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Chapter 372 Don't be a coward, let's go together!

"Elder Huo Ku of the Mountain and Sea Pavilion has come to pay his respects!"

"Elder Shang Yue of the Dao Seeking Sect has come to pay his respects!"

"Chen Buyu of the Immortal Clan of the Chen family has come to pay homage!"

Around noon, the weather was slightly gloomy, with dark clouds gathering in the sky, as if a spring rain was about to fall. A cold wind suddenly blew through the city.

Three elderly men dressed in fine clothes, with white hair and beards, walked up the Nishan Sacred Path and bowed before the protective array.

Upon seeing this, the disciples of the Headquarters guarding the mountain gate exchanged a glance, and then hurriedly headed towards the Headquarters.

Before long, the three stewards of the management office got up and went to the inner courtyard to pass on the message to Zuo Qiuyang, who had just returned from the Immortal Garden.

"Guests from afar are welcome, especially since they have come under the guise of paying respects at the mountain. There is no reason to stop them; let them in."

"Yes!"

Upon receiving the imperial decree, the disciples of the Head of the Academy, holding command arrows, activated the protective array of the Heavenly Academy.

Huo Ku, Shang Yue, and Chen Buyu exchanged a glance, then stepped into Mount Ni.

Qin Rong had already arrived at the mountain gate with the disciple carrying the command arrow. Upon seeing the three, he gently cupped his hands and said, "The three elders have come to the Heavenly Academy to pay their respects. I have been entrusted by Hall Master Zuoqiu to accompany you. I wonder which Hall Master you would like to visit first?"

"We wish to pay our respects to Ji You, but we do not know where he is now?"

“This… Ji You is just an ordinary inner courtyard disciple. How dare he accept the greetings of the three elders? This is against etiquette.”

"The Way has no order of precedence; those who are enlightened are teachers. I have recently become quite interested in body refinement and would like to ask about it. Perhaps only Ji You can answer this question."

"This……"

Qin Rong pondered for a moment, then gently extended his hand forward in a gesture of invitation.

Ji You was still in Cao Jingsong's courtyard at this time, not because they had endless things to talk about, but because Wen Zhengxin, Ban Yangshu and the Lu sisters came one after another after hearing the news.

Senior Sister Wen's cultivation progress is quite good, and she has already begun preparing to make a full-fledged breakthrough.

As for Lu Qingqiu, the Lu family, having lost Yunzhou, arranged for her to join the Head of Affairs Academy, while her younger sister, Lu Hanyan, became a disciple of an elder.

Those at the Tongxuan Realm can already access Daoist techniques, so Miss Lu Er had been watching the Daoist debate competition, especially the swordsmanship of Lingjian Mountain.

"I've watched quite a few battles these past few days, but in the end, I still find swordsmanship more appealing. When I learned swordsmanship from my senior brother, Hanyan must have already developed a deep love for the sword."

Upon hearing his sister's words, Lu Qingqiu thought to himself, "Are you sure what you're deeply attached to is swordsmanship, and nothing else?"

After Lu Hanyan finished speaking, she suddenly seemed to remember something and said, "There's something else that's quite strange. When I went to Lingjian Mountain to watch the battle, I noticed that the young master of Lingjian Mountain kept looking at me."

"Nonsense," Lu Qingqiu replied.

My sister has been saying this for days, and she's heard it so many times she's sick of it, but she doesn't believe it at all.

Lu Hanyan pursed her red lips: "I'm telling the truth, it's all up to me!"

"That's the next leader of Spirit Sword Mountain. How could you possibly be worthy of her attention?"

"I don't know why, but I just watched it..."

Hearing the two sisters arguing incessantly, the rest of the group couldn't help but exchange bewildered glances.

The Junior Master of Lingjian Mountain is high above, one of the most powerful people in the world. She certainly wouldn't casually look at an ordinary inner disciple of another sect, but those who know the inside story are quite convinced.

The young appraiser is quite the jealous type.

She arrived just after the two sisters left Ji Village that day, but no one knows exactly when she arrived in Fengzhou. Perhaps she saw Miss Lu whining to her husband.

Wen Zhengxin accompanied Ji You on a stroll in Fengzhou. He once secretly stretched his foot under the warm table, pretending to be touched. Although it was just out of curiosity about the feeling, he was still uneasy for several days after meeting the young appraiser of Lingjian Mountain.

Ji You didn't answer the sisters' questions either, because the proud and arrogant girl's identity was special and her marriage was closely related to the matter. It was up to her to decide who to let know and who not to let know.

Even with Cao Jingsong and others, it was she who took the initiative to let them know.

His approach was extremely considerate of women, just like what Zhuo Wanqiu had said to Ding Yao back then.

Being with the young appraiser is something to be proud of, but it can also cause trouble for the young appraiser. However, the son-in-law has never put this kind of pressure on the appraiser.

The two sisters argued for a while until they were exhausted, but neither of them could convince the other.

The topic then shifted, and the group began asking Ji You about the sacred site of the ancient sages.

This matter caused a great deal of discussion in Shengjing, which greatly worried them.

If that celestial spirit is truly as legendary, capable of enhancing the cultivation of the entire clan, then such a rare treasure would undoubtedly make everyone in the world envious, including even the immortal sects.

What they didn't expect was that their worries would soon become a reality.

Just as the third pot of tea had been brewed and the aroma had not yet wafted out, Cao Jingsong's courtyard gate was pushed open from the outside.

Qin Rong was the first to appear from outside the door. He glanced inside with a solemn expression, then turned slightly to the side.

As he turned to the side, three elders from the Mountain and Sea Pavilion, the Chen Clan, and the Dao Seeking Sect stepped into the courtyard. Their faces all wore an almost numb arrogance, and with their white beards and hair and aged appearance, they looked extremely dignified.

Upon seeing this, everyone at the tea table immediately put down their teacups, their gazes freezing slightly.

Which one is Ji You?

Huo Ku stood still and spoke coldly.

He said this while looking at Ji You, which means he knew who Ji You was. But this kind of pretentious attitude is a common trick used by these immortal sect members, showing their condescension and arrogance.

Ji You looked up at the sound: "I don't know, did you go to the wrong place?"

"you……"

"Do you know Ji You?" Ji You turned to look at Cao Jingsong.

Cao Jingsong shook his head: "What bastard? I've never heard of him."

"????"

Ji Youxin said that this was a case of settling personal scores on official business, and warned him to be careful with his tea leaves.

He muttered a complaint, then looked at Huo Ku and said, "The three old men heard it too; no one here knows Ji You."

"Ji You, who do you think you can fool with this trick?"

"So you recognize me."

Ji You looked up again upon hearing this: "Since you recognize me, don't put on this face. Besides, when you come looking for me, you should first introduce yourself."

Huo Ku narrowed his eyes: "I am Elder Ku of the Mountain and Sea Pavilion, representing my sect. These two are Elder Bu Yu of the Chen Clan and Elder Yue of the Dao Seeking Sect. We have come to see you today for the lost items of the Holy Land of the Former Sages."

"Lost items?"

"What you obtained in the mountains is not a rare treasure of heaven and earth. However, this item is of great importance, and its specific origin cannot be revealed to outsiders. You are not qualified to know it either. Now, after discussion, the five major immortal sects have decided to take back this item and take turns guarding it. You still need to hand it over."

Ji You looked up and asked, "Did the five major immortal sects consult me ​​before making their decision?"

Huo Ku's face instantly darkened: "Ji You, your previous petty misdeeds went unpunished simply because the Immortal Sect was too busy to deal with them. This item is of great importance. Do you really think you can keep it?"

"That sounds nice, then let's break in."

"?"

Ji You stood up and looked at Huo Ku with a cold expression: "That thing is on me, but don't forget that this is Shengjing, Nishan, and the headquarters of the Heavenly Academy. If I don't go out, the only way you can do is to come in and rob me, right? But let me tell you, the Heavenly Academy will never give in."

Upon hearing this, Qin Rong, who was standing at the door, immediately changed his expression, thinking to himself, "This kid is a real scoundrel."

You're afraid they'll go to Fengzhou to cause trouble, so you'll come to Shengjing instead, right? It's truly a blessing for our Tianshu Academy to have you.

As soon as he finished speaking, Huo Ku, Chen Buyu, and Shang Yue all turned grim.

They had never actually met Ji You, but they had heard of his eccentric temper and knew that he was always extremely stubborn and would not give face to anyone.

But they didn't expect that this young man would pull the Immortal Sect to the opposite side with just one sentence, his words full of danger.

In an instant, the auras of Huo Ku, Chen Buyu, and Shang Yue burst forth, and their powerful pressure caused the withered trees in the courtyard to tremble.

But their imposing aura lasted only a moment before it was suddenly overwhelmed by a fiery aura.

Ji You fixed his gaze, his pupils gleaming with golden light, while sword energy surged around him, mixed with a scorching aura that made them feel suffocated for a moment.

They had discussed it before they came and were absolutely not allowed to take any action.

why?
Because this is the Heavenly Academy, attacking their disciples in their own training ground is tantamount to declaring war on behalf of their sect, a responsibility they cannot bear.

But only now did the three of them realize that even if they disregarded the Heavenly Academy's actions, they seemed to have no chance of winning.

Huo Ku and the other two did not change their expressions, but their Dao hearts had sunk to the bottom.

"You'll regret this." After a short standoff, Huo Ku suddenly flung his sleeves and stormed off with Chen Buyu and Shang Yue.

Ji You watched them leave, then withdrew her aura and turned to Qin Rong: "The Heavenly Academy won't give in, will it?"

"This……"

"To submit would be shameful, wouldn't it? What about the Great Xia Holy Sect?"

Manager Qin's lips twitched, then he bowed and hurriedly left the courtyard.

Seeing this, Cao Jingsong glanced at Ji You and thought to himself, "You're really tough, kid."

For thousands of years, who has dared to defy the will of the Immortal Sect, let alone speak like this?

This was the first time Ji You had publicly expressed his stance, and it was indeed incredibly tough. But could a bandit just hand over what he had stolen to someone else so easily?

Moreover, if that thing could truly benefit the entire clan, then he absolutely could not give it away; otherwise, wouldn't the Immortal Sect become stronger and stronger, and the people of the world have no way to survive?

Moreover, this thing shouldn't be used like this in the first place.

It has far-reaching implications; a slight misstep could plunge the entire human race into an abyss.

After the elders of the Mountain and Sea Pavilion, the Chen Clan, and the Dao Seeking Sect left, several elderly elders from the Heavenly Academy immediately went down the mountain to Cao Jingsong's courtyard to meet Ji You.

Their proposal was to hand over the items and let the five major immortal sects handle them themselves, in order to avoid a confrontation and war.

However, Ji You rejected all of their proposals, and even patted them on the shoulder, comforting them by saying, "Don't be cowards, let's go together! Those who offend my Heavenly Academy, no matter how far away, will be punished!"

"You're such a good student!" A group of elderly elders, nearing the end of their lives, could only twitch at the corners of their mouths as they returned from Cao Jingsong's courtyard.

A spring rain arrived in an instant, the pattering sound filling the entire capital, nourishing the land and all things.

As the three elders paid their respects at the mountain, the atmosphere in Shengjing City gradually became solemn.

Before long, countless elders and disciples from the Mountain and Sea Pavilion, the Dao Seeking Sect, and the Chen Clan Immortal Clan entered the heart of Shengjing and gazed at Mount Ni.

Cultivation families are not fools. When they heard that Ji You had returned to the capital, and that immediately after his return, elders from three sects went to pay their respects, they naturally understood that this was due to the matter of the sacred site of the sages.

To be precise, it's because of that thing that flowed out of the sacred site of the ancients.

After all, this has been the unspoken rule of Qingyun for the past thousand years.

Even though the immortal rules state that any spiritual treasure is unclaimed and can be obtained, in reality, those things are only available to others because the immortal sect doesn't need them.

However, the fact that the Immortal Sect would go to such lengths makes one truly curious about what exactly the substance flowing out of the sacred land of the ancient sages was.

"That thing is definitely not just an ordinary spiritual treasure, absolutely not."

“That’s right. The Immortal Sect has always been arrogant and would never look down on anything easily. The rumor that the whole clan will benefit must be true, or even more exaggerated. After all, most people only grasped it for a moment during the battle at the Holy Land of the Sages, and the greater benefits have probably not yet been discovered.”

Under a sky thick with dark clouds, on the second floor of Hongding Tower.

Fang Xiang, the head of the Fang family in Qingzhou, Guo Fengxing, the head of the Guo family, Zeng Longqing, the head of the Zeng family, and several other heads of prominent families from various states gathered together and discussed the matter extensively.

"It seems that Ji You is going to be in trouble this time. With his strange combat power, he doesn't take our aristocratic families seriously at all. But this time he will be facing the Immortal Sect. And the Immortal Sect has never failed to get what it wants."

"Arrogance will eventually be punished by Heaven. Fengzhou is a piece of fat meat that many people are eyeing. Hopefully, he can keep his temper."

The feud between the Fang family and Ji You has a long history, and their family heirloom altar is still in Ji You's hands.

As for the other aristocratic families, due to the shortage of spirit stones and skyrocketing grain prices, they generally deeply resented them and wanted to eliminate them as soon as possible.

As for the rest, they were purely acting out of self-interest, hoping that Ji You would suffer a setback.

They took the opportunity to advocate for higher taxes, and this was the reason why each household hoarded grain. They not only fed themselves and reduced their risks, but also touched on Ji Youpao's pain points, killing two birds with one stone.

Guo Fengxing turned his head and glanced at the disciples of the three major immortal sects filling the street, and couldn't help but lower his voice: "Do you think they might start fighting?"

"It depends on who's fighting whom."

"Oh?"

Fang Xiang stroked his long beard: "Since the Immortal Sect has come, they will definitely not leave empty-handed. The problem is that the Heavenly Academy may not protect Ji You to the death. If they can't hold on, they will push him out sooner or later."

Upon hearing this, Zeng Longqing raised his wine cup and said, "That makes sense, but he can hide in the Heavenly Academy and not come out. Does that mean the three major immortal sects can join forces to break in?"

"Ji You has too many weaknesses. The Immortal Sect has many ways to force him to comply. However, we should seize the opportunity to push forward the tax increase. Maybe we can peel off a layer of skin from Ji You. I want to see what kind of trick he has to get away this time."

"Then let's go together."

"good."

Inside the Chongwang residence, Zhao Yunyue was enjoying tea and appreciating the rain with disciples from various aristocratic families in the pavilion.

Because of the Daoist gathering, there were many immortal guests in the capital, and the inns were simply not enough. So, Prince Chong made use of his strengths and invited many noble families to stay there.

At that time, a misty spring rain soaked the early spring flower buds. The Chongwang residence received news that another group of noble families had gone to the Sixianjian, saying that the Daodaozong and Shanhaige had agreed to increase taxes and requested that the Great Xia promulgate a decree.

Upon hearing this report, Zhao Yunyue's eyelashes trembled slightly.

The issue of food security is not actually that urgent, especially since the wheat seedlings in the fields have sprouted and are growing very well after several spring rains, which will surely lead to a bumper harvest.

But sometimes, the real intention is not in the wine itself.

She knew very well that those aristocratic families were indeed terrified by the food shortage, but a large part of the reason was that those families with long-standing grudges wanted to use the matter of the Immortal Sect to touch Ji You's sore spot.

The Immortal Sect desires what Ji You possesses, but the outcome of his visit to the mountain is unlikely to be favorable, which would surely anger the Immortal Sect.

"Ji You's personality is too stubborn. He doesn't know how terrifying the Immortal Sect is. It can wipe out a powerful family with just a word."

"He should know that he can't keep that thing. Refusing would only increase the wrath of the Immortal Sect, but he still insists on doing so, which is puzzling."

After hearing this, Liu Junchi quietly said, "Perhaps it was because he killed the barbarian king that he thought he was invincible."

Princess Chang Le was a disciple of Lingjian Mountain, and the people of Lingjian Mountain were naturally invited by Prince Chong to stay at his residence and were well treated. Liu Junchi, as a disciple of Lingjian Mountain, was also there.

Zhao Yunyue then looked at Liu Junchi and asked, "Yesterday I asked my senior brother to send a message requesting an audience with the Judge. I wonder if there has been a reply?"

"not yet……"

"It would be such a shame if we could never see each other since we live in the same courtyard."

Zhao Yunyue still remembers being invited by the young appraiser to a private banquet at the Xianxian Garden.

There were too many people that time, so she didn't get a chance to speak with the appraiser. Now that she had the opportunity, she naturally wouldn't let it pass, and she secretly harbored the idea of ​​asking for a swordsmanship lesson.

She had also broken through to the Tongxuan realm a few days ago, and these past few days she had been going to watch the disciples of Lingjian Mountain discuss the Dao, filled with anticipation for those supreme techniques.

Having attended the appraiser's private banquet last time, she thought this visit would be easier, but she never expected that there would still be no result.

Seeing the disappointment in her eyes, Liu Junchi couldn't help but comfort her: "Master is very busy. Even on Lingjian Mountain, I have only met Master twice. This matter still depends on fate."

"Last time, didn't my senior brother ask the peak master of Xuanjian Peak to personally introduce me? Why can't it be done this time?"

“Your senior brother did me a favor last time by letting you meet the appraiser, but as you know, some favors are worthless once they’ve been used, however…”

Zhao Yunyue raised her eyes slightly upon seeing this: "However?"

After a long silence, Liu Junchi said, "The Master has been watching the Dao Discussions these past few days. I'll ask someone to inquire if I can have an audience with him at the Dao Discussions. If I don't need a special audience, the chances of success will be much higher."

"Then Yunyue will thank you in advance, Senior Brother."

"Junior sister, you're too kind. Our relationship doesn't require you to be so polite."

As the two were talking, they saw a group of people crossing the threshold from the gate of the house. They were all dressed in fine clothes and hurried towards the elegant garden at the back.

These are all cultivation families from the south, and some are even heads of families with a history of thousands of years.

Not long after they entered the adjacent Elegant Garden, they hurriedly returned and left the Chongwang Residence.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Yunyue's eyes narrowed slightly.

That was the residence of the disciples of Lingjian Mountain, and the young master of Lingjian Mountain was also there. She knew that those people had come to pay their respects.

After the ancient families joined forces to commit calamities, rumors spread throughout Qingyun Tianxia.

Some say that she has cultivated her swordsmanship to its peak, causing the swords of several generations of leaders of Lingjian Mountain to submit to her and recognize her as their master, which is why she was able to protect Lingjian Mountain from the attacks of the Immortal Realm.

Some say she has another trick up her sleeve, making her even more terrifying.

Regardless of the interpretation, both accounts attest to the extraordinary and refined nature of this most distinguished woman.

After the destruction of the dojo, Tianjian Peak had been like a broken spine, remaining silent. She, however, spent less than a month silencing all other voices in the entire Lingjian Mountain, earning everyone's respect.

This Daoist gathering marks the first public appearance of the Junior Master of Lingjian Mountain since the calamity, so naturally, there are countless people who want to pay their respects, and very few will actually get to see him.

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(End of this chapter)