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Chapter 319 The Ineffective Heavenly Ritual
In fact, after witnessing Ji You's sword strike that suppressed the elders of Lingjian Mountain, many things seemed to become clear.

For example, why was Xiang Fu able to enter the inner courtyard, and why was he seated at the main table during the Immortal Tour?

Even more concerning is why the five major immortal sects remained completely unmoved.

The higher a person's combat power, the greater the impact they can have, and the deeper their foundation. Even immortal sects cannot kill them silently, so they will treat them with caution.

At this moment, different images flashed through everyone's minds.

There was Elder Fang's words of "Let it go" amidst the wind and snow, and Shang Jincheng's hasty escape from Zuixianlou.

"His combat power..."

"It seems that his trip to the holy site of the ancient sages was not without its gains; in fact, it may have been the one that yielded the most."

He Long felt a slight tremor in his heart as he recalled the scene at the Gathering of Immortals where he and the others divided Fengzhou.

He was so arrogant back then, and now he is so terrified.

Upon hearing the words "at most," everyone couldn't help but look at the twin disciples of the Chen Clan, who were dressed in embroidered gold immortal robes and were also looking at Ji You.

At first, they thought that these two disciples would be the ones who benefited the most.

As they looked around, they suddenly remembered something.

When they left the sacred site of the sages, everyone said that Ji You hadn't made any progress, and the rumors spread throughout the world, but only these two disciples remained silent.

Even when people went to verify the information, the two of them did not utter a single word.

Looking back now, those on the periphery of the holy site only saw the surface.

Only Chen Luo, who was in the same central part of the holy land as Ji You, truly saw something in him, which is why he remained silent.

"This year, the Heavenly Academy recruited a disciple in Fengzhou. He is a junior who was admitted to the academy before he even reached adulthood and is at the peak of the Lower Three Realms."

"The rural repairs were just a minor incident..."

As dusk fell and the sky was ablaze with the colors of dawn, Ji You and Cao Jingsong departed from the observation tower.

Lu Hanyan's injuries were not too serious, but she looked at Ji You with a slight whimper after waking up.

Then came the final.

The magnificent spiritual energy clashed continuously, and the attacks of magic were like the roar of a tiger.

Ji You has been in the Heavenly Academy for many years and has offended every cultivation family he could. So not only Yan Hao, but other families also have the idea of ​​teaching him a lesson during the duel.

After all, many of the disciples sent by the Heavenly Academy at this Immortal Tour Gathering were closely related to him.

But after the Dao sword that cleaved through the barrier appeared, everyone abandoned the idea. Under its intimidation, no one dared to move, and they even held back against the disciples of the Heavenly Academy.

Powerful beings are terrifying, but powerful beings who disregard rules are even more terrifying...

As the competitions continued, everyone's thoughts were drawn back to the cultivators participating in the contests.

Ji You's move was truly astonishing, but after rumors had been circulating for over half a year, everyone was somewhat prepared.

But the disciples of the Immortal Sect, whose cultivation levels were incredibly high yet whose youth was outrageous, only made them fall into a deeper silence.

It's not unusual for a few prodigies to emerge from the generation of geniuses, but for them to spring up like mushrooms after rain is unheard of.

"That elder, Chen Feng..."

"Chen Feng?"

"Two years ago, I met him a few times. At that time, he was only at the initial stage of the Yingtian realm. But today, when I see him again, he has reached the Boundless realm. It's truly astonishing..."

The cultivation of the five realms becomes increasingly difficult as you progress, and many people even waste the rest of their lives in a certain realm.

But the sudden breakthrough was something they had never heard of before.

Even though some people vaguely sensed that this matter was unusual, they didn't know where to begin.

Even disciples from outside the Immortal Sect, who had been in the inner sect for many years, were filled with doubts and felt completely baffled when faced with the rapid advancement of their junior brothers and sisters' cultivation.

After the finals, the East Campus, where the Heavenly Academy is located, was silent.

Fairy Zhengxin failed to make it to the end, and although Xiao Hanyan barely managed to get a spot in the Heavenly Dao Sacrifice, she was also seriously injured.

As for Yu Shiliu, Wang Gaocen, and others, they were all eliminated in the third round, remaining silent while drinking tea.

They lost at the Heavenly Dao Conference back then, but this time the feeling was particularly different.

Even though they were defeated back then, they were still considered rare talents, but even so, they had a vague feeling that they were about to be swallowed up by the crowd.

There are many people younger than them who are at a similar level, and they all feel that they are no longer special.

"Where exactly did things go wrong...?"

"Could it be that there truly is a way to ascend to heaven in one step..."

Xiao Hanyan began to doubt herself, clutching the porcelain cup in her hand and muttering to herself.

On the eve of the Beginning of Summer, the sky was ablaze with crimson clouds.

Countless carriages and palanquins sped along the Sunflower Avenue, the spiritual energy they drew converging into a river that wove a silver-blue curtain beneath the dome, flowing turbulently toward the gradually darkening west.

After crossing a dense forest, the group arrived at an incredibly vast human altar.

Looking out, the altar is surrounded by towering walls that seem to reach the sky, displaying its grandeur and magnificence as night gradually falls.

Ji You also arrived in the carriage and disembarked in front of the crowded high wall.

The magnificent bronze gate was now open. He glanced at the two characters "Qian Gate" above the gate, then stepped into the dark gate and went upwards.

Behind him followed Cao Jingsong, Wen Zhengxin, and Ban Yangshu, the four of them together.

The Lu sisters actually wanted to come with them, especially Lu Hanyan, but in the end, they were dragged to Kunmen by Lu Xiong and his wife.

It's not a rumor that he has a feud with the five major immortal sects. Even though his combat power is incredibly formidable, it's still not a good choice for others to get too close to him.

Fortunately, ever since Ji You sat down at the main table of the Immortal Sect and killed the elder of Lingjian Mountain with her sword, Lu Xiong and his wife never mentioned arranging a marriage between them again.

At this moment, Ji You climbed the tall city wall surrounding the altar amidst the strong winds.

Looking down from above, one can see that the altar is high in the middle and low around the edges, resembling an inverted jade bowl. Countless intricate patterns are carved on it and connected by lines, like a star map.

"This is the human race's altar?"

"Indeed, when the altar is lit, the celestial light will resonate with the Heavenly Dao. Cultivators who enter meditation here will have their souls ascend to the heavens and have a chance to resonate with the Heavenly Dao."

What are the odds?

After hearing this, Cao Jingsong shook his head: "That depends on the cultivator himself."

Ji You turned to look at the instructor: "Based on your own talent?"

“Look at the Dao Heart. In the past thousand years, there have been many people in Qingyun who were not very talented but whose Dao Heart aligned with the Dao. After the Dao Sacrifice, they gained a lot and rose to the top as if they had been enlightened.”

"I see."

As they talked, figures began to appear in their line of sight.

More than a hundred people who won prizes at the Fairy Tour entered in turn and sat down along the center of the altar, soon filling the central area.

Then an old man dressed in straw clothes and with his face painted with oil paint came to the center and sat down with them.

This is the old priest who has been passed down through generations in the human race's altar. When the altar is opened, the old priest will enter meditation with them and guide their souls through chanting.

After all, the Heavenly Dao is as vast as the sea and infinitely mysterious. Without guidance, they are very likely to become immersed in the Heavenly Dao and never be able to return.

Therefore, the old priest acts as an anchor point.

As night slowly descended, starlight began to appear across the sky.

Cultivators stood in rows on the eight city walls, constantly gazing at the central area, as if waiting for something.

Some of the young people, who had been living in seclusion at home and had never participated in the Immortal Tour, were puzzled by this scene and thought to themselves, "Is that all?"

In their view, the Heavenly Ritual should be grand and magnificent, not so calm and uneventful.

However, just as everyone was wondering, they suddenly felt a wisp of sword energy rise up, and a graceful figure soared into the sky.

The young master of Lingjian Mountain, dressed in a magnificent immortal robe and wearing a crystal crown, stood high in the sky in the blink of an eye, like a goddess descending into the air, with an ethereal beauty.

Human altars are not open by ordinary people; they require the permission of the wielder and are guided by the essence of the sacred artifact.

Over the years, the seven major immortal sects have taken turns presiding over the altar, and now it is Spirit Sword Mountain's turn.

High above, enveloped in celestial light, the young master gently opened his hand, and a stone mirror floated into the air between his palms. Instantly, a majestic and boundless aura surged forth from the altar.

Then, a beam of divine light shot out from the spiritual mirror in her hand and landed in the very center of the altar.

In an instant, the entire altar seemed to be set ablaze, with endless celestial light bursting forth from its intricate patterns.

The young appraiser parted her red lips slightly, uttered a silent mantra, and the celestial light began to surge upwards, gathering around her entire body before soaring straight into the heavens with a wave of her hand.

Seeing this, a sense of awe appeared in everyone's eyes.

During their trip to the Immortal Tour, they encountered countless cultivation geniuses.

The seventeen-year-old Tongxuan and the twenty-five-year-old Rongdao were deeply shocked.

But it was only then that they suddenly remembered that the young master of Lingjian Mountain, who had reached the Profound Realm at the age of ten and reached the Boundless Realm at the age of twenty-two, was the most amazing and talented one, even surpassing Ji You, whose combat power was strange.

Seeing her now holding a sacred artifact, summoning celestial light and drawing upon the light of heaven, I was even more awestruck.

Above the Kun Gate, Cao Jingsong, Ban Yangshu, and Wen Zhengxin also looked up, staring blankly at the appraiser with his ethereal beauty. Then they couldn't help but look at Ji You, their expressions dazed.

Such a fairy-like beauty, and she's from the family of this wicked disciple! Who can he complain to?

As celestial light soared into the sky, the altar was awakened, and the spirit vessel slowly disappeared into the heavens. At the same time, the captivating figure flew away.

The people of Lingjian Mountain were standing in the direction of Zhenmen, eagerly awaiting the return of their master, but after waiting for a long time, no one came.

Seeing this, Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu couldn't help but exchange a glance, thinking to themselves that the appraiser had probably gone to find her husband again.

As it turned out, they were right.

Cao Jingsong and the other two turned their heads to look to the west. In their line of sight, the little appraiser who had been wielding his weapon in mid-air had now landed on the city wall on their side, his immortal robes fluttering in the wind.

The aloof little appraiser is actually a bit clingy.

Wen Zhengxin muttered to himself, and when he came to his senses, he found that Ji You was gone. When he came to his senses again, the figure of the young appraiser had also disappeared.

On the tower to the west of the altar, Yan Shu sat on the edge of the tower, watching the rising celestial light. Suddenly, she turned to look at Ji You and found that the strange man had been staring at her.

"Why are you staring at me, a mere disciple of the Heavenly Academy?"

"It's nothing, it's just that when I think about how that thing high in the sky just now belonged to my family, I feel like I got a great deal."

Ji You murmured to herself and reached out to pinch her aloof cheek.

Yan Shuyi has been in a bad mood these past few days, maintaining her aloof empress persona. However, she did not refute Ji You's claim that she belonged to his family: "Do you know that before coming to the human race altar, all the important figures from various sects had already left?"

"Return to the sect?"

"We visited several other ruins that had not yet been opened."

Ji You frowned slightly after hearing this, thinking to himself that it was no wonder he hadn't seen any disciples along the way: "He went to the ruins without even participating in the Heavenly Dao Ceremony, which is a bit too hasty."

Yan Shuyi gazed at the constantly fluctuating immortal light and gently parted her lips: "The effects brought by the Dao Fruit have surprised the Immortal Sect, so they are naturally eager to try. The elders of my Spirit Sword Mountain are also itching to make their move, including the Xuanjian Peak where I sit."

So you're going back to the mountain?

“The opening of the ruins is a big deal. Although Yan Zhong is still the leader of Lingjian Mountain, he can’t make a decision without me. But if I don’t return to the mountain, that’s a different story.”

Ji You peeled a seed from the sunflower and held it to his lips.

After Yan Shuyi opened her mouth and ate, she glanced at him and said, "I want another one."

“I tried to feed you yesterday, but you wouldn’t eat.”

Ji You peeled open the next pill and fed it to him, when she suddenly noticed that Yan Shuyi had narrowed his eyes, his gaze filled with a sharp killing intent.

Okay, what I wanted to feed her yesterday wasn't the lingkui seed.

The young appraiser ate the spirit sunflower seed from his fingertip: "Kuang Cheng and the others are still on the mountain. Why don't you come back to the mountain with me and stay there as my personal appraiser's disciple?"

That would truly make me a rebellious disciple, and I can't say that just because I want to take my husband back to the mountain.

Ji You glanced at her: "I've been cultivating and listening to music all the way here, plus investigating the ruins. I haven't been back to Fengzhou for a long time. I need to go back first, and then I'll come find you."

"Going back to Fengzhou?"

"I cultivated spirit seedlings in Fengzhou during the spring planting season, and I imagine they have already yielded a harvest. I'll go back and take a look. Also, the news that the five major immortal sects have joined forces to hunt me down must have spread throughout the world. Many people are getting restless in Fengzhou. If I don't show myself, those immortal estates in Fengzhou might have designs on me again."

Ji You had said before that if the Relic Fruit was not a disaster, then he would no longer care about it.

At this moment, his thoughts had returned to Fengzhou and to farming.

Successfully cultivating a spiritual seedling can earn a portion of the tax revenue from the immortal sects, allowing them to make money while also improving the lives of people in the mortal world.

Yan Shuyi was chewing on a lingkui seed, gently stroking her lower abdomen, while turning her head to look at Ji You with a cold expression.

Although no words were spoken, the subtext was clear.

The disciples of Little Heavenly Academy are incompetent; after many days here, they still haven't managed to get this master pregnant.

The next second, with a crisp "smack," Yan Shuyi, who had just been spanked, narrowed her eyes and glanced around: "Step back."

Ji You looked at her: "How about leaving tonight?"

"?"

"Regarding the matter of the Pill Sect, I killed five Boundless Elders. The five great immortal sects may not be willing to let it go. They are leaving now, but there may be an ambush. I cannot leave with Lao Cao and the others, so I plan to detour through Lingzhou and then return from Qingzhou."

Yan Shuyi glanced at him after hearing this: "Although we are not familiar with each other, you have done a lot for me regarding the ruins, so I can give you a ride."

Ji Youxin said, "If it weren't for your reluctance to leave, would I have gone all the way to Lingzhou and then back?" So she gently raised her hand.

However, when he saw that Yan Shuyi remained motionless, her eyes constantly glancing at his hand, he did not drop it.

The high and mighty little appraiser probably also enjoys spanking.

Ji You leaned down and gently kissed that small mouth that she had met by chance every day. As a result, she was chased and bitten, and her tongue was almost bitten off. So she let go and walked down the city.

Seeing this, Yan Shuyi followed after them...

The imperial carriage was parked in the Immortal Garden. The two did not retrieve it, but instead hired a carriage and left Rihua County, heading south along the Wujiang River.

The two passed through the Great Wilderness Forest on their journey. After arriving, they took another look and found that apart from the guards, no one else had entered or left the forest.

In other words, apart from the inaccessible central area, the rest of the Great Wilderness Forest ruins must have been hollowed out.

Liangzhou is not too far from Lingzhou; once you cross the Great Wilderness Forest, you've crossed the border.

After entering the country, they arrived at Biran City in the northern part of Lingzhou and stopped at a branch of the Sword Casting Pavilion.

Ji You destroyed many spirit swords in the battle of Danshan, so he bought many more here.

Fengzhou's development has also made him a lot of money. He is no longer as penniless as before, and he is much more generous. He even bought some pretty but useless ornaments for his arrogant son.

The two then parted ways in Biran City; one continued south, while the other detoured to Qingzhou.

Yan Shuyi was left alone in the moving carriage, and the atmosphere suddenly became silent.

However, the aloof little appraiser naturally wouldn't show such emotions, remaining calmly in meditation as if he had only parted with an insignificant person.

But not long after she entered meditation, she suddenly opened her eyes, her beautiful phoenix eyes slightly narrowed.

She was so busy walking with the strange man that she realized she had forgotten to bring two maids, as well as Ruru who was with the two maids.

At the same time, many prominent families in Rihua City also set off one after another, going south and north.

In this year's Immortal Tour, these aristocratic families suffered heavy losses, with only a handful of members managing to secure a spot to participate in the Heavenly Dao Sacrifice. Naturally, they were unwilling to stay any longer.

After returning home, the loser was unwilling to accept defeat and continued to cultivate diligently.

Some people with injuries began to recuperate and heal.

When the topic of the Immortal Tour Gathering comes up, people are still discussing the many outstanding talents from various immortal sects who have emerged this time, feeling deeply puzzled.

On the night of the Beginning of Summer, in Rihua County, at the human altar.

For many days, celestial light surged, flickering like a sacred flame that never dies. In the very center, pairs of eyes gradually opened.

Not long after, Xiao Hanyan also opened her eyes, her expression dazed.

She received no feedback whatsoever, but not only was there no feedback, but why was her soul not even guided to heaven?

Could it be that my own Daoist beliefs are at odds with the Dao of Heaven?

She had already suffered a great blow from this Immortal Gathering, and now that she could not receive feedback from the Heavenly Dao, her Dao heart was even more difficult to calm.

She couldn't understand why, after being regarded as a prodigy for over twenty years and considered a candidate for the Hall Master's personal successor, she suddenly found herself inferior to others in every way.

In the darkness of the night, amidst the surging light of the altar, Xiao Hanyan clutched her chest. Her Dao heart was faltering, and the desires she had suppressed for years due to her cultivation began to resurface, eventually causing her to feel a burning rage within her.

But at that moment, as she followed the celestial light and observed the people around her, she suddenly noticed that under the dark night, the high priest whose face was covered in paint also had his eyes open, and she couldn't help but be slightly taken aback.

Because she knew that the priest's responsibility was to pull the cultivators who received feedback out of it, so as to prevent them from becoming immersed in it and turning into immortals.

But why is even he keeping his eyes open?

Xiao Hanyan stood up and looked around, only to find that those who had not yet opened their eyes also had slightly furrowed brows.

Seeing this, Xiao Hanyan turned her gaze back to the high priest and noticed that he seemed to be trembling the whole time.

Since ancient times, the ancestors of humankind established an altar here, set up the position of sacrifice, and inspired their spirits to manage the Heavenly Sacrifice for generations, without exception for thousands of years.

But no one knew that the old priest had already sensed something was wrong the moment the Heavenly Ritual began.

He cannot see the sky, nor can he feel the guidance of the Way of Heaven.

Even as he chanted the sacrificial hymn, he felt a sudden, involuntary tremor in his heart.

But he dared not say it, and had been putting on an act for days.

For so many years, their clan has only been able to transcend the world through their priestly duties, and they cannot let others know that they are useless.

The high priest looked up at the sky and, for the first time in his life, no longer found it bright, but rather as deep and unfathomable as a whirlpool.

Because the priests remained silent, and because the lack of feedback was a frequent occurrence, not many people at the human altar noticed anything amiss.

Meanwhile, on the west side of the ancient stone official road in Qingzhou.

Ji You, sword in hand, traversed the dark forest, the scorching heat causing the rain to billow and white mist to rise as he ascended the mountain.

Ahead of its pursuit, a demon with blood-red eyes was running wildly down a mountain stream...

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(End of this chapter)