Chapter 181: The Journey Home
While one remains before your eyes, their presence feels as natural as the falling snow. Yet, once they depart, the emptiness settles in, unsettling the heart in unforeseen ways.
In the vast and silent Snowy Expanse, visitors are rare, and farewells even rarer. Thus, even the Demon Princess had little experience with partings.
Only now did she realize—her indifference had not been genuine. Rather, she had simply assumed she did not care. And so it is with people; often, they scarcely understand their own hearts.
Under the boundless, pale sky, Feng Yang sat motionless for a long time before finally rising. She stepped outside, taking three steps before noticing a figure standing behind her.
The man was clad in a heavy fur cloak, an Amethyst Crown resting upon his head. Like her, he bore horns upon his brow and fine scales at his throat. He stood amidst the snow, his gaze filled with deep concern.
Strange. Why did he look so familiar?
Had she seen him somewhere before?
Emmm… she could not recall.
Never mind. It did not matter.
Feng Yang withdrew her gaze and wandered beyond Jade Garden, her direction uncertain, her mind adrift.
Ye Han’s eyes widened as he watched his Little Sister drift away as if she did not recognize him at all. A violent, bone-deep rage surged within him—one that made him want to tear flesh from bone.
Shu He had wielded two short swords, forged of rare iron mined from beneath the frozen earth—a masterpiece of the Scale Clan’s finest craftsmanship. That night, he had perished in the Western Wing of Jade Circle. Ye Han had sent men to search for those treasured blades, overturning the entire courtyard in their quest.
Yet, the swords were never found.
Thinking back, Ji You had been grievously wounded, barely clinging to life when he had been roused by Gold Ingots. That alone had been enough to reveal the truth.
But Ye Han had not expected that his own Royal Younger Sister’s very soul had been stolen away, just like those blades.
[It was only admiration.]
[They were mere guests, nothing more.]
[I am a Demon Princess. I could never love a human.]
Ye Han stared at Feng Yang’s retreating figure. The words exchanged between them days ago swirled through his mind like a relentless storm, leaving him dazed and furious.
That damnable human had taken and devoured everything!
The human delegation had come under the guise of peace, bearing gifts of great value. At first, they had seemed to lose more than they gained. And yet, in the end, they had suffered no losses at all!
For what could compare to the worth of a Demon Clan’s trueborn Princess?
…
Meanwhile, miles to the west of Snowy Expanse, past the winding roads of Snowpeak Mountain, Ji You sat within a carriage, lost in thought.
At last, he had left the Snowy Expanse, yet his heart remained uneasy.
After spending these past days among them, he had found that the Demon Clan were not so different from the human folk. Though they appeared wild, they were, in truth, practical and earnest—much like any commoner of the Human Race.
The strife between the two races was merely a battle for survival, neither side truly righteous nor evil.
More than that, he had believed himself to have forged a bond with Princess Feng Yang, a friendship that might have bridged the rift between their peoples. If trouble arose again, he had thought she might be someone with whom peace could be negotiated.
Yet, she had not even come to bid him farewell.
Perhaps he had overestimated himself.
At this thought, he sneezed. Then again. And again.
Strange.
Immortal cultivators possessed robust constitutions, and Ji You was certainly no exception. It was impossible that he had caught a cold. If not illness, then what else could it be?
Could it be… that someone was thinking of him?
At that moment, his mind drifted to memories of soft, jade-like feet, to the unyielding presence of Immortal Emperor Ru Long’s money pouch, to the ever-scheming mind of the Scholar…
“Someone is thinking of me.”
“??”
Across from him, Gong Shu Chou, sharing the same carriage, raised his head at Ji You’s words, only to find the man rubbing his nose with a furrowed brow.
In the boundless expanse of Azure Cloud World, there was a saying—when one sneezes, it means they are being missed.
But to sneeze thrice in succession? That could only mean one was being cursed, and quite venomously at that.
[Who did I offend this time…]
Just as this thought flitted through Ji You’s mind, the carriage slowed and came to a gentle stop. They had arrived at the border of the Snowy Expanse, reaching a desolate little town known as Lu Feng City.
Like the distant Hailong City before it, Lu Feng City was another place of barrenness, its air filled with an unspoken desolation.
Since the urgency of their return had faded, they had chosen to leave through the most remote border town. Even if the Barbaric Race still harbored murderous intent, they could not possibly garrison troops across the entire Snowy Expanse. After all, should the human and demon clans unite against them, they would have more than enough trouble on their hands.
Thus, the group took the longest route, drawing a great arc to circumvent any Barbaric Race forces that might lie in wait within the Savage Wilds.
Ji You peeked his head out from the carriage, his gaze sweeping across the snowy landscape. “How long will it take to reach the Nine Provinces from here?”
“More than half a month.”
The reply came from Peng Dong Yang, the Deputy Warden of the Immortal Overseer Office. “We must circle eastward, avoiding the Barbaric Race’s active regions as much as possible.”
Yan Chuan also turned his attention towards Ji You, his voice steady and firm. “The sole purpose of this journey is our return. I urge all of you—do not cause unnecessary complications, do not court danger, do not pick up strays. Just make it back alive.”
As his words fell, the elders of the various sects and the gathered Heaven’s Chosen instinctively turned to look at Ji You.
The phrase ‘do not pick up strays’ was particularly pointed.
It was directed at none other than Ji You himself.
The recent turmoil within the Demon Clan had monopolized their attention, and for days, they had scarcely discussed anything else. Only now did it occur to them that they still had not unraveled the mystery—why did Spirit Sword Mountain regard Ji You with such a peculiar attitude?
Even after rounds of speculation, they could not fathom that the reason stemmed from none other than the Little Mirror Master of Spirit Sword Mountain.
The status was simply too lofty.
The future Sect Master of Spirit Sword Mountain. The wielder of a Heavenly Dao Sacred Artifact.
To them, Ji You—despite his extraordinary talent—was separated from the name Yan Shu Yi by an insurmountable chasm.
It was much like the difference between Jiang Chen Feng, Huo Hong, and the other so-called Heaven’s Chosen—before that name, their status was as insignificant as Fang Ruo Yao’s was when she first encountered Ji You.
Never in their wildest imaginings could they have guessed that the Little Mirror Master of Spirit Sword Mountain would be so concerned over the life and death of a mere Mystic Enlightenment cultivator from the Heavenly Script Academy. Concerned enough to dispatch a Boundless Martial Stage expert solely to guard him.
Meanwhile, Ji You settled back into his seat inside the carriage, his posture impeccable, his expression composed and obedient.
His arms were crippled now, and even the most profound mastery of the Sword Dao was useless to him in this state. There was no way he could continue behaving as recklessly as before.
Besides, the promise from the Demon Clan had already been secured.
There was no longer any need for him to throw himself into the flames in the name of honor.
If true danger arose, there were plenty of others outside who could handle it—there was no need for someone of the Mystic Enlightenment Stage to risk his own life.
Besides, Yan Chuan kept a close eye on him. Ji You could sense that this elder from Spirit Sword Mountain was deeply worried about his future, his heart perpetually on edge, as if he had the urge to bind him up and send him back to avoid any further mishaps along the journey.
For the next two days on the road, Ji You slept soundly. When boredom crept in, he absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into his body, allowing it to disperse through his shattered Ling Yuan, refining his arms in the process.
Before, his meridians had been clear and open, making such training a smooth process. But now, with injuries sustained, it was an arduous and excruciating endeavor, the numb and searing pain rivaling the agony of when his meridians had first been forcibly opened.
Yet, despite the pain, this effort bore its rewards. Strengthening his arms aided his recovery and, more importantly, heightened his battle prowess.
For this diplomatic journey, he truly felt his current strength was insufficient—both his physical body and his Spiritual Consciousness.
The so-called peace promised by the Demon Clan was fragile at best and could shatter into mere illusion at any moment. Meanwhile, the foreign Immortal Manors entrenched in Feng Prefecture were not necessarily as docile as they seemed. He needed to become stronger.
Just as he had once broken through to the peak of the Lower Three Stages to save Qiu Ru, just as he had cleaved open the gates of the Inner Court to reclaim lost tribute, and just as he had raised the Forty-Nine Folded Peaks at the cost of his arms for this mission to the Demon Clan—each time, he had felt the bitter regret of lacking sufficient strength at a critical moment.
Once his arms fully recovered, he needed to swiftly proceed with his sixteenth Minor Illumination.
At the same time, a message had already been sent ahead to the Nine Provinces.
This message was not written by Ji You but rather by Peng Dong Yang of the Immortal Overseer Office. Like Ji You, he carried a transmission spirit platform with him, meticulously documenting all he had seen and heard, recording every event in exhaustive detail before dispatching it back.
From there, the Reception Division of the Department of Immortal Overseer transcribed the message and distributed it among the Seven Great Immortal Sects.
During Ji You’s time away, the Human Race remained relatively peaceful.
The Heavenly Script Academy, too, was unusually quiet.
Perhaps it was because no one had sensed the Heavenly Tome this year, or perhaps because no troublemaker as brazen as Ji You had emerged. Even the disciples of the Inner Court remarked that the academy had returned to its old ways—where the path of cultivation was undisturbed by unexpected news.
Their words carried the unspoken implication that, ever since Ji You had left, the academy had regained its long-lost tranquility.
And indeed, it was true.
In the year Ji You had been present, every conversation revolved around how he wielded seven swords alone, how he had failed the Heavenly Script Academy’s Dao Inquiry yet sliced through the Sword Forest, how the millennia-old Esteemed Clan of Chu He had suffered defeat, and how Feng Prefecture’s lone Esteemed Clan had risen.
Yet, after his departure, the most pressing discussions seemed to concern breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus.
Cultivation was about seeking inner stillness, and though few truly achieved it, none desired to see a mere Wandering Rogue Cultivator stirring up so much attention.
The rest were all born of noble Esteemed Clans or immortal lineages—how could they tolerate a mere Secret Cultivator stealing all the limelight?
Fortunately, he had embarked on a mission to the Demon Clan, and this rare peace was a welcome reprieve.
Yet, with the arrival of the Immortal Overseer Office’s report, that peace was about to be shattered.
The first to receive the transmission was the Steward Court of the Heavenly Script Academy. The message, spanning dozens of pages, was densely filled with meticulous small script—such was the habit of Great Xia’s officials, recording every detail without omission.
Of course, this thoroughness was warranted, as this matter was of great significance to the Human Race. It was bound to be written into the annals of Great Xia’s history, perhaps even finding a place in the Azure Cloud Immortal Chronicles.
The three Stewards of the court gathered around the table, their gazes fixed upon the documents.
They had already learned of the Demon Emperor’s declaration of peace from the officials of the Immortal Overseer Office who delivered the message. What interested them more now was the fate of Elder Ge, Inner Court disciples Xiao Han Yan and Shi Jun Hao, and, of course—Ji You.
After all, it was they who had schemed to drag Ji You into this expedition in the first place.
Though some later claimed he had embarked on this journey for the sake of Feng Prefecture, and not for wealth or a certain round-hipped, tail-bearing woman, a lingering guilt remained in their hearts.
“This journey was fraught with peril,” one of them muttered, recalling the words of the Immortal Overseer Office messenger. “Twice, they nearly met certain doom. There may have been casualties…”
“Dao Fusion Stage cultivators should be fine.”
“Indeed… but Ji You is only at the Mystic Enlightenment Stage…”
“If he couldn’t be of use, that’s one thing. Let’s just hope he had the sense to keep himself alive.”
The three Stewards murmured amongst themselves, flipping through the pages of the report.
Ji You’s name first appeared briefly in the account of their passage through the Snowy Expanse, where Cultivators of the Immortal Way had gone out to clear remnants of the Barbaric Race during a night in the wilderness.
This was expected.
With so many people in the envoy delegation, Peng Dong Yang could not have possibly recorded Ji You’s every action.
In their eyes, no matter how capable Ji You was, he was still only at the Mystic Enlightenment Stage. To have his name appear at all in such an important document was already impressive.
Yet, as they read further, his name surfaced more frequently.
When the account reached the part where twelve War Kings of the Barbaric Race launched a pursuit, Ji You’s name dominated the page.
Qin Rong wet his fingertip with his tongue and turned to the next sheet, only to see Ji You’s name scattered throughout in bold strokes, his expression slowly shifting to one of astonishment.
Previously, the sparse mentions of his name suggested he had not been crucial to events—or perhaps he had avoided danger.
Yet, the increasing frequency of his name now meant he had become a key figure.
Scanning ahead, they read the passage detailing the twelve War Kings’ relentless pursuit.
“This…”
“A mistake?”
“It seems the silver was not spent in vain, after all.”
“…”
“Submit this to the Inner Court.”
The message from the Immortal Overseer Office swiftly found its way into the Inner Court. The five Hall Masters were the first to lay eyes upon it, with Zuo Qiu Yang being the first to receive it. By his side, He Ling Xiu read along with her uncle, and upon finishing, she fell into deep contemplation, her thoughts adrift for a long time before she returned to herself.
One by one, the other Hall Masters perused the letter before it was passed to the Elders seated below.
Like the three Sect Masters of the Steward’s Hall, these Elders fell into a long silence upon reading its contents. A heavy air settled between them, their gazes meeting yet their lips remaining sealed.
At first, they had thought Ji You, a mere Mystic Enlightenment cultivator, would inevitably meet his doom upon stepping beyond the frontier. After all, that place was none other than the Savage Wilds, the Snowy Expanse—a land where only those who had fused with the Dao could hope to tread.
Indeed, their expectations were not unfounded. Though Ji You had not perished beyond the frontier, he had returned wounded, his sword-wielding hands bearing the price of his journey.
Yet, it was the details of his injury—outlined within the message—that left them in disbelief.
How should one describe this feeling?
It would have been preferable if he had not been injured at all.
For from the ink upon the parchment, they seemed to glimpse a Ji You who was even more ferocious, even more terrifying than before—a Ji You now returning.
—
“Ji You is still alive?!”
In the heart of the Capital, along Everpeace Avenue, Dou Yuan Kong was astride his steed, making his way to a banquet at Grand Cauldron Tower. Winter’s chill had begun to creep into the city, and morning frost now clung lightly to the streets.
Each year at this time, Titled Princess Chang Le—Zhao Yun Yue—hosted her renowned Snow-Boiling Banquet, where the noble elites of the Capital and disciples of the Heavenly Script Academy gathered to feast and strengthen their connections.
Dou Yuan Kong had only just ascended the tower when he overheard Zhao Yun Yue mentioning a name long forgotten.
For over a month, he had nearly erased the name from his mind. Yet now, hearing it, he could not help but let out a startled cry.
Seated at the table, Zhao Yun Yue glanced up from the menu in her hands. “Indeed, he lives—and he is returning soon.”
Dou Yuan Kong furrowed his brow. “His luck must be unparalleled. He ventured into the Demon Clan’s territory and still managed to return?”
“My royal father said the same.”
“Surely the Barbaric Race would not have let them travel unscathed?”
Zhao Yun Yue shook her head lightly. “Of course not. The Barbaric Race is no fool. Anyone could have foreseen that we, the Human Race, would never stand idly by and allow an alliance between our enemies. It was inevitable that we would send an envoy, and just as inevitable that they would not sit back and do nothing.”
Dou Yuan Kong opened his mouth, struggling to grasp the situation. “Then how is he still alive?”
“The exact details elude me…”
She handed the menu to a nearby servant boy, then folded her embroidered sleeves neatly upon her lap. The Prince Chong’s Mansion had always aligned itself with the pro-immortal faction, whereas the mission to the Demon Clan had been overseen by the Immortal Overseer Office. With the two factions standing opposed, the flow of information had remained fractured.
Still, as Prince Chong’s daughter, she had access to certain rumors—such as Ji You’s survival, the Demon Emperor’s golden decree of peace, and the return of the Human Envoy.
Hearing this, Dou Yuan Kong felt his heart tighten.
He had played a hand in placing Ji You’s name upon the envoy’s list. Though he had only served as a catalyst, there was no doubt he would be remembered for it.
Ji You might not have the means to exact revenge upon the Elders who orchestrated the mission, but once he returned, who was to say he would not take his anger out on Dou Yuan Kong himself?
A cold sweat formed at his brow. “He was merely a Mystic Enlightenment cultivator. How could he have survived?”
“You need not panic,” Zhao Yun Yue said calmly. “I have heard that although he survived, his hands have been crippled.”
“Truly?”
“My royal father has always been meticulous in his reports. If he says so, it must be true.”
A flicker of something—regret, perhaps even helplessness—crossed Zhao Yun Yue’s face as she finished speaking.
The city had begun to awaken to the night’s glow. Beneath the Han Ye sky, Capital City was steadily illuminated, its streets bustling with hurried figures. Several shadows approached Grand Cauldron Tower at a brisk pace.
Among them were Lu Qing Qiu and Lu Han Yan, along with Lou Si Yi. Not far behind followed Fang Jin Cheng and Pu Yang Xing.
But the ones of highest standing were Leng Ying Ying of the Inner Court, and Wang Ling Feng.
Dou Yuan Kong turned to Lu Qing Qiu, whom he knew well. “Ji You… is he truly returning?”
Lu Qing Qiu gave a slight nod. “I heard the Sect Instructors discussing it within the academy. It should not be false. However, word has it that his hands have been crippled…”
“Crippled for certain?”
“That is what they say.”
“It is not crippling.”
Leng Ying Ying’s voice cut through the conversation as she met their gazes. “His wounds are severe, his meridians blocked—but it is not beyond recovery.”
Reports from the Immortal Overseer Office had passed through the Steward’s Hall, and ultimately found their way into the Inner Court. As one of the direct disciples vying for prestige alongside Xiao Han Yan, Leng Ying Ying had made it her business to gather the most accurate information.
Zhao Yun Yue’s gaze sharpened. “Then the Human Envoy truly encountered pursuit from the Barbaric Race?”
“Twelve Barbaric War Kings, leading countless Great General cultivators, ambushed the envoy in the dead of night. The delegation nearly met complete annihilation.”
Lu Qing Qiu lifted her head. “War King and Great General—are those ranks or cultivation realms?”
Leng Ying Ying replied, “Both. A Great General is equivalent to a Dao Fusion cultivator. A peak Great General surpasses even that. War Kings… they stand at the level of Heaven Resonance Stage (Upper). If they undergo Barbaric Transformation, they may even reach the threshold of Boundless Martial Stage.”
“A battle of such peril…”
“Of course. It was then that Ji You’s hands were injured.”
“That was when… No wonder…”
“Yes. The report states that a Barbaric War King, unmatched in strength, broke through six Elder barriers and charged toward the envoy. In that moment, Ji You raised his sword to the heavens and unleashed forty-nine strikes, forcing the War King back, buying enough time for the envoy to reach the Snowy Expanse.”
Silence engulfed the table.
Lu Qing Qiu, Lu Han Yan, Zhao Yun Yue—all the women had set their chopsticks down, their eyes wide with astonishment.
Dou Yuan Kong and Fang Jin Cheng took longer, their minds racing as they reevaluated the power of Ji You.
Leng Ying Ying blinked, then understood.
They had assumed Ji You had been injured by a Great General, a foe merely equivalent to a Dao Fusion cultivator.
Yes… she, too, had once made that mistake.
(This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation)