Chapter 170

The human envoy mission left Shengjing, heading north against the brilliant morning sun.

But the Immortal Sect disciples on the street and the nobles in the capital were still endless, gathering in teahouses and taverns to discuss, and the specific topic was still Ji You.

After all, this place is closest to the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan, and they are most familiar with Ji You.

However, among these discussions, there were usually not many good words, and what they said was almost the same as those in the inner courtyard, almost making people's ears grow calluses.

Such as a countryside private cultivator who cannot escape his narrow vision, thus selling his life cheaply.

Some also associated it with him not laying the groundwork for family development that day, insisting on offending the major Immortal Sects, to the point where he couldn't even enter the Immortal Hall.

Others said that Ji You was once really lured away by silver, and then nearly brought upon himself a fatal disaster, but still didn't learn his lesson, so the whole place laughed.

Such remarks were everywhere under the bright blue sky, all becoming the laughingstock of teahouses and taverns.

However, for things like this, chatting and laughing is enough; what everyone is more concerned about is actually the result of this trip, or how the situation will change in the future, after all, this matter is what is closely related to them.

The vested interests of the world are all like this, feeling that the current days are comfortable and easy, and even if they cannot become immortals, they are still free and easy, not much different from immortals, fearing chaos.

"Whether it is trade or receiving barbarian envoys, the demon race's purpose has never been benevolent. This is what I said before, and now it has indeed been verified..."

"Correct, the demon race has always had wolfish ambitions."

"On this trip to the demon race, this Demon Emperor will definitely hold out for a price and demand benefits; if not granted, war may be unavoidable."

"Then... will we cultivators also have to participate in the war?"

"That doesn't need to be too worried about; those who go to the battlefield first will definitely be those whose backgrounds and foundations are not as good as ours."

"If Hantie Pass really cannot be held, then Yunzhou will be miserable."

"Yunzhou has many spirit mines and has always been a place of great importance. If there is a break with the demon race and there are no more Snow Domain demon stones, that piece of land in Yunzhou cannot be lost. I think it is Fengzhou that is unlucky."

"Fengzhou...?"

"It is vast and sparsely populated, has no spirit mines, and only has mortals, making it extremely suitable for combat. If I were an Immortal Sect Abbot, I would send the great powers in my hands to move mountains and block roads in Yunzhou, leading the enemy army to Fengzhou to start a war."

"Then wouldn't the children of Fengzhou never grow up, and find it hard to go home after leaving the house?"

"Hmm? What is this allusion?"

"Hahaha, it is that famous quote of Ji You. When he established a noble family in Fengzhou, he made a wild wish, saying something about letting children grow up, letting those who leave home be able to return, wanting to let..."

Amidst the laughter, the noble family child who spoke suddenly froze for a moment, then turned his head to look outside the pavilion, looking in the direction where the motorcade left.

In Shengjing City under the autumn sun, the autumn wind swept by, the ground covered with golden fallen leaves, setting off a desolate scene.

And the noise of others also stopped abruptly at this time; after looking at each other, they lowered their heads and frowned, their eyes squinting and then widening, and finally their expressions became thoughtful.

And it was on this long street lined with taverns that, as the onlookers dispersed, two figures walked by.

One of them was Princess Princess Changle of the Chong Prince's Mansion, and the other was Dou Dou Yuankong, the son of Minister Dou.

However, the atmosphere between the two seemed a bit quiet.

"Actually, the demon race breaking with our human race is not necessarily without benefits for us. Previously, Yunzhou stones and Zhongzhou stones were always controlled by us. Later, Snow Domain demon stones entered the country, and we lost our monopoly on spirit stone channels, but after this matter, everything might return to the right track."

Zhao Zhao Yunyue walked forward with a cold face, silent.

Dou Dou Yuankong was silent for a long while, then bowed and said: "I know the Princess is interested in that Ji You, but... he is really too bullying. Supporting that scholar is one thing, but he also emptied my money bag. My exquisite layout to set a trap to kill him this time is also a helpless move."

"This matter... is fine."

"The Princess doesn't blame me?"

Dou Dou Yuankong couldn't help but feel surprised when he heard her plain tone.

Zhao Zhao Yunyue looked ahead with a calm gaze: "I was interested in Ji You because he entered the inner courtyard and his constitution can be passed down, wanting to give birth to offspring with him, but he didn't choose me, so why should I blame you for him?"

"Being rejected as a Dao companion, I was originally a bit resentful, but now I think it's fortunate, because the envoy mission made me suddenly see clearly that he is ultimately a small-minded village man."

"Living in this world, it is not just by relying on outstanding talent that one can settle everything; what is more important is vision and planning, so even if a person is strong, it is difficult to accomplish things. Looking at it this way, he is not worthy of me."

Dou Dou Yuankong nodded, agreeing with this statement: "The world is all like this; one's origin determines one's height."

Zhao Zhao Yunyue raised the corners of her mouth: "However, although your planning this time had the push of major noble families and the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan's senior figures, it really surprised me."

"The Princess praises me too much. That night I heard the wind of barbarian envoys heading to the demon race, and it just so happened that the demon race envoys were by my side, so I obtained the right time, place, and people."

Dou Dou Yuankong was very humble, but in fact, he was also a bit proud in his heart.

Ji You, who claimed to have unparalleled sword Dao and outstanding talent, and even the Chu family couldn't do anything about, was now played in the palm of his hand by himself; how could this not make him swell with pride.

"Where can they reach today?"

"Probably Yunzhou; it is estimated that it will take two days to get out of Hantie Pass."

Zhao Zhao Yunyue's eyes trembled: "He is probably still leisurely and self-satisfied now, until three days later when he realizes what a fatal disaster is, and regrets it endlessly."

Just at this moment, a noisy commotion suddenly came from the front, and the neighing of horses echoed through the long street.

The two raised their heads together and found that they had arrived at Wei Li's mansion without knowing it.

And the source of the commotion was right in front of the Wei mansion; Wei Rui was pulling a horse and wanted to go out, but was stopped on the street by the Wei mansion steward with the servants, and the horse was startled during the tug-of-war.

Dou Dou Yuankong frowned instantly: "Stop!"

The Wei mansion steward turned his head in a cold sweat, and seeing it was them, immediately bowed and saluted: "This little one has seen Princess Princess Changle and Young Master Dou."

Zhao Zhao Yunyue stepped forward with a face like frost: "Tugging on the street, what kind of decorum is this?"

"Princess, it's not that this little one is rude, it's that this little one has no other way. The Grand Master and the Master are not in the mansion now, and our Young Lady insists on riding a horse to Hantie Pass, no matter how we persuade her, she won't listen..."

Zhao Zhao Yunyue was slightly stunned: "Going to Hantie Pass?"

Dou Dou Yuankong was also stunned: "Rui'er, what are you doing going to Hantie Pass?"

Wei Rui looked at the two with red eyes: "If they go to Hantie Pass, they will die."

Zhao Zhao Yunyue and Wei Rui have some sisterly affection, and also know about her and Xiang Xiang Kuangcheng, so she couldn't help but speak: "The Office of Immortal Supervision's Reception Office team will only escort the envoy mission to Hantie Pass, and will separate inside the pass. That Xiang fellow doesn't need to go to the Snow Domain, so there will be no danger."

"It's not like that!"

"?"

"Young Master Xiang said that if Hantie Pass cannot be held, cultivators will definitely set the barren and useless Fengzhou as the battlefield. In fact, at the beginning of the founding of Great Xia, they were already worried that the barbarians who fled to the Ten Thousand Great Mountains would one day counterattack, so they have always left Fengzhou for this use!"

"Young Master Ji figured this out long ago, so he went with his sword, and this time it is to seek life in death! Young Master Xiang said he is not as strong as Young Master Ji, but if a war really breaks out, he can also choose to die in the front!"

Wei Rui held a letter in her hand, with only two lines of words on it.

How much ink can be spilled for the great love and hate of heaven and earth, ten thousand miles of mountains and rivers will not accommodate me.

The paper in the world is short, and feelings are hard to keep.

The scholar is pedantic, stubborn, and observant of etiquette, and had never had such explicit words before.

As the words fell, Zhao Zhao Yunyue and Dou Dou Yuankong's brains buzzed, and their eyes slowly widened.

At this time, the border between Zhongzhou and Yunzhou.

The mighty envoy motorcade set off from Shengjing, heading north all the way, galloping on the Great Xia official road, setting off a wave of dust and sand.

Because there were many people in the envoy mission and the gifts brought were piled up like small mountains, they could not take an immortal ship, but to ensure speed, a magic tool was embedded in the center under each carriage.

This magic tool is driven by spirit stones and can use a majestic aura to support the entire carriage, reducing the burden on the horses, thereby increasing speed.

However, because the Great Xia official road has been in disrepair for a long time, this magic tool actually caused the bumping of the carriages to increase continuously as they moved forward.

At this time, the autumn wind was refreshing, and in the bumping carriage, Ji You was wiping the long sword he brought; counting the one in his hand, there were fifty in total.

The limitation of spiritual sense made it impossible for him to be distracted too many times, so he couldn't use fifty swords to achieve the effect of seven-sword splitting.

But if all the swords are one move, it can save spiritual sense to the greatest extent.

When he fought in the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan, he used fifty-three swords; now that there is more water, add more flour, and more flour, add more water, it should be more than that time.

Ban Ban Yangshu also asked him once, since the number of controls has exceeded fifty, why not buy some more.

Ji You is actually very helpless, because fifty is not his limit, but it is almost the limit of the Management Hall...

When he was shopping at the Qionghua Pavilion, he was always carefully gauging, controlling the amount within the limit they could bear.

【The kindness of a robber】

However, the main problem is that Cao Cao Jingsong's longevity peach is really too expensive, basically something he couldn't afford even if he worked at the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan for a lifetime.

Ji You wiped the long sword and saw the sky begin to dim little by little as they moved forward.

At this time, the envoy motorcade had already penetrated deep into Yunzhou and arrived at He Xing City, which is famous for selling spirit stones. He saw that both sides of the main road entering the city were spirit stone firms, and even a gambling stone industry had developed.

Ji You waved his sleeve lightly, a burst of spiritual energy whistled out, and the carriage curtain was lifted to the ceiling, then he looked at the firms on both sides.

With just this one look, he knew that the longevity peach was bought at a loss.

At this time, the motorcade stopped slowly in the city, and arrived at the Laoshi Inn ordered by the Office of Immortal Supervision before departure.

They will not continue to penetrate deep into Yunzhou. After passing Xinghe City, this motorcade will go east along the edge of the Northern Border, passing through the northwest of Fengzhou, so as to avoid the barbarian army outside Hantie Pass.

Therefore, they will stay here tonight.

At this time, those Immortal Sect heaven's favorites had already gotten off the carriages one after another, looking around with high spirits.

Earlier in Shengjing City, it was crowded and mixed, so Ji You didn't pay attention to them, but now he could confirm their identities one by one based on the rumors he had heard these days.

Wearing a gold crown and a blue silk brocade shirt is Jiang Jiang Chenfeng of the Asking Dao Sect, from the thousand-year noble family Jiang family, which has always had a marriage alliance with the Asking Dao Sect.

If calculated by relationship, this Jiang Jiang Chenfeng would also have to call the personal disciple Saint Son Shang Shang Xijie a cousin.

Following him is his cousin Jiang Yan, and another disciple Tu Xu.

Just as they landed, a man wearing a black brocade robe and a straight-edged wide knife tied to his waist headed toward Jiang Jiang Chenfeng, bowing and exchanging greetings; it was Huo Hong of the Mountain Sea Pavilion, followed by Ji Shidi Lu Lu Dacheng and Junior Sister Jiang Yuerou.

This Huo Hong is said to be the half-brother of the Mountain Sea Pavilion's personal disciple Saint Son Huo Huo Xingzhong, who had always been fostered outside the sect, and was later taken into the sect, but had never been acknowledged.

It is said that someone once asked Huo Huo Xingzhong about this, and the disdain in Huo Huo Xingzhong's intent was particularly obvious.

However, perhaps because of this experience, Huo Hong is very diligent; at thirty-one, he is still young in the cultivation world, but he has been in seclusion for more than twenty years. This is one of the few times he has left seclusion, and he is already in the Middle Realm of Merging with the Dao.

Although he hasn't left seclusion many times, this Huo Hong actually has many rumors in the cultivation world.

Some say he is vicious and ruthless, often torturing disciples in the pavilion for fun.

Subsequently, Yan Yan Qiubai and Xie Xie Chenyu of Spirit Sword Mountain also gathered around.

Yan Yan Qiubai comes from the Heavenly Jianfeng and is the distant niece of Abbot Yan Zhong, while Xie Xie Chenyu is a distant relative of the Heavenly Jianfeng Master.

The relationship between the three southern sects is better than that of the three northern sects, so it is not surprising that they gathered together at this time.

"This Yunzhou is really a good place, with beautiful mountains and clear waters, vast and boundless, just a little bit dry."

"I have been in seclusion for a long time, so it's not bad to come out and stroll around this time."

"By the way, Ji Shidi Jiang, I forgot to ask earlier. During the Heavenly Dao Assembly, I once had a pleasant conversation with Senior Brother Shang of your Asking Dao Sect. I heard a few days ago after leaving seclusion that he has been in seclusion for a long time. I wonder when he will break through?"

"Calculating the time, it's not far off."

"The Little Xiao Jianzhu of Spirit Sword Mountain has also gone into seclusion, right? I'm afraid the two of them didn't make an appointment..."

"Before the Heavenly Dao Assembly is held, maybe we can see them..."

Just as ordinary cultivators often discuss these heaven's favorites, the heaven's favorites also have heaven's favorites in their hearts that they cannot catch up with even if they risk their lives, so they are always talking about them.

Even, they will specially bring up the things they have seen with them to talk about, taking pride in it.

And getting off the carriage opposite them were two from the Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion: one surnamed Chu, named Chu Chu Butian, naturally from the Chu family, but not famous; the other named Qian Jun, accompanied by an elder from the mansion.

Because of the previous Qiling incident, the Chen family immortal clan was severely damaged and only sent an elder in the Boundless Realm and a disciple in the Realm of Merging with the Dao.

At this time, the elders of the six great Immortal Sects gathered together, with cold expressions and unfathomable auras, and were the first to enter the inn.

Ji You got off the carriage and looked up, seeing countless towering cities in the night sky in the distance, as well as gardens with pavilions and towers, standing in great numbers.

Yunzhou is famous for its spirit mine resources, and the profits are huge. When he first entered the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan, Lu Lu Qingqiu's wealthy temperament really surprised him for a long time.

"Compared to this place, our Fengzhou is truly a barbaric land."

"It's just whitewashing peace; the suffering of the people is the same."

Xiang Xiang Kuangcheng followed him off the carriage and couldn't help but say: "The people of Yunzhou all rely on the noble families' mines to eat, but they still need to pay offerings. The young and strong labor can go down to the mines and still have a full meal, while the old, weak, and young live extremely difficult lives, no better than Fengzhou."

Ji You frowned: "If the small ones can't live, how can there be young and strong people?"

"So these spirit stone noble families are very smart. They noticed this early on, so they allowed the people here to foster children."

"What is fostering?"

Xiang Xiang Kuangcheng stood by the carriage and looked at the brightly lit pavilions ahead: "Yunzhou has an institution called a foster home, founded by local noble families. If miners can't afford to raise their children, they can choose to hand them over to the foster home to be raised."

Ji You looked at him: "I think this must not be a charity, otherwise, during the White Dew season, there wouldn't be Yunzhou people fleeing to Fengzhou."

"Correct, this foster home is indeed not a charity. The fostered children are recorded with astronomical foster debts every day. It can be said that they are born with heavy debts, and when those children grow up, they have to sell themselves to the spirit mine fields because of this foster debt, mining spirit stones for life."

Xiang Xiang Kuangcheng paused and added: "About thirty percent of households in Yunzhou have already fallen into this, while the other seventy percent still need to pay offerings every year."

A look of doubt flashed in Ji You's eyes: "It's already like this, and there are still people willing to have children?"

"At first, some people would rather have no descendants than give birth to children, but the noble families tempted them with silver; giving birth to one child is ten taels of silver, so people can continue to reproduce."

"What is the difference between this and selling children?"

Xiang Xiang Kuangcheng shook his head: "There is no difference, but the word 'fostering' sounds better."

Giving birth to babies, mining, giving birth to babies again, mining again.

Those ignorant babies might not even think that they were born just to be slaves for immortals.

Ji You turned his head to look, and felt that under these pavilions and towers were piles of white bones: "I just said that being a fierce bandit is a sunrise industry."

"Hmm?"

"There are really too many noble families that should be robbed; a small mountain stronghold is far from enough, and it must be the size of the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan stronghold to do it."

Just at this moment, countless flower-clustered sedan chairs surged into the night sky, spiritual energy surging at the bottom of the chairs, stirring up endless wind and waves.

And in those wind and waves, various flags printed with family crests were fluttering.

Subsequently, the sedan chairs landed in front of the inn where they were going to stay, and a group of middle-aged people in luxurious clothes and wearing crowns came down, all with high cultivation bases, who should be elders and retainers of the major noble families in Yunzhou.

They all held gold-painted invitation cards in their hands, and then surged into the inn.

The fact that there is an envoy mission in the capital heading to the Snow Domain, accompanied by Immortal Sect heaven's favorites, is not a secret among the noble families.

So since they set off, many noble families in Yunzhou had already prepared invitation cards, wanting to take advantage of their stay in the city to invite them to go together for paper-drunk and gold-obsessed entertainment.

Ji You and Xiang Xiang Kuangcheng stood outside the inn, and borrowing the light from the shop, they saw both sides stand up, bow to each other, exchange greetings, and then one reached out to invite, and the other stepped out.

Those from the three northern sects received the most invitation cards; after all, Yunzhou is in the north and needs to be taken care of by the northern Immortal Sects.

And those from the southern Immortal Sects were also invited, after all, these people are also high-status customers for them.

In the blink of an eye, the heaven's favorites here were invited clean, and even those Immortal Sect elders left with their hands behind their backs.

In the night, some people saw immortals flying in the void, and everyone trembled and knelt on the ground.

Just at this moment, someone handed an invitation card to Ji You.

"Young Master Ji, my family head has set up a banquet at home and wants to invite you personally. Please do me the honor."

"Who is your family head?"

"I am from the Lu family, named Lu Zhong. My eldest young lady is a classmate of Young Master Ji at the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan. Saying it this way, the Young Master should be able to understand?"

Ji You took the invitation card and looked at it, smiling and handing it back: "Your young lady and I can indeed be considered friends, but let's forget about the banquet. I have been in a carriage for a whole day today, and my appetite is not very good. I can't eat such bloody things."

Lu Zhong looked at him strangely, pondered for a long while, then took the invitation card back, and then bowed and left, but did not take a sedan chair back, but entered the inn.

At this time in the inn, the Lu family head in a gold-threaded brocade robe was inviting Elder Ge of the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan's inner courtyard.

Hearing that Ji You would not come, the Lu family head frowned and looked outside the door.

He had always been aware of Ji You defeating Chu He and entering the inner courtyard, and he actually knew a little about his daughter wanting to become a Dao companion with him.

It is said that this person has a very poor background, goes to every banquet, makes every penny, but he didn't expect to be rejected.

However, it doesn't matter.

There are so many cultivators in Xinghe City tonight, and Ji You is the one with the lowest cultivation base, and also an out-of-place countryside private cultivator.

For these Yunzhou noble families, it's just one more or one less, no need to force an invitation.

Xiang Xiang Kuangcheng looked up at Ji You: "Didn't Brother Ji tell me before that if you don't eat, it will be cheaper for those cultivators, and if you eat, you can manage more idle affairs."

"If you hadn't told me about the foster home, maybe I would have gone to eat, but after hearing these, I really have no appetite. This meal counts as you owing me..."

"?"

"Save money well, and after you come back, you have to treat me to a big one."

Xiang Xiang Kuangcheng looked up at the sedan chairs that were constantly leaving: "However, it is a pity not to rob this ill-gotten wealth."

Ji You turned to look at him: "How did you, a scholar, suddenly become so bandit-hearted?"

Xiang Xiang Kuangcheng pursed his lips: "I didn't understand when Brother Ji told me before that you wanted to be a fierce bandit, thinking you were starving, until I saw countless case files at the Office of Immortal Supervision, and only then did I know that this is the right path."

"Let's go, let's eat something first. After entering Fengzhou, I'm afraid we won't encounter a place to stay. That poor place of ours..."

Ji You walked toward the inn, ordered a few small dishes with Xiang Xiang Kuangcheng, and sat at the table.

Actually, not everyone was invited away, for example, those envoys, who all stayed behind.

After all, officials are not as good as immortals. In the eyes of these immortal sect noble families, no matter how high the official position is, these people are still ants, so they are not worth inviting home for a banquet or anything.

And those officials watched the immortals leave for the banquet one after another, and they were all angry but dared not speak.

They have a long way to go on this trip and need to be cautious, the most taboo thing is to cause extra trouble. At this time, they could only sigh, then lower their heads to eat, but their hearts were beating like drums.

These escorts obviously have their own thoughts; whether they can send them into the Snow Domain is really an unknown.

At this time, some of the envoys couldn't help but look at Ji You.

(End of chapter)