Chapter 24: The Mysterious Disappearance
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After condensing his Spiritual Consciousness, Ji You’s cultivation speed had increased dramatically.
At this moment, the fifth strand of Celestial Aura was formed! The enhanced Spiritual Consciousness brought another benefit—his five senses had reached unprecedented heights, able to discern even the faint fluttering of a flying insect’s wings.
In the courtyard, some women, such as Miss Lu Qing Qiu of Yunzhou, valued grace over warmth, wearing only gauze dresses despite the cold and relying on Spiritual Qi to ward off the chill. Every time Ji You encountered her at the Field of Enlightenment, he felt slightly embarrassed to gaze too long, stopping after just a few glances.
As he continued his study of the Heavenly Tome, he noticed that the girl from Mount Void did not appear consistently. Sometimes, they would meet; other times, she would not show up. Her cultivation schedule seemed irregular—she came and went as she pleased. However, with increasing frequency, Ji You found their encounters growing more common.
Ji You began to suspect that she might be adjusting her schedule to match his. His cultivation time was fixed, so if she wished to avoid him, it would have been simple enough. Thus, an unspoken understanding formed between them. They sat on separate Black Stones, each cultivating in silence. Occasionally, during breaks, their gazes would meet for a brief moment.
Cultivation was often monotonous, but having a like-minded companion seemed to add a touch of delight to the process.
However, over the past seven or eight days, the girl had appeared increasingly irritable, her mood sour. A single glance too long from Ji You would earn her fury. Her irritation had escalated beyond dramatic sleeve-flinging—she now used her pale, delicate feet to kick him away directly.
[Isn’t this, in its own way, a reward?] Ji You mused.
“Nineteen breaths…”
“At this rate, I might condense all seven strands of Celestial Aura before the year’s end…”
In the mountains, there was no calendar. Winters came and went without notice.
Opening his eyes, Ji You saw the pale expanse of the sky above. A chill drifted from the distant mountains, heralding the arrival of winter. Reaching into his Money Pouch, he weighed its contents and decided to visit the Immortal Banquet Hall for a meal.
A few days ago, Kuang Cheng had visited, announcing he had joined the Immortal Overseer Office with a monthly stipend of fifteen taels. Generously, he had given Ji You seven taels. The office was a new government bureau established by the emperor, ostensibly to serve the Immortal Sects. It did not appear to strengthen imperial authority but seemed more like a gesture of deference to the Immortal Sect.
From Ji You’s perspective, this might well be a feigned show of weakness. It demonstrated that the Great Xia Emperor was not without intelligence.
As he practiced Mountain Shaking Fist on his way to the White Jade Terrace, Ji You reflected on his path. Though many considered Martial Dao a lesser art, he pursued dual cultivation of martial and spiritual disciplines with diligence. While he rarely visited the Sword Testing Forest now, he had thoroughly mastered the fundamentals of swordsmanship, spear techniques, and fist styles. He could execute an entire set of moves even in casual walking or sitting.
Moreover, Instructor Wang had begged him to reduce his visits, lamenting how his once idle life as a martial instructor had become burdensome since Ji You’s arrival. Wang even promised to forgo the one or two taels owed if Ji You would visit less often. Feeling somewhat guilty, Ji You agreed.
Arriving at the White Jade Terrace of Ascension, Ji You saw thirteen instructors, including Instructor Cao Jin Song, returning from outside, looking travel-worn and troubled. Ever since the onset of winter, the outer court had been abuzz with unrest, and the Capital City was no exception.
“Instructor Cao!” Ji You called out.
“Ah? Oh, Ji You.”
Stopping on the terrace, Cao Jin Song exchanged farewells with his peers before approaching Ji You. “How is your cultivation progressing?”
Ji You allowed his Celestial Aura to flare outward, five strands radiating from his forehead.
“Well, I’ll be—this boy is extraordinary. Could it be that you’ll reach the Upper Five Stages before the year ends?”
“No, I plan to proceed steadily, avoiding haste,” Ji You replied, masking his concerns about his fractured Spirit Spring with a polite excuse.
“Remaining steady is acceptable,” Cao Jin Song remarked thoughtfully. “After all, Chu He has shut himself away, likely with his Dao Heart shattered. As for Lu Qing Qiu, she’s only gathered two streams of Mystic Light, so there’s no need to rush.”
Pausing, he added, “By the way, have you seen Zhang Cong Zhi or Cai Zi Yao?”
“I’ve seen Cai Zi Yao,” Ji You replied after a moment’s thought. “It was around the beginning of winter. She left a good impression, dressed in a Snow-Hued Flowing Gown. Her eyes are particularly striking. But Zhang Cong Zhi…”
He frowned slightly, as though searching his memory. “Who is that?”
Cao Jin Song raised a hand in mild exasperation. “Zhang Cong Zhi entered the academy the same year as you. He frequently meditates at the Field of Enlightenment, and yet you remember Cai Zi Yao, who rarely visits?”
“Well, Zhang Cong Zhi must be unremarkable.”
Cao Jin Song waved off the comment. “That doesn’t matter. What’s important is that both of them have gone missing since the start of winter. I even led other instructors to search for three days, but we found no trace of them.”
Ji You was briefly stunned. [Disciples of the Heavenly Script Academy disappearing? That’s a rare occurrence.]
He sensed something amiss but couldn’t pinpoint the problem. “Did they show any unusual signs before vanishing? Perhaps a romantic entanglement? I’d like to see if your Dao Heart remains clear.”
Cao Jin Song spat in indignation. “The two didn’t vanish simultaneously; there was a seven-day gap between their disappearances.”
Ji You mulled over this detail. “Perhaps their reasons for disappearing are unrelated.”
“Regardless, they’ve been missing too long. What’s troubling is they left behind their everyday clothing and valuable items like spirit stones and pills. There’s no reason for them to remain away for this long.”
“Could they have encountered some misfortune?”
“Who would dare harm disciples right under the academy’s nose? I don’t think so,” Cao Jin Song replied firmly. He then advised Ji You to focus on his cultivation before hurrying off.
Ji You watched him depart, the unease lingering. He resumed practicing his martial arts as he headed back to his residence at the Elegant Garden by Azure Lake. However, before reaching the door, he spotted a group of fellow cultivators waiting outside.
The group included two cultivators at the Upper Essence Refinement Stage, Bai Ru Long and Qian Yun Xiao, and three female disciples—Lu Qing Qiu, Sun Zhi Qiao, and Lou Si Yi.
“Ji Gongzi,” Lu Qing Qiu greeted him with a refined smile.
“What brings you all here?” he asked.
Lu Qing Qiu inclined her head gracefully. “Today is the Winter Solstice. I, Lu Qing Qiu, would like to host a gathering at the Grand Cauldron Tower. Might you honor us with your presence?”
Since Ji You had swiftly condensed five streams of Mystic Light, Lu Qing Qiu’s competitive spirit seemed to have diminished. Instead, she often showed goodwill, attempting to build rapport. [A classic move for a merchant family heiress. Win over those you can; ally with those you can’t.]
“Very well!” Ji You responded with a smile.
“In that case, let us meet at the Divine Path by the Mountain Gate at noon,” she said. “Oh, and we did invite Chu He earlier, but he didn’t seem interested.”
Ji You nodded. “Then, I’ll see you all at noon.”
After exchanging courteous bows, he entered his residence and retrieved a letter from a drawer. The envelope bore the seal of Yuyang County, a letter he hadn’t had time to read earlier due to his cultivation efforts. [It’s surely from Old Qiu, inquiring about my well-being.]
As expected, the letter opened with Old Qiu asking after his health. He mentioned that Qiu Ru had grown taller and often wondered aloud when her young master would return. He also noted that Fang Zhong Zheng, who had recently visited, had recognized Old Qiu’s capable service to the Ji household and arranged for him to serve as a constable at the county magistrate’s hall.
Toward the end of the letter, Old Qiu brought up something peculiar: strange occurrences near the Thirty-League Inn, where livestock frequently went missing.
After reading, Ji You folded the letter thoughtfully. [How odd. Disappearances here at the academy, and now even livestock at the inn. What a strange coincidence.]