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Chapter 363 My Connection to the Sacred Artifact

The two prefectures of Youyun were completely occupied, but they did not continue southward, thus the nine prefectures of Qingyun maintained a rare period of stability.

From the outbreak of the zombie horde in autumn until the day of bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new, a full six months passed before the human race finally had a moment to catch its breath.

No one knows how long this precarious stability can last.

In this time, a new year begins.

After the great war, countless aristocratic families fought each other to seize the inheritance of those thousand-year-old families, resulting in many enemies and a significant reduction in their interactions with each other, thus diminishing the joyful and lively atmosphere.

Even the Immortal Sect has cancelled the practice of aristocratic families going up the mountain to pay homage.

In contrast, Fengzhou was a peaceful and prosperous place.

Starting in the twelfth lunar month, the atmosphere of celebrating the new year gradually becomes more enthusiastic, reaching its peak on the day of the new year.

Following the government's instructions, all counties in Fengzhou organized large-scale annual meetings, with crowds thronging the area from afar.

The young appraiser of Lingjian Mountain went to every one of them.

I visited all the lantern festivals in various places, in particular.

While constantly refining his body, Ji You accompanied Yan Shuyi on a leisurely stroll, taking in all the sights of Fengzhou.

On the eve of the New Year, a sumptuous banquet was prepared in Ji Village, and everyone gathered together to drink and chat happily.

As the true ruler of Fengzhou, Xiao Jianzhu remained composed and sat quietly and dignified, but she would drink any toast offered by anyone.

Ji You was surprised to find that Yan Shuyi's alcohol tolerance was actually not very high. She got drunk after just one round of drinks and had to be carried away from the banquet by Ji You.

As they moved from the front yard to the back yard, a cold wind blew in their faces. Yan Shuyi, who was being carried, opened her eyes slightly and stared at Ji You for a while, looking somewhat lost in thought.

"Master."

She seemed to have thought of something, and suddenly called out softly.

Ji You looked down at the fairy in his arms, her eyes still blurry with drunkenness, and couldn't help but whisper, "You only know to call me husband when you're drunk?"

The young appraiser was stunned for a moment, then snuggled into his arms and was obediently led into the room.

Before long, as the bed swayed slightly, a soft whimpering sound came from the room.

The smooth sheets gradually wrinkled, snow-white jade feet swayed lightly in the air, followed by a glistening expanse of water.

However, the next morning, after sobering up, Yan Shuyi refused to admit it at all, and immediately claimed to be a disciple of Xiaoxiaotian Academy.

Subsequently, Cao Jingsong, Wen Zhengxin, and Ban Yangshu came to say goodbye.

Apart from Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion, which, like Dan Zong, has completely closed its gates, the other five major immortal sects have all announced that they will begin a new selection process.

Furthermore, they all lowered the original entry requirements significantly in order to increase the number of disciples.

Although Cao Jingsong had been promoted to the position of elder, he still served as an instructor in the outer academy. After the New Year, he was recalled to the Heavenly Academy to prepare for enrollment.

Ban Yangshu and Wen Zhengxin then left, intending to return to Tianshu Academy to comprehend the Dao and break through their cultivation barriers.

After seeing them off, Ji You also began his cultivation.

As for the barbarian and demon races, they have been busy with large-scale construction projects in Youyun and Youyun provinces in order to relocate their people before the arrival of spring, and there has been no sign of them regrouping their soldiers.

Not only that, the demon race also began selling Snowfield Demon Stones to the outside world.

After the Dan Sect closed its mountain and Yunzhou was occupied, the lack of elixirs and spirit stones made human cultivation extremely difficult. The demon race's move was like stabbing human cultivators in the heart.

However, the fact that the demon race was treating the human race so cruelly has aroused the anger of many people.

"The demon race has invaded our human lands and yet dares to dream of trading with us? That's utterly delusional!"

"That's right, a pipe dream!"

Loud denunciations resounded, stirring up strong emotions among the human race.

However, soon the demon race and the barbarian race released their own historical records, or more precisely, records made by the two races a thousand years ago.

This historical record only proves one thing: a thousand years ago, the demon race and the barbarian race also lived together with the human race within the Nine Provinces.

"Agriculture is not developed in Youzhou and Yunzhou, especially in Yunzhou, which has always relied on spirit mines. It is difficult for them to reclaim wasteland for cultivation. They want to trade in order to feed the clansmen who will be migrating here."

"This historical material is also very interesting."

"War is cruel after all. Casualties are inevitable in the process of conquering cities and seizing territories. The name of justice can inspire the soldiers' fighting spirit far more than mere bloodlust. It can make them fight with one heart and without regard for their own safety."

Inside the Heavenly Academy's inner courtyard, the three stewards were discussing the historical records and the desire for trade between the demon and barbarian races.

That's how large-scale battles are; they need a title to unite every soldier.

Therefore, what the demon race and the barbarian race have always been calling for is the return of the Nine Provinces.

According to their historical records, the Nine Provinces were originally their homeland. It was the human race that invaded their territory and drove them to a barren land.

If we're talking about demons, it's somewhat plausible, but for barbarians to say it like this is laughable.

When the war between the remnants of the race broke out, they fled out of fear, so the term "return" is really just a grandiose excuse.

Lang Hetong rolled up his sleeves and said, "This situation is somewhat similar to the Three Kingdoms period at the end of the Warring States period."

"No, it's Shikoku."

"Shikoku?"

Qin Rong raised his eyes: "Don't forget about Fengzhou."

Upon hearing this, Lang Hetong and Ji Jingyao were both slightly taken aback, thinking to themselves, how could Fengzhou be considered a country? It had not been occupied by any foreign tribes.

But as they thought about it, their eyes began to flicker, and then they fell into deep thought.

Yes, it's Shikoku.

The five human states are dominated by cultivators, the Yun state is represented by demons, and the You state is represented by barbarians.

The other side is Fengzhou, represented by ordinary people.

In fact, if this discussion had taken place before the Wulu Trading Company sold grain, they would never have separated Fengzhou. However, the grain sale event revealed to the world that Fengzhou was different.

The tax system is the foundation of human cultivators, and Fengzhou, under Ji You's leadership, almost severed this foundation.

Therefore, Fengzhou, represented by Ji You, is the strangest and most complicated among them.

In principle, it was human territory, but the difference in ideology and the conflict of class contradictions determined that he was just as subversive to the Nine Provinces as the barbarian and demon races.

Ji You's temperament told them that although the land lease had failed, he wouldn't give up so easily.

In just five years, he has become so powerful that many people are helpless against him; who knows what will happen in the future?

hum-

On the eve of spring's return, in the backyard of Ji Village.

As the spirit stones that filled the courtyard were completely drained, they shattered with a crack as their light dimmed, releasing a surge of immense, scorching heat.

Ji You sat amidst the pile of spirit stones, his aura becoming even more powerful, like a surging tsunami, continuous and endless, while the spiritual fire on his body flickered and rose into the sky.

Before long, with the surge of those spiritual flames, his aura began to rise to an unparalleled level.

The sixth barrier has been overcome.

Taking a deep breath, Ji You clenched her fist.

Breaking through minor obstacles won't bring significant supernatural effects to the physical body, but the increase in internal energy is quite noticeable.

He slowly unclenched his fist and looked around at the spirit stones that had been drained of their energy.

This was a stockpile left over from when he traded with the demon race. He had spent several hundred of them in one attempt to break through the barrier, which made him feel a pang of heartache.

He muttered to himself in the courtyard, unaware that Yan Shuyi was watching him from under the eaves behind him, her beautiful phoenix eyes filled with embarrassment.

Then, she resolutely decided to return to the mountain.

She was starting to feel the strain and had wanted to call Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu for help several times. The scoundrel was clearly stronger now, and she was going to die if she stayed any longer.

Upon hearing Yan Shuyi coldly say thank you for the hospitality and that it was time to return to the mountain, Ji You's eyes narrowed slightly.

At that moment, he suddenly realized that body cultivation was not only a waste of money, but also a waste of his wife.

At the gate of Ji Village, Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu waved goodbye to him with some reluctance, and he pinched their cheeks twice before they got into the carriage.

"Didn't the appraiser say not long ago that he would stay for a while longer?"

Yan Shuyi's eyelashes trembled slightly: "The disciples of the Little Heavenly Academy are indeed very hospitable, but we can't be so informal and keep bothering them here."

Upon hearing this, Zhuo Wanqiu thought to herself that the appraiser was really stubborn, while Ding Yao, because of the phrase "thorough hospitality," couldn't help but imagine a fiery shape in her mind.

After the young master's body refinement reached a new level, his hospitality must have improved even more, as our appraiser clearly left in this manner.

You can only hide for a while, not forever. What will you do next time?
Thinking of this, a hint of shyness flashed in Ding Yao's eyes, mixed with a faint sense of anticipation.

At this moment, as the carriage slowly started moving, Yan Shuyi couldn't help but glance outside, a hint of reluctance showing in her proud eyes.

It wasn't just because she was afraid of sex that she decided to leave, otherwise she wouldn't have stopped running away every night...

The bigger reason was that she felt that if she stayed any longer, she wouldn't want to go back to Lingjian Mountain to be the appraiser.

But with the human race beset by internal and external troubles and undercurrents surging, she cannot simply abandon her responsibilities at this time.

"Master."

"?" After seeing Yan Shuyi off, Old Qiu called out to Ji You: "All the things from Master Chen's former residence have been delivered and are currently in the back courtyard."

Ji You nodded after hearing this: "I'll go take a look."

Kuang Cheng was also outside the door seeing off the young appraiser and his party. Upon seeing this, he couldn't help but ask, "Master Chen? What does Brother Ji want with his old things?"

"We all underestimated that little old man."

"?"

As they spoke, Ji You strode towards the backyard, and Kuang Cheng couldn't help but follow.

Like Master Chen's residence in Jizhai, his former residence in Yuyang County was also very simple, with not much left behind.

However, although there was nothing else, Master Chen had a large collection of books, which filled an entire carriage.

Ji You glanced at it, then turned to Kuang Cheng: "I heard you've loved reading since you were a child?"

"This...do we have to see everything?"

"Yes, and you have to read it word by word."

Kuang Cheng looked at the stack of books and felt a headache coming on: "What are you looking for, Brother Ji?"

After thinking for a moment, Ji You clicked her tongue and said, "I don't know what I'm looking for either. Let's just flip through it first. I'll take a bunch, and you can take a bunch. If you find any words like 'Night Watchman' or 'Cui Lang,' remember to call me."

"This is a huge project, just the two of us?"

"You're right, let's call Wei Rui along too, there's strength in numbers."

After Ji You finished speaking, he called over the servants in the mansion, and together they moved the books into the room. Kuang Cheng also called Wei Rui over.

Rui'er was still saddened by her sister-in-law's departure when she saw the room full of books and was slightly taken aback: "What are you doing here?"

"Brother Ji asked us to look at the book and find some keywords."

"?"

Wei Rui didn't quite understand, but she still obediently sat down.

The three of them, sitting on three small stools, began to flip through the books page by page in order.

In Ji You's view, the matter of the Night Watchmen is extremely secretive to the entire Qingyun, so it is highly likely that it will not be in the open and is hidden in these books.

After all, he learned about the origin of the Night Watch from a storybook in the Heavenly Academy.

Therefore, it is still very necessary to read through it word by word.

However, given the vast collection of books by Master Chen, some of which were quite thick, this was no easy task.

For several days in a row, apart from meals, the three of them stayed in the study, burying themselves in their studies.

"Poetry, classical texts, anecdotes, and unofficial histories—it's like finding a needle in a haystack, Brother Ji."

"We still have to salvage it."

Ji You held a historical record in his hands and said, "If we can really find it, we might be able to uncover many secrets, and even find many unknown things about the calamities committed by the thousand-year-old aristocratic family."

After hearing this, Kuang Cheng raised his sleeve to wipe his sweat, then poured a cup of tea and handed it to Wei Rui beside him.

Ji You always says he lacks emotional intelligence, but in reality he is quite considerate and can be considered a warm-hearted man.

However, when the teacup was handed over, he noticed that Wei Rui did not take it. Instead, her cheeks turned red, and she stared blankly at the book in her hands.

"What's wrong?" Kuang Cheng asked with concern.

Wei Rui snapped back to reality and hid the book behind her back: "Uh, no... it's nothing."

Kuang Cheng was somewhat skeptical, as was Ji You.

Urged on by the two, Wei Rui somewhat embarrassedly took out the book, which had four large characters written on the cover: "The Erotic History of Wushan".

Upon seeing this, Ji You narrowed his eyes instantly, glanced at the books, and then pressed his knees: "When I went to borrow books from Master Chen before, I never saw such a wonderful collection of books!"

Kuang Cheng nodded: "He said he never watches things like that."

"That old lecher, I want to see what good things he looks at all day long."

"???"

Kuang Cheng was stunned for a moment, and then saw Ji You begin to bury himself in his studies.

After he finished reading it, he handed it to Kuang Cheng: "A classic work, I have benefited greatly from it, you should study it carefully."

As soon as she finished speaking, Wei Rui's pretty face burned like fire again. She hurriedly picked up another book and pretended to read it carefully.

Of course, there are also some books that are quite different from what is advertised. For example, the cover may say something about wetness or desire, but the content inside is completely different.

In this book, Ji You also saw annotations written by Master Chen in ink and brush: "Dog shit, you cheated me out of my money!"

The old man has a genuine personality.

However, Ji You was a little puzzled. This old guy's body was made of mud, so what was the point of looking at this thing?

Several more days passed, and the number of books in the study gradually decreased, but no one found anything. Liu Bei, however, read quite a few.

This made Ji You feel that it was fortunate that Yan Shuyi left early, otherwise there would definitely be big trouble.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the door.

"Young Master." Old Qiu called softly from outside the door, holding a letter in his hand.

Ji You looked up at the sound: "What's wrong?"

"The young mistress has sent a letter; she must have already returned to the mountain."

Upon hearing this, Ji You put down the book in his hand, went outside, and received the letter.

It was indeed a letter from the arrogant ghost reporting his safety after returning to the mountain, but the letter still contained a stick figure drawing of a sword piercing the heart, only the sword was drawn thicker and longer than before, probably indicating deep resentment.

Just then, Kuang Cheng, who was inside the room, raised his hand: "Brother Ji, come and take a look at this!"

"what?"

"It's a storybook written by Master Chen himself, somewhat like what you're looking for."

"?"

Ji You put the letter into his sleeve, turned around and went into the room to take the book.

The cold night deepens as I patrol, alone facing the majestic snow-capped mountains.

A lone lamp flickers on the iron armor, a frosty blade cleaves in the north wind.

Whether it's a storybook or a collection of poems, Qingyun Tianxia often uses short poems to summarize its content. The meaning conveyed by these two short lines made Ji You stare intently, so he reached out and opened it.

This book is written from the perspective of Master Chen, and the entire content is about a friend of mine.

And sure enough, the friend he described in his book was almost identical to the one he had heard from the master of the opera troupe.

"What does it mean that when Heaven is damaged, man is not whole, and the sacred artifact is destroyed to restore order to the universe?"

Kuang Cheng also came over and looked at it for a long time, then asked a question about a sentence on a page in the book.

Upon hearing this, Ji You's eyes narrowed, and she couldn't help but frown slightly.

Master Chen is a good teacher, but he is clearly not very good at writing books, especially since the information provided by his descriptions from an outsider's perspective is very obscure.

However, based on the literal meaning of the sentence, Ji You had some guesses, thinking to himself that the Night Watchman might have brought about his death because he wanted to destroy the sacred artifacts of the seven immortal sects.

"Look at this."

"?"

The two, who were deep in thought, suddenly snapped out of it and turned to look at Wei Rui.

It wasn't just books that were moved from Master Chen's house; some of his other belongings were also brought along.

At this moment, Wei Rui took out a stone from among the miscellaneous items. It shimmered with golden light and emitted a halo.

"It is the origin of the sacred artifact."

Ji You glanced at it and uttered a sound.

Last winter, Yan Shu also lent his essence to Yuan Chen for refinement, and the aura he emitted was the same as Yuan Chen's.

He stared at the light for a long time, then reached out to catch it, but before he could even touch the stone, the golden light instantly entered his body.

The sudden scene startled both of them, and they couldn't help but look up at Ji You.

Ji You was also surprised and immediately began to look inward, only to find that the wisp of origin had already merged into his spiritual sea.

"Brother Ji, what... what's going on?"

"It seems there is indeed a connection between me and the sacred artifact, but why?"

When he first entered the Heavenly Academy, the Heavenly Book took the initiative to find him and led him to Void Mountain. Throughout the process, it showed great intimacy. Now that the power of origin has entered his body, it further proves this point.

Ji You pondered for a long time, her eyes gradually becoming deep.

(Ask for monthly ticket)

(End of this chapter)