Chapter 232: Relaxed State

Cao Jiaoxi and his group of four arrived at Zhongxing County via the Shengjing post station's night freight cart, not reaching until early this morning.

In his own words, this saved a day's lodging fee, and night transport charged only half price—his frugality was unmatched under heaven.

Fortunately, cultivators require little sleep; one hour of meditation replenishes them for days.

By the time they arrived at the post station this morning, Pei Ruyi had already arrived—she had come by carriage from Fengzhou, an hour ahead of them.

After reuniting, they found the note Ji You had left with the innkeeper, then hurried here, only to sense a surge of spiritual energy upon entering the garden, revealing Yan Shuyi across the small building.

Ethereal as a celestial being, her bearing was noble, her gaze radiating pride and unspoken authority, instantly commanding attention.

Cao Jinsong found this figure vaguely familiar, yet he could not recall who she was.

Ban Yangshu, Wen Zhengxin, and Pei Ruyi, however, felt they had never in their lives seen such a captivating immortal maiden.

Yan Shuyi was also watching them, hands resting on the railing, motionless, her eyelashes trembling slightly.

She had just been thinking about the stick—her mind was full: the memory of bumping into Ji You as he prepared to bathe, and the sensation of being lifted in the bamboo grove, leaving her completely unaware of their approach.

By the time she noticed, there was only time to flee.

When she landed on the rear building, Cao Jinsong and the others had already turned to look—she could not turn and flee in panic, so she assumed a posture of admiring the view from the railing.

She was somewhat relieved—their lips hadn't touched yet.

For if they had, she would have struggled to restore her Master's dignity in such a short time.

At that moment, Yan Shuyi curled her toes, feeling the floor's slight chill, realizing she had forgotten to put on her shoes again…

Cao Jinsong's group also dared not stare too long—her cold arrogance had indeed pressed upon them. When they heard Ji You open the door, they turned to see him stepping out of the room.

"Why are you only arriving today?"

"The Heavenly Dao Assembly hosted banquets these past days, and we weren't invited—staying another day would've been a waste of money. Coming today saved us two days' lodging. Why not?"

Cao Jinsong replied with a shrewd, calculating expression.

Ban Yangshu then turned to Ji You: "How have you been these past two days?"

"Fine. Eating, drinking, and not spending a single silver tael—much more comfortable than stealing coins at the Book of Heaven Academy. But business is terrible; I haven't met a single client these past days."

Still, the bright spot was seeing that stubborn ghost every day, Ji You silently added to himself.

Wen Zhengxin and Pei Ruyi had only just torn their eyes from the opposite building, and now curiosity drove them to ask: "Brother Ji, who is the woman on that small building?"

"From Spirit Sword Mountain."

Wen Zhengxin was startled: "So she's a disciple of Spirit Sword Mountain—but why does her aura feel so transcendent?"

Ji You glanced at the second floor across the way: "Not surprising. She's a Master, after all. Some aura is expected."

"…."

"?!"

The four turned back in shock, eyes widening slowly; seeing Ji You wasn't joking, they wore nearly identical expressions of disbelief.

What the hell—Spirit Sword Mountain disciples are this casual?

They'd assumed she was some long-secluded female disciple!

Before Ji You could speak, the four bolted out the door, rushing back to stare at the second floor again.

No wonder the woman seemed like a goddess descending from heaven—just one glance made you feel too awed to raise your head. It was Yan Shuyi, the next Master of Spirit Sword Mountain.

The most powerful woman in Qingyun Realm, the sole wielder among the direct disciples, the youngest Wuxiang cultivator in a thousand years.

They had just had the fortune to see such a figure—and hadn't even realized it!

But after searching for a long while, they realized Spirit Sword Mountain had already retreated indoors, leaving only an empty second floor.

Seeing this, the four instantly glared at Ji You in fury.

"Why didn't you tell us she was the Spirit Sword Mountain's junior Master?"

Ji You thought: Now it's my fault? "You didn't ask."

Wen Zhengxin's expression was full of regret: "Someone like her—I'll probably never see her again in this life, and yet we met by accident."

Ji You thought: So what? There'll be plenty more chances. After all, you're all my Jizhai's paying patrons—you might even meet a miniature version of the junior Master someday.

Thinking of a miniature junior Master, Ji the Bandit couldn't help recalling the scene in the bamboo grove.

When he played "stick beats tiger, chicken eats bug," he'd drawn the stick card—he was certain she'd connected it to something.

Pei Ruyi stared at the opposite building, puzzled: "Strange—why are our Book of Heaven Academy disciples sharing lodging with Spirit Sword Mountain?"

"Maybe there's some hidden connection, unknown to outsiders. But even without one, it's not odd—Chen Shixian Clan and Shanhai Pavilion have a mountain-encircling grudge, yet they live next door."

"Then your luck really is good—you're lodged so close to such a person."

"If you were stronger, you might get even closer."

Ban Yangshu sighed: "What was your reaction when you first saw the Spirit Sword Mountain junior Master across from you?"

Ji You thought long before answering: "Truly, we're perfectly matched."

"?"

The four instantly grew serious, stepping three paces away from him, loudly proclaiming to the empty, distant building that they had nothing to do with Ji You.

Only after confirming no movement from the opposite building did they relax slightly, awed by Ji You's brazen audacity.

"Next time you speak, warn me first."

"Why?"

"So I can clear the room beforehand—avoid getting splattered."

Cao Jinsong stepped inside first, glancing around, his heart quietly souring.

This was what a room looked like. Their inn room? Just a bed and a stool—nothing else fit, and it was absurdly expensive.

Wen Zhengxin and Pei Ruyi wandered the room, fascinated by the furnishings.

But as they walked, their steps suddenly halted—unsurprisingly, they spotted a pair of shoes beside Ji You's bed, with two white socks scattered nearby.

Seeing this, the two immortal maidens held their breath, exchanged glances, then turned to Ji You with strange expressions, thinking: The Heavenly Dao Assembly's service is truly thorough.

Ji You followed their gaze, spotted the shoes and socks on the floor, realized Yan Shuyi had left barefoot again, and with a surge of spiritual energy, snatched them away in a flash.

Wen Zhengxin watched him with interest: "Brother Ji, you're quite enthusiastic—right out in the open…"

Ji You looked back, unsure whether "open daylight" was meant as an adjective or a verb.

At that moment, Pei Ruyi tugged Wen Zhengxin's sleeve, glancing toward the tea table.

Two teacups sat there, still steaming—clearly just poured.

They exchanged glances, then scanned left and right, checking every corner of the house.

In their view, the woman in the room might still be here—the tea was proof, the socks were proof, and when they arrived, they'd seen no one leaving.

But after searching, they found no one, and confusion crept onto their faces.

Cao Jinsong and Ban Yangshu, having returned from admiring the room's elegance, noticed their expressions and asked: "What's wrong?"

"There are a woman's shoes and socks beside Brother Ji's bed—we thought another woman was still inside."

"?"

Cao Jinsong's gaze turned peculiar: "Disciple, you're not wasting time even at the Heavenly Dao Assembly? Claiming to be a virgin boy? Don't tarnish our virgin boys."

Ban Yangshu nodded mysteriously, feeling he and Cao Jiaoxi shared the same insight.

Ji You glanced at the opposite building, thinking: My reputation as a pure yang virgin? That's all thanks to Yan Shuyi.

But Cao Jinsong's group hadn't come here to meddle in Ji You's private life. As they chatted, the topic shifted to tomorrow's matches.

Ji You pulled out the folded document and handed it to them; the four studied it closely.

The Heavenly Dao Assembly's format was complex—many participants, varied groupings. After much study, they finally understood how to win.

"Your first match is tomorrow afternoon? We really arrived just in time."

Ji You poured tea as he replied: "Too many Tongxuan cultivators. My group is late, so I'm scheduled for tomorrow. But even with the delay, I won't miss a single match."

Cao Jinsong glanced again at the document: "Six in a group, three advance—how do the other three fight?"

"One gets a bye, waits for the other two to fight, then challenges the winner. In the end, only one advances to the second round—similar to a defending champion."

"…."

As the slanting sun set, footsteps echoed again in Rusheng Garden.

He Lingxiu and the others returned; the Hall's disciples and several Elders gathered in the courtyard.

Shi Junhao, Chai Ze, Wang Gaocen, and Yu Shiliu all fought their first matches today—all won, praised by the Hall and the Elders.

Though, like Yan Hao's match against Lu Qifeng, these were merely appetizers in the grand scheme of the Heavenly Dao Assembly, they still saw a good omen in the opening victories.

They also discussed the performances of disciples from other immortal sects and noble families, along with gathered intelligence.

After last night's Gathering Immortals Banquet, they'd sensed the unique spiritual currents of those breaking through in seclusion—they knew someone was attempting to break through just before battle, and today they'd found some leads.

An elderly man from the Yongzhou noble family, named Lin Hong, successfully broke through at midnight last night, entering Yingtian Initial Realm.

He'd felt his cultivation bottleneck years ago, losing confidence in his path, so he placed all his hopes on the Ancient Sages' Path to Enlightenment. He'd decided a year ago to suppress his realm for the Heavenly Dao Assembly, holding back until now.

Due to varying spiritual aptitudes, cultivators reach the same realm at different times. The Heavenly Dao Assembly imposes no age limit, only realm restrictions—so many elderly cultivators appear.

This man was a threat to He Lingxiu and the others.

Because surpassing a major realm threshold brings unpredictable combat power increases.

Among Tongxuan cultivators, three had broken through to Rongdao Upper Realm—but good news: they weren't in the same group as the four Book of Heaven Academy Tongxuan cultivators, meaning the four wouldn't face them in the first round.

But this was only the first day's tally.

Four successfully breaking through during battle didn't mean only four were attempting it.

Based on last night's spiritual flow, at least one-tenth would succeed in breaking through during the tournament.

In Gu Ze Tao's group, a cultivator named Lu Xiuwen was rumored to be among those secretly breaking through—though he hadn't succeeded yet, the risk remained.

At that moment, the returning group noticed Cao Jinsong's four, sipping tea at the window of Ji You's house.

Ji You was a lone cultivator without a sect, always solitary—even at the Gathering Immortals Banquet, his figure stood alone. Now, finally, someone had come to watch and cheer for him.

Although the Heavenly Dao Assembly's matches are not judged by the number of spectators behind them, momentum can sometimes affect the Dao heart.

To those with powerful backgrounds like them, Ji You seemed to be fighting alone.

Cao Jingsong and the other four soon left the small courtyard; after traveling through the night, they needed rest.

Ji You saw them all the way to the edge of Rusheng Garden, but upon returning, He Lingxiu called out to him.

"Brother Ji, didn't you leave to watch any matches today?"

"I did. Shortly after you left, I went out and picked a random arena to watch."

"Just one match?"

Ji You nodded. "I came back in the afternoon. Just then, Master Cao and the others arrived, so we drank tea and chatted for a while."

As he spoke, Qin Zhishi of the Management Hall addressed him, repeating the same information he had given Wang Gaocen and Yu Shiliu—mainly listing those Tongxuan Realm cultivators likely to break through soon.

After listening, Ji You fell into thought, then thanked him and turned back to his room.

Seeing this, Shi Junhao couldn't help but purse his lips: "Ji You shows not the slightest sense of urgency. Those who compete in the Heavenly Dao Assembly aren't like Liu Qichen or Wu Zhen, whom he previously defeated."

He Lingxiu pursed his lips. "That's just his nature."

During their idle chat, disciples from Lingjian Mountain returned.

All those who fought for them today won, though Gongshu Chou took longer—partly because his opponent was stronger, and partly because he stayed up late writing last night.

Noble family disciples still lagged slightly behind those from immortal sects.

No one found this result surprising.

In past Heavenly Dao Assemblies, the final slots always went to immortal sects; only rare, extraordinary noble talents managed to claim one, and even then, rarely.

Ji You watched the Lingjian Mountain disciples depart, then entered his room.

He wasn't familiar with the noble families of the Nine Provinces, so when the Management Hall told him to pay attention to this one or that one, he couldn't match names to faces—he had to return and review the match records to determine their groupings.

After studying for a long while, he glanced out the window at the deep night and realized it was already quite late.

Under normal circumstances, he would have completed a body refinement session by now and been about to strip off his clothes for a bath—but Cao Jingsong's visit had delayed him.

He had a match tomorrow, so he decided not to continue tonight.

Ji You closed the match records, poured out the tea, washed the teapot, then rose to go to sleep—but as he took his first step, he froze instantly.

A faint ripple appeared in the air nearby, followed by silent, swirling dark light.

Barefoot, the young inspector of Lingjian Mountain slipped silently into his room, landing right before his bathtub, feigning casualness as he glanced repeatedly toward the tub…

Finding the tub empty, Yan Shuyi blinked in surprise, then turned his head and spotted Ji You seated at the tea table—he instantly stiffened, pretending calmness as if ready to annihilate everything.

Ji You's lips twitched. He thought: That stubborn brat's timing and positioning are always spot-on.

The young inspector turned to look at him: "A stranger I've only met a few times—return my shoes and socks."

"You, the future leader of Lingjian Mountain, own only one pair of shoes and socks, and must come at midnight to retrieve them—choosing the perfect time and place?"

"How I conduct myself requires no commentary from a mere disciple of the Heavenly Book Academy."

Yan Shuyi's tone was cool, firm, and edged with menace.

If you want to watch someone bathe, just watch—but you left your shoes here as a cover.

Ji You silently sighed, rose, retrieved the shoes and socks he had stored earlier from the cabinet, and as he walked over, he also pulled a towel from the stand.

The young inspector had already sat on the floor, waiting to put on his shoes, when suddenly his feet were lifted—and a damp towel, warmed by water, pressed against his soles.

"Your filthy little feet…"

Ji You knelt on the floor, gently washing her feet, carefully rubbing clean each plump, pearl-like toe.

Watching his gentle, meticulous manner, the young inspector of Lingjian Mountain stared for a long while—until Ji You remarked her feet were dirty, then she narrowed her eyes and couldn't help but kick him twice with her leg.

Ding Yao returned to the small building of Rusheng Garden very late, having gone to watch matches herself.

She watched two matches from Lingjian Mountain and three from other sects, one of which was from the Heavenly Book Academy.

As she entered the building, Ding Yao suddenly heard a faint, drifting melody, paused in surprise, and turned to see Zhuo Wanqiu approaching with tea.

"Who's humming? Sounds like a folk song from Lingzhou."

"Shh—it's the inspector."

"Why is the inspector so happy today?"

"Went to see her husband—just came back."

Ding Yao glanced at the dark night, then toward the inspector's room: "Brother Ji has a match tomorrow, yet he only watched one fight and stayed up so late with the inspector—isn't that a bit too lax?"

Zhuo Wanqiu looked at Ding Yao: "Are you afraid your master will lose?"

"Of course Master is a prodigy, but everyone competing in the Heavenly Dao Assembly is no ordinary person. I only fear he'll underestimate his opponents. To marry the inspector, he needs to enter the Sacred Ground of the Ancients more than anyone else—and he even said he'd cut down the prestige of Tianjian Peak for her. He should be more cautious."

(End of Chapter)