Chapter 85: Lingjian Mountain is Truly Despicable
When Ji You came down from the Master's Courtyard, the Dan Sect siblings who had entered the academy with them had already been invited away by Fei Hall Master of the Inner Courtyard.
And Dan Qiongzi, the Dan Sect Elder, was currently in his Dustless Hall, drinking tea and waiting.
Having lost Yuan Caiwei on the Dan Protection Road, and now Ji You had rescued two, it was natural for the two Sects to have a good chat.
However, the so-called thanks were merely incidental.
What they truly wanted to discuss was the raging Karmic Fire in the ruins.
Low-level cultivators might not understand it for a while, but the powerful figures who held the authority of the Immortal Sects probably knew that the demon used a secret Dan technique of the Dan Sect when he ascended.
In Qingyun World, matters concerning cultivators were major.
And matters concerning Ascension were monumental.
This was why the Dan Sect had to send a highly respected Elder personally.
On one hand, the Dan Sect also wanted to understand the whole matter through Yuan Caiwei, and on the other hand, it was to declare to the other Immortal Sects through Tianshu Academy that this matter had nothing to do with them.
Among the current Seven Great Immortal Sects, only the Dan Sect, due to its lack of proficiency in combat, did not enter the ruins and suffered no significant damage. The other six Great Immortal Sects all lost some Origin Qi.
Everyone's anger needed an outlet.
It is said that because Mountain and Sea Pavilion lost many people, in a fit of rage, it held several Worldly Families in its territory, who had participated in the search for immortal destiny, accountable one by one.
The Chen Clan, due to their Sect Master being severely injured, was even more thorough, strictly scrutinizing the identities of all Disciples in recent days.
All those with questionable identities were either expelled from the Sect or continuously interrogated.
Their Sect rules stipulated that Disciples who joined must change their surname and acknowledge their ancestry, which was originally to strengthen control over Disciples, but it also made them complacent, causing them to begin to distinguish between true clansmen and false ones.
Thus, in this tumultuous time, suspicion gradually began to grow between the Immortal Sects and the Worldly Families.
From the Immortal Sect's perspective, the Zheng Family might just be an isolated case, but perhaps not.
From the Worldly Family's perspective, Immortal Sects in prosperous times might be a reliance, but in chaotic times, Immortal Sects were no different from hungry wolves.
But for thousands of years, these behemoths had already infiltrated each other, and the saying 'pull one hair and the whole body moves' made it extremely difficult to deal with.
The key was also the ruins. The Zheng Family Old Ancestor used Karmic Fire to refine cultivators for Ascension, was that truly the complete scheme?
On this matter, the views among the various Sects were extremely different.
Because the content of the discussion involved the secrets of multiple religious Worldly Families, Ji You, an Outer Courtyard Disciple, naturally could not participate, even though he was the protagonist of this rescue of the “Dan Sect's direct Disciple and the Sect Master's daughter.”
At this moment, he had already followed Cao Jinsong to the Instructor's small courtyard, with Pei Ruyi, Ban Yangshu, Wen Zhengxin, Bai Rulong, and Zhuo Wanqiu, who had changed into casual clothes, behind him.
Cao Jinsong made tea for the six of them and said, “Did Lingjian Mountain and Asked the Dao Sect really attack you just for Spirit Stones?”
Old Cao was different from the big figures; Qingyun World was too vast for him to care about everything. He only cared about why his Disciples suffered such humiliation.
“In Qi Ridge, the Evil Qi suppression is extremely strong, cultivators cannot replenish Spiritual Qi through breathing, so Spirit Stones become crucial. It just so happened that Senior Sister Pei brought many Spirit Stones.”
Pei Ruyi heard Wen Zhengxin explain, “I had anticipated the risks when I went, and I also sent a message to Zhengxin, so I exchanged all my assets for Spirit Stones.”
“So that’s it.” Cao Jinsong held his teacup and pondered for a moment, then suddenly slapped the table emotionally, “Lingjian Mountain is truly despicable!”
Zhuo Wanqiu immediately wanted to clench her fist and hit him, but Ji You gently stopped her.
Cao Jinsong looked at their actions, his eyes slightly surprised, “You brought back another fiancée?”
Ji You: “?”
Bai Rulong was so excited that tears almost welled up in his eyes, thinking, Instructor Cao is truly my Rulong Immortal Emperor’s confidant!
However, I wonder if your money bag, Instructor Cao, is strong!
Ji You, this time, thought the same as Rulong Immortal Emperor, thinking, when my inner feelings of gratitude are exhausted, I will surely make you, old geezer, taste what it means to be a bandit with clear insight.
The others, however, had strange expressions, thinking, you say that the people of Lingjian Mountain are despicable in front of a Lingjian Mountain Disciple, how could they not react like this?
Ban Yangshu pondered for a moment and then said, “Actually, this matter is not a conflict between the three sects; it’s just some petty villains causing trouble.”
Wen Zhengxin couldn't help but nod, “The Lingjian Mountain Disciples actually helped us in the end.”
Cao Jinsong waved his hand after hearing this, “You don’t get to decide right and wrong, so this matter is not over.”
“What do you mean?”
“The matter of the ruins has not yet been finalized; what needs to be investigated will still be investigated, but after some results are obtained, it will be time for the Immortal Sects to settle scores in the autumn.”
Cao Jinsong raised his hand and pushed his wide sleeve up to his wrist, “It is said that the demon in the mountain is the Zheng Family Old Ancestor, and he came from the Chen Clan, so the Chen Clan will be held accountable, and the Dan Sect among them will also find it hard to clear their name, and then it will be Lingjian Mountain.”
Pei Ruyi couldn't help but raise her eyes in thought, “Instructor, do you mean that Tianshu Academy will demand an explanation from Lingjian Mountain?”
“Exactly. Don’t forget the two words the Master's Courtyard always has on its lips.”
“Sect prestige.”
Cao Jinsong nodded, then changed his thought and said, “But Lingjian Mountain also has its Sect prestige, so this matter is more troublesome than the Zheng Family’s. The Chen Clan being held accountable can be done privately, secretly ceding something will suffice, but Sect prestige is a public matter and needs a public result, which might lead to a state of opposition.”
Zhuo Wanqiu couldn't help but say, “It wouldn’t be that serious.”
“No, you may not know, that young Master Jian of Lingjian Mountain is not a Mortal.”
“How so?”
Cao Jinsong stroked his long beard, “Tianjian Peak has such a profound foundation, but in recent years it has been subtly suppressed by Xuanjian Peak. To outsiders, this is all thanks to the spirit mirror, but they overlook the intelligence and methods of that young Master Jian. This female—she is definitely extraordinary.”
Upon hearing this, Ji You involuntarily sat up straight, leaning his chest forward.
Cao Jinsong's eyes were strange, “Hmm, why is your chest so big?”
“Is it? I don’t think it’s as big as yours was on the Baiyu Platform just now.”
At this time, the others were each lost in thought, their thoughts differing based on their knowledge, and their priorities also varied.
However, after much thought, the deepest thought in their hearts was that everyone had returned alive, and that was the best outcome.
As for Ascension, Sacred Artifacts, and the young Master Jian of Lingjian Mountain, those people and things that could sway the world, they were all too far away from them.
Afterward, Ban Yangshu, Wen Zhengxin, and Bai Rulong cupped their hands in farewell, intending to go back, wash up, and rest.
Zhuo Wanqiu's task was also considered complete, so she planned to stay briefly at an inn in the city before returning to Lingjian Mountain.
After they left, Cao Jinsong looked at Ji You and Pei Ruyi.
Some matters needed to be discussed privately among Family.
“What immortal destiny did you truly obtain in the ruins?”
Pei Ruyi felt a slight relief upon hearing this, then truthfully reported, “There was no immortal destiny in the ruins; it was a great disaster. None of the Immortal Sect and Worldly Family Disciples who entered survived.”
Cao Jinsong then looked at Ji You.
Ji You was currently sitting on a stone stool counting silver.—
Pei Senior Sister knew the same things about the ruins as he did, so he didn't need to add anything.
“No immortal destiny—”
Cao Jinsong pondered for a moment, then came back to his senses and said, “Since there isn’t, then so be it.”
Pei Ruyi cupped her fists and bowed, “Instructor, then I shall also take my leave. I haven’t been back for many days, and I need to go back and air out my bedding.”
“Go on.”
Cao Jinsong watched Pei Ruyi leave, his mind filled with thoughts.
Actually, there is a concept of Physique in this world, like the Chu Family.
It is said that once a Chu Family Patriarch, after his death, was dissected by an Immortal Sect, and they concluded that their Bloodline was of the Seven-Orifice Exquisite Physique.
This Physique is Innately close to the Dao, which is also why their Family has prospered and grown stronger without decline.
However, since most Physiques in the world are not helpful for cultivation, this kind of speculation, conjecture, and research was abandoned early on as being meaningless.
From this perspective, Pei Ruyi's Physique was merely ordinary, and her bone structure was barely decent.
But seeing her again now, Cao Jinsong found her different. This difference was not due to her cultivation, but because her aura carried an Immortal aura.
Ban Yangshu also had the same aura.
Cao Jinsong retracted his gaze and turned to look at Ji You.
He knew that his student was also exceptionally intelligent, just hidden by his talent.
Pei Ruyi might not know what happened, but Ji You just pretended to count silver, so he must have something he wanted to say after Pei Ruyi left.
He, however, felt that it was unnecessary; after all, they were fellow Disciples, and such concealment was overly cautious.
“Ji You, do you have anything to say?”
“Instructor, before I left, I said that silver only has meaning when you’re alive. Where’s the silver I deposited with you?”
“?????”
Cao Jinsong stood up, “Rebellious Disciple, get out!”
Ji You took out a banknote from the ones given by the Master's Courtyard and handed it to him, saying, “Giving this and that, your meager monthly salary must have been long gone, right?”
Cao Jinsong immediately reached out and snatched it, “At least you still have some conscience, kid.”
Ji You folded the rest and put them into his embrace.
Although he earned a lot this time, there were also many places where he needed to spend money.
For example, swords.
All seven of his swords were damaged in repeated battles and needed to be replaced.
Additionally, he planned to visit Qionghua Pavilion to see what else they, as poor people, were not worthy of obtaining.
Cao Jinsong now tucked the banknotes into his sleeve, “The Upper Five Realms are the Realm of All Laws, which I mentioned to you before. After you enter the Inner Courtyard, there will be someone to teach you how to practice laws, and the Tianshu Pavilion also contains three thousand Dao Laws. This is the true foundation of Tianshu Academy.”
“Understood, all the good stuff is in the Inner Courtyard.”
“There’s still some time until the assessment. Although you’ve reached the middle stage of the Law Comprehension Realm, you still can’t let your guard down. The Chu Family has a profound foundation, and Chu River might be taught some profound Dao Laws in advance.”
Cao Jinsong used to think that the various assessments of Tianshu Academy were fair, but now that he thought about it, this fairness was entirely because the people in the academy were children of Worldly Families.
But ever since a self-taught cultivator from the countryside broke in, and coincidentally ran into the much-anticipated Chu River, all sorts of darkness began to breed.
Ultimately, the level Ji You represented made the Worldly Families uncomfortable.
“You and Chu River were born in the same era, and your ages are not much different. He is very likely to become your lifelong nemesis.”
Ji You’s eyes were like a tiger’s after hearing this, “Him? No, he’s not worthy. The Sect Master Immortal Master is my destined nemesis.”
Cao Jinsong: “?”
He didn’t know it yet, but Ji You had already thought about how to turn Tianshu Academy into his mountain stronghold.