Chapter 74: Now, I Shall Rob You
(This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation)
“Elder Sister, it seems the rain has cleared…”
Yuan Cai Wei held a stack of silver notes, her gaze fixed on the flying swords streaking across the sky. Yet, her heart felt anything but light.
This was the Land of No Heavens, engulfed in the flames of karma—a technique designed to refine the lives of all beings.
If the cultivators of the mountains were truly refined, then the Pill Sect, which presided over the Dao of Alchemy, might become the target of all forces.
The chaos had not ceased; perhaps, it was only beginning.
Taking a deep breath, Yuan Cai Wei handed the silver notes to Yuan Chen. “Deliver these to Ji You. Once the transaction is complete, return with me to the sect immediately.”
Yuan Chen took the notes, his expression puzzled. “Why can’t you hand them to him yourself, Elder Sister?”
“You once promised to marry me off to him. If I hand over only the money, he might refuse. And what if he insists on marrying into my Pill Sect? A cultivator without a noble background would never give up the opportunity to rely on such a powerful tree.”
“Even though he doesn’t know my identity, the idea of forming a union with an alchemist would be a dream for many. You’re still too young, little brother.”
After carefully explaining her reasoning, Yuan Cai Wei added, “I won’t show myself later. Just give him the silver notes.”
Yuan Chen glanced at her and teased, “Marriage is not something you can delay forever. Why not take advantage of someone who’s still willing to—”
“?”
“Nothing! I said nothing.”
“I know what you’re thinking. But without any noble family connections, even if I agreed, do you think Father would approve?”
Yuan Chen fell silent, and the two siblings returned to the tavern. To his surprise, Ji You was nowhere to be found, leaving him momentarily stunned.
“This miserly brother-in-law of mine wouldn’t leave without taking the silver notes, would he?”
Grabbing a passing waiter, Yuan Chen asked, “Excuse me, where did the man in the white robe, carrying multiple swords, go?”
The waiter, holding a teapot, thought for a moment before replying, “Oh, that guest? I saw him heading into the alley across the street.”
“He left?” Yuan Chen’s expression turned strange. He called his sister to follow him toward the alley.
They hadn’t walked far before they stumbled upon Ji You in an open clearing. Two men stood before him.
One wielded a long sword and was at the mid-stage of Mystic Enlightenment. The other carried a long blade and was at the initial stage of the same level.
Yuan Chen instantly recognized one of them—Min Cheng, a disciple of the Dao Seeking Sect, who had previously searched them in the forest. Zhuo Wan Qiu had mentioned him as a liaison between the Spirit Sword Mountain’s young appraiser master and the Dao Seeking Sect.
“Brother-in-law, what’s he doing here?!”
Rushing forward, Yuan Chen was met with an overwhelming wave of killing intent. Ji You, clutching a handful of scattered silver coins, snapped angrily.
“What a crude trap! They lured me here by scattering silver coins along the way. And I, so clever, still fell for it!”
Yuan Chen: “?”
As his voice faded, a violent surge of sword qi and blade qi swept toward them. Ji You shoved Yuan Chen aside as seven swords unsheathed themselves from his back, whirring through the air to clash with the incoming attacks.
Amid the shower of sparks and clashing metal, Ji You was forced back seven steps, his blood churning.
“Slaying Dao Fusion and challenging Mystic Enlightenment? Did you think you’re invincible?”
“I don’t know how your spiritual energy became so dense, but without suppressing your killing intent, I can defeat you with one hand. Why bother struggling?”
Min Cheng sneered as he charged forward, his sword radiating a brilliant spiritual aura.
The Dao Seeking Sect had confirmed that the young appraiser master was nearby and had sent him out to locate them. Instead, he encountered Ji You, the man responsible for killing many Dao Seeking Sect disciples during the battle at the Heavenly Script Academy.
Without hesitation, he attacked. But Ji You met him head-on, countering with a sword. At the same time, his left hand directed six swords toward the blade-wielding cultivator.
The air resonated with the crash of weapons as Ji You barely managed to fend off the onslaught. Forced to retreat once more, he now faced relentless strikes from the sword and blade, their rhythm growing faster and deadlier.
Sweat beaded on Ji You’s brow as his spiritual consciousness surged uncontrollably.
Min Cheng smirked. “Didn’t you say you only kill Dao Seeking Sect disciples? Go on, kill another one if you can!”
“Damn it, I won’t hold back anymore.”
“Not that I could even if I wanted to!”
Ji You leaped back, clutching his sword tightly as a wave of sword qi erupted forward, scattering into the sky. A massive aura surged from his body, brighter than sunlight, piercing the heavens.
Min Cheng hesitated, shocked by the sudden shift. Before he could react, Ji You directed another sword toward the blade-wielding cultivator.
Slash!
The blade snapped in two, and the blade-wielder was sent flying, blood spraying from a deep chest wound.
[Kill one, you said? Fine. Here’s one.]
With his eyes closed, Ji You turned back, his aura and sword qi surging like a storm. The Yuan siblings stood behind him, their mouths agape at the sight.
Though they practiced Pill Dao, they had seen their fair share of cultivators breaking through realms. Yet, those typically required hours of meditation to stabilize their aura—not the effortless display before them.
Ji You had clearly ascended a stage, his new power undeniable.
Min Cheng froze, utterly unprepared for what he witnessed.
Ji You stared in shock for a moment before instinctively stepping back. He understood that while his opponent was not a disciple of the Spirit Sword Mountain Sect, the man’s sword intent was fearsomely sharp.
Just moments ago, the opponent’s assault had been so ferocious that it would have seriously injured any other cultivator at the peak of the Lower Three Stages. Yet Ji You had endured it head-on and even managed to break through his current realm.
“You… you weren’t even in a state of Dao Enlightenment! How could you break through?!” Min Cheng exclaimed.
“I should have broken through long ago,” Ji You replied, gripping his sword tightly. “You’re not wrong about the oppressive effect of the killing qi, though. I thought I was still at the Initial Mystic Enlightenment Stage, but I’ve actually stepped into the Middle Mystic Enlightenment Stage without realizing it.”
Ji You’s gaze sharpened as he pointed his sword at Min Cheng. “Now, I’m going to rob you. Please hand over all your money.”
A clear and resonant sword chant echoed as six swords imbued with robust spiritual qi soared into the sky like roaring dragons. They pierced through the air and descended upon Min Cheng, who panicked and swung his own sword desperately in defense.
The clash of blades filled the air as cold light flashed. Min Cheng frantically swung his weapon in wide arcs, managing to sever three of the swords with all his strength. He quickly enveloped himself in a barrier of spiritual qi.
But within the chaotic sword dance, Ji You charged forward, his sword slicing downward with ferocious power. Min Cheng narrowly blocked the first strike, but his pupils contracted sharply at the next moment.
During a past battle in the ruins, Min Cheng had witnessed Ji You’s clash with Gong Shu Chou of the Spirit Sword Mountain Sect, though he hadn’t directly faced him. Only now did Min Cheng truly understand why Gong Shu Chou, a cultivator at the Dao Fusion Stage, had screamed in terror, “Too fast!”
Ji You’s movements were relentless. After one strike, he switched swords mid-air and launched another swift thrust. The piercing hum of his blade reverberated as he overwhelmed Min Cheng’s defenses. Min Cheng’s hands trembled as his grip faltered, his palms splitting under the pressure. Finally, he was sent flying, his body crashing into the ground.
“You can’t kill me!” Min Cheng shouted in desperation.
“Give me one good reason,” Ji You replied coldly.
“I’m the sworn brother of my sect’s direct disciple!” Min Cheng screamed.
Ji You chuckled darkly. “I warned you before I made my move, yet you still chose the wrong answer.” He raised his sword, the sword qi slashing downward in a radiant arc.
Min Cheng hastily summoned his sword back to block the strike, quickly pulling a round spirit orb from his robes and hurling it. The orb shattered, releasing an explosive wave of wild and chaotic blade qi that rampaged through the narrow alley. The torrent forced Ji You to retreat.
“What in the world is this? Another treasure that us penniless folks don’t know about?” Ji You grumbled.
From a distance, Yuan Cai Wei, the eldest daughter of the Pill Sect’s Sect Master, explained, “It’s a spirit orb that stores attacks. Those blade qis aren’t his own but serve as his last-resort life-saving measure.”
Ji You’s seven swords formed a protective circle and executed the Heavenly Ring Slash, the sword qi roaring like a dragon. The devastating blade qi was gradually worn down until it dissipated entirely.
By then, Min Cheng had fled a hundred feet into the air, his hair disheveled and his expression filled with terror. Ji You watched him vanish into the distance, then turned toward Yuan Chen, the younger brother of Yuan Cai Wei.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
Yuan Chen shook his head, then remembered his elder sister’s instructions. He handed over a stack of ancient paper money to Ji You.
Ji You counted the silver notes, his eyebrows raising slightly. “Why is there an extra one thousand taels?”
Yuan Chen glanced at his sister and replied, “The thousand taels were the agreed amount, but the additional thousand is a token of my gratitude.”
“Thank you, Boss. If someone goes missing in your family again, remember to find me. I’ve gotten even stronger now,” Ji You said as he tucked the money into his robes. “With this, we’ve settled our accounts. Make sure to send word back home that you’re safe. Until we meet again.”
Just as Ji You turned to leave, Yuan Cai Wei was startled that he hadn’t brought up her brother’s earlier offer to betroth her to him. “Do you… do you not know who we are?” she asked hesitantly.
Ji You turned back, giving her a curious glance. “I do. You’re the eldest daughter of the Pill Sect’s Sect Master.”
“You knew?” she said, stunned.
“And you,” Ji You continued, nodding at Yuan Chen, “you’re a direct disciple of the Pill Sect.”
Yuan Chen’s eyes widened. “You even knew that?”
Ji You’s lips curled into a confident smile. “When the Pill Sect was attacked, I went to the Thousand Marks Mountain. The top priority then was to locate Pill Sect disciples. Miss Yuan’s name and status were high on the list, so I could easily deduce who you were.”
Yuan Chen’s mind raced. [So Brother-in-law knew who I was all along.]
Ji You’s voice grew more solemn. “Aside from the money, there was another reason I helped you.”
“What reason?” Yuan Cai Wei asked.
“You went missing while delivering pills to the Heavenly Script Academy, which means the academy owes the Pill Sect a debt of gratitude. Furthermore, Senior Brother Ban’s decision to abandon the ruins could be considered treason if my judgment was wrong. If the mountains proved safe, saving the siblings of the Pill Sect would provide a valid justification.”
After saying his piece, Ji You cupped his hands in farewell and strode away. Yuan Chen stayed silent but turned to his sister, who was still staring blankly at Ji You’s departing figure.
She couldn’t understand why someone who knew she was the daughter of the Pill Sect’s Sect Master showed no interest in forming closer ties. Then, it dawned on her—it wasn’t that she had dismissed him first; it was that Ji You had never harbored such thoughts toward her.
Seeing her expression, Yuan Chen pushed her toward Ji You. “Sister, let’s hire Brother-in-law for another thousand taels to escort us back. Add fuel to the fire!”
Ji You was heading to meet the disciples of the Heavenly Script Academy who had retreated earlier. Yuan Chen nudged Yuan Cai Wei beside him to walk shoulder-to-shoulder with Ji You.
“I’m in a hurry to find the academy disciples. If you keep following me, I’ll charge extra,” Ji You remarked, passing by a tavern.
At that moment, a silver coin fell from the second floor of the tavern, landing squarely on Ji You’s head before rolling to his feet.
[Again? Does the whole world know I’m broke?]
Ji You cautiously looked up and froze. On the second floor stood a slender, long-legged celestial beauty in a crimson eight-panel skirt, her features flawless and elegant. She crossed her arms and pursed her lips, gazing down at him and Yuan Cai Wei.
“Sister Cai Wei, it’s been a long time,” the woman said with a faint smile.