Spirit Sword Mountain's Young Master Jian's journey to challenge the Chen Clan Immortal Family was a major event for the Qingyun World, and in the blink of an eye, news had spread in all directions.
Naturally, some people pondered the hidden peculiarities within it.
Especially the Dao Seeking Sect. Their direct disciple had publicly gone to offer congratulations, yet failed to meet her. Then, in the blink of an eye, she had appeared at the Chen Clan Immortal Family, leaving them in an awkward position.
Meanwhile, aboard a massive flying sword headed for Central Prefecture, the Celestial Academy disciples assigned to the ruins were also talking about the matter.
Only Ji You, seated at the front of the sword, was training his Divine Sense and did not join in.
"Brother Ji, have you heard of Spirit Sword Mountain's Young Master Jian?"
"I heard she possesses beauty that could topple kingdoms and astonishing cultivation talent. Spirit Sword Mountain has already confirmed her as their next sect leader."
Bai Rulong sat near the tail of the flying sword and could not help looking at Ji You, who carried seven longswords on his back.
As the eldest son of the Bai Family, he seemed to have had his fortune stolen by his second brother. After refusing the pills sent from home, he had ended up on the list for investigating the ruins. Whether it was because his Lineage no longer favored him or for some other reason, he did not know.
In any case, he clearly had no chance of obtaining an Inner Court slot. Being able to come out and look around was not something he resisted much.
As for the danger they might encounter...
No matter. He only had to keep Brother Ji in front of him.
Ji You slightly opened his eyes. Hearing Bai Rulong ask whether he knew Yan Shuyi, he quietly shook his head, though his fingers could not help rubbing the Green Jade Gourd at his waist.
He did not know how formidable Spirit Sword Mountain's Young Master Jian was. He only knew she loved kicking people, and that her feet were fair and tender with every kick.
At the same time, the disciples around them could not help turning to look, and their whispered discussion shifted to Chu He and Du Zhu.
When this group had set off, they had seen Chu He and Du Zhu standing side by side before the Mountain Gate, smiling without quite smiling.
Behind them stood only children of Aristocratic Clans with illustrious family backgrounds.
Meanwhile, the Inner Court's sole original candidate had now been driven out of the Celestial Academy. Like these fallen Aristocratic Clan children, his future was uncertain.
In everyone's eyes, even if they returned safely, Ji You would no longer have any chance of entering the Inner Court.
Amid the discussion, Ban Yangshu, seated at the front, suddenly stood up.
He had spent many years in the Inner Court without making any progress, so naturally he had also become one of those on the list.
His expression was grave as he repeatedly looked down beneath the flying sword.
Seeing this, the Outer Court disciples behind him all leaned over to look. Even Ji You could not help glancing over, his expression instantly growing solemn.
The Qiling Mountain Range lay in the southeastern part of Central Prefecture. Because of the ruins and the evil breeds, no towns had initially been established there.
But after the Hongshan Mine was excavated nearby, a town built by miners gradually appeared here. Celestial Academy disciples guarded it, and some collateral branches of Aristocratic Clans were also stationed within.
The Ancient Ruins were filled with Killing Intent, but it had mostly remained clustered around Qiling Mountain.
Yet now, the Killing Intent from the Ancient Ruins had spread throughout the forests. Even the previously designated landing point had turned gray and hazy in their sight.
Ban Yangshu did not dare rashly order the flying sword to descend. Instead, he took out a communication token and contacted the Inner Court disciples who had arrived in the first group.
"Senior Sister Wen, where are you now?"
"Ban Yangshu?"
"It's me."
"We're in the town. Just land at the planned location."
As the Immortal Light of communication faded, Ban Yangshu directed the disciple using spiritual energy to control the flying sword to descend.
As the flying sword drew closer and closer to the ground, a silent town appeared before them. When they looked up again, the sky was already dim and murky.
More than ten people descended from the flying sword and entered the town. They saw a group of ragged women and children kneeling on the ground, endlessly kowtowing to passing cultivators and howling in the local dialect.
The Hongshan Mine was right beside Qiling Mountain. As evil breeds surged out of the mountains, the entire mine had been surrounded.
Their men were trapped inside, while they themselves could do nothing. They could only take out every possession they had, lay the silver they had exchanged for on the road, and beg the immortals to intervene.
Ji You stared at the silver before them for a long time, finding it hard to look away.
But soon, the Celestial Academy disciples who had arrived ahead of them appeared at the town entrance and came to greet them. Every one of them wore an extremely grave expression.
Walking at the very front was the Inner Court female disciple Wen Zhengxin, the leader of this operation.
Although she had entered the academy later than Ban Yangshu, her cultivation talent was exceptional. She had now entered the Dao Integration Realm. She had originally been a candidate for Zizai Hall's direct inheritance, but had ultimately lost and been helplessly dispatched here.
"Senior Sister Wen, what happened here?"
"Try circulating your spiritual energy."
Ban Yangshu froze slightly, then circulated his spiritual energy. He found the spiritual essence within his body trembling violently, while the efficiency at which he absorbed spiritual energy had become extraordinarily slow. He was greatly shocked.
Wen Zhengxin glanced at him. "The Killing Intent here suppresses the circulation of spiritual essence."
At those words, the disciples behind Ban Yangshu instantly began talking among themselves.
Suppress spiritual essence? Ji You looked around in slight surprise, his expression gradually becoming thoughtful.
Just then, Wen Zhengxin spoke again. "It is not merely that the Killing Intent can suppress spiritual essence. It is also very difficult to achieve Heaven-Man Resonance here."
Heaven-Man Resonance was the scholarly term for Divine Sense ascending into the heavens.
Put another way, within the range of the Killing Intent, cultivators found it difficult to sense the Heavenly Dao. Cultivation therefore became exceptionally arduous.
After trying it, Ban Yangshu felt dizzy and disoriented, his expression becoming even uglier. "The disciples from the Affairs Management Courtyard investigated this place three times before. Why did they never mention this?"
"What do you think?"
Upon hearing that, the faces of the disciples who had only just arrived gradually turned pale.
Everyone in the Qingyun World knew that immortal sects were the most heartless of all, but they had never expected such heartlessness.
Investigating the evil breeds amid Killing Intent that could restrain spiritual essence was simply sending people to their deaths.
Wen Zhengxin looked at them, then finally said, "You needn't worry too much. Tomorrow, when we enter the mountains, we are only scouting the way. There will not be any danger."
"What exactly is in the mountains?"
"You'll know once you go in."
Hearing this, everyone turned to look at the Qiling Mountain Range in the distance, stretching beyond the eye like a mountain range pressing down upon them head-on. An involuntary chill rose within them.
Even from such a great distance, the Killing Intent was already so dense. If they truly entered the mountains, who knew what would happen.
At this moment, everyone's hearts were filled with resistance.
They had come to the immortal sects to study under masters and learn their arts. They had paid their fees, and money and goods had changed hands fairly. Why should they come to such a place to risk their lives?
Yet even so, no one dared say, "I'm not going," then flick their sleeves and leave.
Because they were not alone. Behind them stood the relationship between their Lineages and the immortal sects that ruled this world.
Ji You turned back and pointed toward the Hongshan Mine. "Do we not need to deal with those evil breeds that came out of the mountains?"
"Just go around them when entering the mountains. There is no need to deal with them."
After saying that, Wen Zhengxin turned and led everyone toward the inn where they would be staying.
Ji You suddenly realized that he had misunderstood this journey.
The immortal sects did not care how many evil breeds had emerged, or how many living people were trapped. They only cared who was controlling the evil breeds—or, rather, what secret lay in the mountains.
As for whether those that had emerged would eat people, where they might roam, or whether the trapped people would die, none of it mattered.
Ji You turned to Ban Yangshu. "Senior Brother, you all go back to the inn first. I'm heading out."
"Where?"
"I'm going to take a look at the Hongshan Mine."
Ban Yangshu frowned upon hearing that. "The Hongshan Mine lies right beside the Qiling Mountain Range. Evil breeds are already wandering there constantly. You are only at Perfection of the Lower Three Realms. What are you going there for?"
Ji You pointed at the women and children kneeling and kowtowing. "They seem to be paying."
Ban Yangshu knew Ji You loved money immensely, but after hearing this, he still found it difficult to believe. "You're earning even this money?"
"A bastard is one who sees money and does not earn it."
Ban Yangshu was stunned for a moment, then frowned. "Do you have someone you know trapped in the mine?"
Ji You thought for a long while, weighing the sword in his hand. "Nothing really gets past Senior Brother."
"You come from Abundant Prefecture. Who could you know in Central Prefecture?"
"I know a child's father, a wife's husband, and an old man's son."
Ji You grinned, slung his sword over his shoulder, and walked toward the Hongshan Mine.
After leaving Yuyang County, he had entered the Celestial Academy. Together with Kuang Cheng, he had discussed how one of them would hold court and country in his palm, while the other would become the sect leader of the Sacred Sect, and together they would make this world a little better.
But the position of sect leader was far too distant from him. He did not even know whether he could survive long enough to reach it.
Sure enough, he had been sent here as cannon fodder.
Ji You did not know what lay in the mountains, nor was it something someone at Perfection of the Lower Three Realms could meddle in. But even as cannon fodder, he could choose for whom he became cannon fodder.
He had once studied a text that said that after the waves receded, many small fish were left stranded on the beach, struggling in puddles as they awaited death.
Then there was a little boy who kept picking them up and throwing them back into the sea.
A passerby saw him and laughed, saying that he could not save every fish, so who would care?
The boy said, "This one cares, this one cares, and this one cares..."
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