Chapter 1115: Unless Asking the Caged Oriole Outside
(My apologies, my apologies for uploading late.)
Ink Splash Peak, as one of the few high mountains within the Joyous Mountain domain, had never been claimed by anyone. Once, someone had tried to establish a training ground there, but because that esteemed Lord Yu got bored and would casually hurl treasures at Ink Splash Peak—even offering up a rain banner as a game of pitch-pot—the place ended up with rocks tumbling down. Over time, it became an ownerless land. As a result, Ink Splash Peak was riddled with large pits, and cracks spiderwebbed across the area.
Most Daoist grandmasters were skilled at preserving their youthful appearance. Cheng Qian, who had already cultivated for five hundred years, wore a Celestial Immortal Cave robe of the highest rank and had a gold-glazed bell of ancient design hanging at his waist. This old man, who seemed to have regained his youth, breathed long and deep. With each minor cycle of his energy circulation, grand phenomena of sunrises and sunsets, and the shifting of constellations would manifest. However, Cheng Qian employed an illusion technique; to ordinary mid-tier-five-realm cultivators, he appeared only as a young Daoist in a green robe.
Because the two married Lords, Zhao and Yu, had three daughters and one son, and Yu Zhen was the nominal "crown prince" of Joyous Mountain, he held his breath. After all, facing a terrestrial immortal proficient in water, fire, and lightning methods was no small matter. In single combat, this current sect master of the Golden Portal Sect was a formidable fighter. During the battle at the Great Li Dynasty's secondary capital, he had matched a demon race Golden Core sword cultivator blow for blow without losing, and had shone brilliantly. The emperor of the Green Apricot Kingdom had invited Cheng Qian three times to serve as the nation's Guardian True Person, and Cheng Qian had declined three times.
Fu Qi, who wore an ink-black azure dragon robe, was even more interested in that female sword immortal from the Celestial Commandery.
The Old Dragon City and the Golden Portal Sect of the Green Apricot Kingdom had never had any dealings—no bonds of goodwill, and no enmity. He believed that a Daoist immortal couldn't just kill him for standing beside Yu Zhen.
On the way there, Yu Zhen had roughly explained the situation at Joyous Mountain. The reason they stopped at Ink Splash Peak was to remove the serpent-robe dharma robe bestowed by the family ancestral hall.
Cheng Qian said with a smile, "Trouble you, Young Master Yu, to tell Lord Zhao that this poor Daoist won't go to the mountain tonight to offer congratulations, so as not to disturb the honored guests' enjoyment of their wine."
Indeed, it would be like a band of outlaws drinking and celebrating their victory when suddenly a county sheriff, whose job was to arrest bandits, showed up. That would be more than just a mood killer, wouldn't it?
Cheng Qian continued, "But regarding those three jade seals, one of them, the Heir Apparent's Treasure Seal, must be handed over to me tonight to take back to the capital. The other two need not be rushed. If the two Lords find it hard to part with them for now, consider them as items the emperor has lent to the two Lords of Joyous Mountain for temporary enjoyment as desk ornaments. However, they must be returned to the Green Apricot Kingdom's royal family at the latest by the end of this year's rainy season. Young Master Yu, I'll wait here for news. If within half an hour Joyous Mountain doesn't deliver that Heir Apparent's Treasure Seal, then I'll personally ascend the mountain to take all the seals. That will save Zhao Fuyang a trip to the capital."
Yu Zhen grimaced bitterly. Even Fu Qi, an outsider, sensed something was off.
The Liu clan of the Green Apricot Kingdom had clearly made up their minds to break ties with Joyous Mountain.
Joyous Mountain was divided into upper and lower sections: Dwelling Kite Mountain's Haze-Holding Manor, Zhao Fuyang; and Black Vine Mountain's Pink Pill Manor, Yu Chun Zhi. Additionally, two mountain god shrines had been established, with Li Ting serving as the mountain god of Black Vine Mountain Shrine.
Regarding those three seals, Joyous Mountain's initial asking price was that the mountain gods of Dwelling Kite and Black Vine Mountains be officially enshrined as great mountains through a personal sealing ceremony by the emperor of the Green Apricot Kingdom, who would also decree the construction of god shrines. This was, of course, the two Lords making an exorbitant demand—absolutely impossible. If the Liu emperor truly dared to "humble himself" like that, he would likely become a laughingstock among the continent's emperors, generals, and mountain immortals. However, when doing business, haggleing is unavoidable; one always asks for the sky and bargains down to the ground. In fact, the two sides had secretly negotiated, reaching the point where a Vice Minister of Rites would perform the sealing ceremony for the two mountains. But they got stuck on who would bear the costs of building the mountain god shrines—whether it would be paid out of the Liu clan's internal treasury or if the Green Apricot Kingdom would just provide the title, with Joyous Mountain covering the expenses.
Yu Zhen hesitated for a moment, his voice slightly rough, "True Person, why must you trouble a junior who hasn't even reached his own doorstep?"
"Arriving early is not as good as arriving at the right time. Since I happened to encounter Young Master Yu here at Ink Splash Peak, it's only fitting that we have this conversation."
Cheng Qian said calmly, "It's just a message. What's so troublesome? What, Young Master Yu doesn't even give this poor Daoist that much face? Do you think that by attaching yourself to the Swallow Song Hall branch of the Old Dragon City Fu family, you can look down on everyone? If my memory serves me right, the Swallow Song Hall branch of the Fu clan specializes in keeping idle people. According to ancestral teachings, they neither hold scholarly honors nor military merits, nor are they allowed to serve as retainers or guests for mountain immortal mansions or secular dynasties."
This old True Person, who looked like a youth, was clearly also lecturing Fu Qi, whose status was prestigious, along the way.
Fu Qi wasn't angry, though. He was just even more curious: what kind of backing had the Liu emperor of the Green Apricot Kingdom recently found that made Cheng Qian not even care about the Old Dragon City Fu clan?
After all, the family head, Fu Qi (different character—Fu Qi (苻畦)), had already stepped down as the lord of Old Dragon City. He was now a Jade Pure Realm cultivator and possessed two and a half semi-immortal weapons. The Golden Portal Sect couldn't compare to the Old Dragon City Fu clan in terms of cultivators, wealth, or connections. Just the fact that the Old Dragon City Fu clan was close with the Great Li vassal king Song Mu was common knowledge across the Vase Bottle Continent.
Of course, the Swallow Song Hall branch of the Fu clan was just one of the six branches of the Fu family and couldn't be equated with the Old Dragon City Fu clan as a whole. And indeed, as Cheng Qian had said, they were hard to prop up. In family ancestral hall meetings, there were at least twenty or so seats, sometimes over forty. For hundreds of years, the Swallow Song Hall Fu members had only ever had a symbolic single seat. To put it bluntly, the branch was used by the Fu clan to keep the useless.
But even if the Swallow Song Hall Fu clan was not influential within the family, it was still not something a Golden Portal Sect could casually provoke. The Golden Portal Sect's various peaks had not had a Nascent Soul cultivator in over three hundred years.
Cheng Qian waved his hand, "Half an hour is enough for Young Master Yu to discuss a plan with the two Lords. Remember, whether it succeeds or not, Joyous Mountain must give me a definitive answer."
Yu Zhen, wearing hemp clothes and straw sandals, sighed, cupped his fists, and took his leave, "I'll return to the mountain immediately to deliver the message to the True Person."
He headed back toward Joyous Mountain with Fu Qi, flying on the wind. Yu Zhen's face was clouded. After they were dozens of li away from Ink Splash Peak, Yu Zhen sent a telepathic message with a wry smile, "Letting you watch a joke."
Fu Qi laughed, "Brother Yu, aren't you overestimating yourself? When it comes to being laughed at, who can compare to us Swallow Song Hall Fu descendants?"
Yu Zhen teased, "There are, of course. That group of sword immortals at Sunyang Mountain."
Fu Qi grabbed his collar with one hand and formed a hand seal with the other, chanting a silent incantation. He folded the serpent-robe dharma robe into a bundle and tucked it into his sleeve. "This old True Person seems to be a diviner as well. His cultivation methods are quite diverse."
What Fu Qi meant by "diviner" wasn't the ancient arts of necromancy but the art of calculation. Diviners were often skilled in mathematical calculation and versed in astronomy and calendrical science, but they had always held a low status among the Hundred Schools of Thought, much like the merchants. People in the mountains often mocked them, saying, "If one plus one really must equal two, then what about all this refining of qi, materials, and pills?" Thus, the diviners were ridiculed.
Yu Zhen asked doubtfully, "How can you tell?"
Fu Qi said, "If it weren't for the fact that you two are at odds, I'd almost suspect that Cheng Qian and the two Lords come from the same sect."
Yu Zhen said impatiently, "Stop being so cryptic."
Fu Qi explained, "The dharma robe Cheng Qian is wearing has a scene of the Great Dao transforming and circulating endlessly. It's magnificent and unparalleled—definitely not an ordinary magic treasure. It might even be a sect-protecting treasure of the Golden Portal Sect's ancestral hall that they deliberately keep under wraps. Its grade is only higher than the Molten Gold Bell hanging at his waist. Even the legendary Azure Essence Spirit Talisman, said to command ghosts and gods, can't compare to it. If I'm not mistaken, that dharma robe itself is a heavenly book."
Yu Zhen asked, "Can you see through a terrestrial immortal's illusion technique?"
Fu Qi laughed, "A minor family art."
On the dharma robe of that True Person Cheng Qian, one could vaguely see the two qi of yin and yang. The vast emptiness swirled with them, rising and falling, never ceasing. The clear and turbid qi interacted and coalesced into mountains, rivers, wind, rain, snow, and frost.
Yu Zhen teased, "What does that have to do with divination? Fu Qi, oh Fu Qi, I'm impressed. You literati who've read so many books—you just fill pages and pages without ever getting to the point!"
Fu Qi revealed the secret in one sentence, "Cheng Qian's dharma robe encompasses heaven and earth and praises the gods. The key point is that the Seven Regulators rotate to the right. Obviously, it's a heavy treasure of great age—perhaps even older than the Golden Portal Sect's history."
Yu Zhen laughed angrily, "What are you even talking about?!"
Fu Qi was momentarily helpless, "It's tiring to be friends with a lout like you."
He had to patiently explain to this poorly educated friend what the "Seven Regulators" were. Also known as the Seven Luminaries, it was a term in astronomy referring to the sun, moon, and the five planets: Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, and Saturn. The dispute between "left rotation" and "right rotation" involved a grand debate at the apex of the Haoran world. The Confucians and the diviners had been arguing over whether the Seven Luminaries rotated left or right for a long time. Several Confucian saints who compiled astronomical calendars had many written battles with the Yin-Yang school's Mr. Lu and several founding fathers of divination. In the early days, the right rotation theory held absolute sway and was almost considered conclusive, with the left rotation theory having little voice. It wasn't until a great master emerged from the Confucian Temple that the situation completely changed, and left rotation became the standard and official doctrine. That was why Fu Qi could determine that Cheng Qian's Daoist robe, which depicted a right-rotating celestial phenomenon, was extremely old. Ordinary qi cultivators would indeed find it difficult to come into contact with such "lofty" insider knowledge. Fu Qi, coming from the Swallow Song Hall branch, which had a rich collection of books, had both the money and the leisure to learn about these miscellaneous studies that seemed unrelated to a cultivator's practice.
But there was more insider information that Fu Qi didn't mention. For example, Cheng Qian's dharma robe was extremely likely to be able to open up the path between the hidden and the manifest, connecting the way of day and night. Simply put, it could help Cheng Qian travel through the underworld.
Fu Qi warned, "Brother Yu, remember, when you get to your parents, just say I'm a mountain-and-wild rogue cultivator from the Cloud River Dynasty."
Yu Zhen nodded with a smile, "And you remember not to get caught by my little sister. Consider that friendly advice."
At Ink Splash Peak, Zhang Caiqin asked, "Uncle Cheng, do you think Zhao Fuyang will honestly hand over that Heir Apparent's Treasure Seal?"
The Daoist, with the face of a youth, said with confidence, "Normally, he'd probably think I'm bluffing and ignore me. I'd have to make a personal trip to Joyous Mountain. But tonight, Joyous Mountain is at its peak of influence. Zhao Fuyang and Yu Chun Zhi will instead be suspicious and uneasy, and they won't dare not take me seriously."
If Zhao Fuyang remained obstinate, he would have to clean up the sect for his senior uncle.
Fu Qi's joking words had actually hit the mark. Zhao Fuyang had indeed once been a disciple of the Golden Portal Sect, favored by one of its founding masters, who had personally passed down a secret oral Dao cultivation method to him. But due to his demon race origin, he had never been able to become an orthodox disciple of the ancestral hall. Later, there was a disturbance, and Zhao Fuyang left the Pure Silence Peak's Gold Immortal Hut branch in anger.
In fact, Pure Silence Peak was the ancestral mountain of the Golden Portal Sect. The position of sect master had always been firmly held by the Gold Immortal Hut. But by Cheng Qian's generation, Green Peak had overtaken it.
Zhao Fuyang was originally a mountain python. Back when he was at the Gold Immortal Hut, he obtained a great opportunity. After cultivating and achieving the Dao, he left the Golden Portal Sect and became a loose immortal. By collecting the jade seals of fallen kingdoms to absorb dragon qi and enhance his cultivation, he attempted to smelt a mountain to prove the Dao and achieve what Pure Silence Peak referred to as the Gold Immortal fruit. At that point, Zhao Fuyang wouldn't need to walk through water to transform into a dragon. He could leave Joyous Mountain, which was both his training ground and a cage, and then the world would be vast and free.
A mountain flood dragon at the Nascent Soul stage could rampage across the Vase Bottle Continent.
Cheng Qian looked at the junior beside him with admiration and said with a smile, "Caiqin, no matter what, since that great figure has agreed to attend the ceremony, the Green Apricot Kingdom has nothing to worry about."
The old True Person squinted at the silhouette of Joyous Mountain in the distance, "If the border regions of our Green Apricot Kingdom are infested with lowlifes—neither demon nor ghost—who don't know their place and dare to call themselves the Little Book-Screen Lake, polluting this thousand-li stretch of mountains and rivers, it's utterly disgraceful. Fortunately, there's still some time before the mid-year ceremony, or I wouldn't have the face to meet that Young Hidden Official."
Zhang Caiqin nodded.
If Chen Ping'an traveled south to the Green Apricot Kingdom's capital during the mid-year ceremony to attend the ceremony, the existence of this place would inevitably be exposed. If the young Hidden Official heard that there was such a den of ghosts and demons here, it would be more than just unsightly. Not only the Liu clan of the Green Apricot Kingdom and the Golden Portal Sect, but also Zhang Caiqin's Zhang family of the Celestial Commandery, would feel uncomfortable.
In short, it was because she had previously gone with Hong Yangbo to Ox Horn Ferry and accidentally met that young mountain lord who was also browsing the Bags & Packages shop. It was an unexpected joy that he agreed to attend the coming-of-age ceremony of the Green Apricot Kingdom's crown prince. The Liu emperor and Guardian True Person Cheng Qian had then made up their minds to pay any price, join forces with the Zhang family of the Celestial Commandery, and secretly communicate with the other two kingdoms' courts, determined to clean up the thousand-li area centered on Joyous Mountain and sweep away all the demons.
If Joyous Mountain thought that his appearance was merely about those three jade seals, they were too naive.
Cheng Qian stared at Joyous Mountain and said with a smile, "There's a common saying: 'On clear days, three feet of dust; when it rains, a street full of mud,' to describe a road that's hard to travel."
Zhang Caiqin smiled knowingly, "Uncle Cheng, that's why we need to sprinkle water to settle the dust and spread yellow earth to pave the way."
Everything was for the arrival of the Young Hidden Official of Fallen Mountain.
Cheng Qian asked, "Caiqin, persuading this person to come to the capital is a great achievement. Hong Yangbo, that taciturn fellow, was vague in his letter. Can you tell me more?"
It was said that this Lord of the Mountain was not easily swayed.
Zhang Caiqin looked embarrassed and said, "Uncle Cheng, I'm not hiding anything. It was just luck. He had visited Green Money House a few times in the early years and had built up a good relationship with Uncle Hong."
Cheng Qian smiled and didn't ask any more questions.
But when it came to that young Hidden Official, the old True Person couldn't help but think back to the battlefield of the former secondary capital. That young woman with her hair in a bun—her fist techniques were truly unmatched.
If this "Zheng Qian," or rather Chen Ping'an's senior disciple, Pei Qian, were to appear at that small town, it would be interesting. What would the two Lords think?
Over at Joyous Mountain, the Pink Pill Manor was located on the lower mountain, Black Vine Mountain. One of its gardens, the Pain-Dispelling Garden, was the private garden of Lord Yu Chun Zhi.
The two Lords, Zhao and Yu, personally brought that honored guest to this place. The screen wall turned out to be an enormous snowflake coin.
As they passed this "screen wall," Qin Que glanced at it out of the corner of his eye. It was wide, but somewhat thin.
Yu Chun Zhi had once traveled through Book-Screen Lake and was an old acquaintance with the female cultivator Tian Hujun of Azure Gorge Island. They had a good relationship and often corresponded in the early years.
But back then, Tian Hujun hadn't yet formed her golden core; she was still a Dragon Gate realm cultivator. And her registered identity wasn't as the senior disciple of the River-Severing True Lord Liu Zhimao, but his second disciple.
But that senior brother had poor luck. He had encountered a junior, a little devil of chaos, and they had become enemies. He was casually killed, and even the master, Liu Zhimao, didn't pursue the matter.
Now, Tian Hujun was the island lord of Plain Scale Island, a native Golden Core cultivator of Book-Screen Lake, and a registered disciple of the True Mirror Sect, holding a seat in the ancestral hall of Palace Willow Island.
But compared to that junior brother named Gu, she was as different as clouds from mud. He was now an orthodox disciple of Zheng Juzhong at White Emperor City, and there was also a rumor spreading to the Vase Bottle Continent that the immortal realm Han Qiaose was extremely fond of this junior nephew.
Seated in the reception hall, Qin Que noticed that on the roof beams, there were wooden carvings of the three old deities—Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity—along with a little immortal boy. It bore the auspicious meaning of "The Star of Fortune Shines Bright, and the Hall is Full of Joy."
In fact, the entire reception hall had been dismantled by the culturally pretentious Yu Chun Zhi from a magnificent ancestral hall of a secular dynasty's great clan. She then had craftsmen label each component and moved them intact to Black Vine Mountain, where they were reassembled, almost identical to the original building.
The upper and lower mountains of Joyous Mountain, Dwelling Kite and Black Vine, were renamed mountains. They had once been famous mountains with great histories. Dwelling Kite Mountain had once been the mountain of the Crown Prince of the Central Marchmount of a great kingdom, housing a royal family temple. The emperor had sent a princess's husband and the Vice Minister of Works to lead tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians over ten years to build grand mansions and over twenty temples there, second only to the Five Marchmounts in status. The court had a permanent superintendent, but after the dynastic change, it fell into disuse. As for this Black Vine Mountain beneath their feet, its predecessor, this Pink Pill Manor, had once been a princess's magnificent private residence in history.
The two hosts and one guest sat in armchairs, chatting about some interesting recent events in the Vase Bottle Continent's mountains and waters.
For example, the Spirit Flying Temple in the neighboring kingdom of the Cloud River Dynasty to the south had been upgraded to a Daoist palace, following closely behind the Guangfu Zen Temple in obtaining the status of a "Sect."
Qin Que's master was Chief Liu of the True Mirror Sect.
Now, on the entire Vase Bottle Continent, even counting the Buddhist Guangfu Temple and the Daoist Spirit Flying Palace, how many Sects were there?
Yu Chun Zhi was direct. She half-jokingly asked, "Brother Qin, Liu Laocheng is an immortal, surely aiming for the Great Dao and ascension. Is it possible for True Lord Liu to take over as the True Mirror Sect's sect master?"
Qin Que smiled and didn't take the bait. This kind of topic could be deadly if handled carelessly, so he just praised Sect Master Liu's diligent governance.
Zhao Fuyang took a sip of the Cloud Mist tea, which was produced by the Dwelling Kite Mountain Shrine, and smiled, "I heard that the great monk of Guangfu Zen Temple just had his enthronement ceremony last year. Although the Hidden Official of Fallen Mountain didn't personally offer congratulations, he had the Northern Marchmount Wei Mountain God deliver a couplet. Guangfu Temple also valued it greatly and hung it together with a couplet from the Central Earth's Xuan Kong Temple."
Qin Que's expression was calm, but his feelings were complicated. He nodded, "That's true."
If he could help it, Qin Que never wanted to see that surname Chen again for the rest of his life, even if the other party had once served as an accountant for his Azure Gorge Island.
Yu Chun Zhi said, "It's said that this great monk has profound Buddhist teachings. Two Zen stories—'Gathering Clouds to Mend the Robe' and 'Releasing the Tiger Back to the Mountain'—made him famous across the continent. There's also another gong'an, though it's not widely circulated on the Vase Bottle Continent. I only heard about it from Fuyang. It's said that the late emperor of Great Li once summoned this eminent monk to discuss Zen. When they were walking in the imperial garden, the birds all startled into flight, and the foxes and rabbits fled far away."
"The late emperor then laughed and asked, 'I've heard that when a high monk walks through the mountains, not only do the fierce beasts not disturb him, but they even become friendly and wish to be protectors. Why is it like this today?'"
"Do you know what happened? The old monk answered, 'This old monk is fond of killing.'"
"Brother Qin, you've seen much of the world. Do you know if this story is true or false?"
Qin Que nodded, "I happened to hear my master mention it. It's true. My master also said that the Great Li National Teacher was also present at the time. He said to the old monk, 'How can a monk have so many inner thieves to kill? Are you raising a tiger to invite disaster?'"
Yu Chun Zhi was stunned for a moment. What did that mean? She turned to look at her husband.
Zhao Fuyang pondered for a moment and nodded, "Truly, immortals speak in the clouds. Hard to grasp, inconceivable."
After that, Yu Chun Zhi brought up a few embarrassing incidents about Sunyang Mountain. Nowadays, on the Vase Bottle Continent, if you didn't gossip a bit about Sunyang Mountain, with its clouds of sword immortals, and have a few laughs, it wasn't considered a proper conversation.
In truth, the three of them talking about these things, even mocking Sunyang Mountain, which had just been elevated to a Sect, was like a wealthy man in a remote county talking about the richest man in the kingdom.
Qin Que himself was only at the Dragon Gate realm. If it were just this level of cultivation, he wouldn't be far from enough to be treated with such respect by the two Lords of Joyous Mountain, both of whom were Golden Core cultivators. Yu Chun Zhi even showed a hint of flattery and sycophancy in her words. In fact, with Zhao Fuyang and Yu Chun Zhi's combined skills, it wasn't impossible for them to kill a Golden Core cultivator. The last time when the Zhang family cultivators from the Celestial Commandery launched a fierce attack on Joyous Mountain, the two sides had already fought with true fury. If it hadn't been for that old fellow's interference—a pure Gold Body realm warrior—they would have been able to leave a Golden Core Earth Immortal as a guest on Joyous Mountain.
Yu Chun Zhi was an old acquaintance of Tian Hujun, and Zhao Fuyang was also friends with Qin Que. Back when Zhao Fuyang left the Golden Portal Sect in anger, he had considered settling down in the Book-Screen Lake area. But first, his cultivation method didn't match Book-Screen Lake; more importantly, the waters of Book-Screen Lake were too deep. Not to mention Liu Laocheng of Palace Willow Island, who was already in the Upper Five Realms at the time, but also Liu Zhimao of Azure Gorge Island and Zhong Su of Yellow Oriole Island—none of them were easy to deal with. Zhao Fuyang was only a Dragon Gate realm cultivator back then; he didn't dare to occupy an island and establish a training ground there. Times changed, and a hundred years passed in the blink of an eye. Zhao Fuyang couldn't imagine that someone like Qin Que, a fierce rogue cultivator at heart, could become a registered disciple of a sect.
The fourth young miss and the mountain god Li Ting appeared together outside the reception hall.
She had removed her hooded hat, revealing a melon-seed-shaped face that was quite similar to Yu Chun Zhi's.
Yu Chun Zhi looked at her with affection and introduced her to Qin Que, "Brother Qin, this is the fourth in the family, my youngest. Her name is Zhao Yan. She's been spoiled rotten by Fuyang since she was little. Fuyang can't bear to see her married off, and I'm afraid to let her go. If I keep her by my side, I can keep her somewhat in check. If she gets married, I'm afraid she'll be kicked out by her in-laws in a few days and come running back home crying. What a scene that would be."
The young woman quickly performed a curtsy, "Zhao Yan greets Uncle Qin."
Qin Que said kindly, "I've long heard from Senior Sister that the fourth young lady has excellent talent for cultivation. She's just over twenty and has already entered the Cave Dwelling realm. A prodigy! In my opinion, Joyous Mountain should just recruit a son-in-law and keep her close. Don't marry her far away. Don't let good fortune slip away."
Li Ting hurriedly cupped his fists, "Little deity greets Immortal Master Qin."
Registered cultivators had their own foundations and ways of conducting themselves; rogue cultivators also had their own methods of survival.
On the Vase Bottle Continent, there was a small book with no verifiable author. It recorded a list of over a hundred people from immortal mansions and dynastic clans that should not be provoked.
For example, Qin Que of Azure Gorge Island and his junior brother Chao Zhe were both on this list, but ranked rather low.
Book-Screen Lake alone accounted for nearly a tenth of the list, including young cultivators like Lü Caisang of Yellow Oriole Island and Yuan Yuan of Drumming Island.
Naturally, Golden Core earth immortals like Tian Hujun, the island lord of Plain Scale Island, didn't need to be on the list.
Zhao Fuyang said, "Li Ting, there are no outsiders here. Speak directly."
Li Ting reported, "Reporting to the two Lords, Zhang Yujiao and Jin Lü are being rather evasive—they neither nodded nor said they would force their way up the mountain. They are now at the foot of the mountain in the small town."
Zhao Fuyang then explained the backgrounds of the two cultivators to Qin Que.
Yu Chun Zhi said with a sly smile, "These two youngsters, sure enough, registered cultivators, roaming the mountains and waters, having their romantic times, and they've come all the way to Joyous Mountain's territory."
Zhao Fuyang said, "That Zhang Yujiao is a mid-Five Realms sword cultivator. He shouldn't be underestimated. If something happens to him here, the Zhang family of the Celestial Commandery would lose a piece of their heart. They wouldn't let it go. Li Ting, pass the order: as long as they abide by the agreement and don't climb the mountain to cause trouble, the small town is not to provoke them."
Li Ting cupped his fists to accept the order, "Your subordinate obeys the Lords' decree."
Knowing her daughter best, Yu Chun Zhi asked with a smile, "Yan'er, how did that young sword immortal look?"
Zhao Yan picked a chair and sat down, nodding with a smile, "Quite handsome."
If Qin Que hadn't been present, their conversation would have taken a different turn.
After a cup of tea's time, Zhao Fuyang turned to look outside the door. Seeing two figures, he snorted coldly, "So you finally deign to come back."
It was Yu Zhen and Fu Qi.
Yu Chun Zhi immediately became displeased, glaring, "Yu Zhen finally comes home, and you're giving him a face like that? Because he's not your own flesh and blood, you don't welcome him?"
Zhao Fuyang said, "If Yu Zhen were my own flesh and blood, and he dared to not come home even once a year, just fooling around outside and unwilling to share any of the mountain's affairs, I would have long since hung him up and given him a few beatings."
Yu Zhen looked embarrassed. In fact, Zhao Fuyang, his stepfather, had treated him well—acting as both father and teacher, diligently passing on his knowledge, sharing everything he knew, and even bestowing upon him a heavy treasure that could serve as a mountain-protecting artifact. He was closer than a biological father.
Yu Chun Zhi smiled and asked, "And who is this young man?"
Yu Zhen introduced him with a smile, "A friend, named Yan She, a rogue cultivator from the Cloud River Dynasty. We traveled together through that strange Autumn Wind Temple. We're sworn brothers who've shared life and death."
Zhao Fuyang laughed, "Young brother has a good name. 'Feasting and rejoicing, forever without boredom.' If you can truly feast and enjoy, never ceasing, then you'd be a little immortal with nothing to worry about."
Fu Qi quickly cupped his fists, "Junior greets Lord Zhao and Lord Yu."
Unlike his sister Zhao Yan, Yu Zhen had been to Book-Screen Lake and was not unfamiliar with family friends like Tian Hujun and Qin Que. He said directly, "Just now at Ink Splash Peak, Cheng Qian and Zhang Caiqin showed up together. The old True Person told Father to hand over the three jade seals tonight. After the rainy season ends this year, the other two will be returned to the Liu family of the Green Apricot Kingdom. If Joyous Mountain doesn't agree to this, counting from the time I left Ink Splash Peak, within half an hour, Cheng Qian will personally climb the mountain."
Qin Que's expression was blank.
Zhao Fuyang frowned slightly.
Yu Chun Zhi asked doubtfully, "Has this Cheng Qian lost his mind? Or is he under too much pressure from the Zhang family of the Celestial Commandery and has to give them an explanation? But even so, why would an old man like him personally come up the mountain and into danger? Yu Zhen, did you see any trace of the Zhang family disciples or the Green Apricot Kingdom's revered cultivators? Are there any Purple Soldiers under Cheng Qian's command hidden nearby?"
Yu Zhen shook his head, "I think it's just Cheng Qian and Zhang Caiqin."
Yu Chun Zhi sneered, "So just the two of them, plus Zhang Yujiao and Jin Lü from the town, want to fight Joyous Mountain?"
Old Cheng Qian couldn't have picked a bad day to reincarnate, but he chose today?
Those three jade seals were originally just a "spend money to avoid disaster" transaction for the Green Apricot Kingdom. Once the price was settled, there was no need for fighting. As the Guardian True Person, why would Cheng Qian be so impulsive as to fight to the death with Joyous Mountain? Wasn't the Green Apricot Kingdom afraid of depleting its strength here and losing a battle on the border?
Zhao Fuyang squinted, "Something out of the ordinary must be behind this. Cheng Qian is a pragmatic man; he wouldn't stick his neck out for the Zhang family of the Celestial Commandery."
Cheng Qian was a crafty old fox. Even when he was young, he was good at scheming. Otherwise, why would Green Peak's Cheng Qian, who had just formed his golden core a few years earlier, become the sect master instead of another Golden Core earth immortal from Pure Silence Peak's Gold Immortal Hut, who should have been the natural heir?
Yu Chun Zhi asked, "Could Zhang Qiong be hiding in the shadows?"
Zhang Qiong was the ancestor of the Zhang family of the Celestial Commandery, the great-grandfather of sword immortal Zhang Caiqin. Because of his meritorious service in the former secondary capital battlefield a few years ago, he had been awarded a third-class hassle-free plaque by the Great Li Ministry of Justice.
If that old fellow had the nerve to throw all shame to the wind, he could just hang that plaque around his waist and swagger up the mountain, turning everything upside down and searching for the jade seals. Zhao Fuyang and Yu Chun Zhi wouldn't even dare to stop him. But when the Zhang family cultivators attacked Joyous Mountain last time, Zhang Qiong didn't show up for some reason.
Zhao Fuyang's mood grew heavy. He thought it over carefully, "If it comes to it, I'll go to Ink Splash Peak myself."
Yu Zhen took his leave to arrange accommodations for Fu Qi.
Zhao Yan followed him out of the reception hall. Yu Zhen asked quietly, "Where's the third one?"
Zhao Yan's expression was strange and playful, "Third sister is busy dressing up, I suppose."
Yu Zhen didn't ask any more.
At a place on the upper mountain with a strange concentration of earthly energy, surrounded by snow, there was a hot spring with steam rising.
The third young miss of Joyous Mountain and a mountain goddess from the Dwelling Kite Mountain Shrine were playing in the water, splashing each other. Their clothes were scattered messily on the bank, along with various pieces of jewelry.
Both were beauties, with skin as white as curdled fat. After chasing and laughing together, their two pale bodies intertwined, moaning softly.
The water in the hot spring churned like two white snakes dancing a whirlwind dance.
A young Daoist squatted not far away, craning his neck, eyes wide and ears pricked, silently muttering, "See no evil, hear no evil..."
Outside the small town, after saying goodbye to Bai Mao, the back-sword youth walked alone through the night. He came to a withered tree and looked into the distance at Joyous Mountain, which looked like two mountains leaning against each other.
But due to the limitations of his talisman clone's realm, he couldn't see clearly. Earth immortal divine powers like "shrinking the ground" and "viewing mountains and rivers in the palm" were out of reach.
This was also why he hadn't rushed directly to the small town at the foot of the mountain. If he ran into trouble, the entire formation would be wasted. He had to avoid conflict with earth immortal cultivators as much as possible.
Mountain spirits and water monsters, especially the descendants of dragons, actually had two methods of achieving the Dao. The most common was "walking through water." Another, relatively rarer method was "coiling a mountain."
They would choose a dragon vein with abundant spiritual energy and stable structure, coil around it, and slowly refine the mountain root, absorbing the world's spiritual energy and feng shui earth qi.
But this cultivation path had a high threshold, with much higher requirements on bloodline than common mountain and wilderness spirits.
He looked in one direction and smiled, "Miss who doesn't have the surname Liu, why hide your form? We're all friends."
In his field of vision, first appeared the oilpaper umbrella, then slowly a pair of embroidered shoes, and finally the headless female ghost. Compared to when he first saw her at Ink Splash Peak, she now had a bundle on her person.
The back-sword youth smiled, "Miss, have you been following me all the way? Is there something you need?"
She performed a curtsy, removed the bundle, and opened it. Inside was... a woman's head with delicate features. She placed the head on her neck and said apologetically, "Earlier on the road, that young sword immortal was present. When we reached the town, there were too many people and prying eyes, so I never had a chance to be alone with Young Master Chen. I had to resort to this. When you were alone by the well, there was a group of cavalrymen staying in the nearby alley, so I still didn't dare to show myself. Oh, Young Master Chen, my surname is Zhou, my given name is Qiu. It's the 'qiu' for a kind of tree, plus the water radical—true name."
The youth nodded with a smile, "I wonder what business Miss Zhou has with me?"
Now that the headless female ghost had a head, it was a bit uncomfortable to look at.
Zhou Qiu blinked her long, autumn-water eyes, "Young Master Chen once said that if I went to the Five-Island Sect of Book-Screen Lake, there would be an opportunity?"
The back-sword youth was silent for a moment, a bit embarrassed, "I was just making that up."
Zhou Qiu shook her head, "I believe Young Master Chen wasn't speaking randomly."
The youth laughed, "Why?"
She smiled radiantly, "Woman's intuition."
The youth didn't seem in a hurry to get to the bottom of why she had secretly followed him out of town. Instead, he pointed at Joyous Mountain and asked curiously, "Does Miss Zhou know the true origins of Lords Zhao and Yu?"
Zhou Qiu nodded, "A python and a fox, both from mountain and wilderness origins, quite famous. Ordinary cultivators dare not provoke them. They take a great river as a boundary. Over the past hundred years, it was said that there was a venomous python to the left and a demon fox to the right of the river. It was only later known that the two had long been Dao partners. After that great battle ended, the two Lords each claimed a mountain to rule, repairing broken peaks. Especially Lady Yu, who used some divine power to move Black Vine Mountain here, leaning it against Dwelling Kite Mountain. She claimed it was her dowry. In truth..."
Here, Zhou Qiu hesitated to speak.
The youth was an old hand in the jianghu and said calmly, "The two mountains 'like mating' is a rather profound Daoist bedroom art."
Zhou Qiu was a little surprised, but the situation was urgent, so she couldn't afford to be suspicious. She said with firm eyes, "But there is a rumor that Lord Zhao actually came from an orthodox immortal mansion, enabling him to suppress his nature and ferocity with Dao arts. In Dwelling Kite Mountain, since ancient times, there has been a hidden cave with many prohibitions, containing a stone wall with an inscription like a prophecy: 'Venomous mist, a kite falls; fetid wind, a white python coils. One day, it transforms into a flood dragon and returns to the sea. In the mountains, only an old ascetic remains.' The ancient tree at the mountain gate of the small town is actually a prototype of Lord Zhao's dragon horn. What ordinary qi-watchers see as a snake shed is just an illusion. Other sayings like 'dragon qi entwines an ancient tree' and the common sight of rainbow light emerging from a discarded pool at the hot spring in Dwelling Kite Mountain are just rumors deliberately spread by Lord Zhao."
The youth asked doubtfully, "Miss Zhou, you know so much?"
Zhou Qiu hesitated, "I was a spy."
At these words, they both fell silent.
Zhou Qiu had been waiting for him to ask about her intentions, but it seemed he wasn't interested. She couldn't just drag it out, so she had to speak up first, "We can't leave the Joyous Mountain territory. We want to ask Young Master Chen to help take a young benefactor of ours out of this place. After that, whether he goes north to the Green Apricot Kingdom capital or south, it's up to him."
"We?"
"Some things are hard to explain, and I cannot inform Young Master Chen in detail."
The straw-sandaled youth said, "Miss Zhou, I'm an old hand in the jianghu. If it were you, would you be willing to get involved in something like this in such a godforsaken place?"
Zhou Qiu said, "I beg Young Master Chen to believe that we have no ill intentions or malicious motives at all."
She took two money pouches from her sleeve, "One pouch of Small Summer coin, one pouch of Snowflake coin. The former is your reward, and the latter is traveling expenses for our benefactor. You only need to take him beyond the Joyous Mountain territory, then you go your separate ways. After that, he lives or dies by heaven's decree—it has nothing to do with Young Master Chen."
The youth laughed, "Even if I'm fool enough to trust you, how can you trust me?"
Zhou Qiu sighed softly, "There's really no other choice."
The youth nodded, "Miss Zhou, that's an honest word. I like hearing that. Fine. Hand over the money, hand over the person. When you're out in the world, more friends mean more paths. I'll take this job!"
Zhou Qiu tossed the two pouches of immortal money. She turned to look into the distance and said softly, "Qing Ni, come out. You heard it all. Follow Young Master Chen and leave this place. Don't ever come back."
Another person holding an umbrella appeared, but this one was a living person, not a ghost. Clearly, both oilpaper umbrellas had illusion effects.
Zhou Qiu waved goodbye to him and disappeared in a flash, not giving him a chance to speak.
A swarthy young man with reddened eyes, biting his lips, closed the oilpaper umbrella and held it in his hand.
The two looked at each other. They were about the same age and height. The swarthy young man also had a cloth bundle slung across his body.
The swarthy young man's voice was hoarse as he spoke first, "Sister Zhou said you're a jianghu expert."
A fourth-rank martial artist, he had some concept of that.
The back-sword youth nodded, "Let me clarify: I'm not just any expert; I'm a genuine martial grandmaster. An ordinary jianghu practitioner with shallow skills couldn't even make it to the town, let alone leave it."
After just one exchange, the town youth already found this guy a bit annoying.
Had Sister Zhou and the others really not misjudged him?
He sighed, "My name is Qing Ni. 'Qing' as in green, 'Ni' as in mud. It's not the word for 'intimate'..."
The back-sword youth waved a hand, "A fake name that doesn't even have a surname. You don't need to explain it to me. Besides, I'm a busy man, and I forget things easily."
Qing Ni was speechless for a moment.
Chen Ren (the back-sword youth) asked, "Why did you close the oilpaper umbrella? Isn't it supposed to hide your form?"
Qing Ni hesitated, then explained, "I don't have enough spiritual energy. Getting from the town to here was already my limit."
The back-sword youth started walking.
After a moment, Qing Ni stopped in shock, "Aren't we going away from Joyous Mountain? Why are we going back to the town?"
Chen Ren said impatiently, "Couldn't you tell that Sister Zhou has already resolved to die and plans to sacrifice herself?"
Qing Ni stood rooted to the spot.
Chen Ren turned his head and laughed, "Are you that afraid of death? Did Zhou Qiu raise an ungrateful little wretch?"
In the end, Qing Ni didn't curse him out.
The back-sword youth walked straight ahead, arms crossed, "Come on. What's there to be afraid of? Going back to the town—it's just a Joyous Mountain, a few evil spirits and monsters. I'll wipe them out with a snap of my fingers..."
Qing Ni's face turned pale.
Suddenly, the back-sword youth's heroic demeanor vanished. He looked panicked, crouched down, and dove into the roadside weeds, waving his hand and shouting in a low voice, "Not good! A ghost is passing by! Hurry, hide!"
Seeing that Qing Ni was still frozen, he cursed under his breath, jumped up, grabbed the swarthy youth by the neck, and threw him to the roadside. As Qing Ni was about to land heavily in the grass, Chen Ren caught him by the shoulder and gently set him down. The two of them lay behind a small mound. Chen Ren whispered, "Little fool, if you can open that oilpaper umbrella, do it now. If not, hold your breath and don't let out any yang qi. These ghosts are most sensitive to that. Don't drag me into this..."
Qing Ni reached back to rub his neck, which was a bit sore, and said sullenly, "I don't need you to teach me."
He had grown up in the town; he knew best how to deal with ghosts.
A dozen ghosts passed by, beating gongs and drums. The leader, a figure in armor, spotted footprints on the ground. It sniffed the air and suddenly roared, "Who?! Get out here and die!"
Qing Ni's heart tightened. He didn't know what had given them away. According to the incantation Sister Zhou had taught him, he shouldn't have leaked any yang qi.
The swarthy youth turned his head and was stunned.
That back-sword fellow was nearly crawling on the ground, already several zhang away. He was fast, disappearing into the grass in the blink of an eye.
Was he going to abandon him?
He'd just taken the money and was running off by himself?
Didn't the books say that escorts were all heroes who risked life and limb?
At the very least, shouldn't there be some jianghu code of honor and decency?
Qing Ni had nowhere to hide or escape, so he had to brazen it out and stand up.
According to Sister Zhou, Qing Ni had no talent for martial arts. He had only learned some basic kung fu for fitness, and it was useless against ghosts. And Uncle Liu had said that without mastering the essence of boxing, martial arts were just empty words. They could handle a few street thugs, but not demons or ghosts.
The swarthy youth pulled several small scrolls from his sleeve. With a shake, they unfolded into four medium-sized hanging portraits. He pressed his fingers together, his face suddenly flushed red as he drew on the last bit of ambient spiritual energy. The portraits hovered in midair.
That trick actually scared the ghosts, who had already drawn their weapons.
The back-sword youth crouched in the grass, rubbing his chin. This girl, who used the alias Qing Ni, was actually a qi cultivator, but only at the first realm. It seemed she had deliberately delayed breaking through.
It wasn't hard to guess. Without a suitable ghost-cultivation method, in a town with such heavy yin qi and rampant ghosts, a living qi cultivator couldn't casually open a treasury to absorb spiritual energy. It was hard to filter out the vicious and turbid qi. If her foundation was unstable, it could easily cause a backflow into several of her vital energy mansions. The least severe consequence would be damage to her fundamental Dao; the worst, a drastic change in personality, turning bloodthirsty.
But when he saw the four portraits, he was at a loss for words.
There was one of Heavenly Lord Qi Zhen of the Divine Edict Sect, a grand old man of the Daoist tradition, once the leading master of the continent's immortals.
Then there were two portraits of Yuan and Cao, color-printed door gods that had once been pasted on the doors of countless households across the continent.
Using these three to frighten demons and ghosts and ward off evil... though it was useless, it was still somewhat reasonable.
But the last portrait was of a young man in a green robe, sword in hand.
Chen Ping'an was speechless. He rubbed his forehead.
The four hovering portraits circled the youth, slowly rotating. It looked quite impressive, like something out of an immortal's story.
The ghosts first were cautious, genuinely afraid they might encounter a mountain cultivator. But when they saw the swarthy youth, who seemed on the verge of collapse, they started laughing mockingly. The ghost commander drew his blade. Kill him first; they'd have supper on the road.
If those portraits were really effective, anyone carrying portraits of the Three Teachings' founders could walk unhindered across the world.
But a moment later, the ghost commander felt as if struck by lightning. It shook its head, its knees going weak as if to kneel. It slashed wildly with its blade, shouting and running, disappearing in an instant. The other underlings, sensing trouble, scattered immediately.
Qing Ni slumped to the ground. He quickly stuffed the four small scrolls into his sleeve.
Sister Zhou and Uncle Liu had always mocked him for carrying them, but who would have thought they'd actually work?!
Qing Ni looked at that back-sword bastard, who was walking slowly toward him, brushing weeds and dirt off his head as he came. He nodded, "I didn't expect you to be a qi cultivator. You've got one foot on the mountain path. Congratulations! From now on, we'll address each other as fellow Daoists. Qing Ni—a good name, a good Daoist title. I know someone whose Daoist title is only one character different from yours, and his realm is quite high."
Chen Ping'an also found it amusing. It was a stroke of luck that the portrait happened to be a few steps away from him, the real person, creating an invisible thread of connection.
Qing Ni gritted his teeth, "So, are we going back to the town or not?!"
Chen Ping'an laughed, "Listen to your Sister Zhou. Stay away from trouble. I was just testing your courage, kid."
The swarthy youth silently followed the unreliable fellow. Even if Sister Zhou had misjudged him, alone, he would never be able to leave the Joyous Mountain territory alive. Along the way, almost every seventy or eighty li, there was a great demon or fierce ghost's domain, treacherous beyond belief. Last winter, during a heavy snow, Sister Zhou had escorted him to the border of Joyous Mountain. But she sensed a hidden aura and couldn't pinpoint the direction, so they had to turn back. There was no help for it. Sister Zhou and her companions had made too many enemies in the Joyous Mountain territory. He personally didn't mind whether he left Joyous Mountain or not; he actually enjoyed staying by Sister Zhou's side. But Sister Zhou always said his fate was good, suitable for long journeys.
In the distance, an armored man stroked his stubbled chin, "What kind of jianghu expert is this?"
She too was helpless, "Perhaps my divination was off. But since it's come to this, I'll take the chance even if it's a rogue horse being treated as a live horse."
The man nodded, "No choice. We can only leave it to fate. This kid looks like he's blessed with great fortune. I feel sure she'll make it out of this place alive."
This time, Zhou Qiu was really surprised, "Can you really trust her to him?"
He nodded, "Consider it a gamble."
"With your gambling luck, don't you always lose?"
"Precisely because I always lose at the gaming table, I trust that I'll win once outside it."
"By the way, Squad Leader Liu, why did those ghosts retreat earlier? Was that your doing?"
The man shook his head, "Strange. I thought it was your doing."
"Should we follow them a bit longer?"
"Parting is inevitable. Besides, I trust your divination results."
The two "youths" who had met by chance walked without speaking, one behind the other, for about half an hour.
A young Daoist wearing a lotus crown squatted by a river, splashing water on his face. A pile of clothes was tucked under his arm. He dropped them hurriedly, stood up, and trotted toward the back-sword youth.
Chen Ping'an stopped and frowned.
Lu Chen sighed and shook his head.
Clearly, the existence that Lu Chen, the leader of the Daoist Sect, was seeking was not this youth who went by the alias Qing Ni.
If that existence was on the Vase Bottle Continent, then the young Hidden Official, Ma Kuxuan who had returned to his homeland, or Gu Can, could all encounter it.
And their chances were much greater than those of ordinary qi cultivators. The deeper the karmic entanglement with the Barren Wilderness and the Demon Race, the greater the possibility.
That was why Lu Chen had taken the initiative to find Chen Ping'an in the first place. But it was only a possibility. The Heavenly Dao is unpredictable; worldly affairs are hard to foresee.
Chen Ping'an didn't explain anything to Qing Ni. He asked, "Was it you who caused that wind at Ink Splash Peak earlier?"
Lu Chen looked aggrieved, "How could it be?!"
Then it was true.
Chen Ping'an warned, "Lu Chen, you can keep looking from now on, but don't meet with me again. Three times is enough."
First at the Scattered Flower Shoal on the Jade-Cutting Mountain, then at Ink Splash Peak in Joyous Mountain territory, and now here.
Lu Chen changed the subject, smiling, "Someone commented on your calligraphy: to judge the characters by the seal, you lose in natural talent but make up for it with hard work."
Chen Ping'an nodded, "A very fair assessment."
Lu Chen turned to look at the swarthy young... girl, and laughed, "What fortune, to have this poor Daoist and Lord Chen of Fallen Mountain as your protectors."
The girl was in a terrible mood. She almost blurted out "Who do you think you are?" but held back.
Chen Ping'an sent a telepathic message, "Is it an elder from the Green Blue World?"
Lu Chen kept him guessing, "A great master—high in realm, high in temper, high in vision."
Chen Ping'an glanced at the girl's bag, which contained the waist token of the Great Li Scout Elite Cavalry.
"The reason they linger here as spirits instead of returning like birds avoiding the smoke of kilns—it must be because they have a persistent thought, only two words: 'kill demons.'"
Lu Chen said slowly, his hands in his sleeves, "I'm just guessing. That Miss Zhou said there were unspeakable difficulties, so there must be many twists and turns."
Chen Ping'an said, "Leader Lu, I trouble you to take Qing Ni out of the Joyous Mountain territory. I'll go back to the town and arrange for her to stay at that immortal inn in the Green Apricot Kingdom capital."
Lu Chen smiled, "Why bother? The three of us can just go back to the town together."
Chen Ping'an remained silent. Lu Chen smiled, "Listen to this poor Daoist. When it comes to divination, I daresay Miss Zhou is not as proficient as I am."
Chen Ping'an hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
Lu Chen grinned at the swarthy girl, "Fellow Daoist Qing Ni, if you join forces with us two, we could kill a Fourteen-Realm!"
Qing Ni looked curious, "Esteemed Daoist, what is the Fourteen Realm?"
According to Sister Zhou, the world outside was full of wonders, but the highest realm for martial artists was the Ninth Realm, and mountain qi cultivators only reached the Earth Immortal realm after phenomenal cultivation, right?
Lu Chen said seriously, "You don't know the Fourteen Realm? It's fourteen First-Realm qi cultivators!"
The girl glanced at the lanky young Daoist, then at the back-sword youth who had run away at the first sign of trouble. She felt that it was no wonder they could be friends.
Lu Chen laughed, "A wind blew over the mountain peak, and it pulled out so many red threads of karma."
The implication was, of course, that Chen Ping'an had agreed to attend the Green Apricot Kingdom ceremony.
At Ox Horn Ferry, one simple nod from Chen Ping'an, neither good nor bad in intent.
Thousands of miles away, the entire Joyous Mountain territory would experience joys and sorrows. Perhaps it was brought on by themselves, perhaps it was self-inflicted fortune, or perhaps it was fate.
Chen Ping'an took out his cinnabar-colored gourd and took a drink.
Lu Chen turned his head and asked, "Little fellow Daoist Qing Ni, of the four deities depicted in your portraits, which one do you think is the youngest and most handsome?"
Before Qing Ni could answer that idiotic question, the back-sword youth threw a punch that sent the young Daoist flying sideways. He landed and lay still.
Qing Ni, startled, stammered, "Did you hit the side of his temple with that punch? Is he really okay?"
The back-sword youth said impatiently, "I missed. I hit his crown. I gave that Daoist a direct ascension."
Qing Ni was worried that the man might be injured. She turned to look again. The young Daoist gave a light shout and tried to perform a carp-like leap, but couldn't get up and fell back to the ground. He had to prop himself up, staggering to his feet, shaking his shoulders to dust himself off.
The Daoist acted as if nothing had happened, not even bothering about the punch. He asked, "Little fellow Daoist Qing Ni, are you very familiar with Heavenly Lord Qi of the Divine Edict Sect? What a coincidence—I have some connections with him too."
The girl relaxed a bit and said flatly, "I'm very familiar with Heavenly Lord Qi. Heavenly Lord Qi is not familiar with me."
The Daoist with the lotus crown clapped his hands together in mock enlightenment, "Another coincidence! Heavenly Lord Qi is very familiar with me. I am not familiar with Heavenly Lord Qi."
The girl frowned, "Esteemed Daoist, you said that backwards, didn't you?"
Lu Chen rubbed his chin, pretending to be deep in thought.
"Little fellow Daoist Qing Ni, what do you think of my Brother Chen's character and appearance? Doesn't he live up to the description 'young commander of a thousand troops'?"
"Heh."
Lu Chen put his hands behind his head, stretching lazily, "If anyone knows the coming and going of spring, unless they ask the caged oriole outside."