Chapter 105: Why Is Junior Brother Ji So Straightforward?
(This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation)
After dinner, as the setting sun painted the sky above Qian’an City with hues of crimson and gold, Ji You and his companions left the tavern. Passing by the Celestial Splendor Pavilion, a place renowned for being out of reach for the poor, they decided to step inside for a look.
Thanks to the profits Ji You earned from the ancient ruins, he still had a thousand taels of silver left. Here, he decided to spend a portion on purchasing some pills.
“Didn’t Junior Brother say he doesn’t use pills?” asked Ban Yang Shu, looking somewhat puzzled.
Bai Ru Long sneered, curling his lips. “That’s because he was poor, wasn’t it?”
At this moment, Wen Zheng Xin came over to inspect the pills Ji You had bought. She noticed that most of them were Protective Spirit Pills, including the type Sun Bin had consumed during his duel with Ji You on the White Jade Terrace. Each pill cost as much as thirty taels.
This Junior Brother, who usually split every copper coin in half and had Bai Ru Long cover the other half, was now indulging in such extravagance—a rare sight indeed.
“Junior Brother, why are you buying so many protective pills?” Wen Zheng Xin asked curiously.
“To be prepared for unforeseen situations.”
Ji You placed the pills into his Storage Gourd before turning to Bai Ru Long. “Brother Bai, isn’t there anything you want to buy?”
At this, Bai Ru Long’s face twisted, and he shot Ji You a look of mock indignation. “Brother Ji, you’ve already squeezed me dry of silver.”
Ji You glanced at him disdainfully. “Look at you, acting so miserly. Go on, pick something out.”
“You’re paying?”
“Yes, as long as you don’t get caught.”
“What?”
After dinner, they returned to the Relay Station, and night had already fallen. Ji You retired to his room and began channeling Spiritual Qi into his body to temper his physique.
As the boundless Spiritual Qi surged into his meridians, that familiar shuddering sensation emerged once more. With a slight movement of his spiritual consciousness, Ji You ignited the Spiritual Qi within him.
As the stinging pain coursed through his meridians, the ignited Spiritual Radiance began to churn and circulate through multiple cycles in his body. However, much like what had happened earlier that day, an inexplicable sense of urgency overwhelmed him, causing his mind to hum.
Recognizing the signs, Ji You paused to catch his breath, deciding to take a break.
After his Spiritual Essence exploded earlier, and with the True Spirit wrapped in Spiritual Qi coursing through his limbs, Ji You had been experimenting with a method to temper his body by refining his Spiritual Essence. Although this approach had shown results, it felt more like a clever shortcut.
Whether this method was truly right or wrong, Ji You wasn’t entirely sure. Since he had now reached a bottleneck, he decided not to push himself too hard, lest he ended up harming his body.
“At my current strength, I should be able to knock out a fair number of people with a single punch,” Ji You mused.
“But I still prefer using a sword…” He flexed his fists, listening to the whistling sound as he threw a few punches in the air. His breath gradually stabilized as he collected his thoughts.
“After all, a longer blade brings greater reach.”
Satisfied, Ji You washed up and lay on his bed. The thought of arriving at Spirit Sword Mountain made him a bit nervous. The last time, Ding Yao had caught him pinching Yan Shu Yi’s cheek and vowed to report him to the sect. Who knew if he’d be put under immediate scrutiny upon arrival?
Then there was Bai Ru Long, that rogue who claimed to achieve “enlightenment of the Dao” every time he encountered a beautiful female cultivator, always insisting Ji You join him in his “appreciation.”
With the many female cultivators bound to be at Spirit Sword Mountain, Ji You resolved to steer clear of Bai Ru Long from now on, lest he be dragged into trouble.
As the stars turned and dawn broke, the group from the Heavenly Script Academy departed the Relay Station, journeying deeper into Ling Prefecture by carriage.
“Junior Brother, look! There’s a woman outside the window with no clothes on,” Wen Zheng Xin suddenly said.
“Huh?”
Ji You, who had been resting with his eyes closed, quickly opened them and glanced at Wen Zheng Xin. [Since when did Senior Sister learn such tricks?] He hastily waved her off. “No, thank you. I’m not interested.”
He composed himself immediately, maintaining a serene and unbothered demeanor that left Wen Zheng Xin and Pei Ru Yi surprised.
Of course, there wasn’t any unclothed woman outside the window—just the boundless scenery of the world unfolding before them.
Following last night’s meal at the tavern, Ji You seemed much more reserved, which stirred the curiosity of Pei Ru Yi and Wen Zheng Xin during the otherwise monotonous carriage ride.
Bai Ru Long and Ban Yang Shu were the only ones who believed Ji You’s change was genuine. Bai Ru Long leaned out of the carriage window, scanning the surroundings, while Ban Yang Shu had been meditating, though he now slightly opened his eyes, observing the situation sharply from beneath barely parted lids.
“Do you think Junior Brother has a fiancé at Spirit Sword Mountain?” Wen Zheng Xin teased.
Pei Ru Yi turned to her. “What makes you think so?”
Wen Zheng Xin chuckled softly. “Why else would he suddenly behave so properly? It’s as though his nature has completely changed.”
Pei Ru Yi seemed to realize something and leaned closer to whisper, “Remember Zhuo Wan Qiu from before…”
“Hm?”
“Oh, so it’s her…”
Back when they returned from Qiling, Zhuo Wan Qiu, who was ostensibly protecting the Yuan siblings, seemed glued to Ji You’s side once aboard the ship. Furthermore, despite Spirit Sword Mountain having allied with Dao Seeking Sect in attacking them, Zhuo Wan Qiu had urged them to leave instead. The whole matter was peculiar.
Zhuo Wan Qiu’s claim that she acted on the Mirror Master’s Command seemed dubious. Pei Ru Yi and Wen Zheng Xin had discussed this before, concluding that Zhuo Wan Qiu’s actions were likely her own initiative. After all, as one of Spirit Sword Mountain’s most esteemed disciples, equivalent in status to a sect master, why would she pay attention to their insignificant group of Outer Court disciples from Heavenly Script Academy?
The most plausible explanation was that Zhuo Wan Qiu acted out of personal interest.
“Junior Brother Ji really is quite the charmer. His fiancées seem scattered across Azure Clouds Dominion! There’s Fang Ruo Yao from his hometown, Lu Qing Qiu from Yunzhou—that wealthy family girl who frequently visits his courtyard—and even Yuan Cai Wei from the Pill Sect. Now it seems even Spirit Sword Mountain has joined the list.”
“???!”
After pondering for a moment, Pei Ru Yi glanced at Ji You, who still had his eyes closed. “Actually, I think it’s not Zhuo Wan Qiu.”
Wen Zheng Xin blinked. “Why not?”
“For Junior Brother to be this well-behaved, it must be because of a woman he can’t defeat. Zhuo Wan Qiu’s cultivation isn’t that high, so the chances are slim.”
Wen Zheng Xin seemed surprised. “A woman with a higher realm than him?”
Pei Ru Yi nodded but frowned. “If we’re talking about someone stronger than Junior Brother Ji, she’d have to be in the Dao Fusion Stage, at least. But the youngest female cultivator at that level on Spirit Sword Mountain is a personal disciple from Mystic Sword Peak, and she’s already in her thirties.”
“Ew~”
Cultivation was a lengthy and arduous path, with the body often being the greatest limitation. Not only could the soul not escape its physical confines, but lifespan was also a crucial factor. Those in the Lower Three Stages who reached perfection before twenty were rare and considered prodigies. Even so, without extraordinary talent, many spent decades just breaking through.
For instance, Gong Shu Chou, whom Ji You had recently spared, had only entered the Dao Fusion Stage in his forties. Pei Ru Yi and Wen Zheng Xin were not even thirty but had advanced remarkably quickly, fueling rumors that they had found unreported treasures in the Ancient Ruins.
Meanwhile, Ji You, though appearing to meditate, was listening to their conversation clearly. His face gradually darkened.
[Women truly have an innate talent for gossip…]
Ji You opened his mouth, his tone calm but carrying a subtle rebuke. “Senior Sisters, excessive curiosity is a distraction—a hindrance to cultivating the Dao.”
Pei Ru Yi and Wen Zheng Xin immediately exchanged a knowing look at his words.
The carriage jolted over a bump, and a salty tang began wafting in with the warm, moist breeze. The aroma was unmistakable, carried from the Mystic Sea. The vast, fathomless ocean heralded their approach to Spirit Sword Mountain.
The atmosphere in the carriage had shifted. Gone was the light-hearted chatter, replaced by a heavy silence. The group wore solemn expressions. While You Bu Yu and He Ling Xiu would handle the inquiry, memories of the past loomed large. Many disciples of Spirit Sword Mountain still bore grudges after the events in the Ruins of Ancient Times, where injuries inflicted by the Heavenly Script Academy remained unforgotten—especially for Gong Shu Chou.
Back then, Ji You, still at the peak of the Lower Three Stages, had nearly slain Gong Shu Chou in the ruins. Such an offense could not be easily overlooked. However, taking revenge within the academy walls was impossible. Here and now, with the suppressive qi of the ruins left behind, the stakes were higher. In an open confrontation, someone at the Dao Fusion Stage could easily overpower one in the Mystic Enlightenment Stage.
The carriage rattled along the uneven road, eventually entering an ancient city. Its imposing black iron gates gleamed under the sunlight, bearing the nameplate Nanhua City. This city, the closest settlement to Spirit Sword Mountain, housed the families of cultivators. Many were descendants of esteemed clans who, lacking sufficient talent to enter the Seven Great Immortal Sects, resided near them instead.
The city was vibrant. A river wound through its heart, its waters bustling with boats. Crowds moved along the riverbanks, creating a lively scene. The carriage came to a stop outside an inn. First to disembark were You Bu Yu, He Ling Xiu, Wang Yue, and Fang Lin Chao, who entered the inn with stoic expressions.
“Why are we stopping here?” asked Bai Ru Long, puzzled. “Aren’t we heading to Spirit Sword Mountain? Shouldn’t we go straight up the mountain?”
“This isn’t a social visit,” replied Ji You, glancing toward the inn. “If we were paying formal respects, we’d simply deliver an invitation. But since we’re here to inquire about the Dao, we’ll need their permission to enter. Until they open the mountain’s great formation, we won’t get anywhere. Likely, we’ll need to stay a night in Nanhua Town before receiving a response.”
Ban Yang Shu nodded. This had occurred to him earlier as well. Asking about the Dao wasn’t the same as seeking an audience. The atmosphere between their sects wasn’t amicable, and Spirit Sword Mountain might not even let them set foot inside. If refused, their course of action would be simple: turn back and declare that Spirit Sword Mountain was too fearful to open its gates, leaving the disciples of the Heavenly Script Academy waiting in vain.
Of course, this was unlikely. A refusal would damage Spirit Sword Mountain’s reputation, and they would almost certainly allow entry.
“Be vigilant,” Ban Yang Shu warned as he stepped down from the carriage. “They might test us with some tricks before opening the gate.”
Following closely, Ji You dismounted and observed their surroundings. Rooms at the inn had already been arranged by the academy’s external envoys. Bai Ru Long and Ban Yang Shu were assigned to rooms on the second floor, while Ji You and his two senior sisters were given rooms on the third floor.
The inn was one of the finest in Nanhua City, befitting their status as representatives. After all, staying at a shabby relay station would reflect poorly on the academy.
Inside, Ji You walked across a richly carpeted floor and opened the window of his room. From this vantage point, he could see the magnificent mountains stretching endlessly into the distance. Among the many hills, three stood out: three towering peaks, their sharp cliffs resembling swords piercing the sky.
These were the famed peaks of Spirit Sword Mountain—Heavenly Sword Peak, Mystic Sword Peak, and Sword Inquiry Peak. In the center, Heavenly Sword Peak stood enveloped in mist, its aura the most majestic. To its right was Sword Inquiry Peak, slightly more subdued in its grandeur.
Lastly, Ji You’s gaze shifted to the leftmost peak. Though less prominent, it was steep and surrounded by a dense cloud layer, where the faint silhouette of a grand palace atop the summit could just be made out.
“Women’s quarters…” he muttered.