Chapter 6: One Step, Ten Zhang

Qiu Zhong knelt in the county government office for a full day, finally fainting and being carried home by kind passersby.

The Paifang Street was still buzzing with talk, saying that today’s Young Master Ji had not dared to visit the Qiu family again.

But no one saw that, when the stars and moon shifted that night, the empty street was wreathed in surging air currents, the clouds overhead shattered completely, and the phenomenon lasted all night, making the blood-red scar across the sky even more terrifying.

At the hour of Hai, the Qiang family’s steward rose to relieve himself, stepped into the courtyard, and suddenly felt the night sky brighter than ever before.

Beneath the same sky, Cao Jingsong, instructor at the Heavenly Book Academy, gazed at the distant horizon with heavy thoughts, recalling the aura within Ji’s residence.

Private cultivation…

A rural private cultivator, under twenty, at the peak of Condensation, just one step away from completing the Lower Three Realms.

Such a thing was truly horrifying to hear.

But what was even more absurd… that man had only just entered the peak of Condensation at dusk, yet immediately began pushing toward completion of the Lower Three Realms—and had been doing so for two full hours already!

Could he truly believe one could break through two realms in a single day?

For a thousand years, the shortest time from Condensation to full cultivation had been half a year—even the world’s legendary talents who ascended did so, without exception!

This isn’t about whether he can succeed—it’s about whether he truly fears death!

Yuyang County belongs to Fengzhou; Cao Jingsong’s ancestral home was also in Fengzhou, yet in the past hundred years, Fengzhou had never produced a single Lower Three Realms completion under the age of twenty.

He valued talent, which was why he had remained silent on Paifang Street—he had intended to wait a year, pretend ignorance, and admit him into the Heavenly Book Academy next year.

But he hadn’t expected this man to be so reckless with his life.

Yet Cao Jingsong could understand: such disregard for life must be for the mortal girl destined to be used in alchemy.

A peak-of-Condensation private cultivator remained a private cultivator, invisible to the world; he had to complete the Lower Three Realms before the girl was taken to the mountain, so he could shed his mortal status, gain immortal registration, and join the Heavenly Book Academy to seek his sect’s protection.

But sadly, he would soon learn that completing the realm in one night was pure fantasy.

Yet if his realm breakthrough failed and he then saw the girl taken to the mountain, his Dao heart might shatter entirely—or even if it didn’t, he would surely sink deep into demonic obsession…

Because he valued talent, Cao Jingsong was deeply troubled.

At that moment, Pei Ruyi had just finished her cultivation and noticed Cao instructor sighing in the courtyard; after observing for a while, she frowned in confusion and stepped out through the door.

She had always felt that since the private cultivator appeared in Yuyang County, the instructor had seemed unusually burdened.

“Instructor? It’s so late—why are you still in the courtyard?”

“Tomorrow, Fengxian Mountain Villa will pay a visit. Have County Magistrate Fang invite the Qiu father and daughter here. We’ll find a way to save the Qiu girl.”

“?”

At dawn the next day, tax payment day arrived; carriages and horses filled Yuyang County, voices clamoring. Beyond the Black Robe Corps, the Fast Squad and Strong Squad both took to the streets, inspecting and verifying the grain transport carts.

But the most talked-about topic remained the Qiu girl’s case.

For that very morning, the immortals from Fengxian Mountain Villa had arrived in Yuyang County and paid their respects to the Heavenly Book Academy immortals staying at the government office.

Soon after, a government office runner went to the city outskirts and brought Qiu Ru to the government office; Old Qiu refused to let go and was dragged along too—only Li Shuping remained at home, collapsing unconscious in the courtyard.

All who heard the news sighed in sorrow; the Qiu family was now surely doomed.

Fang Ruoyao stood on the covered corridor, surrounded by Jia Sicong, Dong Wei, and others come to see her off—even Xiang Kuangcheng had been urged by his elders to come.

Among them was a young man named Guo Zixing, who arrived late, his face full of apology.

“Just now, passing Paifang Street, I heard a strange, chilling hum—I paused to look, so I’m late. What are the immortals saying now?”

“They… they’re talking about the Qiu family. The Fengxian Mountain Villa immortals aren’t kind.”

Fang Ruoyao watched and spoke, a flicker of confusion in her eyes.

The Seven Immortal Sects had once agreed: no interference in each other’s affairs.

She didn’t understand why, since arriving in Yuyang, the instructor had never mentioned the Qiu girl—yet today he suddenly changed his stance…

By noon, the county’s grain carts had returned with the Great Xia tax tribute and were being registered at the gate; inside the hall, the atmosphere grew heavier.

This was the time they were meant to depart for Shengjing; Fang Ruoyao grew anxious, wondering if they could still leave today.

Unlike her, others cared more whether the Heavenly Book Academy could save the Qiu girl—after all, going to the capital was only Fang’s personal matter, while the fate of the Qiu girl was what truly intrigued them.

But the atmosphere inside the hall suggested Fengxian Mountain Villa wasn’t yielding; tension mounted.

It seemed that even the Heavenly Book Academy, the number-one sect under heaven, couldn’t truly command all immortals—this Qiu girl would likely still meet her end.

At that moment, a government office runner rushed over, breathless and frantic, nearly colliding with a corridor pillar.

“Miss, the… the Ji Young Master has arrived.”

“?”

Fang Ruoyao and those seeing her off snapped back to attention, exchanged glances, and felt puzzled: “Why is he here?”

The runner shook his head: “I don’t know.”

“Could it be to plead for the Qiu girl?”

Jia Sicong chuckled: “No way. If he truly wanted to plead, why didn’t he come the day before? Or yesterday? Why today? I think… he’s here to see Miss Fang off to the capital. He’s been hiding in his house for two days, terrified of being tainted by the Qiu family—but now he’s come to give Miss Fang courage. What deep affection!”

Those on the corridor burst into suppressed laughter.

Not long ago, Fang Ruoyao had hosted a banquet and hadn’t invited him—yet now he acted like a clown, shamelessly pressing his warm face against a cold backside.

Fang Ruoyao frowned after hearing this and turned to the runner: “Brother Zhong, please stop him. Tell him I appreciate his gesture, but to go home.”

“I… I tried to stop him, but I couldn’t.”

“Why couldn’t you?”

Runner Zhong swallowed hard, trembling as he spoke: “Miss, the Ji Young Master… for some reason, he’s glowing all over…”

“???”

After hearing the runner’s report, everyone froze—what did “glowing all over” mean? Before anyone could ask, a violent gust of air surged from the gate.

Between the gate and the main hall lay a courtyard enclosed by the corridor, filled with chrysanthemums favored by County Magistrate Fang.

As the gust passed through the gate, every chrysanthemum shed its petals and leaves instantly—then a figure stepped forward like the wind, covering ten zhang with each step, golden spiritual light exploding around him, blindingly bright.

Then Ji You appeared in the courtyard, spiritual aura surging like thunder.

In ordinary times, Young Master Ji was seen by all as a mischievous monkey, a cowardly mouse.

But now he was like a white-browed tiger with glaring eyes, roaring as it descended the mountain—just one sidelong glance made others feel razor-sharp blades.

Beyond the spiritual light and aura, the current Young Master Ji seemed to have changed his attire.

He usually wore a faded indigo robe; now he wore a brocade robe embroidered with golden cloud patterns, like a spoiled nobleman reborn—but with an added transcendental aura of immortality.

Among the youth of Yuyang County, Xiang Kuangcheng was widely regarded as the most handsome and refined. But many had forgotten that, before the Ji family’s fall, Ji You had been no less impressive.

In that instant, the entire corridor fell silent, countless eyes fixed on the glowing figure.

Jia Sicong, Dong Wei, Fang Ruoyao… all stared in shock—even the usually stoic Xiang Kuangcheng had widened his eyes.

Since the Ji family’s downfall, no one in the county had ever respected the Young Master Ji.

Especially now—he’d hidden in his house for two days without stepping out, making everyone sneer for days.

In their eyes, the Young Master wouldn’t hide forever; once the girl was taken to the mountain, even if afraid, he’d have to emerge.

Then, when they saw him again, they’d have more mockery to hurl.

Just as they had when the Ji family fell and the Fang family broke the engagement—laughing at his timidity, his cowardice, his pitiful existence, suggesting he’d be better off dead.

Or perhaps taunt him with the news that Miss Fang had entered the Heavenly Book Academy, joking whether Young Master Ji planned to rise through his wife’s status.

But they had never imagined Ji You would arrive today, striding like the wind, ten zhang per step…

Immortal…

Aura overwhelming, like a tiger descending the mountain.

The Ji You who had hidden in his house for two days… was an immortal.

And the one most unable to recover was the young lady who had once been betrothed to him.

Five days ago, she had received word of her selection into the Heavenly Book Academy, and since then had always referred to herself as an immortal—“my Heavenly Book Academy,” “we immortals.”

But today, seeing Ji You’s spiritual light surging like an ocean, she finally understood.

Before the man she had forcibly broken off her engagement with, she, who had always called herself an immortal, was nothing but an ordinary mortal.

“How is this possible…”

“He was always hiding at home…”

Fang Ruoyao’s eyes widened, as if witnessing a fairy tale.

(End of Chapter)