Chapter 372

“Shanhai Pavilion Elder Huo Ku, here to pay respects!”

“Wenda Zong Elder Shang Yue, here to pay respects!”

“Chen Clan Immortal Chen Buyu, here to pay respects!”

At midday, the weather grew slightly overcast; dark clouds gathered in the sky, as if a spring rain was poised to break, followed by a sudden cold wind sweeping through the city.

Three elderly men, dressed in fine robes with white hair and beards, ascended the Nishan Sacred Path and bowed before the Sect’s protective array.

Seeing this, the disciples guarding the Shanmen exchanged glances, then hurried toward the Management Hall.

Not long after, the three managers of the Management Hall rose and proceeded to the inner courtyard, delivering the news to Zuoqiu Yang, who had just returned from the Immortal Garden.

“Guests come from afar, especially under the guise of paying respects—there is no reason to bar them. Let them in.”

“Yes!”

Receiving the imperial order, the Management Hall disciples took the command arrow and opened the Heavenly Book Sect’s protective array.

Huo Ku, Shang Yue, and Chen Buyu exchanged glances, then stepped forward into Nishan.

Qin Rong had already arrived at the Shanmen with the disciple bearing the command arrow. Seeing the three, he gave a slight bow: “Three Elders have come to pay respects to the Heavenly Book Sect. I have been entrusted by Master Zuoqiu to accompany you. May I ask which Pavilion Master you wish to visit first?”

“We wish to see Ji You. Where is he now?”

“This… Ji You is merely an ordinary inner disciple. How could he merit a visit from three Elders? It would violate propriety.”

“The Dao knows no precedence; the accomplished are the teachers. I have recently taken great interest in body refinement and wish to inquire further—only Ji You may answer.”

“This…”

After a moment’s thought, Qin Rong gently extended his hand forward, gesturing for them to proceed.

Ji You was still in Cao Jingsong’s courtyard—not because they had endless words to exchange, but because Wen Zhengxin, Ban Yangshu, and the Lu sisters had arrived one after another upon hearing the news.

Sister Wen’s cultivation progress was decent; she was already preparing to push for a breakthrough.

As for Lu Qingqiu, the Lu family of Yunzhou had arranged for her to join the Management Hall, while her younger sister Lu Hanyan became a direct disciple of an Elder.

At the Tongxuan Realm, one may begin to touch the Dao’s laws, so the younger Miss Lu had spent her days watching the Dao Debates, especially the sword arts of Lingjian Mountain.

“I’ve watched many battles these past days, yet I still find sword art most captivating. When I first learned swordplay from Brother, Hanyan must have already planted deep roots in her sword heart.”

Lu Qingqiu heard her sister’s words and thought: Are you sure it’s the sword heart you’ve deeply rooted? Or something else?

After speaking, Lu Hanyan suddenly seemed to remember something and added: “There’s another strange thing—I noticed the junior overseer of Lingjian Mountain always watching me during the battles.”

“Nonsense,” Lu Qingqiu replied.

Her sister had said this for days; Lu Qingqiu’s ears were worn thin, and she didn’t believe it for a moment.

Lu Hanyan pressed her red lips together: “I’m telling the truth—she really was watching me!”

“She’s the next head of Lingjian Mountain. How could she possibly care to look at a common inner disciple from another sect?”

“I don’t know why, but she did…”

Hearing the sisters’ endless argument, the others couldn’t help exchanging uneasy glances.

The junior overseer of Lingjian Mountain stood far above them—one of the most powerful figures in the world. She would never casually glance at a common inner disciple from another sect. Yet those who knew the truth believed it completely.

The junior overseer, after all, was a jealous spirit.

She had arrived the very day the sisters left Jizhai, though no one knew precisely when she reached Fengzhou—perhaps she had seen Lu Er Young Lady cooing at her husband.

Wen Zhengxin had wandered with Ji You through Fengzhou and once secretly extended her foot under the warm table, pretending someone else had touched her. Though merely out of curiosity for sensation, she had been uneasy for days after seeing the junior overseer.

Ji You gave no explanation to the sisters, for the proud spirit’s identity was unique, and matters of kinship carried too great a weight—whether to reveal or conceal it must be her own choice.

Even Cao Jingsong and the others had learned only because she had chosen to tell them.

His conduct showed deep consideration for women, just as Zhuo Wanqiu had once said to Ding Yao.

Being with the junior overseer was something to boast of, yet it would also bring her trouble—but the son-in-law had never burdened her with such pressure.

The sisters argued for a while, then grew exhausted, yet neither convinced the other.

The topic shifted to the others asking Ji You about the relics of the Ancient Sages’ Sacred Ground.

The matter had stirred uproar in Shengjing, leaving them deeply concerned.

For if the Immortal Spirit truly enhanced the cultivation of an entire clan, as legends claimed, such a marvel would enrage all under heaven—even the Immortal Sects would not be immune.

What they hadn’t expected was that their fears would soon become reality.

At that moment, the third pot of tea had just been brewed; the fragrance had not yet risen when the gate of Cao Jingsong’s courtyard was pushed open from outside.

First to appear was Qin Rong, his expression grave as he glanced inside, then stepped slightly aside.

As he moved aside, the three Elders from Shanhai Pavilion, Chen Clan Immortal, and Wenda Zong stepped into the courtyard, their faces cold and numb with arrogance, their white hair and aged features lending them an imposing aura.

Seeing this, everyone at the tea table instantly set down their cups, their gazes freezing.

“Which one is Ji You?”

Huo Ku stood firm and spoke coldly.

He spoke directly to Ji You, meaning he knew who he was—but this pretentious posture was the usual tactic of Immortal Sect disciples, meant to display their superiority and utter disregard.

Ji You looked up: “Don’t know. You’ve got the wrong place.”

“You—”

“Do you know Ji You?” Ji You turned to Cao Jingsong.

Cao Jingsong shook his head: “What kind of trash? Never heard of him.”

“？？？？”

Ji You thought: This is pure personal vendetta. Watch your tea leaves.

He muttered, then turned to Huo Ku: “Three old sirs heard that—no one here knows Ji You.”

“Ji You, do you think your trick will fool anyone?”

“So you know me.”

Ji You looked up again: “If you know me, drop the act. And if you’ve come seeking me, you should introduce yourself first.”

Huo Ku narrowed his eyes: “I am Elder Huo of Shanhai Pavilion, representing my sect. These two are Elder Buyu of Chen Clan Immortal and Elder Yue of Wenda Zong . We’ve come today regarding the lost relic of the Ancient Sages’ Sacred Ground.”

“Lost relic?”

“What you obtained in the mountains is not a heavenly treasure. But this object is of immense importance—its origins cannot be disclosed to outsiders, and you have no right to know. After deliberation, the Five Immortal Sects have decided to reclaim it and rotate its guardianship. You must surrender it.”

Ji You lifted his gaze: “The Five Immortal Sects made this decision—did you ask my opinion?”

Huo Ku’s face darkened instantly: “Ji You, your past petty antics went unpunished only because the Immortal Sects had no time to care. This object is of grave consequence—do you truly believe you can keep it?”

“Sounds very noble. Then come and take it.”

“?”

Ji You stood, his expression icy as he stared at Huo Ku: “The object is on me. But don’t forget—this is Shengjing. This is Nishan. This is the Heavenly Book Sect’s sacred ground. I won’t step out. Your only option is to come in and seize it. But let me tell you: the Heavenly Book Sect will never yield.”

Hearing this, Qin Rong at the door immediately paled, thinking: This kid is a bastard.

You feared they’d use force in Fengzhou, so you came to Shengjing, did you? We’re lucky to have you in the Heavenly Book Sect.

As his words ended, Huo Ku, Chen Buyu, and Shang Yue’s faces darkened.

They had never truly met Ji You, but they’d heard of his unruly temper and knew he never bowed to anyone’s face.

Yet they hadn’t expected him to instantly cast the Immortal Sects into outright opposition—his words brimmed with danger.

In an instant, the aura of Huo Ku, Chen Buyu, and Shang Yue erupted, their heavy pressure causing the withered trees in the courtyard to tremble.

But after only a moment, their pressure was suddenly drowned out by a scorching force.

Ji You’s eyes hardened, golden light surging in his pupils, while sword qi surged around him, mingling with searing heat, crushing them into near suffocation.

Before coming, they had agreed: absolutely no fighting.

Why?

Because this was the Heavenly Book Sect’s domain. To attack one of its disciples on its own ground was equivalent to declaring war on the sect—such responsibility they could not bear.

Yet now, for the first time, they realized: even if they disregarded the Heavenly Book Sect and fought, they had no chance of victory.

Huo Ku and the others’ expressions remained unchanged, but their Dao hearts had sunk to the lowest depths.

“You will regret this.”