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Chapter 314 Ji You Appears
Similar to the Sage Garden, there is also a Sage Garden in Jelutong County.

However, the difference lies in the fact that its interior is not divided into small gardens, but is surrounded by pavilions on all four sides, with a huge white jade dojo at the very center.

At dawn, the group from the Heavenly Academy arrived together with the group from the Great Xia Dynasty.

Upon entering Rihua County, they saw numerous cultivators in the city, and the teahouses and taverns were bustling with noise and discussions.

Along the street, established businesses such as Qionghua Pavilion, Chunri Hall, and Zhujian Pavilion have also set up stalls.

There are countless magical artifacts, weapons, and spirit stones.

However, the group did not linger on the street, but went directly to the manor.

Just like the grand scene outside, the fairy garden was also filled with people in splendid attire, chatting and laughing as they came and went, creating a lively atmosphere.

The carriages of the Heavenly Academy led the way, followed by those of the Great Xia Dynasty, and drove straight into the manor, meeting the gazes of the people present.

In the middle of the path, countless people lifted the curtains and gazed outwards, observing the huge arena surrounded by the viewing platform for a long time before circling around to the east side.

As the rumbling of the wheels gradually subsided, the carriages came to a stop one after another in front of them.

The first three carriages lifted their curtains, and from the carriages on the right and in the middle, Master Zuo Qiuyang of Zizai Palace and Master You Yingqiu of Jixiang Palace stepped down one after the other, while from the carriage on the left, the young emperor, dressed in a bright yellow robe, also leaned out to show himself.

Then came the second row, where King Chong and Wei Li appeared, along with the head of the Heavenly Academy's management office.

After exchanging pleasantries, the group entered the main hall.

As for the rest, they packed their bags and passed through the blooming garden and the Fragrant Pavilion, entering the courtyard within.

Following closely behind the Heavenly Academy is the Mountain and Sea Pavilion, which is relatively close to this place.

Seated atop the imperial carriage at the head of the procession were Vice-Headmaster Stephen Hawking and his personal disciple, Huo Xingzhong.

Following them were Shang Xingkong, the vice-leader of the Daoist Sect, and his personal disciple Shang Xiyao.

Then there's the Chen Clan, the Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion, and finally, the Spirit Sword Mountain, all of which feature prominent figures.

One after another, the imposing imperial carriages arrived, exuding a powerful aura and accompanied by bursts of mysterious light, attracting countless gazes.

Cao Jingsong had already unloaded his luggage and, together with Ban Yangshu, Wen Zhengxin, Lu Qingqiu, Lu Hanyan, Xiang Fu, and Cong Yi, came to the pavilion on the east side to take a look.

As the imperial carriages, shimmering with mysterious light, passed by, all seven felt an overwhelming pressure, like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami crashing down on them.

Under normal circumstances, they might have simply marveled at these sights and bowed in awe of the power of the immortal sect.

But seeing this magnificent aura, they felt heavy-hearted and their eyes narrowed slightly.

Because Ji You had offended such a behemoth as them.

"Normally, today and tomorrow are rest days. Apart from drawing lots in the evening, there is no need to be too stressed about the rest of the time."

"When duels are between people of the same level, what matters is endurance and thinking; rest is quite important."

"Relax when you should, don't put too much pressure on your mind. Just get a good rest the night before the battle."

After a long silence, Cao Jingsong couldn't help but speak, instructing the three participants to keep a calm mindset and give it their all.

Everyone listened attentively and nodded obediently, but no one mentioned the matter that weighed heavily on their hearts.

With the arrival of immortals and the gathering of noble families, there are many people and much noise, so some things cannot be said.

In the evening, everyone went to draw lots, and then returned to regroup and rest.

On the second day, as all the immortal sect families arrived, the number of people coming and going gradually increased.

Those who came from the east were some aristocratic families who were on good terms with or attached to the Heavenly Academy.

The He family, Zuoqiu family, Qiu family, and Huang family of Zhongzhou, and the Guo family and Sun family of Liangzhou appeared in turn.

They exchanged pleasantries as they traveled from south to north, and gradually more people began to arrive at their secluded courtyard.

Under normal circumstances, Lu Qingqiu, who makes friends everywhere, would certainly have many visitors, especially since his sister has already entered the inner courtyard and reached the middle stage of the Profound Realm.

But in reality, no one came to visit her at all; on the contrary, the Prince Chong and Princess Chang Le's side were filled with distinguished guests.

In the spacious hall, King Chong ordered his servants to serve tea, and the aroma of tea gradually wafted into the courtyard.

In reality, Prince Chong was merely a prince of the Great Xia Dynasty, with a low level of cultivation. His only ability was making money, so he shouldn't have received so many visits from cultivation families.

Especially the Guo family of Liangzhou and the Long family of Yongzhou, their relationship with them was not that close, at most they were just acquaintances who nodded to each other when they met.

The reason they came here was because there were many rumors circulating in Shengjing from the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty to the present, which they found interesting.

"I heard that the five major immortal sects went to ask about the Heavenly Academy a while ago?"

"What Patriarch Guo heard is correct. The arrival of the five great immortal sects with their immortal banners was witnessed by everyone in Shengjing."

Prince Chong, holding his teacup, answered the questions posed by the assembled noble families truthfully.

Upon hearing this, the heads of the various families couldn't help but exchange glances.

They were actually skeptical when they heard the news, because the seven major immortal sects had maintained a facade of harmony for a thousand years.

Apart from the minor frictions between the Mountain and Sea Pavilion and the Heavenly Book Academy regarding the Spirit Sword Mountain, there haven't been many conflicts or confrontations.

Now, the fact that five major immortal sects are simultaneously questioning the mountain is something they find utterly unbelievable.

But now, hearing confirmation from eyewitnesses, they had no more doubts.

Guo Huai, an elder of the Guo family, said with a slight shift in his eyes, "After the five major immortal sects left the Heavenly Academy, it is said that they conducted a search in Shengjing City all night, looking for those related to Ji You?"

King Chong nodded: "Ji You has a close friend named Kuang Cheng. They grew up together in Yuyang County. He passed the imperial examination in the second year of Taiwu. After working as an editor for half a year, he joined the Sixianjian during the new policy period. The Immortal Sect was looking for him that night."

"So, it's true that some members of immortal sects went to Fengzhou?"

"That's right. After the search in Shengjing, they went to Fengzhou, but by the time they arrived, Ji Village was already deserted."

Upon hearing this, the head of the Long family stroked his beard and said, "It seems that Ji You has truly committed a heinous crime."

Guo Huai nodded: "The disciples of the Immortal Sect cultivate diligently year after year, seeking enlightenment of the Dao Heart. They rarely make a move. What Ji You has done must be shocking."

The reason why the two of them were so concerned about this matter and even came to verify it was because after the spirit stone supply was suspended, they also went to the Heavenly Academy, only to be dismissed with a "forget it" and had to go north to retrieve it themselves, losing face in front of the world, and they had been holding a grudge ever since.

Hearing this news now, I naturally feel a sense of satisfaction.

"Perhaps it has brought disaster to the Dan Sect."

"?"

The head of the Sun family said, "The matter of the Dan Sect's closure of the mountain is very strange, and Ji You has a secret affair with that Dan Sect girl. There are many connections between them, and I'm afraid they can't be separated."

He Long, the elder of the He family, sneered after hearing this: "I said long ago that this rural private cultivator is ignorant of his own limitations. He always likes to show off because he has some talent. I warned the Heavenly Academy not to take him in. Now he has indeed caused a great disaster."

The He family is related to the Zuoqiu family by marriage and has a close relationship with the Tianshu Academy.

The attack on the Five Great Immortal Sects by the Wenshan Tian Academy did not have any consequences at the sect level, but it still had an impact on them.

The He family has several young nephews and nieces who are engaged to other prominent families in Zhongzhou.

After this incident, half of the engagements were dissolved.

Even the businesses of several branches of the He family were affected, which naturally made the He family elder resentful.

Upon hearing this, King Chong couldn't help but speak up: "Everyone, there's no need to be so angry. Since Ji You has offended the five great immortal sects, he will probably never be able to show his face again. Out of sight, out of mind."

Guo Huai nodded after hearing this: "That's true. Speaking of which, Qingyun Tianxia has been plagued by misfortunes in recent years, and it seems that every single one of them is related to him. This kid really is a jinx."

He Long couldn't help but frown at this moment: "However, among the people from the Heavenly Academy who participated in the Immortal Tour this time, there are some who are closely related to it."

"This naturally demonstrates the magnanimity of the Immortal Sect."

"Indeed, the Heavenly Academy allowing them to participate in the Immortal Tour is a gesture of mutual respect between the immortal sects..."

The arrangements for the Immortal Tour were similar to those for the Heavenly Dao Association, with the Immortal Gathering Banquet taking place on the evening of the second day of rest.

However, the Rihua Immortal Garden is not as large as the Xianxian Garden, so it cannot be divided into inner and outer areas. All of them are arranged in the central Taoist hall, and the immortal tables are filled as soon as it gets dark.

Amidst the gathering of distinguished families, everyone took their seats in the brightly lit Taoist temple.

Subsequently, the important figures from the Immortal Sect, exuding mystery and aloofness, also made their appearance.

Although there is no distinction between the inner and outer areas, Qingyun Tianxia has always held the view that the east is superior, so the east area is decorated more luxuriously than the west area.

The six major immortal sects each occupied one of the six large round tables, lined up in a row.

At the table of the Heavenly Academy, Zuo Qiuyang and You Yingqiu were seated at the head of the table, flanked by the six elders who had accompanied them, as well as the three hall masters of the Hall of Affairs.

Lingjian Mountain is headed by Sect Leader Yan Zhongwei and Junior Master Jian, surrounded by three Peak Masters and several Senior Elders.

The seating order for other immortal sects was similar.

The two regions, East and West, share the same training ground, with no barriers or screens in between. However, to the aristocratic families on the west side, it seems as if there is a chasm separating the two regions.

No matter how powerful the Qingyun family is, it can only be a family with a thousand-year history, and it is still incomparable to the Immortal Sect.

Even the so-called eighth great immortal sect, the Chu family, ultimately lacks the power of a sacred artifact.

After gazing up for a long time, maids from the fairy garden emerged from the moon gate. Dozens of them lined up on the left and right sides, like a long dragon, carrying delicacies.

Upon seeing this, the young masters from the prominent families on the west side snapped out of their daze, and the banquet began with toasts and laughter.

Meanwhile, the name Ji You could be faintly heard in the conversation on the west side. The matter of the Five Great Immortal Sects' Heavenly Academy was already known to everyone in Qingyun, but because it involved the prestige of the Heavenly Academy, no one dared to discuss it upon entering the academy yesterday.

After all, the Kyushu regions are far apart, and some rumors can be deadly if not verified.

However, after the Guo, Sun, Long, and He families went to Prince Chong's place before noon, the news was confirmed and has now spread widely, so naturally some people started to stir up trouble.

Especially those aristocratic families that are affiliated with the five major immortal sects, and even some disciples of Lingjian Mountain.

In the eyes of Lingjian Mountain, Tianshu Academy was a sect that opposed them. Such an incident caused Tianshu Academy to lose face, which naturally boosted their own prestige.

"This Ji You is ultimately just a rural hermit. If he had a family background, perhaps an elder could have intervened and reconciled him, so that he wouldn't have disappeared without a trace."

"Therefore, knowing that he came from a rural background, he should not have dared to aspire to spiritual cultivation in the first place."

Liu Junchi, a disciple of Lingjian Mountain who was sitting with Zhao Yunyue, spoke in a low voice, with an air of profound mystery, as if he had long expected this to happen.

During the gathering, the scions of prominent families who had invited Yuan Chen upstairs at the teahouse that day but were turned away by Ji You also chimed in with their agreement.

They had no direct connection to this matter, but they had always been at odds with Ji You. Seeing how glorious he was when he won the Heavenly Dao Association's rankings, but now he could only hide, they naturally felt pleased.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yunyue couldn't help but raise her wine cup: "A rootless duckweed, no matter how far it drifts, will be overturned by the waves."

Liu Junchi nodded upon hearing this: "That's exactly what Junior Sister Yun Yue meant."

Meanwhile, Lu Xiong introduced Guo Zixing, whom he had met in Shengjing City, to Lu Qingqiu and Lu Hanyan during the banquet.

The Lu family is a family of spirit stones. Logically speaking, they should have countless guests and friends on such occasions. However, after arriving at the Immortal Garden yesterday, the families that had previously been on good terms with them all avoided them.

The reasons are self-evident, which solidified the Lu couple's resolve.

“Father, I have said that I am willing to remain unmarried in this life and join the Spirit Stone Merchant Guild to manage the spirit mine business for the Lu family. I thought you had already agreed to this.”

Lu Qingqiu came from a merchant family and had always been a very rational woman. She knew that offending Ji You, one of the five great immortal sects, might mean she could never recover, and she didn't want to harm her family because of it.

But the rumors of her losing her virginity were spread by her, and there was no going back, so she felt she could choose not to marry anyone.

When Ji You saved her from the evil creatures with three swords, she weighed the pros and cons for a long time and felt it was not appropriate, let alone Guo Zixing.

Unexpectedly, Lu Xiong and his wife did not respond to these words, but Guo Zixing's words rang out.

"Miss Lu, you misunderstand. We are not discussing marriage."

Miss Lu frowned upon hearing this: "What brings Young Master Guo here?"

Guo Zixing chuckled lightly: "I'm here to take a concubine."

"?"

“If Miss Lu were a virgin, marriage would naturally be possible. Unfortunately, she has entrusted herself to the wrong person. I am only willing to come and discuss this because of the spirit mine.”

Lu Hanyan instantly gripped her sword: "My sister and I are both my senior brother's women, so stop dreaming!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Miss Lu suddenly felt a scrutinizing gaze. She looked up to the east and her gaze finally landed on the table at Lingjian Mountain, but she couldn't pinpoint the source of the gaze.

Lu Qingqiu did not feel the gaze. At this moment, he pressed down on his sister's hand holding the sword, turned to look at his parents with a questioning look in his eyes, but found that his parents did not speak.

In other words, they had already discussed the matter of taking a concubine in advance.

Furthermore, their family even wanted to provide a spirit mine as part of the dowry.

Besides them, there were three other tables in the southwest of the dojo, where several prominent families from neighboring Fengzhou were sitting. They were also discussing a practical issue: the ownership of Fengzhou.

In their view, Ji You dared not show his face, Ji Village was deserted, and Fengzhou had become a no-man's land once again.

Fengzhou now boasts not only astonishing grain production but also a transportation route for Snowfield Demon Stones, making it an irresistible prize they eagerly anticipate.

As they talked, and after a few drinks, two prominent families even started arguing over who owned the road.

However, after a while, He Long led the three elders to their table and unfolded a scroll of paper for them.

"Um, what does Patriarch He mean by this?"

"You don't need the Fengzhou route anymore. My He family will take full control of it. However, we can give each of you 10% of the taxes from Fengzhou."

As soon as he finished speaking, the faces of the heads of the powerful families at the table immediately turned ugly.

Fengzhou's operating model involves exchanging products with demons for spirit stones, thereby gaining extremely high profits from aristocratic families and immortal sects.

To put it bluntly, the most valuable thing in the entire Fengzhou area is that route.

If an ordinary person spoke so domineeringly, they would probably have already drawn their swords by now.

However, the He family of Zhongzhou is a family with a thousand-year history and close ties with the Heavenly Academy, so they really didn't dare to refute it.

"You all don't need to feel like you're at a disadvantage."

He Long raised his wine glass: "The Fengzhou route will be handled by my family branch from now on. As for the price of spirit stones, all of you can get a low price."

After a long silence, the crowd, who had just been arguing heatedly about how to divide Fengzhou, sighed helplessly and finally pressed their fingerprints on the division paper to confirm the ownership of Fengzhou in all aspects.

But at that moment, the banquet suddenly fell silent.

The reason was that some immortal sect members who were guarding the courtyard suddenly ran to the East District and whispered in the ears of the sect leader and his disciples, attracting countless curious glances.

After whispering among themselves, Elder Ge and Elder Peng of the Heavenly Academy got up and walked out of the courtyard.

The members of the six major immortal sects also stopped drinking and putting down their chopsticks, their eyes turning slightly cold as they looked at the moon gate.

Upon seeing this scene, countless noble families also looked in that direction, their eyes first filled with doubt, and then with a moment of stunned silence.

From the moon gate, Elder Ge and Elder Peng, who had just walked out, stepped back, and Ji You stepped forward after getting up.

He was wearing the immortal robe of the Heavenly Academy, which was washed white and looked spotless. It fluttered gracefully with his steps, and then his gaze swept calmly across the room, passing over the tables of the five major immortal sects one by one.

Everyone was stunned by what they saw.

Among them, Zhao Yunyue's red lips parted slightly, while Lu Qingqiu and Lu Hanyan's eyes trembled slightly.

From yesterday until now, everyone has been talking about how he offended the five major immortal sects, lamenting that his path to immortality has been cut off, and mocking him for hiding away for the rest of his life while thinking about dividing up Fengzhou.

But no one could have imagined that he would walk in so openly and brazenly at the Immortal Sect's grand banquet.

Before anyone could react, they didn't know whether he wanted to die rather than hide, or whether he wanted to plead for mercy.

Just then, in the completely silent dojo, Ji You's voice suddenly rang out.

Where should I sit?

"Front."

Elder Ge and Elder Peng extended their hands in a gesture of invitation, and led Ji You toward the east side where the Immortal Sect was full of people.

In clear view, everyone watched in silence as he walked to the table where Zuo Qiuyang and You Yingqiu were, sat down with a slight flick of his robe, picked up his chopsticks, and put a chicken leg into his bowl.

After finishing the chicken leg in his bowl, he gently raised his eyes, reached out his chopsticks, and picked up another one.

Seeing this, Zuo Qiuyang, who had been expressionless, reached out and placed the steamed chicken with the immortal wine in front of him.

When they saw him being invited to the main table, all the aristocratic families present were stunned, and then turned to look at the other five great immortal sects.

At the five tables beside him, Yan Zhong, the head of Lingjian Mountain, Shang Xingkong, the deputy head of the Dao Asking Sect, and Chen Rujiang, the deputy head of the Chen Clan, were all watching him.

Meanwhile, Huo Xingzhong, Shang Xiyao, and Chen Luo, all close to him, narrowed their eyes slightly.

However, after a long silence, the sound of chopsticks hitting a porcelain plate rang out, and someone started to pick up their chopsticks, so the others also began to eat quietly.

Sending people to the Dan Sect to forcibly borrow alchemists and committing countless massacres is something that cannot be made public and should not be known to the whole world.

Otherwise, the five major immortal sects wouldn't have waited so long on Dan Mountain before making their move at nightfall that day.

Once the true nature of the Immortal Sect is exposed, it will trigger widespread vigilance among the aristocratic families, and the entire Qingyun world will be thrown into turmoil.

Even with sacred artifacts to protect the world, it would be difficult for them to maintain their stability in the face of the combined hostility and vigilance of all the powerful families in the world.

Most importantly, according to Shan Hai Ge, Ji You already knows about the relic fruit, which is something they least want others to know.

He alone could kill five Boundless Realm cultivators. Even if the five Upper Realm Perfection cultivators present made a move, it would be difficult to guarantee that they could kill him with a single blow, not to mention that the two from the Heavenly Academy had unclear attitudes.

In other words, no one can kill him in front of the world.

At this moment, Liu Junchi, who was sitting at the same table as Zhao Yunyue, suddenly shut his mouth.

Guo Zixing, who had been so arrogant just moments before, also silently got up and nervously retreated from the table.

As for He Long, who had just been arranging to divide Fengzhou, he now held the scroll in his hand and looked embarrassed as he faced the gazes of the other aristocratic families.

"The wine served at this banquet is quite good; please try it."

"Thank you, Steward Qin."

At the banquet of the Heavenly Academy, Ji You thanked Manager Qin, who came to pour wine, and then felt a gaze on him, so he turned to look to the side.

At the table on Lingjian Mountain, Yan Shuyi, dressed in a fairy robe, ate her food with an aloof expression. Her cold demeanor was truly like that of a goddess descending to earth. Even though there was a sea of ​​people in front of her, her eyes seemed to be empty.

Ji You thought he was mistaken, but the next moment he saw those phoenix eyes glance at him again.

However, the arrogant ghost clearly did not expect that this would be a staring contest. After their eyes met, he immediately narrowed his eyes, then straightened his back, and his expression became even more detached and indifferent.

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(End of this chapter)