Chapter 154

The news of Seeing Ji You and Fang Ruoyao's return soon spread throughout Yuyang County.

So countless people couldn't help but gather at the Archway Street, the threshing floor in front of the Fang mansion, and in front of Old Qiu's house outside the city.

They usually didn't dare to look up at the immortals, but Seeing Ji You and Fang Ruoyao were both watched by these neighbors as they grew up, so the fear would be much less, far less than the deterrence of the Fengxian Villa.

And many people also got their wish and saw the returning Seeing Ji You.

In the afternoon, Kuang the scholar arrived at the Ji residence and invited Seeing Ji You to a banquet at his home, where everyone saw him once.

By the second day at the hour of the dragon, Seeing Ji You went to a noodle shop to eat noodles and was surrounded and watched once.

Afterward, he went to the Qiu family outside the city, and on the way, he was also stopped and watched by people for a long time.

Although they knew that Seeing Ji You was already an immortal on the mountain, many people couldn't see the difference between him and a mortal when Seeing Ji You's spiritual energy was restrained, just as if he had never left Yuyang.

During this period, Jia Sicong and Dong Wei mustered up the courage to go and strike up a conversation, and then were dragged by Seeing Ji You to treat them to a meal.

"I don't feel any difference, it's more like a bandit..."

Dong Wei nodded after hearing this: "Yeah, could it be that he didn't cultivate anything after entering the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan?"

Jia Sicong expressed agreement upon hearing this: "I saw Miss Fang yesterday, she was truly imposing. By comparison, this Seeing Ji You doesn't even have as much immortal aura as her."

"That's right, I just pretended to pat his shoulder inadvertently, and he didn't seem to move any immortal power."

"In this way, Seeing Ji You can only be considered to have just entered the immortal path now, and there is still a big gap compared to those immortal masters from the Fengxian Villa who are full of immortal aura."

Dong Wei couldn't help but lower his voice: "Don't talk nonsense about this. Even if there is a gap, Seeing Ji You is now an immortal, and killing you is not against the law."

As the two were talking, they saw four carriages coming toward Archway Street and stopping in front of the Ji residence.

They recognized the carriage in front; it was the carriage of the Yuyang County Magistrate.

Sure enough, as the carriage stopped steadily, the Yuyang County Magistrate got off the carriage at this time, and three old men got off the three carriages behind.

Dong Wei and Jia Sicong recognized at a glance that these were the three most venerable clan elders of the Fang family.

"Are they here to find Seeing Ji You?"

"It should be. Fang Ruoyao and Seeing Ji You are the only pair of practitioners who walked out of Yuyang County. That void marriage contract estimated that it would count again now."

Jia Sicong and Dong Wei's guess was indeed correct. This Yuyang County Magistrate Fang came here this time indeed for the marriage contract.

In his view, the two had walked out of this small county town together and had a marriage contract before. They had been alone outside for a year, so even if there had been a rift before, it was not impossible to repair.

So for the past year, he had been writing letters to his daughter, telling her to reconcile with Seeing Ji You and forget the past.

Both of them had immortal registers. If they could combine, the offspring born could also cultivate, so there would be no need to ask for quotas.

It was just that when Fang Zhongzheng asked about his daughter's situation, he found that his daughter didn't want to talk at all.

Helpless, Fang Zhongzheng could only come in person to probe Seeing Ji You's tone.

However, because of the forced cancellation of the marriage before, it was indeed not very good-looking. To show sincerity, Fang Zhongzheng invited the three clan elders in the family to come together, which could be considered as attaching importance to Seeing Ji You.

Bang bang bang, a knock on the door sounded, and Seeing Ji You opened the mansion gate.

He had just returned from the Yuyang County school. He had funded the construction of the school, and Old Master Chen was the instructor. The children of Yuyang County were all studying there now. As a result, he hadn't even sat down after returning when he was greeted by guests.

And what they said was not different from what Seeing Ji You expected; it was still for that marriage contract.

"That matter back then was actually my confusion, but it has nothing to do with Ruoyao. She has actually been thinking about you in her heart. If you want to blame someone, blame me."

"But then again, this is ultimately a good marriage."

"Back then, my Fang family and your Ji family could be considered family friends. It was because of the equal social status that the marriage contract was set for the two of you. Although it went through twists and turns, now that you are a student of the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan, and Yao'er is too, then it is equal social status again, isn't it?"

"Our Fengzhou is barren, and there are only a few families that know the bottom line. Ruoyao and you are indeed a match made in heaven. If you two return to Fengzhou in the future, both husband and wife are practitioners, and the offspring can also cultivate."

"In other words, if it's not Ruoyao, who else can you choose?"

"I heard that practitioners also have to talk about family status. You have been in the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan for a year, so you must understand much more than us. Not to mention those noble ladies who are high-minded and whether they can look down on us Fengzhou people, even if they can, it must be marrying into their family."

"The Ji family now only has you. If you really marry into their family, how should the incense of the Ji family be continued?"

Fang Zhongzheng's words were sincere, stating the benefits of marrying his daughter from various angles.

At this time, the first clan elder of the Fang family couldn't help but speak: "Seeing Ji You, you are now an immortal. By rights, I wouldn't dare to offend the immortal power and act as an elder, but you should also know clearly that I am sworn brothers with your grandfather, and you were also watched by me as you grew up."

The second clan elder couldn't help but nod: "The Ji family only has your lineage, so you must not cut off the incense."

Seeing Ji You was listening on the side at this time, then said: "I accept everyone's kindness, but Fang Ruoyao and I are indeed not suitable. If there was really a chance, it wouldn't have waited until now. Please go back."

"But I heard from Ruoyao that you have been avoiding her since you entered the academy and haven't truly gotten along, so how do you know you are not suitable?"

What Fang Ruoyao told Fang Zhongzheng was that she had never had a chance to speak with Seeing Ji You, and in Fang Zhongzheng's heart, it became that Seeing Ji You had been avoiding her.

In his view, this rift was still because of the forced cancellation of the marriage back then.

"Avoiding? There is no such thing. Besides, I already have a woman I like. Although a great man can have three wives and four concubines, the vision of my big one must be extremely high."

Magistrate Fang frowned suddenly: "Who is that woman? Is she also from the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan? Does she know you are Ruoyao's fiancé?"

As the words fell, Fang Zhongzheng instantly felt an oppression that made his heart tremble, as if a sharp sword was rising, and his whole body was pressed onto the table.

Seeing Ji You looked down, his eyes already cold: "Fang Ruoyao and I have nothing to do with each other. Magistrate Fang should know this best. Not to mention that the marriage has already been cancelled, even if it hadn't, when the Qiu family had an accident that day, your Fang family was standing by and watching. It is absolutely impossible for me and her."

"And you, old thing."

Seeing Ji You turned to look at the first clan elder: "Sworn brothers? Where were you when the Ji family was in trouble? I didn't kill you because I didn't want to be like other practitioners who treat mortal lives as grass, but now that I've said all the nice words, I'm already a bit annoyed."

The first clan elder held his breath: "You..."

"Get out, don't force me to send you to the sky."

Without more words, Magistrate Fang stood up immediately and hurried away with the three clan elders.

And until they returned to the Fang mansion, Magistrate Fang's heart was still lingering with fear, as if there was still a sword hanging on his neck that hadn't been taken away.

"It seems that the outside world is truly prosperous, and this Ji family boy has been dazzled."

Returning to the front hall of the Fang family, the three clan elders were angry because of fear and slammed their canes hard on the ground: "Rude, truly rude! I am sworn brothers with his grandfather after all!"

Magistrate Fang took a deep breath: "Over the years, the only cold-door disciples who could enter the immortal sect were him and our Yao'er. If he doesn't want to marry into a side-door noble family, he will definitely regret it."

The first clan elder of the Fang family turned his head upon hearing this: "His attitude today is so bad, even if he regrets it later, my Fang family must absolutely not agree to this marriage!"

Magistrate Fang pinched his sleeves upon hearing this: "That's right, Yao'er is a daughter, marrying into a noble family is far better than this kind of marriage!"

"Father, what are you saying?"

"!"

Fang Ruoyao came from the back hall at this time, her eyes wide: "You went to find Seeing Ji You? Didn't I tell you not to go!"

Magistrate Fang raised his head upon hearing this, and after a long silence, he spoke: "Yao'er, you are a woman. I know some things are hard for you to take the initiative to say, so I thought I would say it. Who knew that boy really didn't know what was good for him!"

"Seeing Ji You entered the inner courtyard. He doesn't look down on me. I didn't want to tell you because I didn't know how to speak!"

"Inner courtyard?"

Fang Zhongzheng raised his head after hearing this, his expression full of astonishment.

Although he was not a practitioner, he also knew that the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan had a distinction between the inner courtyard and the outer courtyard. It was said that only those with excellent talent had the opportunity to enter the inner courtyard.

But just like the Xiang Prefect family in Danshui Commandery, such an empty description actually couldn't let Fang Zhongzheng know the value of this sentence.

"Even if he entered the inner courtyard, he was once your fiancé after all. With this relationship, the distance between you and him should be much closer than others. If he doesn't choose you, who else can he choose?"

"There are naturally many he can choose."

"The Azure Cloud World talks about status. Could it be that the one he chooses can be more equal in social status than you?"

Fang Ruoyao smiled miserably: "Equal in social status? Father thinks too highly of the Fang family. Do you know that even the Princess in the current Great Xia Chong Prince's Mansion wants to marry him, and there is also that eldest daughter of the Lu family in Yunzhou that I often mention in my letters, who also sent a bellyband waiting for Seeing Ji You's response? I can't even line up."

The smile on Fang Zhongzheng's face gradually disappeared, and he sat on the stool in astonishment, unable to recover for a while.

Living in Fengzhou, Magistrate Fang was indeed a bit more like a frog in a well, not understanding what an inner courtyard was, nor what status was.

Until his daughter mentioned the Chong Prince and the word Princess, he, who was in the officialdom, vaguely understood Seeing Ji You's current position.

But why?

Magistrate Fang was confused for a long time, and when his daughter's words followed, he realized that his imagination was truly not big enough.

"After Seeing Ji You entered the inner courtyard, he obtained the qualification to establish a noble family. I followed them all the way, and three commandery prefects have already paid homage to him."

"Three commandery prefects... why?"

Fang Ruoyao pursed her red lips: "The Azure Cloud World puts immortal power above all else, and Fengzhou has no immortal sects or noble families. After Seeing Ji You establishes the first local noble family in Fengzhou, according to the Azure Cloud Immortal Rules, he is the true master of Fengzhou, managing all resources here, including tax offerings and cultivation quotas."

Fang Zhongzheng's brain buzzed: "Our Fengzhou still has countless immortal villas!"

"According to the same immortal rules, those outsider immortal villas must either move away or belong to his governance."

"What about powerful immortal villas like the Fengxian Villa?"

In Fang Zhongzheng's eyes, the Fengxian Villa was the most powerful cultivation force he had ever seen.

The previous Yuyang County Magistrate had once been asked to act like a dog for seven days because the tax offerings were sent a few days late, only then exchanging for his life.

So Magistrate Fang really wanted to know, could it be that even a powerful immortal villa like the Fengxian Villa was also...?

Fang Ruoyao glanced at her father: "If that kind of immortal villa were still there, maybe the villa master would have already come in person to smile and curry favor with the Ji family..."

【If you return to Fengzhou, offspring can also cultivate】

【Even if you don't choose Ruoyao, it can only be marrying into their family. How to continue the incense?】

At this moment, the withered hands of the three clan elders holding their canes became weak and powerless.

They, like Jia Sicong and Dong Wei, had seen Seeing Ji You these past few days and felt that he was ordinary, seemingly without any immortal power, and because they watched him grow up, they put on the posture of elders.

In their view, Seeing Ji You and their own Yao'er were both immortals, and there might not be much difference.

But until this moment, they realized that the returning youth was just polite, but his status was already worlds apart.

They didn't even dare to raise their heads when facing the Fengxian Villa, trembling all over, and according to what Fang Ruoyao said, the Fengxian Villa didn't dare to act presumptuously in front of Seeing Ji You.

"How could it be like this? Is the immortal he cultivates not the same as yours?"

Fang Ruoyao bit her silver teeth: "Because I am not a genius."

Magistrate Fang held his breath: "Then Seeing Ji You is a genius?"

"No, he is not either."

"Then why can he reach such a level?"

Fang Ruoyao looked at the clouds and sky outside the window: "Because the two words 'genius' are just the threshold to see him."

Fang Zhongzheng: "..."

"Father, you are lucky. You didn't watch him step by step with sword Qi toward the sky like your daughter, hating him for climbing higher and higher while you were powerless."

Fang Ruoyao bit her red lips until they were bloodless in the front hall: "This is all your fault. When I insisted on cancelling the marriage, why didn't you stop me!"

Yuyang County was not big, and some things could spread in less than half a day, just like the child of the Qiu family who was about to be caught for refining medicine back then.

There were scholars here who loved to carry water for widows and guide the blind, so some things would naturally spread.

So in the evening, news about the Princess in the capital and the noble family daughter lining up to marry Seeing Ji You, as well as the fact that the tax offerings in Fengzhou would likely be controlled by Seeing Ji You, gradually spread to every household.

And many people who heard this news were actually confused.

They couldn't imagine how, after only one year, that harmless person who looked like a scholar had already become so high and mighty.

【Didn't cultivate anything?】

【Just entered the immortal path, there is still a gap compared to the immortal masters of the Fengxian Villa】

【Not as immortal as Miss Fang】

Jia Sicong looked at his palm that had patted Seeing Ji You's shoulder and muttered: "I probably won't wash my hands for the rest of my life."

And at this time, after the Fang family left, Seeing Ji You had already headed to the Qiu family and was sitting at the table eating lunch.

The Qiu family couple also heard the rumors and looked at the young master in front of them, not knowing what to say for a while.

"Young Master."

"Hmm?"

"They said that if you establish a noble family, many things in Fengzhou will have to listen to you. Your words will be more useful than the Provincial Governor. Is this true or false?"

Seeing Ji You broke off a piece of cornmeal bun and fed it to Qiu Ru, rubbing her little head: "Old Qiu, you are really destined to be a housekeeper."

Hearing this, Qiu Zhong instantly held his breath.

"Before, you managed the Ji family. Soon, you will help me manage the stronghold."

"Eh, isn't it a noble family?"

"Aren't a noble family and a stronghold the same thing?"

(End of chapter)