New Year's Day should have been auspicious and peaceful.
However, in reality, besides the Dan Sect suffering a calamity, a large number of Evil Seeds appeared in Zhongzhou, Liang Province, and Youzhou.
A batch of Spirit Pills purchased by Tianshu Academy for Inner Courtyard cultivation was hijacked, and the Spirit Mines it controlled now suffered countless casualties.
It can be confirmed that these Evil Seeds were clearly manipulated by someone, and for unknown reasons, they were able to leave the Primordial Ruins for extended periods.
Evil Seeds are not terrifying; what is terrifying is if a certain Immortal Sect, or several Immortal Sects, are secretly planning this, specifically targeting other Immortal Sects. In that case, this matter is just the beginning.
This is not new.
In recent years, Disciples capable of reaching the threshold of the Upper Five Realms have almost all encountered assassinations with no traceable clues.
In recent years, rare Spirit Medicine has often appeared in Beiyuan, causing countless deaths and injuries, which led to the wars between the Barbarians and Great Xia.
There was also the Array Master lineage a century ago, which developed the Astonishing Immortal Array that could restrain the Linxian Realm. Just as they were about to rise, they were tragically massacred.
The Dan Sect also experienced its darkest era of humiliation, when almost all of its Disciples were kidnapped and held captive, forced to practice Alchemy day and night.
Lingjian Mountain once had a Master Jian who was lured into a Primordial Ruin years ago, and her fate remains unknown to this day. Since then, Lingjian Mountain has had no further contact with other Immortal Sects.
As the saying goes, long peace inevitably leads to chaos.
Now, someone truly could no longer bear the solitude.
The clues they currently possess are fragmented, but it is certain that the Evil Seeds are related to the ruins.
Thus, Tianshu Academy successively dispatched countless Disciples, starting from Shengjing and searching outwards, to investigate if there were any abnormalities in the surrounding ruins.
Although the Master-in-charge Courtyard Disciples dared not venture deep into the unknown depths of the ruins, they could still determine the source of the disaster by the traces of trampled vegetation.
“According to the Master's Courtyard Disciples' investigations over many days, the problematic ruins are located in Qiling Town in Zhongzhou, Yuhe Town in Liang Province, and Beisha Town in Youzhou.”
“Evil Seeds are not terrifying, but their manipulators behind the scenes include Integration Dao and Sky Soaring experts from the Upper Five Realms.”
“A portion of the Inner Courtyard Disciples has already been dispatched to seal off these three ruins, and Outer Courtyard Disciples must also participate.”
“This is the list we three have discussed and agreed upon.”
“Qingyun World has been silent for a long time, with most Disciples cultivating in seclusion in the mountains. Now is the time when they are needed.”
In the Master's Courtyard, the three Masters-in-charge who had returned from Wanzhuo Mountain stood with their hands behind their backs, explaining the gravity of the situation.
And several Instructors from outside the Inner Courtyard were all present, looking at the list in their hands.
Very reasonable.
Because the list contained Disciples with relatively weaker Worldly Family backgrounds but impressive cultivation.
Dispatching such Disciples ensures strong survival ability, and if they die, it won't provoke criticism from influential Families.
The Seven Great Immortal Sects, stable for a millennium, all operate in this manner.
Cao Jinsong scrutinized the list, his expression suddenly freezing as he saw a name that shouldn't have been there.
“Why is Ji You's name on this list?”
Qin Zhangshi turned at the sound: “Ji You is exceptionally talented, and practices Dual Cultivation in martial arts. His swordplay's brilliance is evident to all. With him, success is assured.”
Cao Jinsong frowned: “Qin Zhangshi, this is improper. Ji You is currently striving for the Upper Five Realms; he needs to remain in Tianshu Academy to cultivate diligently!”
“Must one only cultivate in Tianshu Academy? Inner Courtyard Disciples can accept dangerous missions, so how can Outer Courtyard Disciples refuse?”
Cao Jinsong remained silent after hearing this, but his expression grew cold.
Although Qin Zhangshi's explanation was well-reasoned, from his perspective, he still suspected this was a deliberate targeting.
One must know that the six months after the New Year are crucial for breaking through realms.
Ji You has no Medicinal Pills, no Spirit Stones, and his only reliance is his connection with the Book of Heaven.
Now the Master's Courtyard wants to send him out to investigate ruins. The danger level aside, it will definitely delay his cultivation progress, which is something everyone understands.
“Brother Cao, even if Ji You stays, do you think he will definitely enter the Inner Courtyard?”
“Don't forget, Chu River is currently only one step away from the Upper Five Realms, having already advanced many steps. Why bother with such a fruitless matter?”
The speaker, seated to Cao Jinsong's left with a goatee, was Ding Ang, Chu River's Instructor.
Cao Jinsong looked at him and sneered: “Could it be that there was already collusion?”
“Presumptuous!”
Qin Zhangshi slammed the table and stood up, looking at him furiously: “I reported this list to the Inner Courtyard, and Hall Master Fei of the Dustless Hall approved it. Do you think Hall Master Fei and I are also colluding in secret?”
Cao Jinsong's brows furrowed tightly after hearing this: “Wasn't Hall Master Fei in seclusion, attempting to break through to the Linxian Realm?”
“The matter of the Evil Seeds has caused great chaos in the world, severely damaging the prestige of our Tianshu Academy, which enraged Hall Master Fei and caused him to break out of seclusion early. Could I possibly deceive you?”
Hall Master Fei of the Dustless Hall is the Hall Master closest to the Linxian Realm in Tianshu Academy, and his status among the five Hall Masters is also the highest.
The Sect Master has been in seclusion for many years, not bothering with Sect affairs, so he basically makes most of the decisions.
Previously, when Ji You and others were attacked on the street, Qin Zhangshi had someone call the unconscious Ji You for questioning, but was later told to 'get lost' by Hall Master Ning.
If Hall Master Fei had not spoken this time, how would he have dared to add Ji You to this list?
“The Inner Courtyard quota is extremely important for Outer Courtyard students, I believe everyone present is well aware of this. But compared to that, clarifying this matter is the top priority!”
“Furthermore, I think Cao Instructor must face reality.”
“Although Ji You comprehends the Dao in Tianshu Academy every day, he has only condensed six Mystic Lights so far. Even if he continues to stay, can he still surpass others later?”
“On the contrary, Ji You's bravery is the best Sharp Weapon to uphold the prestige of our Tianshu Academy.”
“Even if he cannot enter the Inner Courtyard because of this, will our Tianshu Academy treat him unfairly?”
“This matter is thus decided. Go, all of you, return and inform the Disciples under your charge, telling them to prepare these next few days.”
Cao Jinsong remained silent for a long time, finally throwing the list onto the table and turning to leave the Master's Courtyard.
It had nothing to do with bravery, nor with quotas. Ji You's mistake was simply his humble background, lacking a Family background.
Cao Instructor once naively believed that since Ji You had sensed the Book of Heaven, even with his humble Family circumstances, he should be regarded as a treasure by the academy. But he was still wrong.
Many people don't care about who gets the so-called Inner Courtyard Disciple spots; they only care if the matter benefits themselves.
The Chu Family is a prominent cultivation Family of the current era, and their prestige is even greater, especially after Chu Xian became a Disciple of the Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion.
Aside from being unable to control the Dao lineage, Youzhou even refers to the Chu Family as the Eighth Great Immortal Sect locally.
The Seven Great Immortal Sects might disdain the Chu Family, but how could people like them dare not to consider the Chu Family's feelings?
Under such circumstances, the choice was naturally clear.
The cultivation history of Qingyun World was merely a rigid block formed by the collusion and alliance of Worldly Families, with no exceptions ever.
Because exceptions like Ji You all died.
Died in assassinations, died from the targeting of Worldly Families.
(Stuck on writing, asking for continued reading and monthly votes!!)