Chapter 213: All Are Virgin Cultivators!?

As dusk fell and the sky darkened, Ji You returned to the inner courtyard from Cao Jingsong's courtyard.

His battle with Liu Qichen was far more satisfying than his fight against Wu Zhen; he could clearly feel the power surging from within his body—so strong it startled even himself.

It's true that humans are inherently weak, but their potential is no lesser than that of the other two races.

The accumulation and explosive release of one's own strength cannot be underestimated.

Yet the difference between these two battles wasn't due to a vast gap in strength between Liu Qichen and Wu Zhen; the greater reason was that the magical robe truly delivered.

So he hadn't lied—it really was a good item.

If Liu Qichen had worn several layers, I'd have had to work much harder.

But that robe was damn expensive.

Ji You took out the envelope in his lap again and stared in disbelief at the silver notes inside.

He'd previously asked Qionghua Pavilion to prepare some defensive artifacts, saying he'd help promote them for mutual benefit—but during negotiations, he hadn't fully grasped the price. Now, holding these silver notes and realizing this was only half the premium, he was stunned by the robe's valuation.

This thing? Definitely not something us poor bastards can afford.

Ji You tucked the silver notes into his storage gourd, then entered his room. He didn't plan to train his body intensely for the time being—he intended to rest.

It wasn't due to a bottleneck or anything else; it was simply that after several half-meals, Cao's monthly stipend was gone…

It was barely mid-month, and he was already worried for Cao Jingsong.

After all these years, he never strives, and his stipend remains this meager—how will he get through the coming days?

Ji You sighed a few times on his bed, then pulled the quilt over himself. He always fell asleep quickly—eyes closed, and deep slumber followed.

Yet beneath the same moonlight, many others lay awake, restless from today's matches.

Liu Qichen's battle with Ji You had no dazzling spells or clashing techniques—just plain, relentless thrusts, one after another—but the discussion it sparked far surpassed the five matches Shi Junhao had fought.

So after watching, countless disciples returned from the Ascension White Jade Terrace and huddled in their dormitories, backs against walls, seated on meditation mats, whispering quietly to fellow cultivators.

Some claimed Ji You had merely delivered three simple straight thrusts—up, down, up, down—without even using any sword techniques.

Others said that moment when he stepped into the air, he hadn't used any spiritual energy.

Thousands of eyes had been watching; someone had surely noticed these details, and through their exchanges, fragments of the scene gradually filled in.

The more complete the details, the more silence followed.

Ji You had always been an oddity—his origins, his conduct, everything about him was utterly unconventional.

Now, with these two matches in the Heavenly Book Academy's preliminary rounds, he stood out even more starkly among the entire academy's faculty and students.

In the past, noble-born disciples would have sneered at such oddities—but now, with his strength revealed, this oddity had become a striking, undeniable distinction.

Those three strikes against Liu Qichen were too powerful—and worse, he hadn't even used the Sword Mountain's sword arts.

"But there are still three matches left."

"?"

"After Wu Zhen and Liu Qichen lost, Ji You still needs three more victories to secure a spot in the Heavenly Dao Assembly. No one knows who the Elders' Chamber will send next."

"They'll definitely be stronger than Liu Qichen. The next three matches should be more exciting."

By now, even the slowest disciples sensed the academy's attitude toward Ji You.

Whether it was restricting his use of sword arts, assigning him opponents of extraordinary strength, or equipping those opponents with protective elixirs and magical robes—all these seemingly reasonable actions pointed to one issue.

They clearly didn't want Ji You to earn a spot in the Heavenly Dao Assembly; they intended to crush him before the preliminaries even ended.

So there are still three matches left.

The disciples debated deep into the night, and finally all realized: there were still three matches left.

In their view, the Elders' Chamber would spare no effort in the next three matches to ensure Ji You couldn't win.

If a robe had appeared last match to block Ji You, perhaps the next match would bring a weapon capable of harming a Fusion Dao cultivator—then Ji You would be in grave danger.

Cultivators across Qingyun Realm had long held a blind trust in status and realm—a subconscious habit passed down for centuries among humans.

The Elders' Chamber held exalted status; to them, Elders were omnipotent. Since they couldn't comprehend Ji You's sword strikes, they assumed that no matter how strong he was, how could an arm possibly twist a thigh?

Still, they admitted Ji You did have some presence.

Because even a direct disciple candidate like Shi Junhao only faced opponents of his own realm—but Ji You? He was facing an entire Elders' Chamber.

It felt as if a vast chessboard hung in empty space: countless Elders lined the left side, while on the right stood Ji You, sword in hand, seemingly disdainful of everything…

The next morning, Ji You rose from his dormitory and stared silently at the rooster heralding dawn.

His dream had been lively last night—likely another side effect of body training; his strengthened physique had amplified many impulses.

Yan Shuyi looked fierce, flailing limbs and twisting hips—but she was fragile, nothing more than a minor Jade Master.

Yuan Caimei was more reserved, restrained—but surprisingly kept pace with him.

Lu Hanyan, the rebellious disciple, also appeared—probably because of recent frequent contact, she kept showing up in his dreams—but she didn't even make the lineup, shoved to the bottom.

Ji You opened the window and door to air out the room, took a long, deep breath, and saw disciples on the mountain beginning to descend.

Soon after, as the sun rose higher, the Ascension White Jade Terrace reopened for competition.

But this wasn't the Qixuan realm matches—it was the Fusion Dao realm.

Shi Junhao, having secured his Heavenly Dao Assembly spot, left the arena, replaced by Xiao Hanyan as the challenger.

Two days, two matches, two wins.

This wasn't surprising; since Xiao Hanyan and Shi Junhao were direct disciple candidates, they naturally stood apart from others.

If nothing unexpected happened, Xiao Hanyan would likely win five straight, then be replaced by Chai Ze.

At that point, He Lingxiu of the Zizai Hall would probably emerge from seclusion as a high-level Fusion Dao cultivator to claim the final spot—no other surprises expected.

So upon reflection, these matches were little different from a selection process. The only real uncertainty lay in the Qixuan realm.

Thinking this, all outer courtyard disciples turned their heads toward the southeast.

Ever since Ji You took the Qixuan throne, outer courtyard disciples had felt this way: no matter how thrilling the Fusion Dao matches, their minds remained fixed on the next Qixuan match.

"Today, no Elder seems to have come."

"They're probably deliberating, choosing the next Qixuan cultivator to challenge Ji You."

But though no Elders were present, the inner courtyard Qixuan cultivators aiming for spots were all there.

These inner courtyard Qixuan cultivators appeared calm on the surface, nodding indifferently when greeted, acting aloof and superior.

Yet nearly everyone from the outer courtyard could see—they were desperate inside.

Like Pan Bin, grandson of Elder Pan of the Elders' Chamber; Wang Gaocen, grandson of Elder Wang; Yu Shiliu, niece of Elder Yu; and Gu Zetao, maternal grandson of Elder Shi.

These four were originally pre-selected to hold the spots.

Just as Shi Junhao, Xiao Hanyan, Chai Ze, and He Lingxiu were pre-selected for Fusion Dao.

But the Qixuan spots have all been held down by Ji You alone, his sword blocking every single one.

For the Qixuan preliminaries to proceed, the most critical issue was removing Ji You from the throne.

"The next challenger should be Lu Da from the inner courtyard—stuck in Qixuan for eight years. Rumor says he's touched the threshold recently; he's considered the strongest among inner courtyard Qixuan cultivators."

"Strongest?"

"Except for Ji You."

"Lu's family lives not far from mine. I've heard of this senior—he's capable of placing in the Heavenly Dao Assembly. Challenging Ji You is reckless. I don't think he'll want to fight."

"You don't understand. Whether he fights or not isn't his choice. Haven't you noticed Pan Bin, Wang Gaocen, Yu Shiliu, and Gu Zetao waiting? Lu Da, no matter how strong, is just a stepping stone for the Elders' Chamber to pave the way for their descendants. He won't dare beat those four—but against Ji You, he still has a chance."

"That's too extreme."

"You underestimate how tangled these relationships are."

After Xiao Hanyan's second match ended, disciples who hadn't left the arena whispered among themselves, most guessing Lu Da from the inner courtyard would challenge Ji You.

The rules of Qingyun Realm were this: resources were fixed, not increased by any individual's emergence.

What you gained meant someone else lost.

It wouldn't be like a play—where a talented disciple is given a spot meant for a noble's grandson, or a granddaughter married to him. Only suppression and exclusion existed.

Because the growth of outsiders inevitably brought growing appetites, hard to control.

One day, that appetite would grow large enough to turn on you.

Amid the murmurs, someone suddenly turned toward the southwest mountain path, where a figure emerged from the inner courtyard's Ten Thousand Swords Mountain and entered the Administration Courtyard.

That figure was Lu Da.

Seeing this, some outer courtyard students who had guessed correctly immediately wore expressions of "I told you so."

So the next morning, early, people began arriving at the Ascension White Jade Terrace ahead of time.

Even enthusiastic disciples like Lu Hanyan, who spent every day thinking of watching Ji You, couldn't get a front-row spot.

Cao Jingsong, Ban Yangshu, and Bai Ru Long arrived too, exchanged greetings with the Lu sisters, then took their reserved seats.

No Elders appeared during Xiao Hanyan's two matches.

This was because the Fusion Dao spots were nearly pre-assigned; even as Elders, they couldn't reach into the direct disciple position.

But since today was Qixuan competition, everyone assumed the Elders should have come.

Yet contrary to expectations, no Elders appeared—only the inner courtyard Qixuan cultivators showed up, their expressions complex.

"Why aren't the Elders here?"

"Maybe… something's happening in the academy?"

"They came for the last two matches."

"Whether they come or not doesn't matter—they can't fight themselves."

Lu Hanyan's gaze swept the crowd and noticed Princess Zhao Yunyue still standing in her previous spot, but Fang Jincheng was gone.

Before she could ponder further, Ji You arrived with sword in hand, stepping onto the Ascension White Jade Terrace.

He wore a white young master's robe, sword at his waist, standing precisely where he had before.

At that moment, a sudden wave of astonished murmurs erupted through the crowd—all eyes turned toward Ji You's position.

A thin man walked onto the stage, wearing a young master's robe, his hairpin neatly arranged, stopping directly opposite Ji You.

But many who had seen Lu Da knew his build was towering and muscular—nothing like this emaciated figure.

Lu Qingqiu blinked, uncertainly speaking: "He's a senior from the outer court, named Liu… something…"

"Liu what?"

"I don't know. He's extremely low-profile, rarely moves around. They say he's from the same clan as Liu Qichen, older than him, but with far inferior talent. I only saw him once by chance."

"?"

Cao Jingsong and the others turned their heads in confusion, suddenly noticing two more people following the Liu disciple—still on the ground, guarding below the stage.

Then, a disciple from the Administration Hall stepped onto the stage, holding a bronze gong, and struck it sharply.

As everyone held their breath, wondering what was about to happen, the Liu disciple suddenly bowed deeply forward.

Already slender, his bow made him look like a bamboo stalk bending low.

Yet what drew the most discussion now was his politeness—this was the first time in two matches of the Tongxuan realm arena that anyone had bowed before attacking.

Someone in the crowd muttered he must have real skill, since he faced Ji You so calmly—not arrogance, but genuine strength.

Since he was chosen by the Elder Pavilion, the outcome must be the latter.

But the next second, the Liu disciple's voice rang out, leaving the entire crowd stunned.

"Brother Ji, I yield."

Ji You stared at him, his brow slightly furrowed.

That morning, before he'd even brewed tea, someone knocked on his door—he opened it to find an Administration Hall disciple delivering three challenge letters, all from names he'd never heard.

From that moment, he'd already sensed something was off.

He had no right to choose his opponents, and the other side's move left him powerless to respond.

But five defense matches, and he'd only fought two—both meaningless—left him feeling cheated.

Outside, the crowd erupted in uproar, everyone staring in shock, unable to process it—until they saw a second man step onto the stage.

He was short, but sturdier than the previous one.

As the Administration Hall disciple struck the gong, he immediately bowed, then walked off the White Jade Platform himself.

Then came the third—a woman from the outer court, walking gracefully forward, bowing after the gong sounded.

Everyone watched, eyes wide with disbelief—had the five matches really ended like this?

Where was the Elder Pavilion's fury? Where was Brother Lu Da?

Even Cao Jingsong, Ban Yangshu, and Bai Rulong couldn't help gaping, utterly unprepared.

The three heads of the Administration Hall also stared at the scene, their expressions deeply complex.

"Did those elders just yield?"

"They couldn't delay any longer. The low-level disciples are too afraid to fight, and the stronger ones don't want to lose to Ji You in the preliminaries. With Ji You holding the arena, no one will earn a slot before the Heavenly Dao Assembly begins—our Heavenly Book Academy would become a laughingstock."

Lang Hetong couldn't help opening his mouth: "They actually accepted this?"

Qin Rong glanced at him: "Unless they send a Rongdao cultivator to challenge, Ji You's slot is locked. But if they do that, the Elder Pavilion's face is ruined—and even then, victory isn't guaranteed."

"Why?"

"His robe was torn—the one that could block a Rongdao cultivator's attack—was cut through by Ji You."

"?"

Ji You watched the three men descend, then walked off the White Jade Platform without expression.

Though he'd expected it, he still felt it was pointless—like the victories were handed to him.

Cao Jingsong, watching him step down, couldn't help whispering: "Why did the Elder Pavilion suddenly change their attitude?"

Hearing this, the Lu sisters and Ban Yangshu also stared at Ji You, puzzled.

"They can't find anyone."

"Why?"

"When I dueled Liu Qichen, I cut his robe to shreds. Among Tongxuan cultivators, they have no one left who can match me in swordplay. The others they won't send out—they're afraid of losing to me. So yielding is the best outcome."

Cao Jingsong opened his mouth: "That robe—the one that blocked Rongdao attacks—was cut to pieces by you?"

Ji You nodded: "It broke after blocking one of my strikes, but it saved its owner's life. A truly exquisite robe. Instructor Cao, interested in buying one?"

"?!"

Cao Jingsong stared at him, dumbfounded—others looked much the same.

This wasn't something you could joke about—it was a Tongxuan cultivator cutting through a robe that could withstand a Rongdao cultivator's attack. It defied all logic.

After a long silence, Ban Yangshu spoke: "Brother Ji, where does your combat power truly come from?"

Ji You looked up at him: "You should already know."

"It's really body refinement? This… this is too bizarre. Brother, can I learn it too? We're not strangers, after all."

Cao Jingsong glanced at Ban Yangshu, then turned to Ji You: "Worthless disciple—teach me first!"

"It's not that I won't—I can't. This cultivation method requires innate fullness, no leakage, pure yang with no loss, ensuring abundant qi. Only a virgin can practice it."

Ji You opened his mouth, making up nonsense.

He had no choice—those who sought this cultivation needed their spiritual origin to split open, and the only person he knew who survived that was himself. He didn't want Cao Jingsong or Ban Yangshu risking their lives.

But as soon as he finished speaking, Ji You froze.

He noticed Cao Jingsong and Ban Yangshu's anticipation hadn't faded—even Bai Rulong still looked eager. Only the Lu sisters stared at him with stunned confusion.

Seeing this, Ji You muttered under his breath: "Worthless. I'm worthless too."

"A virgin can practice it—but only if they start at age five."

"Then why all the fuss? Why not just say age five?"

"Heh. I didn't expect you two are still virgins… damn."

Ji You thought to himself, then looked toward the inner court's Elder Pavilion, falling silent for a long while.

After hardening his body, he'd also trained his spiritual sense—especially since his flesh neared Rongdao level, his spirit and body had grown more aligned, letting him see farther.

Now, in his vision, several elders of the Elder Pavilion were watching him, their expressions grim.

Such a good expression—love to watch, keep watching.

Ji You snapped back to reality, then followed Cao Jingsong and the others off the White Jade Platform.

On the inner court's cliffside, all the elders sat in silence…

In the following days, Xiao Hanyan faced the remaining three opponents one by one.

Outer court students still came daily to watch, occasionally gasping in awe at the depth of the techniques.

As expected, the next challenger after Ji You in the Tongxuan realm was Wang Gaocen, grandson of Elder Wang of the Elder Pavilion.

But his matches lacked the excitement of Ji You's.

Watching these dull fights, they recalled Ji You's earlier sword strikes—and realized just how absurd they'd been.

Yet certain details still baffled them.

Why did three opponents yield in a row without even trying?

The once-belligerent Elder Pavilion gave up so easily—there had to be a reason.

The ending felt like a grand battle ending in a tiny spark—leaving everyone bewildered.

And then there was the elder who never appeared during those three bows—the one who'd been shouting on the sidelines but never showed up: Fang Jincheng. And the complex glances the Tongxuan disciples cast at Ji You—everything felt mysterious.

Some said the Elder Pavilion saw Ji You's strength and realized he'd win first place, so they softened.

Others claimed someone from the Heavenly Book Hall intervened, preventing conflict between elders and students.

Unanswered questions always breed speculation.

Until the summer heat arrived, when lotus fragrance filled the courtyard after rain, a disciple from the Administration Hall mentioned it at a banquet hosted by a Jingcheng aristocratic family.

"Lu Da didn't go to the Administration Hall that day to challenge Ji You."

"He… was withdrawing from the competition."

"The Lu family is a minor clan, always relying on the Elder Pavilion. He could never get a slot from their descendants, and didn't want to face Ji You—so withdrawal was his only option."

Zhao Yunyue, dressed in fine robes, frowned slightly: "Why couldn't he face Ji You?"

The Administration Hall disciple replied: "Because he couldn't win. That robe… was cut into a foot-rag. Would they send a Rongdao cultivator to fight in a Tongxuan match? That'd be too humiliating—and if he lost…"

"Anyway, Lu Da said he's about to touch the threshold of Rongdao—he didn't want his Dao heart shattered by a single sword. Hahaha."

The disciple laughed for a while, then noticed the dozens around him weren't laughing—they'd frozen, eyes widening.

Everyone knew Ji You was powerful. Honestly, most thought even if Lu Da had fought, he wouldn't have won.

But Ji You cutting through a robe that blocked Rongdao attacks? That was an entirely different matter…

The disciple's heart lurched—he realized he'd said too much.

But words spoken are like water spilled—hard to retract. Within moments, the story spread through the Heavenly Book Academy, leaving everyone in stunned silence.

For a thousand years, Qingyun's hierarchy had been rigid: small feared great, low feared high.

Yet now they realized: Ji You, a lowly disciple, had drawn his sword and forced the lofty Elder Pavilion to retreat.

Those who felt it most were the students who entered with Ji You.

They'd entered the academy together, taken pills, cracked spirit stones, and for a long time before the Autumn Contest, they'd mocked Ji You—the country-bred cultivator—as a joke. Even after he sensed the Heavenly Book, some still saw him as a fleeting footnote in their long Dao path.

None imagined he'd one day shake the Elder Pavilion, a single man dominating the entire realm.

Compared to themselves now, he was from an entirely different world.

"I've never met anyone like Brother Ji. Sister, when you were saved, you should've taken him home right away."

Lu Qingqiu had heard of the banquet story—how Ji You scared Lu Da into not showing up. After a long sigh, she glanced at her sister: "Take him home so you can beat your sister-in-law's butt every day?"

Lu Hanyan's cheeks flushed: "Strict master, outstanding disciple."

"Is it really that comfortable? I'm starting to think I should learn swordplay too…"

"No, no, Big Sister, don't overthink it—it's not comfortable at all, I know without even trying."

Lu Qingqiu looked at the wariness in Lu Hanyan's eyes: "These sisters don't seem to be blood-related…"

Lu Hanyan lifted her teacup and took a small sip: "Now that I think about it, Big Sister is still useless—after all these years, you still haven't married."

"Even if I had married back then, he would've been mine, not yours."

"Big Sister has always liked sharing good things with me since we were little."

"?"

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(End of chapter)