[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-watching-the-immortals-fall":3,"chapter-watching-the-immortals-fall-watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-86":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},2259959,4410,"Chapter 86: Is Kuang Cheng Dating a Rich Woman?!","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-86",86,"\u003Cp>After leaving Instructor Cao, Ji You walked toward the Trial Sword Grove.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This outing, he felt his offensive techniques were still insufficient, so he wanted to discuss with Instructor Wang and see if there were any ways to improve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as he stepped into the Trial Sword Grove, he found the once-deserted place now filled with countless students swinging swords.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at Instructor Wang, he had lost weight, his face etched with utter despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why has Instructor Wang lost so much weight lately?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instructor Wang turned to Ji You, his gaze trembling: “Ji You, I’ve nothing left to teach you—go away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ever since Ji You wielded three swords at once and helped two Inner Court cultivators of Tongxuan Realm defeat a Rongdao Realm opponent in the street, people began to trickle in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the incident in the ruins, the crowd surged to its peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only comfort he had was hearing that other immortal sects had also added martial arts to their cultivation curricula after the ruins incident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You knew Instructor Wang didn’t want to work, so he said: “I’m not here to learn martial arts—I just have a question.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You sat on the wicker chair: “Spiritual sense has its limits—I feel I’ve reached the ceiling of sword control.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instructor Wang stared at him like he was a ghost: “Ceiling? That’s enough! Do you know no one in Qingyun Realm has ever wielded swords like you? Now you’re famous, and my place is packed!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He raised a broken wooden sword: “See this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What happened?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The other day someone tried to control two swords at once—missed and nearly sliced off my head.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You’s gaze darkened slightly: “Aren’t there other approaches?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment’s thought, Instructor Wang spoke: “Top five realms can fuse Dao into swords, but it takes years—and you’d need to enter the Heavenly Book Pavilion in the Inner Court to find the method.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anything else?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instructor Wang pressed his hands on his knees: “The strongest sword sect today is Lingjian Mountain—they might have answers, but their sword arts are never taught outside. You can’t learn them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You nodded silently, recalling Gongshu Chou’s heavy sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t know how it was cultivated, but he knew that if not for the demonic energy restraining Gongshu Chou, that one strike would’ve split him in two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Instructor Wang, I haven’t trained with the spear in a long time—I feel rusty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Get lost!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instructor Wang cursed, thinking: If I teach you spear again, you’ll go out and draw spear disciples to me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The students here are bad enough—I’m their instructor—but what angers me is you lure disciples from other sects and pocket their silver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Instructor Wang swear, Ji You rose to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just then, a violent whoosh of sword-cutting air erupted from deep within the Trial Sword Grove.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned, golden light flashing in his eyes—he saw Chu He swinging his longsword with fierce momentum, radiating heavy killing intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Others practiced by slicing bamboo leaves; he held a real sword, nearly cutting every bamboo around him in half.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Chu He sensed the gaze and let his blade fly free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a hum, the sword’s qi surged toward Ji You.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the blade hurtling at his face, Ji You stared blankly—just as the edge neared, his spiritual energy erupted, and he swung his fist like a tiger, smashing the sword to the ground with a clang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The force of his punch tore through the grove’s wind, the shockwave brushing every face nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Trial Sword Grove fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing he hadn’t even startled Ji You, Chu He clenched his teeth: “Accidental slip—forgive me, Brother Ji.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No matter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You picked up the sword, felt it struggling under control, flooded it with overwhelming spiritual energy to purify it, then walked out of the grove with it in plain view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu He froze, then shouted: “That’s my sword!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is it? Now it’s mine. A sword used by the Chu family’s young master must be priceless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Ji, you’re joking…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You turned to him, spiritual energy surging around him: “Why don’t you come take it back yourself?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu He clenched his fists: “My name is engraved on it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“On what grounds do you carve your name on my sword?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instructor Wang watched, covering his forehead: Even now, someone doesn’t know he’s a bandit? Deserved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Qingqiu, Lou Siyi, Sun Qiaozhi, and others were also in the grove; they watched, their hearts turbulent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since entering the academy, Chu He had been a dazzling figure—his noble lineage and cultivation talent made him peerless, even arrogant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who could have imagined his first exchange with Chu He would require him to call him “Brother Ji”?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Ji You had taken his sword, leaving Chu He too afraid to chase after it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the brilliant Chu He, now his sword skill and realm were both beneath Ji You’s—this attack was nothing but humiliation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Dual cultivation of martial and spiritual arts is such a waste of time!】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【One man, three swords—dominated two battles!】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【So you sensed the Heavenly Book—still got surpassed!】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Ji You reached Tongxuan Mid-Realm】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【He probably won’t survive returning from the ruins】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【He rescued the Yu Dan Sect’s direct disciple and the sect leader’s daughter】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the white-robed figure depart, Lu Qingqiu, Lou Siyi, and Sun Qiaozhi exchanged glances, eyes flickering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He returned, said to have endured countless hardships, grievously wounded—yet now healed beyond detection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And when he returned, he was still the one every Outer Court student bowed to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Ji You had already descended the mountain, left the Heavenly Book Academy, and brought Chu He’s sword to Qionghua Pavilion, receiving a shockingly large sum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he wasn’t surprised anymore—where there are sufferers, there are the rich; the more the masses suffer, the richer some become.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Split half this money with Kuang Cheng…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That fool still hasn’t solved the missing children case—I should tell him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then send half to Yuyang County.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Holding a thick stack of silver notes, Ji You pondered, then arrived at a secluded courtyard at the back of Chunfeng Alley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was Kuang Cheng’s residence; last time he came, the haughty immortal maiden had been beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stepped forward and knocked—but no one answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He went next door to ask, and learned Kuang Cheng came here every day to tend to refugees outside the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Due to the demonic calamity, many refugees had gathered outside the city; coupled with days of relentless spring rain, many fell ill, collapsing in droves beyond the walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Officials from the Immortal Supervision Bureau, clad in black robes embroidered with gold, patrolled back and forth, overseeing them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Ji You arrived, he saw countless ragged figures huddled beneath the city wall, densely packed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Rui, granddaughter of Prime Minister Wei, was serving porridge, sleeves rolled up; Kuang Cheng moved among the crowd with a physician, tending to the sick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing his rounds, he washed his hands and approached the porridge stall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou Yuankong, son of Minister Dou, sat in a carriage nearby, with Princess Changle ahead, surrounded by several noble youths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had come from the Heavenly Book Academy for amusement, and someone suggested a spring outing beyond the capital, complete with wine, music, and dancing girls on the carriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Passing the city gate, they spotted a man beside Wei Rui from afar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why is there a man in Immortal Supervision uniform beside Rui-er?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Immortal Supervision Bureau is investigating Prime Minister Wei…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Maybe he’s a spy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, don’t jump to conclusions—look at that scholar’s expression—he’s probably smitten with Rui-er.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou Yuankong had already planned to follow Wei Rui; seeing this, he frowned and summoned two servants, whispering orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, someone began to cheer, saying the scholar was doomed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two servants moved past the refugees toward the porridge stall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Wei Rui sensed something, glanced twice, then turned to Kuang Cheng: “Young Master, I don’t need help—go tend to something else.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Something else…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes—something else. I’ll call you later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuang Cheng paused, then noticed two menacing figures approaching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without time to think, the scholar dropped his bowl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Rui grew tense, thinking: Once he leaves, I’ll stop them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She recognized them—they were Dou family servants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou Yuankong had designs on her; she’d always known. Her father and grandfather approved of him, yet she simply couldn’t like him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Dou Yuankong was extremely domineering—he disliked men near her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she thought this, her gaze suddenly froze—she saw a figure blur past her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scholar opened his arms, shielding her behind him, facing the two servants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Miss, go first—probably just beggars stealing porridge. I’ll handle them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Beggars stealing porridge…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Rui stared at him, stunned by his absurd judgment, speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, the noble youths burst into laughter—they found this far more entertaining than the spring outing, a scene straight from a play.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Princess Changle’s gaze sharpened: “Stop them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The laughter abruptly ceased; Dou Yuan Kong also blinked in surprise, then immediately whipped his horse and shouted, “Stop at once!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In their line of sight, a figure in white robes swept past, each step covering ten zhang with faint spiritual light beneath his feet, golden pupils flashing as he glanced at the two servants, then at the jeweled and bejeweled carriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No sooner had the words fallen than Zhao Yunyue heard a whistling sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next instant, the servant who had just stood before the porridge stall was flung through the air, crashing violently into Dou Yuan Kong, who sat atop his towering steed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cultivators have heightened senses; their entire carriage’s laughter had long been heard by someone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Yunyue furrowed her brow and saw the white-robed youth beside her pat the scholar, grinning, then ladle a bowl of porridge and hand it to a nearby refugee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some scions of noble families who had never entered the Heavenly Book Academy stared at this scene, frozen for a long while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who is that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“From the Heavenly Book Academy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One son of a Minister immediately glared angrily: “How can the Heavenly Book Academy strike out at will?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who knew the truth remained silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If a common Heavenly Book Academy disciple had acted so rudely, these scions might not have truly feared him—but this one was precisely the person even Chu He found troublesome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuang Cheng was also stunned, unable to make sense of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Ji You’s action lasted only an instant; when he opened his eyes again, the man was gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ji… Brother Ji, what are you doing here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You looked at him: “I came to see if you’d starved to death. Turns out… you’re keeping a rich woman?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuang Cheng: “?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You turned to the remaining servant: “Want a bowl of porridge?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The servant swallowed hard, then turned and walked away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You was furious—he’d planned to sell him ten taels of silver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuang Cheng turned to Wei Rui: “Um… this is my friend, Ji You, styled Wu Lü, a student of the Heavenly Book Academy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You immediately furrowed his brow: “Changed it. My new style is Bo Chang—meaning ‘drawing widely from all strengths.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your change makes no sense.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“None of your business.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You thought: Ji You is my real name; Bo Chang is my specialty—then turned to Wei Rui and bowed slightly: “I, Ji, salute you, Miss.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Rui immediately curtsied: “So you are Master Ji. I am Wei Rui.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuang Cheng opened his mouth: “So her name is Wei Rui…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You turned to Kuang Cheng, who was muttering to himself, eyes widening: “I thought you were keeping her—you don’t even know her name?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuang Cheng’s face flushed red as he gestured wildly: “Brother Ji, don’t joke! I only came to help the girl serve porridge…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your arms spread wide just now had some presence—why are you so timid now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You muttered to himself: Look at me—I see someone I like, I just take her home. Though right now I still can’t beat her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Rui, too, recalled the scholar’s outstretched arms just now, her cheeks faintly reddening: “Just now… thank you, Master, for saving me. I am deeply grateful.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She knew those two hadn’t targeted her—but so what? He didn’t even know her name, yet still opened his arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she thought this, Ji You’s voice suddenly sounded beside her ear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Miss, you don’t even know his name? His name is Kuang…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You paused suddenly: “What’s your name again?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am Kuang Cheng.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You looked at his clear, foolish eyes and sighed: “Shouldn’t you have told me that yourself?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuang Cheng blinked, then turned to Wei Rui and bowed slightly: “I am Kuang Cheng, styled Bu Qi. I salute you, Miss Wei.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I salute you, Master Kuang…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I salute you, Miss Wei…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I salute you, Master Kuang…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You watched the two helplessly, clicked his tongue, then picked up a wooden ladle and resumed serving porridge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Rui snapped back to herself and glanced at Ji You: “Um… they say immortals on the mountain never meddle in worldly affairs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m just a mortal below the mountain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You remembered something, pulled a stack of silver notes from his robe, and handed them to Kuang Cheng: “I made some money on my trip. Here’s your share—but please, for the sake of my hard work, don’t donate it all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuang Cheng blinked: “I’ve actually seen a return on my investment?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Half is yours. Send the other half back—Master Chen has always told me he wants to open a school. This should be enough, as long as he doesn’t teach ‘immortals above, mortals beneath’—he can teach whatever else he likes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Rui looked at Kuang Cheng: “Your friend is quite peculiar.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuang Cheng blushed slightly: “Only him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Birds of a feather flock together. Beautiful men like us aren’t counted by quantity, but by quality.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You lifted a bowl of porridge and handed it to an elderly woman trembling before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the western side of the city gate, those in the carriage watched the white-robed youth, who had returned to the Heavenly Book Academy and now turned to serve porridge, and fell silent for a long while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For royal kin or officials’ sons like them, sometimes they performed acts to make the common folk easier to govern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they didn’t understand why a disciple of the Heavenly Book Academy with inner court potential would perform such a show.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the physician who had been treating the refugees walked over and bowed to Kuang Cheng: “Master Kuang, all who could be saved have been saved—but those half-grown children… we simply could not save them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can’t you try again?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am but a mortal. I lack the miraculous healing arts of the Yu Danzong. I am powerless to turn the tide…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(Wrote a bit more—begging for just a little monthly ticket… or2)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2484,"2026-06-19T15:28:39.995Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","b2c48a26fa85fd165d4a7570a2be1a9e6f92fc3e54c332c4fbc3e2cf2c89ff95","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-87","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-85",430,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fwatching-the-immortals-fall-cover.jpg"]