Chapter 34: Chu He with Seven Streams of Celestial Aura
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Ji You resumed his cultivation routine, and as a result, the number of people frequenting the Field of Enlightenment steadily increased. Among them were Lu Qing Qiu, Lou Si Yi, Bai Ru Long, and the other three who had gifted him swords that day. They, too, were now diligently pursuing their cultivation.
However, as they observed Ji You’s peculiar state—seamlessly entering and exiting moments of enlightenment—they couldn’t help but feel bewildered.
[Is this the true essence of cultivation? Why does it seem so enrapturing?]
“Yan Shu Yi, if you kick me one more time, I’ll speak!” Ji You cried out.
“Dare you!” retorted the icy-faced fairy, her demeanor as cold as frost.
Underneath Mount Void, Ji You helplessly retreated, perching himself atop a black stone. He looked at the frosty celestial maiden, his face full of indignation. [Truly, a beautiful woman is the bane of cultivation!]
It had been five days since the attack, and Ji You had barely condensed his sixth Celestial Aura, with the rest being rewards from his efforts. Despite his attempts to pacify her, Yan Shu Yi remained irritable.
In the past five days, their tacit understanding in coordinating cultivation schedules was unchanged. They even engaged in casual conversations at times. Yet, the mention of another woman gifting Ji You a sword had enraged this fiery “little demoness.”
Returning to his senses, Ji You turned to Bai Ru Long. “Tell me, what does it mean for a woman to gift a man a sword?”
Before Bai Ru Long could respond, the nearby Lu Qing Qiu, Lou Si Yi, and Sun Zhi Qiao blushed furiously.
“In the ancient days of chaos, it is said that a male and female sage of the human race exchanged swords during a battle they knew would claim their lives,” Bai Ru Long explained. “They fell, embracing each other, their souls returning to the Heavenly Dao. Since then, the act of gifting a sword has symbolized the desire to become Dao Companions.”
“If the man accepts the sword, they form a bond for dual cultivation,” Bai Ru Long concluded.
Ji You’s mouth twitched. [Damn it!]
He had thought he understood this world well enough, but now he realized how little he truly knew, even after three years. Growing up in Yuyang County, the books of old scholar Chen contained no tales of love or romance. His understanding of this world was filtered, leaving him oblivious to stories and customs that were common knowledge to others.
Meanwhile, Lu Qing Qiu’s gaze fell on Ji You. [If he misunderstood my intentions behind gifting the sword, how would I reject the idea of dual cultivation with him?] She pondered anxiously. [He’s not from a noble lineage, merely a wandering cultivator. I could never choose him.]
Suddenly, commotion erupted from the rear of the Field of Enlightenment. The murmurs and shuffling movements of the crowd grew louder.
“Chu He…”
“Is Chu He out?”
Ji You and the others looked toward the source of the noise. Emerging from the crowd was none other than Chu He, who had remained elusive since the night of the Heavenly Tome’s resonance. Now, dressed in a magnificent pear-blossom robe and adorned with a pristine hair crown, he entered the Field of Enlightenment with a cold gaze.
It was inevitable that he would eventually emerge from hiding, as no one could remain secluded forever. Yet, many had speculated that when Chu He reappeared, he would be a shadow of his former self, disheveled and defeated. No one had anticipated this poised and elegant reemergence.
“Brother Chu, here to seek enlightenment?” someone asked.
“Just finished my seclusion. Came for a breath of fresh air,” Chu He replied expressionlessly as he seated himself, adjusting his robe meticulously. Then, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he calmly closed his eyes and entered a state of enlightenment.
The crowd gasped as seven radiant streams of Celestial Aura lit up on Chu He’s forehead. The entire Field of Enlightenment erupted in disbelief.
Lu Qing Qiu, in particular, stared at Chu He with utter shock. Before Ji You’s Heavenly Tome resonance, her cultivation progress had been nearly on par with Chu He. Afterward, Chu He had disappeared, seemingly crushed by failure, while Lu Qing Qiu had poured her efforts into breaking through realms. Yet now, she had only condensed three streams of Celestial Aura, while Chu He displayed seven, surpassing even Ji You.
“He wasn’t broken after all—he’s been in seclusion this whole time!” someone exclaimed.
“To achieve this without the aid of the Heavenly Tome, nearing the threshold of the upper five realms… It’s unbelievable.”
“This is the unparalleled talent of the Chu clan. Truly terrifying.”
“I thought Ji You’s ascension to the inner court was certain, but now this unexpected twist!”
The news of Chu He’s reappearance—bearing seven streams of Celestial Aura—spread like wildfire across the outer court. The once-accepted tale of a fallen genius overshadowed by a rising underdog now took a dramatic turn, shaking the entire academy.
The revelation even reached the instructors of the outer court, who rushed to the Field of Enlightenment. By the shores of Azure Lake, they observed the spectacle in awe. Chu He’s seven Celestial Auras gleamed brilliantly, with faint traces of an eighth forming.
“Did he resonate with the Heavenly Tome?”
“No, there’s no sign of heavenly radiance here.”
“This is absurd. How could he surpass Ji You, who had the Heavenly Tome’s aid?”
Cao Jin Song and the other instructors murmured in astonishment. Never before had a cultivator, unaided by the Heavenly Tome, surpassed one who had its blessings in terms of breakthroughs.
[Could the Chu clan’s rumored invincibility in talent truly be real?]
Meanwhile, in a secluded dormitory, Du Zhu from Liang Prefecture clenched his fists as the outside world buzzed with Chu He’s achievement. A scion of a renowned immortal clan, Du Zhu had reached the upper levels of Essence Refinement before his twentieth year, a step away from perfecting the lower three realms. But at the Heavenly Script Academy, his brilliance had been eclipsed by Chu He and Ji You, relegating him to obscurity.
[Am I content with this?] he asked himself. [No. Never.]
He glanced at a letter in his hand from his father, its words earnest and laden with expectation. Enclosed with it was a brocade box containing ten crimson pills, accompanied by detailed instructions for their use.
Du Zhu picked up one of the pills, contemplating silently before swallowing it. A fiery surge of energy coursed through him, threatening to burst from his limbs and skull before finally surging into his core. His once-milky spiritual essence solidified instantly.
He now understood why his father’s letter carried a tinge of sorrow. These realm-breaking pills, ten in total, must have cost the family its entire fortune. All their hopes rested on him, their sole heir and the embodiment of their clan’s honor.
[Kill! Kill! Kill!] His thoughts burned with frenzy. [I’ll enter the inner court. I’ll slay anyone in my way, gods and demons alike!]
As the pill’s power surged, Du Zhu grinned wickedly, drooling uncontrollably.