Chapter 97: Wanting to Learn Swordplay at Lingjian Mountain

The demon race initially allied with the human race to defeat the Legacy Race; they should have maintained peace for generations. Why then did they abandon the fertile Nine Provinces and relocate en masse to the barren snowfields of the North?

Ji You pondered for a long time, his attention refocusing on this race he had only heard of but never seen.

The Seven Immortal Sects of the Qingyun Realm were already enough to cause distress; the people could barely survive. Now, with the demon race entering the land, another variable emerged, making the situation even more complex.

Moreover, rumors claimed the demon race’s strength was no lesser than any Immortal Sect, and their underlying power might even surpass them subtly.

But if the demon race had long coveted the Nine Provinces and possessed such immense strength, why did they silently withdraw from the Nine Provinces in the first place?

Yan Shuyi looked at Ji You: “It’s simple—those who are not of our kind must have different hearts.”

“So the demon race were actually driven out by the human race? Not as the historical records claim, in harmony?”

“No, you’ve got it backward. It was the First Demon Emperor who believed ‘those who are not of our kind must have different hearts.’”

“?”

“The Legacy Race once enslaved all living things, bringing ruin to all life. But who could be certain that the rising human race wouldn’t become the next Legacy Race? So shortly after the Dao of Heaven bestowed its sacred artifact upon humanity, the First Demon Emperor realized the tide had turned. He gathered all demon beings across the Nine Provinces and led them to the snowfields, sealing off their realm ever since, never setting foot in the Nine Provinces again.”

Yan Shuyi felt warmth on her left foot, so she withdrew it and placed her pale right foot in his palm—her movements had become utterly natural.

Ji You gently held it, silently thinking: the First Demon Emperor possessed great wisdom.

The demon race moved to the snowfields; other races crossed the Ten Thousand Mountains and became the Barbarians. Now, only the human race remained in the Nine Provinces.

Thus, within the human race, a rift emerged between the immortal and the mortal, and internal enslavement arose.

Otherwise, today’s enslaved would be the other races besides the human race.

“The First Demon Emperor left behind one final saying.”

Ji You looked up at her: “What did he say?”

Yan Shuyi gazed at the chaotic heavenly laws and murmured: “When the human race loses the favor of the Dao of Heaven, the demon race will return to the Nine Provinces and become the next masters of the Qingyun Realm.”

“The favor of the Dao of Heaven?”

“Yes. Originally, the Dao of Heaven’s fortune rested with the Legacy Race, then passed to the human race. Other races, no matter how ambitious, could only retreat—because without the Dao of Heaven’s favor, they knew no matter how strong they became, they could never prevail. This was fate.”

Yan Shuyi tilted her snow-white face upward: “Back then, the Barbarians trained their bodies obsessively, drawing spiritual energy into their bodies to cultivate, nearly shattering the Cold Iron Pass and returning to the Nine Provinces. But suddenly, a blizzard descended from the North, blocking them—that was the Dao of Heaven’s fortune resting with the human race.”

Ji You had heard of the concept of fortune in Qingyun Realm, but this was the first time he learned fortune could be bound to an entire race.

If so, the Dao of Heaven truly guided the development of Qingyun Realm.

“It seems the incident with the Zheng family’s ancestor made the demon race realize the human race’s fortune was faltering.”

“Or perhaps it gave the demon race hope that they might no longer be bound by the Dao of Heaven.”

Yan Shuyi added: “Either way, the demon race are clearly impatient. That night in Ningcheng County, I used the Spirit Mirror to scan the sky and saw a towering figure hovering above the snowfields—I believe it was the Demon Emperor.”

“So history truly is written by the victors.”

Ji You suddenly understood something: the strange feeling he’d had when reading this history in Master Chen’s books.

During the ancient war, all other races fled swiftly—but the demon race chose to aid the human race against the Dao of Heaven. It was said they suffered countless casualties, then withdrew without contesting the world.

He had once thought: What an incredible neighbor.

But now he saw: the demon race and the human race were both rebel factions, neither helping the other.

The goal of that great war was to overthrow the tyrannical rule of the Ancient Legacy Race—but its outcome was the establishment of a new race to rule the world.

In the end, the Dao of Heaven chose the human race, and the sacred artifact forged the lineage.

The demon race knew that staying meant kneeling in submission, so they resolutely marched toward the barren snowfields.

Thus, history recorded: the demon race aided the human race in defeating the Ancient Legacy Race.

But in truth, the demon race were merely compromising—yielding to the injustice of the Dao of Heaven.

Had the Dao of Heaven chosen the demon race at the war’s end, it would have been the human race that compromised. And the history written today might instead say: the human race aided the demon race in defeating the Ancient Legacy Race.

Brilliant…

Yan Shuyi suddenly patted his shoulder: “We’ve strayed too far. Let’s return to the matter of the Heavenly Book Academy and Lingjian Mountain.”

Ji You snapped back to attention, his eyes questioning.

“While the Heavenly Book Academy was defending the Yu Dan Sect, it also spread a manifesto across the realm, accusing Lingjian Mountain of ambushing the Wenda Sect in the ruins, demanding that Lingjian Mountain’s involved disciples travel to Shengjing to beg for forgiveness.”

“But I already said—I will apologize to the injured, but Lingjian Mountain will never respond. If the Heavenly Book Academy wants war, then let them have it.”

At that moment, Yan Shuyi truly resembled an empress—her waist straightened, revealing a sliver of snow-white skin, her eyes brimming with sword intent that lorded over the world.

But then, the tingling sensation from her toes shattered her composure.

She had just been arrogantly condemned by the Heavenly Book Academy, her heart ablaze with battle fury—yet when she looked down, she found her toes still being idly toyed with by a disciple of that very academy.

If her disciples saw this, it would be far worse than Lingjian Mountain publicly bowing to the Heavenly Book Academy.

Every time the Little Mirror Master speaks of Lingjian Mountain, her empress persona awakens, and she feels deeply uncomfortable with her own softness.

But she never revealed this side before—only since meeting Ji You has it become harder to suppress.

Perhaps because he was the only person she knew on her first journey down the mountain. Or perhaps the fire stove in Han Ri’s room made her wish to be an ordinary woman. Or perhaps she missed the chance to stab him when he pinched her cheek.

In any case, she could never hide this side from him.

So she should kill him. Kill him, and she’d return to who she was before.

Yan Shuyi muttered under her breath, suddenly lifting her foot and stepping on his hand.

Let him touch? No. But if she stepped on him, then she was the proud Little Mirror Master of Lingjian Mountain again.

Look—your Heavenly Book Academy disciple is under my foot.

The Little Mirror Master narrowed her eyes, smug and proud, her gaze sharp with cunning.

Ji You glanced at her strangely, unaware of her conflicting inner turmoil—he was instead pondering the relationship between the Heavenly Book Academy and Lingjian Mountain.

There might be conflict between the Shanhai Pavilion and the Chen Shixian Clan, but war between the Heavenly Book Academy and Lingjian Mountain was unlikely.

The distance from north to south is too great, and their strengths are too evenly matched—any real clash would become a prolonged war of attrition.

The other Immortal Sects would reap the benefits.

Neither the Heavenly Book Academy nor Lingjian Mountain wanted this outcome—especially now, with the demon race entering the land and all factions eyeing the ruins.

Whether the Seven Immortal Sects and the demon race still covet the ruins, or whether the Heavenly Book Academy and Lingjian Mountain are already at odds, all Ji You can do is rapidly strengthen himself.

Just as Yan Shuyi trained relentlessly due to the conflict between Tianjian Peak and Xuanjian Peak—in this world, only strength determines everything.

After emerging from the ruins, Ji You broke through two realms in succession; his potential is now fully drained.

Breaking through again in a short time is harder than climbing to heaven.

Moreover, the Tongxuan Realm is the foundation of the entire Zhufa Realm. Cao Jingsong believed his current level was sufficient and advised him to slow down, to carefully comprehend the Dao of Heaven now.

Among cultivators, there’s a saying: “The Dao has countless forms.” It means the Dao of Heaven’s laws are infinite—not a fixed number.

Just as humans have the human Dao, demons have the demon Dao, bandits have the bandit Dao—every blade of grass and tree in this world has its own Dao.

The Dao one comprehends at this realm will become the key to the Rongdao Realm.

Thus, to improve strength, one must not rush the realm breakthrough—martial arts are the best place to begin.

Ji You recalled Master Wang’s words and looked at Yan Shuyi, who was still stepping on him: “How can I go to Lingjian Mountain to learn swordplay?”

“?”

The Little Mirror Master snapped back: “Are you dreaming?”

“I’m serious.”

Yan Shuyi glanced at him: “Lingjian Mountain’s sword arts are taught only to Lingjian Mountain disciples. Unless you leave the Heavenly Book Academy, I can have Xuanjian Peak accept you? Become my disciple?”

Ji You’s eyes lit up—he thought: That could work. The Heavenly Book Academy never really wanted me—a wild, unruly cultivator from the countryside. What’s wrong with being a double-agent?

But the thought vanished as quickly as it came.

He was currently a disciple of the Heavenly Book Academy, with no hierarchical relationship to Yan Shuyi. If he truly joined Lingjian Mountain, she’d become pure empress—and he’d never see her soft, whimpering side again.

Besides, with the Office of Management’s constant obsession with sect prestige, he’d probably be shot full of arrows before even reaching Lingjian Mountain.

Passersby who saw him would surely ask: “Huh? Why is there a person growing out of this pile of swords?”

“If I don’t become a Lingjian Mountain disciple, is there any way I can learn the Lingjian Mountain’s Core Spirit Sword Art?”

“Don’t forget the current relationship between the Heavenly Book Academy and Lingjian Mountain. If you truly come to beg for instruction, they’ll break your legs and throw you out—I won’t lift a finger. I’ll just watch coldly.”

“Then I’ll go learn alchemy from the Yu Dan Sect.”

Yan Shuyi suddenly narrowed her eyes and kicked him off the cliff again.

Lingjian Mountain held immense weight in her heart—far heavier than Ji You, a stranger she’d met only twice.

This wasn’t because Ji You was insignificant to her, but because for over a decade, Yan Shuyi had aimed solely to inherit Lingjian Mountain.

Even the strongest person is shaped by their surroundings.

When your parents, fellow disciples, and even maids all say the same thing, you begin to believe it’s right.

Her entire life had placed Lingjian Mountain—or Xuanjian Peak—first. Even if she grew close to Ji You, she would never secretly teach him the Core Spirit Sword Art.

Disciples may betray their sect—but the inheritor of the lineage cannot.

“Learn alchemy…?”

“Go touch Yuan Caimei’s feet.”

Ji You watched her jealous, whimpering expression and smiled faintly—but inside, he still pondered: how could he learn swordplay at Lingjian Mountain?

Maybe he should kidnap an Elder and force him to reveal the cultivation methods.

But if he truly had that power, why bother learning swordplay at all?

(End of Chapter)