Chapter 185: The Grand Work of the Mirror Master
The mission to send Ji You as an envoy to the Snowy Expanse involved many participants, yet in the end, it was the Office of Affairs that held the official authority over the matter.
Though cultivators of the Immortal Way were not bound to the Great Xia Emperor and were not required to report their actions to the throne, it was an established protocol of the Heavenly Script Academy that all who undertook missions must return to the academy to report upon completion.
However, Ji You had yet to return. The three stewards discussed the matter amongst themselves and decided to send someone to summon him personally.
Just as the disciple sent by the Office of Affairs had barely stepped out of the hall, a middle-aged man clad in the official robes of Great Xia entered the steward’s chamber.
The three stewards were leisurely sipping tea, awaiting their guest. Before they could speak, the man bowed deeply before them.
“Steward Qin, Steward Lang, Steward Ji, I am Dou Xiong, Minister of Revenue, here to greet you.”
“Oh? So it is Lord Dou. Forgive us for not welcoming you sooner—please, have a seat.”
The Heavenly Script Academy was the sacred institution of Great Xia. In its early days, the lineage of its Sect Master was tied to the royal family through marriage, and the Primordial Emperor himself had once walked the halls of this academy. Even now, though the Azure Cloud World was ruled by the might of immortals rather than imperial decree, the academy maintained cordial relations with the high officials of Great Xia.
However, such interactions were rare.
After all, as those entrusted with managing the affairs of the academy, they were bound by its rules to maintain a degree of independence from the Mortal Realm. It was an ironclad law of the academy that they must not grow too entangled with worldly powers.
The three stewards, though fond of their airs and formalities, upheld the academy’s prestige as their lifelong mission and adhered strictly to its regulations.
Unless, of course, the offer was truly… substantial.
An old saying in Azure Cloud held: One does not step into the Hall of Three Treasures without reason. And a visit from someone with whom there was little prior association? That could only mean one thing.
Qin Rong’s eyes narrowed slightly. “May I ask what brings Lord Dou to us today?”
“I have come to formally accuse a disciple of the Heavenly Script Academy of committing violence in the Capital!”
“Oh? Is this true?” Qin Rong’s expression turned stern at once.
“This very morning, someone drew their sword without cause and sliced apart the guardian lion statue at my mansion’s entrance! Every soul in the Capital can bear witness!”
“Who would dare act so brazenly?”
“Ji You!”
Dou Xiong stood in the great hall of the steward’s chamber, his face dark with indignation.
The Immortal Overseer Office refused to intervene? Instead, they wrote poetry? Praising Ji You’s actions as something worthy of immortal reverence?
If the overseers would not act, then he would appeal to the academy.
After all, no matter what, he could not accept that his son would be banished from returning to the Capital for the rest of his life.
In Dou Xiong’s mind, the academy itself had never favored Ji You. Otherwise, they would not have subtly pushed for his deployment to the Snowy Expanse when Dou Yuan Kong orchestrated the envoy mission.
Even if the ultimate decision had been influenced by the Esteemed Elders of the Inner Court, it was clear the Office of Affairs did not wish for Ji You to have peace.
Ji You, as a disciple of the Inner Court of the Heavenly Script Academy, did not fear the Immortal Overseer Office.
And the Immortal Overseer Office had no wish to oppose him.
But he would surely fear the academy itself.
Clap, clap, clap—
Dou Xiong clapped his hands, and immediately, several servants of the Dou Mansion entered, carrying a large chest into the steward’s chamber.
As the lid was lifted, a golden radiance filled the hall.
If one had no justification, then one must offer tribute.
Such was the custom that had persisted in the Azure Cloud World for a thousand years. As a former high official in charge of taxation, Dou Xiong was naturally well-versed in this tradition.
Qin Rong’s gaze flickered as he glanced at Lang He Tong and Ji Jing Yao, who sat across from him. All three of them thought back to the surge of sword qi they had sensed earlier that day from the western side of the Capital.
There was no doubt.
In this place, only Ji You could wield sword qi so fierce.
Only now did they understand where that sword had struck.
Dou Yuan Kong’s role in the envoy mission was no secret. As the stewards pieced together the context, Ji You’s actions no longer seemed quite so without cause.
Lang He Tong placed his tea cup down and chuckled. “A mere pair of guardian lion statues. They can be replaced. Besides, Lord Dou, surely you understand the shifting tides between the Human Race and the Demon Clan. Statues of this kind are no longer appropriate for display.”
“???”
“In the days when the Primordial Remnant Race ruled the world, they not only devoured humans alive but also tore the true spirits from the Demon Clan, forcing them back into their ancestral forms and chaining them to doorways. It was an act of unparalleled cruelty. The custom of placing lion statues before entrances originates from that era—a lingering stain of the Demon Clan’s humiliation.”
Lang He Tong fixed his gaze on Dou Xiong. “The Demon Clan has agreed to peace with the Human Race. In the days to come, our two races will interact more frequently. If you insist on keeping those lions in front of your mansion, sooner or later, you will invite trouble.”
Minister Dou had not come here to discuss the history of Azure Cloud. He interrupted with impatience, “The statues are inconsequential. It does not matter whether they remain or are removed. The true issue here is my son.”
“Your son?”
“After destroying the guardian lions at my gate, Ji You went further—he threatened that my son would never be allowed to return to the Capital for the rest of his life! I ask the Heavenly Script Academy to pass judgment on this matter. I do not demand compensation for the statues, but I want my son reinstated—and I want Ji You to come to the Dou Mansion to apologize!”
Ji Jing Yao finally spoke. “And where is your son now?”
Dou Xiong sighed. “A few days ago, my son left the Capital on a winter excursion at the invitation of a friend.”
Of course, he conveniently omitted how, upon hearing the news of Ji You’s return to the Nine Provinces, his son had hastily packed his belongings and fled the Capital in disgrace. When questioned by others, this was the response he had prepared.
Winter excursion.
The three stewards exchanged glances. None of them spoke.
Just then, a disciple entered from outside, bowing in greeting.
“Stewards, Ji You has returned to report.”
Steward Qin turned his gaze toward Dou Xiong and spoke in a measured tone, “Ji You has arrived. Minister Dou, perhaps… you should step aside for now?”
At the mention of Ji You’s name, Dou Xiong’s heart clenched—not out of fear of the man’s strength, but because Ji You was a law unto himself, caring nothing for decorum or face.
With a grimace, Dou Xiong rose to his feet and withdrew behind a folding screen. A moment later, he whispered, “If I stand here like this, will he notice me?”
Steward Qin pondered for a moment before flicking his sleeve, sending a stream of arcane light cascading onto the screen, cloaking Dou Xiong’s presence.
Feeling slightly relieved, Dou Xiong peered out from his concealed vantage point toward the front hall.
To his surprise, Ji You did not enter with the expected deference. Instead, he strode in boldly, shoulders squared, drawing a slight frown from Minister Dou.
What puzzled him more was that the wandering rogue cultivator’s first glance was not at the three stewards, but at the chest of gold ingots that Dou Xiong had brought. Only afterward did he acknowledge the three men.
Ji You’s lips curled into a smile, his mood lifting. “Greetings, honored Stewards.”
Qin Rong, taken aback by his courtesy, exchanged glances with the other two before nodding. “Ji You, be seated.”
“Many thanks for the offered seat, Steward,” Ji You replied smoothly, settling himself down.
Qin Rong wasted no time. “We have already received the transmission from the Immortal Overseer Office regarding your mission to the Snowy Expanse. Today’s summons is merely a formality. There will be no further interrogation—just some documents that require your signature.”
With that, Steward Qin produced several scrolls, densely inscribed with elegant script.
Ji You skimmed through them. As expected, they were official records of the mission, summarizing events as per the transmission from the Immortal Overseer Office. Shi Jun Hao and Xiao Han Yan had already signed; only his name remained absent.
“Simplifying the process—I like that.” Ji You picked up the brush, signing with ease. The moment his signature landed, a flash of radiance flared from his waist. A metallic clatter followed as broken blades spilled across the floor of the Steward’s Hall.
From behind the screen, Dou Xiong’s brow arched at the unexpected sound. Peering out, he saw the floor littered with shattered swords. Their uniform design suggested they had been purchased as a set. While the broken fragments of the blades revealed little, the intact hilts numbered in the dozens.
After waking in the Snowy Expanse, Ji You had demanded not only the gold ingot hanging from the rafters but also the shattered swords that Gong Shu Chou had retrieved for him.
At the time, Gong Shu Chou had been baffled. “The swords are broken—what use are they to you?”
Now, their purpose was clear.
Qin Rong, Lang He Tong, and Ji Jing Yao all stiffened, their right eyelids twitching uncontrollably.
Ji You, oblivious to their expressions, muttered to himself, “On my journey to the Snowy Expanse, I loosed an arrow that sent a spirit sword flying. Then, in the battle against the Barbaric Race War King, I shattered forty-one swords. The estimated loss? About three thousand taels.”
Dou Xiong: “?”
Qin Rong’s lips twitched. “If I recall correctly, weren’t those swords purchased for your mission by our Steward Hall?”
Ji You blinked, thinking for a long moment before responding, “Were they?”
“Yes.”
“Oh? I’d forgotten…” Ji You eyed the broken fragments. “Does that mean I don’t need to compensate for them?”
Qin Rong was momentarily speechless. “We bought them in the first place. Why would you need to compensate us?”
“But now I have no swords.”
“You didn’t originally own fifty spirit swords either, did you?”
Ji You fell silent, considering for a long while. “Very well, I won’t charge you for those. However, during my battle against the Demon General at Jade Garden, I lost two treasured swords that have been dear to me since childhood. I acquired them during a fateful fall into the mountains. Altogether, they are worth at least five thousand taels.”
Qin Rong’s brows furrowed as he turned toward the other two stewards for confirmation.
Lang He Tong stood and retrieved the records from the archives, flipping through them before speaking with uncertainty. “Didn’t you kill that Demon General in the end?”
Ji You turned his head toward him. “I did. But after searching his entire body, I couldn’t find my blades.”
“I seem to recall that you never use blades.”
Ji You looked at him in silence, thinking, [Have you never fought for your life before?] “Steward Lang must be joking. Who doesn’t have a hidden ace to preserve their life? If not, how could a mere wandering rogue cultivator like me have survived in a world where I am constantly targeted?”
Hearing the words “constantly targeted,” Lang He Tong had no retort.
Ji Jing Yao, meanwhile, had also risen, stepping forward to examine the records again. Upon seeing the account of Ji You being battered by the Demon General’s bare fists and now hearing of his lost treasured swords, valued at five thousand taels, his mind struggled to process the absurdity of it all.
At that moment, Ji You’s gaze shifted to the chest of gold ingots in the hall. “Actually, this would suffice.”
Qin Rong’s breath caught. At last, he understood the fundamental misunderstanding.
When Ji You had spoken of simplifying the process, he had meant that he did not need to write his own account of the mission to the Demon Clan, relying instead on the Immortal Overseer Office’s report as a basis.
But Ji You had interpreted it as: just give him the money directly.
“Then… I won’t stand on ceremony?”
Ji You swept his sleeve, causing the entire chest of gold ingots to vanish into his storage gourd. The corner of his lips lifted in a smirk. “You had this prepared long ago, yet you still put on an act. To be honest, I never liked the Steward Office. I always thought your ways were too pompous and contrived. But now, I see you in a different light.”
Qin Rong had intended to intervene, but his outstretched hand hesitated. If he stopped Ji You now, the compensation for the two lost blades would have to come from the Steward Office’s coffers.
Forget it. Just take it as Minister Dou losing a chest of gold ingots here, only for Ji You to pick them up.
At that moment, Lang He Tong and Ji Jing Yao exchanged a glance before subtly shifting their gaze toward the screen at the side of the hall.
Ji You, now satisfied with his gain, rose from his seat in the Steward Office’s main hall. He looked at Qin Rong and said, “Next time you have such good fortune, remember to call me. As a disciple of the Heavenly Script Academy, it is only right that I help ease its burdens.”
No. Never again.
Damn you, you wretched thief.
Before he left, they had given him ten thousand taels of gold and three thousand spiritual stones—an astronomical sum. Then, he had run up a debt at the Celestial Splendor Pavilion, amounting to roughly the same amount. And now, upon his return, he had taken away a similar sum yet again.
Though the Seven Great Immortal Sects were sustained by the tribute of countless people, and thus did not overly concern themselves with worldly wealth, they did not engage in mundane labor. Their need to purchase expensive pills made such expenses a staggering burden.
The three stewards no longer knew whether they had been swindled or if they had unwittingly engaged in an act of charity.
Ji You strode out of the Steward Office, leaving Minister Dou dumbfounded. Emerging from behind the screen, the minister stared after him for a long time, unable to comprehend how Ji You could behave so brazenly, even in the face of the Steward Office.
This was the complete opposite of what he had envisioned—Ji You, crushed beneath the weight of the Heavenly Script Academy, bowing his head in apology before being humiliated in his own residence.
Steward Qin, perceiving Minister Dou’s bewilderment, rose slowly from his wooden chair and spoke in an even tone.
“Did you think his disregard for rules was limited to places outside the academy?”
“No…?”
“When Ji You’s talent began to reveal itself, it startled many. Some feared he would obstruct Chu He’s path to advancing into the Inner Court. Thus, they arranged for him to be sent to Qiling to investigate the mass escape of malignant beings from the ruins.”
“When he returned to deliver his report, he did so with his sword drawn, stepping across mountains, his entire being wreathed in sword qi as he passed before me.”
“Some claim that no matter how powerful an individual cultivator may be, they can never surpass those backed by great sects and noble clans. Ji You was merely a wandering rogue cultivator, unworthy of fear. But as time passed, people came to understand a simple truth: a man who does not fear death is a terrifying foe indeed. Though I cannot say whether Ji You truly fears death or not.”
Minister Dou furrowed his brow. “Are you saying that the Heavenly Script Academy, the foremost of the Seven Great Immortal Sects, cannot even discipline one of its own students?”
Lang He Tong, who had remained silent, finally spoke up from behind.
“I know what you thought upon arriving here, Minister Dou. You assumed the Steward Office was at odds with Ji You. You believed that, like you, we wished to see him humbled. And at first, that was true. But things changed.”
“What do you mean?”
“The other day, while copying case records, Steward Qin mentioned something to me. He said that, in all his years of handling such documents, he had found the work tedious and dull. Yet whenever he reached the parts concerning Ji You, he found himself thoroughly entertained.”
Lang He Tong picked up the signed case records from the table. “Do you think this is mere paperwork? No. These events will be recorded in the Azure Cloud Immortal Chronicles, in the annals of the Heavenly Script Academy itself. Rescuing the direct disciple of the Pill Sect from Qiling, cutting through the Sword Forest to challenge Spirit Sword Mountain, orchestrating the Jade Garden counterattack that forced the Demon Emperor to negotiate—these are no small matters.”
“The Heavenly Script Academy must leave behind stories for future generations. Whatever the immortal sects decide is beyond our control, but after Ji You’s battle at Spirit Sword Mountain, we came to admire him.”
“Some say history is but an illusion, but we cannot let future scholars read these chronicles and ask: ‘What became of this Ji You?’ only to be told that he was persecuted to death by three stewards of the Steward Office.”
Minister Dou had come here expecting to see Ji You crushed beneath the weight of the academy’s expectations, groveling at his feet, begging for forgiveness. He had intended to humiliate him thoroughly.
Yet now, he finally understood the role Ji You played within the Heavenly Script Academy.
For centuries, men like Ji You had been rare—a wandering rogue cultivator rising to prominence against all odds. His differences stemmed from his origins. Unlike the descendants of esteemed clans, he had no illustrious lineage. Yet, setting that aside, none could deny that he was one of the most outstanding students the Heavenly Script Academy had seen in years.
Had he not entered the academy the same year as Chu He, had he not been so determined to strip the foreign immortal manors of their tax privileges, he would likely have already ascended to the celestial halls, thriving as a revered elder’s direct disciple. He would have forged alliances with noble houses, married a prestigious lady, and wielded control over a ninth of the Human Race’s wealth.
Within and beyond the academy, the reason people opposed him was not that they disdained him or sought to expel him. No, the truth was simpler.
He had chosen the most arduous path for himself.
Before the Ji Stronghold was founded, several elders of the Inner Court had considered making him their direct disciple.
But Ji You had chosen instead to draw his sword toward Night City Mountain, to challenge the immortal manors, and to strip them of their riches.
In other words, from the very beginning, he had been the one isolating himself from everyone else.
And what, then, did the mighty Dou Clan have to offer?
The Dou Clan had merely risen in prominence by attaching themselves to Wei Li’s reign. In the Azure Cloud World, where celestial authority reigned supreme over imperial power, Dou Xiong, as the Minister of Revenue, did not even qualify as a true powerbroker.
The three stewards of the Heavenly Script Academy might act due to family ties or the influence of an Inner Court elder, but how could they possibly move against Ji You for the sake of a mere Esteemed Clan from the Mortal Realm?
That man was one who had dared to behead the War King in the Savage Wilds with his sword.
Only now did Dou Xiong finally come to terms with reality—he had gravely underestimated Ji You’s status. His son’s moment of inspiration back then might truly have doomed him to a lifetime of exile, never to return to the capital.
Steward Qin patted Minister Dou’s shoulder and offered counsel. “Lord Dou, there is no need for such anxiety. Since Ji You accepted your gold, it means there is still room for negotiation. Take things slowly. Let your son wander the lands for a while longer—time will quell his ire.”
Dou Xiong looked up at him, the corners of his mouth twitching. “Is that so? But it seems none of you mentioned that the chest of gold ingots came from me.”
“Ah… that part… we may have forgotten.”
“…”
Meanwhile, Ji You had already departed from the Steward’s Hall, wealth overflowing to the point where he felt a rare impulse to treat others—an unsettling notion indeed.
Following the winding mountain path, he reentered the vast sea of emerald forest and returned to his secluded courtyard.
As a disciple of the Inner Court, his affairs were managed by the Steward’s Hall. They had already been informed of his return and had tidied up the fallen leaves, replenishing the water vat with fresh spring water. However, as the place had been vacant for quite some time, a faint musty scent of disuse lingered within the chambers.
Ji You stepped inside, unfastening the latches to throw open the doors and windows, letting the crisp mountain air sweep away the stagnation. He then retrieved a thick cotton blanket from the bottom of a camphorwood chest, giving it a few firm shakes before draping it over the bamboo rack in the courtyard to air out.
Turning back inside, he cleaned out the hearth, arranged the firewood, and with a controlled burst of spiritual energy, ignited a steady flame, feeding it with charcoal until a kettle of tea began to gently simmer.
Only after setting everything in order did he finally retrieve a letter from within his robes. The name inscribed upon it read: Nanhua City—Ding Wan Qiu.
Earlier, in his haste to collect his payment at the Steward’s Hall, he had feared that opening the letter beforehand might put him in too good a mood—perhaps not allowing him to play the role of the aggrieved creditor convincingly. Thus, he had saved it until now.
With the tea brewed and steaming, Ji You slowly unfolded the letter.
Yet, as the winter sunlight illuminated its contents, his gaze froze.
He had expected a lengthy letter, perhaps curt yet brimming with unsaid sentiments. After all, he had been gone for so long—surely, there would be much to say.
Maybe something about his Realm-Breaking, or perhaps questions regarding his diplomatic mission to the Demon Clan.
But what he saw within was not words.
It was a painting.
No, calling it a painting was an exaggeration. It was a simple sketch—crude, almost childish.
Two stick figures adorned the paper. The one on the right was clearly a woman, depicted with a round head marked by a black circle, with a dot and a hook for eyes and mouth. A few strokes of ink trailed from her crown, representing flowing hair. In her hands, she held a long sword, posed in a thrusting stance.
As for this long sword—it was merely a bold horizontal stroke of ink, but with Ji You’s keen perception, he recognized it immediately.
The figure on the left was even more rudimentary, little more than a black dot for a head, with a small mark resembling a hairpin. This unfortunate figure was impaled upon the sword, lifted off the ground like a roast chicken—shoulders hunched, head drooping, evoking an eerily accurate sense of defeated dejection.
“…??”
Ji You stared at the drawing in silence.
What was the meaning of this?
Was this… a death threat?
He pondered over it for a long time. Had he unwittingly provoked this proud and prickly woman in his last letter?
Gazing at the crude sketch, he exhaled and picked up his tea, sipping slowly.
Perhaps her Realm-Breaking attempt had gone awry, leaving her a little unhinged…
Yet, despite its lack of artistic refinement, there was something inexplicably amusing about the drawing.
The Little Mirror Master of Spirit Sword Mountain—renowned as the fastest cultivator of the Heaven Resonance Stage, Keeper of the Armory, and an unrivaled beauty—had actually produced such a childishly crude sketch?
Ji You’s mind conjured up an image of a celestial fairy, her jade feet bare upon a polished floor, brows furrowed in fierce concentration as she wielded her brush with determination—only to create such an adorably clumsy piece of work.
An unexpected chuckle escaped his lips.
(This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation)