Chapter 317

Whether the Heavenly Dao Assembly or the Wandering Immortal Assembly, the first round had the most competitors, so the preliminary advancement matches were the longest.

But since it was a two-to-one elimination format, the number of eliminations was also the greatest.

After two days of matches, one-third of the participants had been defeated and left the arena, while the victors advanced to the next round.

Since this was a cultivation battle, all eyes naturally focused on the arena.

Yet among those watching from the observation gallery, some glances occasionally drifted toward the western corridor.

There, Ji You leaned against the railing, eyes fixed on the matches below, golden light flickering faintly within his deep gaze.

Since the Wandering Immortal Assembly began, though the matches drew attention away, many eyes still lingered on Ji You.

That day he arrived alone and sat at the Immortal Sect's main table, yet the Five Immortal Sects hunting him gave no reaction.

So many wondered what had truly happened to him.

When crowds grow large, many things easily go unnoticed.

But when attention narrows, distinctions become sharply apparent.

Thus many noticed: Ji You did not compete, but watched constantly.

Yet he did not merely stare at the Heavenly Book Academy's matches—he moved continuously through the observation gallery, seemingly more interested in the appearances of disciples from other Immortal Sects.

If only he did this, it might be explainable—but the Five Immortal Sects appeared to behave the same way.

Especially the sect leaders, vice-leaders, and direct disciples: their demeanor mirrored his closely, their eyes filled only with scrutiny, devoid of joy or sorrow.

It felt as though everyone else was merely here for spectacle, while they had genuine purposes of their own.

It was not strange that the Seven Immortal Sects acted mysteriously—but the problem was Ji You seemed just as inscrutable as those sect leaders and direct disciples.

On the western corridor of the observation gallery, Princess Zhao Yunyue also watched him, her gaze growing distant.

Ji You's solitary appearance in the Immortal Garden, his walk to the main table—this scene she could never forget; her Dao heart remained turbulent.

"Yunyue, junior sister."

"Yunyue, junior sister?"

Liu Junchi called twice beside her; seeing she did not respond, his eyes darkened.

Long Hui of the Long family from Yongzhou chuckled silently, nudged his beloved cousin with his elbow, hoping she'd notice Liu Junchi's expression—but his cousin gave no reaction.

So he turned his gaze downward and saw that his cousin was also lost in thought.

Just as everyone's expressions grew grim, their eyes suddenly brightened.

The Ri Hua Arena was enormous, so much so that the entire circular observation gallery was no smaller than the Ancient Dao Arena, and the observation corridors were wide enough to ride horses.

At this moment, at the western corridor's bend, Ji You and the Little Mirror Master of Lingjian Mountain met face to face.

Ji You passed by with a detached expression, walking forward as if no one existed.

As the brief encounter between strangers was about to end, the Little Mirror Master of Lingjian Mountain suddenly glanced at Ji You—her gaze sharp, predatory—because she thought she heard a whisper of "Little Water Tiger."

She was now deeply troubled by this.

For in Qingyun, an old saying goes: lies do not wound; truth is the swift blade.

But upon closer inspection, she realized it might have been an auditory illusion—Ji You's lips had not moved.

"It seems Ji You has truly angered the Five Immortal Sects."

Watching the two pass, Zhao Yunyue snapped back to herself and murmured softly.

Liu Junchi turned his gaze back: "Why would junior sister say that?"

"Liu senior brother, do you remember when I sought an audience with the Mirror Master at the Heavenly Dao Assembly? Ji You was with me and was granted an audience by chance. He even attended the Mirror Master's private banquet—if he weren't deeply estranged from the Five Immortal Sects, he wouldn't have ignored them entirely."

"What junior sister says does hold some merit."

"And haven't you noticed? The Little Mirror Master's hostility toward him seems intense."

Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu, who followed their own Mirror Master, were pondering much the same.

Since that night's sigh, every time the Mirror Master saw her husband, her killing intent surged uncontrollably.

Moreover, she watched the garden's water feature with predatory eyes.

The so-called water feature was merely a garden ornament, activated by magical artifacts to spray water and create splashing scenes—common throughout Qingyun.

Every time their Mirror Master passed that water feature, sword qi surged around her like a howling storm.

As time passed, the gaze of those in the observation gallery once again began to gather around the two.

At midday, as the sun rose high, the Shanhai Pavilion disciples took the arena; Ji You stepped forward, approaching the corridor.

He confirmed several disciples who had consumed the fruit—and this match was no exception.

So far, he had detected nothing unusual.

This was good—but seeing the greedy stares of the Immortal Sect disciples, he still felt uneasy.

At that moment, a familiar fragrance suddenly drifted in, entering his nostrils.

Yan Shuyi had also arrived, her expression cold and haughty, eyes fixed on the arena.

Her persona was the aloof Little Mirror Master of Lingjian Mountain; avoiding Ji You would seem unnatural.

So pretending not to see him was best—no gaze should linger on him; she should walk wherever she pleased, to seem plausible.

The Little Mirror Master gazed down at the arena below with an air of supreme disdain.

Ji You narrowed his eyes slightly, thinking: Day after day, she cuts off all emotion and desire—yet still clings.

At that moment, a gong sounded, and the match began.

Huo Zhuoqun was very young, appearing roughly the same age as Yuanchen, wielding a short blade as he stepped onto the stage.

As the gong rang, blade light surged through the air, slicing violently through endless winds and waves, thick spiritual energy whipping up roaring gusts.

Ji You watched for a long while, only withdrawing his gaze when Huo Zhuoqun's opponent was flung from the arena, then rose naturally and departed.

Yan Shuyi noticed Ji You's movement and unconsciously followed him—tap, tap, tap.

The scene was too reminiscent of watching opera in Shengjing; she had been momentarily lost in thought, only realizing her mistake after walking several steps—she snapped back, returned to the corridor, and resumed her haughty, world-conquering demeanor.

Seeing this, Zhao Yunyue, Liu Junchi, and others froze.

How had the Little Mirror Master just seemed to follow him obediently?

Especially that slightly extended right hand—wasn't it like she was about to grasp his sleeve?

Meanwhile, on the eastern side of the observation gallery, several sect leaders and direct disciples watched this scene, their deep eyes flickering with hidden light.

Though only a few in Qingyun knew what had truly happened in the Dongping Mountains, as heads of the Immortal Sects, they knew the details intimately.

When Ji You suddenly appeared and killed Bu Qirong, elders from all sects pursued him.

The Heavenly Book Academy did nothing—but the Little Mirror Master intervened and took him away.

Some elders objected, claiming Ji You was a disciple of the Heavenly Book Academy and Lingjian Mountain had no right to interfere—but Yan Shuyi replied it was her family matter.

That statement was cryptic, making some suspect Ji You was a spy planted by Lingjian Mountain within the Heavenly Book Academy; others sensed something unspoken between them.

And just now, Yan Shuyi's expression and demeanor seemed to reveal something.

The Little Mirror Master was famed for her cold beauty, her face rarely showing emotion—but that moment was utterly different.

Shang Xiyao stood opposite, arms crossed, his gaze growing colder.

"Shanhai Pavilion disciple Huo Zhuoqun, eighteen years old, should call Huo Xingzhong cousin; he hails from a branch line of the Fourth Pavilion; his father is a manager in the Shanhai Pavilion's Management Bureau."

"A year ago, Huo Zhuoqun was at the Mid-Enlightenment stage, obscure within Shanhai Pavilion, even unknown—but now, in this Wandering Immortal Assembly, he has reached the Upper Transcendence realm."

"Then there's Chen Le, twenty-eight, a disciple of the Chen family's main line, twenty-eighth grandson of the vice-leader; a year ago he was at Mid-Transcendence, now he has reached Upper Dao Integration."

"Next is Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion's Lin Kong, and this Xu Da…"

In the evening, within the main hall of a small courtyard on the city's outskirts.

Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu held the letters in their hands and softly recited them to Ji You.

These were intelligence gathered by Lingjian Mountain's external agents—identities, ages, and past cultivation levels, all meticulously detailed.

After listening, Ji You spun his teacup: "Judging by their rate of cultivation advancement, they must have consumed the fruit."

"Husband, after watching all day, have you noticed anything?"