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Chapter 344 Ji You Awakens
On the sparse paulownia leaves, the moon shines white and the dew is just beginning to form.

In late autumn, the leaves on the branches of the trees on the mountainside gather into thousands of golden flakes. Whenever the cold wind sweeps by, a flurry of leaves falls, scattering golden leaves all over the ground and dyeing the mountains.

At this moment, in the Auspicious Hall, Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu were squatting in the side hall, adjusting the warm water in the porcelain basin, and then gently began to take off Ji You's clothes.

From outer garments to inner garments, and then to underwear.

She has been unconscious in the ruins for three full months now.

Ji You's condition has improved considerably, and her atrophied meridians have gradually returned to their original state, no longer shrinking back as they did at the beginning when treatment stopped.

This is what they call the stable state achieved after natural healing.

So the Heavenly Academy began trying to administer pills to him half a month ago, starting with a quarter of the pill, then half, gradually increasing the dosage while giving him enough time to adapt.

Danyangzi would also come over once a day to use Danguang to assist in the treatment, dissolving the medicinal properties while nourishing the body.

His complexion is now far better than before, and the vitality within him is becoming increasingly abundant, but he has not yet awakened.

Such a recovery speed would seem extremely long to ordinary people, but both the newly appointed sect leader, Lord You, and Danyangzi felt that it was already incredibly miraculous.

Because if an ordinary person suffered such injuries, let alone whether they could survive, even if they could, it would take about a year to recover to this state.

This also led You Yingqiu and Zuo Qiuyang to re-examine the body-refining lineage.

However, due to the effects of the medication, Ji You would break out in a light sweat after each treatment and would need to wash herself off.

This task naturally fell to Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu, who were there to take care of her.

As their clothes were removed one by one, Ji You's strong, scarred body was revealed before them, and they were then arranged into a "太" (tai) shape.

Despite having seen it many times, the two women would still blush slightly and glance around shyly.

To be honest, their appraiser is really brave.

Hua Hua Hua——

The handkerchief was soaked in warm water and wrung out until it was semi-dry after absorbing all the moisture.

Ding Yao took it from Zhuo Wanqiu's hand, held it, and gently wiped it on her body.

As the heartbeat passed over their chests, a strong heartbeat brought them a sense of security.

"Young master, you smell strongly of medicine."

"The Life-Creating Pill given by the appraiser is very potent, so it's not surprising that its aroma would waft out."

Ding Yao raised her head slightly after hearing this: "Has it already been given to you, young master?"

Zhuo Wanqiu nodded: "He took it at noon the day before yesterday, so it's normal that the medicine tastes a bit strong. This means that the young master has absorbed it well and will get better soon."

"But it smells strange. Go to the back hall and get some soap powder to dissolve in the basin."

"You go."

"?"

"I'm afraid you won't be able to resist sneaking a peek," Zhuo Wanqiu said, revealing the secret.

Ding Yao narrowed her eyes after hearing this: "Last time when you were washing the young master's hair, I also helped you get the comb."

"I didn't steal anything."

"Who would believe that..."

After thinking for a moment, Zhuo Wanqiu stood up: "Just this once."

Ding Yao casually wiped Ji You's shoulder and said, "It's your turn next time."

Upon hearing this, Zhuo Wanqiu neither agreed nor disagreed, but silently turned and went to the back hall. She then brought back the soap powder, and saw that Ding Yao's cheeks were even more pink.

After dissolving the soapberry powder in the basin, a delicate plant fragrance slowly wafted up.

The two changed the handkerchiefs and washed Ji You again, then dressed her in clean inner garments. After finishing everything, they gently laid her back on the bed.

"Go get the water, I'll get the food."

"it is good."

Zhuo Wanqiu responded, picked up the used warm water, and then left the main hall with Ding Yao. One went to the ditch on the west side, while the other went to wait for the disciples who would bring the food outside the hall.

They lived their lives like this day after day, quiet but somewhat boring, the only interesting thing being washing their son-in-law.

After Zhuo Wanqiu poured out the water and washed and dried the handkerchief, Ding Yao returned with breakfast.

The Heavenly Academy's hospitality was excellent, and the food they provided was far superior to what ordinary disciples could eat at the Immortal Cuisine Hall, with a very good combination of dishes.

After sitting down, Ding Yao stared blankly at the fried dough sticks on her plate while eating. Suddenly, she noticed that Zhuo Wanqiu was looking up with a dazed look in her eyes.

And the direction his gaze was directed was precisely where Ji You was.

"what happened?"

"It seems that the young master's hand has moved." Zhuo Wanqiu looked at Ding Yao after regaining her senses.

Ding Yao was stunned for a moment and immediately looked up. After observing for a while, she couldn't help but ask, "There's no movement. You must be seeing things."

Zhuo Wanqiu frowned slightly: "Perhaps they are too eager for the young master to wake up."

"He'll definitely wake up. Didn't that Palace Master You say that, judging from this recovery speed, he'll definitely wake up within six months? Let's eat first."

"Ah."

Zhuo Wanqiu nodded and began to chew the spirit seedlings in her bowl.

However, as she was eating, she suddenly noticed that Ding Yao had also raised her head. But before she could ask, a long, drawn-out panting sound came from the hall, which made her swallowing motion freeze in her throat.

With a sudden movement, the two of them jumped up and ran towards the bed in the distance with delighted expressions. There they saw Ji You, who was lying flat, slowly opening her eyes.

He felt like he had a very long dream, a dream about the orphanage in Linchuan, about his younger brother and sister, about Yan Shuyi with her ponytail and Yuan Caiwei wearing denim shorts, the two of them strolling around the streets with a chubby baby in each hand.

The various dreams were mixed together, making his thoughts extremely chaotic, and he had no idea where he was.

It wasn't until he saw Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu fall onto the bed that his consciousness gradually began to clear.

"Uncle."

"Master, are you awake?"

Ji You's unfocused gaze gradually sharpened, and after staring at the two for a long time, her eyes fixed on them: "Chu Xian is dead, so where's the arrogant brat?"

His last thought was of severing Chu Xian's head; after that, he knew nothing more.

What he was thinking about now was his last thought from three months ago in the ruins: that the most dangerous person was the arrogant ghost who was trying to steal the sacred artifact from the Immortal Realm.

"Young master, the appraiser is alright."

"really?"

Ding Yao nodded: "It's true. After you were sent back to the Heavenly Academy because of your serious injuries, we immediately returned to Lingjian Mountain. The Master of Appraisal is fine. She even arranged for us to come to the Heavenly Academy to stay by your side every step of the way."

"She won?" Ji You asked, her lips dry from not drinking water for a long time.

"We don't know either. When we arrived at Lingjian Mountain, the Zhuang family demon was already dead. The Master of Appraisal was injured, but he was not seriously hurt."

Even now, many people are wondering why the young appraiser of Lingjian Mountain, with his Boundless Realm cultivation, was able to survive this catastrophe targeting sacred artifacts.

Even Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu didn't understand how the Master of Appraisal had killed that demon.

However, as long as the person being appraised is alright, nothing else matters.

"What's the current situation at the Pill Sect?" Ji You asked after regaining his senses.
"The alchemy sect's furnace is protected by the restrictions imposed by the six great immortal sects in the past, so it has not become the first target of those demons. They are still in a state of seclusion and have not been attacked."

Ji You breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this, and her previously fixed gaze gradually relaxed, revealing a hint of weakness.

He felt as if he had been trampled by a dozen elephants, and every part of his body ached.

That damned Chu Xian is too hard to kill.

When he used the Dao Sword as the foundation of the formation and unleashed the Astounding Immortal Sword Formation, he could truly feel all the energy within his body being rapidly squeezed and taken away. Even now, thinking back on it, he still feels lingering fear.

While pondering, Ji You looked around and asked, "Is this the Heavenly Academy? How long have I been asleep?"

Upon hearing this, Zhuo Wanqiu replied, "The young master has been asleep for three months."

Upon hearing this, Ji You frowned, feeling a sense of dizziness in her mind.

Seeing this, Ding Yao immediately rubbed his temples and said, "Young Master, in order to kill Chu Xian, not only were your meridians drained, but your spiritual power was also over-exhausted. You should rest for a while longer, and then we will go and notify the others."

"Please get me some more food. I feel so hungry I could eat a whole cow."

"it is good."

After a brief exchange, Ji You closed her eyes again, while Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu quickly ran out.

One of them went to Xian Shan Fang, while the other went to find You Yingqiu, Danyangzi, Cao Jingsong, and others.

They were overjoyed to see their son-in-law wake up, but whether this meant he was completely out of danger, or whether there were any other injuries that hadn't healed, all needed to be examined by professionals.

You Yingqiu was at the Zizhu Zen Forest at this time, resolving the questions her disciples encountered during their cultivation.

She had not received personal instruction from her master when she entered the inner courtyard, so she attached great importance to this matter after she succeeded to the throne.

As the report of "Ji You has awakened" came, You Yingqiu, who was teaching and imparting knowledge, immediately got up and flew towards the Auspicious Hall, leaving behind a group of somewhat bewildered young disciples.

Before the disciples could even begin to discuss it, they saw a figure hurrying towards the Auspicious Hall from the Immortal Guest Garden on the north side. It was none other than Dan Yangzi, the Dan Sect Elder who was currently residing at the Heavenly Academy.

At the same time, Zhuo Wanqiu had already rushed down the mountain and run into Cao Jingsong's courtyard.

"Instructor Cao."

"?"

Before the panting Zhuo Wanqiu could finish her sentence, Cao Jingsong jumped to his feet and headed towards the inner courtyard.

Zhuo Wanqiu followed, and also called Wen Zhengxin and Ban Yangshu along the way.

By the time the three arrived, Ji You had already fallen into a deep sleep again.

However, compared to when he was unconscious, his current sleep was accompanied by faint snoring, which instantly put their minds at ease.

You Yingqiu and Danyangzi, who had arrived earlier, were by his bedside. The former was observing his expression, while the latter was using his inner light to examine the condition inside his body.

After a moment, Danyangzi withdrew the cinnabar light from his palm and gently stroked his long beard: "He has recovered to about 80 or 90 percent, but he has not eaten for too long and is in a very weak state, which is why he has fallen into a deep sleep again."

After hearing this, You Yingqiu looked at Ji You and said, "I didn't expect that it would only take three months for him to recover like this."

"Given Young Master Ji's physical strength, the fact that it took him three months to wake up already indicates a very serious injury. The fact that he was able to overcome the crisis so smoothly is largely due to the timely handling of the situation."

"What do we need next?" You Yingqiu asked, turning her head.

Danyangzi stroked his beard and said, "To strengthen his foundation and nourish his vital energy, I need to go back now, start the furnace, and refine some medicine for this purpose for him to take."

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Elder. If you need anything during the alchemy process, please feel free to give instructions to the head of the department."

"Thank you, Headmaster You."

Cao Jingsong then gently raised his hand and bowed slightly to Danyangzi, who returned the bow and walked out of the main hall.

"How long will it take for Junior Brother Ji to wake up?" Wen Zhengxin couldn't help but look at You Yingqiu.

"Wait a minute, a nap won't take too long."

Perhaps because she received reassuring answers from Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu, Ji You slept very soundly and didn't even have a dream.

He didn't wake up until noon, when the sun was high in the sky and the warm sunlight chased away some of the chill of late autumn, casting a golden glow.

When he opened his eyes, he saw Cao Jingsong and the others all sitting in the main hall. Upon seeing him awake, they immediately swarmed around him. "You wicked disciple, you finally woke up? Three months! A full three months!"

“I know, the instructor is trying to say that you have already received your monthly salary for three months.”

"?"

Cao Jingsong's eyes widened in disbelief. He hadn't expected people to think like that. His beard trembled slightly before he immediately denied it: "No, actually I was just kidding you. You only slept for three days."

Ji You said, "I don't believe you for a second," then propped herself up in bed and looked around: "Why are there only the three of you? Where are Lu Hanyan and Lu Qingqiu?"

"The two sisters have returned to Yunzhou. I will write to them later to let them know about your situation."

"What about the Immortal Emperor Rulong?"

Ji You inquired about each of the absent individuals.

A person in a coma cannot perceive the passage of time. For him, three months is like a moment of darkness, so his mind is still stuck in the time immediately after the catastrophe.

Just as he was afraid that the arrogant ghost wouldn't live to see him sever the Heavenly Dao Sacrifice, and that the Pill Sect would suffer as a result, he was also afraid that other people he knew would meet with misfortune.

Cao Jingsong, Wen Zhengxin, and Ban Yangshu exchanged glances and remained silent for a while before saying, "Rulong has gone to join the army."

"join the army?"

"After those demons were killed, Rulong came to see you once, and then returned to Zhongzhou without saying a word, back to the Bai family's shattered territory. But a few days later, that territory was occupied by others."

Wen Zhengxin continued Cao Jingsong's words: "After the calamity ended, the Nine Provinces were as if they had been shattered and reassembled. All the surviving aristocratic families were eager to take advantage of the situation and annex others to strengthen themselves. The struggle has not subsided to this day, and the Bai family is also among those that are being fought over."

Upon hearing this, Ji You fell silent.

When someone loses, someone else will inevitably gain; this is a perfectly normal trend.

Especially since the Bai family is seen as guilty by the public, they will naturally not be treated with leniency.

Since entering the Heavenly Academy, Emperor Long Xian has been obsessed with buttocks and has not paid much attention to cultivation. Now that he is the only one left in the Bai family, he is weak and vulnerable and it is difficult for him to protect his clan's territory.

Thinking of this, Ji You suddenly frowned: "What does joining the army mean?"

"He joined the army. After we learned that the Bai family had been robbed, we went to Zhongzhou to help him, but he didn't seem to have a strong urge to take back his clan's land. At that time, Daxia asked the Immortal Sect for help, and Rulong told us that he had signed up to join the Zhenbei Army."

"Wait, something's happened in the North?"

The Great Xia sought help from the Immortal Sect, and Ru Long joined the Zhenbei Army, which indicated that war had broken out in the northern border.

Cao Jingsong couldn't help but sigh: "Not long after you fell into a deep sleep, the allied forces of the barbarians and demons breached the northern city walls, invaded the northern plains, and then marched south."

"The great formation on the northern city wall failed to work?"

"It wasn't that it didn't work. It was because the sacred artifact was locked by that demon from the Chu family with the Heavenly Dao Sacrifice that day, and the Northern Border Formation was also briefly ineffective for a moment. The city's garrison later went to investigate and found that the garrison soldiers had been dead for many days. It is speculated that the barbarians must have taken advantage of that time to tamper with the city wall, destroying the western formation base, and then taking advantage of the weakness of the human race after their strength was greatly damaged."

"What about Fengzhou?"

"Fengzhou is unharmed. The damaged section of the city wall is in the northwest, which is far from Fengzhou. Therefore, after the demons and barbarians entered the northern territory, they did not travel thousands of miles to attack Fengzhou, but instead invaded Yunzhou and Youzhou. Now they have occupied the entire northern part of the two states."

Upon hearing Instructor Cao's words, Ji You couldn't help but recall the time he met Fang Ruoming in Chu City.

He received a military order to send craftsmen to repair the western section of the city wall because it had been in disrepair for many years. It seems that this is why he was able to take advantage of the situation during the Heavenly Sacrifice.

The world truly has cause and effect, and there is no escaping the cycle.

Wen Zhengxin then looked at Ji You: "The Lu sisters also rushed back home because Yunzhou was in the midst of war. Fortunately, the northern border served as a buffer, and the people of You and Yunzhou fled in advance. Qingqiu wrote to me yesterday, saying that the people from the foster care pavilion had also fled."

Ji You raised her eyes to look at her senior sister: "So how is the battle going now?"

"With the support of immortal sects and aristocratic families, the barbarian and demon races have been tied down and have not yet been able to conquer the entire Youyun and Youyun states. However, judging from the development of the war, this should be only a matter of time. That's why the Lu sisters went back. It is said that the Spirit Stone Merchant Guild has decided to leave Yunzhou for the time being."

"If Yunzhou falls, then two-thirds of the world's spirit stones will be controlled by the demon race."

The largest spirit stone mining areas in Qingyun are, firstly, the Snow Region where the demon race resides, secondly, Yunzhou, and thirdly, Zhongzhou.

If Yunzhou were to fall, it would be tantamount to the demon race taking control of all the spirit stones, which would be even worse for the human race than the fall of Yunzhou.

It seems that the demon race is consolidating its power, and its intentions are not simply to attack the human race.

Ji You doesn't have the ability to worry about the world, but the problem is that now that the three races have entered a period of war, the old practice of exchanging grain for demon stones to earn silver is no longer possible.

This was the worst thing he had heard since waking up, and he was so sad that he couldn't help but want to reach into Instructor Cao's arms for some silver.

After a long silence, a blurry figure suddenly flashed through Ji You's mind, causing him to freeze in his tracks.

That was the moment he was forced to wake up due to the pain of his meridians expanding, and he saw an elderly man.

In a hazy state, he heard someone address him as Master Teacher, but in his mind, that aged face was always that of the old doctor he hadn't seen in a long time.

"Where is the sect leader? I'd like to see him."

Ji You snapped out of her daze and spoke softly.

Cao Jingsong didn't understand why he suddenly wanted to see the sect leader, while You Yingqiu, who had been standing not far away, turned around and her eyes narrowed slightly.

Seeing that no one answered, Ji You couldn't help but speak again: "I have devoted myself to the Heavenly Academy, so it's not unreasonable for me to want to see the sect leader."

"It's not excessive, but it's somewhat difficult."

"It costs money...?"

Cao Jingsong shook his head: "It's even more difficult than that."

Ji You confidently waved her hand: "Impossible."

Wen Zhengxin and Ban Yangshu twitched their lips slightly, thinking to themselves that as long as it doesn't cost money, it's not a difficult thing, right?

Upon thinking of this, they recalled how Ji You, despite being seriously injured, still managed to steal Chu Xian's storage gourd, and felt that this could also be considered a kind of enlightenment.

"What happened?"

"The sect leader has passed away. If you want to see him, you'll have to ascend to heaven," Cao Jingsong murmured.

Ji You was taken aback upon hearing this: "When did this happen?"

"Shortly after the catastrophe ended, Hall Master You succeeded to the position of sect leader, and now he is the new sect leader of our Heavenly Academy."

Upon hearing this, Ji You looked at You Yingqiu and saw her nod slightly, which surprised her.

Although Kuang Cheng's joke about the old man becoming the sect leader and wielding absolute power was just a jest, he always felt that he had an inexplicable connection with the Heavenly Academy.

The Heavenly Book he sensed was different from others, and he even got a free copy from a proud and arrogant person. Moreover, the Night Watchman's inheritance he received was also inextricably linked to the Heavenly Book Academy.

Most importantly, if the sect leader really is that old doctor, then his repeated visits to him and casual conversations with him must indicate something is amiss.

Before the doubts could be cleared up, the fact that a person who had lived for countless years had passed away was truly hard for him to believe.

"It's all bad news."

"There's also good news."

"?"

Wen Zhengxin said, "The Xuan Yuan Sect Leader died in the catastrophe, and now the Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion is in turmoil."

Ji You nodded after hearing this: "That's good, is there anything else?"

"Instructor Cao has made a breakthrough."

"Yingtian Realm?"

Cao Jingsong nodded and released his aura, revealing a profound aura containing the essence of the Heavenly Dao.

Perhaps because this catastrophe turned out to be a blessing in disguise, he crossed the threshold not long after returning, and his cultivation level has now stabilized.

"Isn't someone in the Yingtian Realm old enough to be an elder?" Ji You felt his monthly salary was about to increase.

Cao Jingsong waved his hand: "It's not as easy as you think. Not everyone at the Yingtian Realm can become an elder. I still need to gain some understanding of the Heavenly Dao."

"Don't underestimate yourself, I think it's okay."

"If only you had the final say."

The Heavenly Academy's elder system does indeed have its own set of standards. It's not just about having sufficient cultivation; one also needs to have a unique understanding of the Heavenly Dao and be able to integrate it into spells.

Like Ji You, Cao Jingsong came from humble beginnings and knew little about enlightenment and techniques, so he had not yet met the standards to become an elder.

However, upon hearing the words "I think it's okay," You Yingqiu, who was standing next to the crowd, seemed to be deep in thought and then fell into a period of judgment.

"By the way, has my food arrived?"

"Here it is. Does the young master want to eat in bed or get out of bed?" Ding Yao asked obediently.

Ji You controlled her legs and moved them slightly: "Get out of bed, I feel like my bones are rusting."

Cao Jingsong reached out to support him: "He's only been unconscious for three days, and I haven't even received my monthly salary yet. It's not that exaggerated."

"?"

"Why are you looking at your teacher? Time to eat."

Ji You sat down at the dining table, picked up her spoon, and began to think as she ate.

He had been in a coma for too long, and too many changes had taken place in the world.

The power struggles among aristocratic families, the invasion of barbarian demons, and the death of the sect leader all brought him tremendous shocks, making it difficult for him to fully digest them in a short period of time.

It felt like I had amnesia, and I was somewhat lost in the face of a suddenly changed world.

Most importantly, although the great disaster instigated by the Chu, Li, Zhuang, Bai and other powerful families failed to truly succeed, there are still many things that have not been investigated.

Much of what he knows is pieced together from his own guesses, and it's not certain whether it's accurate or not.

After taking a sip of rice porridge, Ji You looked up at You Yingqiu and asked, "Sect Leader You, after this disaster, has the Heavenly Academy captured any survivors? Is there any conclusion about what happened from beginning to end?"

Upon hearing this, You Yingqiu said, "I knew you would ask this. Senior Brother Zuoqiu has already prepared the case file. However, you are not in good mental condition right now, especially since you have suffered some damage from forcibly seizing your soul from the Heavenly Dao. Take a good rest for a day, and he will talk to you personally."

"Thank you."

Ji You has just woken up and is indeed not suitable for long conversations. After eating, she basked in the sun for half an hour and then began to rest.

Cao Jingsong and his two companions did not linger in the hall. After spending some time with him in the sun, they left the Auspicious Hall, planning to return the next day.

Wen Zhengxin and Ban Yangshu lived in the inner courtyard. They bid farewell to Cao Jingsong in front of the vast forest, and then Instructor Cao slowly walked down the mountain path.

Ji You's awakening relieved him of a heavy burden, and even his steps became incredibly light.

However, as soon as he returned to his courtyard, he saw a figure waiting at the door.

"Wang Hui, a disciple of the Head of the Academy, greets Instructor Cao."

"The head of the Imperial Household Department? What brings you here?"

"In reply to the instructor, the Elder of the Inner Court invites you."

"?"

Cao Jingsong was taken aback. He thought to himself, Ji You has been in a coma for three months and hasn't caused any trouble. He's been so well-behaved that he hasn't even said a word. Why is the Elders' Pavilion inviting me now?

Despite not understanding, he followed the young disciple back to the inner courtyard, walked along the Purple Bamboo Zen Forest to the back mountain, and entered the secluded Elder's Pavilion.

As the sun set, he slowly emerged from the Elders' Pavilion, now carrying an Elder's Robe and a white jade Elder's Token.

Looking at these two items, Cao Jingsong's face was filled with confusion.

(Ask for monthly ticket)

(End of this chapter)