Chapter 1084: Two Realms Higher
In Dayu Yuzhou, at the temple of the Law Sect, at dawn, the middle-aged literatus finished his vegetarian meal, boiled himself a large bowl of eight-treasure congee on a small stove, then went to his desk and sat down to read.
Another day in this fleeting life, opening a book by the light from the window.
The little novice monk came to tap on the window again to remind him, "Mr. Chen, the clouds are rising in the mountains. Do you want to go take a look?"
The literatus put down his book and smiled. "Alright, just a moment. Let me change my boots."
Because it had rained heavily for three days straight, the cold of spring still lingered in the mountains. The middle-aged literatus wore a coarse cotton-padded jacket for warmth, stepped into a pair of suede boots, and held a climbing staff.
Earlier, he had also made a rattan walking stick for the little novice who often accompanied him to climb heights and watch the clouds, using materials found on the spot. When they rested on the mountain path, they planted their staffs like pilgrims halting their journey.
Inside the temple, mist and clouds swirled. One big and one small, each holding a staff, they passed by the Release-Life Pond near the main hall. The water shimmered, and crucian carp and bream gathered around the bridge, as if the water's edge was an old acquaintance, recognizing the sound of their staffs striking the ground.
In his spare time, the little novice had also climbed the mountain several times by himself to watch the clouds. But for some reason, after passing the halfway point, he would always feel tired, panting, and need to stop and rest many times.
Yet every time he followed this shabby but clean-living middle-aged literatus up the mountain, it became much easier. This puzzled the little novice greatly. This morning, as they walked out the side gate of the temple together and gradually ascended along the familiar mountain path, the novice just learned that the literatus would be leaving the temple soon. As for when he would come back next time to copy scriptures, he hadn't decided yet. So the little novice quickly blurted out this question—if he didn't ask now, he might never have the chance.
The literatus smiled warmly, his green bamboo staff tapping the ground with a dull sound. His voice was gentle as he gave the answer. "Your stamina is still your own, neither increased nor decreased a bit. I only helped you adjust your breathing and distribute your strength during the climb, so your footwork seemed better. I've simply been in the mountains many times, so practice makes perfect. This doesn't involve any supernatural powers—don't think of it too mysteriously."
After the literatus left his dwelling, on the Xuan paper on the desk, the ink was still wet. The content the middle-aged literatus had copied today were two sentences from the "Chapter of Full Life" in Zhuangzi, a Daoist text.
"Do not open up the realm of man, but open up the realm of Heaven. He who opens Heaven gives birth to virtue; he who opens man gives birth to thievery." In the margin, there was a vermilion comment: "What does it mean to follow the Dao and be natural?"
"The avenger does not break the Mo Ye sword; though he has a resentful heart, he does not blame the falling tile." But the character "not" (不), for some reason, had been circled separately by the literatus with vermilion ink.
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In the capital of the Yuxuan Kingdom, Changning County.
Inside an old residence, there was a swing in the courtyard. The love of beauty is universal, and female ghosts are no exception. Xue Ruyi today had changed into another set of court attire from the previous dynasty, wearing splendid brocade clothes with a beaded necklace and bright pearls.
A beauty on a swing—this painting would be fitting for a jade scroll, hanging amidst the craggy blue vines.
Xue Ruyi sat on the constantly swaying swing, her embroidered shoes rising and falling. She looked at the flowers and potted plants in the courtyard that didn't need to be moved indoors to shelter from the rain, and for no reason remembered a casual remark by the Daoist Wu Di: "A small grass is just a flower that never blooms."
Not long ago, the fortune-telling Daoist had finally moved out of that haunted, sinister residence. Living in the capital wasn't easy, costing him an extra large sum of rent.
It was true it was haunted, but calling it a sinister residence was really an exaggeration. If it were a scholar used to reading erotic novels of talented scholars and beauties, a "sinister residence"? That would be more like "dying under the pomegranate skirt, a ghost still romantic."
The Daoist had rented a small, old residence in another street of Changning County. The flowers and plants in the courtyard were left for the female ghost Xue Ruyi to tend. She kept those she found pleasing and sold off the ones she didn't at a low price, counting it as rent payment. The Daoist spoke grandly, claiming that as he traveled through the martial world, he adhered to a principle: never lose face over money.
As a farewell gift, the Daoist Wu Di left behind a book-collecting seal in the room, with five characters in seal script: "Spring Breeze Fans Gentle Harmony."
The seal was of ordinary material—a stone the Daoist had picked up somewhere after working a short job on the river, chipping ice for the rich to earn money. The seal was truly large, the size of a palm, square and regular. Thus, the side inscription was extensive, carving an entire Imitation of Old Poem by Master Jingjie. The bottom inscription, "Spring Breeze Fans Gentle Harmony," was selected from that poem. As for any "spirit of metal and stone" in the seal, Xue Ruyi didn't see it. But in the poem, there was a line: "In youth, strong and fierce, I stroked my sword and traveled alone." A deliberate self-reference? She found it somewhat amusing. You, a privately ordained Daoist who bought his status, really think you're a Celestial Master of Dragon-Tiger Mountain, carrying a peachwood sword to slay demons? And "stroked my sword and traveled far."
If she had known the Daoist was going to give her a pretentious book-collecting seal, Xue Ruyi might have preferred one of Wu Di's sayings he mumbled one morning while drinking porridge: "I have the method of Wānqiū, plain and easy, eating plain congee can lead to immortality."
Xue Ruyi had to admit that the Daoist Wu Di had indeed read many books; otherwise, he couldn't be so proficient in exegesis and punctuation. But whether his scholarship was actually high, she remained skeptical.
In the twilight after the heavy rain had stopped, Xue Ruyi swung alone on the swing, utterly bored. In such weather before, the Daoist would never go out to set up his stall in the rain, so she was a little happy. "Serves you right for moving out—how much money have you earned?" But after the joy, she started to worry. The Daoist was out and about, busy and toiling, which was never easy. So Xue Ruyi found herself a reason to go see if he needed any help from her. She did have some savings. If he was willing to ask, she would help if she could—after all, they were friends.
Xue Ruyi, after all, was not low in cultivation—mid-fifth-realm. If not for being a ghost, a Guanhai realm cultivator could establish a sect somewhere and become a guest of honor for a small country's ruler in Bottle Gourd Continent.
She used her supernatural powers to conceal her form and drifted all the way to the residence where Daoist Wu Di had recently settled. Since she was an old acquaintance of both the former Judge Hong and the Yin-Yang Bureau Director Ji Xiaopin, the capital City God temple had always treated her with some leniency. When she arrived at this shabby little residence, she didn't immediately reveal herself. She felt a bit uneasy in her heart. He had given her such a generous book-collecting seal but lived in such a small place. This made Xue Ruyi feel somewhat guilty—she should have tried to persuade him to stay.
The Daoist claimed that when he was young and roaming the world, he had used the alias "Chen Haoren."
At first, Xue Ruyi thought this was amusing, more fun than calling him "Daoist Wu" all the time. But no matter how thick-skinned the Daoist was, hearing that name too often, wouldn't he feel a little guilty?
But as it turned out, Miss Xue had still underestimated the thickness of that Daoist Wu's skin.
After all, according to a certain fair statement, the Second Manager was such a character: he only needed to climb onto the city wall, lie face down, and press his face to the ground to defend the city wall.
Earlier, she had purchased a stack of talismans from the Daoist. As payment for this transaction, the Daoist taught two techniques to the boy next door. Zhang Hou was now in the Liujin realm.
Thus, the frustration in the heart of the scholar Zhang Hou, who had failed the imperial exams, had faded considerably.
However, according to their agreement, Daoist Wu Di told Xue Ruyi not to disclose this. It was just a fair transaction: Miss Xue spent a large sum to buy talismans, and he, as fate allowed, taught some magic. Why make that scholarly neighbor feel indebted to him?
He wasn't going to settle here permanently. Making the boy feel he owed a debt he couldn't repay would just be a knot in his heart, unnecessary.
Besides, the female ghost had heeded the advice and finally refrained from taking risks by rashly burning a talisman and submitting a petition to the Inspectorate of Luanshan.
Especially when Xue Ruyi learned a huge piece of news, she secretly felt relieved. Because the Western Mountain, Ganzhou Mountain, had just been granted a divine title by the Confucian Temple in the Central Earth: "Grand Banner." The mountain lord Tong Wenchang, unapproachably lofty, had received this honor. Xue Ruyi had been a palace maid, once a close attendant to the empress, so she was familiar with officialdom rules. At a time when the entire territory of this great mountain was shrouded in festive atmosphere, would it be proper for a female ghost to file a complaint? Not likely.
Xue Ruyi remained concealed, sitting on the wall of the small residence. She noticed an inconspicuous old man squatting outside the kitchen door, looking like a farmer.
She was a bit surprised. Has Daoist Wu set up his fortune-telling stall inside the residence now?
But the problem was that the old man's attire didn't look like he had money—hemp clothes and straw sandals, a bitter expression on his face.
Strange. Are you, Wu Di, now making money with such a guilty conscience, even cheating a honest old man out of his hard-earned money?
It was clear the old man was not a Qi refiner, just a poor old fellow.
At mealtime, Daoist Wu Di seemed busy in the kitchen.
Xue Ruyi hesitated, worried about scaring this mundane old man. She drifted outside the small residence, pushed the door open, and pretended to announce, "Daoist Wu, congratulations on moving to a new residence."
Wu Di yelled from the kitchen, "It's Miss Xue! A rare guest! Make yourself comfortable in the main hall. Let me busy myself a little longer."
The old man nodded in greeting when he saw the female ghost.
Xue Ruyi performed a curtsey. The old man had a jade tobacco pipe tucked at his waist. Maybe that was the only valuable item.
Was Daoist Wu Di after that? What a black heart. Had he become so desperate for money that he would go after something like a jade tobacco pipe?
Xue Ruyi thought for a moment, then said indirectly to the old man in a veiled manner, "Elder, this tobacco pipe—it's an heirloom, isn't it?"
The old man nodded. "You could say that."
Xue Ruyi felt even more uncomfortable. Quietly, she said, "Since it's an heirloom, don't just give it away to anyone. If you're here for fortune-telling or divination from Daoist Wu, I can pay for you. He still owes me some small silver..."
The old man smiled but said nothing.
From inside the house, the Daoist, wearing an apron and holding a spatula, said indignantly, "Miss Xue, what are you doing? Cutting off a man's income is a major taboo in the martial world. Besides, aren't we friends? There's no reason for you to undermine me like this!"
Xue Ruyi used her mind voice to retort, "I'm being fair, not partial! Daoist Wu, have you fallen into a money pit? Are you even going to cheat this honest old man out of his heirloom? In this weather, aren't you afraid of being struck by lightning?"
Chen Ping'an came out of the kitchen carrying two large bowls, steaming and fragrant, each with a pair of chopsticks resting on top. He laughed, "What cheating? I just invited a friend over. Old Tong, try my cooking."
Xue Ruyi asked, "What's this?"
Chen Ping'an smiled. "It's called rice broth, a specialty from my hometown. A delicacy only found in poor places."
Chen Ping'an handed a bowl to the old man. The old man took it, lowered his head, took a slurp, and nodded. "Not bad. This really brings to mind bitter past to appreciate the sweet present."
Chen Ping'an looked up and smiled. Listen to that—could a village elder say such things?
Xue Ruyi rolled her eyes. She had probably wronged the Daoist. Don't let good intentions be taken as bad, and have the old man misunderstand.
The old man held the bowl, blew on the rice broth, and laughed. "A kind-hearted girl like you—your kindness won't be wasted."
Xue Ruyi was startled. Could he read minds? Or was it some arcane mind-reading technique of the mountain cultivators?
She couldn't help but glance at the cotton-robed Daoist.
Chen Ping'an sat on the steps, eating the medley-like rice broth, and said indistinctly, laughing, "Miss Xue, earlier you asked if this poor Daoist knew that impartial lady of Luanshan. At the time, I said I didn't know her, but I did know Lord Tong of the mountain. You didn't believe me, thought I was joking. So, I've invited Lord Tong from Ganzhou Mountain to come here. This proves I'm not just blowing smoke, and it saves Miss Xue a lot of tedious procedures. Why burn talismans and submit petitions to the Mountain Lord's office? The main personage, the Divine Lord Tong of the Western Mountain, is right here. Miss Xue, say whatever you need to—speak your grievances and your reasons."
Xue Ruyi was stunned at first, then sighed. "Wu Di, you're this poor, yet you need to stage this elaborate con, hiring an outsider to put on a show just to cheat me? If you really need money, even if we're not the closest friends, helping you out is no big deal. Why resort to such low tricks? There's no need."
You, Wu Di, claim to know a few mountain friends—if you begged and pleaded, you might get some petty clerk from the Ganzhou Mountain Lord's office, the lowest rank. Xue Ruyi might have believed that, barely. But this? Bogus.
Ghosting me, indeed.
And she felt a twinge of sadness. It had only been a few days, and Wu Di had fallen this low?
Chen Ping'an asked, "There's plenty more rice broth in the pot. Miss Xue, want a bowl?"
Xue Ruyi shook her head. Too busy being sad.
The old man ate with his chopsticks quickly. He raised his empty bowl. "I'll have another bowl."
Chen Ping'an didn't get up. He laughed, "Lord Tong, help yourself. No need to stand on ceremony."
The old man didn't stand on ceremony. He went to the kitchen and filled a large bowl with rice broth. Maybe he was a bit greedy—the broth nearly overflowed the rim. The old man quickly bent his head and slurped a few mouthfuls.
Seeing this, Xue Ruyi couldn't help rubbing her forehead. If you're really in cahoots to cheat someone, you, Wu Di, couldn't even spend a little more to get a convincing actor from a theater troupe as your 'old man'?
Act.
You two keep acting.
With such terrible acting, if you can swindle even one copper coin out of me, you'll be lucky.
The Western Mountain, Ganzhou Mountain, was close to Fengxue Temple, and had two subordinate peak mountains. Among them, the main peak of Luanshan was several times higher than Ganzhou Mountain. That mountain goddess was very famous—her name was Huailu. Within the Western Mountain region, her word was law. It was said even Lord Tong, her direct superior, listened to her. The Mountain Lord's office that managed the landscape of Yuxuan Kingdom and its surroundings was Lujiao Mountain. Earlier, when Xue Ruyi wanted to burn talismans and submit petitions to Luanshan instead of the Lujiao Mountain Lord's office, it was for this reason: she feared that the powerful officials of Yuxuan Kingdom dared to manipulate literary examinations so blatantly, and that official collusion wouldn't just involve the capital city god temple but would implicate Lujiao Mountain as well. Then how could she file a complaint?
Last time in the small court meeting of the Dayu Capital's Imperial Study, two mountain gods of the Western Mountain's subordinate peaks—Huailu of Luanshan and Chang Fenghan of Lujiao Mountain—had not attended the deliberation.
It was said that one was simply too lazy, and since she was already the mountain goddess of a subordinate mountain peak, there was no higher promotion in Bottle Gourd Continent's mountain and river officialdom. The other was too proud and often clashed with Luanshan; they disliked each other to the point that the two mountain god offices had almost no interaction.
Xue Ruyi looked at the old man, who seemed more and more pitiable, then at the unperturbed fortune-telling Daoist. She thought it over but couldn't pinpoint her feeling, so she asked, "Did you run into some trouble?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head and laughed. "Lord Tong?"
Tong Wenchang said "Mm," and then, "Whatever she says, you can trust. There's no need to call Chang Fenghan here for a confrontation. I'll personally go to Lujiao Mountain later and look into the flow of literary fortune in Yuxuan Kingdom over the past century."
Then the old man added, "Next time, you can add more tofu and pork intestines."
Chen Ping'an smiled. "I can add more tofu, but too many pork intestines would spoil the flavor. Then you wouldn't have that pleasant surprise of finding pork intestines."
Tong Wenchang nodded. "That makes sense."
Chen Ping'an teased, "Old Tong, this trip to the Yuxuan capital is a bit like an incognito inspection. As the top 'Impartial Lord' of the Western Mountain region, don't let Miss Xue down. You have to be determined to act for the people, right?"
Tong Wenchang smiled. "That's easy."
Chen Ping'an joked, "Miss Xue, isn't this like in operas, where the imperial commissioner with the imperial sword arrives in a region, and you block the road to lodge a complaint?"
Xue Ruyi chuckled. "Then why didn't you have yellow soil spread on the road, clean water sprinkled on the streets, and grand gongs cleared for the mighty arrival?"
Chen Ping'an laughed. "I said it's an incognito inspection."
Tong Wenchang asked, "Miss Xue, if I'm not mistaken, the former literary judge here was called Hong Zhongyu?"
Xue Ruyi nodded. "He was just squeezed out to Lanzhou, near the Dayu dynasty's secondary capital Luojing, to serve as the state city god—a promotion."
Tong Wenchang said "Mm," and then, "I remember Huailu of Luanshan mentioned Hong Zhongyu twice, wanting to promote him to director of the Inspectorate in Luanshan. It seems Hong Zhongyu added a condition: he had to bring along his assistant in the yin-yang bureau of the city god temple, Ji Xiaopin, in the same transfer. But since Luanshan didn't have a suitable position for Ji Xiaopin at the time, it was delayed. Now Hong Zhongyu has been transferred and promoted to a Dayu state city god, taking Ji Xiaopin with him. His official career is quite good, much better than going to Luanshan to head the Inspectorate and incurring hatred all year long."
Xue Ruyi had nothing to say. It was like a village elder sitting at the head of the village, casually commenting on the career ups and downs of high officials in the Six Ministries and Nine Courts of a nation.
But if these inside stories weren't fabricated, how could the old man know them?
Xue Ruyi kindly reminded him, "Elder, it's getting dark. If an ordinary person recklessly fabricates and discusses the inner workings of the mountain and river officialdom, it's easy to invite trouble. Those night patrol gods of the various city god temples in our capital are not to be trifled with."
"If you have no guilt, you don't fear ghosts knocking at the door even if they don't knock; if you have a clear conscience, you don't fear ghosts knocking."
Tong Wenchang smiled. "Miss Xue, since Mr. Chen... the Daoist has personally taken an interest in this matter, just rest assured. Lujiao Mountain and Yuxuan Kingdom will give you a satisfactory explanation."
After the old man and the Daoist finished their rice broth, Xue Ruyi sighed. Since she had nothing better to do, she took the initiative to take the two empty bowls and two chopsticks, went to the kitchen, picked up the gourd ladle, scooped water from the vat, and washed the bowls. After shaking the water off her hands, she walked out and saw the scene on the steps. Good heavens, those two were acting like a pair of old masters, starting to puff on tobacco after the meal—"a pipe after a meal, happy as immortals."
Tong Wenchang squinted and asked, "May I ask one question? What kind of person is that Great Sword Immortal?"
Chen Ping'an suppressed a smile. "Talkative, witty, and affable."
Tong Wenchang said, "Hard to believe."
Chen Ping'an said, "It depends on how well you know the Great Sword Immortal."
Tong Wenchang nodded and asked an untimely question, "If you hadn't called me over today to handle this family scandal, would you have let that Zhao Yao of the Ministry of Justice, who heads that new bureau, secretly dispatch a team to the Western Mountain region?"
Chen Ping'an said, "I had that idea at first, but since I have some personal matters here and shouldn't mix them, I decided to let you handle it, Brother Tong. Since it's all about resolving historical issues, it doesn't matter who resolves them. Coincidentally, Zhao Yao recently found a lead in the Dayu capital. Brother Tong, I need to let you know in advance: in a few days, I'll go to a neighboring county to meet with an old friend, but I don't think the noise will be too great."
Tong Wenchang nodded. "Do as you please. Old Tong has dim eyesight. And even if the sky falls, the person who'll clean up the mess is still the Dayu National Teacher."
Chen Ping'an suddenly burst into laughter. "Isn't this what you call 'officials shielding each other'?"
Tong Wenchang grinned. "In life, you take revenge and repay kindness. I was young once, too. Even a clay statue that enjoys incense has some temper."
Since neither party had covered their words, Xue Ruyi listened with a pounding heart and cautiously asked, "Elder, are you really Lord Tong?"
Tong Wenchang nodded.
Xue Ruyi turned to look at the Daoist Wu Di, who nodded to confirm it.
Xue Ruyi shifted her gaze and asked tremblingly, "Lord Tong, then he...?"
"Miss Xue, what kind of question is that? You've already guessed it. In this world, among the mountain cultivators, who can claim to be on good terms with that Great Sword Immortal of the Sword Qi Great Wall in a roundabout way? How many people in Bottle Gourd Continent can casually deploy a Vice Minister of Justice of Dayu and make Tong Wenchang come running to Yuxuan Kingdom for a bowl of rice broth? Or do you have an answer in your heart but can't believe it, and need me, an outsider, to say it before you'll believe?"
Tong Wenchang raised his pipe and pointed at his companion, laughing. "This is the new National Teacher of Dayu, Chen Ping'an of Luoshan."
Chen Ping'an smiled. "I must correct you: it's two large bowls of rice broth."
"One bowl or two—are you charging me?"
"Of course not."
"Miss Xue, please pour me another bowl of rice broth. The rice broth personally made by the last Hidden Officer of the Sword Qi Great Wall—it's not something you can eat just anytime."
Xue Ruyi stumbled toward the kitchen, her mind a mess.
Tong Wenchang asked in confusion, "Why did you suddenly change your mind, letting me reveal your true identity?"
To help Xue Ruyi seek justice, given Chen Ping'an's current status, he could simply notify Ganzhou Mountain. There was no need to come to Yuxuan's capital himself.
Chen Ping'an said, "It's just that after this session of closed-door cultivation, I suddenly understood something."
Tong Wenchang said, "I'm all ears."
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Fishing three days and drying the net two—the catch is hope, the sunshine is hope, and the net is also hope."
Tong Wenchang said, "A fresh way of putting it."
Chen Ping'an asked, "Brother Tong, haven't you noticed anything unusual about this courtyard and this world?"
Tong Wenchang nodded. "Now that you ask, I can confirm something: Xue Ruyi is a fake."
"It seems my skill isn't sufficient yet to completely fool a mountain god."
Chen Ping'an stood up, laughing. "But the rice broth is real. And what you'll see and hear from now on will be real people and real events."
Tong Wencang said, "I'll wait and see."
As Chen Ping'an walked toward the kitchen, Xue Ruyi knocked on the door and entered, still with that same greeting: "Daoist Wu, congratulations on moving to a new residence."
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Like a poor wandering swordsman boy who carried a sword on his back, he had watched a lively performance by a makeshift theatrical troupe at a temple fair market. He noted the specific forms and uses of the stage props, and remembered the different postures, singing styles, and spoken parts of the various roles. The boy thought he would need to watch a few performances by bigger troupes.
With a pair of straw sandals, he stepped onto the Imperial Street and strolled to outside the imperial palace. The towering vermilion gate was studded with nine rows of nine nails, with imposing door knockers symbolizing star deities guarding the door. After a moment's hesitation, the boy decided not to see the so-called Golden Throne Hall of operas. Outside the palace was a river, actually a good place for fishing.
Within the Qingxing Kingdom, the Jinque Sect, which held the leading position among the mountain immortal mansions, was more festive than a New Year's celebration down the mountain. It was truly a string of good fortune.
The Battle of Union Mountain had swept away the separatist evil spirits and cleared the miasma from a thousand li of territory.
Furthermore, the founding female ancestor of the Jinque Sect, after many years of being erased from her master's sect register and expelled from the mountain, had finally restored her status in the Lingfei Temple register of the former Baishuang Dynasty, allowing her to return to her ancestral line.
Including the Qingjing Peak and Chuqing Peak Jinxian Nunnery, along with several other branches, the sect leader Cheng Qian and the discipline head Xing Zi convened a meeting. Without suspense, all registered cultivators of the Jinque Sect were transferred into the Golden and Jade Register of the Lingfei Temple lineage. It must be known that the newly promoted Lingfei Temple, whose temple master was Cao Rong, was a direct disciple of the Celestial Master of the White Jade Capital. This meant that the Jinque Sect, now "relegated" to a branch of Lingfei Temple, had suddenly found two huge backers, each higher than the last.
According to mountain rules, from then on, the Jinque Sect could openly acknowledge the White Jade Capital's Patriarch Chen Qian as their ancestor and Lingfei Temple's Celestial Master Cao Rong as their clan master.
The Emperor of the Qingxing Kingdom was unwell, so he sent the Crown Prince and the Minister of Rites to personally go up the mountain to offer congratulations.
For years, the Liu Clan's emperor had been mocked by the mountain cultivators as a "blank emperor." To help the current Crown Prince, who was born to a concubine and was not the eldest son, secure his position, the old emperor had gone to great lengths.
Currently, throughout the Qingxing Kingdom, both in court and among the people, a rumor was spreading. In the chaotic region of Union Mountain, the Crown Prince had personally led troops and climbed the mountain, where they found the three long-missing jade seals, recovered after being lost. One of these was the golden seal with intertwined dragons, the "Heir-Apparent's Treasure Seal," specifically used by the emperor to appoint the Crown Prince. Thus, the Liu Clan's total of twelve imperial seals in Qingxing were finally complete again.
The common people all said this was the mandate of heaven, that the Crown Prince, with his great talents and military and literary skills, was destined to be an enlightened ruler.
In a celestial inn in the capital, a boy with a sword on his back used flying sword transmission to send a letter to the Zhang Clan in Tiancao Commandery, addressed to Hong Yangbo of Qingdie Workshop, with the sender as "Chen, the Bundle Vendor of Niujiao Ferry."
Soon, the old clan leader Zhang Qiong personally replied in a letter, asking Mr. Chen to wait a moment; they would rush to the Qingxing capital immediately.
That very day, Zhang Qiong brought Zhang Caiqin and Hong Yangbo into the inn hastily, also intentionally bringing along Zhang Yujiao, who had the reputation of a young sword immortal.
As a result, Zhang Yujiao saw the boy in straw sandals, "Chen Ren," whom he had met before at the Pomo Peak in the Union Mountain region. This person was... that Sword Immortal Chen who had carved words on the city wall?!
Zhang Yujiao was dizzy and also mortified. Earlier, on the way down Pomo Peak, he, ignorant of the heights of heaven and earth, had chatted with his companion Jin Lü about the young Hidden Officer.
How could the young sword immortal imagine that just a few steps behind him on the mountain path, the very person was following.
Chen Ping'an smiled and explained, "This trip is just wandering around, so I changed my identity and appearance."
Zhang Caiqin suddenly understood. No wonder the so-called Battle of Union Mountain, which had been much ado about nothing, had an inexplicable air of mystery from beginning to end.
Chen Ping'an got straight to the point and asked, "Old Master Zhang, Miss Caiqin, in your view, what kind of person is the Crown Prince of Qingxing, Liu Yu?"
Zhang Caiqin hesitated, and the atmosphere in the room became extremely tense.
Hong Yangbo had to try to lighten the mood, saying, "The Crown Prince Liu Yu has both literary talent and a desire to do practical things for Qingxing."
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Is that really the case?"
Hong Yangbo was momentarily speechless, not knowing how to answer.
After all, it was he and the young lady who had pleaded to invite the young Hidden Officer to participate in Liu Yu's coming-of-age ceremony. And now the Mountain Lord Chen had come to Qingxing and Union Mountain ahead of time, claiming to be just wandering. Who would believe that?
If the Crown Prince Liu Yu didn't make a good impression in Mountain Lord Chen's heart, then today would be Mountain Lord Chen calling the entire Tiancao Commandery Zhang Clan to account. And this was perfectly reasonable, since it was his first celebration after returning to his hometown. If Liu Yu was a total idiot, would that be proper?
The clan leader Zhang Qiong, who spoke straightforwardly, laughed heartily. "To say Liu Yu has great ambitions but little ability might be a bit harsh. I've seen the boy a few times; he has good intentions. But to say that a Crown Prince who lives in seclusion in the Eastern Palace can understand the people's condition and grasp human hearts—well, I can't praise him for that. Compared to Emperor Liu He, he's far behind. As for Liu Yu's shortcomings, I can't really name them. But I can guarantee one thing: compared to most noble children in small kingdoms, even if you put him among the neighboring states, he's already considered quite good."
Chen Ping'an smiled and asked, "Old Master Zhang, do you mean that Liu Yu is like an uncut jade, worthy of being carved?"
Zhang Qiong nodded. "Mountain Lord Chen, that's about what I mean."
Despite the old clan master's composed demeanor and fluent answers, he was actually quite nervous inside.
Zhang Caiqin and Hong Yangbo exchanged a glance, both sensing the other's unease.
Hong Yangbo was especially tense in his heart. For some reason, the "boy" before him, though his appearance had changed, seemed to have transformed entirely in his aura.
Chen Ping'an was silent for a moment, then said calmly, "I've wandered around the capital and seen a few places. If I had known this earlier, I would never have agreed to come down the mountain to attend the ceremony last time."
Zhang Caiqin's expression was awkward, and she tentatively asked, "Then should we cancel that ceremony?"
Chen Ping'an rubbed his brow, helpless. "Do you think that would be appropriate?"
Perhaps because of the boldness of youth, Zhang Yujiao mustered his courage and asked, "Mountain Lord Chen, could you tell us why you have such a low opinion of Liu Yu?"
Chen Ping'an said, "The entire crown prince's residence is rotten from the top down. Apart from a man named Ren Xiangqi, a Qingji Lang in the Crown Prince's Household, who has some knowledge of economics and mundane affairs, the seven Eastern Palace officials I met—each from different offices and ranks—are all fame-seekers. From the Deputy Administrator of the Crown Prince's Household, the Secretariat Drafter, to the Left Son of the Left Spring Quarters, the Chief Rectifier of the Right Spring Quarters, the Crown Prince's Horse Washer in the Classics Bureau, and the Proofreader—I've seen them all with my own eyes."
Zhang Yujiao was greatly shocked, thinking in wonder that the Hidden Officer Chen had truly been "just wandering."
Among them, the six high-ranking tutors of the Eastern Palace were mostly honorary titles, bestowed by the court upon certain veteran ministers as marks of honor; they had nothing to do with the daily education of the crown prince. The real power lay with the Crown Prince's Household Office, along with the Left and Right Spring Quarters and the Classics Bureau, these four Eastern Palace offices. For the convenience of document exchange, they all shared offices in the Crown Prince's Household Office. The Household Office was not inside the palace but was built by the Jade Dragon River between the imperial city and the outer city. Because the Qingxing capital was not large, the government offices were not considered "distant" from the emperor. The Classics Bureau had two Horse Washers as its chief officials, of low rank (only grade 5b), responsible for editing, compiling, and storing books for the Eastern Palace. Though the rank was low, these were coveted positions. As the common saying goes, "The gatekeeper of the prime minister's mansion is a third-rank official," let alone being a subordinate official of the crown prince in the Eastern Palace—a crony of the future emperor! Moreover, these pure and noble officials could use this as a stepping stone to become Hanlin academicians.
Chen Ping'an added, "And most of these officials think the Crown Prince Liu Yu is a fool easy to deceive."
The implication was that Liu Yu was being treated as a fool by his own Eastern Palace officials, and you, the Tiancao Commandery Zhang Clan, who helped broker a connection between Qingxing and Luoshan, were also fools. And as the Mountain Lord of Luoshan, I, Chen Ping'an, had unwittingly become the biggest fool.
Chen Ping'an said, "I don't mind adding icing on the cake for anyone. What I do mind is that my appearance might cause certain matters to go from bad to worse, even losing the possibility of correction."
Zhang Yujiao understood only vaguely.
Zhang Qiong asked curiously, "Mr. Chen, what should we do now?"
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Quitting halfway is not my habit. Since we're all guests staying here, let's join forces with the Tiancao Commandery Zhang Clan to help sweep the courtyard clean."
Zhang Qiong sighed with relief and cupped his fists in thanks. "It's an honor."
Lately, the political scene in Qingxing Kingdom had indeed been lively. First, the Left Son of the Left Spring Quarters, as the head of that office, submitted a memorial recommending that the court ban the use of "scholars from outside" to fill certain pure and noble official positions. The Ministry of Personnel had objections, and even the Right Spring Quarters' Right Son openly opposed it, insisting that an official's virtue had nothing to do with his birth. Then the Vice Minister of Works requested that the overburdened Ministry of Works be upgraded to a "Front Office" among the six ministries, even engaging in a heated debate with the Ministry of War officials in court. And the Crown Prince's coming-of-age ceremony became the top priority for the Ministry of Rites officials. As for the various arguments among high-ranking ministers from various ministries, they could argue all they wanted; as long as the Ministry of Rites handled this ceremony well, it would be a great achievement.
The Liu Emperor of Qingxing was indeed old and had to consider how the Crown Prince would smoothly succeed him. To make the ceremony seem more significant, many high officials and nobles had left the capital, swallowing their pride, to invite guests to the ceremony through hints or outright requests, even spending money if necessary. This farce of Qingxing exceptionally inviting cultivators from other countries to observe the ceremony soon subsided, because it was said that a great personage, still shrouded in mystery, would visit Qingxing.
The rumors grew increasingly exaggerated. At first, it was an old, respected Nascent Soul immortal; then a Perfected Lord from the Patriarch Hall of the Shengao Sect; then an elder from the Yunlin Jiang Clan's ancestral temple; and finally, it became even more absurd, with detailed accounts claiming the Liu Clan had invited none other than Cao Yong, the Linli Earl, one of the two dukes and marquises of the great river in Bottle Gourd Continent!
Why not just say you invited that Chen Ping'an of Luoshan?
Before Chen Ping'an summoned the Tiancao Commandery Zhang Clan party.
In the secret love nest of one of the Crown Prince's Horse Washers. Night was dark, and rain beat against the banana leaves.
The official was in his prime, breathing heavily as he dismounted from the horse (metaphorically), still unsatisfied. He reached out and kneaded a soft white mass beside him, thinking about his preoccupations.
The woman sat up, brushed aside her disheveled hair, and smiled as she asked, "They say the Crown Prince is about to ascend the throne soon, my lord. Will you be promoted?"
Her husband had served the crown prince for many years as a "dragon-supporting vassal." When the crown prince put on the dragon robe and sat on the dragon throne, wasn't that the greatest case of "one man's rise lifts his henchmen to heaven"? She just didn't know if she would ever have the luck to see the emperor's face up close.
The official glanced sideways at the white scenery, perhaps displeased by her eager tone when mentioning the crown prince. He snorted, "Don't think the crown prince is so great. A piece of clothing, that's all. Take off the clothes, and a man is just a man, a woman just a woman."
She burst into laughter, swaying so much that the man was momentarily dazzled. He sighed. He had already fought two rounds tonight and had no strength left.
When he sat up, she familiarly lay face down on the bed, her body stretched out horizontally. She reached down to pick up the scattered clothes on the floor. With a slap, she received a spank, trembling.
She threw him a flirtatious glance and helped him dress. The man curled his lip, knowing she wouldn't gossip outside. "A greenhorn, what does he know about the ways of officialdom? Throw him some grandiose nonsense from the Household Office or the Spring Quarters, and he thinks it's a brilliant state policy."
After spending time with the crown prince, one found he was just average. He was lucky to be born into the right family. Not entirely useless, but shallow. He could recite a lot of sage wisdom from books, but what use was that? All show, no substance.
Take the Right Son opposing the Left Son—wasn't that because of their different backgrounds, each representing different groups of scholars who had yet to achieve fame? Whether they were ministers, princes, literary elites, or unrecognized talent from the grass roots—do you, Liu Yu, truly know what real learning is? A few visiting poems, a few games of go, could you determine the weight of someone's talent or judge whether they had good governance strategies? A half-filled bucket of water is the most prone to pretending to know. Just like me, the Horse Washer—to curry favor, I secretly studied countless go game records and seal impressions, practiced thousands of characters from model calligraphy to write that "hairpin small script" style the crown prince loved so much.
On the other side of the wall, a sword-carrying boy crouched silently.
Before dawn, a carriage went to the morning court. Inside, the Left Son lowered his head and exhaled. The heavy rain had left this section of road muddy and bumpy. It would smooth out only when they reached Imperial Street. The carriage passed a row of stalls that opened early, offering various foods for the officials heading to court. The vendors occasionally chatted, lamenting that being an official wasn't easy either.
The coachman skillfully stopped the carriage and casually tossed a handful of copper coins onto the table. Perhaps his aim was off, or maybe it was intentional—a few coins rolled onto the ground.
They were regular customers. The vendor trotted over quickly, bowed, and as usual handed a food box to the coachman. The coachman took it and called out "Sir," then lifted the curtain slightly. Inside the carriage, they took it and hastily dealt with breakfast. The vendor rubbed his hands together. When the carriage had passed, he bent down to pick up the few copper coins from the mud, then wiped his fingertips secretly on his apron. These officials who qualified for morning court were all extremely particular, very clean.
Another carriage stopped nearby. The vendors, with their sharp eyes, knew it was the Vice Minister of Works.
The Vice Minister was troubled by the nation's arsenal reserves—how to clear out the mountains of weapons in the Ministry of War's various warehouses.
The undercurrents in the court, the open and secret struggles among the ministries—they had nothing to do with the common people. As long as it was a world of peace and prosperity, and there was no war, that was good.
Every time they packed up their breakfast stalls, if they found a few extra coins more than yesterday, it was a good day. If a few coins less, they'd just try to earn more tomorrow.
A boy in straw sandels spent over a dozen copper coins but wasn't full. He had been buying breakfast here for several consecutive days, eating slowly.
Only one official, named Ren Xiangqi, seemed to get off his carriage every day to sit and eat breakfast, distracted, often muttering to himself, habitually counting on his fingers as if calculating accounts. When the boy asked, he learned that Ren Xiangqi was quite famous. He had passed the imperial examinations with distinction and was actually from a prominent local clan. But because he was young and hot-tempered, not good at interpersonal skills, the Ministry of Revenue had relegated him to the Crown Prince's Household Office, where he sat on a cold bench for many years. Several of his examination peers, who had ranked below him, were now successful. The vendors' grapevine was well-informed; they said the current second-in-command of the Household Office was a classmate of Ren Xiangqi's, a second-class jinshi from a humble white-robed family, who now was above him. The boy asked curiously, "The position of Qingji Lang isn't very high, so how can he attend the morning court?" The vendors laughed heartily and asked back, "Haven't you noticed that this Qingji Lang's carriage is going in the wrong direction?"
At the Crown Prince's Household Office by the Jade Dragon River, several night-duty officials yawned, chatting about recent amusing incidents in the Left and Right Spring Quarters or the Classics Bureau to stay awake.
In the Right Spring Quarters, some officials had tea kettles filled with alcohol. With a tacit understanding, they took a sip and spoke eloquently about state policies, lacking not talent or ability, just official rank.
In the relatively idle Classics Bureau, they were discussing which official of some ministry had recently tamed which spirited horse (courtesan), where some descendant of a meritorious official had fought with the son of a noble, who had bought a large mansion where, which rare books and genuine calligraphy or paintings they had acquired.
It seemed the Crown Prince of Qingxing had raised a crowd of rich idle men who worried about the nation—just waiting for you, Liu Yu, to ascend the throne so they could realize their ambitions.
The boy in straw sandals, with a talisman pasted on his forehead, walked boldly through the corridors and halls of various government offices, as if entering an empty space. Occasionally, he blew lightly on the talisman, making it flutter up and down.
Inside the imperial palace, the old emperor Liu He had temporarily summoned over a dozen high-ranking ministers. The Crown Prince Liu Yu and the current sect leader of the Jinque Sect, the Kingdom-Protecting Perfected Man Cheng Qian, both participated in the deliberation that night.
After all, such a great personage, far away and above the clouds, was about to grace their kingdom. They had to be meticulous and couldn't afford any slip-ups. What kind of celestial liquor he liked, how to select seasonal fruits and special pastries, the forms of the seats and tables, the selection of antiques, curios, calligraphy, and paintings in the room, and where to place them—all were matters of learning. The Ministry of Rites had just drafted a preliminary plan: three possible lodgings for Mountain Lord Chen after he arrived in Qingxing. The Honglu Temple's guildhall, an immortal inn called Songtao Hall in the capital, or Chuqing Peak of the Jinque Sect. Each had advantages and disadvantages. Choosing the Honglu Temple guildhall gave the court full control over all procedures, but it lacked a "celestial" atmosphere and seemed a bit shabby—they feared Mountain Lord Chen might think they weren't taking him seriously. Songtao Hall had a good location, inside the capital, but the court would need temporary large-scale construction to create a celestial mansion. The Ministry of Works had already prepared enough mountain materials, almost "copying" a celestial palace. But this required negotiation with Songtao Hall. The Ministry of Revenue had allocated a large sum of immortal money specifically for this, awaiting the emperor's decree for "construction by imperial order." Choosing Jinque Sect had the advantage of abundant spiritual energy and easy security, but the downside was its distance from the capital. The emperor clearly hoped to use this rare opportunity to let the Crown Prince Liu Yu interact more with Mountain Lord Chen, a descendant of the Wen Sheng lineage. If they got along well and had like-minded conversations, it would be a hundred or even a thousand years of peace for the Liu clan's reign.
Thus, in his heart, the emperor leaned toward choosing Songtao Hall as Mountain Lord Chen's lodging.
The Minister of Justice spoke softly, "Your Majesty, the Five Garrison Military Command has just received news that Zhang Qiong and his party rushed to Songtao Hall tonight. According to regulations, our ministry's offerings did not investigate whom they went to see."
Liu He smiled. "According to intelligence reports, I hear that the secret owner of these mountain inns like Songtao Hall is all surnamed Dong? Come to think of it, Boss Dong is from the same hometown as Mountain Lord Chen."
Cheng Qian nodded. "This Dong Shuijing, nicknamed Half-Continent Dong, is from the same hometown as Mountain Lord Chen, both from Huaihuang County, Longzhou."
Liu He sighed. "One Grotto-Heaven of Lizhu truly hides dragons and crouching tigers. The younger generation is even more outstanding."
The "Top Ten Young Cultivators of Bottle Gourd Continent" selected years ago, besides the top-ranked Ma Kuxuan, included Xie Ling of the Dragon Spring Sword Sect. And that female sword immortal called Sui Youbian was also a registered cultivator of Luoshan. There were still many theories about Sui Youbian's origins. In fact, all mountain cultivators in Bottle Gourd Continent knew that if not for certain reasons, and for that young Hidden Officer who had already ranked among the top ten young cultivators of several worlds, and the current sect master of the Dragon Spring Sword Sect, Liu Xianyang, and Gu Can, who had leaped to become the direct disciple of Zheng Juzhong of White Emperor City—if only considering origin, regardless of current location, the young cultivators of Lizhu Grotto-Heaven could occupy half the list.
The Kingdom-Protecting Perfected Man, who looked like a child, smiled. "One must admit that the prosperity of Longzhou's destiny surpasses all of Haoran World."
An old Minister of War asked curiously, "The Dayu Prince of Luo, Song Mu, and the East Sea Water Lord, Wang Zhu, together with Mountain Lord Chen and Gu Can—they all lived in the same alley in those days? They saw each other all year round, often meeting?"
Cheng Qian nodded. "That small alley is called Mud Vase Alley. It seems that the Sword Immortal Cao Xi of Southern Bodhisattva Continent also originated from that alley, but Old Sword Immortal Cao left home long ago."
The old minister struggled for a long time and finally squeezed out a concise two-word evaluation: "Terrifying."
If it were him, assuming he could foresee the future achievements of these people, twenty or thirty years ago, just after Lizhu Grotto-Heaven opened, when he was still in good health, walking through that so-called Mud Vase Alley, wouldn't his heart tremble and his legs shake? Could he imagine that a boy who was an apprentice in a kiln worker household would later become the last Hidden Officer of the Sword Qi Great Wall? How to greet him when meeting in the alley? And that beautiful girl who might have been carrying a bucket of water from the Iron Lock Well—would she become the only true dragon in the world, facing two throned great demons alone in the Battle of Old Dragon City, and later be appointed by the Confucian Temple to manage the East Sea's water transport? Since they say a close neighbor is better than a distant relative, I wonder how Gu Can, known as a "madman," got along with Song Mu, the most powerful prince of the Dayu dynasty. Were their early relations harmonious?
Perhaps because the Qingming Festival was near, it had been raining continuously. But the atmosphere in the Caiyu Mountain of the Zhuzhi Sect was like a bright sunny day for its registered cultivators.
Because Caiyu Mountain, which had originally been ceded to Zhengyang Mountain, had been bought back by the sect leader Guo Huifeng after she made a trip alone to Yixian Peak, paying only thirty Grain Rain coins.
As for exactly how Guo Huifeng and the Sword Immortal Sect Leader Zhu Huang had talked, she didn't say.
The Zhuzhi Sect cultivators only learned through some grapevine from the various peaks of Zhengyang Mountain that Zhu Huang had personally appeared at the foot of the ancestral mountain to receive their sect leader.
At the same time, the relationship between Zhuzhi Sect and Zhengyang Mountain would remain the same—they wouldn't become a subordinate sect of the latter. Only the annual "tribute" quota would remain as before, still buying protection with money.
Today, Bai Ni, the mining administrator of Caiyu Mountain, had just entered the mountain when he saw a familiar face squatting at the mouth of an old pit. Now without his guest receptionist status, he couldn't enter the old pit.
The old man quickened his pace, then slowed down a bit when he neared the pit entrance. He smiled and teased the young man, "You little bastard, you have a dog's nose. How did you get the news so fast?"
Anyway, it saved him the trouble of searching. Now that the Zhuzhi Sect had weathered the storm, it could even be said they had turned misfortune into fortune. So the outer sect guest receptionist Chen Jiu, whom he had driven away to avoid trouble not long ago, could return and resume his duties. But why was the Zhuzhu sect leader willing to treat Zhuzhi Sect so generously, showing goodwill? That was something Guo Huifeng hadn't figured out during her visit to Yixian Peak. After returning to Zhuzhi Sect to convene a Patriarch Hall meeting, she only stated the final outcome of their negotiations, asking the discipline head Ling Xie to keep their cultivators' mouths shut, avoid getting carried away, and not say something that would displease some hot-headed sword immortals from Zhengyang Mountain, potentially causing more trouble.
Chen Jiu had his hands in his sleeves, a look of confusion on his face. "Uncle Bai, what news?"
Seeing that he didn't seem to be feigning ignorance, Uncle Bai hesitated, then used his mind voice to give him a rough idea. It was about the improved relations with Zhengyang Mountain—how Sect Leader Guo and Sect Master Zhu had cleared up misunderstandings, winning Zhuzhi Sect a period of peace for several centuries. So he planned to restore Chen Jiu's position as outer sect guest receptionist and asked if Chen Jiu was willing.
The young man huffed, "You drove me away, Uncle Bai, and now you're inviting me back to Caiyu Mountain. Are you playing me for a fish on a line?"
Uncle Bai laughed. "Don't be ungrateful and act clever. Just tell me straight—are you willing to resume the guest receptionist role? If you agree, don't be too happy. There's a tough job waiting for you, but you won't work for free. Your salary will be raised."
The old man looked at the young man with kind eyes, noting the mud from the mountain on his boots. Probably life outside was hard indeed; otherwise, the kid wouldn't have swallowed his pride and returned to Caiyu Mountain. In his place, when he was young, if someone threw him out, he'd never come back. As an outer sect guest receptionist, the monthly salary was twelve Snowflower coins by regulation. The Zhuzhi Sect provided room and board, so there were almost no extra expenses—it was pure profit. Chen Jiu could save up all that immortal money. Moreover, as a guest receptionist handling visitors, if he was a bit clever and took some kickbacks, as long as he wasn't too greedy, with Uncle Bai's good nature and his fondness for Chen Jiu, he would turn a blind eye. Not to say the perks were huge, but at least the young man could save up for a wife. But if you, Chen Jiu, set your sights too high, fancying a fairy from a big immortal mansion like Su Jia of Zhengyang Mountain, then you'd have no choice but to sleep more and dream more.
Chen Ping'an laughed. "Uncle Bai, I came back to Caiyu Mountain this time looking for a life of ease. First, tell me what this tough job is. I'll decide after hearing it. I don't want to walk into a trap."
Uncle Bai laughed. "The mining operations on Caiyu Mountain, which had been shelved, are restarting. But Sect Leader Guo and Discipline Head Ling both think the old methods aren't reliable. You're clever; many of the ideas you've mentioned to me, I brought up in the Patriarch Hall. Surprisingly, most of the Patriarch Hall members thought they were good. So I asked for a position for you—managing the accounts. How about that?"
A promise from a Sword Immortal sect leader was more reliable than any oath sworn by burning talismans and submitting petitions. It meant that for at least three to five centuries, or even longer, as long as Zhu Huang remained the sect leader of Zhengyang Mountain, the once-precarious Zhuzhi Sect would have no internal or external worries.
Just like in the last Patriarch Hall meeting, Bai Ni, who had always only listened and never spoke, had rarely taken the initiative to ask if he could accept the guest receptionist Chen Jiu as his direct disciple.
It was clearly a plan to groom the young man, intending to "inherit" the mining official position to the young man surnamed Chen.
Sect Leader Guo Huifeng also had a good impression of the young man who often went fishing by the river. Discipline Head Ling Xie specially retrieved Chen Jiu's file and found that this outer sect guest receptionist had a good reputation within the sect. So there was no need for her to contest this trivial matter with the sect leader. Therefore, Chen Jiu becoming a direct disciple of the Patriarch Hall was almost a done deal.
As for Bai Ni himself, after having this idea, his state of mind became more relaxed. He thought he might one day raise some geese and ducks, have a vegetable garden, fish by the river, look out over thousands of mountains, and find pleasure in reading.
A young man should have ambition, but it shouldn't be too high, nor should his edge be too sharp. The world and its affairs should help polish his rough edges.
So the old man didn't tell Chen Jiu his true intentions.
When he retired one day, he would let Chen Jiu take over, giving him a seat in the Zhu Zhi Sect's Patriarch Hall.
First become his direct disciple, then accumulate years of experience, and subsequently become the next mining administrator. The old man was laying the path for the young man.
"Uncle Bai, to be honest, it's not that great."
Chen Ping'an rubbed his face. "Isn't this overkill for my talents?"
Bai Ni was exasperated into laughter. He slapped the young man on the shoulder. "Alright, alright, Guest Receptionist Chen has high realms, big talk, and lofty ambitions! Overkill, you say!"
Chen Ping'an said, "Uncle Bai, I know your goodwill. But I came this time to say goodbye. Last time I was worried you might overthink things, so I left in a hurry."
Bai Ni asked, puzzled, "You little bastard found a place to settle so soon? It's not that Zhengyang Mountain, is it? What, after a few drinks, you've climbed onto the high branch of that Sword Immortal Xiahou from Shuilong Peak?"
Chen Ping'an couldn't help laughing. "Even if I dared to go, Zhengyang Mountain wouldn't dare to accept me."
Bai Ni thought for a moment, not trying to pull rank or force the young man to stay. He just said, "Then I won't ask further. You young people have your own ideas. It's good to go out and explore. If you make it big out there, I'll be happy for you. If things don't go so well, don't be too proud to come back to Caiyu Mountain. I'll always have a bowl of stable food for you. Zhuzhi Sect isn't a big school, but our sect's atmosphere is good. There isn't so much backstabbing and dirty business."
Chen Ping'an squinted, pulled his hands out of his sleeves, shook his fists a few times, and said, "Young one thanks Uncle Bai."
Bai Ni smiled. "It's a shame Sect Leader Guo praised you a few times in the Patriarch Hall."
The young man rubbed his hands in surprise. "Could it be...?"
Bai Ni cursed with a laugh, "Sect Leader Guo is a Golden Core earth immortal—could she possibly take a fancy to you? Do you have a weak stomach, always thinking of getting by on soft rice?"
Chen Ping'an laughed. "Uncle Bai, to be honest, I already have a wife. In a place I can call my second home, I have a very good relationship with her. She has ten thousand virtues: good family background, good temper, good cultivation talent. But at home, I'm the one who calls the shots. Ha, outside, I have all the face in the world. No one dares to say I'm living off soft rice. I can drink whenever I want outside, go home whenever I please, and there's always a bowl of hangover soup waiting for me..."
The old man laughed. "Don't brag like that. If a man really has that kind of authority, he doesn't talk about it. I'd say you, boy, have had a few too many drinks with friends outside, got home late, and been locked out more than once."
Chen Ping'an was shocked. "Uncle Bai is an experienced hand?"
The old man smiled. "I haven't eaten pork, but I've seen pigs run."
Chen Ping'an gave the old man a thumbs-up.
"Chen Jiu—coincidentally, you're also named Chen. If you want to learn how to live off soft rice, learn from that person—the Hidden Officer Chen of Luoshan. He managed to become Dao companions with Ning Yao, the world's number one at eating soft rice."
"Yes, yes, that Chen Ping'an really is a piece of work. A grown man and still a bachelor. Useless."
Just then, the old man noticed the young man's body tense up, then stiffly turn his head. A smile appeared on his face—hard to say whether it was brilliant or ingratiating.
Bai Ni followed Chen Jiu's gaze and saw a spirited woman with squinting eyes, tall and slender, carrying a sword box on her back. She was staring at the young man.
Ning Yao smiled and cupped her hands in salute to the old man. "My name is Ning Yao. I'm the one who's been 'eaten' as soft rice."
Bai Ni paused, then returned the salute with a smile. "Miss, you're joking."
Chen Ping'an jumped up, quickly walked towards Ning Yao, and said via mind voice, "When did you get here?"
He hadn't sensed any trace of her arrival. Ning Yao had come without his knowledge, and he belatedly drew a cold breath. As for Sect Leader Guo's matter... Uncle Bai, you've doomed me!
Ning Yao replied via mind voice, "The Great Sword Immortal once reminded me that I should go into closed-door cultivation before the Heavenly Weeping, to avoid the rain, and not come out until the rain stops. Since I had nothing to do, I came to take a look."
Chen Ping'an grinned. "I'm already in the Immortal realm now, a Great Sword Immortal."
On the Sword Qi Great Wall, an Immortal realm sword cultivator being called a Great Sword Immortal wasn't an insult.
Ning Yao nodded. "I can see that."
Chen Ping'an tentatively asked, "When did you get here?"
Ning Yao curled her lips. "Don't worry. After you two talked about that 'Sect Leader Guo' and 'could it be,' I arrived."
Chen Ping'an laughed awkwardly. "Uncle Bai is an old bachelor, just like the people at the Sword Qi Great Wall's tavern—they love to shoot the breeze, making conversation. Normally, we don't chat like this."
Ning Yao smiled slightly. "I'm very familiar with the talk and banter at the drinking table."
But where was the wine? Where was the table?
Chen Ping'an's expression suddenly became complicated. He asked, "You don't mean...?"
Ning Yao, who had never seriously entered closed-door cultivation in her training, had a weight to her real closed-door sessions that Chen Ping'an had personally experienced on the Sword Qi Great Wall.
Ning Yao's expression was playful. "Two realms higher than you."
She was in the fourteenth realm.