[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-watching-the-immortals-fall":3,"chapter-watching-the-immortals-fall-watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-117":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Watching the Immortals Fall",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2259990,4410,"Chapter 117: New Willow in the Sword Dao","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-117",117,"\u003Cp>At dawn, the first light pierced the thick mountain mist, gilding the forest in golden radiance; as far as the eye could see, morning clouds blazed everywhere, mist swirling in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The disciples of the Heavenly Book Academy rose early for breakfast, each with solemn expressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They spoke of the first battle of Spirit Sword Mountain taking place today: He Lingxiu of Zizai Hall versus Yan Shujing of Xuanjian Peak, to be decided in three rounds—the first to win two rounds would prevail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though He Lingxiu wielded the sword, she represented the Heavenly Book Academy, causing everyone to feel tense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, during the entire breakfast, even speech grew scarce.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though their words diminished, numerous outer-court disciples of Spirit Sword Mountain occasionally cast glances their way, lips curled in faintly hostile smirks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You Buyu had spent these past days immersed in cultivation, ignoring the storms beyond his heart; now he furrowed his brow: “What are they saying?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Yue, walking beside You Buyu, spoke softly: “That Ji You from the outer court went to challenge the Sword Forest on Tianjian Peak yesterday.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You Buyu turned to look at him: “Sword Forest?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I only heard yesterday—the Tianjian Peak of Spirit Sword Mountain has a Sword Forest set up; those who pass it may cultivate the Spirit Sword Mountain’s sword art.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Yue leaned his arm on the table: “Ji You has always been obsessed with swords—he must’ve set his mind to it early, and went to the Sword Forest not long after arriving.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Linchao had also heard rumors, yet now he was puzzled: “I heard disciples from the Questioning Sect and the Sea-and-Mountain Pavilion also entered it—so why do these people sneer at us of the Heavenly Book Academy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because Ji You caused a laughingstock.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What laughingstock?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s said the final sword of the first layer of the Sword Forest is called [Little Heavy Mountain]; even the weakest Tongxuan Initiate of Spirit Sword Mountain passed with only eight strikes—but Ji You yesterday… used sixteen, and after entering the second layer, he was swiftly cut out again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Yue added: “Disciples from the Sea-and-Mountain Pavilion and the Questioning Sect were on the mountain then—they saw his humiliation with their own eyes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You Buyu’s face darkened, his voice sharpening instantly: “I told you all from the start—no one is to stir up trouble. I never imagined someone would still disobey!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ji You is a self-taught rustic with no sense of discipline—he did the same at Yu Danzong, sneaking out without permission to wander around. I later heard disciples whispering they suspected he’d secretly visited the Medicine Pool…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the Yu Danzong trip, Ji You, Ban Yangshu, and others showed noticeable boosts in their qi—sparking much private gossip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though others had no proof, spreading idle talk was no problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Yue had intended not to disturb his senior’s cultivation before battle, but now he couldn’t help letting slip the news.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What a lawless fool! Even at Yu Danzong he was like this—now he’s the same at Spirit Sword Mountain? Will he truly drag the Heavenly Book Academy’s honor into the mud?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He made a laughingstock of himself by challenging their Sword Forest—then even if I and He Sister win the Questioning Battle, Spirit Sword Mountain will surely use this to mock us! What glory will the Heavenly Book Academy have left?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Yue and Fang Linchao exchanged glances, their brows tightening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What Senior You said was true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All we needed was to win the Questioning Battle, then descend the mountain—thus restoring the Heavenly Book Academy’s dignity, and the Great Xia Sacred Sect would still reign supreme.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Ji You, bold and reckless, stirred up trouble at this very moment—and became a laughingstock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today’s and tomorrow’s Questioning Battles—even if He Sister and Senior You win—this glory will be severely diminished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now I finally understand why the Administration Court has always targeted Ji You.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even setting aside the Chu family’s influence, Ji You has no sense of honor as a disciple of the Heavenly Book Academy!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This man is a curse to the Heavenly Book Academy—after the Questioning Battle, I will petition my aunt to expel him from the mountain!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No sooner had You Buyu spoken fiercely than the bamboo chopstick he gripped shattered into powder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had never liked Ji You—especially since Cai Weiwei’s utterly different attitude toward the two of them filled him with revulsion; now, hearing these rumors, he felt a burning rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind them, Wen Zhengxin and Pei Ruyi watched them for a long while, then turned back to their own table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did your brother really challenge Spirit Sword Mountain’s Sword Forest?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ban Yangshu nodded, holding his porridge bowl: “This was already all over the mountain last night—only a few remain unaware.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Ruyi lowered her voice: “Before Ji Brother arrived, he kept muttering about learning swords. Him going to the Sword Forest isn’t surprising—but why sixteen strikes?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Spirit Sword Mountain disciples start learning swords from day one—what’s strange about him being quick? Ji Brother’s sword was taught by Old Wang—it’s not orthodox anyway. Using more strikes to get used to it? What’s odd?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But Brother should know—even if he passes the Sword Forest, Tianjian Peak won’t teach him…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother said he went to observe and awaken to the Dao—perhaps he doesn’t need teaching. But have you ever heard of such a thing before?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ban Yangshu shook his head: “If sword art could be learned so easily, Spirit Sword Mountain’s sword would already be known throughout the world…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Ru drank his thin porridge in silence, not joining the chatter, yet his expression grew grim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After arriving on the mountain yesterday morning, he rested briefly, then planned to seek out Brother Ji for some fun with Spirit Sword Mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as he reached Brother Ji’s courtyard, he noticed guards on the mountain path—and from inside Brother Ji’s room came the sounds of combat and cries of pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He suspected Brother Ji had been forced into the Sword Forest to be humiliated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only he knew this truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After breakfast ended, He Lingxiu, who had spoken not a word, rose with her sword; the other disciples exchanged glances and followed her out the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Spirit Sword Mountain’s Wangxian Terrace, disciples of the Questioning Sect, the Sea-and-Mountain Pavilion, and Spirit Sword Mountain had gathered—crowds stretched as far as the eye could see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides these three sects’ disciples, in the corners sat outsiders from the Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion, the Chen Shixian Clan, and the Heavenly Book Academy’s external wanderers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their numbers were few; unless one looked closely, they were nearly invisible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Across the opposite cliffside, the Sea-and-Mountain Pavilion’s chief, the Questioning Sect’s direct disciple guardian, and several elders of Spirit Sword Mountain had taken their seats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what made the Heavenly Book Academy disciples frown was another group seated to the right of the high cliff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the front sat a young man with azure Yao  eyes and faint scale patterns along his neck; behind him stood a burly middle-aged man with short horns on his head, holding a silver spear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the demon race entered human lands for trade, all knew their true aim was the human Dao lineage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the spill of Yu Danzong’s alchemy had cast doubt over the Dao lineage issue, causing the demon race to hold back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond the Dao lineage, what most interested the demon race was the true strength of the human race.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, cultivators of the Qingyun Continent had seen a carriage pulled by strange beasts heading toward Qingzhou, circling near the Chen Shixian Clan—as if observing the battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Tianjian Peak disciples of Spirit Sword Mountain and the Sea-and-Mountain Pavilion were summoned up the mountain; what compromises were made remained unknown—even whether their patriarch Chen Ruhai was dead or alive was uncertain. In any case, war had not broken out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the carriage pulled by the strange beasts eventually arrived in Lingzhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Wangxian Terrace was packed with crowds, the Sword Forest remained eerily silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Probably because disciples of the Sea-and-Mountain Pavilion and the Questioning Sect had already figured out that Elder Qi’s Sword Forest couldn’t be conquered without a full month’s effort—so their hopes had dwindled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Spirit Sword Mountain disciples, meanwhile, felt they had plenty of time and weren’t in a rush—they preferred to watch the Heavenly Book Academy’s Questioning Battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, in this quiet bamboo grove, only a white-robed swordsman arrived from the mountain path, iron sword in hand, stepping into the forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Last night, he roasted sweet potatoes with the junior mistress of Spirit Sword Mountain, just like winter days in the Heavenly Book Academy’s dormitory—but… he didn’t get to hug her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The main reason was that after eating the roasted sweet potatoes, Yan Shuyi quietly dismissed Zhuo Wanqiu and Ding Yao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You, ever talkative, asked her if she wanted a hug—he only wanted to see her reaction—but the junior mistress kicked him twice with her soft white feet, then left with murderous intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shouldn’t have said it aloud—last time he hugged her, she had pretended not to notice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though she trembled slightly at first when seated on his lap, she soon grew obedient, as if pretending nothing had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now that it was spoken aloud, hugging her again would likely be impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You sighed in regret, grasped his sword, muttered to himself, and stepped into the forest—entering the second layer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This place was empty too, but scattered around were empty elixir bottles—left behind by disciples who had previously attempted the trial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What a disgraceful lack of decency…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t they know Spirit Sword Mountain is my home? Cleanliness depends on everyone!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You gathered the elixir bottles, then advanced deeper into the second layer with his sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the previously silent forest erupted with howling sword qi, murderous intent surging instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He drew a deep breath, stepped forward—and heard a chorus of ringing blades; sharp sword qi struck his face, darkening his expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhum—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You swung his sword forward, his iron blade clashing violently with the second layer’s sword qi, surging with potent spiritual energy, charging ahead without pause, each step unleashing cascading waves of sword energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a clang, a fierce sword qi descended from above—he blocked it with his iron blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second sword qi struck straight for his back—he sidestepped it, thrusting his blade forward; his entire body’s blood surged violently from the brutality of the sword qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This sword art carries too much murderous intent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t it meant to train Spirit Sword Mountain disciples? Why leave no mercy at all…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You deflected the sword qi, standing in the deep green bamboo grove, frowning slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The intent within sword qi reflects the swordsman’s heart—his mindset shapes his sword intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the first layer to the second, every step he’d taken had felt the intent of Elder Qi—intent to kill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You didn’t dwell on it—he swung his sword and pressed forward, and instantly, sword qi rose from all directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gripped his longsword tightly, dodging and weaving, shifting his sword forms constantly, battling the forest’s sword qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The intent of the second layer was indeed formidable—even a few straight thrusts pressed him hard, forcing him to rely on his abundant spiritual energy to hold his blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His spiritual energy was far thicker than an ordinary person’s, yet he still felt pressure—no wonder those Tongxuan cultivators who entered were trapped so long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Yan Ye of Tianjian Peak once said he lacked time—he might never see [New Willow Color].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she didn’t know Ji You’s spiritual energy far surpassed the norm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Splash—he drew his sword like pulling it from water, charging through the vast sword qi into the heart of the second layer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had always fought with multiple swords; people said he cheated—and he did. Now, using a single sword to capture the sword strikes’ feedback, he marveled even more at the Spirit Sword Mountain’s sword art.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Qi truly deserved his reputation as a cultivator who devoted his entire life to the sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhum—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You spun his sword around, the blade howling as it cut through the bamboo grove; sword forms linked seamlessly, forming a spinning circle of relentless slashes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In one hour, he had advanced only five zhang; his chest heaved heavily, his blood boiling, steam rising from his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, Ji You sensed a powerful sword intent brewing deep within the bamboo grove—waiting for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was starting to get excited…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You said nothing, snatched up his sword, and departed; countless sword trails shot toward him, the wind they stirred whipping his white robe, only to be violently slashed apart by his iron blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faster!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even faster!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You swung his sword continuously, opening his body’s qi orifices to swallow and exhale spiritual energy, meeting the furious sword trails as his own sword intent boiled and surged skyward, stirring wind and rain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The clang of steel echoed endlessly through the forest—horizontal cuts, circular slices, heart-piercing thrusts, flying jabs—countless deadly sword qi were severed beneath his blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then a piercing sword hum rose through the woods, and Ji You saw a blade of unmatched sharpness rising into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guardian sword of the Second Layer Sword Grove: Liu Se Xin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the heavy, vast, and oppressive 【Xiao Chong Shan】, 【Liu Se Xin】 radiated an extreme sharpness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This sharpness made Ji You tremble—he felt even the gentlest brush of a breeze against willow leaves would be utterly severed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, surging spiritual energy burst from his hands, fully enveloping the blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You advanced toward 【Liu Se Xin】, holding his sword horizontally to meet it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most sword arts in the world seek sharpness, yet the sword he swung toward 【Liu Se Xin】 was blunt, heavy, as heavy and dull as a mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The opposing sword qi collided violently in an instant, the raging energy scattering through the grove like ripples from a stone dropped in a lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rise, condense, fall—rise, condense, fall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You’s sword intent roared endlessly, and five swords had already risen in succession from the bamboo grove.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had it not been for the thick spiritual energy wrapping his blade, Ji You had no doubt his body and iron sword would have been sliced to pieces…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2381,"2026-06-19T15:28:39.995Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","d049957fa379ad208f15e47cd45a80baa634e6e93895fa2d45d22bb93878a112","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-118","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-116",430,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fwatching-the-immortals-fall-cover.jpg"]