Chapter 1024: The Toiling Moon in the Sky, Most Pitying

Chapter 1024: The Toiling Moon in the Sky, Most Pitying

That year, on the second day of the second month.
In the middle of Tongye Continent, this small country called Yunyan Kingdom held an unprecedented "Patriarch Hall" deliberation.

Even looking across the entire continent and all of Tongye's mountain history, this deliberation was unprecedented in scale and grandeur.

Yunyan Kingdom was not a vassal of any major dynasty. Basin-shaped, its territory might not even be as large as a single prefecture of the Daquan Dynasty, so it had always been called "the land in the palm."

It was both the capital of vinegar and a producer of fine ink. There were no immortal mansions or sects within its borders, only some insignificant martial forces. Even the "Fish Scale Ferry" outside the capital, barely qualifying as an immortal ferry, was hastily constructed by the Yunyan Qin clan court for this deliberation. Precisely because it was a face-saving act, in the eyes of true mountain immortals, from ferry to capital, every sight exuded an air of poverty.

Like a poor housewife, exhausting her money pouch, putting on makeup before a mirror, forcing a smile for distinguished guests.

In just over a month, three deliberations had already been held.

In the night, at Fish Scale Ferry, a colossal ferry boat was docked, a behemoth. The other mountain ferry boats nearby deliberately kept their distance, intentionally or not.

A figure in snow-white dharma robes sat alone on the ship's railing, silently drinking, as if drowning homesickness.

Cao Qinglang had just finished reading in his room and came to the deck for some fresh air. Seeing the great sword immortal Mi Yu, he greeted softly, "Chief Mi."

Mi Yu snapped back to reality, turned with a smile, and pulled another flask of wine from his sleeve. "This is a local specialty, called Yi wine. The flavor is a bit light, but it'll do."

Actually, back in his hometown, the immortal wines that entered the Sword Qi Great Wall via Daoxuan Mountain were often extremely expensive, several times the price of those in the Haoran world. Back then, Mi Yu had been very particular about wine.

But once he reached the Haoran world, Mi Yu could drink anything. He enjoyed even common market wines and rustic brews.

Cao Qinglang took the flask and nodded. "According to records, this Yi wine is brewed from job's tears fruit. It's cheap and good, with a light but elegant flavor, yet not enough to satisfy a heavy drinker."

Mi Yu chuckled. "As expected of the Hidden Official's proud student. Your knowledge is indeed broad — you understand everything."

Cao Qinglang smiled. "Just a coincidence. I happened to read about it in a scholar's notebook. Freshly learned knowledge, freshly applied."

Yunyan Kingdom had been a land of books since ancient times. The local scholars, whether from official families or wealthy households, would give their children, as soon as they could read, books like comprehensive bibliographies. Thus, even young children would have a vague concept of what constituted "works" and "good books." With this impression, their subsequent scholarly journey would be more efficient — first knowing the titles, then reading the books, striving for perfection.

Therefore, in Yunyan's history, famous ministers, generals, immortal masters, and grandmasters were insignificant, but quite a few renowned experts in exegesis and bibliography emerged.

Mi Yu asked curiously, "Is it stressful being the Hidden Official's student?"

Cao Qinglang replied, "For me, it's actually fine. Maybe Pei Qian thinks about it more."

Inside Yunyan's capital, there wasn't even a decent immortal inn. So all the immortal masters participating in the deliberation were housed in government-provided official residences, some even borrowing private mansions of ministers and nobles. The officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Court of State Ceremonies had been scrambling to handle this, but they managed barely without any scandals or chaos.

Although they stayed in a guesthouse under the Court of State Ceremonies, it was a different world inside. Liu Youzhou, in one room, had selected a relatively pleasing "snail shell" from among numerous storage artifacts, a portable miniature domain. Once inside, it was a palace of jade, with birdsong and floral fragrance.

In matters of clothing, food, housing, and travel, Liu Youzhou never short-changed himself. But he could be both refined and adaptable. He could enjoy delicacies, but also take great pleasure in street stalls and hole-in-the-wall eateries.

After arriving in Yunyan's capital, within half a month, Liu Youzhou had accompanied Liu Suiyu to over a dozen major restaurants and small eateries.

Inside the domain's hall, Liu Suiyu was sprawled in a grand armchair, legs stretched out. She laughed, "What a pity I didn't get to see that Emperor Yao or that Huang Yi Yun."

One was an empress of the Daquan Dynasty, the other the head of the Pushan Ye clan and a Martial Great Grandmaster — both renowned beauties of Tongye Continent.

Beautiful women are always curious about other beautiful women's appearances. They need to see up close to be satisfied, then mutter something like "passable," "not bad," "just so-so..."

She looked at the door. That brat Liu Youzhou was really rich. Just the courtyard had a wisteria said to have been planted by Wei She himself, twisted like a reclining dragon, transplanted here.

The problem was just to keep this wisteria alive, this domain where no one permanently resided had to have dedicated caretakers for the rare flowers, trees, and exotic birds.

That was another huge expense of immortal coins.

Actually, Liu Youzhou wasn't bad-looking, and his conduct was good. If she didn't have a preference for cradle-robbing, she might have married him.

In the room, besides Liu Suiyu, the female grandmaster most likely from Aiai Continent to reach the Martial Grandmaster realm, there was another woman who was also a ninth-grade martial artist, but younger. She had come to Tongye Continent not long ago, as the decision-maker of the Yu clan of the Central Continent — Yu Juanfu.

She had been injured in the Barbarian Continent, quite seriously. Her face was still pale.

Liu Suiyu hadn't asked for details. She only knew that Yu Juanfu, along with Cao Ci and a group, had fought a "group brawl" with a bunch of similarly young but formidable barbarian brats. It could only be called a pyrrhic victory.

Yu Juanfu said, "I heard Ye Yunyun is already at the Guizhen First Layer of Martial Grandmaster."

Liu Suiyu interlaced her fingers, raised her arms high, arched her chest, and stretched, knuckles cracking. She chuckled, "She's also a Jade Pupil realm immortal, no less. We're pure martial artists — how can we compare? Envy won't get us anywhere."

Yu Juanfu smiled. That was true. If a Qi refiner also trained in martial arts, just in terms of lifespan, they did have an advantage.

Liu Youzhou never chimed in on such "women's insider talk" laced with hidden meanings. It was easy to end up in a lose-lose situation. Better to stay silent.

Liu Suiyu turned to Liu Youzhou. "Young Master Liu, thanks to you, how many female immortals have actively requested to live here? Otherwise, they'd find roundabout reasons to visit. Take those neighboring women: playing zithers and chess during the day, swinging on a swing at night giggling away. What do you think they're after?"

Liu Youzhou laughed. "Aunt Liu, it's good for immortals to be versatile in addition to their cultivation — it's icing on the cake."

Yu Juanfu was about to return to her quarters when Liu Suiyu suddenly said, "Sister Yu, did you know? Our Young Master Liu has already set his heart on someone."

Liu Youzhou's face flushed. He quickly waved his hands, and when that didn't work, he clasped his fists pleadingly, begging Aunt Liu to spare him.

Yu Juanfu stood up and smiled. "Well, it's not me anyway."

Liu Suiyu said, "It's actually a bit related to you."

Yu Juanfu asked, "How so?"

Could it be that this Liu Youzhou had taken a liking to some Yu clan woman?

Liu Youzhou coughed a few times and secretly gestured with one hand, implying a hush fee — negotiable!

Liu Suiyu glanced at him. That stingy Young Master Liu — was he trying to fob off a beggar?

Seeing the situation, Liu Youzhou quickly changed his gesture, doubling the price.

Liu Suiyu then changed her tune. "Actually, it's not really related. It's too convoluted to explain. Never mind."

Yu Juanfu thought for a moment, puzzled. "Could it be Pei Qian?"

Liu Suiyu burst out laughing. "I didn't say that. You still have to pay up."

Liu Youzhou sighed, flopped back in his chair like Aunt Liu, putting on a "I don't care anymore" expression, looking utterly resigned.

Yu Juanfu looked at Liu Youzhou with pity, suppressing a smile. "How could you think to like Pei Qian?"

Liu Youzhou's heart raced, but he feigned calm. "I don't actually like her."

Yu Juanfu laughed. "What's the use of arguing with me? Look at your pathetic, cowardly demeanor — you might as well have the word 'like' carved on your forehead."

Because she had known Liu Youzhou for a long time, she didn't hesitate in her speech.

Back then, at a Golden Armor Continent ancient battlefield site?

Liu Youzhou had witnessed multiple boxing matches between her and Cao Ci.

Now, both in the Haoran and Barbarian Continents, the title of "strongest" at each martial level carried more prestige, and naturally bestowed more martial luck.

When Yu Juanfu was still a young girl, she had once asked her clan's ancestor and senior Zhou Shenzhi a question that few cared about.

Daoxuan Mountain had a gate connecting the Haoran world and the Sword Qi Great Wall, while the Sword Qi Great Wall bordered the Barbarian Continent. Didn't that mean the two worlds were linked by a thread?

Like Northern Juzhou, which had an east-west old Ji River with two estuaries — at least on the map, it split Northern Juzhou in two, but wasn't it still one Northern Juzhou?

Why, in the ten thousand years, had each world always calculated their own strongest martial artists separately?

Senior Zhou and Yu Panshui couldn't give a definitive answer back then.

Because of his extreme doting on Yu Juanfu, Zhou Shenzhi, once one of the ten great sword immortals of Central Continent, had specially consulted a friendly vice-chancellor from the Literary Academy on this matter. But that master fobbed him off with Confucian talk about "orthodoxy," and with a serious expression but a playful look that said "I'm talking nonsense — believe it if you dare, you fool."

So Zhou Shenzhi, in passing it on to Yu Juanfu, just repeated those vague reasons about "name" and "substance," and finally had to add, "Just take it as you will — it's not definitive."

After that, it was Yu Panshui who one day took the initiative to find Yu Juanfu and said he had a guess, learned from a good friend in the mountains, but couldn't verify its truth.

The answer was only eight words: "Divert flow, intercept flow, forcibly collect rent."

Although ancestor Yu Panshui didn't say who that mountain friend was, Yu Juanfu guessed it was probably that Embroidery Tiger. Only Cui Chan could make the ancestor show that complex expression — a contradictory mindset, as if engraved on his forehead: "How unlucky am I to have known the Embroidery Tiger?"

That was one of the hidden reasons Yu Juanfu had gone to the Sword Qi Great Wall.

The ancestor's answer was still too vague.

After arriving at the Sword Qi Great Wall, Yu Juanfu had privately visited that thatched cottage and, summoning her courage, asked the great sword immortal about the root of the matter.

The great sword immortal didn't disdain her for being too ambitious, but he didn't give a definite answer either. He just laughed and said two things to the young girl.

"Before you, Cao Ci asked the same question. He got the answer through his own ability."

"Same test — although your current realm is higher, what Cao Ci could do in his early years, you absolutely cannot. So let's switch to an easier test: just win a boxing match against that kid surnamed Chen."

Thus, later came the two boxing matches between Yu Juanfu and the Second Shopkeeper.

And then Yan's Shop gained another seal, with the base inscription "Wild Goose Hits Wall."

Yu Juanfu always felt that guy was teasing and implying something about her.

Although on the Golden Armor Continent battlefield, Pei Qian had sworn that her master was absolutely not the type to make veiled insinuations!

Liu Suiyu stood up and teased, "Young Master Liu, Yu Juanfu and Pei Qian are very close, the kind of intimate friends who tell each other everything. If you can persuade Yu Juanfu to be your matchmaker, I think you have a shot — at least, you've written half a stroke."

Liu Youzhou was thin-skinned. He looked utterly helpless and begged this Aunt Liu not to spread this around. It was baseless. If she embellished it, he would never be able to explain himself. This Patriarch Hall deliberation was full of all sorts of people — quite a few from the Green Duckweed Sword Sect.

Yu Juanfu didn't take it seriously. She believed Liu Youzhou didn't have the guts either.

Once Liu Suiyu left, to ease the awkward atmosphere, Liu Youzhou bragged, "Yu Juanfu, my painting skills have skyrocketed recently. Not to exaggerate, but I'm close to the state of 'reaching the divine.' Come, let me show you a piece full of passion and flair."

Actually, Liu Youzhou was never one to show off. He much preferred being the green leaf to set off the red flower. But when it came to painting, he had a mysterious confidence.

Yu Juanfu hesitated, then recalled a certain confidential matter. She said, "After seeing the painting, I'll tell you something."

Liu Youzhou asked curiously, "What is it? Just say it directly. But let me clarify upfront: aside from lending money, I won't be of much help."

That was the straightforward way of Young Master Liu of Aiai Continent — self-aware. Besides being rich and good at painting, he had no other merits.

Yu Juanfu said, "Gu Can asked me to pass a message to you: he needs to do business with you."

Liu Youzhou was puzzled. "Gu Can? He can't be short of money, can he?"

As the direct disciple of Mr. Zheng of White Emperor City, if Gu Can were short of money, that would be a huge joke.

Yu Juanfu nodded. "He needs to purchase several things from your Aiai Continent Liu clan. He knows that if he goes to buy them himself, he'll return empty-handed. He hopes you can help by making connections."

Liu Youzhou was momentarily speechless. Indeed, if any cultivator, no matter who or what realm, said they were willing to pay a high price to purchase rare treasures from the Aiai Continent Liu clan, no one would believe it. They'd think the person was a fool.

Liu Youzhou considered for a moment and nodded. "I'll help. I can try."

Yu Juanfu asked with a smile, "You don't even have any conditions?"

Liu Youzhou laughed. "Then this deal would be meaningless."

Since the goal was to have Gu Can owe him a favor, better to make it clean and simple.

Yu Juanfu pulled a piece of paper from her sleeve. "This is the list."

Liu Youzhou took it, glanced at it, and his scalp prickled. He frowned deeply. "What is Gu Can planning? Starting a new venture? Founding a sect?"

Yu Juanfu communicated telepathically: "White Emperor City is going to have two subsidiary sects simultaneously. Fu Jin and Gu Can will each take one. Their junior uncle Liu Daochun will follow Fu Jin, and their junior aunt Han Qiaose will assist Gu Can. Beyond that, the entire White Emperor City may... empty out. Everyone will leave, choosing to follow either Fu Jin or Gu Can according to their own will. That way, White Emperor City becomes the orthodox sect. As for who will be the sect master of the upper sect and who of the lower sect between Fu Jin and Gu Can, from Gu Can's tone, it's still undecided. So Gu Can, though not short of money, needs to purchase a few broken paradise secret realms from your Aiai Continent Liu clan."

Liu Youzhou's train of thought was rather peculiar. He asked a sharp question: "So, that means White Emperor City will be left with only Mr. Zheng?"

Yu Juanfu nodded. "It seems so."

There were also some secrets that Gu Can had openly shared with her, but she couldn't tell Liu Youzhou here.

For example, that Golden King City in the Barbarian Continent would be allocated to his sect. As for the sect's location, Gu Can had three choices: his hometown Bottle Gourd Continent, Fuyao Continent, or the Barbarian Continent.

Yu Juanfu said, "Gu Can said that if you agree to help, I can pass a further message. He would specially set up a vice-sect master position for you, hoping you would accept. Gu Can also promised that you can pre-arrange that as long as you take this vice-sect master role, you can not concern yourself with anything, or you can handle everything."

Actually, Yu Juanfu thought Gu Can might have misjudged. Did he completely misunderstand Liu Youzhou's temperament? Otherwise, how could he think Liu Youzhou would agree to such a "mercenary" request?

To be honest, Yu Juanfu had met quite a few mountain cultivators and wealthy scions. Liu Youzhou's "detached" attitude was unique.

To put it nicely, he had no desires and no demands. To put it bluntly, he had no grand ambitions — just wanted to lie around in luxury and enjoy life.

But regardless, it was certain that Liu Youzhou was not stupid.

Sure enough, Liu Youzhou waved his hand with a smile.

Yu Juanfu looked at him oddly. "Gu Can also has a gift for you."

She took out a wooden box from her storage artifact. It was crafted with the "hundred-treasure inlay" technique from the secular world, a dazzling array, with a base mark reading "Zhou system."

Countless gold, silver, jewelry, coral, jade, crystal, agate, lapis lazuli, mother-of-pearl, ivory, amber... were inlaid together to form landscapes, figures, flowers, trees, birds, beasts, pavilions, towers, palaces...

The box wasn't large, but it was resplendent with colors, indescribable.

Liu Youzhou smiled, took the jewel-inlaid box, gently shook it — it seemed empty inside, no hidden mechanism. He tucked it under his arm. "Remember to pass a message to Gu Can as well. Thank him for me. Tell him I really like this box."

Yu Juanfu nodded. "I'll send a sword message to Gu Can later. He's currently in Bottle Gourd Continent."

As they walked and talked, they reached the side hall with the painting desk. On the floor and table were over a dozen painting scroll cylinders, stuffed with scrolls of various materials.

On the desk, a painting was spread out. Liu Youzhou had painted a yellow-browed, golden-bellied creature hanging upside down on a trumpetcreeper vine. Yu Juanfu glanced at it — the technique was atrocious, so ugly it was painful to look at.

Liu Youzhou put the box aside and said cheerfully, "The painting world's atmosphere is terrible these days. Everyone's faking for money. Of course, some have reasons — they have to feed their families. I have to change this unhealthy trend. Just in my travels, I've seen countless murals. Now when I put brush to paper, I dare say that even at my young age, I already have that flavor of 'late-life transformation'..."

If it were some shameless character bragging, it would be one thing. But Yu Juanfu could be sure that when it came to painting, Liu Youzhou was serious and earnest.

Yu Juanfu asked casually, "Since you have no talent, why do you still like painting?"

Liu Youzhou was taken aback. "No talent? In a thousand years, maybe I'll be the founding patriarch of this painting style."

Yu Juanfu said impatiently, "Give me a straight answer."

Liu Youzhou smiled. "That was my true opinion. But come to think of it, there is another idea. Whether painted well or badly, it's all just false objects in the end."

After Yu Juanfu left, Liu Youzhou propped his chin on one hand and stared blankly at the wooden box on the table.

Liu Youzhou had a very secret "hobby."

He had never mentioned it to anyone, not a single word to his parents.

Deep inside Liu Youzhou's heart lay a very special, absolutely harmless "desire for control."

To put it figuratively, it was like arranging pieces in Go. "Arrange" meant assigning and filling gaps; "place" meant setting and establishing.

Because he was the sole heir apparent to the Aiai Continent Liu clan, and he wasn't stupid or pretentious, never thinking to reject all his inherent endowments.

So how to arrange those endless possessions and wealth — that was Liu Youzhou's only "task." By nature, he loved doing it.

He was famously lavish, most fond of lending treasures.

Liu Youzhou immensely enjoyed the sense of achievement from "allocation" and "filling deficiencies."

Liu Youzhou understood Gu Can's intention.

Gu Can's sect was like this wooden box: hollow, empty framework. All the people and things of this sect had yet to be inlaid — vacancies waiting to be filled.

So if Liu Youzhou was willing to become that vice-sect master, and since Gu Can had promised "you can handle everything," then Liu Youzhou could arrange things as he pleased.

In his own Liu clan, he couldn't do that. His father was likely to enter the Fourteenth Realm. Even if his father stepped down as clan head tomorrow, Liu Youzhou couldn't be a good new head. Too many constraints, too many checks. A huge clan involved too many trade-offs and interpersonal obligations. Liu Youzhou didn't think he was good at handling those. His strength and interest were merely "icing on the cake."

Liu Youzhou sighed and patted the box. "Gu Can."

They had never met, yet he was a kindred spirit.

At a night market food stall.

Yang Pu was eating a clay pot stew. When he looked up, he found a white-clothed youth with a square face sitting across from him. The youth, in very fluent Yunyan official language, ordered two clay pot stews from the vendor.

Yang Pu didn't mind. He assumed the youth was a local or a cultivator.

Actually, there were still two empty tables. But the youth chose to share his table. Yang Pu didn't bother making an issue of it. After all, he was a Confucian scholar of the Academy. The youth wouldn't overturn the table and attack him, right?

But if the youth had somehow learned of his identity through mountain channels and was trying to get close, then he had the wrong person.

Previously at the Dafu Academy, Yang Pu had been labeled a bookworm, naive, inflexible.

He didn't like those lively banquets and socializing. He knew that tonight, in this capital, there were countless toasts and clinking glasses both in the mountain and secular worlds.

Although Yang Pu knew that such social graces at the table were sometimes necessary and useful for building relationships — like getting a familiar face with someone, then claiming to be friends, which could be used to "earn money" — in the end, it was about catering to others and mutual benefit. But Yang Pu knew he wasn't suited for it, not good at it.

The youth across the table puffed out his cheeks, blowing, and his eyes darted around as he scrutinized Yang Pu.

When Yang Pu finished his stew, drank the broth, and was about to pay and leave, the youth spoke up with a smile. "Brother Yang, leaving already? I already ordered an extra stew for you. Don't rush off — let's eat and chat."

As he spoke, the youth pushed another clay pot toward Yang Pu, grinning widely, buttering him up.

Yang Pu asked doubtfully, "Do you know me?"

The youth nodded vigorously. "Know you? Of course I do! You hit it off with my master on first meeting — you're like old friends. And you've arranged a drinking session with our Chief Zhou."

Yang Pu's heart stirred slightly. He communicated telepathically, "Are you a registered cultivator of the Green Duckweed Sword Sect? Or a student of Mr. Chen?"

The youth's face showed utter shock, and his voice trembled. "Brother Yang, can you divine fortunes? You guessed that?"

Yang Pu was at a loss. Was this guy being sarcastic? But the youth's expression was sincere. He didn't seem to be joking. Not sure what to make of it, Yang Pu just smiled. "Not too hard to guess, is it?"

Earlier, at the gate of Taiping Mountain, Yang Pu had met Chen Ping'an and Jiang Shangzhen.

The key word in the youth's words was, of course, "Chief Zhou" — a sort of code.

Jiang Shangzhen of the Jade Gui Sect was the Chief Devotee of Luopo Mountain in Bottle Gourd Continent to the north. This fact wasn't yet widely known in Tongye Continent's mountains.

As for Yang Pu knowing Chen Ping'an and Jiang Shangzhen, he wasn't the type to brag about whom he knew. So far, only the three heads and vice-heads of Dafu Academy knew about it.

Since the youth was Mr. Chen's student, Yang Pu generously pulled the stew over, picked up his chopsticks, twirled a big mouthful, and mumbled with a smile, "What should I call you?"

The youth grinned. "I'm my master's proud student — no 'one of's. Surname Cui, given name Dongshan. Brother Yang can call me Dongshan, or Brother Cui sounds more friendly."

Now it was Yang Pu's turn to be shocked. "Sect Master Cui?!"

At this temporary Patriarch Hall deliberation, the Green Duckweed Sword Sect had made a big impression, drawing sidelong glances. But Cui Dongshan hadn't appeared in the capital.

Unexpectedly, he would meet this sect master at the night market — a man whose identity, background, and realm were all shrouded in mystery.

After all, how many sect masters were there in all of Tongye Continent now? Could be counted on one hand.

The "youth" tapped his cheek with his chopsticks. "When I'm out and about, I need to keep a low profile. I used a bit of disguise to avoid flies buzzing around like shit. Annoying."

Yang Pu said seriously, "Sect Master Cui, do you have any advice for seeing me tonight?"

As for the "flies buzzing" crude metaphor, Yang Pu pretended not to hear it.

Cui Dongshan used the signature sigh of the Wen Sheng lineage. "Advice, my ass! Brother Yang is an elder. I was just out for a walk tonight to clear my head. Happened to catch sight of Brother Yang's imposing presence sitting here. Little brother can treat you to a meal, then report back to my master to claim credit."

Cui Dongshan asked, "Brother Yang, are you good at compiling book series?"

Now that he knew the other's identity, Yang Pu felt more relaxed and spoke casually. "As good as I am at dealing with people."

Compiling a book series was a massive project. First, one had to select the best original editions. It required one or two chief editors, several assistant editors, and countless proofreading scholars.

In the history of Yunyan Kingdom, the only "feat" worth mentioning was mobilizing the entire nation's resources — over three thousand officials, scholars, and copyists — to spend ten years compiling a massive book series renowned across the continent.

Cui Dongshan said with regret, "Then forget it. I was planning to bring Brother Yang along to give me some courage to go meet someone."

Yang Pu was completely confused but didn't press for details. He saw Sect Master Cui stand up, clasp his fists in farewell, and walk off down the street. But his walking posture... was quite undisciplined — hopping and skipping, bobbing his head, as if dodging and throwing punches.

Cui Dongshan walked straight out of the capital. He didn't fly or summon a ferry boat. The white-clothed youth just swayed his sleeves, walking on foot, looking up at the jade-white moon. His sleeves flapped wildly. He sang, "The toiling moon in the sky, most pitying — night after night, comes to meet you."