Chapter 84: Bandits Never Complain About Their Environment

The disciples of the Heavenly Book Academy departed in spring, and when they returned, spring rain fell in abundance.

At this time, in Shengjing, rain pattered on the roads, soaking the stone slabs, once worn smooth by straw sandals and cloud shoes, until they gleamed like mirrors.

At a tavern on Yonganjie, several wealthy sons of Jingcheng’s noble families sat in a row, their tables laden with an array of dishes, yet untouched.

Seated at the head was a woman, clad in a plain white thousand-water skirt, adorned with a phoenix hairpin, her bearing noble—Zhao Yunyue, daughter of Prince Chong.

To her right sat a woman in a jade-colored floral ruqun, her face luminous as polished water, her cloud-like hair and flower-like face—Wei Rui, granddaughter of Minister Wei.

Below them were several sons of officials, among whom the host was Dou Yuankong, son of Minister Dou.

All of them possessed some cultivation, with Zhao Yunyue the highest, having reached the peak of the Lower Three Realms, though she was not an immortal sect disciple.

For when the Great Xia dynasty was founded, an imperial decree had been issued: relatives of high-ranking officials could cultivate the Dao, but could not join any immortal sect.

Thus, each of these families employed elite experts as guest instructors from immortal sects.

For instance, Zhao Yunyue’s household hosted an Elder from Spirit Sword Mountain, who trained daily within the princely mansion.

“Weren’t we supposed to meet at the hour of the snake? Why hasn’t he arrived yet?”

“My lady, don’t worry—perhaps he’s been delayed…”

“Have the dishes removed for now; we’ll have them prepared anew later, so as not to offend our guests.”

Zhao Yunyue spoke coolly, unable to resist pounding her plump, numb buttocks after sitting too long.

They had come here today to host a banquet for several Heavenly Book Academy disciples, including Lu Qingqiu and Lou Siyi.

But unlike ordinary banquets, they had been instructed by their families to discuss matters of spirit mines and immortal seedlings.

Since the dawn of the New Era, the Emperor had begun appointing new officials and established the Office of Immortal Supervision, expecting yet another thunderous announcement with little substance.

Yet the Office of Immortal Supervision immediately launched an investigation into tax embezzlement, using it as pretext to arrest a large number of officials.

In past times, the pro-immortal faction in court would not have feared such moves.

As Prince Chong once said: “In the realm of Qingyun, immortal authority reigns supreme.”

But after the ruins incident, all major immortal sects suffered heavy losses; many still wandered the mountains, utterly preoccupied and unable to concern themselves with such trivial matters.

With the Northern Guard General stationed in the capital, intimidating all officials, the Emperor seized the opportunity to appoint a large number of new officials.

Among them were several key posts concerning spirit mine extraction and immortal seedling cultivation.

Moreover, the Emperor’s reach extended far—several spirit mines in Yunzhou now had newly appointed imperial officials making repeated inspections.

This behavior naturally displeased the Jingcheng noble families and the immortal sect families.

These immortal sect families thus arranged a gathering under the guise of friendship, coordinating with several pro-immortal Jingcheng noble families, actually to conspire and drive away those officials.

Not long after the dishes were removed, Lou Siyi’s maid arrived under an umbrella, hurrying into the pavilion.

“My lady, Miss Wei, Master Dou—my mistress cannot attend the banquet today; she wishes to reschedule.”

Dou Yuankong rose in surprise: “Reschedule? Why?”

Lou Siyi’s maid pressed her lips: “My mistress says someone has returned to the Academy today, and she must go to meet them; Miss Sun feels the same—neither can come today.”

“?”

Hearing this, the group exchanged glances.

They did not know who had returned—why would even a pre-arranged banquet be canceled?

No sooner had Lou Siyi’s maid left than Lu Qingqiu’s maid arrived, delivering nearly identical news: she could not attend today due to prior commitments.

Zhao Yunyue bit her thin lip: “Lu Qingqiu is a proud woman—who could possibly return with such fanfare that even she must rush to greet them?”

“Perhaps those who explored the ruins have returned?”

Lu Qingqiu’s maid spoke: “It is Ji You returning today; my mistress once gifted him a sword.”

The guests at the table opened their mouths, suddenly remembering Ji You.

He was said to have entered the Academy through private cultivation, later awakening the Heavenly Book—but just as he was about to break through, he was dispatched to explore the ruins.

“Then… did Master Chu come?”

“Master Chu won’t be coming either.”

The Chu family had no ties to the court, but their name was so renowned that any banquet invitation inevitably included him.

Once, when Prince Chong hosted a banquet for Chu He, Zhao Yunyue had glimpsed him from a side hall—she thought him bold, grand, and elegant.

She had also heard of the events at the Heavenly Book Academy: Ji You was the first to awaken the Heavenly Book, leaving Chu He deeply humiliated.

Yet Chu He later secluded himself for countless days and nights, eventually surpassing them all, becoming the first to enter the Penetrating Mystery Initial Realm.

So Zhao Yunyue found it strange—why would Ji You’s return draw Chu He out as well?

“Sister Yunyue, since no one’s coming, let’s just cancel today.”

Wei Rui spoke softly, her voice like a warbling oriole.

Zhao Yunyue pondered a moment: “Since I have nothing else to do today, I’m curious about this Ji You. Let’s go to the Heavenly Book Academy and see for ourselves.”

“This…”

Wei Rui did not understand court politics—she was merely a delicate woman fond of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

She had come today only because her grandfather, Minister Wei, was the representative of the pro-immortal faction, and someone from their family needed to appear.

She had been thinking of matters outside the city, yet her gentle nature made her unable to refuse—so she followed Zhao Yunyue into the carriage, heading for the Heavenly Book Academy.

The light rain on the streets had ceased. When they arrived at the Academy, they saw others standing nearby—some of the wandering outsiders who resided permanently in Shengjing.

The Academy’s disciples were scattered in groups around the mountain gate, the sacred path, and its edges.

Among them, Chu He and Lu Qingqiu stood higher up; the former’s gaze was dark, the latter’s expression complex.

Behind them stood several Yu Danzong disciples, clad in red-and-yellow robes embroidered with a three-legged alchemical furnace, as if eagerly awaiting something.

“This seems more complicated than just Ji You’s return.”

Zhao Yunyue murmured thoughtfully.

Wei Rui, however, found it dull; her gaze drifted until she spotted a scholar standing beneath a distant willow tree.

The area was flooded with water, so no one else stood there—but the scholar had placed two bricks in the water and stood atop them, gazing toward the Academy.

After a long while, as if sensing the gaze, the scholar turned his head, paused in surprise upon seeing Wei Rui, then bowed respectfully.

Wei Rui couldn’t help but smile faintly, curtsied slightly, then hesitated before walking over.

“Why have you come here? Are you also interested in cultivators?”

“A friend of mine returned today; I wished to see for myself whether he was safe.”

“I see.”

“And you?”

“Hmm… I was dragged here to join the crowd.”

Xiang Kuangcheng nodded, unsure what to say, so he simply smiled.

He did not know who this girl was, but these past days, due to rampant demonic disturbances, many refugees had flooded into the city.

These refugees came from all directions, dared not gather near immortal sect families, and thus streamed into Shengjing.

Xiang Kuangcheng had spent these days tending to the refugees, accompanying the Office of Immortal Supervision to maintain order, and had seen this girl distributing porridge outside the city—he had helped her several times, though never exchanged more than a few words.

Wei Rui now looked at him, her cheeks inexplicably flushed, and softly asked: “Will you go outside the city today?”

“After this, I will.”

“So will I.”

Hearing her reply, Xiang Kuangcheng dared not meet her eyes, yet longed to ask her name.

At that moment, Dou Yuankong arrived from afar and stepped beside Wei Rui: “Why are you here?”

Wei Rui glanced at him: “I met a friend.”

“Is this your friend?”

“I met him when I was distributing porridge outside the city.”

Dou Yuankong glanced at Xiang Kuangcheng, then said to Wei Rui: “Will you still be distributing porridge outside today?”

Wei Rui nodded: “Yes.”

“I’ll assign someone to accompany you—those refugees will riot if they’re hungry; I don’t want you hurt.”

Xiang Kuangcheng had already turned his head away, saying nothing more.

The ladies of the capital were daughters of the powerful; their attire was clearly exquisite, while he, a poor scholar holding a minor post in the Office of Immortal Supervision, had little chance of mingling with them.

As Xiang Kuangcheng thought this, he heard a murmur rise from across the Heavenly Book Academy.

His gaze fell upon four carriages slowly approaching, halting before the Academy’s mountain gate and sacred path.

The Heavenly Book Academy group had traveled by boat from Fengxing Ferry, changed vehicles at the city’s outer station, and after a day and night of travel, finally returned to Shengjing.

The bandits have returned to the mountain, Ji You murmured, then lifted his head and saw countless eyes fixed upon him—he nearly felt as if he were being stared to death; clearly, news of his breakthrough had spread these past days.

Meanwhile, the murmurs among the onlookers grew louder.

“What’s happened? Why does everyone look so strange?”

“That Ji You… has entered Penetrating Mystery.”

“...”

Aside from the unique Qi-reading method of the Alchemy Path, low-level cultivators could barely discern the realms of higher ones—they could only perceive major breakthroughs.

Yet Chu He’s face turned grim; he flung his sleeve and walked away.

He himself was already in the Penetrating Mystery Initial Realm—he could clearly see Ji You’s realm differed from his own. Though his family had sent word, he had refused to believe it; now he could not deny it.

Lu Qingqiu had also heard rumors of Ji You’s breakthrough, yet could not understand why Chu He, his equal, was so enraged: “What’s wrong with him?”

Master Ma drew a deep breath: “It’s not Penetrating Mystery Initial Realm—it’s Penetrating Mystery Middle Realm.”

“Middle Realm?” Lu Qingqiu’s eyes widened.

At this moment, Cao Jingsong stood apart from the crowd, his broad chest thrust forward upon the Ascension White Jade Platform, facing the mountain gate.

The moment Ji You stepped through the mountain gate, he saw Lao Cao’s eyes instantly turn red.

Lao Cao had written back on the boat, saying he hadn’t slept or eaten well for days—hmm… but didn’t he seem a bit fatter?

“Good to be back, good to be back.”

Cao Jinsong stepped forward, clapped this boy he’d brought back from Yuyang County on the shoulder, and fell silent, choked with emotion.

Ji You looked at him, then finally clapped him on the shoulder too.

Since arriving in Qingyun Tianxia, he’d always struggled to open up to others—Qiu Ru was one, Kuangcheng was another, and now Lao Cao counted as one too.

He’d originally thought Lao Cao merely valued talent, but later silently allowed him to leave, deepening their bond; from now on, he’d steal less from Lao Cao and more from Teacher Wang.

At that moment, Cao Jinsong’s eyes widened slightly as he stared at Pei Ruyi approaching from the Divine Path, his mouth slowly opening.

Her appearance had changed little since she left, but her aura was unmistakably different.

“Ruyi, you… you’ve broken through?”

Pei Ruyi nodded lightly, eyes smiling: “I sensed the breakthrough on the boat, so I broke through.”

Last night, when she was eating on the boat, Wen Zhengxin sent someone to call her, but she didn’t go—because she’d felt the signs of breakthrough and spent the entire night meditating in her room.

Like Ban Yangshu, she’d been stuck at this realm for years, yet for some reason, she shattered it now, after years of arduous cultivation had failed to do so.

After hearing this, Cao Jinsong opened his mouth, then broke into a look of deep relief.

Fengzhou is remote and poor; its students are always mediocre, yet now it has one who has fused the Dao and one who has penetrated the Profound.

He took a deep breath, turned to look at Ji You, ready to speak some grand words—but his expression froze when he saw Ji You walking toward the Administration Hall, seven swords drawn, one in hand, six floating in the air.

“Ji You, where are you going?”

“To get money. Didn’t they promise me a hundred taels if I returned alive?”

“Then why draw your swords?”

“I bled and died for the Heavenly Book Academy—my blades are all chipped and dull. I’m asking if they’ll compensate me.”

Ji You raised his sword toward the sky and walked alone up the mountain path, under the gaze of all.

Cao Jinsong immediately followed: “The Administration Hall has rules—you must surrender your sword to enter.”

Qin Zhangshi was inside the Administration Hall, heard the exchange below, and soon saw Ji You enter with sword in hand; his eyes narrowed slightly.

He felt the sharpness in that sword intent—and that sharpness was aimed directly at the authority of the Administration Hall.

The Heavenly Book Academy has existed since humanity’s rise; the Administration Hall’s history is nearly as old, yet no student has ever dared confront it directly—especially not an outer disciple like him…

Qin Zhangshi’s temple veins bulged, but in the end he pretended not to see, let Ji You enter with his sword, gave him a hundred taels, and even gave him money to buy a new sword.

Yu Danzong is currently in the academy—he saved Yu Danzong’s siblings; even now, he can’t touch him.

"You kid, did your courage grow after going out once?"

“The Administration Hall is just a bully of the weak and a coward before the strong—and I’m no soft peach to be squeezed. While Yu Danzong’s here, why not take what I can?”

“This is the Heavenly Book Academy—it has rules.”

“True bandits never complain about their environment.”

What the two didn’t know was that, atop Nishan, amid ten thousand acres of cloud sea, two figures watched this scene.

The old man in loose robes stared at Cao Jinsong, thinking this old fool was more arrogant than even the Sect Master.

“This boy has some guts—his actions suit me well. Let’s replace the heir of Jixiang Hall with him.”

You Yingqiu spoke these words, her eyes fixed on the Sect Master before her, as if searching for something.

The Sect Master chuckled softly and waved his hand.

He had once, like You Yingqiu suggested, forcibly altered the karmic path of someone—and received a bloody lesson in return.

There’s an old saying in Qingyun: misfortune and fortune are intertwined. With my status, shielding someone from misfortune is also robbing them of fortune.

My female disciple must favor him because of the Heavenly Book’s reaction to him—not because he’s inherently worthy.

That’s reversing cause and effect—and since the root lies in him, it’s a great calamity.

(End of Chapter)