Dammit, Not Interested in Gentle Ones

Since joining the Celestial Academy, everything has been going well...

I thought it would be difficult to make good friends in a short time, but after I snatched a few things from them, we became much more familiar...

Kuang Cheng became the top scholar, and he hopes I'll be the Sect Master. I've inquired, and the Sect Master doesn't take disciples, but he's lived for over three hundred years. I might not outlive him...

So be it. Live well, and I'll find time to go back.

After replying to Old Qiu, Ji You left Jade Garden of Bingshui Lake and met up with Lu Qingqiu and the others.

There weren't just six of them; Ban Yangshu and another Outer Court disciple named Ji Qirui were also present. Ji Qirui's family was old acquaintances with Lu Qingqiu's, and he also had connections with some of the Celestial Academy's officials.

He hadn't met Ji You before, but he had heard about the commotion Ji You caused in the Outer Court. His eyes were filled with curiosity.

"Is this the one who comprehended the Heavenly Tome?"

"That's right."

Ban Yangshu nodded, gazing at Ji You.

He had heard the day before that Ji You didn't use pills or spirit stones, yet he had already condensed five spiritual lights. He couldn't help but sigh.

Ever since he entered the Inner Court, he had been stuck in the Profound Heaven Upper Realm, unable to reach Dao Integration. But Ji You, with such great perseverance, might go further than him.

A rogue cultivator from the countryside, truly defying fate.

In just a few words, the group traveled by spiritual energy to Hong Ding Tower in the eastern part of the city.

This tower was quite famous in the capital, boasting itself as the number one tower in the world. Only descendants of immortal sects and royal family members were qualified to enter.

From the shopkeeper to the waiters, all of them were cultivators in the lower three realms. While this cultivation level might not be much in the Celestial Academy, it was impressive among ordinary people.

As the group was seated, courtesans sang and dancers twirled, a delightful sight.

Bai Rulong and Qian Yunxiao were very excited, thinking they had come to the right place. Their Dao Hearts were clearest when observing such things!

Only Ji You, for some unknown reason, had a vision of a fair, fragrant, jade-like foot kicking him violently in his mind. He felt the woman in front of him seemed rather common.

Damn, could I have some unusual preferences?

Ji You couldn't help but drink the wine in his cup, feeling a bit of a thrill.

Ban Yangshu had been observing him the entire time and couldn't help but sigh slightly.

Even before ascending to become an immortal, his mind was already free of distractions, not even deigning to look at mere appearances. No wonder he could sense the Heavenly Tome.

Such a clear Dao Heart also proved that this young man was indeed extraordinary.

Afterward, the dishes were served, and the banquet officially began. Lu Qingqiu, as the host, gave a very grand speech.

Her family was in the spirit stone mining business and intended to befriend those with extraordinary talent, especially someone like Ban Yangshu.

Although the Ban family of Youzhou was also a prominent family, they had been in decline for a long time. If Ban Yangshu didn't improve his cultivation, he would have to leave the academy on his own. Even if he returned home, he wouldn't achieve much. Naturally, he would choose to join other forces.

While the Profound Heaven Upper Realm might not be considered much in the Celestial Academy, it was still a top-tier expert outside.

Lu Qingqiu's voice was pleasant, soft and melodious, like a spring breeze, making everyone at the table smile.

Only Ji You, after listening for a while, felt a jolt in his heart.

Damn, I don't think I actually like gentle types...

In addition to the polite remarks, Lu Qingqiu also asked a question that made Bai Rulong, Qian Yunxiao, and the others very curious: what was the Inner Court like?

Speaking of this, a hint of pride appeared on Ban Yangshu's face.

"The Inner Court is divided into five halls: Zizai, Jixiang, Changsheng, Buchen, and Wuyu. I belong to the Zizai Hall, and Brother Ji does too."

"There are also instructors in the Inner Court with profound Daoist knowledge, but direct disciples can be personally taught by the Hall Masters."

"Currently, the Zizai Hall and Jixiang Hall have direct disciples and are relatively peaceful. However, the other three halls are constantly vying for them, much like the Outer Court."

"The junior brother who entered last year had considerable ambition and chose the Changsheng Hall, vowing to secure a spot as a direct disciple. This year..."

Ban Yangshu looked at Ji You, thinking that this year's Inner Court spot might be his.

Ah, Junior Brother Ji is so focused and engaged when he eats.

Ji Qirui, however, was more concerned about another matter. He raised his cup to Ji You and said, "Junior Brother Ji, I've heard a lot about you in the Inner Court. I heard you not only comprehended the Heavenly Tome but are also a dual cultivator of martial and cultivation arts?"

When rumors of Ji You spread through the Celestial Academy, they always included two phrases: rogue cultivator from the countryside and dual cultivator of martial and cultivation arts.

This was to create a contrast and prove his extraordinary talent.

It was like saying, "Even though he spends all day at internet cafes, he still gets the top grade in the entire grade every time. Isn't that infuriating?"

Ji You looked up and replied, "Indeed, I have some basic knowledge of martial arts."

"But martial arts are ultimately a minor path. With your exceptional talent, why waste your time on it?"

"It's a personal hobby."

Ban Yangshu heard this and said, "Actually, pure Dao cultivators are mostly found in the north. There are quite a few dual cultivators in the south. The word 'sword' in Spirit Sword Mountain was changed because the previous Sect Master was an obsessed sword fanatic."

Lu Qingqiu, Bai Rulong, Qian Yunxiao, and the others listened intently and nodded, but in their hearts, they agreed more with Ji Qirui's idea.

The south had many small kingdoms and frequent conflicts, so the practice of martial arts had been passed down for thousands of years.

But habits were habits. Regardless, martial arts ultimately did not help with cultivation.

Senior Brother Ban was known for his smooth talk within the Inner Court, always saying things people loved to hear.

As time passed, the dishes on the banquet table gradually dwindled, and the night outside the window grew deeper.

The individuals, who had been unfamiliar with each other earlier, were now engaged in lively conversation. Even Ji You chimed in occasionally. During the meal, Lu Qingqiu invited them to be guests at the Yunzhou Lu Family, and they all readily agreed.

This was Lu Qingqiu's objective for hosting the banquet.

If she couldn't get into the Inner Court, she wouldn't stay long at the Celestial Academy, but inviting some people back was still a gain.

The drum on the city wall struck the third watch, and the group left the restaurant.

By this time, the sky outside was already incredibly deep. Not a soul could be seen in the city, only a few cultivators, radiating spiritual energy to ward off the cold, passed by on the streets.

Shengjing was the center of the mortal world, and it was common for the Seven Great Immortal Sects to dispatch their disciples for external missions within the city. These individuals were not bound by curfews, so seeing them was not unusual.

However, as they approached Yong'an Gate, Ban Yangshu and Ji Qirui suddenly stopped, unable to resist looking around.

Following suit, Ji You also frowned, gazing towards a dark area devoid of any light.

For some reason, they had just sensed a malicious aura lingering nearby, but it had quickly vanished.

Lu Qingqiu, possessing only two strands of mystic light, naturally couldn't perceive such things as well as Ji You and hadn't noticed anything.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing, perhaps..."

Just as Ji You was about to answer, his body moved instinctively without thought, shoving Lu Qingqiu, who stood in front of him, away.

He then rapidly leaned back, a surge of air beneath his feet allowing him to retreat a full zhang.

In that very instant, a pair of scarlet eyes appeared in the darkness. The attacker was shrouded in malevolent energy, radiating an evil aura. Their strike was as swift as lightning, their fingers hooking and clawing downwards.

Seeing that the two had dodged, the shadowy figure dispersed and directly lunged for Bai Rulong and Qian Yunxiao.

"Evil Seed?"

"How could an Evil Seed appear in Shengjing?"

Ban Yangshu and Ji Qirui exclaimed in shock. They immediately drew their swords, their sharp cries echoing as they slashed horizontally at the Evil Seed.

Just as they seemed poised to strike the being down, a muffled sound came from the darkness on the other side. The two instinctively turned, only to see a bolt of white lightning instantly strike towards them, its sound like mountains splitting.

"Dao Integration Realm?!"

"Quick, retreat! Don't engage directly!"

Ban Yangshu pulled Ji Qirui back as they retreated. A scorched black mark instantly appeared on the ground, and the flagstones where they had stood exploded into dust with a "bang."

However, the attacker didn't stop after unleashing the lightning technique. They gathered more lightning in their palm and, stepping forward with a fierce gust of wind, swept their hand forward.

Ban Yangshu and Ji Qirui flipped to dodge, then countered with their fists, their intent as fierce as roaring wind and thunder.

But the opponent was still a realm higher. They directly blocked with their backhand, then struck with their fist, crossing the two's shoulders and smashing down like iron hammers.

(Seeking monthly votes, seeking continued readership...)