Chapter 5: Cultivation Breakthrough Nearly Fainted

In the county government office’s main hall, a graceful woman held a teapot and respectfully brewed two cups of pre-Qingming tea, their fragrance filling the air.

Pre-Qingming tea is not a type of tea leaf, but refers to the tender buds plucked before the Qingming Festival—emerald in color, subtly fragrant, rich in flavor, and beautifully shaped.

But Yuyang County does not produce tea, so such a cup of tea is often exceedingly valuable.

Clearly, a clean county magistrate’s income truly amounts to ten thousand taels of silver, especially under this tax and tribute system.

“Teacher Cao, Senior Sister Pei, please enjoy your tea.”

Teacher Cao Jinsong of the Heavenly Book Academy lifted his cup, sipped slowly, and closed his eyes slightly, feeling instantly refreshed.

Beside him, Pei Ruyi, the top disciple of the Outer Court, clearly had no interest in tea; after turning her cup, she spoke: “Tomorrow we depart for Shengjing. Have you packed everything?”

Fang Ruoyao nodded immediately: “Senior Sister, all is prepared.”

Cao Jinsong stroked his long beard and added: “Once you enter the Academy, you must cultivate diligently and not waste your time. Remember, even entering the Heavenly Book Academy does not mean you’ve entered the Dao. True Immortal Dao…”

“True Immortal Dao?”

“No, never mind.”

Cao Jinsong chuckled softly and retracted his words.

In Qingyun Realm, there are seven major sects, all largely following the Three-Five Realm Qi Refining method passed down from the Ancient Era by the Dao of Heaven.

That is: the Lower Three Realms, the Upper Five Realms, and the Threshold Immortal Realm, until finally, with a great laugh, one ascends.

For cultivators, the first three realms merely refine the body’s internal foundation—merely the basis of the Dao. Only when one condenses internal spiritual essence does one truly ascend the Immortal Path, known as the completion of the Lower Three Realms.

But Fang Ruoyao’s talent is far from exceptional; Teacher Cao did not wish to pressure her too soon, lest she plant a demon in her Dao heart.

In fact, over the years, the Heavenly Book Academy has received students of increasingly poor talent—even those selected from Immortal Clan descendants or noble families—this year, only two have reached completion of the Lower Three Realms before turning twenty.

When the Seven Great Sects jointly established the Qingyun Immortal Code, they stipulated: any who achieve completion of the Lower Three Realms before turning twenty may enter the Immortal Registry without question of origin.

Yet now, those who achieve it are exceedingly rare.

Fang Ruoyao looked at him with half-understanding, when suddenly a servant from the mansion ran into the courtyard.

“Miss, Young Master Kuang is outside, seeking to bid you farewell.”

After long consideration, Fang Ruoyao said: “I am brewing tea for the Immortals. Please ask Young Master Kuang to come tomorrow to see me off.”

Pei Ruyi heard this and smiled softly: “The journey ahead is long and arduous. Since he came specially to bid you farewell, you should see him.”

“Then… then Ruoyao will take her leave first.”

Fang Ruoyao hesitated only an instant before agreeing, stepping toward the side hall.

Kuang Cheng was now led in by the government office runners; he wasted no time, opening with a plea for Fang Ruoyao to help the Qiu family.

In truth, Fang Ruoyao had already anticipated this.

After all, Kuang Cheng’s reputation as a gentleman was known throughout the county, which was precisely why she had avoided him—and now that he spoke it aloud, she flatly refused.

“The Heavenly Book Academy is undoubtedly the Holy Sect of Daya, but the Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion is also a great sect of this age. Though the two Immortal Sects have secretly clashed for years, publicly they have always maintained harmony, keeping to their own domains.”

“What you’ve read in books is correct—the Heavenly Book Academy does have the duty to protect its disciples and their families. But I have no connection to the Qiu family. If I intervene, won’t others accuse the Heavenly Book Academy of meddling in another sect’s affairs?”

“Moreover, I have not yet entered the Academy. I am lowly and insignificant—how could I dare trouble the Immortals?”

“Young Master Kuang, I depart tomorrow. I am grateful you came to see me off, and that is why I agreed to meet you. But I wish to avoid further complications. This matter is truly beyond my power.”

Fang Ruoyao was now a disciple of the Heavenly Book Academy. Though she had not yet learned Immortal arts, she already carried a touch of transcendence—no longer the timid girl of old, but like a proud swan.

After all, becoming a cultivator destined one’s life for nobility.

Kuang Cheng fell silent for a moment: “Even the life of a five-year-old girl is not worth a single try from Miss Fang?”

“In this world, who can save whom?”

“Precisely because of this world, we must strive to save others!”

“Young Master Kuang, do you know that cultivators must have a mind free of distractions to align with the Dao?”

Kuang Cheng froze slightly, realizing he stood before an Immortal; his expression grew respectful: “Forgive this Kuang for troubling you. I take my leave.”

As he turned to leave, Fang Ruoyao paused, then spoke again: “You went to see Ji You, but he dared not come—so you came yourself?”

“Yes.”

“The Qiu family saved him greatly—yet he could pretend not to know?”

“What are you trying to say, Miss Fang?”

“When the Ji family was destroyed, I broke off our engagement then, enduring much criticism. Some said I took advantage of misfortune; others said I broke my vows. Now it proves how innocent I was—how could such an ungrateful wretch ever have been my match?”

Kuang Cheng said nothing, swept his sleeve, and left the Fang mansion.

He could not agree with Fang Ruoyao’s words: an engagement was an engagement, character was character—just as merit and fault could not cancel each other, they could not be judged as one.

If Fang Ruoyao truly disliked Ji You, she could have broken the engagement in a proper way, preserving dignity for both sides.

Yet she chose to exploit his weakness, forcing the annulment while he could not even stand—her character was hardly better.

But now, though Kuang Cheng held many arguments, he had no words to say, for Ji You still dared not leave his door.

Kuang Cheng disliked Fang Ruoyao’s actions and despised Ji You’s cowardice—he could only remain neutral.

She was about to become one of the Immortals; she wished for no further ties to old people or old matters.

If she truly begged Teacher Cao and Senior Sister Pei, and others later learned she had once been betrothed to a country bumpkin, she would never hold her head high among her Dao companions.

Fang Ruoyao poured the tea in her hand into the flowerbed, rose to return to the main hall—when suddenly, from the northwest window, a thunderous roar echoed.

Then, a ray of aurora shot skyward, merging into the evening light.

Before she could make sense of it, the aurora swiftly receded, vanishing behind the clouds—as if it had never been—leaving her bewildered.

But Fang Ruoyao did not know that the two Immortals who had been sipping tea in the front hall had already drawn their swords and left the mansion, their faces grim, arriving at Yuyang County’s archway street.

The fiery clouds stretching across the sky, once extending a thousand li, had now been cleanly severed at the archway street—a ten-li gap, as if sliced by an Immortal’s sword.

And the earlier aurora had vanished, hidden behind the clouds—as if it had never appeared.

This place was remote and barren, with no Immortal sects. The only Immortal Villa, located thirty li west at the Three Mile Post, was far too distant for any spiritual resonance or celestial light to pierce the clouds.

Private cultivation!

There is a newly ascended Initial Xuan Upper Realm private cultivator within Yuyang County!

But the aura had been suppressed too swiftly—even they could no longer track it.

“Teacher, we can’t find it.”

“Mm. Gone.”

Cao Jinsong murmured softly, his gaze flicking unconsciously over the Ji family’s gate plaque—shock rose in his eyes, then vanished instantly.

Yuyang County is small; gossip spreads in an hour. Immortals have keen senses—some things simply cannot be hidden from them.

He knew of the Qiu family’s young girl, whose spiritual light pierced the heavens; he knew of the Ji family’s young master, who had not yet turned twenty…

Pei Ruyi noticed her teacher’s gaze, then frowned at the Ji residence: “Could the private cultivator have hidden inside this courtyard?”

“No. Even without looking, I know it’s impossible.”

“?”

Cao Jinsong turned and walked away, his hand trembling unconsciously inside his sleeve.

Fang Ruoyao had an engaged fiancé, despised by the entire county—said to be under twenty, timid as a mouse…

Under twenty. Under twenty. Under twenty. Under twenty!

Pei Ruyi followed behind, thinking: Teacher’s leg strength is truly unmatched—even walking trembles like cultivation.

At this moment, just one gate and two courtyards away, Ji You’s eyes were tightly shut, his forehead drenched in beads of sweat, each falling to the ground and shattering into fragments.

Moments later, he opened his eyes, gazing up at the dusk outside the window, realizing thirteen hours had passed.

Almost passed out…

Indeed, youth fades easily, learning is hard to master—not an inch of time should be squandered.

He looked inward at his internal spiritual spring, seeing it now full, awaiting refinement—nine deaths, one life.

In the blink of an eye, evening arrived, the sky darkening.

Fang Ruoyao prepared her travel items in her room, noticing Teacher Cao standing in the courtyard, staring at something—so she called her father over.

“Father, tomorrow I depart for Shengjing. Is the carriage ready?”

“It is ready. But…”

Fang Zhongzheng pulled out a formal invitation: “The Immortal Villa will visit tomorrow. The Immortals have agreed.”

Fang Ruoyao blinked in surprise: “But they never agreed before. Why suddenly now? I’ve invited several old friends to see me off tomorrow.”

“Delaying a couple of hours won’t hurt. Let them see the Heavenly Book Academy’s Immortals—broaden their horizons.”

(Revised—this chapter’s narration might be confusing…)

(End of Chapter)