Chapter 1054: Also Homeland
Under the eaves, mist curled faintly, a worldly scene like viewing flowers through fog.
Fan Junmao asked, "Do you know which accompanying sage will preside over the enfeoffment ceremony at Zitong Mountain?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head. "Hard to say. For now, the confirmed ones are only Piyun Mountain and Chezi Mountain, presided over by the Great Master and Zhou Guo respectively. On the old Zhu Ying dynasty's territory, there are quite a few sword cultivators."
Fan Junmao said, "If you get a chance, have a drink with Fan Er and try to talk some sense into him. He's getting on in years and still a bachelor—that's disgraceful. Is making money really that interesting? He never has a moment's rest all year, and when he does have free time, he spends it messing around with accountants and craftsmen. What's he after? Every day he's clicking an abacus and grinning like an idiot at ledger books."
Chen Ping'an laughed. "Some people are just born with a pure love for making money. It's like a martial artist learning boxing or a sword cultivator practicing the sword—they find joy in it. Rest easy, Mountain Lord Fan. I'll definitely seek out Fan Er for a drink."
Fan Junmao stood up and smiled. "Want me to call Cao Yong out? You messed up his good opportunity; we can't let him hold a grudge. Mountain and river spirits are long-lived, you know."
Chen Ping'an nodded. "Just tell him I'm inviting him out for a chat."
Wei Bo also stood, brushing off his robe. "I'll go with you."
It wasn't suitable for Chen Ping'an to go back alone and then drag the Linli Earl off for a private chat somewhere—too obvious. Everyone at today's meeting was a human fixture who had cultivated officialdom to the pinnacle. And Fan Junmao was unreliable when she spoke; officialdom was full of twists and turns, with multiple meanings hidden in a single sentence—she was probably only at the level of a novice. Wei Bo wasn't too reassured.
On the way to the imperial study, Fan Junmao transmitted her voice to Wei Bo: "Wei Bo, when Chen Ping'an was at the summer resort, did he conduct official business the same way?"
Wei Bo laughed silently. "Just do the opposite: make one sentence clear with several meanings, so neither the speaker nor the listener has to work hard. Or simply don't talk at all. Sword cultivators talk with reason—it's simple enough, especially since it's the Sword Qi Great Wall."
Fan Junmao nodded. "Got it. Speak human words to humans, ghost words to ghosts."
Wei Bo smiled without comment, withholding judgment.
Fan Junmao said, "Wei Yeyou, are you not getting it? That was a pun, both praising and criticizing the Sword Qi Great Wall and the officialdom of the righteous world."
Wei Bo smiled faintly. "I see. I stand corrected."
You, Mountain Lord Fan, talking to me about this is like discussing how easy it is to make money with Chief Zhou, or discussing etiquette with Mr. Xiao Mo.
Just like earlier, when Jin Qing deliberately teased Chen Ping'an during the meeting—calling him "the second shopkeeper who falls with one punch" or "the great sword immortal riding alone"—it seemed like banter, but there was purpose behind it. First, it reminded everyone present of Chen Ping'an's identity as the last Hidden Official. Second, it paved the way for Chen Ping'an's later "self-deprecation"—that he was only at the Nascent Soul stage and unworthy of being called a sword immortal.
After all, the entire righteous world was now guessing what Chen Ping'an's actual cultivation level was, and how he had managed the feat of carving words on the city wall. Was he a Flight Ascension sword cultivator, or higher?
If he truly was a sword cultivator starting at Flight Ascension, with that personal power and his status as the Great Li State Advisor, then what would there be to discuss in the Great Li imperial study in the future?
But once Chen Ping'an's level turned out to be merely Nascent Soul—even if tomorrow he reached Jade Purity or Immortal—for the high-ranking spirits of the continent present, it would feel like things could be negotiated. As Chen Ping'an himself said, it would be a discussion with give and take.
As for why Chen Ping'an deliberately downplayed his realm, Wei Bo understood well: one shouldn't start with too high a note. The worst thing is to get off to an easy start.
Sword cultivators suit the battlefield, not officialdom.
Cao Yong, who had been chatting idly inside with a familiar mountain god, soon came over. Chen Ping'an had already put away his tobacco pipe and stood under the eaves waiting for the former Qiantang River Elder.
Chen Ping'an got straight to the point, transmitting his voice: "Linli Earl, regarding the Zhejiang River Water God Wu Yun you recommended—I've only heard of her and never had a chance to meet. Cen Wenqian, however, is my friend, so I have a selfish motive in this matter. When I have a chance to drink at Yunshui Palace, I'll trouble you, Linli Earl, to introduce me so I can go to the Zhejiang River Mansion to apologize in person."
After hearing this, Cao Yong nodded and said, "I'm very glad that State Advisor Chen is willing to be so frank with me. In future, for similar matters, at least on my end, there's no need for explanation. As for Wu Yun, rest assured, State Advisor Chen. Don't overthink it. My recommendation of him to fill the vacancy of Qiantang River Elder was entirely my own decision—I didn't even notify him. If he doesn't become the Qiantang River Elder, knowing Wu Yun's temper, he won't blame you, State Advisor Chen. He might even fry a few dishes and have a couple of drinks to celebrate."
He paused, then suddenly smiled. "Wu Yun has always disliked those sword immortal lords of Zhengyang Mountain. They even had a conflict. The only time he willingly sent money to Zhengyang Mountain was when he watched that sect's ceremony through the mirror of flowers and moon. Back then, he was so happy he threw out several Grain Rain Coins, saying the money was well spent."
Chen Ping'an couldn't help but laugh, continuing via voice transmission: "Later, when His Majesty discusses the remaining river migration quotas within the next century, I've already spoken with the Marquis of Eternal Spring. Bixiao Palace is willing to give up its remaining quota."
Mountains and rivers had their peculiarities. The mansions of high-ranking water gods of great rivers differed from mountain gods. The former often had two plaques. For example, Yang Hua had the Marquis of Eternal Spring's Mansion and Bixiao Palace. The Great River Marquis Mansion was the office enfeoffed by the Confucian Temple, while Bixiao Palace was the name of Water God Yang Hua's personal Dao field. Cao Yong, this old flood dragon from the Qili Long Water Cave, also had two plaques: the Linli Earl's Mansion and Yunwen Palace. There were now rumors that the plaque "Deyou Palace" of Lingyuan Duke Shen Lin of the Ji Great River in the Northern Julu Continent was the work of a certain person.
Earlier, Cao Yong had written a personal letter to Fallen Mountain asking for a favor. Yunshui Palace had already used one of the Great Li court's great river migration quotas, but Cao Yong needed another. Coincidentally, Yang Hua still had one unused, so Cao Yong hoped Chen Ping'an could help bridge the connection with Bixiao Palace to beg for that quota.
Cao Yong felt relieved. This way, he'd have a good explanation for his old friend Wu Yun.
It was precisely a resident elder of the Zhejiang River Mansion, also a close friend of Wu Yun, who was a flood dragon descendant stuck at the Golden Core bottleneck, urgently needing a great river migration to break into the Nascent Soul stage.
Official promotion wasn't unimportant, but it wasn't as stable and solid as raising the height of one's temple golden body.
In fact, as Cao Yong said, Wu Yun wasn't very interested in filling the vacancy of Qiantang River Elder.
Especially since today Chen Ping'an mentioned the matter of spirit positions circulating, which essentially broke through several barriers. Once that assistant official of the Zhejiang River Mansion succeeded in the river migration, what need to worry about official positions?
For spirits, time was the one thing they never lacked.
Cao Yong said, "This river migration quota is priceless and not available on the market. It's too precious. The key is that Wu Yun's friend can't delay the migration any longer. If it drags on, his Dao will be in danger. Otherwise, I wouldn't have made this request to State Advisor Chen."
Chen Ping'an teased, "Brother Cao, I'll make a not-quite-fitting analogy: it's like borrowing ten taels of silver, and the borrower keeps saying these ten taels are worth a hundred, afraid the lender doesn't realize how big a favor they're doing. Brother Cao, your family fortune is so vast, are you afraid I won't collect the debt?"
Cao Yong laughed heartily. "It's all fine. Collecting debts and drinking aren't mutually exclusive. Mr. Chen now holds many concurrent posts and heavy responsibilities. I imagine you'll only get busier. If I don't do this, I'm afraid you won't grace my humble home."
Chen Ping'an smiled faintly. "Helping others is helping oneself—why mention gratitude? Courtesy calls for reciprocity; steady streams flow long. As for drinking, I've never backed down from anyone except Sword Immortal Liu. At the drinking table, I fear no one."
Cao Yong nodded. "Mr. Chen, whether it's official or private matters, just speak—whether it concerns my Yunshui Palace or the Qiantang River Mansion. Everything can be arranged."
The implication was clear: whether it was Chen Ping'an as the Great Li State Advisor, the Mountain Master of Fallen Mountain, or "Mr. Chen" who had struck up a friendship and accumulated two private favors, both the Linli Earl's Mansion and the Qiantang River Mansion—where many former subordinates gathered—would remember this favor. Even if Chen Ping'an didn't need it, if any registered cultivators of Fallen Mountain went on pilgrimage and passed through those two places in the future, they would definitely be treated as honored guests.
After taking his leave of Chen Ping'an, Cao Yong entered the imperial study and nodded to the Marquis of Eternal Spring, whose seat was nearby, to express thanks.
Yang Hua didn't understand the situation; she merely returned the nod out of politeness.
In fact, this river migration quota was something Chen Ping'an himself had requested from Emperor Song He.
According to protocol, voice transmissions were not allowed in the imperial study. Moreover, given Cao Yong's temperament and Yang Hua's style of conduct, after the small court session ended, each would return to their own domains. Bixiao Palace and Yunshui Palace might not even exchange letters. And even if Cao Yong actively contacted Yang Hua, Yang Hua wasn't Fan Junmao; she definitely wouldn't write back to the Linli Earl's Mansion to explain it was nothing. After all, she was a Great River Marquis personally promoted by Empress Dowager Nan Zan. Yang Hua needed to take steady steps and secure her official position; she couldn't afford to speak and act like Fan Junmao.
Chen Ping'an took out his tobacco pipe and returned to the steps. Earlier, he and Tong Wenchang had been squatting there smoking dry tobacco, so Fu Dechong, the Mountain God of Pu Mountain, had chosen a spot. The two mountain lords flanked him, highlighting State Advisor Chen's central position. When Chen Ping'an got up to chat with Cao Yong, after returning, he seemed unwilling to take those extra two steps and casually squatted beside Fu Dechong, which put the mountain god of this central mountain's subordinate peak in the middle.
Fu Dechong hesitated but didn't say anything.
Chen Ping'an opened with a smile. "When Lu Baixiang chose to settle on Pu Mountain back then, Mountain God Fu has been very kind to him all these years."
Just one incident showed true character.
Back then, Lu Baixiang's direct disciple Yuan Lai had found a considerable immortal opportunity in the territory of Pu Mountain. Yuan Lai, a pure martial artist, actually obtained an entire shattered secret realm rooted in Pu Mountain. Inside, it harbored two golden books and jade edicts buried by the founding emperor of the old Zhu Ying dynasty, rich in dragon qi—truly priceless. Logically, this was the private property of Pu Mountain. Yuan Lai was like a guest lodging there digging up a jar of silver in the host's courtyard; the host taking it all back would be within reason, or at least they'd split it. But Fu Dechong didn't care at all. He said these immortal opportunities were like chicken ribs to mountain and river spirits—good that a destined person got them. Fu Dechong signed a contract with the Mountain Lord's Mansion of Chezi Mountain, not only giving them all to Yuan Lai but also providing personnel and resources from his own mountain god mansion to help Lu Baixiang and his two disciples repair the secret realm.
Fu Dechong smiled. "Hardly 'kind.' Mr. Lu and I have compatible temperaments—we hit it off as old friends. We often play chess, and I've never won."
Chen Ping'an transmitted his voice, "Mountain God Fu, do you hold the Jade Capital's Grand Master Lu in high esteem?"
Fu Dechong's studio was named Qiushui Lingfu, and Lu Chen even had a chapter called "Dechong Fu."
Fu Dechong admitted frankly, "Not just 'high esteem'—I admire him immensely. In my mortal life, I was utterly devoted to Lu Chen. It's a great pity that my divine rank is low, and I never had the chance to meet him."
Chen Ping'an nodded. "Any scholar who has even a slight inclination toward immortality and the Dao can't bypass Lu Chen."
Fu Dechong asked cautiously, "I heard that State Advisor Chen and Grand Master Lu have known each other for a long time?"
Chen Ping'an laughed. "Our grievances and favors are clear. The relationship is pretty good."
Fu Dechong was deeply envious.
Tong Wenchang rarely spoke first. He asked, "Mountain God Fu, are there still spare ancient sandalwood logs on your Pu Mountain? Deer Antler Mountain and Luan Mountain are currently building mansions and urgently need immortal timber—the shortfall is around ten thousand catties. The forestry bureau in Yuzhang Prefecture of Hongzhou is strict now—we can't count on them. Before coming, the two mountain gods asked me to see if you could offer a fair price."
Fu Dechong's expression turned strange.
Mountain Lord Tong, Mountain Lord Tong! You didn't even look at that booklet State Advisor Chen handed out—just two thin pages of content?
Chen Ping'an laughed. "Mountain God Fu, in business, you have to observe the rule of first come, first served."
Tong Wenchang suddenly understood. "What, the Pu Mountain sandalwood is already all bought up by Fallen Mountain? No wonder when I walked out of the room, those two were winking at me."
At first, he thought they were reminding him to pass a message to Fu Dechong. Turns out they were hinting that he shouldn't compete with State Advisor Chen for business?
Last time, when Chen Ping'an brought Qing Tong to visit Chezi Mountain, he had settled three mountain transactions with Jin Qing on the side, including the immortal sandalwood from Pu Mountain.
The old Zhu Ying dynasty once had four wonders that shook the continent: sword cultivators, beauties, famous inkstones, and ancient sandalwood.
Among them, the sandalwood of Pu Mountain was almost as renowned as the giant trees of Yuzhang Prefecture in Hongzhou of Great Li. The wood for palaces and imperial mausoleums in various countries of central Bottle Gourd Continent came from Pu Mountain. Several types of sandalwood incense made by secret methods of Pu Mountain's spirit mansions—differing in yellow, white, green, and purple—were favored by qi refiners and emperors and generals across Bottle Gourd Continent.
Additionally, a quarry was to be built within Chezi Mountain's jurisdiction, and a large quantity of a special river sand unique to the Yong River waterway was to be purchased. According to the Confucian Temple's recompilation of the gold and jade registries of the world's mountain and river spirits, the spirit positions of the Yong River God and the Iron Talisman River were the same rank as the subordinate peaks of the Five Peaks and the Great Li Capital's City God Temple—both regular third rank.
Last time at the Central Earth Confucian Temple, Chen Ping'an had met that old scholar Li who had traversed all nine continents of the Righteous World, seen every water vein, and compiled a water classic. Not only had he met him, but they'd also chatted idly. The demeanor of older-generation scholars was often such that the higher their learning, the calmer their mindset and broader their vision.
The Yong River was within the old Zhu Ying dynasty's territory. An ancient water classic said, "Water on all sides is called Yong."
In the booklet Chen Ping'an submitted, there was also a unique "dark soil" exclusive to Caizhi Mountain.
The River Lord of Lingfei Palace, whose Dao name was Dongting, had previously established her Dao field at the battlefield ruins. She had purchased a considerable amount of this dark soil at a high price from the Caizhi Mountain God Wang Juan.
The price Chen Ping'an negotiated with Wang Juan was less than half of what the River Lord had paid.
Thus, the business partners of Fallen Mountain written in Chen Ping'an's booklet—just among those seated in the house today—included Chezi Mountain, Zitong Mountain, Caizhi Mountain, Pu Mountain, and the Yong River.
As for Piyun Mountain and Mountain Lord Wei, could they be called business partners?
Tong Wenchang asked, "State Advisor Chen, regarding the excavation of that great river in Tongye Continent, is there still a shortage of funds?"
Chen Ping'an replied, "The immortal coins needed for the early and middle stages are already accounted for. At least for the next thirty years, we won't be short."
Tong Wenchang pressed on. "Approximately twenty thousand Grain Rain Coins?"
This major event had stirred much discussion on Bottle Gourd Continent. Rumors had long spread about how many Grain Rain Coins were lying on the account books of the temporary "Ancestral Hall" built in the capital of Cloud Rock Nation.
For instance, when Chen Ping'an previously visited Dieyun Ridge for a drink, Mountain God Dou Yan had brought up the matter of excavating the great river in Tongye Continent, asking if it was suitable to invest money—lest it vanish without a trace. Chen Ping'an suggested that Dou Yan and Cen Wenqian, if they had idle funds, might give it a try. He would use a method similar to Green Duckweed Sword Sect's proxy holding, allowing Dieyun Ridge and Old Fish Lake to invest as shareholders.
In the end, Dou Yan gritted his teeth, pooled resources from various sources, and even borrowed money. Together with a few close mountain god friends, he came up with four hundred Grain Rain Coins and sent them to Fallen Mountain.
But Cen Wenqian still didn't participate. The reason was simple: poverty. To put it nicely, she was "pure in poverty."
Chen Ping'an laughed. "More than that."
Fu Dechong curiously asked, "Can you give a rough figure?"
Chen Ping'an said, "Excluding the immortal coins for mid-term investment, just the first batch of Grain Rain Coins that has already arrived is about thirty thousand."
Green Duckweed Sword Sect: three thousand. Jasper Seal Sect: five thousand. Great Spring Yao Clan: two thousand. White Snow Continent Liu Clan: ten thousand. Xuanmi Dynasty Yu Clan: two thousand.
Then Zhang Zhi's Bao Guo Zhai came to him on its own, adding another four thousand Grain Rain Coins.
Additionally, there were some scattered Grain Rain Coins coming in, mostly from various imperial courts and mountain sects of Tongye Continent that still had some assets, deeming it a "joint effort."
And the Eastern Sea Lord's Mansion of Wang Zhu contributed a whopping fourteen thousand Grain Rain Coins in one go. That large sum would be kept as a mid-term budget, untouched for now.
Fu Dechong was speechless.
Chen Ping'an laughed. "It's not cheap compared to our Qi Great River crossing. Expenses in Tongye Continent are much higher, with over one hundred and twenty subdivided categories."
Tong Wenchang nodded. "Good thing."
After a moment of silence, Tong Wenchang said, "If funds run short, just let me know, State Advisor Chen."
Fu Dechong smiled. "Mountain Lord Tong has a big move in mind?"
Tong Wenchang shook his head. "Just a bit of savings, around three or four hundred Grain Rain Coins. Not much—just a token of intent. Gan Province Mountain doesn't have many income streams, and I'm not skilled at managing resources. Compared to Deer Antler Mountain and Luan Mountain, my family fortune is far behind."
Fu Dechong couldn't help but laugh. "Mountain Lord Tong, the way you said that didn't sound like three or four hundred coins."
Chen Ping'an agreed. "Even if we truly ran out of money, I wouldn't have the heart to ask you, Mountain Lord Tong. The money may not be much, but the favor owed is considerable."
Tong Wenchang grinned, revealing a rare smile.
Fu Dechong remembered something. "State Advisor Chen, have you considered approaching Great Li?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head. "We'll talk about that later."
He was indeed hesitant about whether to involve the Great Li dynasty in the great river excavation on Tongye Continent.
After a quarter-hour break, the session resumed in the imperial study.
Although Tong Wenchang hadn't looked closely at the second page of the booklet, he had read the first page carefully. Mountain Lord Tong had even calculated: across the Righteous World, which sword-qi sect could boast two Flight Ascension sword cultivators? The answer was simple—none. In fact, since Zhou Shenzhi died in battle, there was no sect left with even one Flight Ascension sword cultivator as its founding patriarch.
Of course, that excluded the Dragon-Elephant Sword Sect of Qi Tingji in Southern Po-suo Continent.
Fu Dechong had wanted to boldly ask Chen Ping'an for a favor: to pass a message to Lu Chen if he ever met him. But the moment the thought arose, this Pu Mountain God suppressed it.
Because before Chen Ping'an said his relationship with Lu Chen was good, he had prefaced it with four words: "grievances and favors are clear."
After the outer sect receptionist Chen Jiu was "expelled" by the Bamboo Branch Sect, the impact was minimal. At most, the figure fishing by the stream was no longer there.
Next came the official negotiation in the capital of Qingling Kingdom regarding the renewal of the lease on Caiyu Mountain and the bidding. Initially, the Ministers of Rites and Revenue of Qingling Kingdom had both appeared. The Bamboo Branch Sect sent its Law Master Patriarch Ling Xie down the mountain personally to handle the bidding. Besides that, two minor sects were also interested in Caiyu Mountain, but their foundations were far inferior to the Bamboo Branch Sect. On Zhengyang Mountain's side, contrary to Qingling Kingdom's expectation of Water Dragon Peak's Xia Housan, it was Rain Foot Peak's Peak Master Yu Lin who came. So the emperor, whom the Minister of Rites had said was busy with state affairs, suddenly became less occupied and soon arrived.
But the emperor quickly regretted making this trip.
The two minor sects, which were more or less just trying their luck, soon withdrew from the bidding for the mining rights of Caiyu Mountain, as a courtesy to the Bamboo Branch Sect.
But Ling Xie of the Bamboo Branch Sect and Yu Lin of Zhengyang Mountain—two people of vastly different status and realms—drove the price all the way up to a full eighty Grain Rain Coins!
Yu Lin, with a calm expression, picked up his teacup, blew on the tea, and said to the Bamboo Branch Sect's Law Master Patriarch, "It's just a transaction, fellow Daoist Yuqi. Why engage in such a battle of pride?"
Ling Xie retorted stiffly, "Caiyu Mountain is the foundation of our Bamboo Branch Sect, a legacy handed down by our founding patriarch. Without Caiyu Mountain, what face do we have to burn incense in the Ancestral Hall?!"
Yu Lin smiled.
In the uneasy emperor's view, if it had ended there, this Golden Core sword immortal of Rain Foot Peak might have backed off.
But then Ling Xie had to add, "Even if it's eighty, a hundred, or two hundred Grain Rain Coins, our Bamboo Branch Sect must hold on to this legacy!"
Yu Lin set down his teacup and said with a smile, "Then I'll bid one hundred and ninety-nine Grain Rain Coins, fellow Daoist Yuqi. All you have to do is add one more—it doesn't even have to be a Grain Rain Coin, just a Snowflake Coin—and I'll withdraw."
The result was that Yu Lin, at a very high premium of one hundred and ninety-nine Grain Rain Coins, bought Caiyu Mountain from the Bamboo Branch Sect for Zhengyang Mountain.
Thus, the Bamboo Branch Sect was left with only its ancestral mountain, Chicken Foot Mountain. But the problem was that the sect's Ancestral Hall had been rebuilt on Caiyu Mountain.
When the news reached the Bamboo Branch Sect at Caiyu Mountain, Guo Huifeng was dumbfounded. The dozen or so qi refiners in the council hall looked at each other in dismay.
Guo Huifeng's emotions were extremely complicated. She had actually agreed with Law Master Ling Xie beforehand: the latter's trip to Qingling Kingdom should aim for a renewal at thirty coins at best, and at most bid up to forty. Any more was unnecessary.
But the problem was that Ling Xie's approach wasn't necessarily wrong. Deep down, Guo Huifeng wanted to keep Caiyu Mountain far more than anyone else.
Previously, she had worried that the Chicken Foot Mountain lineage, which always hoped to join Zhengyang Mountain, might stand by idly on this matter. So when Ling Xie volunteered to handle the price negotiation, Guo Huifeng was pleasantly surprised. Although her relationship with Ling Xie was average, she was willing to believe Ling Xie wouldn't have selfish motives on such a major issue, let alone favor an outsider on a matter involving the sect's honor.
When Ling Xie returned to the Bamboo Branch Sect, in the Ancestral Hall, she revealed an inside story that made many members murmur.
Yu Lin had privately disclosed one thing: if we agreed to become Zhengyang Mountain's subordinate sect, we could keep Caiyu Mountain.
Guo Huifeng's gaze sharpened, fixed on the Law Master Patriarch of the Chicken Foot Mountain lineage!
Ling Xie remained composed, saying she had rejected the offer on the spot. Then Ling Xie added, "Our Bamboo Branch Sect can start the relocation today. Otherwise, relying solely on Chicken Foot Mountain, we cannot survive here. Within a hundred years, our incense will wane. It's better to find a place in the south to settle."
Guo Huifeng sighed. Things had come to this—there was no other choice. The only fear was that the sword immortals of Zhengyang Mountain's various peaks wouldn't let them move south smoothly.
Caiyu Mountain was a legacy passed down through generations of patriarchs, the very foundation. Once they relocated, it would be like duckweed without roots.
Now, in the south of Bottle Gourd Continent, kingdoms were being restored or newly established, with a hundred things waiting to be done. There were indeed many opportunities there. The Bamboo Branch Sect could relocate—they and their qi refiners could take the spirit tablets of successive patriarchs and move south together. But that was ultimately a last resort. Being a "dragon crossing the river" wasn't easy. Guo Huifeng was a Golden Core cultivator; she wasn't afraid of mountain disputes, but she feared being unfamiliar with the people and place, dragging the Bamboo Branch Sect into decline. As they said, a tree dies when moved, a person lives when moved—but how could she guarantee that the Bamboo Branch Sect wouldn't be like those apricot trees by the wild streams?
Mountain vassal relationships came in two types: one was a relatively loose affiliation. The Bamboo Branch Sect and Zhengyang Mountain had maintained such a relationship for centuries.
Another example was Fallen Mountain in the north and the Pearl Hairpin Island, which had moved from Book Trough Lake to Ao Yu Bei in Chu Prefecture. In outsiders' eyes, that roughly fell under the same category.
The second type was a strict "upper sect and subordinate sect" relationship, with a significant difference. The former was more of an alliance; the latter was a true subordinate dependency. In simple terms, Zhengyang Mountain currently couldn't control the selection of any single seat in the Bamboo Branch Sect's Ancestral Hall, but once the Bamboo Branch Sect became a subordinate sect, Zhengyang Mountain could intervene in all aspects of their registered cultivators' appointments, promotions, and demotions—including the sect leader and law master! And if Zhengyang Mountain wanted, it could directly assign sword cultivators from its peaks to bypass the Bamboo Branch Sect and become its sect leader.
While the Bamboo Branch Sect was secretly preparing for relocation, the ancestral mountain of Zhengyang Mountain, First Line Peak, also held a scheduled Ancestral Hall meeting.
But discussing the Bamboo Branch Sect and the purchase of Caiyu Mountain was merely a minor agenda item. For a behemoth like Zhengyang Mountain, a tiny sect like the Bamboo Branch Sect, whose leader was only a Golden Core qi refiner, meant nothing.
According to Zhengyang Mountain's predetermined agenda—which essentially reflected the personal will of Sect Master Zhu Huang—the plan was first to send someone to Qingling Kingdom, believing that offering fifty Grain Rain Coins would be enough to make the Bamboo Branch Sect back down.
Later, some sword immortal from the Ancestral Hall would find Guo Huifeng and discuss it properly. If they were willing to become a subordinate sect, Zhengyang Mountain would promise not to interfere in any changes to their Gold and Jade Registry within three hundred years. At the same time, they would help cultivate the Bamboo Branch Sect's disciples. If Guo Huifeng had suitable candidates with decent aptitude, they could all be sent to Zhengyang Mountain's various peaks for training, with no limit on numbers, to help the Bamboo Branch Sect truly secure its position as the number one immortal mansion in Qingling Kingdom.
But because of that ungrateful Ling Xie, combined with the impulsive Yu Lin of Rain Foot Peak acting on his own authority, they had essentially wasted over a hundred Grain Rain Coins. That sum of immortal coins would have to come out of Yu Lin's own pocket. After the meeting, Yu Lin would personally deliver the coins to the ancestral mountain's treasury for registration. Yu Lin had no objection; he stood up and accepted the order.
In the Ancestral Hall of First Line Peak, the Full Moon Peak's founding patriarch, Xia Yuancui, now served as Zhengyang Mountain's Law Master personally. As a Jade Purity realm sword immortal of the same rank as Sect Master Zhu Huang and his junior uncle, Xia Yuancui oversaw the sect's legal code—a popular and fitting choice.
Meanwhile, Yan Chu of Water Dragon Peak, an old sword immortal at the Nascent Soul stage, had been moved from Law Master Patriarch to the top seat of Zhengyang Mountain's treasury. On the surface, it seemed like a lateral transfer within the mountain, but it was actually a demotion.
Still, it was better than Tao Yanbo of Autumn Order Mountain, who had been punished with sixty years of closed-door reflection. I suppose that's what they mean by the same realm but different fates.
Suddenly, a flying sword message arrived at the Ancestral Hall. Yan Chu received it, read the contents, and his expression changed slightly. He stood up and said, "Some of our young sword cultivators got into a dispute with a group of registered cultivators from the Bamboo Branch Sect at the confluence of the wild stream and the Qi River on Caiyu Mountain."
Zhu Huang asked, "Anyone injured on either side?"
Yan Chu said, "Both sides sustained minor injuries. Our people deliberately held back and were careful about proportion. Otherwise, every single one of those qi refiners from the Bamboo Branch Sect would not have left the Qi River."
It seemed Zhu Huang was about to ask about the cause of the conflict.
Heh, "Peacemaker Zhu Zongzhu," "Anything goes, Sword Immortal Zhu"—these playful assessments were the "praises" given by mountain and river newspapers from outside Bottle Gourd Continent.
Xia Yuancui had already stroked his beard and smiled. "This Bamboo Branch Sect, not bad at all—they almost have the spirit of a sect-level immortal mansion."
As Law Master Patriarch, this matter fell under his jurisdiction. Of course, his junior nephew Zhu Huang was the sect leader; if he wanted to handle it, Xia Yuancui would spare himself the trouble.
All the vassal immortal mansion sects were trying to distance themselves from Zhengyang Mountain, finding all sorts of excuses to stop paying tribute.
Now, even a little sect right under Zhengyang Mountain's nose—the Bamboo Branch Sect—could it be unruly?
Previously, Zhengyang Mountain's mortal enemy was the Wind and Thunder Garden, whose Garden Master He Huang was already in the barbaric wilderness. The remaining Liu Baqiao was one of the Ten Young Cultivators selected by Bottle Gourd Continent itself.
After the observation ceremony, another mortal enemy emerged: Fallen Mountain had erected a stele at Zhengyang Mountain's border, inscribed with "Twenty thousand li north to Fallen Mountain"!
Now, the younger generation of Zhengyang Mountain—especially the proud sword cultivators—had no face left to go out and train.
But in this Ancestral Hall meeting at First Line Peak, Zhu Huang still didn't "disappoint." He again used his authority as sect leader to override all objections, insisting on sending someone to contact the Bamboo Branch Sect, meaning that both sides' registered cultivators should exercise restraint in the near future to avoid further conflict.
That day, Guo Huifeng, the leader of the Bamboo Branch Sect, went alone to First Line Peak of Zhengyang Mountain.
This resolute female Golden Core cultivator clearly harbored a death wish.
At Guoyun Tower near Egret Ferry, Chen Jiu, the outer sect receptionist of the Bamboo Branch Sect, was actually standing on an observation deck of the immortal inn.
He was now curious about three things. First, whether Sword Immortal Xia Hou, with whom he had once shared a drink, knew about this carefully orchestrated scheme. Of course, the answer didn't matter.
Second, when had the Bamboo Branch Sect's Law Master Patriarch Ling Xie gotten involved with Zhu Huang of Zhengyang Mountain?
And third, how would Zhu Huang clean up the mess?
Chen Ping'an didn't think Xia Yuancui and Yan Chu had any chance of winning. In the art of calculating human hearts, the two old sword immortals might not even be fit to hold Zhu Huang's shoes.
Thus, Zhu Huang's various performances seemed far too weak. If this continued, conventionally speaking, Zhu Huang's First Line Peak would be hollowed out by the other peaks.
Something was definitely amiss.
That was why "Chen Jiu" had stopped at the Bamboo Branch Sect to serve as an outer receptionist. Chen Ping'an wanted to see what tricks Xia Yuancui of Full Moon Peak could cook up, how far he could go, and whether he could push Zhu Huang to a dead end. Now, it seemed difficult—the situation appeared to be leaning one way. The reason was simple: Zhu Huang hadn't even made a single countermove. That meant once Zhu Huang chose to act, the situation might reverse in an instant.
After some thought, Chen Ping'an decided he didn't want to waste money needlessly. He gave the name "Zhou Shou" at Guoyun Tower and asked for the first-class room, which "Zhou Shou" had paid for a year in advance.
Now, Guoyun Tower had a new manager. But upon hearing the name "Zhou Shou," the manager turned pale with fright and didn't dare ask the ordinary-looking, unfamiliar qi refiner for any identification. He personally led this honored guest to the first-class room. Before leaving, he only said that if the guest had any needs, Guoyun Tower would do its best to accommodate. Really, once bitten, twice shy. First, there was that "Zhou Shou" and a white-robed youth with a mole between his eyebrows, spending lavishly to rent the first-class room for a year. Then Fallen Mountain's Mountain Master Chen Ping'an and Liu Xianyang, the current sect leader of Dragon Spring Sword Sect, stayed there, leading to that sword challenge. Now here came another one...
The closest landmark to Guoyun Tower was still Green Mist Peak. Of course, unlike flowing water and human hearts, mountains don't grow legs and won't move.
Chen Ping'an lay back in the wicker chair and closed his eyes to rest.
This place was too far from the ancestral mountain's First Line Peak. With his cultivation level, he couldn't see the scene of sword light erupting.
As for that Bamboo Branch Sect leader, on this trip to Zhengyang Mountain, she would certainly encounter no mishaps.
Chen Ping'an suddenly opened his eyes and saw a Taoist wearing a lotus crown, sitting on the railing with his back to him, muttering to himself.
Chen Ping'an asked, "Is Grand Master Lu so idle?"
Lu Chen turned his head and smiled. "I've already found the people I needed to find and finished the business I needed to do. I'm about to head back now, so I thought I should see you off properly—a proper beginning and end."
Chen Ping'an said, "There's wine inside; help yourself."
Though curious, Chen Ping'an didn't ask.
Lu Chen should have already returned to the Azure World with Zhu Lu. At this time, they ought to be at Jade Capital.
Or was this "Lu Chen" merely one of his Five Dreams and Seven Mind Phases left in the Righteous World?
Lu Chen leaned back, attempting a graceful backflip. But he apparently misjudged the railing's height and collapsed to the ground. He had to spring up with a carp-like movement and scurried into the room to fetch two bottles of ready-made immortal liquor. Good heavens—it was actually the priceless Changchun Palace immortal brew. Guoyun Tower really spared no expense! Did this count as settling the year's worth of immortal coins? If Mountain Master Chen visited Guoyun Tower a few more times, wouldn't they just shut down?
Lu Chen hooked a foot, pulling a chair from inside to the outdoor observation deck. His figure drifted down onto the chair, and he lightly tossed a bottle of wine to Chen Ping'an.
Chen Ping'an didn't drink but put it into his sleeve.
Lu Chen smiled. "That farce of internal strife is pretty close to what you guessed."
Chen Ping'an asked, "Where's the difference?"
Lu Chen tilted his head back, gulping the wine like a thirsty man drinking water. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Pindao is busy drinking and can't be bothered to think. Besides, I can't explain it all in a short while. How about we take a walk down the River of Time?"
Chen Ping'an said, "Did Zhu Huang know I was at the Bamboo Branch Sect long ago?"
Lu Chen laughed. "Mountain Master Zhu is a sword immortal, not a fortune-teller who knows the future. Whether he guessed it or not—who knows? Pindao certainly doesn't, since I'm not a tapeworm in his belly."
Chen Ping'an sat up.
The two walked along a stretch of the River of Time, going upstream like flipping back through the pages of a book. When they came across content that interested them, they'd open the page and read.
They first arrived at an official boat on a river in Qingling Kingdom. Inside and outside the cabin, separated by a bamboo curtain—and of course, a mountain and river prohibition set up by Xia Yuancui, who was cautious enough to sail a ship for ten thousand years.
These two old sword immortals of Zhengyang Mountain—Xia Yuancui of Full Moon Peak and Yan Chu of Water Dragon Peak—had secretly held a meeting on this Qi River, discussing matters involving the replacement of several seats on the mountain.
Lu Chen lifted a corner of the bamboo curtain and looked inside, chuckling. "Two old sword immortals, truly hale and hearty with lofty ambitions. If we just look at the matter on its own terms, if they had succeeded, that stone tablet on the border could have stayed on Zhengyang Mountain forever."
Grand Master Lu's meaning was simple: as long as Zhu Huang remained the sect leader of Zhengyang Mountain, there was still hope of removing that boundary stone. If someone else became the new sect leader, forget it.
This showed that Lu Chen also saw Zhu Huang as the better bet.
Lu Chen took three immortal coins from his sleeve, clenched them in his hand, and made them creak. "What do you think I'm holding?"
Chen Ping'an said, "Patience."
Lu Chen was momentarily speechless. Talking to slow-witted people was tiring; he missed smart people. But when a smart person really killed the conversation, he felt that talking to slow-witted people was actually more interesting.
For example, Cui Chan's patience spanned a hundred years.
Zheng Juzhong's patience had lasted three thousand years.
According to the plans of those two powerful old sword immortals in the cabin, the first step: some sufficiently influential cultivator of the Bamboo Branch Sect, unable to buy Caiyu Mountain, would angrily return to the sect and publicly announce a unilateral severance of the vassal relationship, completely cutting ties with Zhengyang Mountain. Second step: find a few suitable young sword cultivators to provoke a conflict with the Bamboo Branch Sect—no need to kill anyone, just mutual injuries would suffice. Xia Yuancui had pegged Guo Huifeng's outwardly soft but inwardly strong personality; she would definitely go to Zhengyang Mountain—more precisely, to Zhu Huang—to demand justice. Then Zhengyang Mountain would give her an answer: use her and the Bamboo Branch Sect as examples to scare the others, elevate the Chicken Foot Mountain lineage, and sign a "superior sect-subordinate sect" contract. In the past, such "mountain oaths and river vows" were presided over by the Five Peaks of various nations or the legitimate gods of rivers. Now it was easier—just "submit a petition" at the Qi Great River crossing. Third step: Yu Lin of Rain Foot Peak, a young sword immortal with great prestige among Zhengyang Mountain's younger disciples, would act as the vanguard of the First Line Peak Ancestral Hall, launching the first attack against Zhu Huang. Then Xia Yuancui himself would step in, with Yan Chu echoing, and together they would suggest that Zhu Huang voluntarily step down as sect master. A new position had already been arranged: Zhu Huang would go to the "subordinate sect," Huangzhu Sword Sect, located in the territory of Central Mountain Chezi Mountain, to serve as its sect leader.
It was called a suggestion, but it was really a forced expulsion from First Line Peak, sending him off to "retire" at Huangzhu Sword Sect.
Once Zhu Huang left Zhengyang Mountain, Xia Yuancui had a series of measures to make Zhu Huang's life at the subordinate sect thoroughly unpleasant.
Lu Chen walked into the cabin stealthily, listening to the two old sword cultivators map out their grand plans while flicking one's forehead or pretending to punch the back of their heads.
Chen Ping'an took a single step, crossing directly into the cabin; the bamboo curtain blocking the way was as good as nonexistent.
On the journey of life, Chen Ping'an had seen some people who seemed alike but were actually polar opposites. Speaking only of those close to him, there were Gu Can and Li Huai, Cui Dongshan and Lu Chen.
Lu Chen seemed to have tired of his mischief. He crouched on the ground, looking up at Xia Yuancui, probably reading the old sword immortal's face or counting the lines on his skin.
Chen Ping'an watched.
Lu Chen laughed. "They sure are bold. Aren't they afraid that Zhu Huang might one day break through to the Immortal realm and come back to settle both old and new accounts?"
Chen Ping'an said, "Seize the benefits first, worry about the future later."
Lu Chen nodded. "True."
Chen Ping'an suddenly asked, "How could you lift that bamboo curtain?"
Lu Chen replied with a straight face, "High cultivation, great skill, handsome looks, get along with people when out, never say harsh words—cautious enough to sail a ship for ten thousand years..."
Chen Ping'an cut off Grand Master Lu's self-praise. "Are we going to continue upstream, or go downstream and retrace our steps?"
Lu Chen countered, "Change to another book? For example, look at the little Heavenly Lord being Sect Master Zhu Huang, or Fairy Guo of the Bamboo Branch Sect? Or both?"
Chen Ping'an said, "No need. We'll just keep an eye on the two old sword immortals."
Lu Chen said helplessly, "Aren't you tired of that?"
Chen Ping'an laughed. "How about Grand Master Lu's patience?"
Lu Chen muttered, "Pindao just has soft ears—can't bear to hear good words."
After that, they arrived at Full Moon Peak. It was deep in the night; a full moon hung in the sky, its silvery light covering the ground like snow. Lu Chen stood with his hands in his sleeves in an observation pavilion, occasionally watching streaks of sword light from flying swords traverse the emerald green of the peaks. He sighed, "Here, youths practice the sword like new brides doing their makeup and combing their hair—a hundred kinds of adornments, charming and graceful, but lacking a fierce wife's demeanor."
Lu Chen led Chen Ping'an to a restricted area: a small ancestral hall housing the spirit tablets of successive patriarchs of the Full Moon Peak lineage. Xia Yuancui was there, silently burning incense.
Lu Chen leaned against the doorway until Xia Yuancui finished offering incense, then the old man gently closed the door and strode away.
Lu Chen laughed. "How much selfish motive do you think Xia Yuancui has?"
Chen Ping'an said, "Xia Yuancui probably doesn't even know himself."
Lu Chen said, "If the player is confused, we onlookers are clear."
Chen Ping'an said, "Ten faults to five, six is one."
Lu Chen clapped his hands and laughed. "Strange! Wonderful!"
Chen Ping'an said, "Trouble Grand Master Lu to go back and look at the content of that meeting at First Line Peak."
Before this, Xia Yuancui had made a series of preparations. For instance, the old patriarch had once suggested in the Ancestral Hall that any disciples of the various peaks—sword cultivators regardless of realm or Dao age—who were willing, could follow him, the oldest and the one who had just come out of seclusion, through the Return to Nothingness passage to the barbaric wilderness. There, they could draw their swords to kill demons. Even if they couldn't accumulate enough war merits to help Zhengyang Mountain beg the Confucian Temple for a subordinate sect quota, they could at least improve the continent's immortal mansions' perception of Zhengyang Mountain. As for Xia Yuancui himself, as long as Sect Master Zhu Huang agreed, Full Moon Peak would change its peak master the same day.
The implication was that Xia Yuancui didn't plan to return alive to Bottle Gourd Continent or Zhengyang Mountain.
Thus, the old sword cultivators of the various peaks, who had long been choked with resentment, one after another seconded the motion. They were willing to follow Patriarch Xia, sword in hand, to the barbaric wilderness, following Full Moon Peak's example—changing their peak masters!
But Sect Master Zhu Huang, caught off guard by this suggestion, again used a delaying tactic, saying it needed further consideration.
Thus, the contrast was clear.
One was impressive; the other, as expected, continued to disappoint.
This shift made the already unpopular Sect Master Zhu Huang even more... a lone man, losing the people's heart.
Cowardly and incompetent, with only cultivation but no backbone—Zhengyang Mountain was indeed unlucky to have such a sect master.
The various peak immortal mansions and temples buzzed with discussion, dredging up old grudges. For instance, back when Zhu Huang was at the Nascent Soul stage, he had never dared to cross swords with Li Tuanjing of the Wind and Thunder Garden, who was of the same realm. After barely breaking through to Jade Purity, when faced with two youths, Chen Ping'an and Liu Xianyang, he still didn't dare let out a single fart.
If the unworthy Sect Master Zhu Huang clung to power and refused to let go, then Xia Yuancui, as his uncle, would have no choice but to clean house for the ancestors.
He would join forces with the publicly known Yan Chu and the hidden Tao Yanbo—both Nascent Soul sword cultivators—to challenge Zhu Huang with their swords.
After all, Zhengyang Mountain's reputation couldn't get much worse.
And once Xia Yuancui smoothly took over as sect master, that group of peak sword cultivators who wanted to go kill demons in the barbaric wilderness—they could go ahead.
Lu Chen snapped his fingers.
The two arrived at the renovated Ancestral Hall of First Line Peak. Lu Chen simply sat on the threshold, like a snake blocking the road, leaning back against the door with his hands behind his head. His right eye watched the sword immortals huddled inside, his left eye watched the clouds gather and disperse outside—neither neglected.
Chen Ping'an stepped over the threshold and strolled through someone else's Ancestral Hall, occasionally circling around the extremely thick red-lacquered pillars. These were old timbers newly crafted, showing the deep foundation of this old immortal mansion. The treasury of Zhengyang Mountain must have stored many giant trees from Yuzhang Prefecture and sandalwood from Pu Mountain. If sold at current prices, it would be windfall profits.
Chen Ping'an walked back to the door and nodded at Lu Chen—they could go back.
Lu Chen stood up, brushed off his backside with his sleeve, glanced at the sect master who seemed to be sitting on pins and needles inside, and laughed. "I know your ambition is not small; you're no ordinary creature."
The two returned to Guoyun Tower.
Loving to watch the fun without caring if it got big, Lu Chen pointed toward First Line Peak. "Guo Huifeng is almost at the foot of the mountain."
The beaming Grand Master Lu shifted his finger to the peak of Full Moon Mountain. "Zhu Huang has already found Xia Yuancui."
There was also Yan Chu of Water Dragon Peak, trembling with fear. This old sword immortal, who sat in the third seat of Zhengyang Mountain's Ancestral Hall, was now terrified, staring fixedly at the commotion on Full Moon Peak.
Yan Chu was ready to support Sect Master Zhu Huang at any moment. The latter had only one requirement: Xia Yuancui must not leave Full Moon Peak's territory alive.
If Yan Chu failed to intercept Xia Yuancui's escape, the guilt would be doubled. Yan Chu could join Tao Yanbo of Autumn Order Mountain in seclusion for reflection.
Originally, Yan Chu had agreed to take the risk because the benefits Xia Yuancui promised him and Water Dragon Peak were substantial enough.
According to the old Nascent Soul sword cultivator's initial plan, of course, Patriarch Xia Yuancui would become the new mountain master of Zhengyang Mountain. Then, as agreed, Patriarch Xia would vacate the Law Master seat, which he hadn't even warmed, and Yan Chu would fill the vacancy. At the same time, as the superior sect's Law Master, he would transfer to the subordinate sect to concurrently serve as its leader. Additionally, Patriarch Xia had promised Yan Chu that he would spare no expense—even if he had to throw money at it—to help Yan Chu break into the upper fifth realm. Moreover, the few secret sword veins controlled by First Line Peak under Zhu Huang would be transmitted entirely to Yan Chu. With favorable timing, geographical advantage, and human harmony, Yan Chu's breakthrough to Jade Purity would no longer be a distant dream.
As for the current Huangzhu Sword Sect, once Yan Chu became its leader, it would certainly be renamed. According to Xia Yuancui's layout, after he became sect master and took over First Line Peak, his first order would be to send the various peak sword cultivators to the barbaric wilderness. He believed those rebellious elements who had long wanted to kill demons—those earthly immortal peak masters—would be more than willing to establish merits on that foreign battlefield, even at the cost of their lives.
Thus, Zhengyang Mountain would still have a hope: by accumulating merits in the merit books of the Confucian Temple, the subordinate sect could rise to sect status.
In the end, like a certain mortal enemy, they would have both an upper and a lower sect.
Patriarch Xia's schemes were indeed far-reaching and watertight.
Being able to become a sect leader—even a subordinate sect leader—was already quite satisfying for Yan Chu.
But no matter how much they calculated, they still fell short by one move.
Their premonition came true: that young Golden Core sword immortal Yu Lin of Rain Foot Peak was indeed a born rebel, a little bastard. He gave up the position of Law Master Patriarch of Huangzhu Sword Sect that he could have obtained as a reward after success, and secretly reported Sect Master Zhu Huang's betrayal!
And now, Tao Yanbo of Autumn Order Mountain, who had been sealed off for sixty years in closed-door reflection, was today ready to join him in drawing their swords at any moment to kill Xia Yuancui!
Tao Yanbo of Autumn Order Mountain wasn't much better off. Hadn't he agreed yesterday that Zhu Huang would only severely wound Uncle Xia Yuancui, knocking him down to earthly immortal level, to die of old age?
Why, upon ascending the mountain today, did Zhu Huang directly transmit his voice from afar, telling him and Yan Chu to prepare to collect Xia Yuancui's corpse?
The second great upheaval occurred once again on Zhengyang Mountain.
The Full Moon Peak, the Dao field of Patriarch Xia Yuancui, was beaten by two upper fifth realm sword immortals into a... "Waning Moon Peak."
On the Ancestral Hall's Gold and Jade Registry, both uncle and nephew were at the Jade Purity realm, both used Zhengyang Mountain's sword techniques. Yet the sword skills were as different as clouds and mud.
From the moment Zhu Huang set foot on Full Moon Peak to meet his uncle Xia Yuancui, to the eruption of sword light illuminating all peaks, and finally Zhu Huang flying alone from Full Moon Peak, declaring an immediate meeting, it took less than the time it takes to burn a stick of incense.
A sword challenge that outsiders watched with breathless tension came to an end. Zhu Huang's robe was still clean, unstained by dust.
He did not fly directly to the Ancestral Hall at the mountaintop. Instead, his sword light arced sharply downward, and in an instant, he landed at the foot of First Line Peak. He landed gracefully, sheathed his sword, and smiled. "Sect Leader Guo."
Guo Huifeng was dumbfounded, speechless.
Zhu Huang smiled. "Cleaning house, betraying my master and destroying my ancestors—I had no choice. I hope you'll forgive the spectacle, Sect Leader Guo."
Guo Huifeng's mind was completely blank.
Zhu Huang said straightforwardly, "I know all about the struggle over Caiyu Mountain between Yu Lin of Rain Foot Peak and your Law Master Ling Xie, and the ins and outs of the conflict at the confluence of the wild stream and the Qi River. This matter is our fault. So at the upcoming emergency meeting at First Line Peak, one of the agenda items will be to discuss the ownership of Caiyu Mountain and the future relationship between the Bamboo Branch Sect and Zhengyang Mountain. I plan to let you buy back Caiyu Mountain for thirty Grain Rain Coins, while maintaining our old vassal relationship. At least as long as I am sect master, it will never change. You need never worry about the Bamboo Branch Sect becoming a subordinate sect. What do you think, Sect Leader Guo?"
Guo Huifeng nodded silently.
Like a dream.
Zhu Huang smiled. "Sect Leader Guo, shall we settle this as a gentleman's agreement by word of mouth, or be cautious and sign a written contract?"
Guo Huifeng looked at Zhu Huang, silent for a moment, then let out a long breath and said heavily, "I trust Sect Leader Zhu!"
Zhu Huang nodded. "Then it's settled."
Guo Huifeng said, "Sect Leader Zhu, you have business to attend to. I'll return to the Bamboo Branch Sect now."
Zhu Huang smiled. "A close neighbor is better than a distant relative. I welcome you to visit often in the future, Sect Leader Guo."
Yan Chu and Tao Yanbo hid their figures, using a secret sword vein escape method to go to Full Moon Peak.
They saw the old man sitting dead on the ground, a long sword across his knees, covered in blood. The fatal wound was a coin-sized hole in the middle of his forehead, from which blood still flowed.
Tao Yanbo let out a long sigh, his face full of sorrow. Whether it was pity for the burning of the fragrant herb, sorrow for the fox at the rabbit's death, or worry that his own fate might follow the same path, no one could tell.
Yan Chu's face was expressionless. He bowed to the old man. The dead are great; honor and disgrace are in the past.
Then Yan Chu crouched down and gently wiped the blood from the patriarch's face with his sleeve.
Back at Guoyun Tower, Lu Chen asked, "Shall we go take a closer look at that Ancestral Hall meeting?"
Chen Ping'an said, "I'm afraid Grand Master Lu might slip away at the last moment, take down the concealment technique, and leave me alone inside the Ancestral Hall."
Lu Chen laughed heartily. "That's a bit awkward."
Subsiding his laughter, Lu Chen sighed. "Alas, the moon has its waxing and waning; a pity the brush and ink go from thick to light."
Green mountains stood in rows, peaks layered like folding screens. The near mountains were rich ink green, slightly farther ones emerald, farther still light green, and the farthest a gray color. The colors faded layer by layer, the distant mountains no longer green.
The feelings and scenes of the world are like bubbles in water, flowers in a mirror—passing clouds and smoke.
Inside the Ancestral Hall of First Line Peak, Zhu Huang sat in the sect master's seat and said, "Today we will only discuss three matters. Listen."
First matter: Xia Yuancui is dead. The position of Full Moon Peak's peak master will be temporarily assumed by me, Zhu Huang.
Zhu Huang did not even explain why Xia Yuancui died, what the cause of the internal sword challenge on Full Moon Peak was, or whether it needed to be "embellished" in Zhengyang Mountain's annals... He said not a single word.
The second matter concerned the Bamboo Branch Sect.
The last matter: sword cultivators from all peaks of Zhengyang Mountain, led by the new Law Master Yan Chu, will go to the barbaric wilderness through the Return to Nothingness passage in the Eastern Sea, arriving at the Sun Setting Ferry in the barbaric wilderness. Among them, the sword cultivators of Autumn Order Mountain, headed by Tao Yanbo, are to atone for their crimes by performing meritorious deeds. They must first make amends.
As for Sect Master Zhu Huang himself, he plans to enter closed-door cultivation to break through to a higher realm. Within a year at most, whether he succeeds or not, he will personally go to the barbaric battlefield.
"Mortal commoners below the mountain, as long as they have blood and spirit, must have a competitive heart."
Zhu Huang said calmly, "Cultivating in the mountains, being a sword cultivator, it is only proper to kill demons."
This might have been the simplest and clearest Ancestral Hall meeting in Zhengyang Mountain's history.
Zhu Huang was thoroughly tired of the infighting among the peaks, the scheming that only held things back.
Since they were sword cultivators, why not just practice the sword properly?
The sword veins of Zhengyang Mountain might not mean much across the entire nine continents of the Righteous World, but within Bottle Gourd Continent, they were enough for a young sword cultivator to progress step by step to earthly immortal.
As for Fallen Mountain, Zhu Huang naturally had no fondness. If his cultivation level were sufficient, as a pure sword cultivator and sect master, he would have already returned the courtesy to Fallen Mountain.
Now, didn't everyone on Bottle Gourd Mountain say that Fallen Mountain could be regarded as a Fourteenth Realm cultivator?
If he had the Fourteenth Realm today, Zhu Huang would appear alone at Fallen Mountain's gate tomorrow—no need for a single extra day.
You dismantle my First Line Peak Ancestral Hall; I'll dismantle your Jise Peak Ancestral Hall.
But Zhu Huang's thinking was simple: to arm-wrestle someone, you need capital. Since they had tied a death knot and an eternal feud, they couldn't just rely on hot blood and impulsiveness.
Otherwise, it would be like two enemies of vastly unequal strength, facing off in the street under everyone's gaze. Every time the weaker one raised his voice, he would receive a slap. What was the point? Just to entertain the onlookers more?
Lu Chen sat in a chair, holding a wine bowl with one hand while craning his neck toward First Line Peak. Zhu Huang's voice in the Ancestral Hall fell like raindrops into Lu Chen's wine bowl, like rain striking a spring pond surface, creating ripples. Every word was clear.
Lu Chen laughed. "Do we think Zhu Huang is going into seclusion to heal his wounds or to try to break through?"
Chen Ping'an said, "Makes no difference."
During the previous observation ceremony and sword challenge, Zhu Huang must have been holding back. But even if he hadn't, it wouldn't have changed anything.
Lu Chen drained the wine in one gulp, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and grinned. "Was that more tedious and less profound than the meeting in the Great Li imperial study, but a bit more domineering in momentum?"
Chen Ping'an lay back in the wicker chair and tapped the wine bottle gently.
Lu Chen exclaimed, "Uh-oh! Sect Master Zhu is coming over to schmooze with us. Trust a sword immortal's keen divine sense!"
Chen Ping'an knew Lu Chen had deliberately given away their presence but said nothing.
When Zhu Huang arrived, he had with him a very crucial chess piece: Ling Xie, the current Law Master of the Bamboo Branch Sect, of the Chicken Foot Mountain lineage.
Chen Ping'an sat up and shook the wine bottle in his hand. "We meet again, Sect Master Zhu."
As for what Lu Chen looked like to Zhu Huang and Ling Xie, heaven only knew.
Zhu Huang saluted with cupped hands and smiled. "We meet again."
Zhu Huang had only sensed a slight anomaly in the qi flow here, and since the source was Guoyun Tower, he understood.
Ling Xie was still in the dark. She didn't even realize that this young cultivator was the outer receptionist of her own Bamboo Branch Sect.
Her disciple Liang Yuping had only told her there was a receptionist named Chen Jiu at Caiyu Mountain who had drunk with Xia Housan of Water Dragon Peak—a very obsequious person, good at working the table.
Chen Ping'an looked at Ling Xie and smiled. "Greetings, Law Master Ling."
Ling Xie considered for a moment and chose a safe approach: she formed a ancestral technique as a mountain sect greeting. "Ling Xie of the Bamboo Branch Sect salutes the senior."
Neither she nor Guo Huifeng knew that Ling Xie's years-long desire to defect to Zhengyang Mountain was merely to defect to one person: Sword Immortal Zhu Huang.
Back when she was a girl, entering the Bamboo Branch Sect as a direct disciple of the Chicken Foot Mountain lineage had been Zhu Huang's arrangement.
Later, Ling Xie didn't compete with Guo Huifeng for the position of sect leader, also on Zhu Huang's secret instructions.
If this "cleaning the courtyard" internal struggle, before the dust settled, first seemed like the highest-ranked Xia Yuancui made the opening move on the chessboard, and the subsequent moves were fine, then on a larger, earlier chessboard, Zhu Huang had already begun placing his pieces. Tao Yanbo's approach to Xia Yuancui had actually been arranged by Zhu Huang. So Xia Yuancui's defeat was utterly deserved.
Ling Xie was about to go into the room to fetch a chair—for Sect Master Zhu—while she herself would stand to receive the guest.
But a gust of wind passed her: the young Taoist had run into the room and also pulled out a chair.
After Zhu Huang took the chair from Ling Xie's hand, Ling Xie saw the Taoist offer her a chair with a brilliant smile. Ling Xie wanted to decline, but Zhu Huang laughed and said, "Just sit."
The Taoist introduced himself: "Xiaodao goes by the single name Cai."
Zhu Huang and Ling Xie waited for the rest.
The Taoist just stared back at them, wide-eyed.
Chen Ping'an explained, "Surname and given name together: this Taoist is named Cai. His Dao name is... something like Yiming?"
Lu Chen nodded vigorously.
Ling Xie mistakenly thought the young cultivator was a well-preserved Taoist of great attainment, perhaps an old mountain friend of Sect Master Zhu, invited here to ensure everything was "foolproof."
A Taoist wearing a fish-tail crown—was he from the Shengao Sect?
Zhu Huang didn't explain anything to her; voice transmission was useless.
Zhu Huang wasn't curious about the identity of this strange Taoist with a hibiscus crown.
Chen Ping'an asked, "How will Sect Master Zhu reward Yu Lin for his merit?"
Zhu Huang smiled faintly. "A man like that can't be kept. The greater his talent, the weightier his rebellious nature."
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Don't bother with that kind of polite talk."
Zhu Huang gave a dry laugh but didn't elaborate. Perhaps Chen Ping'an had hit the mark, or perhaps there was no point explaining to an outsider.
Ling Xie grew more confused. This man wasn't Sect Master Zhu's friend?
Chen Ping'an stood up. "Sect Master Zhu, I believe we won't be crossing paths again anytime soon."
The Taoist let out a long breath, as if relieved for Zhu Huang's sake.
After that, Chen Ping'an and Lu Chen left Guoyun Tower together, walking down the mountain to the bustling Egret Ferry.
Lu Chen marveled, "A multitude can move mountains; a swarm of mosquitoes can sound like thunder. From now on, Zhengyang Mountain is not to be underestimated."
But Chen Ping'an asked, "Did Ling Xie fall for Zhu Huang very early on?"
Lu Chen said awkwardly, "If you ask this poor Dao about matters of love between men and women, you've come to the right person."
Indeed, he was ashamed: his skill in this line of work was exactly the opposite of his cultivation level. At the fifteenth floor, this poor Dao was on the second.
Chen Ping'an didn't press further.
Lu Chen rubbed his chin. "But luckily, this poor Dao has seen pigs run. I suppose when she was a girl, she fell in love with Zhu Huang at first sight."
Chen Ping'an laughed. "Good insight."
Nowadays, who didn't know that the Hidden Officer of the Sword Qi Great Wall had a "gourd for nurturing swords" called "Basket," filled with yin-yang and sarcastic "flying swords" of speech?
Lu Chen felt he had to regain face. "There is a kind of ignorance that is the most beautiful."
"How so?"
"For example, because one is young and ignorant, one's heart strings are tangled into a hundred knots. Why should a young man or woman understand love in their youth? What they understand then probably isn't love."
"Hit the nail on the head. A true insight."
"Pindao once argued with a good friend about whether a flash in the pan is a comedy or a tragedy. Pindao thought it was the former; that friend, Gao Gu of Huayang Palace, thought the opposite. Chen Ping'an, what do you think? Settle it for us?"
"There's no right or wrong. The answer depends solely on one's own perception. Is it 'one glance, ten thousand years,' or 'ten thousand years, one glance'?"
Lu Chen's eyes widened. "At this moment, in this scene, with these words, Pindao is speechless. I must exclaim 'Wow, wow, wow' to express my amazement!"
Thus, Chen Ping'an decided to drop a certain thought.
He worried that if Mountain God Fu really met Lu Chen, it might either be just liking him from afar or great disappointment—not worth causing Grand Master Lu to lose an admirer for nothing.
Watching the two descending figures grow distant, Ling Xie leaned on the railing and transmitted her voice to Zhu Huang: "Why did that Taoist from the Shengao Sect follow him here?"
Zhu Huang's expression remained normal. He shook his head. "Not entirely clear."
It was none other than Lu Chen!
Which Taoist wandering outside would dare wear a hibiscus crown or a fish-tail crown casually?!
Lu Chen asked, "Going back to the Bamboo Branch Sect?"
Chen Ping'an nodded. "I'll stay a few more days."
Lu Chen smiled. "Egret Ferry, egrets fly; Bamboo Branch Sect sings bamboo branch songs. Under heaven's peace, new tricks appear: a line of egrets rises to the blue sky."
Chen Ping'an was silent for a moment. "With such vast learning, why must you play with doggerel?"
Lu Chen said, "Learning from you."
Chen Ping'an snapped, "Get lost!"
Lu Chen laughed. "On my way."
His figure transformed into a rainbow light, thus taking his leave.
A Taoist in a lotus crown, roaming freely again, a green-robed Daoist soaring to the heavens like a crane.
Lu Chen—such a charismatic figure—could not be replicated in the mortal world. There could not be another, nor should there be.
At Yiyi Peak of the Dragon Spring Sword Sect.
At the dinner table that day, Liu Xianyang gnawed on a duck leg and mumbled, "Ruan Blacksmith, why didn't you attend the capital meeting? You're the Great Li dynasty's chief supporter, but you're not doing your job."
Dong Gu and the others weren't at the table today—busy with god knows what. Serve them right for missing the meal.
Ruan Qiong said directly, "You're not fit to be chief supporter."
He knew his disciple well.
Liu Xianyang slammed the duck bone on the table. "What's this? Looking down on me?!"
Ruan Qiong said, "For scholars, good writing hates good fortune; once they join officialdom, it's hard to do scholarship. For mountain cultivation, it's a similar principle. Sword cultivators should just focus on practicing the sword."
These days, your Ruan Blacksmith, aside from hammering iron and forging swords, often showed up at Yiyi Peak—a rare thing.
In short, he was tactfully reminding Liu Xianyang to pay more attention to preparing for the wedding.
He was so diligent that Liu Xianyang almost mistakenly thought he wasn't Ruan Blacksmith's illegitimate son.
The round-faced girl in a padded jacket, using the alias Yu Qianyue, comforted him: "Whether or not you're the chief supporter doesn't matter. Didn't the book say, 'Don't worry there's no one ahead who knows you—under heaven, who doesn't know you?'"
Liu Xianyang said, "You also believe the words scholars use to fool each other?"
The padded-jacket girl nodded. "True."
Liu Xianyang grinned. "I believe it, because I'm a scholar."
Yu Qianyue rolled her eyes and lowered her head to eat.
Liu Xianyang said matter-of-factly, "That Chen Ping'an isn't even a worthy of any academy."
Ruan Qiong put down his chopsticks and left.
On Miyuki Peak, the ancestral mountain of the Green Duckweed Sword Sect on Tongye Continent, within the Changchun Cave Heaven.
The Jiangque Immortal Mansion, serving as Mountain Master Chen's personal Dao field, had all its doors and windows on the top floor closed.
The lower floors had no mountain prohibitions. In the past, only Mi Li would come here to climb high and enjoy the view. Zhi Wu and the other children cultivating there still didn't dare "trespass in forbidden areas." Zhi Wu was afraid she'd lose her drinking privileges; the others, sword cultivation prodigies from the Sword Qi Great Wall, feared that the most "respectful of teachers" big white goose would give them a hard time.
Inside the top floor room, the decor was extremely simple and plain: one meditation cushion, one low table, one incense burner.
When Chen Ping'an left here, he hadn't taken away the few books and the pile of bamboo slips inscribed with characters. The books were stacked; the bamboo slips piled like a small hill.
Besides those, he had left some immortal coins—all Snowflake Coins—not piled like the slips, but neatly arranged.
Upon careful inspection, each Snowflake Coin bore tiny characters in regular script, writing people's names and dates.
On the table were also several seals, either from the Hundred Sword Immortal Seal Collection or the Two Hundred Sword Immortal Seal Collection, but Chen Ping'an had kept them himself.
For instance, one seal's inscription was "Winter Bamboo Shoots Stir-fried with Meat." Another said "Be Right Back." There was also "White Hair Still Is a Beauty."
And one of the tallest seals bore a low-carved base inscription of four characters, as if the characters and the table were meeting face to face for a long, long time, gazing at each other.
"Second Homeland."
The meeting at the Great Li capital's imperial study was nearing its end.
The emperor glanced at the bamboo slips on the table. The agenda items had all been discussed more or less.
Unconsciously, nearly an hour had passed.
Song He smiled. "The meeting ends here. Thank you all for making the trip."
Fan Junmao, who had found the second half of the meeting extremely boring, felt as if she had been granted amnesty.
Song He said, "I hope everyone will keep the content of today's meeting under wraps for now."
Fan Junmao had already lifted her backside, waiting for the emperor to say "dismissed."
But then she noticed the emperor and many of her colleagues in the mountain and river officialdom all looking at her.
Song He smiled. "Mountain Lord Fan, thanks for your trouble."
Fan Junmao looked blank. "Huh?"
Throughout this meeting, item by item, nothing had involved her. Why "thanks for your trouble"?
Fan Junmao glanced sidelong at the subordinate peak mountain god beside her, Wang Juan. Speak up, remind me—did I miss something?
Wang Juan looked helpless.
The old Minister of War opened his eyes and said with a smile, "His Majesty hopes that when you leave this room, Mountain Lord Fan, you won't say anything. For example, don't mention the state advisor or anything of the sort."
Fan Junmao said, "Oh."
She thought it was something important.
Just as she was about to stand up, Song He immediately turned his head toward that chair, wanting this new Great Li State Advisor to wrap up today's meeting.
Chen Ping'an lightly cupped his hands and smiled. "I'll borrow an old phrase: Let each strive on his own path; a thousand li apart, we share the same wind."
As the emperor and the Great Li State Advisor stood up from their chairs, almost everyone in the room stood up at the same time.
By the door, Jiang Shangzhen was attending this kind of meeting for the first time. His backside was almost numb. From start to finish, no one argued or threw chairs, no one spit at anyone—very unusual. Boring. He wouldn't come next time.
Wasn't Miss Xie about to become the second chief supporter? Let her man the door!
The host of high-ranking mountain and river spirits walked out lightly, filing out like fish. Led by the eunuch in python robes, they reached an open square outside and then dispersed to their respective mountain and river Dao fields.
Naturally, they could still visit each other.
Cao Yong hesitated but didn't exchange a whispered word with the Marquis of Eternal Spring. Regarding the transfer of the quota from Bixiao Palace today, Cao Yong believed there would be no shortage of opportunities to express his gratitude later.
Wei Bo stood under the eaves, not in a hurry to return to Piyun Mountain.
Fan Junmao grinned. "Mountain Lord Wei—no, I should address you as Night Travel Deity now. After the enfeoffment ceremony, are you going to hold another Night Travel Banquet?"
Wei Bo smiled faintly. "Better to hold one before the enfeoffment ceremony and another after."
Fan Junmao gave Wei Bo a thumbs-up. "You've got it!"
Inside the room, Song He chatted idly with Chen Ping'an for a few sentences.
Both ministers were present.
In the corridor outside, Jiang Shangzhen stood foolishly with Xiao Mo and Xie Gou. The mountain master had said they would go to the Ministry of War and then return to Fallen Mountain.
In the Great Li capital, on either side of a thousand-step corridor, were the Nanxun Ward and