[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-watching-the-immortals-fall":3,"chapter-watching-the-immortals-fall-watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-49":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},2259922,4410,"Chapter 49: The Qiling Town Amidst Malevolent Energy","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-49",49,"\u003Cp>The matter of the Little Inspector of Spirit Sword Mountain visiting the Chen Shixian clan to pay respects had become a major event in Qingyun, spreading rapidly in all directions within moments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, some would ponder the oddities behind it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially the Way Inquiry Sect— their direct disciples had gone publicly to offer congratulations, yet failed to see the person, only for that same person to appear moments later at the Chen Shixian clan, leaving them in an awkward position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On a massive flying sword bound for Zhongzhou, a group of Tian Shu Academy disciples exiled to the ruins were muttering about this very matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Ji You, seated at the sword’s front, was training his spiritual sense and took no part in the chatter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ji brother, do you know the Little Inspector of Spirit Sword Mountain?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They say she’s a beauty beyond compare, with astonishing cultivation talent, already confirmed by Spirit Sword Mountain as the next sect leader.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Ru sat at the rear of the flying sword, unable to resist glancing at Ji You, who bore seven long swords on his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the eldest son of the Bai family, he seemed to have lost his fortune to his younger brother; after refusing the elixir sent by his family, he found himself on the list for the ruin expedition—whether due to neglect by his clan or something else, no one knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he clearly had no chance of securing an inner courtyard slot; being allowed to venture out was no great hardship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for possible dangers…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter, I’ll just protect Ji brother with my own body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You slightly opened his eyes at the question about Yan Shuyi, shook his head without expression, yet couldn’t help rubbing the green jade gourd at his waist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t know how powerful the Little Inspector of Spirit Sword Mountain was—only that she liked to kick people, and her feet were notably soft and pale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, the surrounding disciples turned to look, and their whispered gossip shifted to Chu He and Du Zhu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the time of departure, they had seen Chu He and Du Zhu standing side by side before the mountain gate, smirking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind them stood nothing but sons of illustrious families.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The original sole candidate for the inner courtyard had now been expelled from the Tian Shu Academy, left as uncertain in fate as these fallen aristocratic youths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To everyone’s eyes, even if they returned safely, Ji You had lost all chance of entering the inner courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as this discussion raged, Ban Yangshu, seated ahead, suddenly stood up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had made no progress in the inner courtyard for years, and naturally found himself on the list.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face was grim as he stared intently downward beneath the flying sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, the outer courtyard disciples behind him all bent forward; even Ji You couldn’t help but look, his expression instantly turning solemn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qiling Mountain Range lay in the southeastern part of Zhongzhou; due to the ruins and demonic seeds, no town had originally been built there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after the Hongshan Mine was excavated nearby, a town arose from the miners’ settlement, guarded by Tian Shu Academy disciples, with some collateral branches of noble families also present.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ancient ruins were filled with malevolent energy, but it mostly clung to the surroundings of Qiling Mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet now, the malevolent energy from the ancient ruins had spread throughout the forests and hills, turning even the previously designated resting spots into a hazy, gray blur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ban Yangshu dared not order the flying sword to land hastily; instead, he pulled out a communication tablet and contacted the first batch of inner courtyard disciples who had arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister Wen, where are you now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ban Yangshu?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re in the small town. Land at the designated spot.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the communication aura faded, Ban Yangshu directed the disciples controlling the flying sword with spiritual energy to descend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the flying sword drew closer to the ground, a silent town appeared before them; when they looked up again, the sky was dark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A group of over ten people landed and stepped into the town, where a crowd of ragged women and children knelt on the ground, bowing repeatedly to passing cultivators, wailing in the local dialect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next to Qiling lay the Hongshan Mine; as demonic seeds poured from the mountain, the entire mine was surrounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their husbands were trapped inside, and they could do nothing but empty their homes, laying silver taels on the road, begging the immortals to intervene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You stared at the silver before them for a long time, unable to look away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But soon, the Tian Shu Academy disciples who had arrived earlier appeared at the town’s entrance, approaching them with grave expressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leading them was Wen Zhengxin, an inner courtyard female disciple and the leader of this mission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though she entered the academy later than Ban Yangshu, her cultivation talent was swift; she had already reached the Fusion Dao realm. She had once been a candidate for the Zizai Hall’s direct disciple, but ultimately lost out and was sent here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister Wen, what has happened here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Try circulating your spiritual energy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ban Yangshu froze slightly, then attempted to circulate his spiritual energy—only to find his spiritual essence trembling violently, and his absorption efficiency drastically slowed, leaving him stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Zhengxin glanced at him: “The malevolent energy here suppresses the movement of spiritual essence.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Ban Yangshu’s disciples erupted into murmurs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suppress spiritual essence? Ji You looked around, momentarily stunned, his expression slowly turning thoughtful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Wen Zhengxin spoke again: “It’s not just that malevolent energy suppresses spiritual essence—here, it’s nearly impossible to achieve heavenly-human resonance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heavenly-human resonance is the scholarly term for the spiritual sense reaching into the heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, within the range of malevolent energy, cultivators struggle to sense the Dao, making cultivation extraordinarily difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After trying, Ban Yangshu felt dizzy and nauseous, his face growing even paler: “The Office of Affairs sent investigators here three times—why did they never mention this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you think?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the newly arrived disciples turned pale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone in Qingyun knew the immortal sects were heartless—but no one imagined they could be this heartless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Investigating demonic seeds in an area that suppresses spiritual essence was essentially a death sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Zhengxin looked at them, then added: “You needn’t worry too much—we’ll only be scouting the mountain tomorrow, no real danger.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s inside the mountain?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ll find out when you go in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, everyone turned to look at the distant Qiling Mountain Range, stretching endlessly like a wall pressing toward them, a chill rising involuntarily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even from this distance, the malevolent energy was already so thick—what would it be like if they actually entered?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, everyone’s hearts were filled with resistance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They came to the immortal sects to learn from masters, paid their offerings, settled their dues—why should they come here to die?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet despite this, no one dared say, “I won’t go,” and walk away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because they were not alone—they represented the relationship between their own family legacies and the immortal sects that ruled this world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You turned back and pointed toward the Hongshan Mine: “Aren’t those demonic seeds spilling out of the mountain supposed to be dealt with?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just avoid them when entering the mountain. No need to deal with them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Wen Zhengxin turned and led them to the lodging inn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Ji You suddenly realized he had misunderstood this mission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The immortal sects didn’t care how many demonic seeds had spilled out, how many civilians were trapped—they only cared about who was controlling the demonic seeds, or what secret lay within the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether the spilled ones ate people, wandered where, or whether the trapped would die—it didn’t matter at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You turned to Ban Yangshu: “Brother, you all head back to the inn. I’m going out for a bit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where to?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To the Hongshan Mine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ban Yangshu frowned: “The Hongshan Mine sits right at the edge of Qiling Mountain—it’s crawling with roaming demonic seeds. You’re only at the peak of the lower realms. What are you going there for?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You pointed to the kneeling women and children: “They seem to pay.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ban Yangshu knew Ji You loved money, but even so, he couldn’t believe it: “You’d take this money?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not taking money when it’s offered makes you a bastard.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ban Yangshu blinked, then frowned: “Do you know someone trapped in the mine?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You thought for a moment, hefting his sword: “You really can’t hide anything from you, brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re from Fengzhou. Who would you know in Zhongzhou?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The father of a child, the husband of a wife, the son of an old man.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You grinned, slung his sword over his shoulder, and walked toward the Hongshan Mine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since leaving Yuyang County, he had entered the Tian Shu Academy and made a pact with Kuangcheng: one would dominate the imperial court, the other become the sect leader, and together they’d make the world better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the position of sect leader was too distant—he wasn’t even sure he’d live long enough to reach it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, he’d been sent as cannon fodder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What lay inside the mountain? Ji You didn’t know, and it wasn’t something a peak-lower-realm cultivator like him could meddle in—but even as cannon fodder, he could choose for whom to die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He once studied a passage: after the tide receded, countless stranded fish lay gasping on the beach, waiting to die in shallow pools.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then a little boy kept picking them up, tossing them back into the sea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A passerby laughed: “You can’t save them all—who cares?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boy replied: “This one cares. This one cares. This one cares too…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1632,"2026-06-19T15:28:39.995Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","c1a31126bfe264b626fa8dcc0844ae6108e87070f0dfca63051fffdeeec70858","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-50","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-48",430,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fwatching-the-immortals-fall-cover.jpg"]