The author of this article

Chapter 377 Have you ever tried wielding the Heavenly Book?
The mysteries of the Heavenly Dao are boundless, and cultivators of the Azure Clouds often describe it as having three thousand Great Daos, so there are naturally many things to discuss.

The discussion continued for the next two days.

Yan Shuyi and Ji You would occasionally come to the scene, and as before, they rarely interacted, only occasionally exchanging glances.

Sometimes, Ji You would initiate eye contact with Yan Shuyi, only to be met with a cold stare in return.

As a young woman, it was not easy for her to control the entire Spirit Sword Mountain on her own. She did need a certain degree of authority that was not commensurate with her age, and to make the mountain submit with a transcendent attitude in order to keep Spirit Sword Mountain stable.

However, they often left together, going off for a secret rendezvous without saying a word.

This led some people to gradually stop paying attention to the philosophical discussions and instead consciously start observing the actions of the two.

Some people saw them walking side by side on Xinye Bridge in the north of the city, feeding the fish for a long time. Others saw them go to the West Market Teahouse and sit idly for a long time.

One was dressed in pristine white, the other exuded elegance and nobility; if one disregarded their social status, they were truly a perfect match.

"The market is over."

"Then let's go back and stroll around. Remember you're a male concubine, so let me walk in front."

On a bright and sunny afternoon, Yan Shuyi and Ji You strolled around the West Market.

As they strolled around, the two gradually reached the end of the market, then turned around and walked back one after the other.

Ji You, following behind the young appraiser, walked slowly. When she turned around, she looked at the gazes cast upon her from the street next door, and then at Yan Shuyi's feigned composure.

She thought to herself that although she was afraid of losing her dignity in the mountains because of her relationship with him, she really wanted others to see that she had a sweetheart, otherwise she wouldn't have been wandering around in full view of everyone.

The city of Shengjing is teeming with cultivators; who would have thought that the young appraiser would have such a naive and adorable mindset?

At this moment, Yan Shu walked with her head held high and her steps were leisurely, appearing to be neither intimate with her husband.

But as she walked, she suddenly stopped.

"There are tiger-head shoes..."

"Hmm, it looks good..."

The beautiful phoenix eyes looked towards a stall filled with handicrafts, among which were a pair of tiger-head shoes with red ropes tied around the ankles and bells attached. She felt a little eager to try them.

Ever since she decided to give Ji Yousheng a child under the pretext that "having offspring is a big deal," she has really liked this kind of thing.

When I was shopping at the market with Ji You during the New Yuan period, I secretly bought quite a lot of things. I couldn't resist buying more whenever I saw them.

However, she knew she couldn't buy it while everyone was watching, otherwise people would know she had always wanted to have a baby for Ji You, which wouldn't be good for her public image.

Moreover, she didn't want the disciples of Little Heaven Academy to know that she really wanted to have a child with him.

Looking at the shoes so close at hand, Yan Shuyi felt somewhat unwilling, but still turned and left.

After watching the two disappear down the long street, the gazes in the taverns and teahouses quickly returned, replaced by whispers and discussions.

"The young appraiser is truly dignified. Even when strolling around, he doesn't look to the side, while Ji You only dares to follow behind, not daring to breathe!"

"Indeed, it seems that such a private affair is not so easy to have; one may have to humble oneself and act submissively."

"Isn't this just climbing the social ladder by marrying into a wealthy family? All sons-in-law throughout history have done the same!"

"Heh, he said he looked down on the Immortal Sect and was arrogant, but it turns out he was just too ambitious. Where is his previous fearless attitude towards the powerful? He still showed his true colors in front of the young master."

Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu were also in the teahouse, because the appraiser didn't allow them to come along.

When they overheard the discussions in the teahouse, they couldn't help but click their tongues twice, thinking to themselves, "That's acting, you know what acting is."

What you see is what the judge wants you to see.

Little did you know that my master would whine and moan behind closed doors without even realizing it, and that she would cry out "husband" all day long as the young master came and went, wishing she could stay in his arms all day long.

Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu were cricketing to themselves when they saw a vendor dressed in the clothes of the Wulu Merchants shop rushing over, buying a pair of tiger-head shoes from a stall, and then hurrying away.

Yan Shuyi and Ji You had been strolling around the city for a long time when they entered Wulu Trading Company through a back alley, bathed in the bright sunlight.

"Judging by the time, it's about time. No matter how things are progressing on Zuo Qiuyang's side, I still need to make a trip to the Dan Sect, so I invited Cao Jingsong and Kuang Cheng to dinner. What would you like to eat?"

"Hot and sour shredded potatoes and braised chicken in a clay pot."

Yan Shuyi spoke softly, replying with a cold arrogance.

Seeing this, Ji You glanced at her and thought to himself, "Who knew that the young appraiser of Lingjian Mountain would be so easy to take care of?"

Just then, Yan Shuyi's gaze was suddenly drawn to a pair of tiger-head shoes on the counter. When she realized that they were the shoes she had glanced at at the market, her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly.

That scoundrel, he's certainly observant.

Ji You walked over at this moment, looked at the tiger-head shoes and said, "I thought they looked pretty good when I was shopping, so it was nice to have them as a backup. So I had someone go and buy them for me."

"It's just so-so."

Are you referring to how stubborn you are?

"I do not know what you're talking about."

As Yan Shuyi spoke, she walked towards the room, pulling her belt open behind her by the bed.

The magnificent robe of the appraiser gently slipped off her shoulders, revealing a glimpse of her smooth, snowy skin beneath the bodice, which looked round and plump.

She then took out a woman's dress, changed into it, and went out of the room again.

When she came out again, she saw a waiter hurriedly leaving the courtyard.

At the same time, Ji You received a new message.

Who is delivering this message at this time?

"Zuo Qiuyang, I think the conditions I set for him have been met. He asked me to go to the Heavenly Academy to see him today."

After folding the letter, Ji You suddenly remembered something: "I've been so focused on that luck these past few days that I forgot to ask you if you've found any trace of Master Chen."

Yan Shuyi shook his head upon hearing this: "A person who has ascended to the Immortal Realm is difficult for ordinary people to find unless he takes the initiative to show himself. I have sent people to various places outside the mountains to keep an eye on this matter, but there has been no news so far."

"What exactly is this old man plotting with all this scheming?"

"Didn't you check the belongings he left behind at his old residence in Yuyang County?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Ji You suddenly raised his eyes.

He did check Chen Fuzi's old belongings and read many passionate and insightful articles, but he obtained very little information.

But as he spoke, Ji You suddenly remembered a question he had always wanted to ask. He looked up at his proud and arrogant self and said, "I have something to ask you about the origin of the sacred artifact."

Yan Shuyi's swaying feet suddenly stopped: "The origin of a sacred artifact?"

"Wei Rui found a spirit stone containing primordial power among Master Chen's old belongings. I reached out to take it, but before I could touch it, that primordial power entered my body, which puzzled me."

Upon hearing this, Yan Shuyi's eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of confusion flashing across her beautiful features.

This expression is rarely seen on the face of the aloof young appraiser, making her appear somewhat adorable.

The reason she showed this expression was that the essence of the sacred artifact, apart from its wielder and its authorized successor, would reject anyone without exception.

Furthermore, the sacred artifact was bound to the sages by blood a thousand years ago. Unless the wielder dies, no outsider will be accepted by the source without its permission.

But she never expected that Ji You could transform the source within her body, which left her completely puzzled.

After pondering for a long time, the young appraiser raised his head: "Have you tried to control the Heavenly Book of the Heavenly Book Academy?"

Ji You raised an eyebrow slightly after hearing this: "You think I can control the Heavenly Book?"

Why do you think it won't work?

"Is a sacred artifact not only something that can be mastered by a direct disciple through a long process of wielding it, but also requires the permission of the previous holder of the sacred artifact?"

Yan Shuyi looked at him: "The fact that the origin doesn't reject you is the biggest foundation. Moreover, you once told me that the Heavenly Academy had a lineage of Night Watchers passed down through generations. I've been thinking about a question ever since: if the demons in the story are really that powerful, what do they rely on to keep watch?"

Ji You couldn't help but raise her eyes: "Do you think that besides the headmaster, the Night Watchmen can also wield the Heavenly Book?"

“If that’s the case, then some things can be explained. And you should know that it’s strange in itself that only the two of us can enter Void Mountain, so you should give it a try.”

"How to try?"

"Find a high place and sense it."

"Like cultivating Taoism?"

"No, it's not about cultivating the Tao, it's about summoning it. Sacred artifacts originate from the Heavenly Dao and are extremely arrogant. You need to bring a heart that makes it submit before it will respond to you."

Ji You pursed her lips: "After all, it gave me a wife. Isn't it wrong to be so strict with it?"

The disciples of Xiaotian Academy must not be rude, and Yan Shuyi was instantly intimidated.

She knew that the woman the stranger was talking about was herself, because the two of them had been brought together by a connection through a sacred artifact.

Ji You pinched her cheek and then suppressed his smile: "The Heavenly Book is the foundation of the Heavenly Book Academy and the greatest deterrent in the world. If I make any unusual moves, trouble may arise."

"But the timing is good now, because everyone knows I'm in Shengjing, and everyone knows I will never allow anything to happen to you. Even if someone in the Heavenly Academy suspects something, they won't take forceful action; at most, they'll expel you from the Heavenly Academy."

"and then?"

Yan Shuyi revealed a cold and arrogant expression: "Then you will go to Lingjian Mountain, and I will make you my personal disciple, the appraiser."

Ji You looked at her and thought to herself, "Are you trying to make me your personal disciple? You're trying to make me a rebellious disciple who defies his master."

"However, no matter what the outcome, don't reveal it to others after you've tried it. Just like you said, the sacred artifact is the greatest deterrent in the world, to the point that every year when the power of the immortal sect changes, there are bloody incidents that are not allowed to be recorded in history. We just need to know it ourselves, and we'll talk about it later."

The idea that the Night Watchmen could also wield the Heavenly Book is indeed bizarre, but as Yan Shuyi said, it also has some logic.

However, this matter was of great importance, which naturally made his mind somewhat chaotic. So, while pondering, Ji You couldn't help but reach out and hug the young appraiser, his eyes gradually becoming deep.

Let's play with the wielder of the sacred artifact for a bit to calm our nerves.

Yan Shuyi sat quietly in his lap, showing a somewhat obedient look as her husband pondered.

The taverns and teahouses were still bustling with people, but attention had shifted from the West Market to the Wulu Trading Company.

Many people saw the young appraiser of Lingjian Mountain go in with Ji You, but they didn't know when they would come out.

In their view, Ji You must have done something to displease the appraiser while shopping earlier, and is now being severely criticized.

Such stares continued until 3:45 PM, when everyone saw Ji You push open the door, walk through the long street, and head towards Mount Ni.

Zuo Qiuyang was waiting for him outside the main hall. When he saw him coming up the mountain, he turned around and invited him into the hall.

"Did the Lord of Zuoqiu invite me here because he has responded to the conditions I proposed?"

"Your request is naturally granted by my Heavenly Academy, but the other three great immortal sects have only agreed to half of it."

Zuo Qiuyang handed Ji You a letter, but it wasn't the one Ji You had given him.

Ji You took it and glanced at it, only to find that it was a newly written copy. The beginning and end were copied from the one he had drafted, but many of the clauses in the middle had been changed.

After slowly reading through the text, Ji You frowned slightly: "This is still a strong limitation for the Dan Sect."

Zuo Qiuyang spoke up upon hearing this: "Given the nature of the Mountain and Sea Pavilion, the Dao Seeking Sect, and the Chen Clan, it is already quite remarkable that they have agreed to this extent. If it weren't for the deep connection between the human race's fortune and their own, they wouldn't even agree to these things. My suggestion is to agree to them first, and we can discuss other matters later."

"There may not be another opportunity like this in the future, so I can't agree."

"Don't think I don't know what's going on. When you told everyone you wanted to tear down the house, all you really wanted was to open a window. And you knew in your heart that they could only agree to this much. Even if they tried to raise the price, they had to allow others to negotiate a lower price."

Zuo Qiuyang poured him a cup of tea: "You should know that even so, the Dan Sect will be extremely grateful to you."

Ji You knew that these powerful old guys weren't so easily fooled, so he stuffed the invitation into his pocket: "I will set off as soon as possible, but I will need the cooperation of Palace Master Zuoqiu to have some disciples from the Immortal Sect accompany me."

"This matter is of great importance, and the Dan Sect is also angry. Your request is not excessive, but how should we decide on the candidate?"

"If you can't beat me, then you can."

The Dan Sect was recently attacked by the five major immortal sects in a joint attack because of the immortal relic.

Now that the sacred site of our ancestors has encountered problems and we need to ask someone to come out of seclusion, we can't just send Ji You to make empty promises.

One must know that a person lives for a breath, and a tree lives for a layer of bark. Even if the leakage of one's fortune would bring disaster to the entire clan, for the sake of dignity and hatred, the Dan Sect will still refuse to agree to what it should refuse.

At worst, we can just die together. In this rotten world, we can't even protect our homes. What's the point of living?

Therefore, all the immortal sects that went to Danshan to commit atrocities that day need to show weakness and offer sufficient apologies.

Of course, the presence of someone with too high a cultivation level would inevitably trigger a stress response from the Dan Sect, so they would have absolutely no chance of defeating Ji You.

Only in this way would the Dan Sect be willing to meet them.

If you can't beat Ji You, then this is a good choice.

Zuo Qiuyang turned to look at where he had put the invitation: "I can handle the selection. Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion has been closed off because of the presence of the barbarian and demon clans on the border. Consider it as his tacit agreement. The only thing missing is the promise from the young appraiser of Lingjian Mountain. Has she agreed?"

"How gossipy!" Ji You muttered to herself.

Everyone in the city now thinks that the two of them have a relationship where the woman is superior to the man. Zuo Qiuyang is subtly asking whether the young master of Lingjian Mountain listens to him.

However, when it comes to the imperial throne, Ji You is naturally impeccable.

After agreeing on the follow-up matters with Zuo Qiuyang, Ji You left Zizai Hall and then strolled down the mountain.

With the arrival of spring, the old trees on Mount Ni have sprouted new buds, showing signs of lush greenery. Coupled with the bright sunshine today, their vibrant life is clearly visible.

Ji You turned to look to the west, his gaze falling on the Heavenly Book Peak.

Go up to a higher place, call it to come, with the intention of making it submit.

After pondering for a long time, he turned and headed towards the direction of Heavenly Book Peak.

The area where the five peaks meet is home to three places: Zizhu Zen Forest, Qingfeng Lecture Hall, and Yunwu Cliff.

He Lingxiu, Shi Junhao, Chai Ze, Yu Shiliu and others did not attend the Daoist discussion, but instead went to the Zizhu Zen Forest to practice.

As they saw Ji You approaching, the group stopped and exchanged a polite bow.

"Junior Brother Ji just came from the Zizai Hall?"

"I had something to discuss with Lord Zuoqiu. I just came down the mountain and, since I haven't stayed in the inner courtyard for a long time, I decided to take a casual stroll here."

Upon hearing this, Shi Junhao cupped his hands in greeting: "As cultivators, we younger generation have long admired the young appraiser. However, the relationship between the Innate Academy and the Spirit Sword Mountain has been quite tense, making it inconvenient for us to pay our respects. I wonder if we could invite the young appraiser to join us for a meal this time?"

As the next sect leader of Lingjian Mountain, the young master of Lingjian Mountain, wielding a sacred artifact, will surely be the one who holds power over the world in the future.

In the past, they would not have been able to find a way to pay their respects, but since the incident at the Dao Discussion Meeting and Sang He, more and more people have taken a liking to Ji You.

In fact, the He family, the Zuoqiu family, the You family, and others also had this idea.

"She doesn't like crowded places. It makes her irritable and bad-tempered, and she might even make things worse. Let's wait for a more suitable opportunity later."

"Then we'll talk about it another time when there's an opportunity. We'll be waiting for you, young appraiser, anytime..."

Ji You nodded, clasped his hands in a fist salute to them, and made a move to leave.

He Lingxiu had known about his affair with the young appraiser for a while, and her mood had calmed down somewhat. She also bowed to him in farewell, her demeanor impeccably elegant.

As he watched them depart, a faint sense of regret lingered in his heart.

But she wasn't sure if her regret stemmed from her failure to befriend Ji You, or from the fact that the young appraiser's choice made her feel that her initial concern about family background was utterly meaningless.

However, if she had to do it all over again, she felt she might still make the same choice. After all, she wouldn't be as willful as the Little Master of Spirit Sword Mountain, who could be reckless, disregard her family, and choose her Daoist partner at will.

However, the young appraiser's choice may not necessarily bring her good returns. After all, the relationships between the three sects in the south are extremely complex, and losing a helpful in-law would have a significant impact.

This was a kind of comfort to her.

"Huh, why is he heading north?" Gu Zetao's voice suddenly rang out.

"Didn't you say you hadn't stayed in the courtyard for a long time and wanted to wander around?"

"But the inner courtyard's immortal abode is on the south side, and there's nothing on the north side, so what's there to turn around?"

By this time, Ji You had already gone deep into the area and climbed the Heavenly Book Peak when no one was around.

He had come here once after entering the inner courtyard, but he didn't see anyone, so he hurriedly went down the mountain.

But he later learned that this place was not open to just anyone; apart from the five hall masters, only those permitted by the sect leader could climb the mountain.

He had wondered back then why he was able to go there despite the restrictions, but as the Night Watch came to light, he gradually had some vague answers.

But he came today to verify another answer.

Ji You walked up the mountain, looking at the familiar mountain scenery, and passed by the chessboard under the tree.

It's been so long, and the chessboard still hasn't been put away. Luckily, it was only seen by a ruthless bandit with high moral standards, otherwise it would have been gone long ago.

Whispering to themselves, Ji You finally arrived at the pure white Heavenly Book Palace.

Just like last time I came, the Heavenly Book Hall's doors were wide open, as if it had no habit of closing them at all.

This is not surprising, since if Heavenly Book Peak really has restrictions, then closing the gate would be unnecessary.

He gazed up at the door for a long time before stepping into the empty hall. Before him were intricate murals and a glazed dome that let in the light of the sky, just as he had seen it the last time he had been there.

This is the highest point in the Heavenly Academy, and also the sacred place of the entire academy. He doesn't know where the Heavenly Book itself is, but he imagines it can't be too far from here.

Ji You paused briefly, then reached out his hand. As golden light surged in his eyes, the spiritual energy in the hall began to flow.

The movement of air carried the wind, passing through halls and rooms, so that a whistling sound constantly rang in his ears.

If others saw this, they would definitely think it was just an ordinary technique of sensing, like the connection between heaven and man during cultivation, or the control of divine thoughts when using magical artifacts, and there was nothing extraordinary about it.

However, not long after, a strange change occurred.

Suddenly, a loud buzzing sound arose in the vast Heavenly Book Hall, and a beam of celestial light swept down, leaping and frolicking throughout the entire Heavenly Book Hall.

Amidst the flowing light, a golden book appeared atop the glazed dome.

Heavenly Book...

Upon seeing this, Ji You's eyes narrowed sharply. Feeling the intimacy emanating from the book, his outstretched fingertips trembled slightly.

At that very moment, the celestial light released by the book rushed over, like suddenly unfolded blades of grass, swirling around his fingertips, as if trying to pull him closer.

However, this force was very gentle, not forceful, but rather more like a test.

Meanwhile, within the Purple Bamboo Zen Forest.

The group, who were trying to comprehend the Heavenly Book, suddenly sensed an unusual aura. At the same time, the spiritual light sensed by the Heavenly Book began to roar continuously, far more magnificent than before, stirring up the clouds and causing their eyes to widen slightly.

Meanwhile, several inner court disciples who were sensing the Heavenly Book were awakened by the strong aura, and a look of confusion flashed in their eyes.

"What happened?"

"The Heavenly Book seems to have been awakened."

"Didn't Sect Leader You go into seclusion? How could this be?"

(The physical book "Everyone's Reborn, Who's in Love?" is now available for pre-order. Check it out in My Activity Center if you're a long-time reader. There's also a signed copy available for pre-order on Qidian.)
(End of this chapter)