[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-watching-the-immortals-fall":3,"chapter-watching-the-immortals-fall-watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-188":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Watching the Immortals Fall",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2260061,4410,"Chapter 188: Cutting Off the Lion","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-188",188,"\u003Cp>Since seeing off Gongshu Chou and his party, Ji You and the others stayed in Fengzhou for about seven more days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They rested, healed their wounds, listened to Master Chen’s lectures on banditry, and met a few village heads who came empty-handed to pay their respects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he first entered Fengzhou Prefecture, he had shown no respect to any of the immortal villages; thus, after returning from the Snowlands, those village heads should not have come to call.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But upon hearing he had slain the Soldier King with his sword in the Snowlands, they changed their minds—yet came without gifts as their final act of defiance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Ji You was not particularly welcoming of this impolite politeness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing these trivial matters, they boarded a boat and returned to Shengjing in a single day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shengjing, free of snow, was now dry and biting cold, with icy winds sweeping through the streets, forcing merchants and laborers to keep their hands and feet tucked away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the streets, shopkeepers had hung thick cloth curtains at their doors, lit stoves glowing red-hot, to drive back the chill of winter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cart-puller, clad in tattered cotton robes, sleeves rolled up to reveal dark, muscular forearms, was sipping hot tea at a shop’s entrance—had barely swallowed a few sips when three carriages entered the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after, a group disembarked, and one of them walked straight toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the cart-puller nervously lowered his head, he noticed a hand reaching from the side, dropping several copper coins into the beggar’s bowl beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Winter’s coming—why not give him more? It’s all taken from Brother Bai’s purse anyway.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? You, scholar?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You were busy with spring plowing these past days—I’ve been accompanying Master Chen teaching the students.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No wonder your bandit heart is so clear.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So why not give him more?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A beggar who dares beg in Shengjing likely has others behind him. Give less, and no one notices. Give more, and it may no longer be his.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then just buy him some food.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But what if he doesn’t want food—what if his sick mother at home needs medicine?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You stepped away from the beggar, slipped the extra silver he’d accidentally taken back into his sleeve, and watched Bai Ru’s mouth twitch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it. Got bitten again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is it my fate, as Immortal Emperor Ruilong, to be plagued by misfortune?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cultivation—I’ll train fiercely when I get back!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You ignored him, then walked forward with calm, steady breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, establishing noble families has reduced tax burdens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mission to the demon clans has averted war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This may still be far from the best of times, but for Fengzhou, it’s already a decent harvest year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the realm as a whole, Ji You now felt powerless to reach it—his only recourse was diligent cultivation, strengthening his power, and enduring the old man in the Heavenly Book Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He only hoped this hard-won peace would last longer, granting him more time to advance his strength…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he thought this, a gentle, beautiful girl suddenly appeared at the mouth of an alley on Yong’an Avenue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wore a light green jacket over a fur-lined coat, her eyes fixed on the scholar beside Ji You, lips slightly parted, words unspoken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone stopped. The scholar stared, then stepped forward slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Miss Rui…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Ji You and Kuangcheng left the capital, Wei Rui had waited in Shengjing, unable to eat or drink, as if gazing across autumn waters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, finally seeing him, she was startled by his address—she lifted her head, her gaze flickered, and her cheeks flushed pink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuangcheng’s face turned red—he couldn’t help glancing at Ji You behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Brother Ji is truly the man who conquers the world with his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You smiled inwardly: See? I told you following me teaches you useful things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Rui’er” was too intimate; “Miss Wei” too distant. Kuangcheng had agonized over this for seven days, even skipped writing a safe letter—until Ji You told him “Miss Rui” was just right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That title balanced intimacy and propriety: not abrupt, yet subtly intimate, stirring the heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sight made Immortal Emperor Ruilong feel a pang of envy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You glanced at him: “What happened to that sister of yours with the round buttocks you flirted with using my name?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Ru opened his mouth: “She stopped speaking to me once she found out I wasn’t you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No matter—you’re young, plenty of chances. Look at Teacher Cao—he’s ancient and still has no partner.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Rui’s gaze shifted from Kuangcheng to the group, and she bowed slightly: “I heard Young Master Ji’s hands were injured—how is your recovery?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Functional, barely usable—but the tendons and bones are damaged; don't rush it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You raised his hands, displaying his “untrained arms”—they trembled slightly when bent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He rarely used muscle strength now; instead, he lifted his arms with spiritual energy, bypassing muscles and meridians, using external force to move them—simple motions were still possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this rate, he’d recover about eighty percent before the New Year, and fully by spring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After speaking, Ji You turned to Kuangcheng: “Let’s part here. We return to the mountain—you do as you please. That meal you promised me when we left the capital—I’ll find time to collect it later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then… I bid farewell to Brother Ji here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kuangcheng, my house is still empty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Rui turned with Kuangcheng, and upon hearing Ji You’s final words, she looked puzzled: “What house?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuangcheng rolled his sleeves in front of him: “The heart is yellow…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Rui pondered long, failed to understand, and obediently followed behind him, her eyes tracing him—she thought Kuanglang seemed thinner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You watched their backs, thinking: Kuangcheng now calls her “Miss Rui”—shouldn’t she now call him “Kuanglang”?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuanglang… Kuanglang…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmph. That title sounds oddly bumpy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Ru still remembered Kuangcheng’s insistence that Ji You take more silver—he watched them leave and muttered: “It’s almost lunchtime—this scholar doesn’t even know how to be polite.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ban Yangshu shook his head: “Not strange. Anyone who dares be polite, Ji Young Master will eat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You glanced at Ban Yangshu, then turned toward the western end of the long street: “Wait for me a moment—I have something to attend to. We’ll return to the mountain together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Zhao Yunyue was on the tea house next door, surrounded by several noble youths and maidens from the capital, all staring intently at Ji You.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She and Wei Rui were like sisters, so she’d known of Ji You’s return to the capital early—claiming she happened to be drinking tea when she saw him was plausible, but saying she came deliberately wasn’t wrong either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for her motive—there was none.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet whenever she recalled how this man had once been ungrateful, anger stirred in her heart—she didn’t wish him to return safely, so she came to confirm whether his hands were truly still intact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, what she saw fell short of her hope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Yunyue sipped her tea coldly, then watched Ji You, clad in white robes, walk calmly toward the alley beside the street, pass straight through it, and step onto Tian Sheng Avenue—vanishing from sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tian Sheng Street…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, a clear, piercing sword hum erupted—like thunder splitting the earth—rising abruptly from the opposite street, soaring toward the heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that sword hum, a vast force surged like a tidal wave, swelling in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The faint chill that had blanketed the city was instantly swept up by the ruthless sword qi, transforming into wild beasts breaking free from their leashes, charging wildly east and west.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, everyone on Yong’an Avenue felt a bone-deep chill; countless shop banners shook violently in the wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Jingsong’s group had just steadied themselves against the icy surge when a brilliant sword shadow descended upon Tian Sheng Street with crushing force—a thunderous boom echoed down the entire avenue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People bustling in alleys and streets, haggling and shouting, froze as if petrified, turning involuntarily toward Tian Sheng Street to the west.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Near the middle, before a mansion, dust and debris had already billowed thickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Ji You stepped out of the dust, facing Cao Jingsong: “Let’s go. Back to the mountain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Jingsong opened his mouth: “What did you do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Warned someone—never return to the capital this lifetime.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Yunyue rose from the tea house, turning to her attendant: “Go—find out what happened!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The attendant bowed: “Yes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, many gathered toward Tian Sheng Street, and within moments, the crowd was packed tight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A servant from Chong Prince’s mansion pushed through the throng and rushed back to the tea house: “Your Highness, I’ve returned.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What happened?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At the Dou family’s gate, two stone lions—had their heads cut off by a sword.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Yunyue fell silent for a long while—of course. She knew Ji You wasn’t a soft peach to be squeezed. Though some claimed he willingly went to the Snowlands, that didn’t mean anyone could interfere. Dou Yuan Kong was lucky he fled fast…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Minister Dou had only rushed out of his mansion after hearing the noise—seeing his stone lions decapitated, he whirled on the gatekeeper: “What happened?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gatekeeper swallowed hard: “That Ji You from the Heavenly Book Academy came by…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Minister Dou froze in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew his son had been involved in sending Ji You to the demon clans—but regaining his composure, he clenched his fists: “I’ve never met that hermit from the Heavenly Book Academy—what does he mean by this?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gatekeeper opened his mouth: “He said your son must never return to the capital.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Arrogant! Utterly arrogant! He thinks establishing a so-called noble family in Fengzhou makes him a nobleman? No—he’s still a lone hermit, a country cultivator!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Minister Dou thought he could tolerate the lions’ heads being cut—but not forbidding his son’s return to the capital. He stormed out of his mansion toward the Immortal Supervisory Office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A country hermit—even with a student’s status from the Heavenly Book Academy—how dare he act like this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’ll report him! I’m reporting him!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the only response was silence throughout the courtyard—as if no one had heard him at all—leaving Minister Dou utterly baffled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The declining power of the Great Xia court feared the deeply entrenched aristocratic clans; even a Xuantong Realm cultivator, no matter how formidable in battle, could not make the Imperial Dao Supervision turn a deaf ear to this matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Yunyue had just stepped out of the teahouse and walked calmly toward the Imperial Dao Supervision: “Minister Dou, return home.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Minister Dou turned to look at him: “Princess, is it truly impossible for my son to return to the capital? What is the reasoning?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shouting here is useless. The current Director of the Imperial Dao Supervision is a former disciple of Wang Mingchang’s youth. Wang the Elder endured great hardship in his later years and had a peculiar temper—he once dared lead his subjects in refusing tribute, and upon returning to court, he took offense at everyone, even the Emperor himself fearing him one-third.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know Wang Mingchang’s temper, but so what?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Yunyue glanced at him: “Three days ago, when Wang Mingchang returned to the capital to report, he wrote a poem on the spot: ‘Majestic bearing, unyielding spirit, sacrificing life to guard the nation’s gate. His heart holds the people, wielding ten thousand swords—he deserves to be honored through the ages.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Minister Dou blinked in surprise: “What do you mean, Princess?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I mean to tell you—that poem was written for Ji You.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, countless people in the Heavenly Book Academy turned their gazes toward the mountain gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because they had all seen that single sword strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in the Heavenly Book Academy, a place since ancient times devoted to pure Dao cultivation, only one person possessed such a solemn sword aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, not long after, they saw a group ascending the Nishan Sacred Path, among them a white-robed man with arms hanging low, his sword intent still not fully faded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Above the vast Linhai mountain path, countless inner academy students gazed toward the Ascension White Jade Terrace, with He Lingxiu standing at the very front, flanked by Xiao Hanyan and Shi Junhao behind her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The inner academy disciples already knew the details of this journey, largely from Xiao Hanyan and Shi Junhao’s firsthand accounts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, seeing the figure of the 【Forty-Nine Peaks】 in person, their turbulent emotions over the past days settled instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He slew the Soldier King—surely that’s his limit?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It must be his limit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, after news of the snowlands reached the Heavenly Book Academy, many found it hard to believe Ji You’s displayed combat prowess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after much thought, they realized that whether in the Autumn Duel or the night of the “bandit suppression” at Yecheng Mountain, although Ji You had won, it didn’t mean his limit lay there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because in both those famous battles, Ji You had suffered no injuries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That is, neither the Chu family’s second son, who had inherited the 【Huntian Art】, nor the Rongdao Realm lord of Rising Sun Manor had ever pushed him to his limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only the barbarian Soldier King’s punch revealed where Ji You’s true limit lay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Ji You, stepping out of the mountain gate, was stopped by a Hall of Administration disciple: “Brother Ji, you have a letter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Hall of Administration disciple handed Ji You a letter: “It came from Yu Danzong, two days ago. I’ve kept it for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You thanked him, then opened the letter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Yuan Caimei’s reply; a line of elegant script leapt onto the paper at a glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, you need not be so formal about the elixirs. When you saved Caimei’s life on Qiling, even more elixirs could not repay that debt. Though staying up late to refine them is tiring, Caimei does so willingly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard your arm injury stems from meridian damage. If the elixirs in your medicine case prove ineffective, you can only nurse it slowly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Also, the Heavenly Book Academy has ordered a batch of elixirs from our Yu Danzong, to be escorted by me and Yuan Chen. The date isn’t fixed yet, but we should have a chance to meet before spring.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In the meantime, I’ll search for more medical texts to see if there are other treatments.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Also, since you departed for the demon clans, Yuan Chen has been calling you ‘Big Brother-in-Law’ nonstop, worried for your safety. If you reply, please comfort Yuan Chen a little.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You’s feelings toward Yuan Caimei were above fellow cultivators.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Yuan Caimei’s letters always struck hard, frequently invoking “Big Brother-in-Law” through Yuan Chen’s voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was much like Kuangcheng’s mindset when writing to Wei Rui in Ji Zhai: Miss Wei, Rui’er, eventually becoming Rui’er Miss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Yuan Caimei’s “Big Brother-in-Law” was her way of saying Ji You was too distant—she wanted to call him “Ji Lang” but thought it too bold, so she used Yuan Chen as a tool.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Ji You recalled the Little Mirror Master of Lingjian Mountain’s address to him: “Hey, that strange man I’ve only seen X times.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of this, Ji You furrowed his brow slightly, then looked at the Hall of Administration disciple: “Anything else?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The disciple shook his head: “That’s all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That can’t be right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It is,” Bai Ru stepped forward, “my brother Ji has many fiancées!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Zhengxin glanced at him: “Ru Long, you have a lot of silver too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Ru: “...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Hall of Administration disciple, hearing this, searched again, then still shook his head: “Truly, only this one letter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You suddenly felt puzzled—hadn’t the Little Mirror Master sent a reply?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the distance between the Heavenly Book Academy and Lingjian Mountain was far greater than to Yu Danzong, five days should have been enough for a reply. Had she waited for me in Xuwu Mountain...?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You put the letter away, then looked toward the Enlightenment Ground: “I’m going to meditate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Ru opened his mouth: “Don’t you need to be this eager?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Zhengxin now crossed his arms: “Perhaps the mission to the demon clans truly made Brother Ji feel the gap in strength, prompting him to begin cultivation immediately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Jinsong couldn’t help stroking his beard: “No wonder he’s my rebellious disciple.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On this journey from Fengzhou to Shengjing, Ji You had repeatedly asked Cao Jinsong whether he’d received two months’ stipend yet, making Cao Jinsong call him “rebellious disciple” the whole way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But such diligence from his rebellious disciple was indeed worthy of his instructor’s pride.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Fang Jincheng, Lu Hanyan, Puyang Xing, and many outer academy students were all meditating in the Enlightenment Ground when suddenly a brilliant heavenly light erupted, humming through the air, boundless mystic radiance descending from above—they thought they had awakened the Heavenly Book.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially Fang Jincheng, who nearly burst into ecstatic joy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when he saw Ji You sitting calmly behind them, surrounded by waves of mystic light, his smile froze on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Heavenly Book Academy had no one this year who could awaken the Heavenly Book. Seeing him so easily sit there and summon such vast celestial radiance, the contrast nearly shattered his Dao heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So easily?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Lingxiu stood on the mountain path watching this, her brow slightly furrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Resources between inner and outer academy were unequal. Take meditation: the Enlightenment Ground was far inferior to the Purple Bamboo Meditation Grove.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet even she, meditating in the Purple Bamboo Meditation Grove, could barely achieve this speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After long thought, He Lingxiu could only sigh—his talent truly was exceptional.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Hanyan, however, was more concerned with the timing of the heavenly light’s descent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because she was close and the first to turn, if she hadn’t misseen it, the heavenly light had already begun forming above before Ji You even sat down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This didn’t feel like him awakening the Heavenly Book—it felt more like the Heavenly Book was waiting for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This reminded her of the day new students entered: he had said, “The Heavenly Book awakens me, not I the Heavenly Book.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though later, this remark spread and many inner academy seniors laughed, calling it wordplay—that the Heavenly Book and cultivators mutually awaken each other—but seeing this, Lu Hanyan still believed Ji You’s words were true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Ji You’s spiritual sense flew through a void of endless emptiness and, after two months, finally returned to Xuwu Mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As when he left, Xuwu Mountain had not changed, but the immortal with the snow-white bare feet was gone; the entire Xuwu realm was empty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No letter, and she’s not in Xuwu Mountain...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did she hit a bottleneck in her breakthrough?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Cao Jinsong had returned to his courtyard and encountered Liu Jian’an coming to pay his respects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On Winter Solstice, Liu Jian’an had brought gifts but missed Cao Jinsong; now hearing he had returned, he specially prepared another generous gift, making Cao Jinsong exclaim “my beloved disciple.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after, Xiang Fu and Cong Yi, the two Fengzhou students, also arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Jian’an brought a fine bottle of spirit wine; Xiang Fu presented a small carved spirit stone ornament; Cong Yi brought a calligraphy painting, said to be a magical artifact—no great power, but gazing at it could calm the Dao heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Jinsong kept calling them “beloved disciples,” but his smile didn’t last long—it froze on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three blinked in surprise, turned toward the gate, and saw Ji You walking in, white robes fluttering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oh, the rebellious disciple has come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Jinsong watched him step forward and sit before him: “Didn’t you go to cultivate?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You looked at the gifts still on the table: “Why did you prepare so many gifts for me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shut up, rebellious disciple, don’t speak nonsense!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s the use of this calligraphy painting?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cong Yi bit her lip as she looked at Ji You: “Senior Brother, this painting is a magical artifact. It has no great power, but merely gazing at it calms the mind and steadies the spirit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Jinsong was deeply anxious: “Why suddenly interested in calligraphy? You can’t even read it. Why did your cultivation end so quickly?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You raised his head: “I’ve thought it over—this isn’t urgent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After returning, I also reflected: your cultivation shouldn’t be rushed. At least for now, I don’t recommend you continue intense training.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Jinsong stroked his long beard: “You’ve surely heard of the Heavenly Dao Assembly, held once every five years.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had indeed heard others discussing it in the Enlightenment Ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Heavenly Dao Assembly was the supreme cultivation gathering in Qingyun Realm, held every five years, drawing the Seven Immortal Sects and the Nine Provinces’ noble families.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sister Wen and Brother Ban planned to attend; the inner academy students surely wouldn’t miss this opportunity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Ji You didn’t care much—he wasn’t one of those cultivators who sat in deep mountains, detached and austere, counting years as days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To him, the Heavenly Dao Assembly was still far off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Cao Jinsong was concerned with his cultivation base.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is the fourth year. After the New Year, it will be the fifth—you’re eligible to compete. In the Xuantong Realm, no one should defeat you. But if you break into Rongdao now, there’s risk. So no matter how fast you cultivate, you must suppress your progress for a year.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Jinsong said: “The winner of the Heavenly Dao Assembly may enter the place where the ancient human sages once cultivated. That is the closest place to the Dao—training there for one year equals ten years elsewhere. And that’s even an understatement.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You toyed with the calligraphy painting: “Where is this place of the ancient sages’ enlightenment?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At the border between Zhongzhou and Fengzhou. When we sailed south from Changning Ferry, we passed a waterfall—somewhere west of that spot. But since the ancient sages’ enlightenment site was sealed after the Primordial War, it’s nearly impossible to find.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Such a sacred cultivation ground should logically have been divided up—why was it sealed instead?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because the power of the holy artifact bestowed by Heaven was so immense that the very land nearly collapsed. To prevent danger to the Qingyun Realm, it was sealed. Yet heaven and earth possess self-repairing abilities, requiring five years for the Dao’s flow to restore balance—hence the Heavenly Dao Assembly occurs once every five years.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You understood: \"So the instructor wants me to remain at the Tongxuan Realm until after the Heavenly Dao Assembly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Jingsong nodded: \"Correct. If you compete at the Tongxuan Realm, victory is virtually assured. But if you reach the Rongdao Initial Realm, facing a Rongdao Upper Realm opponent becomes risky.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Still, I intend to rush into the Rongdao Realm as soon as possible.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You reached toward the spirit stone ornament: \"Large numbers of cultivators are needed for land reclamation and spring plowing. I fear something unexpected may happen. Compared to the sacred ground, my cultivation base matters more to me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Jingsong placed his fist horizontally on the table: \"Actually, you won’t need a full year. Though the exact date of the Heavenly Dao Assembly hasn’t been set, by tradition, half a year suffices.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Half a year? More than enough for many things to happen to me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Jingsong paused, thinking: That’s true enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Other cultivators rely on their clans and can focus solely on cultivation. But Ji You, with no backing, always attracts trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half a year may seem short to those meditating in remote mountains—but it’s more than enough for him to stir up plenty of trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Jingsong looked up and saw Ji You reaching for the spirit wine jar—his expression instantly tightened: \"Save me some!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You licked his lips and pulled his hand back: \"I was just looking.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Jingsong hugged the wine jar to his chest: \"Now that you’ve entered the Inner Court, my advice to you is limited. Since you’ve already decided, I won’t waste words.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he finished speaking, the same disciple who had delivered the letter at the door reappeared: \"Brother Ji, the Administration Office requests your presence.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You glanced at him, then stood: \"Funny—I was just about to seek them out myself...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"By the way, Brother Ji, I have another letter for you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Didn’t you just say there wasn’t one?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It just arrived.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You reached out and took the letter from the disciple, glancing down at it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Nanhua City — Ding Wanqiu】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【(Old Cuo has no poetic talent—that line from Wang Changming was AI-generated doggerel. Just understand the gist, don’t scold me. Also, making up yesterday’s missing word count—please vote for me!)】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",4116,"2026-06-19T15:28:39.995Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","1e7544fbf3d7025f95dac0b44a98132708d090928e28046dc54e17b924f2636a","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-189","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-187",430,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fwatching-the-immortals-fall-cover.jpg"]