Chapter 72: Borrowing the Heavenly Tome
(This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation)
The vast crimson radiance dyed the night sky as waves of Malignant Beings surged forth from the ruins, driven by the torrent of Killing Qi spilling into the air.
Ji You led the Pill Sect siblings away from the Red Mountain Mine, heading west toward Ningcheng Town. Situated in the northwest of Central Prefecture, the county had yet to feel the taint of the ominous aura.
To Ji You’s surprise, refugees from surrounding villages were evacuating toward Ningcheng County under the guidance of Great Xia’s Imperial Soldiers. This rapid mobilization of resources revealed that the recent reforms in governance were beginning to show results.
As Ji You looked ahead along the stream of people, he noticed a carriage bearing a black banner embroidered with a coiling python—the emblem of the Immortal Overseer Office.
“Brother, I thought I’d never see you again. How did you escape?”
“A… an Immortal saved us…”
“An Immortal? Are there really such Immortals?”
“They called themselves Fairy Zheng Xin, Celestial Lord Yang Shu, and Immortal Emperor Ru Long. I don’t know what they shouted, but they broke through the tide and led us out.”
“Yes, yes, the same happened for us…”
Amid the crowd, Ji You’s gaze fell upon the walls of compacted earth lining the road, etched with the words: “The greatest of Immortals lives for the people.” His eyes grew distant.
Beside him, Yuan Chen also noticed the inscriptions. Hearing the chaotic murmurs, a revelation struck him: the profound meaning behind these simple words.
By the time they reached Ningcheng County, the town was already overflowing with refugees. All eyes turned toward the blood-red horizon where a grotesque figure, bloated and insect-like, rose into the sky, illuminated by the sanguine glow. Beneath its immense, corpulent body, streams of golden spiritual light surged from the Qiling Mountain Range, amplifying its dreadful aura as if it sought to rend the heavens apart.
Unaware of the implications, the refugees knelt en masse, paralyzed by terror at the sight.
Ji You, too, observed the scene, but his attention was drawn elsewhere when he sensed a gaze fall upon him. Turning, his expression shifted into one of mild astonishment.
On the second floor of a nearby Tea Pavilion, a long table sat by the eastern railing. On one side was a woman wearing a floral hairpin, while opposite her sat a familiar elderly man.
It was Physician Chen, the same man who had examined Ji You after the Malignant Beings’ attack at the Heavenly Script Academy.
The physician beckoned to him with a kind smile, while the woman, You Ying Qiu, watched with an enigmatic glint in her eyes. Ji You hesitated momentarily but approached with curiosity.
“I’ll go greet an acquaintance,” Ji You told Yuan Chen. His gaze swept the crowd before narrowing slightly. “Where is your sister?”
Yuan Chen pointed toward the heart of the town. “She said she’d get silver notes for you.”
“Go watch over her,” Ji You instructed. “Don’t let her run off.”
“?”
Climbing the stairs, Ji You greeted the old physician with a smile. “It really is you. What a coincidence! What brings you here?”
The physician stroked his long beard with a chuckle. “The Immortal Overseer Office summoned me. My duties are twofold: treating the wounded and preventing outbreaks of plague due to excessive deaths.”
“Ah, I see,” Ji You nodded.
“Come, child, sit down and share a cup of tea with me. I have matters I wish to discuss with you.”
Though Ji You had met the physician only once, their conversation had left a pleasant impression. Thus, he accepted the invitation. You Ying Qiu silently poured him a cup of tea before retreating to her seat, her expression inscrutable.
The physician scrutinized Ji You for a moment before chuckling. “You seem sturdier than when I last saw you.”
Ji You smiled wryly. “Not exactly sturdier. After braving the elements, I might just look more weathered.”
The old man’s grin deepened. “Sturdier, indeed. If you keep this up, you’ll outlast your headmaster.”
Startled by the blunt remark, You Ying Qiu nearly choked on her tea, hastily retrieving a handkerchief to dab at her lips.
Recalling the family letter that had earned him notoriety, Ji You feigned a calm demeanor. “Your insight is… astute. But perhaps my opportunity has passed.”
“Why do you think that?”
[Because I’m not returning to the Heavenly Script Academy. I’ll become a bandit instead.]
Though this plan was half-formed in his mind, Ji You saw no reason to explain. He had a Spirit Extinguishing Pill. Once he collected his silver notes, he’d seek out Wen Zheng Xin and the others. Consuming the pill and feigning his death, he’d disappear.
The world would lose a would-be sect heir, only to gain an infamous rogue cultivator.
Such thoughts remained his secret. Yet, the physician’s knowing smile was unsettling.
“You’re not thinking of leaving the Heavenly Script Academy, are you?” the old man asked, his tone light.
“Of course not! Don’t slander me. The academy is a warm harbor filled with fascinating people and delightful conversations.” Ji You sipped his tea, feigning nonchalance. [Could my rebellious thoughts be that obvious? Impossible.]
The physician set his teacup down. “Every soul follows its own path. Perhaps living as a private cultivator would suit you better. I once knew someone who chose that way.”
Intrigued, Ji You asked, “What happened to them?”
The old man chuckled. “He left his sect, but lacking skills in farming and a distaste for waking early, he led an idyllic but impoverished life. When hunger became unbearable, he turned to banditry. Unable to rob sects, he targeted commoners. Eventually, he married a modest woman, and the cycle repeated in his children.”
As the physician recounted the tale, You Ying Qiu watched Ji You’s complexion darken with each word, barely suppressing laughter.
[Ever since Master descended the mountain to see this boy, she’s shown an inexplicable fondness for him.] At this moment, You Ying Qiu was certain her master’s motive was to keep Ji You bound to the academy.
While the distant demon’s power grew, her master seemed more concerned with persuading this youth to stay. She couldn’t fathom why.
Breaking the tension, the old man retrieved a gold ingot from his sleeve, placing it on the table. “Let’s return to the main matter. May I borrow something from you?”
“What is it?” Ji You asked.
“A small item. It’ll cost you nothing. This is the rental fee.”
Ji You stared at the gold for a moment before replying solemnly, “Take it. Use it as you please.”
You Ying Qiu’s eyes widened in astonishment as the jade box at Ji You’s side began to exude an overwhelming aura. The Heavenly Tome stirred as though a dormant Immortal had awakened within.
Her shock grew as thunder roared across the skies, followed by a bolt of violet lightning tearing through the heavens.