A light boat floated in the air.
This time, there were only two people on board. One was dressed in a black long gown, sitting cross-legged on the boat, with a long zither placed in front of him.
His fingers hovered above the strings, plucking them in mid-air, yet he did not seem to be playing, which was extremely peculiar.
The other person was in a green shirt, his round belly stretching the shirt to an extreme, as if he had stuffed a large ball inside.
He sat opposite the young man in black, his plump, jointless fingers flying up and down, arranging a tea set.
Yun Ze slightly lifted his eyelids, revealing a sliver of an opening, and looked at the little chubby man before him, a sense of helplessness rising in his heart.
According to the usual practice, after he, representing Tongtian Academy, went to the Chengtian Dynasty, someone from the Immortal Mansion would be there to meet him.
So, before he started practicing his zither, he had asked this little chubby man to brew a pot of tea to entertain the people from the Immortal Mansion.
But now, an hour had passed…
This little chubby man was still holding a jade slip, comparing it step by step with the procedure for brewing tea.
This was the reliable outer disciple his senior sister had introduced to him.
Yun Ze couldn't help but doubt if he had brought the wrong person.
Brewing tea was just a small matter.
It had been nearly half a month since they left Tongtian Academy, and he had observed this little chubby man for half a month.
In these past half a month, he hadn't managed to do a single thing properly.
He hadn't reached the stage of辟谷 (bì gǔ - abstaining from grain) yet, so he needed to eat. Therefore, Yun Ze had asked him to buy some food before they left, but the fellow actually brought back six chickens!
Three males and three females, claiming that chickens lay eggs, and eggs hatch chickens, so six would be enough for an endless supply.
Yun Ze, who no longer needed to eat, rolled his eyes and endured it.
Later, when the boat started and headed towards the Chengtian Dynasty, Yun Ze needed to cultivate with a calm mind and asked him to wake him up if anything happened.
But this fellow…
Seeing a flock of birds flying past the boat, he wanted to catch them all and lecture them, telling them not to chirp, so as not to disturb his cultivation.
Seeing people setting off fireworks below, he even leaped off the boat to inform everyone that immortals would be passing by soon, and they should not set off fireworks in the sky.
This was a good intention, but in the end, Yun Ze had to make the boat turn around and pick him up.
Countless other trivial matters, and each time this fellow handled them, it was beyond Yun Ze's expectations!
And now, asked to brew tea, an hour had passed, and the water hadn't even boiled yet!
"Sigh…"
Yun Ze sighed. He had no choice but to open his eyes and look at the little chubby man: "Ziji, let me do it."
"No!"
Ziji quickly stood up and cupped his hands towards Yun Ze: "Mr. Tu, you are concentrating on comprehending the Dao, don't let me disturb your mind. It's just brewing a pot of tea, I can do it!"
If you could do it, why would I have to speak…
Yun Ze smiled bitterly in helplessness.
This little chubby man was indeed a bit simple-minded, but simplicity also had its advantages.
At least Yun Ze hadn't truly played his zither for so many days, only practicing in the air, which this fellow saw as comprehending the Dao.
He didn't know what else to say.
"Fellow Daoist ahead, are you from Tongtian Academy?"
Just as Yun Ze was contemplating whether to knock the fellow unconscious and brew the tea himself, to avoid disgracing Tongtian Academy, a voice sounded from afar.
This voice… sounded somewhat familiar!
Yun Ze turned his head to look in the direction of the voice, and his eyes immediately lit up!
He saw a person in white, standing on a flying sword, hovering a hundred meters away from the boat.
Brother Ji!
Wasn't this Brother Ji who took such good care of him at the Immortal Gathering back then!
Seeing an old friend again, he instinctively wanted to call out Ji Shan's name, but the words changed as they reached his lips.
"Indeed."
Yun Ze suppressed the joy in his heart and stood up, cupping his fists towards him: "Tongtian Academy, Tu Sheng."
"Immortal Mansion, Ji Shan."
Ji Shan also smiled and cupped his fists. After a brief introduction, he rode his flying sword towards the boat: "Fellow Daoist, may I come aboard for a chat? There are some matters that need to be confirmed with you before the Ascension Assembly begins."
"Naturally."
Yun Ze had no reason to refuse. He glanced at Ziji and found him busy fiddling with the tea set again.
Well, this time he had poured water into the teapot.
But you haven't even lit the fire yet, hey!
Yun Ze was truly speechless and could only casually conjure a flame and toss it under the teapot before sitting down cross-legged.
He put the zither in front of him into his Sumeru ring and extended his hand to Ji Shan: "Fellow Daoist Ji, please."
"Thank you."
Ji Shan replied and sat down opposite Yun Ze. He directly took out a token and handed it to Yun Ze: "This token is the entry pass for this Ascension Assembly. There are still half a month before the current Ascension Assembly convenes.
With this pass, Fellow Daoist can freely enter and exit the venue and the Immortal Gathering. If you wish to trade anything, we will prepare a free stall for you. If you wish to consign any items, we can also auction them for you, charging only half the service fee.
However, the envoys from the other seven sects have already arrived, and these slightly better stalls…"
"It's alright, it's alright."
Yun Ze smiled and put away the token.
He naturally didn't care about stalls and the like.
"There are also some matters that require your attention."
Seeing that Yun Ze was easy to talk to, Ji Shan smiled and said: "The Chengtian Dynasty is not large, and the common people have not seen many immortals, so it is inevitable that they will be surprised.
If any commoners offend you, please inform the Immortal Mansion to resolve it. You must not take matters into your own hands."
"Don't worry, I understand this."
"If you discover any demonic cultivators, it's the same. Please inform us. Currently, the Demonic Cave is at war with the Xiu family, and it is not convenient for our Immortal Mansion to intervene."
Yun Ze nodded slowly.
He had only learned this news on the second day after arriving at Tongtian Academy.
When he learned this news, he was initially confused, thinking it was just a family dispute.
The main lineage of the Xiu family changed every thousand years; he knew this.
Knowing his own brothers, Xiu Long would not be a match for Xiu Yun even if the matter of faking his death hadn't happened. Why would he be so impatient?
Yun Ze didn't know why Xiu Litian would take such drastic measures against the Xiu family.
But after Yun Xiao's explanation, he understood the root of it all!
It wasn't family hatred, nor was it some old grudge, but the imminent crisis!
The Demon Realm!
The situation in the Demon Realm was dire, but in the cultivation world, some families led by the Xiu family were unwilling to participate, only sending some cultivators above the Nascent Soul stage to join the battle.
However, cultivators like those in the Integration or Tribulation stages were hidden within their families.
Xiu Litian wanted to use these drastic measures to force these people out!
Killing the chicken to warn the monkeys.
The Xiu family was the chicken!
This was also why the Immortal Mansion was unwilling to intervene…
Yun Ze couldn't help but lament.
If he hadn't achieved Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment, he would have really wanted to see this Demon Lord.
"Alright, the important matters are finished. Now for personal matters."
Ji Shan suddenly stood up and cupped his fists towards Yun Ze again: "As the First Prince of the Chengtian Dynasty, Ji Shan, I invite Mr. Tu to the palace for a chat. I hope Mr. Tu will grace me with your presence."
"Huh?"
Yun Ze tilted his head.
He never expected Brother Ji to have such an identity.
Ji… That's right, he also has the surname Ji!
"It is a bit abrupt, I admit."
Ji Shan's old face flushed, and he no longer sat down, but stood there: "I have an impudent request!"
Brother Ji, could it be that he wants me to use my connections to take his younger brother as a disciple?
Yun Ze frowned. In his impression, Brother Ji shouldn't be this kind of person.
Although Xiu Ji would eventually be taken as a disciple, the reason for taking him would be different.
His expression darkened, and he replied in Tu Sheng's character: "Fellow Daoist Ji, if it's a personal matter, then do not mix it with official business."
"It's not entirely…"
Ji Shan scratched his head sheepishly. After some hesitation, he finally said: "May I ask first, how many disciples is Tongtian Academy recruiting this time?"
"At most seven."
"Seven…"
Ji Shan murmured, his brow furrowed.
After a few moments of thought, he spoke to Mr. Tu: "Mr. Tu, why don't you first hear my impudent request, and then decide whether to agree?"
"Go ahead and tell me." Yun Ze didn't refuse outright.
"My third brother…"
Just hearing the first four words, Yun Ze already knew.
But when he heard Ji Shan's next words, he couldn't help but be shocked!
"Please, do not take him as a disciple, and let him remain in the mortal world!"
"What?"
Yun Ze was stunned.
This development was a little different from what he had imagined!
"Please, Mr. Tu, do not take my third brother as a disciple!"
Ji Shan repeated: "In return, I can give you a second-tier spiritual brush. Please agree!"
Yun Ze frowned and asked: "Does your third brother have a grudge against you?"
"No."
Ji Shan honestly replied: "I left home to cultivate for many years. Today is the first time I have seen my third brother since returning home."
"Then your third brother is not your blood relative?"
"He and I were born of the same mother. Speaking of which, it's thanks to the pills I often sent to my mother that she maintained her youthful appearance. Otherwise, this child wouldn't have been born yet."
"Then why…"
"Legacy!"
Ji Shan did not hold back and immediately said: "The Chengtian Dynasty is currently facing war. As a legitimate cultivator, I can no longer concern myself with mortal affairs.
The moment I saw Little Xiu, I knew he had extraordinary talent and was unusual. If he wished, he could easily ascend to immortality!
But if he ascends, there will be no one to inherit the dynasty. Chengtian… may very likely be destroyed because of this!"
Yun Ze's brow furrowed.
It was said that cultivators should sever their ties with the mortal world, but many said it, and few truly achieved it.
Either they were rogue cultivators who entered the Dao, and after hundreds of years, their blood relatives had all passed away, only then would they have such a state of mind.
But for someone like Ji Shan, whose blood relatives were still alive, even if he became a cultivator, how could he sever his seven emotions and six desires?
According to his words, Xiu Ji had extraordinary talent. Even if he delayed a few years in the mortal world, after the war subsided, he could still re-enter the path of cultivation.
At that time, he could simply go through his connections and enter the Immortal Mansion. There was no need to enter the Dao at this moment.
However…
Senior Sister had said that this Xiu Ji must be taken as a disciple, no matter what!
As for the reason, Yun Ze had also asked Yun Xiao.
But the answer he received was somewhat unbelievable.
A dream!
She dreamed that Tu Xiu personally told her that the Third Prince of the Chengtian Dynasty, Ji Xiu, carried her hope of condensing her Golden Core!
It was known that after cultivators reached the Foundation Establishment stage, not only could they reach the stage of辟谷 (bì gǔ - abstaining from grain), but they also no longer needed sleep. They only needed to cultivate to replenish their energy, spirit, and mind.
But Yun Xiao had a dream!
Therefore, this Xiu Ji must be taken into Tongtian Academy, no matter what!
But Ji Big Brother's family couldn't just ignore it.
Just as Yun Ze was frowning, Ziji, who was fiddling with the tea set beside him, suddenly looked up at the two of them.
"Senior Ji, Mr. Tu, I have a plan that might achieve both goals."