Chapter 150: The Sword of the Common People
(This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation)
In the golden light of dawn, Ji You took a moment to admire the residence he had painstakingly seized for himself.
Celestial Maiden Ru Yi, Fairy Zheng Xin, and Celestial Lord Yang Shu already held prestigious noble titles, yet they could still join his faction by becoming honored retainers. No—rather, his mountain stronghold.
However, the expansion of his people required his personal efforts and cultivation.
He wondered how many children the Little Mirror Master of Spirit Sword Mountain would be willing to bear for him. He would have to return to Mount Void and ask her…
But before posing that question, he figured he should undergo a few more rounds of Minor Illumination, fortifying his bones and sinews—lest he collapse before even plowing the field.
Besides, Yuan Cai Wei of the Pill Sect and Lu Qing Qiu from Yunzhou also seemed willing to bear his offspring…
Such was the way of Azure Cloud Continent—lineage was paramount to both noble clans and immortal sects alike. Just as in the mortal world, where each additional son meant more fields to till, so too did cultivators follow this principle.
Ji You had even encountered a more extreme case—a senior sister, soon to depart from the academy, had once written him a letter. She did not ask to be his Dao companion, only that he leave behind his seed for her to raise on her own. That, he found truly astonishing.
“Kuang Cheng, you and Wei Rui should also have a few more children and join my stronghold.”
“Ji, you always spout nonsense…”
“Hah, if you had the will, you wouldn’t be biting your lip.”
Ji You mercilessly mocked the scholar’s hesitation before stepping out of Falling Moon Villa. As he descended the stone steps, he couldn’t help but glance back.
Leaving so soon?
Was this truly the fate of a protagonist—summoning things into being just by thinking about them?
He pondered for a long while before shaking his head and returning to the Magistrate Xiang’s residence. There, he encountered Xiang Xuan with Xiang Fu, and Inspector Liu with Liu Jian Bei, all emerging together from the eastern wing.
Ji You’s breath hitched as he caught the look in Xiang Fu’s eyes.
That gaze—he had seen it many times before, especially after he had cut down Chu He with his sword.
[Another one wants to bear my child…?]
What was going on?
It wasn’t like this before he left.
Kuang Cheng also noticed Xiang Fu’s complicated expression. “Ji, you truly are a beauty that brings ruin.”
“Sometimes, I truly wish I weren’t so handsome.”
“By the way, I heard that Titled Princess Chang Le of Prince Chong’s Mansion has taken an interest in you, but you haven’t responded. I think you handled that quite well.”
Ji You turned to him. “What do you mean?”
Kuang Cheng straightened his back. “The Titled Princess Chang Le is known for her domineering nature. If you had responded to her, the other women in your life would become difficult to manage. By neither advancing nor rejecting, you can navigate all sides, maintaining subtle connections, until one day the dust settles. With a strong body, you can conquer the world.”
Ji You’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Did the books of sages teach you this?”
“No, I thought of it myself.”
“A year ago, when we left Yuyang County, if you hadn’t been traveling with me on an immortal vessel, you would have surely perished on the road.”
Kuang Cheng was stunned. “Why?”
Ji You chuckled. “Because I see no trace of Vast Righteous Qi in you—only a heart steeped in yellow thoughts. How did someone like you become the Top Scholar? By that logic, I, Immortal Emperor Ru Long, should be able to claim the throne.”
The tea ceremony for new students was simple, and within the span of a single cup, the Heavenly Script Academy gained two more scholars.
Soon after, they gathered their belongings and prepared to depart for their next destination.
Both Inspector Liu and Magistrate Xiang escorted the group of six to the gates, while Xiang Fu stood behind them, her eyes lingering on the white-robed scholar.
With the naked eye, one could see that he possessed a refined figure, a handsome face, and an air of scholarly grace.
And yet, one would never suspect him to be the ruthless cultivator who had slain Chu He, cut through the Sword Forest, and faced the dangers of Dao Fusion Stage combat.
To her, the contrast felt surreal.
After all, Feng Prefecture was remote. Though Cinnabar Water Prefecture bore the name of a province, compared to the other Nine Provinces, it was little more than an oversized county.
Some figures of legend simply could not be met without stepping beyond Feng Prefecture.
“A twenty-one-year-old in the Middle Mystic Enlightenment Stage…”
“Ji You of Feng Prefecture…”
“Fu’er, in all of Feng Prefecture, you are known for your beauty, your grace in qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and your learned nature. Perhaps… you have a chance.”
Madam Xiang stood by the gate, gazing at the white-clad youth within the carriage, murmuring to herself.
This was simply the mindset of Azure Cloud Continent—whether in the mortal world, among noble clans, within immortal sects, or beyond, the transmission of power had always followed three pillars: desire, blood, and lineage. An unchanging truth since time immemorial.
Hearing her mother’s words, Xiang Fu’s cheeks flushed crimson.
As she looked at the youth once more, her eyes carried newfound emotions.
However, cultivators were open-minded in such matters. Rather than feeling shy over her mother’s musings, she instead harbored a quiet sense of hope.
Meanwhile, standing ahead, Xiang Xuan had also overheard his wife’s words, his mind stirring with new thoughts.
As someone who had always regarded his wife’s views as narrow, this time he found her to be truly perceptive.
If Feng Prefecture’s first noble clan leader were to form an alliance with the Xiang Clan, it would be a bond far stronger than any political maneuvering of the past.
Only Inspector Liu stood to the side, looking at the family of three with an odd expression.
He finally understood—one could not truly grasp a man’s worth without stepping beyond Feng Prefecture. Even knowing Ji You’s past deeds, they could not fully comprehend his weight.
Xiang Xuan noticed Inspector Liu’s look and could not help but say, “My wife’s words must have amused you, Brother Liu.”
Inspector Liu waved a hand dismissively. “Not at all—I merely suppressed my laughter.”
“But my wife’s words are not entirely without merit.”
“Ji You will need a Dao companion eventually, and Fu’er is of similar age to him. Now, they both enter the Heavenly Script Academy together…”
“Xiang, do you truly not understand how high Ji You’s standing is now?”
Xiang Xuan paused at those words. “What do you mean by that, Lord Liu?”
Inspector Liu stood with his hands clasped behind his back. “In truth, ever since Ji You slew the second son of the Chu Clan and entered the Inner Court, there have been many who share the same thoughts as Madam Xiang.”
Madam Xiang smiled. “That is hardly surprising.”
“Among them are Princess Chang Le, daughter of Prince Chong, as well as Miss Lu Qing Qiu of the Spirit Stone Aristocratic Clan in Yunzhou.”
Upon hearing these words, the three members of the Xiang family were momentarily stunned.
Inspector Liu glanced at the carriage. “And yet, he has not accepted any of them.”
“It is said that he is considering the esteemed daughter of the Pill Sect, one of the Seven Great Immortal Sects. Those people are individuals we may never have the chance to meet in our entire lives.”
As his words faded into the wind, the Heavenly Script Academy’s carriage began to move slowly forward.
The entourage continued their journey in sequence, passing through Returning Clouds Prefecture, Long River County, and Myriad Prosperity Town.
It seemed the magistrate of Returning Clouds Prefecture had already received news in advance, for Cao Jin Song secured another scholar without much effort. Meanwhile, in Long River County and Myriad Prosperity Town, the two scholars there had entered the academy through military nominations. Lacking understanding of cultivation, one was taken in by the Chen Clan of Immortals, while the other had already accepted an invitation from the Mystic Origin Immortal Palace.
Cao Jin Song did not force the matter, for the teachings of the Heavenly Script Academy followed the natural flow of cause and effect, leaving matters to fate. Those who were meant to part ways would simply be let go.
Their carriage now traveled southeast. The roads were sparsely populated, with barren lands stretching endlessly. Towering mountains loomed in the distance, blocking their path. Yet, in the eyes of the travelers, the scenery was clear and distinct.
Yuyang County was now within reach.
In the fields, the autumn harvest was in full swing. But it was not only the robust men and women at work; even elderly folks with snow-white hair were hunched over, trembling as they swung their sickles. The moment their balance faltered, they would collapse into the fields.
This was not due to unfilial children at home, but because tax tributes were evenly distributed per household each year. Some elders, if not sent to their graves early, had no choice but to toil in the fields.
As the Heavenly Script Academy’s carriage passed through, many farmers couldn’t help but glance up. Then, in a panic, they abandoned their tools and knelt in the furrows, not daring to lift their heads.
Ji You had witnessed such scenes many times before.
On his journey aboard the Immortal Ship, both departing and returning, such sights lined the banks of the Angry River.
As he observed, a thought stirred within him.
At that moment, Pei Ru Yi and Cao Jin Song were resting with their eyes closed. Suddenly, they sensed a surge of sword qi in the surroundings and immediately opened their eyes. They saw seven gleaming swords hovering outside the carriage, making them instantly alert.
“What happened?”
“Haven’t you heard? Those who stir up storms outside must also farm when they return home…”
“?”
Ji You, seated within the carriage, murmured softly before suddenly waving his white sleeve.
Buzz!
A crisp sword chant echoed as seven spirit swords shot toward the golden wheat fields, their sharp sword qi sweeping across the land in a horizontal slash.
[Spirit Sword Mountain Dao Sword: Return and Come, New Willow Shades]
Return and Come was Elder Qi’s swiftest sword dao, while New Willow Shades was the sharpest.
As the spirit swords slashed through the fields, countless stalks were severed cleanly at their base. The golden wheat barely had time to react before it lay neatly upon the furrows.
As the carriage advanced, the seven flying swords continued to weave through the fields, swiftly harvesting them. In mere moments, a hundred acres had been cleared.
Wherever the sword qi reached, there was a bountiful harvest.
Cao Jin Song’s gaze momentarily froze in astonishment.
Ji You had ascended into the Upper Five Realms and was now an Inner Court disciple.
Not to mention ordinary folk—even Xiang Xuan, after learning of his status, had spoken with reverence.
But no one had expected that the sword dao he had once used to defeat Chu He was now employed in harvesting wheat.
What kind of divine farming physique is this…?
“If a disciple of Spirit Sword Mountain saw you doing this, they’d accuse you of disgracing the sword dao.”
“This is the Sword of the Common People—it is my own sword dao. What does it have to do with them?”
Ji You turned to look at Cao Jin Song and Pei Ru Yi. “These people kneel before us. We must be worthy of their reverence. That is the Immortal Way—otherwise, why should we be called Immortals?”
Kuang Cheng, who had been silently listening, raised an eyebrow. “Does this sword have a name?”
“I hadn’t thought of one. How about… Combined Harvester?”
“?”
The carriage continued toward the city, while the elderly farmers who had been kneeling slowly stood up. They gazed at the harvested wheat, then at the flying swords weaving through the blue sky, their eyes dazed with disbelief.
At the same time, in the Inner Court of the Heavenly Script Academy, atop the isolated Heavenly Tome Peak, celestial light surged in waves.
Meanwhile, in the Spirit Sword Mountain, golden clouds swept across the vast heavens.