After leaving the Master's Courtyard, Cao Jinsong went to the Outer Courtyard's Sect Affairs Pavilion, exchanged his waist token for his monthly stipend, and tied it securely in his money pouch.
Although it was a Sect operation, it was always wise to carry some silver when traveling.
His monthly stipend wasn't high, but it was a gesture of a teacher's care.
At this moment, the setting sun was like blood, burning the long clouds.
Cao Jinsong left the Sect Affairs Pavilion and, as he approached the Baiyu Platform, he saw a circle of students whispering as they gazed at the mountain gate.
“Why aren’t you cultivating the Dao? What are you doing blocking the way here?”
Cao Jinsong felt angry whenever he saw students who were able to stay at Tianshu Academy but didn't cherish the opportunity.
The few Disciples nearby turned their heads when they heard his voice, and seeing it was him, immediately bowed in salute: “We greet Instructor.”
“No need for formalities. What happened?”
“There’s a young lady at the mountain gate, and she makes my Dao Heart feel somewhat clear…”
“?”
Taking advantage of the students’ parting, Cao Jinsong saw the scene below the mountain gate.
It was a Fairy of exquisite beauty, dressed in a cloud brocade gown, accentuating her graceful and full figure. Her chin was slightly raised, and her eyes were clear and cold. She stood beneath the slanting sun, which painted the long sky with fire.
The Tianshu Academy's mountain gate was protected by a large Formation, and non-Tianshu Academy students required permission to enter.
However, the Fairy seemed unconcerned. As she approached, the Qi around her continuously emanated outwards, actually contending with the large Formation that blocked her, not retreating a single step.
Ordinary students might not discern the deeper meaning, but Cao Jinsong frowned slightly.
He discovered that the Fairy was full of Sword Qi, incredibly sharp, and even he found it somewhat terrifying.
At this moment, wind and Sword Qi surged continuously.
When Tianshu Academy set up the large Formation, to avoid accidental injury, the first layer was merely a deterrent.
Ordinary students, seeing they couldn't advance, would not go further.
But the Fairy did not stop.
Thus, the second layer of the killing Formation gradually began to glow, and behind the Fairy at the front of the Formation, a mysterious arc also lit up, as if something was condensing.
Cao Jinsong rubbed his eyes, about to be horrified, but then he found that both the Formation and the mysterious arc vanished, as if they were merely an illusion.
The Fairy suddenly walked into Tianshu Academy. At this moment, she couldn't help but look up, gazing at the lightly waving white sleeve on the peak of Ni Mountain, her expression somewhat puzzled.
The Seven Great Immortal Sects had secretly competed for many years, neither willing to admit defeat.
She had only wanted to test the power of this Holy Sect's large Formation, and had never expected to be invited in, have her Law scattered, and simultaneously have the heavenly secrets of this place obscured.
After pondering for a long while, she slightly raised her hand and bowed towards the mountain, then walked onto the Ascension White Jade Platform.
At this moment, students on the covered walkways and arched bridges of the Outer Courtyard successively stopped, looking towards this direction.
The Fairy, with her peerless beauty, did not seem like a mortal. Even a slight frown was captivating. Standing gracefully on the Baiyu Platform, she was a scene unto herself.
What was even more attractive, however, were her clothes and accessories.
That cloud brocade gown, made of extraordinary material, seemed to be an extremely valuable Magical Artifact.
The two spiritual swords tied at her waist were also undoubtedly extraordinary, and the three spiritual hairpins casually worn in her hair were even more exquisite.
“Which ancient Worldly Family’s Young Miss is she?”
“I don’t know, I’ve never seen her in the Outer Courtyard…”
“She’s not wearing an Immortal Robe, perhaps she’s an Inner Courtyard Senior Sister?”
“How can you tell?”
“With such peerless beauty, how could our Outer Courtyard be worthy?”
“This is a true Fairy. Compared to her, even Young Miss Lu seems a bit vulgar…”
Young Miss Lu Qingqiu of Yun Province happened to be in the Wudao Field. Hearing this, she frowned, but even so, she had to admit that the other person indeed exuded an overwhelming Immortal Qi.
What caught Young Miss Lu's attention the most were the three spiritual hairpins on the other person's head.
Years ago, when the Lu family's first mine reached its deepest point, they found a complete and massive spiritual core, which contained the most vast and refined Spiritual Qi.
So Lu Qingqiu's father ordered it to be crafted into four spiritual hairpins. Three of them were sold at exorbitant prices, and the last one was kept for her.
It was precisely because she knew the price of these spiritual hairpins that she found it incredible.
Only a blood relative of an Immortal Sect or a thousand-year-old Worldly Family like the Chu family could afford these three spiritual hairpins.
Cao Jinsong couldn't help but spit when he saw the reactions of the surrounding students.
The world is truly going downhill! Our Ji You is never like this!
Just then, the Fairy frowned slightly, looking around with cold eyes.
She seemed to have long been accustomed to being the center of attention and showed no panic. On the contrary, that single glance made many of the onlookers avert their gaze, not daring to look again.
Cao Jinsong had already flicked his sleeves and left, hurrying to the elegant garden across Bi Shui Lake.
Ji You, who had returned from Wanzhuo Mountain, now sat on a stone stool under a osmanthus tree, his shoulder bandaged. In front of him, a bundle of chopsticks, pilfered from the Immortal Kitchen, floated in the air.
Those chopsticks were now filled with Spiritual Qi, continuously flying and dancing in the air, darting left and right, cutting through the sky.
Because they were so small, these chopsticks seemed to fly in a chaotic manner, but upon closer inspection, one could see that their flight paths were entirely Sword moves.
“What are you doing?”
“Sword Control.”
Ji You moved his Divine Thought, and the chopsticks flying in the air hummed as they flew back into the chopstick holder.
After two battles, he realized that multitasking was a huge problem that needed to be Breakthrough.
If he didn't solve this, his combat time would be greatly shortened.
In team combat, someone could cover for him, but if he faced an enemy alone, this would become his greatest weakness.
The solution was also very simple, essentially two methods.
One was to continuously train his Divine Thought, allowing him to sustain it longer and to control his Divided Soul more adeptly.
He had always been doing this, never slacking.
The other method was to make the Sword moves used for Sword Control, such as flying thrusts, flying slashes, and flying lifts, into habits.
Habit is a terrifying thing; the deeper the imprinted memory, the less Divine Thought it consumes, which is equivalent to integrating Sword moves into instant hotkeys.
Currently, the effect seemed quite good; at least the chopsticks in front of him could draw a square and a circle simultaneously.
Cao Jinsong, after hearing his explanation, didn't quite understand, but still exclaimed that this child was extraordinary. However, after his exclamation, his mood quickly plummeted.
Ji You saw some of the underlying meaning and couldn't help but ask, “What happened?”
“The Master's Courtyard arranged for many Disciples to investigate the traces of Evil Seed, finally pinpointing Qi Ridge Town in Zhong Province, Yuhe Town in Liang Province, and Beisha Town in You Province. Now, people need to be sent to investigate.”
Ji You couldn't help but recall the figures constantly flying from the Inner Courtyard these past few days, and he understood: “Am I among them?”
Cao Jinsong nodded: “Indeed. The Master's Courtyard believes you are unparalleled in bravery, your swordsmanship is outstanding, and you are one in ten thousand…”
“If they truly thought that, I wouldn’t have been sent.”
Cao Jinsong rolled up his wide sleeves: “The former words are true, but it’s also possible they want you to make way for the Worldly Family children. After all, your performance since entering the academy has indeed threatened some people.”
Ji You lightly tapped the table with his knuckles, a slight smile playing on his lips: “Have they ever heard the saying, ‘My fate is up to me, not to heaven’…”
“No, but this investigation comes with a reward: one hundred taels of silver.”
“Oh? Money? Then my fate is up to money, not to heaven.”
Cao Jinsong’s mouth twitched, thinking to himself that this child truly valued money like his life.
He sighed and pulled out his money pouch from his embrace: “I knew you liked these. Here, the travel expenses I prepared for you.”
Ji You glanced at it: “You can hold onto it for me for now.”
“Heh, this is strange. Did you get rich?”
“Money, this kind of thing, only has meaning if you’re alive.”
Cao Jinsong’s expression became serious upon hearing this: “Don’t try to be a hero. There will also be Inner Courtyard Disciples accompanying you, and other local Immortal Sects will cooperate. You don’t need to take risks.”
Ji You nodded: “When do we depart?”
“The departure time will be in about three days, but I don’t know how long the entire journey will take. If it’s the Inner Courtyard selection…”
“I’ll be back before the Inner Courtyard selection.”
Upon hearing this, Cao Jinsong no longer had his usual optimism.
Chu River was now only one step away from the Upper Five Realms. After entering the Tong Xuan Realm and with the aid of Medicinal Pills, his Tong Xuan Realm might improve very quickly.
Ji You, however, was still far behind, and without the aid of heavenly books, he couldn't even guarantee his cultivation time.
Most importantly, there was clearly more than one Upper Five Realms among the planners of the Evil Seed incident. If he truly encountered them, even his safety would be uncertain.
“I need to tell Kuang Cheng about this…”
Ji You didn't notice Cao Jinsong's worries, but instead pondered his arrangements for the next few days.
He decided to go to Shengjing tomorrow to tell the scholar about the matter.
Furthermore…
He also needed to go to Void Mountain to let that easily angered Fairy know about this, otherwise she would throw a tantrum again.
Ji You wasn't very familiar with her now, nor was he completely unfamiliar, but it seemed to have become a habit to clearly explain things to her when something happened.
“Instructor Cao, I need to go to the Wudao Field.”
“You’re still going to the Wudao Field like this?”
Cao Jinsong’s lips trembled slightly, as if there was a teacher's emotion within him.
He was about to be transferred out of Tianshu Academy, but even so, he didn't forget to diligently cultivate the Dao. Ji You was indeed different from those Worldly Family children.
(Seeking monthly votes, seeking continuous reading)