Chapter 18: Everyone Wants to See the Little Little Tian Shu First

"When sensing the Little Little Tian Shu, there will first be a tiny streak of faint light, fleeting like a shooting star."

"Those with affinity can easily chase the light and be led to the proximity of the Heavenly Dao. At that time, all the Daos of the world will evolve above your head, but the time is very short. You can comprehend as much as you can."

"However, if you have no affinity with the Little Little Tian Shu, you won't be able to catch up even if you try your best to chase it. Several of my brothers and sisters from the same period were like this."

"Six years ago, some of them saw that beam of light many times, but in the end, they couldn't enter."

The next morning, inside the Enlightenment Field.

Chu He and Lu Qingqiu had been trying for two days and still couldn't sense the Little Little Tian Shu, so they sought help from Ban Yangshu, the inner courtyard disciple recommended by Prince Chong.

This Senior Brother Ban had successfully sensed the Little Little Tian Shu in the outer courtyard and finally entered the inner courtyard smoothly; he was now at the Upper Realm of Profound Understanding.

Following in the footsteps of a predecessor was the fastest way to cultivate the Dao.

Ban Yangshu was quite upright, and since Prince Chong was also quite concerned about the matter of sensing the Little Little Tian Shu, he didn't hide anything and told them everything he knew.

Lu Qingqiu and Chu He were lost in thought after hearing this, as if they had gained some insight.

"By the way, what about that Lower Three Realms perfectionist named Ji You? Why haven't I seen him?"

"He... he went to the Sword-Testing Forest again today."

Ban Yangshu was slightly stunned: "Dual cultivation of martial arts and Dao?"

Lu Qingqiu nodded, feeling very puzzled in her heart as well.

She believed that Ji You had already felt the difficulty of seeking the Dao in the Enlightenment Field last night, and she had thought he would give up the minor path of martial techniques and seek the Dao from morning till night like them.

But the fact was, he still went to the Sword-Testing Forest today, which was truly baffling.

And it wasn't just Lu Qingqiu who felt it was unexpected; Wang Jiaoxi in the Sword-Testing Forest was also very curious about what this maverick inner courtyard spot competitor was thinking.

"I heard that Lu Qingqiu and Chu He have already gathered a streak of profound light. How do you still have the heart to come and learn martial arts?"

"Isn't it said that if one can't break through a realm, there's a possibility of being cleared out by the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan? I have to have a skill to rely on; maybe I can even go up the mountain to be a bandit."

"?"

Ji You held a wooden sword, continuously thrusting, hacking, and stabbing in the forest: "Has Wang Jiaoxi ever seen a bandit?"

Wang Jiaoxi laughed upon hearing this: "This Shengjing is the capital of the Great Xia, and with my Heavenly Tian Shuyuan sitting here, what bandits would dare to run wild here?"

"Interested in seeing one? I heard that bandits also practice dual cultivation of martial arts and Dao, and their sword techniques are also quite exquisite."

"Could it be that the Meng Xinghun you speak of is actually a bandit?"

Ji You wiped the sweat from his head after sheathing his sword: "Just one tael of silver, and I'll take you to meet one, Wang Jiaoxi."

Wang Jiaoxi looked at him for a long while, then took a tael of silver from his sleeve: "When shall we go see him?"

"Now."

"?"

Ji You threw down the wooden sword and ran, standing in the distance and looking back: "Wang Jiaoxi, I have no money to eat. This counts as me borrowing from you; I will surely return it with both hands in the future."

Wang Xinan stood stunned on the spot, suddenly widening his eyes. Holy crap, this is a real mother-fucking bandit!

In the blink of an eye, Ji You had already arrived at the Immortal Dining Hall and filled his stomach with the silver.

But this couldn't go on; he still had to find a way out.

He was an outlier who had mixed into an orthodox major sect as a wild private cultivator. He had no family background, and even his daily life was a problem.

It wasn't so shameful to be unable to enter the Dao, but starving to death would be a bit shameful...

After eating, Ji You saw that it was still early, so he got up and went down the mountain, deciding to show some concern for Old Kuang, who was preparing for the exams.

He wasn't familiar with Shengjing and only knew the place where Xiang Kuangcheng lived was called the Chunhua Post Station, so he asked for directions along the way and finally walked to a very familiar place.

This was a small alley that was very quiet during the day, but Ji You had seen it at night.

At night, this place was full of playboys, and everywhere was full of human hearts in turmoil...

?

Ji You wasn't sure at first, until he found the post station and saw Xiang Kuangcheng. At that time, he was in a cramped little room, tying his hair to the beam and pricking his thigh with an awl, studying the classics bitterly. On the table was a burned-out oil lamp, the wick lying listlessly on the edge of the lamp.

Hearing the sound of footsteps, Xiang Kuangcheng turned his head.

"Brother Ji, why are you here?"

"Didn't you say you found a quiet place full of literary atmosphere?"

Xiang Kuangcheng couldn't help but sigh and close the book: "Opposite was originally a bookstore, but who knew it changed into a flower house five years ago, and the map of Shengjing City I have at home is eight years old."

Ji You pulled up a stool and sat down: "Was it intentional or intentionally unintentional? You can always change to another one, right?"

"But this is the only one with such a fair price that also has a desk and provides lamp oil."

"Then how are your preparations?"

Xiang Kuangcheng thought for a long while before speaking: "I only had it before."

Ji You raised his brows slightly: "So confident?"

"His Majesty is going to open the imperial examinations widely this year, and the number of people recruited will far exceed the past."

"Why did such a change occur?"

"There are rumors that His Majesty feels the current imperial court is too dead and lifeless and wants to select a group of new officials to rectify the administration."

Ji You didn't change his expression after hearing this, only nodding slightly, thinking to himself that now that immortals have descended upon the world, imperial power is declining, and no matter how it's rectified, it will just be like this.

It's just changing the people around him to be more pleasing to the eye.

However, the reform of the administration also involves many matters of the Immortal Sects.

For example, the collection and supervision of taxes and tributes, the collection and transportation of spirit herbs and mineral veins, and the circulation and turnover of pills.

If there is any mistake, one hair will affect the whole body, and perhaps it will cause more trouble. It's not impossible that Shengjing will be full of wind and rain in a few days.

"Brother Ji? Brother Ji?"

"Hmm?"

Seeing him come back to his senses, Xiang Kuangcheng couldn't help but say: "Don't just talk about me. How are you doing in the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan? Is your cultivation going smoothly?"

Ji You rested his hands on his knees: "Now everyone is competing for the inner courtyard spot, running to sense the Little Little Tian Shu every day. It is said that if one can sense it successfully, it's basically a done deal."

"Has anyone succeeded?"

"A miss is as good as a mile."

Xiang Kuangcheng nodded after hearing this: "It seems that cultivation is just like studying; it's not easy. But in the end, Brother Ji will surely win. There won't be any surprises about that."

Ji You laughed after hearing this: "Do you know what kind of people those are? Young masters of immortal cultivation families, young ladies with mines at home, gulping down thousands of taels of pills as if they were nothing!"

"But Brother Ji is still confident, isn't he? You are just used to never speaking out until things are done."

Xiang Kuangcheng was even more confident than him: "Maybe you are actually already pondering about becoming the Abbot."

Ji You was silent for a long while: "Actually, I have no money to eat, and I'm pondering about robbing you of five taels of silver."

"?"

"Hurry up!"

Xiang Kuangcheng's mouth twitched, and finally, he took out a shriveled coin purse from his bundle and took out about eight taels of broken silver.

Seeing this scene, Ji You instantly furrowed his brows and widened his eyes, finding that the bulging wallet was no longer bulging, which was just as uncomfortable as if his own money had been stolen and spent by someone else.

He pointed to the flower streets and willow alleys outside the window and couldn't help but speak: "You scholar, are you in turmoil all day long?"

"In turmoil all day long? Indeed, before entering the examination hall, my heart can never calm down."

"No, what I mean is, is it that as long as you aren't in turmoil, today doesn't count as over?"

Xiang Kuangcheng was stunned for a long time, and finally looked outside the window following his finger. His face turned red, and he instantly understood his subtext: "Nonsense, I am an upright gentleman!"

"Then my money... no, where did your money go?"

Ji You felt the words were a bit hot on his tongue, so he immediately turned 360 degrees, almost saying it right.

Xiang Kuangcheng glanced at his coin purse, incredulous: "This is my money!"

"Never mind whose money it is, you haven't been in the capital for three days, how could such a large bag of silver be spent so quickly?"

"I donated it."

Xiang Kuangcheng muttered while tying his coin purse: "Seeing that winter is coming in a few months, there is an orphanage in the West City that doesn't even have quilts. I saw it when I went to the bookstore to buy books, and my head got hot and I donated it."

Ji You was silent for a long while, still feeling a bit heartbroken for his money.

Uh, no, his money.

The two outstanding young men who walked out of Yuyang County now only have these few taels of broken silver left, and they are still talking about seeing the wind of fate, laughing to death.

Ji You pushed back the little bit he handed over: "Forget it, Brother Top Graduate, don't starve to death before the exam. I'm leaving."

"Brother Ji, don't just stare at the inner courtyard disciples; remember to aim higher and become the Abbot!"

"Got it."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 19 =====