did a good job of regulating my breathing last night, and I felt refreshed when I woke up, so I went for a walk in the mountains."

Upon hearing the words "recuperating last night," Yuan Caiwei couldn't help but pick up her teacup and cover her face.

Ji You looked around and, seeing that no one was around, took Yuan Caiwei's hand and led her into the small building, then turned around and closed the door.

Seeing that they were about to go back to the house, a hint of embarrassment flashed in the eyes of the Dan Sect's daughter, but she obediently followed.

However, when Ji You took out the Vermilion Fruit from the storage gourd, Yuan Caiwei's expression froze for a moment, then gradually became serious.

Ji You ventured deep into Qiling to save her, so she naturally recognized this item.

"Isn't this a fruit from the ruins?"

"That's right, and this is exactly what the Immortal Sect wants to capture alchemists to refine."

Yuan Caiwei looked at him with some confusion: "When we came out of Qiling, didn't we already prove that this thing couldn't be brought out?"

Ji You nodded: "That's precisely why it seems so strange. That's why Yan Shuyi asked someone to give it to me, wanting you to see what it contains. But this matter must not be known to others."

"I need to refine it."

"I don't know if this thing is poisonous, but I'll go with you."

Yuan Caiwei nodded gently, and then left the courtyard with Ji You. They bypassed the medicinal pool where they had been healed a few days ago and entered a small house.

This is her alchemy room. The room is very clean and tidy, and there is a medicinal fragrance in the air.

After the two entered and closed the door, Yuan Caiwei set up the alchemy furnace, lit the charcoal fire, and began to raise the furnace temperature.

As the furnace temperature gradually approached the predetermined height, she waved her hand and threw the vermilion fruit into it, then slowly sat down on the futon.

However, as soon as she sat down, Yuan Caiwei couldn't help but groan in pain, her cheeks slightly flushed.

Upon seeing this, Ji You silently picked up another futon beside him, and then the daughter of the Dan Sect gently got up and stacked them together.

Then, her hands turned jade-colored, and the elixir energy in her palms began to surge into the elixir furnace.

Ji You stood behind her to protect her, while keeping his eyes fixed on the alchemy furnace.

The art of alchemy is complex and mysterious, but in principle, it is simply about refining the elements contained in the materials by classifying them, then removing the useless ones and combining the useful ones to form the desired medicinal properties.

However, this time it doesn't need to be so complicated, because the following steps are not required; all that's needed is to refine the elements in the fruit.

So from dawn until noon, the two of them stayed in the bedroom, waiting silently.

As time passed, after three hours, a rumbling sound began to spread from the furnace.

This indicates that the Vermilion Fruit has been refined, and the matter has begun to disintegrate. What remains is to combine the scattered matter according to homogeneity and refine it into its most original form.

Yuan Caiwei continued to infuse the alchemical furnace with her elixir energy, while Xuan Yu continuously formed hand seals with one hand, which then disappeared into the furnace.

More than an hour later, the furnace lid suddenly opened with a muffled sound, and with a surge of steam, the furnace chamber shone with divine light.

Ji You reached out and wiped the fine sweat from her delicate nose, then looked up at the light emanating from the alchemy furnace.

"what is this?"

"The purest power of the Heavenly Dao."

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(End of this chapter)