[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-watching-the-immortals-fall":3,"chapter-watching-the-immortals-fall-watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-371":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},2260244,4410,"Chapter 371: Seeing Ji You Return","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-371",371,"\u003Cp>Gulu gulu——\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the northern gate of Shengjing, a carriage slowly entered the city and soon halted midway along Yonganjie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the curtain was lifted, and Ji You, Kuangcheng, and Wei Rui stepped down from the carriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that time, the entire West City was eerily empty, even the Taiping Tower there held no guests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In contrast, the East and South Cities were teeming with people; as far as the eye could see, crowds surged, and some even levitated on rooftops, gazing at the city’s immortal gardens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From that direction, noisy voices constantly rose, and spiritual energy subtly flowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You now stood at the street corner, smoothing the wrinkles in his robe caused by the ride, while gazing far into the West City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All the inns in the capital belonged to him; even the relay stations were under Ji Zhai’s name, so their intelligence was exceptionally sharp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Long before they entered Shengjing, they had received word that the three southern sects and the Chen Clan had joined forces to hold a Dao discussion within the capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The incident of the thousand-year clans conspiring to cause chaos had long passed; aside from the sealed Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion and Yu Danzong, other immortal sects had gradually stabilized and truly needed to sit down and talk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, how to respond to the barbarian and demon races, unite the clans, and quell internal feuds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, it had always been them who truly ruled this world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, the frequent clan conflicts over the past six months, and the sealed communications between the provinces, were largely due to the immortal sects entering a semi-sealed state, temporarily relinquishing their authority to reorganize internally and no longer making public statements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This made the clans feel as if they had lost their restraints and were freed from many rules.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You’s early success in land leasing was precisely because of this; the sudden total collapse in the later stage was due to the immortal sects issuing a sudden order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This did not mean the immortal sects were benevolent figures capable of stopping chaos, but rather that whether they would lead Qingyun to paradise or plunge it into the abyss, their overwhelming authority at least prevented everyone from acting independently on the surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, the immortal sects meeting now was truly necessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the current situation where the barbarian and demon races held sway over You and Yun provinces, such an action could also reassure the clans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The logic was simple: if the immortal sects appear, it means sacred relics protect our people, and we need not panic in the face of trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the timing and location of this Dao discussion were indeed peculiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the message, this Dao assembly was initiated by Wen Dao Sect, yet it was not held in Yuzhou but in Shengjing—especially right after he had just seized that immortal spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After pondering for a while, Ji You turned to Kuangcheng: “Isn’t this quite lively?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Ji, be cautious.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No problem. We’ll adapt as needed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the drawback of not having reached the peak of combat power—he couldn't stay stationed in Fengzhou unchanged amid shifting winds and clouds; he still had to return to Tian Shu Academy to respond proactively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this was already much better than before; back then, after he killed the Immortal Village and built Ji Zhai, he could only hide inside Tian Shu Academy and dared not step outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After bidding farewell to Kuangcheng and Wei Rui, Ji You walked forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Hand Technique of Shanhai Pavilion is swift, but its offensive power is slightly lacking compared to Wen Dao Sect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Indeed, Wen Dao Sect’s finger technique is purer, and its aura more terrifying, but the casting interval is too long—during actual combat, it would leave openings.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s not entirely true. In actual combat, you’re not limited to finger techniques; you can still use other methods to kill during the casting interval, aren’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That… is true.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid their discussion, everyone stared intently into the eastern courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the arena, Shanhai Pavilion’s disciple Huo Zhuoqun was dueling Wen Dao Sect’s disciple Shang Yu with finger techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huo Zhuoqun had once tested a Dao Fruit in Shanhai Pavilion, after which his cultivation surged; last year, he shone brilliantly at the Youxian Gathering, and at nineteen, he had already touched the threshold of the Fusion Dao realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outsiders were unaware he had used a Dao Fruit to ascend—he was regarded as Shanhai Pavilion’s newly risen prodigy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His opponent, Shang Yu, had a similar background—he too was a gifted youth who suddenly emerged into public view just one or two years ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As spiritual energy surged like a torrent, the two clashed with finger beams, each striving to overpower the other, sweat hanging from their brows, breaths heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Qingyun’s secret arts, family-style finger techniques were nearly universal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because finger techniques were fast and potent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet some cultivated light and shadow forces, others followed the Four Symbols, and some wove force fields—so debates over which was stronger had persisted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them, Shanhai Pavilion’s Instant Finger and Wen Dao Sect’s Six-Path Finger Sword were universally recognized as the strongest, but which was superior had been debated for millennia, making their clashes a highlight of any Dao discussion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, beyond finger techniques, swordplay, blade arts, and others also had similar contests of superiority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some contests centered on explaining Dao principles and demonstrating technique evolution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two opponents sat facing each other, trying to convince the other that their method was supreme—purely verbal sparring, most of which failed to determine a winner, called “Literary Debate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some young cultivators who loved intense combat found this baffling and dull, wondering why Literary Debates always occurred if no clear victor could emerge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they didn’t realize that winning or losing the Literary Debate was the least important thing—and not what they truly sought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The real value of this format lay in the fact that one’s understanding of the Dao was always partial and biased; through continuous debate, both combatants and spectators might gain new insights from a fresh perspective, thereby refining their own techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was why Literary Debates, though unexciting, attracted so many elders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huo Zhuoqun and Shang Yu’s duel, however, was a different form of contest—distinct from Literary Debate—called “Martial Duel.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike the battles in Tian Dao Hui or Youxian Hui, competitors could only use Dao-discussion techniques; even if they lost, they could not employ other arts—it was not a test of personal combat strength, but of the relative merits of the secret techniques themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, their finger technique clash had reached its most intense phase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A beam of immortal light erupted from Huo Zhuoqun’s fingers, blasting Shang Yu back with overwhelming force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Shang Yu held firm against the lethal finger technique, rolling aside as a vast, radiant light crashed down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Truly magnificent!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No wonder these prodigies come from immortal sects!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young scions of great clans and outer-disciple cultivators cheered wildly, their eyes brimming with envy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at that moment, a young clan scion atop a rooftop suddenly heard footsteps approaching from the long street to his right rear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With such a grand event in Shengjing, hosted by immortal sects, every cultivator with even a sliver of power had come to watch; commoners—merchants, laborers, and the like—had been barred from entering the city for days; for someone to walk down the street now naturally seemed odd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He quietly turned to look and saw a figure in white robes, sword at his side, approaching from afar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t make out who it was at first—until he activated his spiritual sense, and his eyes slowly froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he turned, many others instinctively turned too; one told two, two told three…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gradually, everyone on the rooftops shifted their gaze—even though the finger duel before them was fierce, even though the long street behind them held only someone walking calmly from a distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are they looking at?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Someone’s returned.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the viewing stands, several young lords sat watching; upon hearing their elders speak, their expressions froze slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Spiritual sense projection was a secret art only cultivators above the Spirit Traveling realm could use; they lacked the cultivation to do so—but surprisingly, even without seeing, they could guess who it was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So they rose and climbed to the second floor of the viewing pavilion, gazing across the wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the western side of the second floor sat a woman clad in crimson immortal robes, who had clearly been watching for a long time—her phoenix eyes deep as starry rivers, her eyelashes trembling faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“BOOM!!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid a sudden explosive sound, Huo Zhuoqun violently swept his hand, unleashing a torrent of finger light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shang Yu ultimately lost due to slower casting speed, blasted off the stage, his eyes filled with unwillingness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Losing in front of everyone while representing his immortal sect was truly humiliating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the next instant, he realized no one was watching the stage anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huo Zhuoqun’s reaction was identical—he had stood rigidly upright, back straight, chest puffed out at a forty-five-degree angle, expecting cheers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the cheers he imagined never came; instead, every eye had turned away from the arena, fixed on the street outside the courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even their Sacred Son, Deputy Abbot, and Elders—all stared in uncanny unison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Confused, Huo Zhuoqun levitated upward and saw Ji You walking past the courtyard gate, heading toward Nishan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had torn open the Dao Sacrifice and slain the former Xuan Yuan Sacred Son Chu Xian; he had drawn his sword in the Ancestral Sacred Land and slain the barbarian general-king. Even now, doing nothing but walking, he drew every gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially since many present had only heard his name and never seen him—only now, face to face, did they realize how young he was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He slew the barbarian general-king while facing two allied demon generals—and he wasn’t injured?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Looks like he wasn’t…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Few knew the details of the Ancestral Sacred Land incident, especially regarding Ji You’s escape after killing the general-king; no reports had circulated about his condition at the time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only now did they learn that Ji You had slain that general-king without a single wound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the western pavilion, Fang Jincheng and the other Tian Shu Academy disciples also gazed over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along with Princess Changle, Yu Shiliu, and others, their expressions were complex and hard to describe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Ji You had stepped onto the sacred path of Nishan and entered the interior of Tian Shu Academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the Chu family’s demons came to seize the sacred relic, the academy was severely damaged, with many pavilions collapsed; even after Ji You departed for Fengzhou, both inner and outer courtyards were still under repair.\u003C\u002Fp>",1787,"2026-06-19T15:28:41.422Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","9c58133d9ffea09f64fd2ff9e9bf5e0746694ef45a072a17faa80917571fd7dd","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-372","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-370",430,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fwatching-the-immortals-fall-cover.jpg"]