Chapter 247: The Art of Heavenly Mechanism

Five wins, five victories; sheathed his sword and left the arena.

Inside the human Dao hall, countless people rose unconsciously, fixing their gazes on the circular platform as Ji You stepped down from the dais; they exchanged silent glances, the air utterly still.

Only the rustling of rapid brushstrokes, like the whistle of a sword, swiftly faded, then snapped with a crisp crack as the ruined brush tip clattered to the ground.

Gongshu Chou panted heavily, beads of sweat drenching his forehead—he looked more exhausted than Ji You, who had just fought a match.

"Top of the Tongxuan Realm…"

"You actually pulled it off…"

Returning from the human Dao hall to Rusheng Garden, Cao Jinsong's chest swelled with pride, making Pei Ruyi and Wen Zhengxin feel a flicker of envy—but their minds still struggled to catch up.

Because securing the top spot felt fundamentally different from truly becoming the Heavenly Dao Assembly's champion.

As he looked at his own unruly disciple, he couldn't help recalling the moment he first saw him in Yuyang County—it felt like a lifetime ago.

Across the eastern courtyard, behind Cengcengdiedie elegant scenery in the western courtyard, many Lingjian Mountain disciples stood quietly before their rooms and houses, gazing toward his residence.

Though the champion wasn't a Lingjian Mountain disciple, Ji You's later sword strikes carried the very rhythm of Lingjian Mountain's sword dao.

Added to the fact that he was already famed throughout the realm for his Lingjian Mountain sword art, everyone felt deeply conflicted about his victory.

Regardless of sect, lineage, or family background, strength always inspires awe.

On the second floor of the small pavilion, Ding Yao, Zhuo Wanqiu, and Yan Shuyi also watched the seated figure within that residence.

"Our master has taken first place…"

"Did the Mirror Master see his potential at a glance, and deliberately choose him?"

"I just thought he was amusing—different from anyone I'd ever met."

Yan Shuyi murmured, then suddenly froze, glancing sharply at Zhuo Wanqiu—how could she call it a deliberate choice? They'd merely met a few times.

She was the junior Mirror Master of Lingjian Mountain—she would never do anything special for a man.

Seeing her Mirror Master's forced aloofness, Zhuo Wanqiu lowered her head, thinking: Who was it, just a while ago, returning to Yuyang, whose lips couldn't stop curving at the sound of "Ji family's wife"?

He Lingxiu, Shi Junhao, and others were also in the courtyard, watching the scene in silence.

The Heavenly Dao Assembly's events struck like a club, jolting them awake from the dream that "Tianshu Academy was the greatest in the world, so I, as its disciple, must be a peerless prodigy"—yet seeing a true champion emerge within their own academy was hard to swallow.

Their attitude toward Ji You had always been condescending.

Because no matter what Ji You achieved, his birth could never change, so they always clung to the superiority of their immortal sect and noble bloodlines.

They assumed, self-satisfied, that Ji You secretly longed to join them, to become like them—and that's why they kept trying to recruit him.

But when they were defeated on the Heavenly Dao Assembly's stage, and Ji You stood alone atop the summit, that fixed impression shattered in an instant.

Yes, they were not on the same level.

Yet they knew clearly: even if they were returned to the Tongxuan Realm, facing opponents like Yan Hao or Zhu Yao, they could never achieve what Ji You had—crushing all before him.

Only after their fixed impression shattered did they realize Ji You had never wanted to be like them—he simply cultivated diligently in ordinary days, returned home to till and harvest when the season came, then casually took first place.

And now, it was their turn to wish they could become like Ji You.

Wen Siyuan also felt strangely at a loss—he and his fellow disciples had risen early and stayed up late gathering intelligence on the other seven, yet still lost.

He alone slept until naturally awake, showed up on time for Ji You's duels, won, then returned to do nothing.

Ji You now looked at Wen Siyuan: "Where does the Headmaster reside now?"

"Uh, he lives in the courtyard too—right at the back, in Dengxian Tower."

"Now that I've won first place, do I have the right to request an audience with the Headmaster?"

Wen Siyuan blinked, pondered long, then spoke: "I'm not sure—Tianshu Academy hasn't had a champion in many years…"

Ji You's lips twitched; he straightened his posture: "Then please, Master Wen, inform him for me—Ji You requests an audience, to inquire after his health."

"Brother, you don't need to go see the Headmaster personally—your duels were surely watched; he must already have a deep impression of you."

"That's different—he saw me, but I haven't seen him."

Hearing this, Cao Jinsong suddenly adjusted his robes: "Uh, include me when you deliver the message."

Wen Zhengxin, Ban Yangshu, and Pei Ruyi also sat up straight, shedding their earlier languid ease.

Wen Siyuan rose: "Alright, I'll go deliver your message, Brother Ji."

"Thank you, Master Wen."

"It's only right."

Cao Jinsong watched Wen Siyuan depart, then turned to his unruly disciple: "When meeting the Headmaster, be solemn—don't open your mouth asking for money. The right to enter the Sage's Sacred Ground is worth far more than gold and silver."

Ji You frowned at him: "I'm a respectable man—I only want to check on his health."

Wen Siyuan himself had no authority to meet the Headmaster, so he sought out Qin Zhishi. After pondering long, Qin Zhishi headed toward Dengxian Tower.

The Five Hall Masters of Tianshu Academy lived near Dengxian Tower; upon hearing Qin Zhishi's report, You Yingqiu nodded slightly, told him to wait, then rose and entered the tower.

Soon, Wen Siyuan returned to Ji You's residence: "Brother Ji, the Headmaster says if you can reach the Yingtian Realm upon exiting the Sage's Sacred Ground, he'll grant you an audience."

"Yingtian Realm? Why?"

"I don't know."

Cao Jinsong also found it strange—why set such a rigid threshold? Then he froze, his mouth slowly opening.

Ji You noticed his odd expression: "What's wrong?"

"The Yingtian Realm is the only level at which one can fully cultivate Tianshu Academy's Tianji Art."

"Tianji Art…?"

Chai Hu, Zuoqiu Yang, Fei She, and Lu Fengchuan still sat drinking tea in the pavilion; as they looked up, their gazes fixed on the Headmaster's small tower.

Tianji Art was the most profound technique in Qingyun Realm; its cultivation requirement was reaching the Yingtian Realm—Cao Jinsong could deduce this, and so could they.

But Tianji Art was the most difficult, for sensing the Dao was already hard enough—how much harder to perceive the Heavenly Mechanism?

Of the Five Hall Masters, only You Yingqiu had been taught this art—and even then, only as a secondary practice.

Most importantly, Tianji Art was Tianshu Academy's deepest treasure, the very foundation upon which its founding sages established the school.

You Yingqiu now stood inside the tower, facing the old man in loose robes: "Master, do you intend for Ji You to cultivate Tianji Art?"

The old man stroked his long beard, gazing at the night outside: "The Heavenly Mechanism grows increasingly unclear—I can't tell which thread to pull, nor predict what will follow. But what must come is nearly here."

Cao Jinsong was now expounding on Tianji Art to Ji You, spinning grand tales: "You unruly brat, when you enter the Sage's Sacred Ground, you must cultivate diligently—your talent ensures you'll reach Yingtian Realm upon exit. Tianji Art is the supreme dao art of Qingyun Realm!"

"Really?"

"I heard so. But Tianji Art is the very foundation of our academy—how could it not be supreme?"

Ji You glanced at him, thinking: This is awkward—I can't even cross the threshold of Rongdao Realm, and now you want me to reach Yingtian?

Still, the Heavenly Dao Assembly was finally over.

The Sage's Sacred Ground was said to be saturated with spiritual energy—ideal for his body refinement. Yingtian Realm was out of the question, but a stronger body was still imaginable…

The Rongdao Realm results emerged sooner than the Tongxuan Realm's.

But because the momentum of a rural cultivator's relentless climb was so shocking, it didn't spark widespread discussion.

Chen Luo of the Chen Clan secured first place; his sister Chen Xi took second; third was Zhuang You; fourth was Yan Shujing; fifth was Tianshu Academy's Chai Ze, whose performance was notably strong, restoring some face for the academy.

Yet one person surprised Ji You.

Fang Ruoyao's elder brother, Fang Ruoming, placed sixth in this Heavenly Dao Assembly.

When they first met at the Gathering Immortals Banquet, Ji You had told Kuangcheng that Fang Ruoming's physique was formidable; his battlefield experience made his combat strength unsurprising—but to quietly claim sixth place was unexpected.

Because Jiang Chenfeng and Huo Hong also entered the top ten, yet ranked below him.

After the list was announced, the ten Rongdao and ten Tongxuan champions were summoned to Taiping Garden.

The Sage's Sacred Ground had opened; the Heavenly Dao Assembly results were final. The Si Xian Jian had summoned them to inform them of their entry time and guidelines.

For instance, though repaired, the interior of the Sage's Sacred Ground remained fragile.

They could cultivate within, but must not engage in private combat.

Additionally, Ji You and Chen Xi each received a map to the center of the Sage's Sacred Ground, along with jade tokens to pass through its barriers.

After returning from Si Xian Jian, Lu Qingqiu and Lu Hanyan hosted a feast to celebrate Ji You's championship.

These two were minor tycoons—the prices of Zhongzhou meant nothing to them.

The invitation came from Lu Qingqiu, but she found it strange: after reading it, Ji You unfolded it and held it before the window.

Cao Jinsong and the other three, plus Long Xiandi, also received invitations—free food was too tempting; they accepted without hesitation.

"Sister, I'd also like to invite Miss Caiwei from Yu Danzong to join us."

"?"

Lu Qingqiu slipped on a printed, pleated chest-high skirt, accentuating her curves; hearing her sister's words, she narrowed her eyes.

In Qingyun Realm, a woman wishing to become a concubine needed the chief wife's consent, so many women cultivated good relations with the chief wife before entering the household.

She looked at her sister Lu Hanyan, thinking: My earlier suspicion was correct.

If I had truly married Ji You, this plastic sister of mine would've crawled into her brother-in-law's bed eventually.

Yuan Caiwei accepted the invitation and attended the feast, wearing an embroidered ruqun and a jade hairpin, exuding elegance and poise.

After seating, Lu Hanyan kept pouring wine for her; Yuan Caiwei responded with polite, faint smiles.

She assumed the Lu family wanted to purchase elixirs—after all, their spirit stone business had been hit by Snowland demon stones; seeking new ventures wasn't surprising.

But as time passed, she realized the Lu sisters never mentioned elixirs once—instead, they went out of their way to be courteous and demure, especially Lu Hanyan, who kept whispering "sister" even at the feast's end.

Ji You sat nearby, studying the map of the Sage's Sacred Ground with Cao Jinsong and the others, marveling at its vastness.

When he heard that hushed "sister," he turned sharply, eyes wary, toward his rebellious disciple.

Yuan Caiwei suddenly understood Lu Er's subtle meaning—thinking: I have older sisters of my own…

After the feast, everyone dispersed.

Cao Jinsong and the others stayed at a city inn, in the opposite direction.

Ji You returned with the three graceful women, walking back through the darkening sky to Xianxian Garden.

The Lu sisters, since they lived in Lianxing Garden, parted ways with them on the white jade path and left first.

After watching the two depart, Yuan Caimei couldn't help but glance at the wound on Ji You's lip.

She had noticed the wound earlier, knew it was from a bite, and couldn't help recalling Yuan Chen's earlier words: be more spirited.

"What's wrong?"

Ji You noticed Yuan Caimei was distracted and asked, but before he finished speaking, she shoved him into a dark alley.

The daughter of the Yu Danzong was always well-mannered and seemed incapable of such boldness—this sudden shove left Ji You utterly unprepared.

When they emerged again, a faint red mark lingered on the left corner of Ji You's mouth.

His body was incredibly tough; Yan Shuyi had bitten him before only because she used spiritual energy. Unfortunately, the daughter of the Yu Danzong lacked such strength—her mouth didn't break his skin, and she collapsed limp in his arms, as docile as a rabbit.

Boys traveling outside truly must protect themselves.

Ji You glanced at Yuan Caimei, wondering if her teeth hurt.

Yuan Caimei's face flushed pink, and she reached back to shield herself.

My teeth don't hurt, but I got slapped twice on the buttocks—those hurt a bit…

At that moment, a woman walked into the courtyard: oval face, horse-face skirt, scanning the area.

When she saw Ji You and Yuan Caimei, she rushed over and shoved a letter into his hand.

Seeing this, Yuan Caimei couldn't help but stare at him, thinking: My lord really does attract bees and butterflies—just at noon he received a letter from another woman, and now even at midnight? No wonder the little Jiantian's sister watches him so closely.

But as she thought this, Yuan Caimei suddenly froze—she realized she herself was also a butterfly…

The sky was now pitch black. Ji You clenched the letter without reading it, parted from Yuan Caimei, and returned to Rusheng Garden.

As soon as he opened the door, he saw the stunningly beautiful little Jiantian gazing at him with icy pride.

Ji You wasn't the least afraid—he had reported his whereabouts. He stepped forward, sat down, and immediately a pair of snow-white feet came toward him, carrying a fragrant breeze—he swiftly raised his arm to block.

With a thud, the qi shock made the tea on the table spill over.

But as they struggled, the little Jiantian's buttocks were struck several times; her cold, proud face flushed faintly as she was pulled into Ji You's arms, her plump, rounded buttocks settling squarely on his lap.

"Why so much anger, Jiantian?"

"I'm warning you—afraid you'll bully my good sister."

Ji You thought Yan Shuyi's only flaw was her stubborn mouth—she never once cooed to him, couldn't even admit jealousy straight out, always invented ridiculous excuses.

If she'd just cooed earlier, the Lu sisters wouldn't have been clueless about who was the primary wife—and wouldn't have forgotten to invite him.

The little Jiantian stared at Ji You's expression, then suddenly bit down—but he bit her lips first, kissing deeply for a long while.

As Yan Shuyi's resistance rose, her bare, snow-white feet curled involuntarily, her fiery spirit dimming—but her eyes remained wide open, refusing to yield.

Soon, as his hand left her waist, the little Jiantian shrank into herself, her gaze fiercer than ever, yet she remained obediently still, not stopping him.

"Which one do you like?"

"Which one what?"

After he released her lips, Yan Shuyi caught her breath and asked: "My sister, and the Lu sisters—all quite lovely. Which one do you like best? Tell me, let this Jiantian give you some advice."

Ji You thought long and hard: "I like the one with the smallest courage."

"?"

"Enough jesting. I truly have something to ask you, my proud, icy, peerless Jiantian."

Yan Shuyi instantly straightened her back, her gaze sharpening with feigned haughtiness: "Speak. What trouble has this stranger brought that requires this Jiantian's guidance?"

She was still seated on his lap, her curves fully explored, yet she acted as if they were complete strangers.

Ji You paused, then said: "You know I'm no longer young. Dragging this out won't do. Once I leave the Sacred Ground of the Ancients, I plan to have a child. I'd appreciate your advice, little Jiantian."

Yan Shuyi gripped his robe tightly, suddenly tense: "I'll kill you…"

Ji You watched her expression and thought: this prideful brat—soft-spoken about herself, but strikes hard when judging others: "You promised to advise me."

Yan Shuyi clenched her fists, convinced he was just bluffing—but the next instant, she felt herself lifted slightly higher, and her eyes widened involuntarily.

In an instant, a flash of spiritual light shimmered beneath her snow-white feet, and Yan Shuyi vanished from the room with a soft "whoosh."

Ji You's lip twitched; he turned to glance at the shoes and socks beside him.

Yan Shuyi had already reached the second floor across the way, standing silently before the door: "Bathing…"

Ding Yao: "?"

Cui'er followed soon after, gathering the Jiantian's layered garments—and found again no undergarments. Not only no undergarments, but no socks or shoes either. Her expression grew puzzled.

At that moment, Cui'er picked up the bright yellow belly band, froze, and stared at a frayed spot on it, mouth slightly agape.

Ding Yao looked at Cui'er's stiff back: "What's wrong?"

"Ah? N-nothing…"

Cui'er hid the belly band beneath her clothes, lips pressed tight, thinking: The Jiantian has a sweetheart.

This secret was hers alone to know—soon, the Jiantian would surely make her a trusted confidante.

But what puzzled Cui'er was who it was—someone bold enough to bully the cold, aloof, almost otherworldly Jiantian like this.

(Requesting monthly votes)

(End of chapter)