Chapter 152: Lord of Fengzhou

The next morning, the Tian Shu Academy group decided to set out for Guiyun County to meet another student.

But before departing, he still sent Ji You to see Xiang Fu once more.

Because he thought Ji You looked so elegant and refined, perhaps he could change the girl’s mind.

“If he refuses, you gently pull open your robe, just like that day…”

“You have so many fiancées, you surely don’t need me to teach you—maybe you should even tone it down, lest you scare the girl.”

“?”

Ji You thought: Are you trying to kill me? Don’t you know how much more painful it is when someone from Wujiang Realm kicks you?

Yet when Cao Jingsong tossed two taels of silver onto the table, he still couldn’t resist using his looks as leverage—but received no favorable response.

Because Xiang Fu truly favored the Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion, and upon hearing yesterday that this group intended to seize the Luoyue Immortal Villa, she held them in deep contempt.

In her eyes, the Luoyue Villa, where she had grown up, was her second home; now these people wanted to seize it, so they could hardly be good.

“I won’t join Tian Shu Academy, and I advise you not to lay claim to the Luoyue Immortal Villa.”

Ji You looked at Xiang Fu: “That place sits empty—it’s a waste. Besides, according to Qingyun Immortal Rules, I am entitled to use any residence.”

Xiang Fu lifted her gaze: “So the one who wanted to seize my Luoyue Immortal Villa is you? To frame seizing someone’s home as something noble—how laughable.”

“For Fengzhou, the Luoyue Immortal Villa is the true usurper of this land.”

Xiang Xuan, standing just outside the door, couldn’t help but frown.

Though he favored the Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion, he didn’t wish to offend Tian Shu Academy, so he considered sending a servant inside to tell Xiang Fu to simply make clear she had no intention of joining Tian Shu Academy.

But at that moment, a servant named Fusheng rushed in from outside, panicked.

“Master, someone has come to call.”

Xiang Xuan’s expression changed: “Could it be the people from Bai Xia Immortal Villa returning?”

The servant immediately shook his head: “Not Bai Xia Immortal Villa—it’s Liu, the Inspector of Fengzhou, accompanied by his only son, Liu Jianbei. He says he wishes to pay respects to the Tian Shu Academy immortals.”

“?”

The Inspector is a provincial official with the rank of Censor, holding higher authority than my position as Governor.

Moreover, Inspector Liu An is closely tied to Minister Wei of the imperial court—he’s even considered one of his disciples.

A few days ago, the Emperor’s new policies took effect, establishing the Si Xian Jian, exploiting the chaos within the cultivation world to strip Minister Wei of power, causing major upheaval.

Liu An had just returned from visiting Minister Wei in the capital, and it’s been less than two days since his return.

Xiang Xuan didn’t understand why he had rushed over so urgently, specifically requesting to meet the Tian Shu Academy immortals, but he still stepped out to greet him with a bow.

“Brother Xiang, I arrived in haste without prior notice—I truly intrude.”

“Inspector Liu, don’t speak so modestly—even if you hadn’t come, I planned to pay my respects.”

“Brother Xiang, you’re too courteous, but I assume you already know my purpose. May I ask where the senior immortals of Tian Shu Academy are now?”

“I’ve arranged for them to stay in the eastern wing.”

“Excellent. Then I’ll take my son to pay his respects.”

Xiang Xuan glanced toward the eastern wing: “Shall I accompany you to introduce them?”

Inspector Liu immediately waved his hand: “No need—I’ll take my son myself.”

After watching the father and son depart, Xiang Xuan stood in the courtyard, frowning once more.

Ordinary officials visiting mountain immortals was not unusual; though Qingyun’s Nine Provinces all belonged to the Great Xia Empire, everyone knew immortal authority far surpassed imperial power.

But Liu An, like himself, favored the Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion—so why had Liu An rushed here in the dead of night, bringing his only son?

After long contemplation, Xiang Xuan turned to the servant: “Fusheng, brew tea and take it over.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Listen to what they’re saying, then report back to me.”

After giving his orders, Xiang Xuan sat in the courtyard of the eastern wing, waiting as Fusheng brought the tea.

But he didn’t rush inside—he waited outside the door.

Because entering now would only yield polite small talk; he needed to wait a while longer to catch something useful.

Yet during the wait, the door of the eastern wing suddenly swung open from within.

Liu An’s son stepped out, seemingly seeking something, but upon seeing Fusheng outside, he paused, then gestured for him to enter.

Xiang Xuan lifted his teacup, staring for a long time, utterly perplexed.

After a long while, Fusheng emerged from the room, the tea tray now empty.

“What were they saying inside?”

“Liu’s son just offered tea to Immortal Cao and formally became a disciple of Tian Shu Academy…”

Xiang Xuan’s mouth fell open—he stared, stunned: “You’re certain? You heard that clearly?”

Fusheng nodded immediately: “Just now, Liu’s son came out specifically to fetch tea to offer his master.”

“?”

Governor Xiang gripped his teacup, sinking into deep thought, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Inspector Liu An had always been a master of diplomacy and cunning; he knew better than Xiang Xuan how Fengzhou was fragmented among countless immortal villas, with Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion holding stronger influence due to its geographical advantage.

From the perspective of immortal sects or millennia-old clans, impoverished Fengzhou was perhaps far less significant than the other eight provinces.

But for ordinary families like theirs, who had lived in Fengzhou for generations, Fengzhou was their world—and thus worth every effort to cultivate.

So he couldn’t fathom why Liu An would suddenly abandon Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion and so urgently seek entry into Tian Shu Academy.

Xiang Xuan racked his brain but found no answer—then saw his wife approaching from the front courtyard, holding a letter.

“Husband, your brother wrote.”

“Oh? What’s it about?”

Xiang’s wife looked strangely: “He says he wants Fu’er to join Tian Shu Academy.”

Xiang’s wife’s maiden name was Wen; her elder brother was an Elder of an immortal villa in Fengzhou, also trained under Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion.

So for her brother to urge his daughter to join Tian Shu Academy was utterly baffling.

Xiang Xuan stared, dumbfounded: “Did he say why?”

“He says a local noble family will rise in Fengzhou’s future—and that person will come from Tian Shu Academy.”

“...”

At that moment, in the governor’s mansion, Cao Jingsong accepted tea from Inspector Liu’s son; Xiang Xuan, with his wife, read the letter in the eastern wing; and Ji You rose from before Xiang Fu, preparing to leave.

Beauty was useless.

This girl regarded the Luoyue Villa as her second home; anyone not from Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion was a usurper.

She had never considered that foreign immortal sects coming to establish villas here, consuming the people’s offerings, were the true exploiters.

[Go see my newly seized residence.]

Xiang Fu also stood, watching him depart, a trace of revulsion crossing her brow.

When she first met Ji You, she thought him elegant and ethereal; though she couldn’t gauge his cultivation base, she assumed he was slightly higher than herself—and had felt some fondness.

Especially after learning he was also from Fengzhou, she imagined that after five years, when he left the immortal sect and returned to Fengzhou, they might become cultivation partners.

But she never expected such a handsome face concealed such a grasping heart.

Xiang Fu left the side hall and entered the eastern wing to find her parents; her father sat at the table, reading a letter, his expression complex.

“Father.”

Xiang Xuan snapped back: “Where’s Ji You?”

Xiang Fu plopped down at the table: “I just learned—Tian Shu Academy wants my Luoyue Immortal Villa. It was all his idea.”

Xiang’s wife glanced at her daughter: “Actually, he is entitled to use that residence.”

“?”

Xiang Xuan gripped the letter: “Fu’er, you’ve always wanted to join Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion, and I supported you—but now I urge you to reconsider. Join Tian Shu Academy.”

Xiang Fu froze: “Why?”

Xiang Xuan extended his hand, offering the letter.

Her uncle’s letter didn’t just urge her to join Tian Shu Academy—it also contained information on Ji You.

A rural self-cultivator from Yuyang County, who should have been executed—but at under twenty, he completed the Three Lower Realms and was admitted into Tian Shu Academy by special decree.

That same year, he crushed the second son of the Chu family underfoot and attained enlightenment on the Heavenly Book before all witnesses.

The following January, within Qiling, he slew a Rong Dao cultivator with his sword, rescuing the Danzong’s direct disciples and a group of Tian Shu Academy students.

Later, he sought the Dao at Lingjian Mountain, shattered the Sword Forest, and mastered Lingjian Mountain’s sword art.

In the autumn of Taiyuan’s first year, during Tian Shu Academy’s Autumn Duel, he shattered the second son of the Chu family’s hand bones, entered the Inner Court, and earned the qualification to establish a noble family.

Xiang Fu’s eyes widened further—each word on the letter was familiar, yet together they felt unreal.

For families like theirs, ordinary officials, their daily contact was mostly with immortal villas; even higher noble families were nearly inaccessible.

Over the years, the Xiang family had spent countless resources on elixirs and spirit stones for their daughter, frequently paying tribute to Luoyue Villa, just to raise their only child with cultivation potential to the point of entering an immortal sect—a feat once unimaginable.

But according to this letter, this man could sway the heavens even within the immortal sects.

The Chu family…

What kind of force was the Chu family?

Even though they were isolated in Fengzhou, they knew the Chu family were the true masters of Youzhou.

He had shattered the Chu family’s second son’s hand bones and entered the Inner Court.

Xiang Xuan finally understood why Bai Xia Immortal Villa had refused to clash with him yesterday—even abandoned its long-coveted residence and left.

Because the prodigy described in this letter was born in Yuyang County, Fengzhou—he was a native of Fengzhou.

That meant the future ruler of this land would not be the foreign immortal villas, nor the provincial governor.

The young man who stayed at his mansion for one night is the true lord of Fengzhou.

Why did Inspector Liu suddenly break tradition and bring his son to join the Heavenly Book Academy? Because he knew the balance of Fengzhou would change because of it.

If a local aristocratic family rises here, the foreign Immortal Villa will lose all voice.

At this moment, Xiang Fu had finished reading the letter, and before her eyes appeared the figure of the man as he left—her gaze filled with disbelief.

Those of lower realms cannot confirm the rank of those in higher realms.

Moreover, Ji You has never fought here.

What filled her with disbelief was not merely the rumors about the man in the letter, but that he had already entered the Upper Five Realms.

What shocked her most was that he had once been nothing but a rural self-cultivator from a fallen landowning family.

Living within their own small patch of land, everyone believes they are the protagonist—just as Fang Ruoyao once did in Yuyang County.

When she learned she had secured a place in the Heavenly Book Academy, she already possessed “immortal bearing” before even entering a sect; even her father Fang Zhongzheng spoke to her with caution.

But after leaving Yuyang and entering the Heavenly Book Academy, she realized the true protagonist had always been the fiancé she had desperately tried to abandon.

Yesterday’s Xiang Fu had the same mindset as Fang Ruoyao in Yuyang County.

She had long decided to join the Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion, but seeing the Heavenly Book Academy also vying for him, she naturally felt a touch of pride.

Today’s Xiang Fu resembles Fang Ruoyao after entering the Heavenly Book Academy and seeing the truth—finally understanding what a true protagonist is.

Xiang Xuan watched his daughter’s expression, knew she had finished reading the letter, then rose and led her toward the eastern wing.

Cao Jingsong had just finished drinking Liu Jianbei’s tea and saw the Xiang father and daughter approaching; he understood at once.

“Fengzhou is isolated; perhaps no one yet knows of Brother Ji’s deeds. But I don’t understand why the instructor didn’t speak up first.”

“It would destroy their Dao heart.”

Pei Ruyi blinked in surprise: “Destroy their Dao heart?”

Cao Jingsong stroked his long beard: “If they enter the academy aiming for Ji You, in the end they will see only despair—just like Chu He did.”

(I had a fever yesterday, my head was foggy, but since I’d already fallen behind by two thousand words the day before, I didn’t dare take a day off—I pushed through and wrote anyway, ending up with a mountain of typos, far worse than usual, severely affecting the reading experience; please forgive me.)

(End of chapter)