Chapter 92: Brother-in-Law

“Ji You, where’s my younger brother?”

“He knew I was treating, so he rushed off to pick a restaurant.”

“These past few days, many from your Heavenly Book Academy wanted to invite him, but he showed no interest—it’s not that he’s uninterested in Shengjing’s specialties, just that the host isn’t right.”

“Foolish—he doesn’t know he can always bring me along to pig out at every banquet…”

Ji You silently muttered to himself, deciding he’d need to teach Yuanchen more on this matter going forward.

Yuan Caimei followed behind, watching his figure, thinking he looked weary, just like her younger brother these past days.

This reminded her of last night’s idle chat with her brother in the courtyard.

Her brother was the closest to the Alchemy Dao in the past hundred years of Yu Danzong; to outsiders, even some sect disciples who became direct disciples might never become abbots.

But her brother was different—her father had already hinted he intended to pass the teachings to him.

Yet her brother had never truly cared for alchemy.

He once secretly descended the mountain to join a villa under Shanhaige’s jurisdiction, seeking a master, and was caught and brought back.

The elders in the family scolded and trained him repeatedly, yet could never reignite his interest in alchemy—they were deeply troubled.

Unexpectedly, it was this man who resolved their sect’s deepest dilemma.

In Yuan Caimei’s gaze, Ji You suddenly turned his head, drawn to a female cultivator with a heart for the world, his eyes filled with admiration and reverence.

Seeing this, the eldest daughter of Yu Danzong’s expression subtly changed.

Such an impolite man, she’d normally deem shallow and licentious.

But on Ji You, she felt it was genuine nature—not necessarily of the highest virtue, but still a proper gentleman…

These past few days, under her elders’ arrangements, she’d met with You Buyu from the inner academy several times, finding his realm profound and his conduct refined.

With help from others in the inner academy, they spoke at length.

About the myriad Dao methods, ultimate freedom, ascending to immortality, his current insights into the Dao, and the techniques he’d already mastered.

Seeing his lofty bearing and vast immortal aura, he truly resembled the kind of husband Yuan Caimei had imagined.

Yet for some reason, she couldn’t muster any real enthusiasm, feeling as if everyone around her was merely skimming the surface, smiling politely in agreement.

Thus, the days with the Heavenly Book Academy passed swiftly, and she found she remembered little—only a few phrases.

“Sis, do you think we’ve been preaching the wrong path?”

“Brother-in-law said, since I’m born between heaven and earth, I must leave some story for future generations to see.”

Yuan Caimei watched Ji You walking ahead, the wind the only sound besides those few phrases in her ears.

“...”

“What to eat? Mountain chicken at Hongding Restaurant? Fifty taels per bird? Is this chicken or a phoenix?”

Brother-in-law, you said it's up to me.

“Look at my sword—it’s telling you, just eat some braised bones. Why do you need a bicycle?”

“...”

In recent days, many had taken advantage of spring to stroll together; after returning to the city, they gathered at taverns, making Hongding Restaurant’s business very lively.

At this moment, on the second floor of the tavern, Lu Qingqiu, Lou Siyi, and Sun Qiaozhi were already seated, facing Changle Princess and Dou Yuankong.

They had arranged this meeting days ago, concerning the Great Xia’s desire to tighten control over spirit stones and immortal herbs, but Ji You’s return to the Heavenly Book Academy had delayed it.

So, on this fine spring day, they finally managed to meet.

They had also invited Chu He, but today several Chu family members came to the Heavenly Book Academy—likely to help him secure an inner academy slot—so he had no time.

Two others on the guest list were Yuan Chen and Yuan Caimei.

Yu Danzong’s spirit elixirs were the highest quality in the world; aside from top-grade and supreme-grade elixirs, which were forbidden from private trade, the lower and middle grades were a huge business.

But unfortunately, Lu Qingqiu had submitted several invitation letters, all politely refused.

Changle Princess also very much wished to befriend a Yu Danzong disciple, for she was currently striving to reach the fifth realm and needed supreme-grade elixirs to safeguard her path.

Such elixirs could only be obtained through the Immortal Sect’s channels; Great Xia’s laws prohibited imperial relatives from joining immortal sects, so even with limitless wealth, she struggled.

Thinking of this, she recalled the scholar who had distributed porridge with Wei Rui outside the city, and the Heavenly Book Academy student standing beside him.

“What is Ji You doing now?”

Lu Qingqiu, startled, asked: “Princess knows Ji You?”

Changle Princess nodded: “A few days ago, while strolling outside the capital, I saw him bringing a Yu Danzong direct disciple to treat refugees. That direct disciple called him brother-in-law, didn’t he? Is that true?”

“I’ve heard of this.”

“Really?”

Lu Qingqiu covered her mouth and smiled lightly: “That Yu Danzong direct disciple is odd—he dislikes alchemy and prefers fighting. Ji You saved him and his sister in a ruin, so naturally he’s very close to Ji You.”

Changle Princess understood: “Then why call him brother-in-law?”

“That Yu Danzong direct disciple idolizes Ji You like a mortal idolizes an immortal—he’s been trying to match him with his sister. I can only say, his intentions are remarkably simple.”

“And what does his sister think?”

Changle Princess had also considered befriending Ji You, but had yet to make up her mind.

After all, inwardly she admired Chu He, and Chu He’s pride had now been crushed twice by Ji You.

But if Ji You truly married into Yu Danzong, even if her admired man was crushed a third time, she’d still make overtures.

Because elixirs were too vital to cultivators.

“His sister, of course, disagrees.”

“The current situation among immortal sects is complicated—Shanhaige wants to hold Chen Shixian’s clan accountable, while other sects suspect Yu Danzong is colluding with the Zheng family, so mutual suspicion abounds.”

“Yu Danzong seeks greater support; the Heavenly Book Academy welcomes this, so they arranged for Elder You and Yuan Caimei to interact. Rumor says they both hold each other in high regard.”

“Elder You is the nephew of Elder You of Jixiang Hall, at the Fusion Dao realm.”

Lu Qingqiu lifted her moist eyes, then pressed her red lips together.

She actually thought Ji You was excellent—talented, decent, and when he was attacked on the street that day, she’d entertained all sorts of thoughts about him.

But his solitary status, lacking any noble family background, was too conspicuous.

Yuan Caimei was born into Yu Danzong, just as she was born into the Lu family—girls should be wise early, knowing their responsibilities.

Changle Princess nodded after hearing this, finding Lu Qingqiu’s reasoning reasonable.

Between a Fusion Dao direct disciple and an outer academy rustic cultivator, the choice was obvious.

At that moment, a familiar figure walked up from below.

Expressionless, Ji You had decided to cut his losses and take them here to eat that phoenix-priced mountain chicken.

Because this was Kuangcheng’s first meal with Wei Rui; given Wei Rui’s status, he couldn’t make it too shabby.

Besides, the young master, after being taken by him to eat braised bones once, still seemed to harbor resentment.

“Brother Ji?”

Lu Qingqiu, surprised, asked: “You’re here to eat?”

Ji You turned to Lu Qingqiu: “What a coincidence—you, Miss Lu, Miss Lou, and Miss Sun are here too?”

“Meeting some friends from the capital—this is Changle Princess, and Master Dou.”

“Oh, we’ve met before.”

Dou Yuankong had already spotted Wei Rui and Kuangcheng approaching, his face changed as he rose to stand, but Zhao Yunyue stopped him with a glance.

For behind them came the Yu Danzong direct disciple and the sect’s eldest daughter.

Their eyes met; Wei Rui was startled, but seeing her old friend remained silent, she relaxed slightly and bowed respectfully.

Then Ji You led everyone to a neighboring table, where they stared for a long while at the mountain chicken brought out.

The private rooms on Hongding Restaurant’s upper floor were separated by partitions, but the partitions were latticed at top and bottom.

“Brother-in-law, sit.”

“Brother-in-law, try the mountain chicken I ordered...”

“Brother-in-law, why aren’t you eating? Don’t you like it?”

As Lu Qingqiu and the others picked up their chopsticks, Yuan Chen’s voice rang out continuously, finally making her curious enough to turn around.

She initially thought Yuan Chen, shouting “brother-in-law” so loudly in public, would be scolded.

The eldest daughter of Yu Danzong was currently interacting with Elder You; now her brother called another man brother-in-law—in private, fine; in public, she’d surely rebuke him.

But long minutes passed without any rebuke, and Lu Qingqiu grew curious.

Then she noticed Yuan Caimei, hearing her brother call Ji You “brother-in-law,” showed no reaction—she merely nodded and ate, occasionally glancing at the two with lifted eyes.

She seemed to have accepted her brother’s term for Ji You, finding nothing amiss.

Could it be true, as rumors claimed, that they’d forged deep bonds through life-and-death in the ruin, and truly felt something for each other?

But a Fusion Dao direct disciple versus an outer academy rustic cultivator—everyone knew the right choice.

Changle Princess now looked at her: “It seems, Miss Lu, your judgment was mistaken.”

“Perhaps Ji You truly expressed his feelings to her, but out of gratitude for saving her life, Yuan Caimei couldn’t refuse outright.”

Dou Yuankong, who held a personal grudge against Ji You and still remembered being thrown from his horse, sneered: “This rustic cultivator knows how to climb the ladder—using a life-saving debt to try to become a phoenix?”

No sooner had he spoken than Lu Qingqiu and Zhao Yunyue saw Ji You rise, grab Yuan Chen’s ear.

“When Miss Caimei is present, don’t casually call me ‘brother-in-law.’ Neither I nor your sister are married—people will think there’s something between us. Your sister already made it clear to you: I’m not in her list of potential husbands. You seem to have no ears.”

“A woman’s reputation is serious. Don’t joke about it.”

“?”

Lu Qingqiu was stunned—she hadn’t expected Ji You to say such a thing.

She quickly glanced at Yuan Caimei’s expression and saw her lips slightly pressed, a flicker of disappointment in her eyes.

But soon, determination ignited in Yuan Caimei’s gaze, as if she meant to reclaim something.

The eldest daughter of the Lu family stared for a long time, then murmured: Ji You doesn’t like her—it’s she who likes Ji You…

The Princess of Changle also looked at Lu Qingqiu with disbelief, for only women like them could understand the meaning behind that expression.

Only Dou Yuankong sat there, letting out a dumbfounded chuckle: “Didn’t expect this kid to have some self-awareness.”

(End of Chapter)