Chapter 125: The News Spreads

Ordinary disciples had average eyesight and weak spiritual sense, at most glancing at girls’ undergarments or checking for moles on their round parts.

But high-level cultivators didn’t need to exert much effort to see through that figure clearly.

That person was Ji You.

After everyone left Wangjian Terrace, many fell silent, especially some Lingjian Mountain disciples, who barely spoke a word.

Soon someone couldn’t hold back and revealed what they’d seen: Ji You had shattered the Sword Forest.

Some low-level Lingjian Mountain disciples utterly disbelieved it, yet when they saw the expressions of their senior brothers and sisters within the sect, their hearts sank.

Later, someone met Yan Shujing and asked if she had broken the Sword Forest; she shook her head in denial.

Gongshu Qiu, when similarly questioned, gave the same answer.

Only three people had entered the Sword Forest; with two answers ruled out, only one remained.

“After noon, some disciples went to the Sword Forest. Ji You wasn’t there, but he didn’t leave the mountain—his whereabouts are unknown; he might be with Elder Qi.”

“Senior Chen had already seen it clearly but never dared to speak up—this finally made me understand why that Lingjian Mountain elder looked so grim.”

“It can’t be him—he’s only a Tongxuan Realm cultivator! He used sixteen swords to pass [Xiao Chongshan]—how could it possibly be him?”

“I heard them say the Sword Forest can be passed by receiving swords—or by comprehending them.”

“What does that mean?”

“Some who passed the second forest with Ji You said his sword movements resembled [Xiao Chongshan]. They said everyone else received the swords, but he was learning them—so he moved slower.”

“?”

After noon, the news that Ji You had shattered the Sword Forest gradually became clear through accumulating evidence.

Thus, all disciples across the mountain—Lingjian Mountain, Wenda Sect, and Shanhai Pavilion—now wore strange expressions.

Tianshu Academy had lost both matches against Lingjian Mountain, clearly showing off their superiority—yet no one expected their own Sword Forest on the mountain to be broken by a Tianshu Academy disciple.

And the timing of the forest’s breaking coincided precisely with You Buyu’s final defeat, making the situation extremely complicated.

Whether Tianshu Academy had won or lost face, no one could say clearly.

After all, Lingjian Mountain was famed throughout the world for its sword arts—yet a Tianshu Academy disciple had indirectly bested a direct disciple of Xuanjian Peak.

Thus, Lingjian Mountain, which should have loudly publicized Tianshu Academy’s defeat, suddenly grew unusually silent on this matter.

But some stubborn souls refused to believe it—like Min Cheng, now heading toward the Sword Forest, his face dark and silent all the way.

Though more and more people claimed to have seen Ji You, he still refused to believe Ji You had broken the forest, so he decided to go see for himself.

Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu were still waiting there when they saw Min Cheng walking up.

“Ding sister, why are you here?”

“Oh, Senior Min—it’s just that my sister Zhuo and I had nothing to do, so we came up for a stroll.”

Min Cheng turned to gaze at the quiet, emerald Sword Forest, fell silent for a long while, then spoke: “I heard some amusing rumors down the mountain—have you heard them, Ding sister?”

Ding Yao blinked slightly, looking up at him: “What rumors did you hear?”

“Someone from Shanhai Pavilion, a Rongdao Realm cultivator, claimed he saw Ji You break your Lingjian Mountain Sword Forest.”

“Oh, so that’s it—I’ve heard that too…”

Min Cheng now gripped his sword: “Do you know how far he’s progressed? I’ll go check too—we’re nearly the same realm; if he can reach it, so can I.”

Ding Yao glanced at him: “He’s probably reached Elder Qi’s area now.”

Hearing this, Min Cheng fell silent for a moment, his smile freezing on his face; then he turned and descended the mountain.

Few on Lingjian Mountain had truly spoken with Ji You—he was one of them.

When those strange, off-key chants first echoed from the mountaintop, he’d already sensed a flicker of familiarity—but he’d simply refused to believe it.

But Ding Yao’s words just now had confirmed it beyond doubt.

She was a Lingjian Mountain disciple with personal grudges against Ji You—logically, she should have resisted this outcome even more than he had.

Yet since she said it, it must be true.

During these three days of Tianshu Academy’s challenge to Lingjian Mountain, Ji You—who had always hovered on the fringes of the affair and been scolded by his peers for lacking discipline—had slashed through Lingjian Mountain’s Sword Forest, leaving the entire mountain with an eerie atmosphere.

As for how he’d done it, he’d heard many theories on his way up.

Some said he’d clashed sixteen swords with [Xiao Chongshan], thereby comprehending Elder Qi’s sword Dao—yet outsiders lacked the sword-mind clarity to understand it.

The demon emperor’s son had not left either, gazing toward the Sword Forest with a half-smile on his face.

In truth, the moment Ji You had leapt into the air, Ye Han had already confirmed his identity; now, looking back, he found it deeply amusing.

He’d merely encountered the man casually on a Beijing street, and had even thought his judgment of human cultivator strength had been mistaken.

Only now did he realize he’d casually met someone of astonishing brilliance.

Min Cheng had already descended from Xuanjian Peak, walking silently toward the courtyard prepared for them by Lingjian Mountain; along the way, he passed the gate of You Buyu’s small courtyard.

After being flung from Wangjian Terrace, Tianshu Academy disciples had quickly carried him back to the courtyard, and he hadn’t stepped out since.

After losing both matches, they had no face left to show anyone.

He Lingxiu was now inside the courtyard, her brow deeply furrowed.

After taking the Jingling Pill, she had mostly recovered, her aura now much steadier.

Upon learning You Buyu had lost the second match, she’d already prepared to lead the disciples down the mountain.

But You Buyu’s injuries had surpassed her expectations—he remained unconscious, making departure impossible.

Yet with the noisy commotion outside, those inside kept their hearts in their throats.

After the first defeat, some Wenda Sect or Lingjian Mountain disciples had pretended to pass by, hurling sharp words with unhidden mockery.

They now worried these people might burst in and humiliate them beyond endurance.

They still couldn’t understand why You Buyu had lost so easily—but now they had to accept the reality.

So they sealed their spiritual senses to avoid hearing the infuriating rumors.

Yet what puzzled them was that although people often passed by the gate, none had ever come in to mock them.

Just then, a muffled groan came from inside the room, instantly tightening every Tianshu Academy disciple’s nerves.

You Buyu slowly opened his eyes on the bed, spat a thick clot of blood onto the floor beside him, and gasped for breath with ragged, urgent wheezes.

“Senior, you’re awake—how do you feel?”

“Leave the mountain—immediately!”

You Buyu clutched his chest, face twisted in agony, yet he snarled the words out.

He too had been pierced directly by sword qi under [Zhu Fa Ban Shen], but Zhuang You’s sword qi was far stronger than Yan Shujing’s, leaving his injuries extremely severe—combined with chaotic spiritual energy surging through him, he was in unbearable pain.

He Lingxiu couldn’t help frowning: “You’re in no condition to travel now.”

“Are we to stay here and keep losing face? Wang Yue, pack our things!”

“Senior, Ji You hasn’t returned, nor have Pei Ruyi and the others sent out to find him.”

You Buyu slammed his fist onto the bedframe: “Still not back? He really thinks breaking the Sword Forest means Lingjian Mountain will teach him sword arts? Has he lost all sense of shame?”

He Lingxiu frowned deeply, glancing toward the courtyard gate, her heart growing anxious.

Since waking, she’d learned from others that the Jingling Pill he’d taken was requested by Ji You from Lingjian Mountain—she felt grateful.

Yet even so, she couldn’t understand why Ji You, after already bringing such disgrace upon them, still lingered in the Sword Forest instead of returning.

Though You Buyu’s words were harsh, they made sense now.

He lost—but at least he fought for Tianshu Academy. Ji You fought only for personal gain.

It seemed Ji You truly didn’t consider himself a Tianshu Academy disciple, nor did he care a whit for its honor.

If Lingjian Mountain offered to teach him sword arts, he might even defect and join them outright.

Just then, a knock came at the door, instantly alerting everyone.

When they opened it and saw Pei Ruyi and the other three, they all exhaled in relief.

“Where’s Ji You? It’s this late—he still hasn’t returned from the Sword Forest? Is he really planning to join Lingjian Mountain as their disciple?”

Pei Ruyi spoke: “The Sword Forest is broken.”

He Lingxiu blinked: “How is that relevant to what I asked?”

“It was Brother Ji’s sword.”

“?”

At Pei Ruyi’s words, the courtyard fell utterly silent; brows furrowed, eyes narrowed, then suddenly widened—everyone turned to stare, not a sound in the air.

Wang Yue slammed his hand on the table: “What kind of joke is this now?”

Wen Zhengxin pointed outside: “It’s spread all over the mountain—go ask anyone.”

“Yan Shujing was trapped in the Sword Forest for days—how could he have broken it?”

“Actually, when the second match began, Brother Ji had already entered the third forest. Some say he’d prepared in advance—if Senior You lost, he’d smash the Sword Forest to restore a shred of Tianshu Academy’s honor.”

In truth, they’d heard all this from Zhuo Wanqiu on the mountain path—but at first they hadn’t believed it, so they’d waited there for him.

Only when more and more people began saying the same thing did they realize it was true, and hurried back.

Ban Yangshu couldn’t help speaking up: “The atmosphere at Lingjian Mountain is strange—they seem unwilling to loudly publicize our visit.”

Hearing this, You Buyu collapsed back onto his bed, silent. The others exchanged complex glances, looking away.

Two defeats, total loss of face—they never imagined the last shred of honor would be reclaimed by Ji You.

“Wasn’t it said he used sixteen swords just to receive the first forest’s blade?”

“If he’d received it with one sword, would Lingjian Mountain have let him keep going? Idiots!”

Long Xiandi wore a look of disdain, thinking: I knew it—I’m the only one who truly understands Brother Ji.

Hearing this, Wang Yue was stunned, then pressed his lips shut and said nothing.

(End of Chapter)