Chapter 108: Why Is Younger Brother Ji So Honest?

After dinner, the setting sun cast crimson clouds across the sky of Gan’an City.

Ji You and the others left the tavern, passed by Qionghua Pavilion—where the destitute were barred from entering—and stepped inside to browse.

He still had a thousand taels left from his gains in the ruin, and spent some here, buying a few elixirs.

“Didn’t the younger brother say he doesn’t take elixirs?” Ban Yangshu looked puzzled.

Bai Ru lunged his lips: “Wasn’t that because he was broke?”

Wen Zhengxin now stepped up to Ji You, examined the elixirs he’d bought, and found most were Bodyguard Spirit Elixirs.

Sun Bin, who had fought Ji You on the White Jade Platform that day, had taken the same kind—each one costing thirty taels.

The younger brother usually splits a single copper coin in half to stretch it, letting Bai Ru Long pay the other half; such lavish spending is truly rare.

“Younger brother, why buy so many Bodyguard Spirit Elixirs?”

“Prevention is better than cure.”

Ji You tucked the elixirs into his storage gourd and turned to Bai Ru Long: “Brother Bai, nothing you want to buy?”

Bai Ru Long turned his head, his mouth twitching: “Brother Ji, you’ve bled me dry.”

Ji You sneered: “Look at your pauper’s face—go in and pick whatever you like.”

“You’re paying?”

“Yes, just don’t get caught.”

“?”

After returning to the inn post-dinner, night had fallen. Ji You returned to his room, drawing spiritual energy into his body to refine his flesh.

As the torrent of spiritual energy surged through his limbs and meridians, that trembling sensation returned.

Ji You’s spiritual sense stirred, igniting the spiritual energy within.

As the aching pain surged through his meridians, the ignited spiritual light began to collide within him, howling as it circled multiple dantian cycles.

But just as during the day, he felt an unusual urgency pressing upon him, making his head buzz.

Seeing this, Ji You paused his breath and decided to hold off for now.

After his spiritual core exploded, he’d seen spiritual energy carrying true spirit into his limbs and meridians, so he tried refining his flesh using the method for refining the spiritual core—though he achieved results, it was still a shortcut.

Whether this was right or wrong, he had no idea.

Since he’d already reached the limit of what he could safely do, he didn’t want to push further, fearing he’d explode himself.

“This level of strength should be enough to knock out a dozen people with one punch.”

“But I still prefer using a sword…”

“After all, a foot longer means a foot stronger.”

Ji You clenched his fist, swung it through the air with a whistle, gradually reining in his aura, then washed up and lay on his bed.

We’re approaching Spirit Sword Mountain. I’m a little nervous.

Last time Ding Yao saw him pinch Yan Shuyi’s face, she said she’d report it to the mountain—will they just grab me by the neck the moment I step on the mountain?

And that bastard Bai Ru Long—he gets enlightened the moment he sees a pretty female cultivator, and insists I come admire with him.

Spirit Sword Mountain must have countless female cultivators. Starting today, I won’t speak to him, lest I catch fire.

As the stars turned and night faded, dawn broke.

The Tian Shu Academy group departed directly from the inn’s carriage, entering Lingzhou.

“Younger brother, look—there’s a woman outside the window with no clothes on.”

“?”

Ji You had been meditating with closed eyes. At the sound, he lifted his head, looked at Wen Zhengxin, and thought: How did Sister become like this? He quickly waved his hand: “No, I’m not interested.”

He instantly held his breath and calmed his mind, his Dao heart becoming utterly clear—leaving Wen Zhengxin and Pei Ruyi astonished.

Outside the window, there was no naked woman—after dining at the tavern last night, the two had noticed Ji You had become far more reserved, so during the boring carriage ride, they couldn’t help but test him.

Only Bai Ru Long and Ban Yangshu believed it; the former was pressed against the carriage window, scanning everywhere.

The latter, who had been meditating with closed eyes, now opened a sliver—so narrow no one would notice, yet sharp enough to see everything.

“Do you think the younger brother has an arranged fiancée on Spirit Sword Mountain?”

Pei Ruyi turned to Wen Zhengxin: “Why say that?”

Wen Zhengxin chuckled: “Why else would the younger brother be so restrained? Like he suddenly changed his nature.”

Pei Ruyi suddenly understood, then leaned close to her ear: “That Zhuo Wanqiu from before…”

“?”

“Oh, right—her.”

When returning from Qiling, Zhuo Wanqiu claimed she was protecting the Yuan siblings, yet aboard the boat, she never left Ji You’s side.

Moreover, Spirit Sword Mountain had joined Wenda Sect in attacking them, yet Zhuo Wanqiu came to urge them to leave—something suspicious.

Though Zhuo Wanqiu claimed she acted under the Master’s orders, after returning, the two had discussed it and found it implausible.

The junior Master of Spirit Sword Mountain holds a status equal to the sect leader; our group, even within Tian Shu Academy, were neglected disciples sent as cannon fodder—why would she care about us?

So the more reasonable explanation is that Zhuo Wanqiu acted on her own.

“The younger brother’s really a flirt—his fiancées are scattered across Qingyun’s realm. Forget Fang Ruoyao, his hometown girl; even Lu Qingqiu from Yunzhou, whose family owns mines, often visits his quarters. Then there’s Yuan Caimei from Yu Danzong—and now even Spirit Sword Mountain has one?”

“???”

But after a moment’s thought, Pei Ruyi glanced again at Ji You, eyes closed: “No, I don’t think it’s Zhuo Wanqiu.”

Wen Zhengxin blinked: “Why not?”

“The woman who makes the younger brother so restrained must be one he can’t defeat. Zhuo Wanqiu doesn’t have that level of cultivation—her chances are slim.”

Wen Zhengxin was surprised: “A woman above the younger brother’s realm?”

Pei Ruyi nodded, then frowned: “Above his realm? That means she’s at the Fusion Dao stage. The women at Spirit Sword Mountain at Fusion Dao are all at least thirty or forty years old.”

“Eww~”

The path of cultivation is long and arduous; the body is the greatest limitation.

One reason is the spirit cannot leave the body; another is lifespan.

The value of a bottom-three realm cultivator under twenty lies in the fact that reaching the fifth realm at that age guarantees extraordinary potential.

But even so, unless one is a once-in-a-million genius, breaking through requires years of grinding.

Like Gongshu Chou, whom Ji You spared that day—he only reached Fusion Dao in his forties.

Pei Ruyi and Wen Zhengxin, both under thirty, are already extremely fast—no wonder some suspect they gained hidden benefits in the ruin and didn’t report them.

Ji You, though eyes closed, heard every word clearly; his expression darkened.

Gossip truly is a woman’s nature…

“Two senior sisters, excessive curiosity is a distraction—it harms your Dao.”

Hearing Ji You speak calmly, Pei Ruyi and Wen Zhengxin immediately wore expressions of “We knew it.”

Then the carriage jolted, and a faint salty scent, damp and warm, drifted through the air.

This aura must come from the Xuan Sea—this sea is said to be boundless and bottomless, meaning Spirit Sword Mountain is nearby.

The casual chatter inside the carriage faded, replaced by solemn expressions.

Though You Buyu and He Lingxiu were sent to question the mountain, the Spirit Sword Mountain disciples injured in the ruin may not be calm.

Especially Gongshu Chou.

At the time, Ji You was still a bottom-three realm cultivator, yet nearly killed him in the ruin.

Most people couldn’t tolerate that.

He can’t seek revenge at Tian Shu Academy—so now is the perfect chance.

Without the curse’s suppression in the ruin, a Fusion Dao cultivator’s advantage over a Penetrating Dao cultivator is enough to kill with a single strike.

The carriage jolted again, slowly entering an ancient city.

The iron-black city gate gleamed coldly under the sun, bearing a plaque inscribed: Nan Hua City.

This is the closest city to Spirit Sword Mountain; its residents are all family members of cultivators.

These people come from cultivation clans but lack the talent to enter the Seven Immortal Sects, so they live near the sects.

From the main road in, a winding river flows through the city, dotted with boats drifting along it, crowded with travelers.

The carriage halted before an inn. You Buyu, He Lingxiu, Wang Yue, and Fang Linchao stepped out first, expressionless, entering the inn.

“?”

Bai Ru Long frowned: “We’re going to Spirit Sword Mountain—why stop here? Shouldn’t we go straight up?”

“If we were paying respects, we’d have sent a formal notice and ascended directly. But we’re here to question the mountain.”

Ji You lowered his gaze: “They haven’t opened the mountain’s formation—we can’t enter. We’ll likely have to stay overnight in Nan Hua Town before getting an answer.”

Ban Yangshu nodded—he’d thought the same on the way, and reached the same conclusion.

Questioning isn’t paying respects; the atmosphere isn’t friendly. Whether Spirit Sword Mountain will allow us to ascend is still uncertain.

If they refuse, it’s simple.

We turn back and report that Spirit Sword Mountain fled in fear—our Tian Shu disciples arrived at their doorstep, yet they never dared open their sect formation.

But that’s just a thought; Spirit Sword Mountain won’t refuse to open its gates.

“Everyone be careful. Before Spirit Sword Mountain opens its formation to let us in, they might deliver a warning.”

Ban Yangshu muttered, then lifted the curtain and stepped down from the carriage.

Ji You rose and followed right behind.

Tian Shu Academy has outside agents in Lingzhou; they’d reserved rooms before our arrival and were now distributing room tokens.

Bai Ru Long and Ban Yangshu were assigned to the second floor; Ji You and the two senior sisters were assigned to the third.

This inn was decent enough—already the most expensive in Nanhua City—since it represented face, one couldn’t possibly stay at a shabby roadside station when arriving at someone’s doorstep.

Ji You stepped into the room, walked across the carpet, and pushed open the window.

Looking out the window, he saw not far away a vast, majestic mountain range stretching endlessly.

Among these lower hills stood three towering, precipitous peaks, like swords thrusting toward heaven.

These three peaks were Tianjian Peak, Xuanjian Peak, and Wenjian Peak of Lingjian Mountain.

Tianjian Peak stood in the center, wreathed in clouds; Wenjian Peak lay to its right, slightly less imposing.

Ji You’s gaze swept across these two sword peaks, then settled on the peak to the left.

This mountain was even more precipitous than Tianjian Peak, surrounded by mist, where a massive palace could barely be seen perched atop its summit.

“Boudoir…”

(Dear readers, please vote for monthly tickets—I still feel we have room to climb higher… or2)

(End of chapter)