Chapter 162: Ji Village

Robbery is my profession; cultivation is merely a course taken to improve my success rate.

The goal of this course is to reduce occupational risk and make clients more cooperative.

So Sister Pei was right—back then I was forced to take a year-long detour, but now everything has returned to the right path.

Looking back, the old physician I met in Zhongzhou's Ningcheng County really wasn't wrong.

Staying in the immortal sect might have brought greater rewards.

Now I've got land, cattle and horses, and a mansion too.

Together we'll cultivate and harvest; when spring sows one grain and autumn reaps ten thousand, we're bound to get rich.

Of course, if some unruly immortal estates refuse to serve us as beasts of burden and still try to cause trouble, we'll turn them into clients and treat them properly.

The road ahead is clearly rising steadily.

But Ji You has no intention of staying long in Fengzhou—he still needs to go back and endure the old man.

Moreover, if his clan truly wishes to endure, it's tied to his cultivation realm—the stronger he becomes, the more stable his clan stands, and the more clients he attracts.

Otherwise, even if he succeeds in establishing this clan, the prestigious families won't let Fengzhou remain in his hands forever.

Ji You pondered, holding a strange force in his hand, circling back and forth across his left palm, fluctuating between strong and weak.

The Dao requires gradual progress, but there's still one matter to consider: Shengsheng Buxi.

But…

It's hard to bring up; I need the right opportunity.

Before Ji You's eyes flashed a pair of pale, delicate feet, then he snapped back to reality and began writing rapidly at his desk.

The sky had grown heavy, darkening the room; the few who had signed their indentures were drinking tea and turned to look as Ji You wrote.

"Young master, who are you writing to?"

Bai Ru turned and said confidently: "Definitely to his fiancées—he's telling them he now has a home, a thousand hectares of good land, cattle and horses ready, and to hurry over for Shengsheng Buxi…"

Ban Yangshu couldn't help placing his hand on the table: "Ru Long, your family is truly wealthy."

Pei Ruyi spoke up: "I think the young master is notifying acquaintances that the clan has been established—tell them to prepare their gift silver quickly."

Cao Jingsong put down his teacup, stroked his beard, and nodded: "That guess makes sense."

Ji You finished the letter, glanced at them, thought, What nonsense, then handed it to the household servant to deliver to Yuyang County.

Five days after news of Ji Clan's establishment in Fengzhou spread, the autumn wind sighed and rain fell like silk.

Raindrops struck the gray tiles, trickled down, met the gaps between the bricks, and carved tiny depressions into the ground.

A caravan departed from Yuyang County and, after a long journey, arrived at Fengzhou Prefecture.

The first cart carried the scholar Kuangcheng; the second, Old Qiu and his family of three; the third, the Fang father and daughter; the last, Master Chen and several children from Yuyang County.

Kuangcheng, the Qiu family, and Master Chen came upon receiving the letter; the Fangs had not been invited but couldn't resist following.

After three days of travel, the group had endured emotional highs and lows; though weary, their eyes shone brightly.

When the carts passed the ten thousand hectares of fertile land outside Fengzhou Prefecture and saw the countless crescent moon blades flying through the fields, their expressions mirrored those of Wen Zhengxin and Ban Yangshu.

"Those immortal lords…?"

"They're harvesting wheat…"

"What exactly has the young master done…?"

The dozen or so people exchanged glances, then were led into the mansion by Fengzhou's servants.

Ji You came from the eastern wing and saw Qiu Ru dash toward him, splashing through the still-damp courtyard tiles, then throw her arms around his legs, squealing, "Young master!"

Seeing this, the Fang father and daughter's expressions darkened.

They could already foresee that in a few years, Qiu Ru would likely become an immortal sect disciple—and no matter her talent, she would inevitably be rich and noble.

But that richness and nobility should have come to their Fang family through marriage.

Kuangcheng looked at Ji You and bowed deeply: "Yuyang—no, Fengzhou—will have no more Elder Care Hall."

Ji You raised his thumb: "Good."

"I heard you encountered an attack when entering the prefectural city?"

"Not an attack—it was outright murder. They just used the excuse of bandits in the mountains, but they never expected that sometimes what you say comes true."

Ji You picked up Qiu Ru and recounted the events of that night to Kuangcheng; even without details, it sent chills through everyone present.

Because seeing Ji You's calm demeanor, they hadn't imagined it had been so dangerous.

Kuangcheng clenched his teeth: "These outsider immortal estates really have no sense of decency."

"Human nature is like this, but it doesn't matter—rob a few more times and they'll become much kinder."

"?"

Qiu Zhong couldn't help asking: "Young master, what are those people doing out there harvesting wheat?"

Ji You placed a finger to his lips, signaling silence: "Though it looks like harvesting wheat, they're actually practicing sword arts—don't go spreading rumors. Come, I'll show you my new mansion."

After the five immortal estates vacated, five mansions near Fengzhou Prefecture stood empty; by rule, Ji You had the right to use them.

The group arrived at Fuyan Mountain Estate; from afar, they saw towering pavilions, carved dragons and phoenixes, testifying to the mansion's grandeur.

Fengzhou had no shortage of land, meaning these immortal lords could build as large as they pleased.

If this mansion were in another province, its splendor would rival that of a clan—no wonder those estates refused to leave even without tribute.

Kuangcheng turned his gaze back to Ji You: "On the way, didn't you already take over Luoyue Mountain Estate?"

Ji You nodded: "But this one's larger. The governor suggested I place my residence closer to Fengzhou Prefecture—it's nearer to Changning Ferry, more convenient for travel. I agree."

"It seems the governor understands the supremacy of immortal authority and is eager to cling to your clan."

Regarding Ji You's choice of location, officials at every level in Fengzhou had their own designs.

After all, this was Fengzhou's first clan; proximity meant future benefits for their own families.

In the other eight provinces, many families rose to prominence by clinging to millennia-old clans.

So after the five estates left, He Zhang personally invited Ji You to tour this place.

Ji You understood He Zhang's intentions clearly and, after consideration, agreed this location was suitable.

From here, a carriage could reach Changning Ferry in half a day; an immortal ship could reach Shengjing in half a day—convenient enough.

Though immortal authority reigns supreme in Qingyun, Fengzhou Prefecture remains the heart of Fengzhou—its information flow and response speed are faster than those of subordinate Danshui Commandery.

Ji You stepped forward and led the group into the former Fuyan Mountain Estate.

Inside, white jade pathways flanked dense cypress groves; further in lay a lush garden and boundless pond, connected by covered bridges, with a pavilion at its center.

The main hall stood behind the pond; the eastern and western courtyards had once housed disciples but now stood empty.

Qiu's couple stared, mouths agape; the Fang father and daughter trembled inwardly.

After Fengxian Estate left Yuyang, some bold souls had peeked inside—but compared to this, it was a hovel.

"Old Qiu."

"Young master."

Ji You looked at him: "This is now the new Ji Clan. You'll remain steward. I've already informed the governor that after I return to the Heavenly Book Academy, you'll handle Fengzhou's tax and tribute—after years as my steward, this shouldn't be difficult for you."

Qiu Zhong looked up, his expression fearful.

He had been Ji Clan's steward, yes—but only for a landowner's household in Yuyang County; now he'd manage tax and tribute across all of Fengzhou.

But Ji You had no better option. As others said, he was alone; the people he could truly trust were few.

And he was terrible with numbers.

That's why Qingyun Continent treats "Shengsheng Buxi" as nearly as vital as cultivation.

In a land where every corner brims with Liyidouzheng, blood ties remain the most direct and reliable bond—no matter how strong one becomes, there are always limits.

Kuangcheng frowned: "Brother Ji, Fengzhou is calmer now, but other immortal estates still watch hungrily. Old Qiu is a mortal—entrusting him with such a massive responsibility risks danger."

"No problem—Sister Pei has decided to stay. She'll watch over this place; with her Rongdao realm, nothing will go awry."

"Sister Pei won't return to the Heavenly Book Academy?"

Ji You nodded: "She thought long and hard; only yesterday did she hint at it. I was surprised at first, but upon reflection, it makes sense."

Pei Ruyi is native to Fengzhou, born into an official family, and gained entry to the Heavenly Book Academy through a quota.

But she failed to enter the inner academy and lacks an immortal clan behind her—like Ji You, she has no place to go.

After her five-year term, she joined the Administration Office to remain at the academy, rising from runner to admissions officer; though called Chief of the Outer Academy, she knows it means little.

Especially after the Qiling incident, she felt even less value in staying at the academy.

So when they journeyed into Fengzhou Prefecture, Pei Ruyi finally knew where her true home lay.

Ji You took in seventy-two adopted sons and daughters in Yuyang County—a clever ploy at the time—but now, with his status changed, she felt she'd found a more fitting role.

She plans to stay at Ji Clan as a tutor.

Qingyun's immortal laws have no clear rule on whether adopted sons and daughters may cultivate.

Moreover, Fengzhou is vast and sparsely populated; few truly abide by Qingyun's laws—otherwise Yecheng Mountain wouldn't be littered with corpses.

A year ago in Yuyang, she saw Qiu Ru and knew that after Ji You's prolonged spiritual energy nourishment, the girl would walk her cultivation path smoothly.

Other children had also been subtly nourished by Ji You—they too might achieve something.

Ji You welcomed Sister Pei's decision wholeheartedly—now someone was watching over his home, he could leave in peace to endure the old man at the Heavenly Book Academy.

Hearing Ji You's explanation, Kuangcheng understood: "So that's why you invited Master Chen?"

"Exactly. During those days in Yuyang, I attended several of Master Chen's lectures. He's a bit rigid, but he teaches loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness well."

Ji You turned and saw an old man stroking his beard, strolling calmly through the mansion with a group of children.

This was Master Chen—around sixty, slender, a rigid old scholar.

Ji the Bandit has had many masters: Cao Jingsong, who brought him into the sect; Qi Zhengyang, who taught him sword arts.

But the first who taught him to understand the world was this Master Chen.

At this moment, Master Chen stepped in from the courtyard, tilting his head to point at the plaque: "Ji You, there's a mistake on your gate plaque. The character for 'residence' and the character for 'bandit stronghold' sound similar, but they're not the same character."

"That's right—it's a phonetic loan character."

"?"

Master Chen stared at the two characters "Ji Zhai" on the plaque, pondered for a long while, then stroked his long beard: "Hmm. Interesting."

Xiang Kuangcheng also spotted the "phonetic loan character" and turned to Ji You: "With such a large stronghold, Brother Ji, you might really need a formidable Lady Bandit to keep order—otherwise, trouble will brew in your inner quarters."

"A formidable one? I have full confidence in her."

Just then, the clear sky above suddenly rumbled faintly with thunder, as if rain were coming again.

Everyone looked up at the sky, then down again—and saw Master Chen had already hurried to the covered corridor, leaning against a pillar, ready to dodge the rain.

But thunder doesn't always bring rain. Master Chen poked his head out again from the corridor, gazing for a long while at the gloomy heavens.

Ji You looked at Master Chen: "Still as timid as ever?"

Xiang Kuangcheng nodded: "Always has been."

Then the governor's steward arrived, saying the Governor had prepared a banquet at his residence and invited several of them to come again to Fengzhou Mansion as a gesture of goodwill.

So the group left Ji Zhai and went to He Zhang's residence.

Qiu Ru couldn't stop eating; at such a young age, her appetite was insatiable.

She adored chicken legs, yet each time she ate only one, then tearfully saved the other for the Young Master—her mouth watering as she did so, her inner struggle laid bare.

Cao Jingsong watched her and couldn't help speaking: "It seems Qiu Ru has reached the age for spirit awakening."

Pei Ruyi responded: "When my junior brother and the instructor return to the Heavenly Book Academy, I'll teach her to sense primordial spiritual energy and help her awaken."

A child's voracious appetite signals a phase of rapid growth and development, during which the body stabilizes considerably. At this stage, primordial spiritual energy is most active, and the body is sufficiently resilient to absorb external spiritual energy—making it the ideal time for spirit awakening.

In other noble families, children are typically awakened at this age.

This little girl had grown up enduring hardship with Qiu Zhong, never even tasting meat—but now her starting point was no worse than that of any noble child.

"But I don't want to cultivate."

"?"

Qiu Ru blinked her eyes, looking at her aunts and uncles, and spoke in a childish voice: "All cultivators are bad people. I want to be a bandit with the Young Master—we'll eat meat and drink wine!"

At this, everyone at the table turned to look at Ji You, who was earnestly eating, their expressions strangely uneasy.

Ji You looked up at them, thinking: What's wrong? I've raised her well, haven't I? Look at this ambition. Then he handed her the chicken leg: "Eat. You'll be Fengzhou's first female bandit queen."

Qiu Ru's mouth watered profusely; the dream of being a bandit was deeply etched into her heart.

After the banquet ended, everyone rose and dispersed. Xiang Kuangcheng was called by Ji You to the eastern wing where he currently stayed.

His room wasn't tidy, but it wasn't messy either—everything inside consisted of documents and scrolls, scattered across the bed and desk, many already turned through.

Ji You selected several volumes and handed them to the scholar.

"What are these?"

"All official documents, household registers, and records of immortal estates establishing themselves in Fengzhou over the years."

Xiang Kuangcheng blinked in surprise: "Did Master He send these?"

Ji You nodded: "He said that though I'm merely establishing a family here, I should understand tax obligations and immortal estate matters clearly—so even if I'm far away at the Heavenly Book Academy, I'll still have a clear picture."

Xiang Kuangcheng couldn't help raising his head and sighing wryly: "Nowadays, the officials of Great Xia have truly become tools serving the immortal clans."

These documents were forbidden by Great Xia law from being disclosed to anyone except the Governor, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Emperor himself.

Yet this explicit regulation now seemed meaningless.

Xiang Kuangcheng opened the yellow register in his hands and studied it closely; his brow slowly furrowed.

The so-called yellow register was the household census used to determine tax levies—the annual headcount cited after autumn harvests in Yuyang County originated from this.

Every five years, or whenever the imperial era name changed, regional officials would survey and verify the population within their jurisdiction.

All registered individuals were recorded, then distributed to each prefecture as official vouchers—each head counted as a unit of tribute, converted into tax rates, and regarded by immortal sects, noble families, and immortal estates as a source of tribute.

Corresponding to the yellow register was the so-called immortal registry.

Millions toiling under the yellow register sustained the immortal beings listed in the immortal registry, allowing them to cultivate without distraction, then laugh and ascend.

"May I ask, Brother Ji, which year is this yellow register from?"

"This year's."

Xiang Kuangcheng froze, then remembered that this year had seen an era name change—requiring a new yellow register to be compiled.

He picked up the earlier volume he'd examined and flipped through it again.

This was the one from three years ago, the first year of Taiwu. As he read, his expression grew grave.

According to the population figures recorded, in just three years, Fengzhou's four million people had plummeted by nearly twenty percent.

A closer look revealed entire villages listed in the register had vanished entirely—no one left—not even a single soul—despite no natural disaster having occurred.

Ji You had already reviewed this yellow register last night and found it horrifying.

For the past half-year, cultivators had been muttering about an impending chaotic age, about anomalous human destiny.

But for the common folk, this world had always been chaotic—even a dying world.

"I know you investigated Wei Li's corruption case involving tax tribute. You must have seen yellow registers from other prefectures. I want to know—is this normal?"

Xiang Kuangcheng frowned slightly: "In Wei Li's case, I reviewed the Zhongzhou yellow register—the population there was also declining. These past years, warfare has raged beyond Han Tie Pass, noble families have grown larger, so both taxes and tribute have grown heavier. Perhaps that's why the people struggle to survive?"

Ji You fell silent for a long while, then picked up another document and handed it to him: "There's another matter I'm concerned about."

"What is it?"

"The number of immortal estates in Fengzhou has surprised me."

Xiang Kuangcheng flipped through it and found that while immortal estates had long been establishing themselves in Fengzhou, their total number had remained unchanged.

Though the number had been increasing, the total hadn't changed—meaning some had disappeared.

Before Qiudou, Xiang Kuangcheng had returned once to Yuyang County and brought news that Fengxian Immortal Estate had relocated; later, on their way back to Fengzhou, they heard that Luoyue Immortal Estate had also moved.

But now it seemed Fengxian and Luoyue weren't isolated cases.

Had this not happened, Ji You's plan to establish a family in Fengzhou might have been even harder.

"When Fengxian Immortal Estate moved, I didn't think it strange—but when Luoyue moved too, it seemed too coincidental. Only after seeing these records did I realize it wasn't just those two."

Xiang Kuangcheng pondered: "Could they have feared your reputation and fled early?"

Ji You's lips twitched: "A year ago, I was still a pitiful rejected fiancé, Old Kuang. Do you think that makes sense?"

"But I don't understand—why do you think this is suspicious?"

"Because someone once told me: when coincidences pile up, it's no longer coincidence."

Xiang Kuangcheng couldn't help shaking his head—he couldn't make sense of it either.

He wasn't a cultivator, so he understood even less about cultivator affairs, let alone immortal estates.

Compared to that, he cared more about the declining population of Fengzhou's common folk.

Five years ago, Fengzhou suffered a massive blizzard; people stripped tree bark to eat but still couldn't fill their stomachs, and resorted to trading children for food—a scene that still sent chills down his spine when recalled.

Ji You's position and experiences differed from his; naturally, their thoughts diverged.

He could not perceive heavenly patterns—only that this world felt profoundly strange.

Common folk kept dying; cultivators kept vanishing in groups.

If this world were a single whole, it was now riddled with cracks, on the verge of shattering—yet somehow still held together.

(End of Chapter)