Chapter 113: The Most Moving Thing Is to Be Unintentional

The sword forest set up by Elder Qi of Heaven’s Sword Peak was profoundly intricate, containing countless essences of the sword Dao he had cultivated over the past century.

Although there is no realm restriction for attempting the trial, the disciples from Spirit Sword Mountain who tried it in recent days all suffered serious injuries and have yet to recover.

Zhuo Wanqiu dared not decide on her own; after a moment’s thought, she said, “Young Master Ji, I must first report this to the Keeper. Only with her permission may I take you there.”

“But yesterday I heard Ding Yao say the sword forest isn’t guarded, and outer sect disciples are allowed to enter.”

“It’s not that I fear you can’t get in—it’s that you’re different.”

Ji You pondered for a moment, then pressed his lips together: “The sword forest is filled with lethal intent. She won’t let me go.”

Zhuo Wanqiu pressed her lips: “But if you truly wish to learn swordplay, the Keeper can teach you.”

“Nonsense.”

Ji You’s brow furrowed instantly: “She is the Keeper of Spirit Sword Mountain, the future sect master. She will never transmit our sect’s sword Dao to outsiders. Don’t speak such words again—someone might overhear and cause trouble.”

Zhuo Wanqiu glanced at Ding Yao and immediately bowed low: “Young Master, Wanqiu knows her fault.”

Ding Yao didn’t fully grasp the meaning of that remark, only stared at the two in disbelief, thinking: This Ji You has no real connection with our Keeper yet he’s already scolding the Keeper’s maid—how presumptuous of him!

Ji You reached out and helped Zhuo Wanqiu up, speaking gently: “I must one day draw my sword before the world, and I need a legitimate origin. The sword forest is a good choice.”

“But if anything happens to you, I cannot bear the responsibility.”

“...”

Ji You looked into Zhuo Wanqiu’s sincere eyes and felt a premonition that in the future, he’d have to obey whatever his wife said.

Fine, until I can beat her, I’ll go along. Once I can beat her, I’ll spank her then.

A true man must know when to bend and when to stretch.

Seeing Ji You didn’t object, Zhuo Wanqiu turned and left the courtyard, planning to report to the Keeper at Cloud Top Heavenly Palace.

Now only Ding Yao remained in the courtyard. After watching Zhuo Wanqiu depart, she spoke up: “I once said I’d report to the Keeper’s parents about you pinching her face. I never thought you’d dare come back up the mountain.”

“I heard Spirit Sword Mountain’s sword Dao seeks straightness. If not for that, how could I even speak of learning swordplay?”

“Aren’t you afraid of dying?”

Ji You sat upon the mat: “The world says my rustic self-cultivation is a worthless life—less than the second son of the Chu family, less than the direct disciple of the Questioning Dao Sect. If I die, I die. Miss Ding, you needn’t worry so much for me.”

Ding Yao froze at his words, then recalled the rumors from Shengjing.

When they first met at Qiling, she had thought Ji You was just an ordinary disciple of the Heavenly Book Academy, no different from Spirit Sword Mountain’s disciples.

Then she was stunned to discover he had pinched the Keeper’s face and lived—and the Keeper kept clinging to him.

Curious, she learned he was not only a fully cultivated bottom-three realm cultivator under twenty, but also a rustic self-taught cultivator.

After entering the Heavenly Book Academy, he twice suppressed the Chu family’s second son.

Then came Qiling, where he alone wielded seven swords and drove back seventy-three disciples from two clans; then, on the streets of Shengjing, he stabbed a demon race member with his sword.

This man was no ordinary disciple—he could be called brilliant and extraordinary even among the Seven Immortal Sects.

Only because our Keeper was so exalted had she overlooked this.

But even so, does he truly believe he can rival the Questioning Dao Sect’s direct disciple?

That disciple is only one year older than you, yet he’s already touched the threshold of the Ying Tian realm. You’re still only Tong Xuan.

And most crucially, no matter how brilliant your talent, it cannot change your lineage.

Shang Xiyao is the heir to the Dao lineage—he will control the entire Questioning Dao Sect. Even if you somehow reach the pinnacle of the upper five realms, you’ll never catch up.

Ding Yao snapped back to reality, ready to explain this to him and make him face reality—but before she could speak, footsteps sounded from outside.

She turned and saw Zhuo Wanqiu had returned, followed by the exquisite, graceful Keeper, her eyes filled with surprise.

“Only two sentences, and you’re back so fast?”

“The Keeper had just been strolling outside...”

“?”

Yan Shuyi arrived with haughty poise, looking down at Ji You with disdain, then stepped gracefully into the room.

Seeing this, Zhuo Wanqiu pulled Ding Yao aside and retreated to guard the courtyard gate.

The door closed. The room, moments ago bright with sunlight, suddenly darkened.

“You came so quickly?”

“I was strolling down the mountain and happened to meet Wanqiu.”

Yan Shuyi smoothed her long robe and sat on the mat beside him, speaking calmly: “She says you wish to enter Elder Qi’s sword forest on Heaven’s Sword Peak?”

Ji You nodded: “I heard of the sword forest in town yesterday and decided to try it.”

“Why didn’t you tell me last night?”

“Even if I had told you, the sword forest wouldn’t be any easier to enter.”

“Elder Qi’s sword forest is filled with lethal intent. One misstep means certain death. And you’re a disciple of the Heavenly Book Academy—even if you survive, Heaven’s Sword Peak will never let you learn anything.”

“I must try. Otherwise, this opportunity before me would be wasted.”

Yan Shuyi glanced at him, thinking: He touched the most beautiful foot of Spirit Sword Mountain, now he wants to learn our sword Dao. This stranger, only the third time he’s seen me, doesn’t treat himself as an outsider at all: “If you truly want to learn swordplay, I can teach you. No need to enter the sword forest.”

Ji You’s heart stirred slightly, then he said: “I don’t want to learn what you teach.”

“Why?”

“If you hold back, I’ll never be able to beat you, no matter how long I study.”

After speaking, Ji You watched her feigned arrogance and couldn’t resist reaching out.

He’d wanted to pinch her cheek last night, but held back to play along with her empress act. Now, his desire grew clearer.

The young Keeper watched him warily, then her face was pinched. Her beautiful brow furrowed slightly, her eyes turned away—but she didn’t struggle, letting him hold her.

Of course—he’s always thinking how to beat her. He must want to pinch somewhere else.

Yan Shuyi felt irritated, kicked him lightly, then shoved her foot into his lap: “Yuan Caiwei sent me a letter this morning.”

“?”

“Sister Shuyi, long time no see. I hope you’re well since our parting in Ningcheng County. Young Master Ji left Yu Danzong a few days ago; by now he should have reached Spirit Sword Mountain. I don’t know where he’s staying—if he arrived safely, please write back.”

Yan Shuyi recited the letter’s contents, then turned to him coldly: “So someone’s been touching her foot on the mountain so often she can’t forget him?”

Ji You looked at the foot in his lap: “What happened on the mountain was far worse than touching her foot.”

“What else?”

“Due to an accident, she saw something you were meant to be the first to see.”

“?”

Yan Shuyi’s eyes flickered with confusion, her brow furrowing: “What thing was I meant to see?”

Ji You smiled: “I won’t tell you until I can beat you. Otherwise, I’d be dead without even entering the sword forest.”

“Then I’ll ask Yuan Caiwei what she saw.”

“She won’t tell you...”

Yan Shuyi pondered long, then wore a condescending expression—but her eyes screamed: I’m curious. Tell me now.

Ji You shook his head in silence—then a pale, jade-like foot shot toward his face.

Outside the door, Ding Yao stared into the noisy room, her brow tightly knitted: “The inner sect disciples of the Questioning Dao Sect and the Mountain Sea Pavilion have requested audience multiple times today, yet the Keeper ignored them all—yet she came here twice herself? Unbelievable!”

Zhuo Wanqiu whispered: “The Keeper is in love.”

“Nonsense. The Keeper is merely bewitched by his looks.”

Zhuo Wanqiu reached out, cupping the warm sunlight of the day: “But Shang Xiyao isn’t unattractive. Why doesn’t the Keeper fall for him?”

Ding Yao sneered: “Because his sweet talk is superior.”

“I think it’s because Young Master Ji doesn’t care whether she’s the Keeper—so she feels utterly at ease.”

“What do you mean?”

Zhuo Wanqiu listened to the sounds from within: “Shang Xiyao wants to court the Keeper, then announce a marriage alliance between Questioning Dao Sect and Spirit Sword Mountain. You, Ding Yao, rose to prominence by boasting you were like a sister to the Keeper. But what did Young Master Ji gain?”

Ding Yao’s face darkened, unable to answer the sharp sarcasm.

“Young Master Ji has never asked the Keeper for anything. He hasn’t even told anyone he’s friends with the young Keeper. Do you know how some snobs in the Heavenly Book Academy think he has no background and constantly target him, desperately trying to get Chu He into the inner academy? But if he mentioned his connection, what would the Chu family amount to?”

“He has never pressured the Keeper with his presence. He has never sought to use her.”

“And on that day at the ruin—I examined Gongshu Chou’s wounds. Young Master Ji could have killed him with one strike. He knew sparing him meant future revenge—but he still chose not to, so the Keeper wouldn’t be put in a difficult position. Could you have done the same, Ding Yao?”

Ding Yao froze, then fell silent.

She was shaken—but had to admit Zhuo Wanqiu spoke nothing but truth.

Ji You was a gifted rustic self-cultivator, lacking nothing but status and background.

If she were him, she’d have announced her connection to the young Keeper to the entire world.

Now, rumors of impending chaos spread across the Qingyun realm—clans united, immortal sects clustered together.

Compared to the Chu family without a Dao lineage, or Yu Danzong without combat power, which could rival Spirit Sword Mountain’s supremacy?

“And the sword forest—Young Master Ji said he must have a legitimate origin before drawing his sword before the world. Do you know what that means?”

Ding Yao snapped back to attention, looking at Zhuo Wanqiu: “Say it plainly.”

Zhuo Wanqiu fell silent for a long while, then said: “If Young Master Ji wants to learn swordplay, why risk the sword forest—where one misstep means death? He could simply ask the Keeper to teach him. But if the Keeper teaches him, and he wields Spirit Sword Mountain’s sword Dao, what will the world think? What will Heaven’s Sword Peak, watching with hungry eyes, think?”

“The Keeper is the rightful heir of Spirit Sword Mountain, representing its dignity—yet she would transmit her sword Dao to an outer sect disciple, even one from the mortal enemy, the Heavenly Book Academy.”

“Young Master Ji has never forced the Keeper to choose between her sect and him—he chose to enter the sword forest, so he may draw his sword with honor, leaving no room for criticism.”

“Even if he one day wields Spirit Sword Mountain’s sword Dao and draws the world’s gaze, the Keeper will face no trouble.”

Ding Yao fell silent for a long while, then bit her lip: “Perhaps he hasn’t realized how many advantages come with knowing the Keeper.”

Zhuo Wanqiu smiled gently: “If he did all this unintentionally, isn’t that even more moving?”

(End of Chapter)