Chapter 1097: Who Is It
For some unknown reason, Gu Can suddenly changed his mind. He brought his maid Lingyan and the National Preceptor Huang Lie back along the same road, returning to that tiny Daoist temple with its small frontage.
Gu Can walked to the door, reached out to pick up the bronze door knocker, and lightly knocked three times. There was no response for a long time.
Gu Lingyan couldn't be bothered to wait any longer. She walked straight to her young master's side, clenched her fist, and pounded on the door. Bang bang bang.
Inside the Chongyang Temple, an ancient alchemical site, it seemed they finally heard the commotion outside. The door creaked open, and two skinny young Daoist boys emerged. One tall, one short, both equally sallow and thin.
It was indeed a desolate temple. It would be strange if their meals had any oil.
Gu Can made a Daoist salute to the two boys standing inside the threshold, then laughed and said, "Sorry to disturb the cultivation of you two immortal youths. I was hoping to enter your esteemed temple to beg a cup of water. I wonder if that would be permissible."
The tall boy's face flushed bright red in an instant. He stammered and stuttered, not knowing how to respond. The short boy beside him, who had been maintaining a stern expression as if he had "order to leave" written on his face, now broke into a smile as well upon hearing this. "My name is Song Juchuan, and this is my junior disciple brother Zhongshan. We brothers haven't yet received our registers, so we have no Daoist titles yet. Usually, we just help our master with minor tasks, refining a few furnaces of longevity elixirs for those wealthy and noble families in the capital who queue up at our door."
As he led these honored guests into the temple, Song Juchuan deliberately lowered his voice and said, "The National Preceptor and our master address each other as Daoist friends. They often come to our temple to drink and discuss the Dao."
Huang Lie, walking at the very back of the line, let out a dry chuckle. How would I know? I've never been here before. And I certainly didn't know that Chongyang Temple's elixirs were so popular in the capital.
Gu Lingyan squinted at the horizon. She caught only a vague glimpse of the celestial phenomenon—a pure golden light vanishing in an instant. She vaguely guessed it was some great expert shedding their physical form, undergoing a cicada sloughing, a mortal dissolution.
Although it couldn't compare to an orthodox, bodily ascension to immortality, it was still a superior form of sloughing, a rebirth of sorts. Gu Lingyan believed she had at least this much insight. In the Barren Wastes, it was common for great cultivators who couldn't ascend step by step as they should—Heaven never seals off all roads—would settle for the second best, choosing a shady location to build a tomb or an underground palace, walking the ancient path of tomb lords or shrine lords seeking immortality. They would meticulously plan, emphasizing a physical dissolution and transformation, either dying and reviving to achieve a ghost immortal body, or winning a chance for their reincarnated self to undergo a feathered transformation and ascend.
Having just visited the Imperial Observatory, she had come to a decision. It seemed she would need to humbly consult her young master in the future and seriously learn the art of observing auras.
Gu Lingyan transmitted her thoughts, "Young master, do you have the answer?"
Gu Can nodded.
Gu Lingyan couldn't help pressing further, "Was it that Ma Kuxuan was inferior in skill, unable to match Mountain Master Chen, and had one of his physical bodies severed and his lifelong cultivation ruined? It's a pity that he still managed to use a life-saving spell and escaped by luck? Or even more so, did Ma Kuxuan foresee this day long ago and planned accordingly, from the very beginning wanting to use Mountain Master Chen's swordsmanship to help himself undergo military dissolution, taking the opportunity to escape tribulation, hoping for a fresh start in his next life?"
Gu Can didn't lift his head, "As long as it's something he has deeply considered and repeatedly deliberated, once he decides to act, there will definitely be no accidents. Besides, regarding aura observation and sloughing, you are an outsider; you can only watch the excitement."
Gu Lingyan was extremely curious, "May I ask you, young master, what exactly was Ma Kuxuan's fate?"
He was one of the ten candidates for several worlds! Could he really have just... died like that? If Ma Kuxuan were a Barren Wastes cultivator, he would certainly be among the Heavenly Stems ranks, his Dao path full of bright prospects.
In truth, she also knew that her second speculation was... impossible. Ma Kuxuan's temperament could be determined simply from his deeds. He was one of the few figures in this heavily rule-bound Haoran World who, upon hearing his legends, made her feel a natural affinity.
Gu Can said, "I don't know the truth either. Ask him yourself when you see him."
Gu Lingyan sighed mournfully, her eyes filled with reproach, "How would I dare? Every time I see the Hidden Official, my teeth chatter."
From the outside, the temple's small gate was easy to misjudge; one might estimate its scale to be modest. Only upon entering did one realize it was a world within a world, occupying a very considerable area. One courtyard after another, through corridors and passages, winding walkways.
The young Daoist boy named Song Juchuan was a chatterbox. As he led this group of guests through the temple, he prattled on, "Our master is the abbot of this temple. He comes from a good family and has high learning. In his prime, he was a guest of the court, but later grew disheartened, unwilling to go along with the corruption in officialdom, so he became a mountain recluse in his old age."
"He loves going into the mountains to gather lingzhi. He stopped cooking long ago; on ordinary days, he only needs to take yellow essence and poria. He wears coarse clothes and eats simple food. His pickled cabbage is made from white greens grown in our own vegetable garden. The temple also brews its own wine. Although it's a crude local brew, it's something you can't buy elsewhere even with money. Our master is a true old immortal, over a hundred years old yet still retaining a youthful appearance. Even in the freezing snow season, he refuses to wear cotton wadding. When he stands in the Hundun stance or sits in meditation, white vapor emanates from his entire body."
The tall Daoist boy broke out in cold sweat on his forehead. Senior Brother Song really could spin a tale. But thinking of his own temple's desolate incense offerings, Zhongshan felt both admiration and gratitude for Song Juchuan's earnest efforts.
Gu Can smiled faintly, "I've only heard that when Daoist adepts practice breath regulation and qi refinement, their ears and nose emit smoke of different colors like green or white. The amount depends on their Daoist power. In Daoist classics, this is called 'crane breath.'"
Song Juchuan clapped his fist into his palm, "Yes! I remember Master once told me about that. Those wispy smokes are indeed called crane breath!"
Gu Can was silent for a moment, then laughed, "The term 'crane breath' was something I made up on the spot."
Song Juchuan was instantly struck dumb, a look of astonishment on his face.
Well, that's that. No incense money.
And the temple will have to provide a pot of tea as compensation?
The master wasn't very generous, and he held grudges too.
Ancient cypress trees cast dense shade over a pond. Fallen petals were like descending birds; swimming fish nibbled and ate them.
By the pond were two cats. One was pure white with a uniquely yellow tail, commonly known in the marketplace as "golden rope hanging a silver vase." It sat crouched, looking at the water as if trying to catch fish. The other had a yellow body with white belly and white paws, called "golden cover on a silver bed." It was frolicking, chasing butterflies.
Song Juchuan grinned, "Stray cats. They often sneak into the kitchen to steal food."
The taciturn Zhongshan had thoughts unspoken: they couldn't steal much to eat anyway.
Compared to Senior Brother Song, Zhongshan was clumsy with words, slow to learn everything. His master always said he was a knot of elm wood that couldn't be pried open. If he could cultivate the Dao, then there would be no one in the world who couldn't become an immortal.
Under a pine tree in the temple was an old Daoist. His hair at the temples was snow-white, his feet shod in straw sandals. He carried a hoe on his shoulder and a bamboo basket in his hand. In the basket were several pieces of poria covered in soil.
He let out an "eh," looked up at the sky, and pinched his fingers for a calculation. He shook his head. The Heavenly secrets and the current world were making things more and more incomprehensible.
The old Daoist walked slowly. Seeing that group of people, he couldn't help feeling puzzled. His temple was usually closed. Could there actually be pilgrims who took the initiative to knock on the door?
Had money come knocking of its own accord? Was there really such a good thing? He just feared that if the good didn't come, the bad would.
The two Daoist boys bowed, "Disciple pays respects to Master Jing."
The old Daoist maintained a calm expression, nodding in acknowledgment. He handed the hoe and bamboo basket to the two disciples, preparing to attend to the guests himself.
With his hands now free, the old Daoist made a Daoist salute and said with a carefree laugh, "I am Cheng Fengxuan. My disciples are accustomed to calling me Master Jing. My native place is Xuyi Prefecture, my Dao site is Duling Mountain. I am a wandering cultivator. In previous years, I journeyed here from another continent and stopped. I have no proper Daoist title; it's self-proclaimed, not to be taken seriously. It's just like those private posthumous titles in the literary world—not worth mentioning, lest I make a fool of myself."
Gu Can asked, "Is that Duling Mountain near the Xuyi Water Mansion?"
Cheng Fengxuan nodded in agreement, greatly surprised. Clicking his tongue in wonder, he said, "Young master is truly erudite. Most people have only heard of the Xuyi Water Mansion and not Duling Mountain. If they know a bit more about past matters, they only know about Scholar Du who smelted half of Tongling Mountain and half of Xuyi's shrimp soldiers. Who would know anything about Duling Mountain?"
Huang Lie asked in confusion, "Scholar Du?"
Cheng Fengxuan smiled faintly, offering no explanation.
Gu Can introduced, "In the history of the Central Earth Continent, there was a Mr. Wusong with the surname Du, nicknamed Scholar Du. He was an alchemist as famous as Madam Xu."
Xuyi Prefecture: the prefectural and county seat were both established on the mountain. "Xu" meant raising the eyebrows to look up; "Yi" meant staring straight ahead. Meaning to look far and see clearly, hence this well-known ancient name.
All along the way, the scenery was extraordinary. The buildings had an antique charm, the flowers and trees an antique grace. Huang Lie couldn't help praising it as good feng shui.
He had been in the dark before, not knowing there was such a geomantic treasure right under his nose.
The old Daoist led them to a thatched cottage called "Lulu," not far from the ancient pine.
Gu Can glanced at the plaque with its graceful calligraphy.
Cheng Fengxuan pointed to the ancient pine, "This pine was planted by the founding master of this temple. Many years have passed. There is poria beneath it, almost taking human form."
Gu Lingyan looked at the scene beneath the ancient pine and secretly covered her mouth, tittering. Indeed, like master, like disciple—both could brag without a draft.
Gu Can laughed, "Immortal Master, your lofty character."
The implication was that he dared to speak of this matter openly to outsiders.
Gu Lingyan privately asked Huang Lei telepathically, "Can you see the unusual earthy aura of the poria spirit?"
Huang Lie answered honestly, "I can't see anything."
The old Daoist pointed a finger, laughing as he said, "Don't be startled, my honored guests."
Where his finger pointed, the two cats instantly transformed into butterflies, fluttering away in all directions.
Gu Lingyan pretended to be shocked, letting out a frightened "ah" as her face paled, leaning towards Gu Can's shoulder.
But Gu Can simply reached out, pressed her forehead, and gently pushed her away, smiling, "What do you think? I told you there are many extraordinary people in this world, that true adepts and heroic swordsmen often dwell in seclusion among the rivers and lakes. You refused to believe me, saying I was being paranoid."
Gu Lingyan played along with her young master's act, as if belatedly realizing, looking timidly at the old Daoist.
Cave Dwelling realm? Contemplating Sea realm?
At the entrance to the Lulu cottage, Gu Can suddenly stopped and laughed, "I'm a bit of a dilettante. I like reading miscellaneous books and have studied some obscure knowledge. Putting it into practice now, I see that your esteemed place hides treasures and divine things, with purple and vermilion rising in tumult. Two types of qi intertwine, presenting an appearance of coiled dragon and crouching tiger. That's why I knocked on the door to visit. Quite coincidental, and I never expected to encounter a transcendent master whom ordinary folks like myself rarely meet in a hundred years, here guarding the poria spirit. I humbly presume to ask Master Jing, is this for taking the elixir to ascend to immortality?"
Cheng Fengxuan's expression suddenly changed completely. Not a trace of immortal bearing remained. He made a finger formation like a halberd, pointing at that rich young gentleman in Confucian robes. The old Daoist glared fiercely, "I saw long ago that you three harbor malicious intentions. Carrying a maid and a servant, where else would you go to loiter around? And yet you dare to come here to cause trouble? A loach chasing a duck—you're asking for death!"
Gu Can laughed, "Master Jing, you needn't pretend to be a fierce demon to scare us mortals with physical eyes. Common folk value their seven-foot body as life itself; mountain Daoists value their life as a seven-foot body. I believe that with Master Jing's state of mind and cultivation, practicing internal alchemy, you first used the matter of the poria spirit to shock people, then performed an illusion turning cats into butterflies. Were you hoping we would beat a retreat? Or did you take a fancy to my maid's aptitude, thinking she has a few taels of cultivation foundation?"
The old Daoist stroked his beard and nodded, his eyes showing appreciation, "The young master is elegant and has good bearing."
Gu Can said indifferently, "The fisherman's humility."
The old Daoist was momentarily speechless, then laughed. In the decades he had been refining qi here, this was the first time he had encountered such an honest person.
Gu Can said, "How did Master Jing determine that we are not villains?"
Cheng Fengxuan pinched his beard and smiled, "I have a slight understanding of a smattering of yin-yang omens, astrology, and aura observation—skills for traveling the world. I dare not claim to have entered the hall, and I'm even further from the level of pure refinement—a difference of a hundred thousand miles."
Gu Can hesitated for a moment, then slowly said, "I once read two sentences in someone's reading notes that are related to this."
The old Daoist raised his eyebrows, "I would be glad to hear the details."
Gu Can slowly said, "People today discuss astronomy only by deducing and calculating celestial movements. I say that Heaven moves vigorously, and the gentleman strives to strengthen himself—this is the astronomy jointly promoted by the three teachings."
"People today discuss geography only by examining and verifying territorial boundaries. I say that Earth's condition is receptive, and the gentleman carries external things with inner virtue—this is the geography jointly attested by the three teachings."
"Does Master Jing agree?"
Hearing this, the old Daoist was first surprised, then suddenly enlightened, his face filled with a multitude of emotions. "If we cultivators of the Dao can truly realize these two images of Heaven and Earth within ourselves, then mere yin-yang, five elements, and divination tricks are not worth mentioning."
"Smart people can never fool fools. Fools will always take lies as truth."
"Why does the young master say this?"
"Just a feeling. I spoke casually."
"By the way, who is the 'someone' the young master mentioned? Could you introduce me to them?"
"No."
"..."
"May I ask the Immortal Master's Daoist title?"
"Self-styled Daohui."
---
At the summit of Zheyao Mountain, on a high branch of an ancient tree that reached the clouds, three people stood, sat, or crouched.
Not far away was the Mountain Goddess Temple where the golden body of Song Ji was enshrined.
The one standing was Ma Kuxuan's maid, Shudian. The one standing was his senior disciple, Wangzu, a name Ma Kuxuan had given him, saying it combined his name and Daoist title for convenience.
Actually, they all knew it wasn't just to form an idiom with "Shudian," but also because it was a homophone for "Wang Zhu," the true dragon.
Ma Kuxuan's cultivation was definitely not related to the word "diligence," but he was very fond of his direct disciple Wangzu. Whether teaching thunder techniques or guiding martial arts, he could be said to have imparted everything he knew. The Daoist texts and boxing manuals he had given to this founding disciple probably numbered at least forty or fifty. Wangzu's current realm was "two golds": Golden Core realm and Golden Body realm. His aptitude could be called outstanding, but because his master was Ma Kuxuan, it seemed quite ordinary, not worth much.
There was also a crouching youth with a firewood knife at his waist, named Gao Ming. The relationship between him and Ma Kuxuan was more like a friend than master and disciple. He liked to call Ma Kuxuan "Old Ma."
He even asked Ma Kuxuan directly if he could transfer to Lotus Root Mountain, giving two reasons: first, he thought he would have better prospects; second, he wouldn't have to endure white looks everywhere he went.
The firewood knife youth frowned and asked, "What happened? Did Old Ma lose?"
Wangzu remained silent. It was obvious; no need to waste saliva.
Gao Ming withdrew his gaze and said, "Senior Brother, is it impossible to catch up? Then how do we find our master's reincarnation?"
From the direction, it seemed to be heading toward the Central Earth Continent. How could they find him? If it were north, it would be no more than the North Juzhou Continent. If south, at most it would be this continent or Tongye Continent. At least there would be a slim hope. But now going west, with such vast lands, wasn't it like looking for a needle in the ocean?
Wangzu's face was sad, his voice deep, "Unless it's an immortal, it might barely be possible to catch up with that golden light. Besides, Master said that if he lost this fight, there was no need to look for him. It would be futile."
Gao Ming continued, "Master also said that as soon as he dies, you can restore your identity and real name. It's Su Qingshen, right? A really good name. Master told me to pass on one more thing to you: you don't have to try to plot revenge anymore. From now on, when you walk the road and see that person surnamed Chen, remember to kowtow a few times to him, as thanks for his kindness in helping you avenge."
The woman remained silent, her expression complicated, her face pale.
Ma Kuxuan left three riddles for Chen Ping'an.
Just to tell Chen Ping'an to be careful, careful, and even more careful.
The answers lay within these three people.
Ma Kuxuan made each of them keep it secret, but also told them that if one day they wanted to go to Lotus Root Mountain to join Chen Ping'an, or if Chen Ping'an found them one day, they could reveal the answer. Whether as a door-knocking brick or a life-saving charm, it was up to them, whichever they chose.
The answer was three names. These three, like Ma Kuxuan, were all from the younger generation of Lizhu Cave Heaven. For example, the person Gao Ming knew was named Lu Zhengchun.
He seemed to be a descendant of the Lu family of Fulu Street, now making a living in the Xu family of Qingfeng City.
In the City God Temple of the capital of Yuxuan Kingdom, two "outsiders" had arrived. They had clearly crossed continents by shrinking the land, yet they could do so without alarming the local City God.
If one had to give a metaphor to describe the scene of their arrival, it would probably be like the emperor in a play, accompanied by the Minister of Personnel, going incognito and entering a local county office.
One was a short, dark-skinned man; the other was a tall man with a beautiful beard and a face like jade.
The former was not even as tall as Pei Qian, dressed in black, with a white jade belt around his waist. The man held his hands on his belt.
Unfortunately, the elegant bearded man beside him was at least a head taller.
Although surprised, Pei Qian naturally beamed with a bright smile. Using her sound-gathering technique, she cupped her hands and said, "Pei Qian pays respects to City God Zhou, General Fan."
The short man nodded, "General Fan is on duty. He needs to patrol the City Gods of each continent during the day. I'm just idle, tagging along for a casual stroll."
The bearded man smiled slightly, "Little bookworm, we meet again."
Pei Qian grinned.
She remembered that her master's teacher had once praised this City God Zhou in front of her, calling him the foremost among all the City Gods of the mortal realm.
"I've never seen such a short man with such an imposing presence. How majestic and grand!"
---
Having inexplicably become a nominal patron of Lotus Root Mountain with the Daoist title Longsheng, the old deaf man took a detour instead of going directly to find Li Huai. He led his disciple out of the Hundred Thousand Mountains and flew directly over the Sword Qi Great Wall on his sword. Gan Tang formed a hand seal, helping You Yu cast an obscuring spell to hide their tracks and avoid unnecessary complications. You Yu flew on his sword, looking down. On that half-section of the city wall, many foreign cultivators were gathered in groups, scattered in different places enjoying the view, clustered like flowers.
In the sky above what was once the private residence of a sword immortal, the old deaf man couldn't help looking back toward the city wall. He thought he would be stopped by the Confucian sages stationed there, needing to announce his identity and submit documents. At least a formality. The old deaf man had no objection to that—after all, on the Sword Qi Great Wall, he had long been used to keeping a low profile. But unexpectedly, they passed over the city wall without any hindrance. This made the old deaf man mutter to himself. Did the Confucian Temple think so little of him?
But if he had actually been stopped, Gan Tang would probably have complained again. Even if the old chief sword immortal was gone, wasn't there still the young Hidden Official who had recently carved inscriptions? Wasn't Ning Yao newly promoted to the fourteenth realm? Wasn't there a Feisheng City in the Five Colors World? Did the Confucian Temple really think the Sword Qi Great Wall didn't exist?
Arriving at the site of the old city ruins, the old deaf man sighed. He was the first to float down to the ground. Returning to a familiar place, seeing objects stirred emotions. Mourning the ancient sites, his thoughts lingered.
Great cultivators naturally had great cultivators' horizons.
The written characters that Li Sage had established for the mortal world were, to the remnants of ancient gods, actually an invisible heavenly prison. As long as they appeared in the mortal world, they had to face the "thorns" laid out by these mortal scripts. Ordinary mortals, Qi refiners, and the mountain and river gods canonized by later dynasties felt almost nothing of this. Only the ancient gods—the higher their realm, the purer their golden bodies—were more restricted. When people walk on a mountain path full of thorns, their clothes are easily snagged and their skin pricked. Similarly, when ancient gods appear from beyond the heavens, it's like walking on a road of written thorns. Every step wears away their golden body.
That's why Zhou Mi personally established new written characters for the Barren Wastes world. It wasn't just to help the demon race draw a clear line with the Haoran world and the human race; it was also to secretly guide the ancient gods hidden beyond the heavens, a way of paving the road.
You Yu whispered, "Ning Yao and that senior met. It seems neither of them asked how Master managed to return to the Ascension realm?"
Gan Tang nodded, unconcerned, "That's probably the bearing of a fourteenth realm. Everything below the fourteenth realm is trivial. Other people's realm fluctuations aren't worth discussing."
This trip, sneaking back to his Dao site despite the danger, was certainly not just about going back for a simple visit.
You Yu asked, "Master, why are you here?"
Gan Tang said, "I've heard someone say that the captivating flavor of one's hometown isn't in the food but in the alcohol."
You Yu guessed it was something the young Hidden Official had told his master.
After all, on the Sword Qi Great Wall in the past, few people were willing to chat with his master.
The former Sword Qi Great Wall roughly had three major areas: the main city, the private residences of sword immortals south of the main city, and the mirage market to the north, a bustling mountain marketplace.
Gan Tang pointed north, "That place used to be a wonderful spot of romance and wealth. A mix of fish and dragons. The immortal money in your pocket was more useful than a cultivator's realm."
Unlike the Sword Qi Great Wall.
Very much like the Haoran world.
What the Sword Qi Great Wall was most criticized for by the Haoran world was the arena established in this mirage market.
It was more brutal and bloody than the Sharpening Mountain of the North Juzhou Continent. Every time two went up, one had to die for it to end. Of course, there were often cases where both died, or one survived but fell in realm or was half-dead.
Now, on the site of that mirage market, an inn had been opened that could barely be called a celestial establishment. Its main business was accommodation and selling wine, with a side business of peddling some low-grade mountain magic artifacts. Riding on the momentum of this inn, a street had formed. Those who could do business here must have powerful backers, through many twists and turns.
The old deaf man almost suspected that one of the inn's hidden proprietors was a "private sword" of the Sword Qi Great Wall who had returned from a distant journey.
The old deaf man was very familiar with the origin of this "market."
There had been over forty buildings of various sizes there—pavilions clustered together, row upon row, high and low, layer upon layer, forming a tall structure.
In the past, when Haoran merchants and tourists came to Inverted Hanging Mountain and wanted to see the city wall, those who weren't bold enough or didn't want to risk trouble in the main city would stay in this market for a few days. After all, viewing from a distance or close up was still viewing. Some larger sects from the same continent had built guild halls in the mirage market, convenient for fellow continent Daoists to have a place to stay.
Gan Tang sighed emotionally, "The market back then was extraordinarily lively. Lamps lit up the night, music and song filled every evening. It was said to have three thousand rooms of various sizes. Shops selling all kinds of rare treasures and items of dubious origin, brothels, gambling dens, taverns and restaurants, openly selling Daoist texts and secret manuals, private residences and Dao sites rich in spiritual energy, and a large gathering of those 'anonymous' individuals who offered advice on cultivation problems at set prices. Everything the Haoran world had, it also had. Things the Haoran world didn't have, it also had. In short, it had everything. Not to mention those mountain spirits specializing in moon worship and Qi refinement, and those skilled in bedroom arts to harvest yang and supplement yin. Sleeping with them could earn you money."
You Yu's expression was strange.
Gan Tang's old face flushed red, and he explained, "Just hearsay."
If You Yu hadn't become Gan Tang's disciple, he would have followed that great city and migrated to the Five Colors World.
Great cultivators cultivating the Dao had many kinds of ascension paths: daytime ascension, rainbow transformation, riding dragons and cranes, cloud rising, purple cloud body soaring, corpse sloughing, feathered transformation, etc. The paths differed, and their ranks had distinctions. For later generations, probably ascending with one's whole household was the most enviable. One person achieved the Dao, and even chickens and dogs ascended to heaven. Across several worlds, historically verifiable cases of entire families becoming immortals together were few and far between in the past ten thousand years.
It was like the old chief sword immortal revealing only one thing to Chen Ping'an: the Summer Palace, the Winter Palace, plus the Mirage Market, combined to form a Three Mountains Formation.
Since it was named "Three Mountains," it was naturally the work of Master Three Mountains and Nine Marquises.
And among them, the Mirage Market was an Ascension Platform meticulously crafted in imitation by the Sword Qi Great Wall, taking an extremely long time.
The foundation of the Mirage Market was laid by the Hidden Official before Xiao Xun—a person of great talent but poor fortune, with too low a realm and not living long.
The old deaf man had a good relationship with that person at the time.
In the end, this Mirage Market became the sword tip for Chen Qingdu's single sword strike to open a path, lifting the entire city to ascend.
The Great Ancestor of Supporting Moon Mountain had predicted this long ago, but there was no need to block Chen Qingdu from unleashing this sword.
After all, those who left were all young sword cultivators of very low realm. Even Ning Yao hadn't reached the Jade Brilliance realm at the time.
If the Barren Wastes wanted to hunt them all down and exterminate them root and branch, they would have to pay a huge price.
From Chen Qingdu, to Qi Tingji, Chen Xi, then Lu Zhi, the old deaf man, etc., they would all have made different choices back then.
What the Barren Wastes world sought was never this hard-boned, meager-fleshed Sword Qi Great Wall. The big fat meat that the Great Ancestor of Supporting Moon Mountain and those thrones of great demons had their eyes on was the Haoran world, which had everything except the word "barren."
In fact, if Chen Qingdu had been willing to give way to the Barren Wastes back then, letting them have two continents of the Sword Qi Great Wall's mountains and rivers, what harm would it have been?
Not enough? Then the Barren Wastes could give the Sword Qi Great Wall's sword cultivators everything they needed to establish a sect and give Chen Qingdu everything he needed to be called an ancestor.
Master and disciple walked onto the yellow mud street. The old deaf man chose a roadside wine shop with the best business. The shopkeeper was a plump woman with a mole at the corner of her mouth. She wore a soft green crown made of various colored jades in the shape of flowers and grass, and a round-collared green robe of calendered silk. She leaned against the counter, looking relaxed, holding a round fan, extremely beautiful.
The waiter inside, serving dishes and wine, was a young lad of low realm but full of spirit. According to mountain terminology, he had deep Dao roots, a seedling of immortals. The woman glanced at the stooped old man, then looked twice at the young sword cultivator. She didn't dare be negligent and called out personally. The old deaf man ordered a pot of wine and a few side dishes. The woman turned to look through the inner door, past a yellow bamboo curtain, called "Bronze Camel," and reported a few dish names to the kitchen in the back courtyard.
The old deaf man chose a table by the street. He raised his gaze slightly. On the wall by his hand hung some wooden plaques.
You Yu frowned slightly, already displeased at the sight. Such "trouble-free plaques" shouldn't be hung casually.
The old deaf man didn't mind the wine shop using such things as a gimmick to attract customers.
Wine came before dishes. The old deaf man poured himself a drink, sipping alone. His disciple You Yu didn't drink.
The old deaf man took a sip of the so-called "creeping fig wine." As the waiter had said, when the wine was poured into the bowl, it hissed and crackled, as if there were a tearing sound.
Whenever You Yu had free time, he liked to ask this "living almanac" master about the old stories of the Sword Qi Great Wall. In the years of their travels, they had covered from ten thousand years ago down to the last three hundred years.
The old deaf man sat cross-legged on the long bench, using chopsticks to stir a plate of complimentary cold mixed houttuynia cordata. Finding the flavor insufficient, he asked the landlady for an extra dish of chili oil, poured it on top, picked up a mouthful, chewed slowly, then took another sip of wine. He communicated telepathically with You Yu, chatting about things that seemed like yesterday.
"Ning Yao, Qi Shou, Pang Yuanji and their previous generation—the so-called young geniuses. They pieced together ten people and called them geniuses, but it was somewhat forced."
"This generation is typical of a poor harvest year. They can't compare to the previous generation. Compared to Ning Yao's generation, they're even less impressive."
Among them, the most highly regarded top figure, Mi Quan, with the best aptitude, was a recognized early bloomer. It was said he became a Golden Core sword cultivator at twenty, but unfortunately, he died in battle soon after leaving the city.
Such things were never exceptions on the Sword Qi Great Wall, but the norm. Seven of the ten, including Mi Quan, perished early, their Dao extinguished. Of the remaining three, Wang Zongping, originally at the bottom in aptitude, showed signs of late blooming. He gradually and smoothly entered the Nascent Soul realm. But in one battle, he damaged the foundation of his Dao, losing one of his natal flying swords. After that, he stagnated for a long time in the Nascent Soul realm. He could be considered lucky in misfortune, becoming an "old Nascent Soul" in the Feisheng City of the Five Colors World today. Although he had never once visited a certain wine shop, he was now the sword cultivator who most admired the young Hidden Official.
The other two had fates as different as heaven and earth.
"Su Yong's swordsmanship aptitude was second only to Mi Quan, but he was afraid of death. Actually, it's not right to say he was afraid of death. It was just that he never wanted to fight to the death. He always thought: when he reached the Jade Brilliance realm, then he would find a demon clan cultivator at the Immortal realm and have a clean exchange of lives—a more profitable deal. But in the end, in a secluded cultivation session that seemed to have all the advantages—time, place, and people—a meditation chamber shattered into pieces, and he directly fell in realm. Not only did he fail to become a Jade Brilliance cultivator, he degenerated into a broken Golden Core with a shattered sword heart. On the Sword Qi Great Wall, this was a huge joke. Not injured in battle and falling in realm, but falling in realm during closed-door cultivation—there was no sword cultivator more contemptible than that."
Hearing this, You Yu nodded, "I often saw Su Yong when I was a child."
Although he had already achieved inedia and could cut off all connection to mundane food, You Yu still asked for two bowls of rice when the dishes were served.
"Those who eat qi become immortals; those who don't eat become gods." Some Qi refiners, when between food abstinence and qi consumption, often felt nauseous at the smell of cooked food. Registered cultivators fared better—their sects had celestial medicinal meals and elixirs—but wild cultivators suffered.
The old deaf man swirled his wine bowl. That Su Yong was both a hopeless drunkard and a gambling addict, and he also liked visiting brothels. He was always in debt, never paying back, dodging creditors. He constantly shuttled between the city and the Mirage Market here, doing lowly business, running errands for people, making a little profit on the difference. Whoever was willing to buy him a drink of old wine was his lord and master. If a sword cultivator who had fallen from Nascent Soul to Golden Core was elsewhere, he would still be a terrestrial sword immortal not to be underestimated. People might speak ill behind his back, but wouldn't mock him to his face. Unfortunately, Su Yong was on the Sword Qi Great Wall.
"Later, he became someone's hanger-on, and his miserable life improved a little."
"Who was that someone?"
"Who else could it be? That someone once advised Su Yong to go to the Haoran world. The reason was undoubtedly that 'a tree moves and dies, a person moves and lives'—a Golden Core sword cultivator in the Haoran world would still be very popular. It was clear that Su Yong was indeed tempted. Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone to the gate to look from time to time. But in the end, he didn't go."
"Since he was a Golden Core, did he follow to the Five Colors World?"
"No."
Hearing this answer, You Yu knew there was no need to ask further about the outcome and began to eat his rice.
The old deaf man continued, "Su Yong shaved his beard, put on clean clothes, snuck to the battlefield, picked up a standard sword from a forge, killed some Barren Wastes small fry. Not many. He couldn't accumulate enough battle merits for a Golden Core before a passing demon clan cultivator ambushed and killed him. Still a losing deal."
As for Wang Wei, the Jade Brilliance realm sword cultivator, he and his Dao partner mysteriously disappeared together on the battlefield back then.
When he was at the Golden Core realm, he became a retainer of the Qi family. Later, entering Jade Brilliance, according to the rules, he could establish his own residence. He married a woman from a prominent family on Yuhu Street.
About fifty years ago, at the age of ninety, Wang Wei successfully entered the Upper Five Realm.
If Su Yong could be excused for giving up in despair, Wang Wei, who loved to cadge drinks and fawn on everyone, was somewhat contemptible.
You Yu probed, "Did Wang Wei defect to the Barren Wastes demon clan?"
The old deaf man said casually, "That's what they say—that he secretly defected to Xiao Xun and Luoshan. But I didn't see it with my own eyes, so it's hard to say for sure."
You Yu asked, "Master doesn't seem particularly eager to become a patron of Lotus Root Mountain?"
The old deaf man raised his wine bowl, took a sip, answered evasively, "Once a person has the thought of wanting freedom, they immediately become unfree."
In the past, when he was in charge of that prison on the Sword Qi Great Wall, the old man felt very much at ease. He could always find ways to amuse himself and didn't find it tedious. Now that he was free, with the sky high and the earth distant, and his own realm not low, he instead felt obstacles everywhere and too many restraints.
The old deaf man took a big gulp of wine, shrugged his shoulders, belched, and laughed, "As long as you, boy, are happy, that's fine. Don't mind your master's little complaints."
Children celebrating the New Year are overjoyed, always thinking about new clothes and lucky money. Adults going through the New Year inevitably get entangled in extra expenses or debts.
Just then, a new guest arrived at the entrance. He wore a green long gown, carried a sword on his back, and had a wine gourd hanging from his waist. He said to the master and disciple telepathically, laughing, "Daoist Longsheng, just because you're unwilling to humble yourself and go to Lotus Root Mountain, you're hiding here drinking gloomily?"
The old deaf man smiled awkwardly. Listen to the tone—it hurt their friendship.
You Yu's expression was agitated. The man waved his hand a few times, signaling You Yu to remain seated. He looked up at the trouble-free plaques on the wine shop wall, smiled, and sat down beside You Yu. When he took the wine bowl that originally belonged to You Yu, the old deaf man had already lifted his hips, stretched out his body, and hurriedly poured a full bowl of wine for the Hidden Official.
Chen Ping'an raised the bowl, lightly clinked it against the old deaf man's bowl, took a sip, asked the price, and upon learning that one pot of creeping fig wine cost three Snowflake Coins, laughed, "Clearly being slaughtered like a pig."
The shop didn't need to serve other customers for now. The young waiter stood beside the landlady. Hearing this, he was displeased, but the woman lightly patted his arm, signaling him not to be impulsive.
Her eyes sparkled as she stared at that man of about thirty, finely built. Her long, autumn-water eyes seemed to have golden threads flowing within them. The phenomenon was extremely subtle, like a flood dragon swimming in a great lake. She was clearly using a concealed aura observation divine ability. Although she couldn't clearly see the other party's cultivation background, she knew that at the table by the door, all three were more significant than they appeared. The green-robed swordsman's aura was especially extraordinary. At the very least, she could be certain that this man had a high official position in the mountain. He had several types of green, purple, and vermilion Dao qi—much more than those "blue gauze lantern" figures in the mortal dynasties who would inevitably become prime ministers or scholars. Unfortunately, her aura observation skill wasn't profound enough; she could only see a general picture without discerning the depth of those several Dao qi types. If her sect's master uncle were personally present, perhaps she could see more.
The old deaf man transmitted, "Hidden Official, shall I remind her that she's violating mountain taboos?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head, "No need."
The old deaf man asked doubtfully, "Why isn't the Hidden Official staying with Little Ning?"
Chen Ping'an laughed, "Don't talk about that. I'm about to return to Precious Vase Continent."
Unexpectedly, that woman took a pot of wine, came around the counter, and actively drew near to ingratiate herself. She stood beside the table, "May I sit down?"
The old deaf man glanced at Chen Ping'an. Chen Ping'an ignored her completely, acting as if he hadn't heard. The old deaf man could only wave his hand, "Shopkeeper, it's not convenient."
Her expression remained natural. She didn't leave immediately but began to introduce herself, "My surname is Wei, given name Yudian. I come from the Qujiang Shangsi Sword Sect, of the Zhegu Palace. I announce my name and sect because I'm worried that the three honored guests might suspect I have ulterior motives."
At these words, the shop immediately buzzed with whispers. Apparently, the "Shangsi Sword Sect" was not unfamiliar.
The youth raised his eyebrows, looking quite proud.
Having followed his master here to live incognito, running a shop selling wine, the youth had long been swallowing his pride. Today, he could finally openly reveal their sect's name.
The old deaf man didn't respond.
You Yu already held a grudge against this shop, so he played deaf and dumb.
Chen Ping'an asked with a smile, "Forgive my ignorance. May I ask, Daoist friend, which continent do you hail from?"
You Yu suppressed a laugh.
The female cultivator who called herself Wei Yudian's expression froze slightly, but she still maintained a good face and tone as she explained, "It's located in Liuxia Continent, neighboring the Tianyu Cave Heaven, with which we have a millennium-long friendship."
She really didn't believe that this man hadn't heard of her Qujiang Shangsi Sword Sect. Although he was deliberately pretending to be ignorant, she wasn't angry enough to become furious.
The mountain leaders of Liuxia Continent were mainly one overt and one hidden: the former was Ascension realm Jing Hao of Qinggong Mountain, the latter was the couple of Tianyu Cave Heaven.
The Shangsi Sword Sect couldn't compare to these two mountain powers, but it was still a first-rate sect in Liuxia Continent. Otherwise, she wouldn't have deliberately mentioned the word "friendship."
The Shangsi Sword Sect's Dao lineage mainly comprised three veins: Lishan, Chunfu, and Qingyang. The Zhegu Palace was the core of the Chunfu vein.
The previous palace master of Zhegu Palace, Hua Furong, was the founding master and first sect leader of the Shangsi Sword Sect. She was a great sword immortal renowned across several continents, who had passed down three sword veins. It was said she cultivated the Dao for three thousand years, grew weary of the world, and became an immortal, dissolving in water.
And Hua Furong was Wei Yudian's teaching master. The current sect leader of the Shangsi Sword Sect, Wang Hujing, was a Jade Brilliance realm sword immortal. By seniority, he still had to call Wei Yudian "Master Uncle."
Their ancestors had been prosperous, their family background strong. They hadn't declined; there were no signs of decay. They were just not as powerful as in their heyday. Such a mountain sect, with its direct lineage, would have smooth sailing wherever it went.
And characters like Wei Yudian, on this street alone, numbered at least a handful.
Her family, in the mortal world of Liuxia Continent, was an ancient existence steeped in wealth and influence. They were a Daoist aristocratic clan, having built an ancestral altar capable of conferring and adding registers. They had once been the talisman registrar for all Daoist sects in the continent. The Wei family's altar was said to possess twelve types of registers and twenty-four types of talismans, quite rare in the Haoran world. Additionally, the Wei family had a "tradition" praised by others: their women were mostly stunning beauties of unparalleled allure. Almost every generation produced several women who became either queens of some kingdom or empress dowagers of some dynasty.
And her direct disciple Wang Ke was that young waiter. He had a remarkable immortal destiny. At his birth, a green parasol tree suddenly grew outside his door, and on it, immortals and ghosts were said to have sung prophetic songs.
The reason for this trip down the mountain was that the sect leader, skilled in divination, had calculated that the youth had a fateful opportunity here.
Sure enough, on the site of the long-ago thoroughly searched Mirage Market, Wang Ke alone spotted a gleam of light one night and eventually obtained a short sword.
As for the cook she called "Bronze Camel," it was an old spirit formed from brambles, a mountain guardian of the Shangsi Sword Sect.
You Yu transmitted, "Master, have you heard of this Shangsi Sword Sect?"
The old deaf man thought about it, "A long time ago, there was indeed a young girl who came to the Sword Qi Great Wall to train for a few decades. She had good aptitude, no sect, only family learning. She formed her Golden Core here, forged her sword on the city wall, and inherited one or two ancient sword veins. The girl had poor alcohol tolerance—she liked to curse when drunk. She had a good relationship with Xiao Xun; they often played together. Later, when the girl reached Nascent Soul, she got a bit reckless. Every day she was itching for a fight, determined to kill a Jade Brilliance demon clan cultivator. But somehow, the old chief sword immortal sent her home. It's said that after returning home, she soon established her own sect. My guess is she's the founding ancestor of the Shangsi Sword Sect. After that, off and on, her disciples and descendants came here to train and kill demons, mostly women. The last batch of disciples didn't seem to have any sword cultivators left. That's normal. In the Haoran world, sword cultivators are precious; they wouldn't be casually thrown onto the Sword Qi Great Wall."
You Yu nodded, "Sounds like a celestial residence with good traditions."
Looking again at the counterfeit trouble-free plaques on the wall, he found them a bit more tolerable.
Chen Ping'an smiled and asked, "Senior Longsheng?"
The old deaf man could only wave his hand and say, "Daoist Wei, a pleasure to meet you. My disciple and I have long admired your esteemed sect. Please, sit and talk."
Wei Yudian first had her disciple hang up a "closed" sign.
Upon hearing that she was the master of Zhegu Palace of the Shangsi Sword Sect, half the customers in the shop began to toast her voluntarily. Wei Yudian had no choice but to return their greetings one by one.
The old deaf man watched her finish these formalities with a smile. When she sat down again, he came straight to the point, "Daoist Wei, what is it you want to discuss with us?"
Wei Yudian said, "Allow me to ask one presumptuous question first: will the three honored guests continue southward from here, or are they turning back?"
The old deaf man said, "Barring any surprises, we're heading to the Haoran world."
Wei Yudian smiled, "Then I'll speak plainly, no beating around the bush. Could I invite you, Daoist friend, to visit our Shangsi Sword Sect as a guest?"
The old deaf man waved his hand, "I've already accepted the invitation of this... Daoist friend Chen to be a patron."
Wei Yudian understood. Turning around, she asked, "May I ask, Daoist friend Chen, where is your immortal hometown?"
Chen Ping'an laughed, "A small place, Precious Vase Continent."
Wei Yudian exclaimed in admiration, "Although East Precious Vase Continent is small, it teems with extraordinary people and talents."
Chen Ping'an nodded, "That's precisely why I needed to invite Senior Longsheng to my mountain to hold the fort. I hope Daoist Wei will not, as the saying goes, 'the gentleman doesn't take what others cherish' and intercept us halfway."
Wei Yudian raised her wine bowl and drained it in one gulp, "How would I dare?"
The old deaf man had already noticed the young Hidden Official's fatigue. He really couldn't imagine who could have inflicted such serious injuries on him now. On the Sword Qi Great Wall, the old deaf man had always followed the principle of "less trouble is better," maintaining a "don't ask, don't bother" style. So he still hadn't asked about this matter. He took the initiative to raise his wine bowl, "Let me drink a bowl on behalf of Daoist friend Chen."
Wei Yudian downed another bowl of wine, smiled bitterly, "Unlike our Liuxia Continent, where no grass grows under the pine and cypress trees."
Chen Ping'an wore a slight smile, as if not understanding her implication.
The old deaf man was somewhat surprised—after only half a catty of wine, she was already speaking truthfully in her cups?
Wei Yudian forced a smile, "My master used to often say one thing: to forge a sword, you must pass Inverted Hanging Mountain; to learn immortality, you must learn from celestial immortals. Both sword arts and immortal techniques must point directly to the Great Dao."
The old deaf man agreed, "Insightful."
He exchanged a glance with the Hidden Official.
From now on, at Lotus Root Mountain, would they have to deal with this kind of socializing at every meal?
Of course not. Lotus Root Mountain was very quiet. He just feared it might be too quiet.
Wei Yudian looked out at the yellow earth street, and suddenly, out of nowhere, she sighed emotionally, "When wind and clouds meet, wars break out on all sides. Crosswise and lengthwise, the constellations turn. Dragons and snakes rise from the land. For a time, all the heroes spread their wings."
The old deaf man glanced at Chen Ping'an again. What was she really driving at? She was at least a Nascent Soul sword cultivator from a sect. Why was she bearing her heart to them like this?
She smoothed the hair at her temples. A clear breeze blew over her face, dispelling all the wine's effects.
In a sea of right and wrong people, walking the straight path is difficult.
The family's internal and external troubles, the sect's immediate and distant worries—even she, with her usually clear Dao heart, felt the future was bleak.
Moreover, Wei Yudian had received a confidential letter from the sect leader in his own hand: someone was already on the road, heading this way.
She was Nascent Soul, and not a sword cultivator. How could she shake off a Jade Brilliance sword immortal who openly held the moral high ground and reason?
"To be honest, the sect leader divined an eighteen-character prophecy for my disciple Wang Ke. I couldn't fathom it when I came down the mountain, but now it seems to have come true."
Wei Yudian beckoned Wang Ke to come over and sit with them. She spoke to everyone telepathically: "In the mirage tower spreads the purple book. Earnestly he carries his short sword. First, slaughter, then seal and inscribe."
Chen Ping'an held his hands in his sleeves, half-asleep, squinting as if dozing.
Wei Yudian said, "Before this, my disciple also obtained a fortuitous opportunity. Wang Ke, don't be afraid of saying it directly. Tell the three seniors the truth without hiding anything."
Wang Ke was clearly reluctant, but since his master had spoken, he had no choice but to pull a rusty bronze short sword from his sleeve. "I obtained this short sword by chance in an abandoned Daoist temple called Zhangren Temple. The exact year is unknown. It has two seal-script characters carved on it: Zhao and Xu."
Chen Ping'an raised his eyelids slightly and smiled, explaining, "If I'm not mistaken, Zhao is the royal surname, and Xu is the family name."
"In the sleeve, a Zhao dagger. Bought from Madam Xu."
The youth was half-doubting, half-believing.
You Yu was confused. Could it be that all cultivators in the Haoran world were so frank, telling their innermost thoughts to anyone they met?
The old deaf man could only transmit, "Hidden Official, you're more knowledgeable. Can you shed some light? If she keeps baring her soul like this, I feel she's treating me like an ancestor. I'm feeling weak."
Chen Ping'an said slowly, "It is said that in a certain neighboring dynasty to the Wei family's territory, a new sect has recently been established, aggressively vying with the Shangsi Sword Sect for the nominal third position in Liuxia Continent."
"This upstart sect, established less than a hundred years ago, has good relations with both Qinggong Mountain and Tianyu Cave Heaven. The young sect leader has a complicated relationship with the Wei family, putting great pressure on the Shangsi Sword Sect."
"My guess is that seeing Senior Longsheng's profound Dao qi, she's like a patient in a crisis consulting any doctor, wanting to find external support, preferably someone related to the Sword Qi Great Wall, to make the other party think twice."
"Within her sect, there is a position called 'Ritual Officer,' also known as 'Crowned One.' On festive occasions, the three veins—Lishan, Qingyang, and Chunfu—each send one or two people. They must be Middle Five Realm sword cultivators to qualify. Among them, one man of imperial descent, a close friend of the young master of Tianyu Cave Heaven, Shu Zhongshu. For some reason, this person, who was the youngest Crowned One in the history of the Shangsi Sword Sect and held in high regard, was expelled from the ancestral hall records and banished."
"I guess that besides helping Wang Ke with a divination, her sect leader also gave her a divination: coming here could allow her to both escape marriage and find shelter."
"For instance, it was perhaps calculated long ago that she might encounter a master like Senior Longsheng here—a hidden old sword immortal."
The old deaf man's eyes suddenly lit up, skipping over the "old sword immortal" part— "Escape marriage? Besides national hatred and sect grudges, could there be some romantic story here?"
Chen Ping'an didn't speak further, unwilling to discuss this. Having met the old deaf man and exchanged a few idle words, he was just waiting to return to the capital of Yuxuan Kingdom on time.
The old deaf man was certainly not coveting Wei Yudian's beauty. At his age, at his realm, he looked at worldly beauties regardless of whether they were in his heart.
Besides, Gan Tang had spent his whole life cultivating the Dao. He regarded romantic love very lightly and wasn't fond of such things.
As for Wei Yudian's crude obscuring technique, the old deaf man saw through it at a glance. Her appearance truly deserved the phrase "toppling cities," and her figure was excellent—impossibly slim where it should be slim, and full where there should be fullness, so much so that even her loose dharma robe couldn't hide the trembling. She was a clear lotus rising from the water, yet she had a myriad of romantic charms.
Wei Yudian looked at that middle-aged man with a strong bureaucratic air and steeled herself, "I humbly ask the sword immortal's name and celestial residence."
But she saw that green-clothed swordsman close his eyes and rest, clearly not wanting to wade into troubled waters or involve himself with her personal grudges.
However, the reason she was acting so shamelessly was truly out of desperation. She had grabbed at a lifeline because the sect leader's prophecy included the lines: "Meet a dragon and stop; meet a green and be pleased."
No matter how thick-skinned Wei Yudian was, she couldn't forcibly detain him. Thinking it over, she had to temporarily set aside her thoughts, bid farewell, and return to the counter with her disciple.
The old deaf man shook his sleeves, pinched his fingers for a mental calculation, and made a divination on the spur of the moment.
Heaven doesn't cooperate. Beauties often have tragic fates. Therefore, a toppling-city beauty is unattainable.
But don't think the old deaf man was nobody on the Sword Qi Great Wall. He was actually quite learned—in that prison, one had to find something to do to pass the time.
The wine shop was noisy with chatter. When people got drunk, they couldn't help but mention the offensive and defensive battle on the city wall. Some wondered why the old chief sword immortal, clearly a master of sword arts, only delivered one strike. Some asked about Chen Xi's whereabouts. Some admired Qi Tingji and the Dragon Elephant Sword Sect. Others were full of praise for Lin Junbi and those foreign sword cultivators of the Summer Palace. But when someone mentioned the unparalleled popular final Hidden Official, arguments broke out. Some praised him, asking what more could be expected after he carved inscriptions on the city wall. Others criticized him, saying his deployment of troops in the Summer Palace was quite ordinary, not outstanding...
You Yu lowered his head and squinted. His hand holding the chopsticks habitually rubbed his thumb against his index finger.
Seven or eight tables of drinkers, nearly thirty Qi refiners from various Haoran continents, all became excited when they talked about that young Hidden Official. Each had his own opinion. Young male cultivators mostly criticized him; young female cultivators mostly praised him.
Wei Yudian couldn't stand it any longer. She couldn't help but defend the young Hidden Official, who was far away, saying, "Gentlemen, it is easy to criticize the ancients after they are gone. It is difficult to do the ancients' deeds in their position. That's the logic. Not everything is clearer to the bystander. Not to mention other things, the fact that he could invite Old Sword Immortal Qi and Criminal Official Hao Su and others to go together to Supporting Moon Mountain shows that the old chief sword immortal didn't choose the wrong person when he selected him as Hidden Official early on."
The old deaf man wasn't paying attention to these discussions. He looked at the drowsy Chen Ping'an and transmitted, "Hidden Official?"
Chen Ping'an opened his eyes, puzzled, "Hmm?"
The old deaf man asked cautiously, "You didn't have a fight with Ning Yao, did you?"
Logically speaking, back when he was suffering in the prison, Chen Ping'an had never complained about heaven or others. There was no reason that now, back in the Haoran world with no more troubles, having two sects, and with him as a nominal patron—even if it wasn't adding wings to a tiger, who on Precious Vase Continent would dare to wrestle with Lotus Root Mountain? Even if Chen Ping'an was now clearly seriously injured, he shouldn't be so dispirited. Thinking about it, the only thing that could make Chen Ping'an so spiritless must be Ning Yao.
No wonder Ning Yao appeared in the Hundred Thousand Mountains, and Chen Ping'an arrived right behind her?
Was it a case of one running and one chasing? The young couple had a disagreement, were in a huff?
Chen Ping'an rubbed his forehead. What was all this nonsense?
The old deaf man chuckled, "Right, I must be mistaken. How would you dare to argue with Ning Yao?"
Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "Thank you for your understanding."
The old deaf man became even more curious, "What's going on?"
Chen Ping'an laughed angrily, "The hell, I just had a fight and needed to nap. Do I have to report and explain to you?"
The old deaf man said no more. Such a bad temper—he was probably still arguing with Ning Yao.
Could it be that this time, Ning Yao had quietly come to the Haoran world and accidentally run into Chen Ping'an doing something unspeakable?
Chen Ping'an didn't care about the old deaf man's wild guesses. Forcefully pulling himself together, he chatted casually with You Yu.
You Yu's face was flushed red, and he was very stiff.
On the street, a noble young master in white, barefoot, appeared. His hair was loose, his robes wide and sleeves large, with a long sword at his waist.
Sensing the unusually sharp sword immortal aura outside, Wei Yudian's face instantly turned deathly pale.
The other drinkers, not high enough in realm, had yet to perceive the arrival of this young sect leader sword immortal from Liuxia Continent.
The unbridled noble young master walked slowly forward, transmitting with a smile, "A debt must be paid; it's only natural. Wei Yudian, where do you think you can run? You owe me a century. Let me first collect some interest. Why not seize the day? This place is vast, sky high and earth wide. Why don't you and I 'meet in the wild'? Don't worry, with my swordsmanship, I can insulate heaven and earth, effortlessly. We can see the passersby outside, but you won't have to worry about your spring light leaking out."
A sable-hatted girl with flushed cheeks swaggered from the other end of the street toward the wine shop. She stared wide-eyed at that poor fool with water in his head.
Of all the times, he shouldn't be doing this now.
Otherwise, out in the broad daylight, such a sordid affair... actually, it wouldn't matter.
The young sword immortal squinted and smiled, "Eh? Perhaps you know me? Otherwise, how could you possibly hear my thoughts?"
The sable-hatted girl, either pretending to be stupid or scared silly, was about to run quickly into the shop.
The young sword immortal stepped to her side in one stride and reached out to press down on her sable hat.
The girl muttered, "What are you doing, what are you doing? Don't touch me!"
She casually swung a slap.
The sword immortal who enjoyed a continent-wide reputation instantly "transformed into a rainbow and traveled far away." With a smack, he heavily crashed into the city wall in the distance. His body went limp, sliding to the ground, unconscious.
Wei Yudian took a deep breath, brushed past the sable-hatted girl, and came to the shop's entrance. She raised her head and looked around, dazed.
Where was he?
Xie Gou laughed, "Mountain Master is here too! What a coincidence. I was in closed cultivation earlier. Mountain Master, please forgive me."
The old deaf man quickly stood up.
The one before him was Bai Jing!
The sword cultivator Bai Jing who in ancient times loved to forcefully take others' Daoist titles!
Xie Gou vigorously patted Gan Tang's shoulder, speaking with the air of an elder, "When you get to the mountain in the future, keep a low profile and work diligently. By the way, you're a regular patron; I'm the second-seat patron."
Every time the sable-hatted girl reached out to pat him, the old deaf man's shoulder tilted, and he forced a smile.
Chen Ping'an calculated the time. It was about time to return to Precious Vase Continent. He stood up and looked up at the wooden plaques on the wall.
With the mountain master standing, Xie Gou and the old deaf man had no choice but to stand as well. You Yu glanced at a few men in the room.
You Yu nodded and smiled at one male sword cultivator, because this man was the only one who had spoken well of the Hidden Official from start to finish.
The latter didn't understand why but still returned the smile. Then he saw that back-sword, green-clothed guest, who seemed to be the leader, smile and ask, "From the accent, you're from North Juzhou Continent?"
The North Juzhou sword cultivator, who was sharing a table with others, nodded, "A wild cultivator. First time here."
The green-clothed swordsman's smile was warm, "Could I invite you for a drink? Let me cover the bill?"
The man laughed generously, "That would be wonderful."
The other cupped his hands in farewell. The sword cultivator had no choice but to stand and return the salute.
A chance meeting, no need to exchange names.
The green-clothed swordsman turned and left, placing a few Snowflake Coins on the counter.
He was the first to step over the threshold and leave the shop.
The sable-hatted girl held the back of her head with both hands, swinging her shoulders as she followed.
The old man put his hands behind his back, bent over, and followed. The young sword cultivator brought up the rear.
The drinkers in the shop didn't pay much attention to that group.
One immortal, two ascensions, one golden core. Four sword cultivators, nothing more.
The sword cultivator who had inexplicably received a free meal suddenly asked, "What do you think?"
The man at the door stopped, turned around, thought for a moment, and said, "You can borrow that logic from Shopkeeper Wei."
He paused.
Then said, "To criticize me after I'm gone is easy. To do my deeds in my position is difficult."
First, dead silence in the shop. Then, peals of laughter. Some sneered.
Someone snickered, "Who the hell do you think you are?"
The man smiled, "I am Chen Ping'an."