The Power of the Ancient God Finally Begins to Awaken
For the next several days, Ji Chaoyun and Feng Qi did not see each other again.
Before the Heavenly Ranking Tournament, the academy disciples still had to complete one more quarterly examination. Ji Chaoyun, however, had already passed this examination ahead of time through the merit earned from his training journey and received a Grade A. So long as he did not fall behind in his lessons, he did not need to attend classes in the lecture halls every day.
For that reason, Ji Chaoyun simply stopped returning to the disciples’ quarters during this period. He stayed in Cloud-Ascending Tower, meditating and cultivating as he devoted himself to preparing for the Heavenly Ranking Tournament.
Ji Chaoyun did not need to take the examination, but the other disciples were not so fortunate.
Without Ji Chaoyun supervising him from the side, Ye Chenxing visibly returned to the brink of failing his classes. After much pleading on his part, Ji Chaoyun finally agreed to tutor him during evening lessons.
Cloud-Ascending Tower was brightly lit at night, and the familiar warming incense burned inside the warm chamber. Ji Chaoyun closed a scripture he had just finished reading and casually knocked it against the head of the person beside him.
“Ow!” Ye Chenxing, who had been dozing off, jolted awake and instantly sat ramrod straight. “I wasn’t slacking off. I was memorizing it!”
Bei Ran looked up from his writing and said with a smile, “I can testify. Brother Ye only slept for the time it takes an incense stick to burn. It wasn’t very long.”
“...” Ye Chenxing gritted his teeth. “Little Bei Ran—”
Ji Chaoyun shook his head and stood. “I was only going to tell you that the bell dismissing class has already rung. You should go back.”
Both of them paused in surprise. Ye Chenxing asked in confusion, “How did I not hear anything again?”
“Cloud-Ascending Tower is protected by a barrier that blocks out all sound. Naturally, you couldn’t hear it.” Bei Ran explained this to him, then added, “It seems Brother Ji’s cultivation has improved considerably again lately.”
Ji Chaoyun was bending over to gather the papers, inkstone, and books on the table. Hearing the question, he finally glanced up. “It has.”
“How could it not?” Ye Chenxing grinned knowingly. “Our Chaoyun was already diligent in his cultivation, and now someone has even opened a back door for him. Chaoyun, you had better do your best. The academy privately sets up wagers for every Heavenly Ranking Tournament. I’ve already decided to stake everything I own on you making it into the final round.”
Ji Chaoyun paused. “The Heavenly Ranking Tournament uses an elimination system. Lots are drawn in every round according to the number of participating disciples, and the farther you advance, the harder it becomes. Aren’t you afraid you’ll lose everything you own?”
“No. I’ve already thought it through.” Ye Chenxing leaned back in his chair and shamelessly declared, “If I lose, I’ll throw myself down outside Wenqu Peak and wail my heart out until your phoenix pays me back.”
Ji Chaoyun: “...”
Ji Chaoyun hardly knew whether to laugh or sigh. He did not continue bantering with him and carried the books he had gathered over to the bookshelf beside the desk.
Before Feng Qi entered seclusion, he had found every scripture in Cloud-Ascending Tower that was beneficial to cultivation and suitable for Ji Chaoyun, filling an entire cabinet with them for him. Feng Qi disliked reading scriptures and discussing the Dao, but he was remarkably accomplished when it came to martial cultivation. Ji Chaoyun had followed these texts in his cultivation over the past several days and made tremendous progress.
“Brother Ji, let me help you.”
Bei Ran took the initiative to help Ji Chaoyun put everything away. As the two sorted the books by category and returned them to their places, Ji Chaoyun asked, “How are you doing with the book I lent you last time?”
Bei Ran had the poorest aptitude among them. Ji Chaoyun helped him whenever he could and had borrowed several books from Cloud-Ascending Tower for him before.
“I’m slow to understand it, so I haven’t finished reading it yet.” Bei Ran rubbed his nose in embarrassment. “I’ll read it for a few more days and return it once I’m finished.”
“It’s fine. I’m not rushing you.” Ji Chaoyun said, “That scripture is abstruse and difficult to understand. If you truly can’t grasp it, I remember there’s a better one here...”
Ji Chaoyun’s fingertips passed over the rows of books on the shelf, and he soon found the one he was looking for.
He pulled the book out, only to discover that a thin booklet seemed to have been tucked inside it. The booklet slipped out along with the book and fell to the floor.
“Hm? What’s this...”
Bei Ran bent down and picked up the booklet. Before he could get a clear look at it, Ji Chaoyun swiftly snatched it from his hand.
The tips of Ji Chaoyun’s ears, hidden behind his hair, rapidly turned red. Fortunately, the person before him did not notice. Ji Chaoyun vaguely explained, “It’s nothing. Just read this one.”
With that, he thrust the book he had originally taken out into Bei Ran’s hands and hurriedly stuffed the booklet into his own robes.
Ye Chenxing had already finished packing up. He happened to see the movement when he came over and cast Ji Chaoyun a sidelong glance. “What is it? Why so secretive? Love letters written by Second Prince Feng?”
“...” Ji Chaoyun’s ears turned completely red, though his expression remained solemn and composed. “No. Don’t speak nonsense.”
Ye Chenxing looked unconvinced and clicked his tongue as he shook his head. “Little Bei Ran, tell me, the two of us clearly came first. How did we let that peacock beat us to it? A brother who’s been carried off is like water that’s been poured away. There’s no getting him back...”
Ye Chenxing dragged Bei Ran out of the warm chamber. Only after Ji Chaoyun closed the door behind them did he breathe a sigh of relief.
He took the booklet from inside his robes. By the light inside the room, he could just make out the blurred writing on its worn cover.
Fortunately, the cover had already been badly worn down, so Bei Ran and Ye Chenxing had not managed to see what kind of book it was.
《Secret Methods of Spirit Cultivation》
Ever since Ji Chaoyun had used this book to smash Second Prince Feng’s face last time, he had not seen it again. He had assumed Feng Qi had thrown it away. He never expected it to be tucked among this pile of cultivation books prepared for him, much less that someone else would nearly see it.
Ji Chaoyun lightly ground his teeth and said fiercely, “You must have done this on purpose...”
For some inexplicable reason, Ji Chaoyun did not put the book back.
“Can this method... truly improve cultivation?” Ji Chaoyun guiltily glanced at the tightly closed door. Only after confirming that no one else remained in Dengyun Tower did he sit down at the desk and open the book to a page.
Half a shichen later, curfew had already begun, and a figure flashed past outside Cloud-Ascending Tower.
Risking being caught by the disciples patrolling at night, Ji Chaoyun returned to Wenqu Peak, which he had not visited for several days, and soaked in the hot spring for the entire night with his face flushed scarlet.
☁
Another five or six days passed in the blink of an eye. The quarterly examination was nearly upon them, yet Feng Qi still had not emerged from seclusion.
That day, Ji Chaoyun had been unable to settle his mind ever since waking in the morning.
He meditated for a long time without success and could only give up, leaving Cloud-Ascending Tower to wander around.
It was the hour of morning lessons, so there were few people to be seen on the various peaks of Hongmeng Academy. Only the faint sound of recitation could be heard in the distance. Ji Chaoyun wandered aimlessly among the peaks and, without realizing it, reached the rear mountain.
The rear mountain was quieter than the front mountain. Aside from the Sword Practice Terrace halfway up the mountain, which was used for the midday lessons of Profound- and Yellow-ranked disciples, few people visited the other areas. Beyond the vast pine forest lay what was considered forbidden ground to him.
The rear mountain of Hongmeng Academy was the place where spiritual energy was most abundant. The Academy’s Immortal Venerables had specially opened several caves there for higher-ranked disciples to use during secluded cultivation. Only Heaven-ranked disciples were permitted to use them.
Lingxu Cave, where Feng Qi was in seclusion, was also located there.
Disciples sent by Immortal Venerable Tianshu guarded Lingxu Cave day and night. A protective barrier had also been erected around it, completely isolating the inside from the outside.
Ji Chaoyun did not approach. He merely gazed at the cave entrance from afar and silently sighed.
Before entering seclusion, Feng Qi had said it would take a little over ten days at the earliest. That amount of time had already passed, yet there was still no sign that he intended to emerge.
He missed him terribly.
Knowing that the person who filled his thoughts was just beyond a single barrier, yet being unable to see him for so long, was truly tormenting.
Ji Chaoyun lowered his eyes and concealed himself behind a tree. A wisp of dim light flew from his sleeve.
The pale silver light transformed into a slender little dragon and silently approached the cave entrance guarded by the disciples.
Ji Chaoyun naturally understood that even if he sent his spiritual consciousness out of his body, he still could not enter the barrier. At least this way, he could be a little closer to Feng Qi. The little silver dragon crouched in the grass outside the cave and looked up at the enormous translucent barrier ahead, even its dragon whiskers drooping dejectedly.
At that moment, a light breeze rose at the cave entrance and stirred the grass.
“?” Ji Chaoyun felt his body grow light. The breeze swept him straight into the cave.
Peace returned outside Lingxu Cave. One disciple yawned and turned to ask, “Did that barrier move just now?”
“I don’t think so. Immortal Venerable Tianshu personally erected that barrier. Who could possibly open it?”
“That’s true...”
The little silver dragon was carried by the breeze through the passage and into a larger chamber. Once he entered, the barrier automatically repaired itself, completely cutting off all sounds from outside.
The stone chamber was sparsely furnished, containing only a stone bed for meditation. The stone walls themselves gave off a faint white glow, leaving every corner of the cave clearly visible.
There was no one inside.
Ji Chaoyun looked around in confusion. He had only just returned to human form and stood up when someone tugged him from behind.
His footing gave way. The next instant, he fell onto the stone bed on the other side of the cave. A warm body pressed over him, stopping every sound in his throat.
The familiar presence instantly filled his mouth. Ji Chaoyun obediently parted his lips and let the other man kiss him thoroughly.
A moment later, Feng Qi raised his head, amusement in his eyes. “Missed me?”
They had been apart for only a little over ten days, yet Feng Qi was already somewhat different from before.
The cultivation and spiritual power within him had become richer and more natural, yet outwardly he no longer appeared as sharp and imposing as before. Even that invisible sense of pressure around him had mostly receded.
Ji Chaoyun stared at him in a daze.
The more Feng Qi became like this, the closer he was to the figure in Ji Chaoyun’s memories.
“Why aren’t you saying anything? Did I frighten you senseless?”
“I...” Ji Chaoyun had barely opened his mouth when Feng Qi bit the corner of his lips.
Feng Qi affectionately rubbed the tip of his nose against Ji Chaoyun’s cheek, his voice still carrying a hint of grievance. “You didn’t come see me once all these days. You deserve punishment.”
Ji Chaoyun said, “I was afraid I’d disturb your cultivation.”
“You’re not afraid today?”
“I am.” Ji Chaoyun said quietly, “I wasn’t planning to come inside. I only wanted to look from outside.”
Feng Qi played with Ji Chaoyun’s earlobe and laughed. “What could you possibly see from outside? With this barrier here, you can’t even sense my presence. Isn’t this much better? A living, breathing phoenix right here for you to take advantage of.”
Ji Chaoyun, who had clearly been the one thoroughly taken advantage of, declined to comment. Instead, he keenly caught something in Feng Qi’s words. “You can already break through Immortal Venerable Tianshu’s barrier?”
Feng Qi showed no modesty whatsoever. “Of course. Isn’t your husband impressive?”
“...” Ji Chaoyun said, “I’m leaving.”
“Don’t. Let me hold you a little longer.” Feng Qi buried his face against Ji Chaoyun’s neck and shoulder and took a deep breath. “I missed you too much. Every moment, I wanted to go see you.”
Ji Chaoyun asked, “Has your cultivation stabilized?”
“How could it be that easy?” Feng Qi said. “I only recently discovered that, for some reason, the cultivation power hidden within me is far greater than I imagined. What I used before was merely the tip of the iceberg. If I want to control it completely at will, I’m afraid it isn’t something that can be accomplished overnight.”
Ji Chaoyun’s eyelashes flickered slightly. “Then... will you have to remain in seclusion for much longer?”
“No. It’s only that things still haven’t stabilized these past few days. Uncle told me not to rush out, lest all my previous efforts go to waste.” Feng Qi kissed the corner of Ji Chaoyun’s eye and lowered his voice. “I won’t make you wait too long. I’ll definitely come out before the Heavenly Ranking Tournament.”
Ji Chaoyun wrapped his arms around Feng Qi and muttered quietly, “But the Heaven Ranking Tournament is still four months away.”
Feng Qi’s eyes crinkled with amusement, and he was about to say something when his expression suddenly sharpened. “Someone’s coming.”
He tilted his head slightly, then added, “It seems they’re looking for you.”
Once Feng Qi said this, Ji Chaoyun also sensed someone approaching his physical body.
His whole body stiffened. Feng Qi lowered his head and kissed him unhurriedly. “Don’t worry. I’ll send you out.”
After the brief kiss, Ji Chaoyun felt himself wrapped once more in a warm breeze. When he opened his eyes again, he had already returned to the place where his spiritual consciousness had left his body.
He steadied himself against the tree trunk and instinctively looked back toward the entrance of Lingxu Cave.
The speed at which Feng Qi’s cultivation was progressing... was simply too frightening.
The power of the ancient god was finally beginning to awaken within this body.
If that power ultimately awakened completely, would the memories and divine status belonging to Feng Xiao also be restored with it?
Footsteps sounded behind him. An attendant disciple hurried toward him. “Junior Brother Ji, you really are here.”
Ji Chaoyun collected his thoughts and asked, “Senior Brother, why were you looking for me?”
“Immortal Venerable Tianshu has summoned you,” the disciple said. “We received word that the market town at the foot of Hongmeng Mountain has been attacked, with heavy casualties. The Immortal Venerable is preparing to send disciples down the mountain to provide aid and investigate what happened.”
☁︎₊˚⊹ The Author’s Jade-Slip Aside ⊹˚₊☁︎
When I said “next week” in the previous chapter, I meant this week... Even though the last chapter was updated at eleven at night, it was still Sunday. Aggrieved.jpg
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