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Chapter 315 Uneven Dao Fruits
As night fell, the sky was filled with stars.

Red lanterns flickered throughout the vast temple grounds, accompanied by the evening breeze.

In complete silence, the immortal sects and aristocratic families from Qingyun Tianxia raised their cups and began to eat, without even looking up. They ate with focused concentration, as if they were oblivious to everything else and nothing else mattered to them.

But only between chewing strokes would they notice that they would often subconsciously look up at the latecomer at the table of the Heavenly Academy, seeing him eating calmly and with a serene expression, though his eyes were slightly squinting, whether it was innate or not.

Huchihuchi——

On the immortal table of Lingjian Mountain, Yan Tai, the peak master of Tianjian Peak, who was tasting the immortal soup, was slightly taken aback.

Although he remained calm, he was plotting how to kill Ji You. Suddenly, he felt a slight cool breeze under the table, one after another, which caused the table to sway gently.

In such a formal setting, who would be swinging their legs under the table?
He raised his head and scanned the table, only to find that everyone looked unfathomable, especially the young appraiser, who was particularly cold and aloof.

He was surrounded by important figures from the immortal sects, so he couldn't be impolite and release his divine sense. After searching around and finding no source, he had no choice but to give up.

At this moment, Yan Shuyi gently opened her mouth and put a spoonful of food into her mouth.

At the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), as the night deepened, people in the western district gradually began to stop drinking and leave their seats.

Ji You had almost finished eating, grabbed a handful of Lingkui seeds from the table, and then got up to leave.

Seeing him get up, Cao Jingsong, Ban Yangshu, Wen Zhengxin and others also put down their bowls and chopsticks and followed him along the walkway in the direction he left.

They hadn't seen Ji You for a long time and had many questions they needed him to answer.

At this moment, the young appraiser of Lingjian Mountain remained calm and composed, not even raising her eyes. She picked up her chopsticks and sipped her wine, as if nothing concerned her and she didn't care about the departing figure.

But she soon became restless, put down her chopsticks and stared blankly for a while before getting up in the darkness.

Seeing this, Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu also got up from their seats and followed them.

In fact, they had already put down their chopsticks and were about to leave when Ji You left, because they knew that their mistress would definitely be restless when her husband left.

However, at this moment, several prominent families from Lingzhou came one after another, presenting their visiting cards and inviting Yan Shuyi to a private banquet.

Chen Xi of the Chen Clan also stood up, wanting to invite her to his courtyard for a chat.

The Daoist Clan member, Chuan Shang Xiyao, was also among those invited by Chen Xi. Upon seeing this, he stood up and looked at Yan Shuyi: "I was in seclusion at the last Heavenly Dao Gathering, so it has been many years since we last met. It is still early today, so why don't you join us for a chat, young appraiser?"

Everyone knows that Shang Xiyao admires the young master of Lingjian Mountain and has made many grand trips to Lingjian Mountain, so this scene has attracted a lot of attention.

"Sorry, I'm tired today."

Yan Shuyi spoke softly, nodded to the others, and then walked towards the pavilion where he was staying.

Seeing this, Shang Xiyao's smile faded.

The current wielder of Lingjian Mountain is a woman. To continue her bloodline, she must marry. Moreover, she needs more help from Tianjian Peak, so other immortal sects have many designs on her.

So, many years ago, Shang Xiyao chose to make a big fuss, wanting to first claim this reputation with rumors.

Over the years, he has taken several concubines, but he has always kept the position of his principal wife. However, after trying for many years, he has repeatedly encountered setbacks.

He frowned inwardly, wondering what the other person was thinking. His Dao heart was in turmoil, but in the end he did not show it. He turned around and left with Chen Xi, Huo Xingzhong and the others.

As figures disappeared from the Gathering of Immortals banquet, the white jade dojo gradually became empty.

Some of the young men who were going to compete the next day returned to their quarters to rest, while many more gathered at Lou Wai Lou in Rihua County.

The Prefect of Rihua County invited a song and dance troupe and an opera troupe, hosted by a local prominent family, with the intention of inviting them to have fun.

But so much had happened tonight that they had no desire for pleasure and could only keep talking.

"It seems that the relationship between the disciple of the Dao Seeking Sect and the young appraiser is not as close as outsiders think. I thought they were really destined to be together."

"That's what most people think, but in reality, Shang Xiyao has visited Lingjian Mountain many times but has never met the young appraiser. The two are not familiar with each other, and the young appraiser has always hated anyone trying to use him to interfere in Lingjian Mountain."

The head of the Yongzhou Long family murmured a response and then blinked gently: "However, the Master of Appraisal will eventually have to get married. She cannot marry down for the sake of Lingjian Mountain's reputation. I really don't know which one she wants to choose."

He Long, an elder of the He family, frowned upon hearing this: "Apart from Yuan Caiwei of the Dan Sect, I have not heard of her being on good terms with any other disciples."

"The marriage alliance of the Lord is bound to be a momentous event that will shake the world. How could we possibly comprehend it? However, the difference between direct descendants is now clearly evident."

Upon hearing this, the heads of several prominent families in the building nodded in agreement.

Although all sects except the Heavenly Academy have their own direct disciples, and they may seem similar to outsiders, the true wielders of the weapon certainly exude an aura of superiority.

Just like when Chen Xi went to deliver the invitation, he had to lower his body slightly when he presented the gift.

As the group chatted and laughed, they suddenly noticed that Guo Huai, the elder of the Guo family who had been deep in thought, opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something.

Everyone stopped smiling and turned to look at Guo Huai.

They all knew what Guo Huai wanted to say, but they didn't know how to bring it up.

"Do you think Ji You is also here to attend the Immortal Tour Gathering?"

After he finished speaking, everyone's thoughts returned to the scene where Ji You walked in through the moon gate, looking calm, and was invited to the main table by the elder of the Heavenly Book Academy.

He Long, an elder of the He family, shook his head upon seeing this: "His name is not on the list of participants from the Heavenly Academy, so he probably won't participate in the duel."

Guo Huai opened his mouth with a complicated expression: "Didn't they say he offended the five major immortal sects? Could it be just a rumor?"

"The matter of the Five Great Immortal Sects' Asking Mountain Heaven Academy is obvious to all, and it cannot be faked."

"Then why was he able to come so openly and honestly, while the five major immortal sects didn't react much? And why was he seated at the same table as the Palace Master?"

As soon as the words were spoken, everyone in the room stared at each other, and finally fell into the same silence as at the Gathering of Immortals Banquet.

The same atmosphere and similar conversations also appeared in the conversations of other people.

Throughout the entire night, no one could erase the image of Ji Youmai appearing at the Gathering of Immortals from their minds.

Meanwhile, Ji You was swaying back and forth in the east courtyard of the pavilion where the Heavenly Academy was staying, studying the spiritual tea provided by the Immortal Tour Association.

Behind him, Cao Jingsong, Ban Yangshu, and Wen Zhengxin stared at his back, their eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment.

"You traitor, what have you been doing all spring?"

"I went to cultivate myself, and listened to some little tunes along the way."

Cao Jingsong's lips twitched: "You've cultivated to the point where the five major immortal sects are joining forces to hunt you down? I thought you were robbing people at their gates!"

Ban Yangshu also looked puzzled: "Did you hear your little tune on the Immortal Sect Leader's bed?"

Ji You turned around upon hearing this: "This matter is a long story."

"Let's keep it brief."

“I killed five Boundless Realm cultivators.”

Cao Jingsong's mind went blank for a moment, and he immediately pressed his temples: "Stop, you...you should talk about something longer. Your teacher is too old to hear anything too stimulating."

Ji Youxin said that Nie Xidiao had a lot of trouble: "It's complicated. You just need to know that the reason why the five major immortal sects are so hostile to me is because five Boundless Realm elders died at my hands."

As soon as he finished speaking, the room fell silent. Under the dim candlelight, three shocked expressions appeared on the faces of the three people.

The Boundless Realm is the fourth of the five realms, and it is worthy of the title of a great power. Even for immortal sects, the Boundless Realm is a valuable fighting force.

For Cao Jingsong and his group, such figures were always far removed from their lives. They had rarely even seen the Boundless Realm of the Heavenly Academy.

They never imagined that Ji You would actually kill five powerful beings of that level.

Cao Jingsong looked at him with a shocked expression: "One per family?"

Ji You nodded: "Everything is neat and tidy, and no one has been treated unfairly."

Why did you kill them?

"It was a last resort to save lives."

Ban Yangshu gripped his trouser leg tightly: "People from the Dan Sect?"

After a long silence, Ji You raised his head and said, "It is indeed related to the Dan Sect. The mountain was sealed off because of this. However, I am in the right, so the five major immortal sects dare not do anything to me in public."

Wen Zhengxin chimed in, "Even so, since the five major immortal sects are hostile to you, it means there are still risks here. Why did you come to the Immortal Tour Gathering to join in the fun?"

"Apart from the Pill Sect, the other six of the Seven Great Immortal Sects are secretly plotting something. I feel there's something wrong, and I need to see it for myself."

"It's the Pill Sect again, then the Boundless Realm, and even the Heavenly Academy is involved? What on earth has happened?"

"Another ruin has been opened..."

Upon hearing this, the three men trembled, their eyes widening even more than when they heard he had killed five Wujiang.

Cao Jingsong was not involved in the Qiling incident, but Ban Yangshu and Wen Zhengxin were both present and naturally knew the dangers involved.

I thought the matter was over after the death of the Zheng family patriarch, but unexpectedly another relic was opened.

They finally understood why Ji You had gotten into such a mess, and they also thought about the various strange movements in Qingyun Tianxia.

"Do you want to know what happened after yet another ruin was opened?"

Upon hearing this, Wen Zhengxin and Ban Yangshu immediately waved their hands and shook their heads.

Cao Jingsong roared, "Shut up, you traitor!"

They can't kill Wujiang; he needs to live.

Qingyun Tianxia has never been a world of open information. Sometimes, people need to be a little oblivious to things to stay safe. They've long been used to this.

In fact, Ji You hadn't decided whether to tell them everything, since this matter was of great importance, and sometimes knowing wasn't necessarily better than not knowing.

So after hearing their refusal, I stopped trying to elaborate.

They only need to know the general outline and be prepared.

Ji You came to her senses: "The Five Great Immortal Sects, Wenshan Tian Academy, it is said that the Elders' Pavilion sent people to Fengzhou?"

Cao Jingsong nodded: "These old guys did do some decent work, preventing the people of Fengzhou from suffering. As for Kuang Shusheng and Lao Qiu, were they taken away by Lingjian Mountain?"

"Correct."

"No wonder."

After Ji You finished speaking, he looked up at the window and said, "It's almost time. I'm going out for a bit."

Normally, they would have said, "What are you doing going out when it's already dark? The five major immortal sects are watching you. You should behave yourself." But at this moment, he said nothing.

Because he knew that the young master of Lingjian Mountain was probably waiting for him.

After a few moments of contemplation, Wen Zhengxin couldn't help but recall the aloof and arrogant Empress at the Gathering of Immortals banquet. So, as he saw Ji You off, he couldn't help but notice the pavilion where the young master of Lingjian Mountain was staying. It was already dark, but no lights were lit in the pavilion, suggesting that they were going out for a secret rendezvous.

Who would have thought that such a cold-hearted person would secretly go out in the middle of the night to find her husband?

Under the dim light of night, Ji You gracefully left Rihua Immortal Garden, then traveled to the west of the city and arrived at the gate of an ancient courtyard.

This place is extremely far from that fairy garden, and there is still spiritual energy flowing slowly around it, so it seems that a magical artifact has been set up here.

He had sent a message to Yan Shuyi before he came, and the message he received was for this address. It seems that Yan Shuyi anticipated that there would be many eyes on him and knew that it would not be convenient to meet in the Immortal Garden, so she specially rented a courtyard.

Ji You reached out and pushed the door open, then gently opened the courtyard gate.

In the quiet courtyard, Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu were waiting. When they heard the door open, they immediately turned around to look.

"Uncle."

"haven't seen you for a long time."

"Master!"

"?"

Just as Ji You finished speaking, a voice drew her attention, and then she saw a little girl run out of the door. She couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Why is Qiu Ru here too?"

"She kept saying she missed you, and the appraiser also said that she should be taken out to see the world, so we brought her along."

"You've grown taller."

Ji You looked at Qiu Ru in front of her and noticed that she had grown a head taller than the last time she saw her.

Qiu Ru took a candied fruit out of her pocket and secretly slipped it into his hand.

Ji You rubbed his head and looked at Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu: "How are Kuang Cheng and Wei Rui?"

"They are all doing well."

Where is your appraiser?

"They're in the room, saying they're waiting for the young master to come and see him..."

"?"

Ji You squinted her eyes, then stepped towards the door in front of her.

The young appraiser was standing in the room with the lights on, her delicate, pinkish-white feet resting on the bamboo strips under the window.

She had already removed the glass crown from her head when she arrived. Now, her long hair cascaded down to her waist. She stood with her hands behind her back, looking at the night sky behind the house, appearing unfathomable.

At this moment, Yan Shuyi, who had heard the noise, slowly turned around and looked at Ji You, his expression as unapproachable as it had been at the Gathering of Immortals Banquet: "How is the Pill Sect now?"

On the eve of the New Year, the young appraiser thought his back hurt, but ended up being filled with alcohol by mistake.

However, she has always been stubborn and refused to admit that she had ever called him "husband" or that she had given him food. She kept threatening Ji You to forget, so when they met again, she still maintained her aloof and arrogant persona.

As for Ji You, he was a stranger whom I had only met a few times, and a good friend of Rui'er's lover.

However, since she had been slept with and had even curled up in his arms trembling uncontrollably, calling him "brother" and "husband," and had been forced to admit that she was "Little Water Tiger," Yan Shuyi didn't dare to look into his eyes when he spoke. Instead, he looked away with a cool and aloof expression.

After hearing this, Ji You said, "The disciples on the mountain are alright, there were no casualties, but their resources have been completely depleted, and their in-law families have suffered heavy losses, which will be difficult to recover in a short time."

"What about Tianchi Lake in Yongzhou and Duanhun Mountain in Yuzhou?"

"Just like the message you sent me, they've all been opened."

As Ji You spoke, he sat cross-legged in front of the tea table and then poured tea into a cup.

Seeing this, Yan Shuyi also sat down. Her snow-white feet had just stretched out over the tea table when Ji You grabbed them in his palm and placed them on his lap.

After a moment's hesitation, she did not struggle, her eyes still haughty, as if those were not her jade feet.

"Heavenly Pool, Broken Soul Mountain, Great Wilderness Forest, and Qiling, there are about four ruins that have been opened?"

"No, if you really include Qiling, there should be five."

"Where is the other one?"

Yan Shuyi raised his eyes: "In Baihe Valley of Qingzhou, the Chen Clan has also opened a relic."

Ji You narrowed his eyes after hearing this: "It seems that after trying the Dao Fruit of the Great Wilderness Forest, the other immortal sects are already impatient. However, there is something that we may not have thought of before."

"What's up?

"Not all ruins contain Dao Fruits, or rather, not all ruins have the same number of Dao Fruits. The ruin in the hands of the Dao Seeking Sect is far inferior to the one opened by the Mountain and Sea Pavilion."

"?"

After leaving Tianchi in Yongzhou, he went to Duanhun Mountain in Yuzhou. Under the strict watch of the Daowen Sect, he observed for several days and found that fewer and fewer people were coming and going.

Everyone who went in came out with a solemn expression.

After that, most of the carriages that traveled between Broken Soul Mountain and the Dao Seeking Sect returned empty.

All signs indicated that not much had been found at the ruins of Broken Soul Mountain, which made the Dao Seeking Sect's expression very grim.

Most importantly, they were involved in the Great Wilderness Forest incident, so in comparison, it should be clear that it feels like opening the wrong blind box.

Upon hearing this, the young appraiser was slightly taken aback.

They had been keeping an eye on the number of relics that were opened, but they never imagined that the difference in the number of Dao Fruits would be so great.

Ji You raised his head at this moment: "There are countless relics in Qingyun Nine Provinces, but not many can compare to the scale of Qiling. I'm afraid this will cause a struggle in the future."

Yan Shuyi spoke with a solemn expression: "It is not scarcity that is the problem, but inequality. The six major immortal sects have maintained a balance of power over the years, which is why they can keep each other in check. If the difference between them is so great, they will definitely fight endlessly."

"However, in my opinion, whether the fruit is good or bad is more important."

"So far, there have been no cases of problems after consuming the Dao Fruit."

Ji You took a sip of tea: "What about Lang Kun from the Lang family? There are rumors that he rose from the dead and bit many of his disciples to death, which is very similar to the evil species' need to eat human flesh and blood. I asked Elder Qi to tell you what the results of the investigation are."

Yan Shuyi shook his head: "I sent someone to investigate this matter. Lang Kun did indeed obtain a Dao Fruit, but his cause of death was indeed dying of old age."

"But in recent years, the demon race has entered the country, and strange phenomena have appeared in the sky. Everyone is saying that the human race's fortune is about to be lost, but the human race has suddenly received a gift from the heavens. I just don't think this is right."

"So that's why you came to the Immortals' Gathering?"

Ji You nodded: "I want to see with my own eyes those who have eaten the fruit."

Yan Shuyi raised his eyes: "Among those who arrived at the Immortal Tour Gathering today, apart from the aristocratic families who are still unaware, the others share the same thoughts as you."

The Immortal Tour is not as good as the Heavenly Dao Tour; it is slightly inferior in both appeal and reputation.

But yesterday, countless noble families were surprised because many important figures appeared at this Immortal Tour, even more than at the Heavenly Dao Assembly.

Everyone was puzzled as to why the six major immortal sects attached more importance to the Immortal Tour than to the Heavenly Dao Tour. In reality, what the immortal sects wanted to see was the same as what Ji You wanted to see – things unknown to others.

Which method of consuming Dao Fruit is better? Will disciples with different talents experience different effects when consuming the same fruit? Are the Dao Fruits obtained from different ruins the same? These are all very important questions.

In other words, this was an observational experiment following the consumption of the fruit.

During the discussion, Ji You had already peeled the spirit sunflower seeds he brought from the Gathering Immortals Banquet into a small pile.

The two drank tea and chewed as they went, and the atmosphere gradually quieted down.

The information that needed to be given has been given, and the discussions that needed to be held have been held, so there is nothing else to say.

The young appraiser, having regained his senses, suddenly turned cold and arrogant: "I already know about the ruins. You did well. Although you are a disciple of the Heavenly Academy, your loyalty is evident. I will reward you for this. You may leave now."

Ji You looked up: "?"

Yan Shuyi tried to pull her foot back without making a sound, but found that it was being held tightly without any strength.

At that moment, a gaze fell upon her lower abdomen, causing her beautiful eyes to narrow slightly.

What are you looking around for?

"I'm looking for my own child..."

"?"

Ji You answered honestly, and saw his toes curl up slightly. At the same time, a burst of sword energy rose up, seemingly about to cut down the little Tian Shu Academy disciple who was spouting nonsense and talking about things that had never happened, so that he would not be able to make up stories.

But just then, the two suddenly heard soft footsteps coming from outside the door.

This place is, after all, Sunflower City. Although it is far from the Immortal Garden, there is no guarantee that someone might come secretly to find it.

The two instantly became alert, their divine senses rushing out as they looked towards the door.

In the courtyard, Qiu Ru wore a wreath woven from willow branches, held a bronze mirror she had gotten from Ding Yao, gently stroked her lower abdomen with one hand, and walked back and forth in the courtyard with a cold and arrogant look in her eyes.

Children's understanding of the world is still in its infancy, which is why they love to learn.

Girls, in particular, tend to imitate whoever they find pretty.

Seeing this, Ji You turned to look at Yan Shuyi.

In fact, he has always doted on the young appraiser of Lingjian Mountain. He didn't even hurt her when she took the wrong medicine before. He didn't come here with lustful intentions, nor did he intend to bully her as soon as they met.

However, he just couldn't stand Yan Shuyi's stubbornness.

As the young appraiser was looking at Qiu Ru, pondering whether to shift the blame to Ding Yao or Zhuo Wanqiu, he suddenly saw Ji You's fingertips twitch slightly. Then, with a creak, the door was closed by a gentle breeze.

Under the tea table, her snow-white jade feet couldn't help but curl up slightly.

Then, the sword energy inside the room began to rise continuously.

Holding him in her arms, Yan Shuyi's murderous aura intensified, her eyes like a raging storm. She then relentlessly bit Ji You's lips, and as she struggled, her clothes gradually fell away, revealing her round, plump body.

Before long, the snow-white little appraiser was pressed down onto the bed to the right of the tea table while struggling.

Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu looked at the bright moon in the sky, their expressions somewhat blank.

"Should we go back to sleep, or continue waiting here?"

"The Master said she would go back after meeting with the disciples of Little Heavenly Academy, and that she would stay at the Immortal Garden tonight. She told us to wait for her."

"But the master specially took a petal bath when he came..."

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(End of this chapter)