Chapter 18: The Heavenly Tome Approaches
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
In the mountain retreat, the days of cultivation flowed together as seven days passed in the blink of an eye.
The Imperial Examinations had begun at the academy, while Ji You began his daily routine: martial practice followed by enlightenment. Over these days, he had mastered the foundations of the Sword Dao. Today, he turned his attention to spear techniques.
When Instructor Wang asked if Ji You knew the Eightfold Spear Technique, he confidently replied that he did.
“First strike to the brow, second to the heart,” Ji You recited, “third strike to the brow, fourth to the heart, fifth to the brow, sixth to the heart, seventh to the brow, eighth to the heart!”
But each time Ji You finished his martial practice and moved on to enlightenment, countless pairs of eyes would fix upon him.
By now, Chu He had gathered his second trace of spiritual light, while Lu Qing Qiu’s progress hinted at a faint glimmer. Ji You, however, showed no sign of advancement.
Over these seven days, everyone noticed that Ji You could endure longer periods of enlightenment each day—but with visibly growing agony. Despite his relentless efforts, his cultivation had made no discernible progress, causing many in the academy to lose interest in him.
As a result, whispers began to spread: perhaps this year’s contention for the Inner Court would be between Chu He and Lu Qing Qiu alone.
“I won’t sleep tonight,” Chu He suddenly declared.
“Hmm?”
“Hiss…”
“Another expert?”
Seated at the very center of the Field of Enlightenment, Chu He instructed his attendant to bring more spiritual pills, placing them before him.
“Just now, I glimpsed a trace of radiance,” he announced.
His words stunned the onlookers before their shock erupted into a cacophony of disbelief. Even Ban Yang Shu, who had come to observe once again, widened his eyes.
For everyone present knew: a glimmer of light was the precursor to sensing the Heavenly Tome.
If Chu He had indeed sensed the Heavenly Tome, his cultivation speed would far surpass Lu Qing Qiu’s, securing him a spot in the Inner Court this year!
It was widely known that the Chu family’s aptitude for cultivation was extraordinary. Chu Xian, at fourteen, had achieved perfection and entered the Five Great Realms at fifteen. This feat earned him the personal tutelage of the Sect Master of the Mystic Origin Immortal Palace, cementing the family’s reputation.
Though Chu He was a few years behind his elder brother, his talent was no less astonishing.
“Having glimpsed the radiance, can you pursue it further?”
Hearing Ban Yang Shu’s question, Chu He shook his head. “At that moment, I was utterly exhausted and had no strength left…”
Ban Yang Shu patted his shoulder. “Don’t be too hard on yourself. To achieve this in just nine days is already an extraordinary feat.”
“How long did it take you, Senior Brother?”
“More than five months.”
Chu He blinked in surprise. “How is that possible?”
With a wry smile, Ban Yang Shu explained, “It took me five months to truly resonate with the Heavenly Tome. But if you’ve glimpsed radiance within two days, two months should suffice. The Chu family’s talent is truly frightening.”
Hearing these words, Chu He felt immense satisfaction. He decided to continue cultivating through the night, relying on pills to sustain himself.
Chu He believed there was no one in the Outer Court who could surpass him. He even regarded Ban Yang Shu, his patient guide, with some disdain. Ban Yang Shu had been in the Inner Court for six years but had only reached the upper stage of Mystic Enlightenment, falling short of the second stage of the Five Great Realms, Dao Fusion.
While most considered entry into the Five Great Realms proof of exceptional talent, the Chu family did not measure themselves by such standards.
For generations, every Chu had entered the Five Great Realms, each faster than the last. Chu He’s elder brother was already a direct disciple of the Mystic Origin Immortal Palace. Naturally, Chu He’s sights were set on the Heavenly Script Academy’s highest honor: the position of personal disciple to the Sect Master.
Meanwhile, Lu Qing Qiu, sensing the competition, began investing even more spiritual stones into her cultivation.
Yet, one person was more anxious than Lu Qing Qiu: Cao Jin Song.
As the hour of Shen (early evening) approached on a day near the Cold Dew Festival, a sudden autumn rain swept over the Heavenly Script Academy. The rain struck the academy’s protective spiritual barrier, rippling across the surface without touching the ground.
Ji You was intercepted before he could leave his quarters.
“Ji You, you idle rascal! Just what have you been doing?” Cao Jin Song exclaimed.
“What’s the matter, Instructor Cao?”
Cao Jin Song glared at Ji You. “What are you doing? Spending four hours each day practicing martial skills, and then immersing yourself in Dao Enlightenment? Your dedication is clear, but haven’t I told you before? Martial skills are a mere side path!”
Ji You gave him a once-over and raised an eyebrow. “Why the sudden concern today?”
Caught off guard, Cao Jin Song stammered, “It is the duty of a master to guide his disciple!”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Fine, I admit it.” Cao Jin Song coughed, lowering his voice. “I made a wager with Instructor Ding and Instructor Ma. A hundred spiritual stones on whether my student would be the first to enter the Inner Court. But look at Chu He—he’s already shown two Mystic Lights, and yet here you are, still so lackadaisical!”
Ji You’s brow furrowed as he processed this. [So, old Cao is a gambling addict?]
“Where do you find the courage to place such a bet?” Ji You asked, unimpressed.
Straightening his back, Cao Jin Song turned his gaze toward the vast night sky, his expression solemn. “One day, a prodigy—ascending two stages in one day, reaching perfection overnight, descending from the mountains like a tiger, devouring the heavens, unparalleled in the world!”
Ji You mimicked the pose, staring at the same distant stars. “Half of the spiritual stones.”
“Are you a bandit?” Cao Jin Song scowled.
“A fierce bandit.”
Cao Jin Song opened his mouth to bargain but froze mid-thought. After a moment of contemplation, his eyes widened. “Wait. If you’re asking for half, could it be that you’ve already glimpsed that faint light?”
Seated on a stone bench in the courtyard, Ji You was silent for a while before answering. “More or less.”
Hearing this, Cao Jin Song’s initial joy quickly gave way to concern. For some reason, Ji You’s expression carried a tinge of fear and hesitation. It was unlike him—this was the same Ji You who had fearlessly risked his life to perfect his cultivation back in Yuyang County.
Yet, Ji You rarely exaggerated. When he declared that he would reach perfection overnight, he did so. And despite being dismissed as a placeholder by most in the academy, Cao Jin Song stubbornly believed in his talent. Chu He might be celebrated, but in Cao Jin Song’s eyes, Ji You’s potential was unmatched.
At dusk, prodded by Cao Jin Song, Ji You arrived early at the Field of Enlightenment. His punctuality caused a stir among the other disciples.
“He’s early today?” someone murmured.
“Probably heard about Chu He’s breakthrough and finally got nervous.”
“What’s the point? Chu He is far ahead.”
Speculation buzzed among the crowd, though most quickly lost interest and focused on Chu He, the star of the hour. Unbothered, Ji You walked to the center of the field, sat cross-legged, straightened his robes, and closed his eyes. His spiritual senses soared skyward, his brow alternating between furrowing and relaxing.
What he saw was not the faint light that Cao Jin Song had described. No, Ji You’s mind beheld a dazzling cascade of meteors streaking across an endless darkness, one after another, a hundredfold, stretching across the heavens.
Cao Jin Song’s question lingered in his thoughts: [Have you seen the faint light?]
He had said “more or less” because the sight he witnessed surpassed a mere glimmer. It was as if he had glimpsed hundreds of such lights at once.
This phenomenon had first appeared on the sixth day of his cultivation. But in that fleeting moment, a hesitation gripped him, and he dared not pursue it further. That same unease now lingered, rooted in a single unresolved question, one that made his back run cold.
Opening his eyes abruptly, Ji You turned his gaze to the crimson scar in the heavens. “Have you heard of Heaven’s Doom?”
His voice was barely a whisper. “I always thought it meant the heavens had perished. But if the heavens are dead, then what is this Heavenly Tome you speak of?”
Boom!
As if in answer, a violent wave of energy erupted from Ji You, sending nearby disciples sprawling. Overhead, the field was bathed in a kaleidoscope of lights, shimmering like a turbulent ocean before pouring directly into Ji You’s crown.
A brilliant spectrum enveloped his body, pulsing and glowing. This time, the Heavenly Tome did not wait for him to sense it—it came to him.