Brought Her Back

Ji You left Jade Garden of Bingshui Lake and crossed a stone bridge brimming with spiritual energy. His white robes danced in the autumn wind, sleeves billowing gracefully.

At the sight, every gaze from the Dao Comprehension Ground converged on him.

Quite a few people had actually heard whispers about the investigation into the Ancient Ruins.

After all, over the past few days, more than a dozen flying swords as large as immortal ships had passed through the skies above the inner court, packed with disciples from the Affairs Management Courtyard.

Soon afterward, rumors about the investigation roster began to spread.

Some said Ji You was on the list and might even have to venture deep into the ruins, where nine deaths awaited every one chance of survival.

Everyone had different thoughts upon hearing such news.

This rustic independent cultivator had always been an oddity within the immortal sect—too dazzling to look at without discomfort.

He had stepped on Chu He to comprehend the Celestial Tome, saved two inner court senior brothers alone with three swords, and left his peers far behind in a single dash, making countless children of Aristocratic Clans feel as though their faces had been slapped raw.

But at this moment, the tide turned.

Chu He was about to break through, while Du Zhu had gathered four strands of Mystic Light and was already showing signs of overtaking those ahead.

Yet Ji You had been dispatched from Celestial Academy and would miss out on an inner court slot.

Bai Rulong and Qian Yunxiao had cursed their mothers outright at noon. Seeing him drift over now, their faces were full of worry.

Du Zhu, meanwhile, sat amid the crowd and lifted his eyes slightly. The four strands of Mystic Light on his forehead suddenly appeared, mockery spilling from his expression.

As for Chu He, he did not open his eyes. He was still comprehending the Dao, his aura terrifying as the intent to attain Mystic Profundity already emerged around him.

Still, everyone remembered what Chu He had said at noon, when he had first learned of the matter.

"Even if he stays, can some rustic independent cultivator truly contend with me?"

Lu Qingqiu's thoughts were the most complicated of all, because she believed Ji You had long been smitten with her.

But in the end, everything had turned out just as she expected. No matter how exceptional his talent, Ji You had been born poor.

What limited children from humble families had never been a lack of talent.

But just then, everyone noticed that Ji You, some distance away, suddenly froze as though he had seen something.

He had originally been heading toward the Dao Comprehension Ground, but he abruptly changed direction and walked toward the Ascending Immortal White Jade Platform, his expression growing ever more astonished.

What was going on...

Were his eyes playing tricks on him?

Ji You remembered the bundle of chopsticks he had borrowed from the Immortal Cuisine House. Had I cultivated myself into madness?

Lu Qingqiu, Bai Rulong, Qian Yunxiao, Chu He, Du Zhu, Fang Ruoyao, Lou Siyi... all the Outer Court disciples turned together to watch where he was going, their eyes gradually widening in shock.

Because there was only one person upon the White Jade Platform: a Fairy of peerless beauty, standing slenderly beneath the slanting sunset as the autumn breeze brushed her hair and gently lifted the hem of her skirt.

And Ji You was heading straight for that Fairy, drawing closer with every step.

"What is he doing?"

Qian Yunxiao could not help speaking. "Men always like admiring beauty..."

Du Zhu sneered. "He just walked over like that? His nerve is a little too great."

"He probably cannot even tell that the cloud-brocade dress she wears is worth a fortune, and yet it is the cheapest thing on her."

"Sometimes, the ignorant truly know no fear."

Over this period, as people had successively surged ahead in spectacular fashion, it was not uncommon for those whose Dao hearts had been damaged to seek a Dao Companion to mend themselves.

But Ji You's target gave everyone a feeling akin to a fool talking in his sleep.

With that woman's bearing and Household background, what ordinary man would dare approach her?

What they could not see was that the Fairy upon the White Jade Platform was also looking at Ji You. There seemed to be a trace of unease in her cool eyes.

Cultivation was dull—day after day, year after year. But then, one day, an unreliable man suddenly appeared beside you.

And once you had seen this person for long enough, you would inevitably grow curious about him.

By chance, you came down from the mountain and wandered the world without any aim. On a sudden whim, you wanted to learn more about him and see what he was like in his daily life. But when you truly saw him, you were no longer quite sure whether he was the same person.

Ji You had the same thought. He gazed at her for a long while, not daring to acknowledge her.

He did not know whether Void Mountain lay within the Celestial Tome or beneath the high heavens, but in any case, it was not in the mortal world. So this felt more like a dream.

Yan Shuyi... the woman from his dream had appeared in reality, standing before him so vividly.

Ji You could not help hesitating, and so he could not help looking at her for a little longer.

At this moment, Yan Shuyi's brows gradually furrowed. Killing intent began to brew within her. She felt that coming to see him like this had indeed been somewhat abrupt, and she considered saying that she had mistaken him for someone else. But that felt humiliating, and she figured it would be better to simply finish off the person before her once and for all.

"Uh..."

"I almost didn't recognize you once you put your shoes on..."

Ji You's terrible line slipped out. His heart immediately lurched, and he thought, It's over.

Over, over, over. My fierce bandit reputation of one man and three swords is finished.

Sure enough, Yan Shuyi froze at his words, then widened her eyes. A trace of killing intent flashed through her beautiful gaze.

When faced with such a rude man, she would normally use her sword to make him shut up. Yet to her surprise, her first instinct was to kick him.

But after hesitating for a while, Yan Shuyi realized this was not below that mountain and that people were watching nearby, so she could only let it go helplessly.

Ji You sighed in relief, though he also felt a little regret. Then he quickly heard her voice beside his ear.

"Lecher, you deceived me."

"Hm?"

Yan Shuyi looked at him. "You really are a student of Celestial Academy, but the name you told me was false."

Ji You held his breath, imagining a stunning young woman searching all over Shengjing for Ji Bochang. "Since you wanted to find me, why did you not say so in advance?"

"I thought that since I knew you were at Celestial Academy and knew your name, finding you would be easy. I did not expect you to have lied to me, so I could only wait here."

"When you came, did you not consider what you would do if you could not find me?"

Yan Shuyi did not care. "It was only a passing whim. If I could not find you, I would simply return."

Ji You's lips trembled faintly. "Miss, you really have a big heart."

"You are not allowed to judge a Fairy so casually."

Yan Shuyi narrowed her eyes and snapped at him. Then she paused slightly, feeling that her tone had been rather strange.

She was not usually like this. She was the sort who rarely smiled or spoke, and she would never use such a spoiled tone. Yet whenever she saw him, it was as though she became a different person.

Was it because they had cultivated together for a time in that space where no one else existed?

At the time, she had thought that since neither knew the other, she could do whatever she wanted, so she had let a little of her true nature, unlike her usual self, show through?

She was becoming less like her normal self and rather more petulant. Thinking of this made Yan Shuyi somewhat irritated.

Ji You smiled. "This is not a convenient place to talk. Would you like to sit in my courtyard?"

Yan Shuyi raised her eyes. "You only know my name, yet you are not curious who I truly am?"

"There is only one sect in Lingzhou. I know that much."

Seeing Ji You turn and walk ahead, Yan Shuyi pursed her lips and could not help glancing beyond Celestial Academy.

She had originally intended to leave after one look and had not planned to stay long.

After all, she and he were merely fellow cultivators who had exchanged words a few times. She was only somewhat curious about him.

Ji You turned back then and looked at her questioningly, seemingly asking why she was not following.

Yan Shuyi opened her mouth. She did not know why she suddenly wanted to change her mind, so after hesitating for a long while, she said, "I'm a little hungry."

"Then I'll take you to eat first."

Then I'll leave after eating, Yan Shuyi thought.

Their conversation carried the familiar strangeness of two people who knew each other yet did not, impossible to place clearly—like meeting an online romance in person. They did not know what to say, yet it was strangely intoxicating.

Meanwhile, the people at the Dao Comprehension Ground were still waiting for the spectacle of the rude man being cut down by a sword. But they froze slightly when, after the two whispered to each other, the Fairy actually followed him off the White Jade Platform and headed along the road toward Bishui Lake.

As they passed the Dao Comprehension Ground, everyone briefly caught sight of the woman's expression.

Though she carried a touch of annoyance, she was no longer as cold as before. Moreover, she followed him step by step, looking remarkably obedient.

Yet on one downhill stretch, the Fairy seemed to raise her fist and secretly aim a punch at Ji You's dog head.

Those in the Dao Comprehension Ground were all baffled by this sight. Even Chu He, Du Zhu, Lu Qingqiu, and the others could not help frowning.

How had this Fairy who kept strangers at arm's length seemingly become a different person and simply let herself be led away?

"What is going on?"

"They seem to know each other..."

Lu Qingqiu turned to Fang Ruoyao and found that she, too, was staring blankly at the scene.

The most dumbfounded were Bai Rulong and Qian Yunxiao. When they had seen Ji You walk toward the Fairy earlier, they had exclaimed that Brother Ji truly possessed a Dao heart of color, courage, and heaven-piercing brilliance!

But even if they were beaten to death, they would never have expected that Brother Ji would directly bring her back with him.

Could it be that my Brother Ji is truly extraordinary in every single way?

At the same time, Ji You and Yan Shuyi had already crossed the stone bridge over Bishui Lake, one after the other, and happened to meet Cao Jinsong at the bridgehead.

Seeing Ji You approaching with that woman, Cao Jinsong froze.

Earlier, when he had seen a crowd of students gathered around a woman on the White Jade Platform, he had declared that Ji You would absolutely never do such a thing.

Good heavens, Ji You had not disappointed him. He had indeed not gone to watch—he had directly abducted her and brought her back...