Chapter 1121: The Twenty and the Alternates (3)

Chapter 1121: The Twenty and the Alternates (3)

Beneath a tree that bore countless flowers and fruits, the young crowned one and the stalwart old Daoist sat idly chatting in its shade, which pooled like water.

Originally, there had been nothing under the tree. The one wearing the Daoist crown, one of Chen Ping'an's incarnations, stirred his mind, and a stone table and two stone stools appeared. The tabletop was carved with a chessboard, imitating the pine-tree chess game at the heart of Little Dragon Waterfall's ancestral mountain.

This was truly being the master of one's own domain—able to do as one pleased and create all things. The old temple master raised a hand, and two jars of chess pieces appeared on the table. They were not black and white, but a medley of colors, all mixed together.

Chen Ping'an glanced at them but couldn't tell their true nature. The old temple master casually asked, "Do you know where Liu Qi merged with the Dao?" Chen Ping'an shook his head. Literary fortune was a major category of harmonious human relations. Bai Ye, who had merged with the Dao through poems in his heart, had stepped aside. Whether it was Suzi or Liu Qi who would take his place was debated, with many advocates for each side.

But regardless, the world still tended to regard lyrics as a lesser form of poetry. No matter how bold Suzi or how sentimental Liu Qi was, they would always be a step beneath Bai Ye.

At the same time, Chen Ping'an was also aware of an inside story: Liu Qi had taken half of the marriage ledger and gone to the Azure Bright World to open a blessed land for poetry.

On the surface, this seemed to be a path to merging with the Dao, with Bai Ye already ahead, unwilling to live under another's roof. In truth, Liu Qi was searching for the remaining half of the ledger, trying to forge a new path and ascend to the Fourteen Realm.

But this had sparked a great Dao dispute with Wu Shuangjiang of the Year-End Palace. For the time being, Liu Qi had returned to the Haoran World and ultimately succeeded in merging with the Dao. The two parties had made a secret deal in their early years.

It was probably that Liu Qi had conceded first, and Wu Shuangjiang then helped him find a new path. Chen Ping'an's attempt to refine all things and fill over fifteen hundred energy apertures was similar to Liu Qi's attempt to refine both halves of the marriage ledger—one primary, one secondary, mutually reinforcing.

The old temple master commented, "Everyone says Bai Ye's poetry is unmatched, and he is the most proud under heaven, but they don't know what Bai Ye thinks in his heart. Whether writing poetry or practicing swordsmanship, it's all about expanding the heart of the ages."

"Compared to him, Liu Qi still seems a bit petty."

"Bai Ye is close to the Dao, Suzi is close to Buddhism. Hence, Suzi still has hope of merging with the Dao, just not in the Haoran World."

"In a thousand years, whether one becomes a dragon or a worm depends on this one move. It all rests on how much Dao-strength you accumulate in the next hundred years."

"Fortunate to encounter a good era unseen in ten thousand years. If you don't work hard now, and wait until lean years come, even if you try to revitalize, it won't be useless effort, but you'll get half the result with twice the work." As the old temple master spoke, he placed a heap of colored chess pieces on the board. Go was like chess—there was a dividing line. On both sides, the forces were arrayed. In the central position were figures like Zheng Juzhong of White Emperor City, Ning Yao of the Five-Colored World, Feiran of the Barren Wilderness, Zhao of the Celestial Master Residence, Zhang Fenghai of the old White Jade Capital in the Azure Bright World, and a few others—barely a handful, fewer than the number of fingers on two hands. But this dividing line in the middle of the board actually included three lines: Zheng Juzhong occupied one line alone; Ning Yao and Feiran were on one line; Zhao, Zhang Fenghai, and Yao Qing of the Green Spirit Dynasty were on another.

Additionally, there were some other pieces representing newly ascended Fourteen Realm cultivators. Further out on the board were some young Flying Ascension cultivators. Finally, at the bottom were those newly ascended who had attained Dao through a great rain but had limited Dao achievements, and those old and weak Flying Ascension cultivators whose bodies and spirits were decaying, with no hope of longevity.

As for the other side of the dividing line, the pieces the old temple master had placed earliest were naturally himself, Old Blindman, Chen Qingliu, Wu Zhou, and a small group of old Fourteen Realm cultivators.

Looking closely, the chessboard was tilted. The old temple master and his group were at the high end. The newly ascended and the old weak Flying Ascension were at the bottom.

Heroes and sages of multiple worlds, immortals and spirits, were all on the board. Chen Ping'an stared at the board and said softly, "Born before Heaven, yet Heaven does not oppose; born after Heaven, one follows Heaven's time." The old temple master nodded, "Indeed."

That a Flying Ascension cultivator could not defeat a Fourteen Realm cultivator was an unbreakable iron law. In ten thousand years, there might have been only two exceptions: Ning Yao and Feiran, who were still at the Flying Ascension realm when they became masters of their respective worlds. With that status, things became ambiguous.

But when Wu Shuangjiang appeared on that night boat, he had no intention of "testing the law himself" and wasn't willing to personally verify the truth of this matter. However, to say that a Fourteen Realm cultivator could easily crush a Flying Ascension, especially that he could definitely kill one, wasn't entirely accurate either. The existence of sword cultivators introduced another variable. Thus, strong Flying Ascension cultivators, especially those at the peak or perfection of the Flying Ascension realm who were sword cultivators, became the best touchstones for measuring the killing power of old and new Fourteen Realm cultivators.

If they encountered a Fourteen Realm with insufficient killing power—sword cultivators like Xie Gou or Xiao Mo might be able to forcefully cut through multiple restrictions and escape unscathed.

The reason Wu Shuangjiang had imitated four immortal swords was naturally because this Year-End Palace master and martial shrine attendant god felt his own killing power was insufficient.

On his trip to Haoran, Wu Shuangjiang was clearly prepared, because when Sun Daozhang "lent" his sword to Bai Ye, all three immortal swords were in Haoran. Although Bai Ye's immortal sword "Taibai" had split into four parts at the time, Bai Ye let them choose their own masters: Chen Ping'an, Zhao Yao, Feiran, and Liu Cai—four sword cultivators, each taking one part.

They came from different camps, but all were sword cultivators, all young. The sword tip, which had the greatest killing power, found Chen Ping'an, who had been guarding the city gate at the time. Thus, when Wu Shuangjiang found Chen Ping'an on the night boat, it could be seen as finding the immortal sword "Taibai."

The sword hilt, which carried the heaviest sword intent, chose Feiran. The half-sword body with the most sword energy went to Liu Cai. The remaining half-sword body, containing Bai Ye's sword techniques, fell into Zhao Yao's hands. This was why Zhao Yao, who had drifted to a lonely island and "chanced upon" Bai Ye back then, now harbored a grand ambition to reunite the four parts of the immortal sword into one.

Zhao Yao considered himself half a direct disciple and half a student of Bai Ye's sword techniques.

The old temple master picked up a chess piece and said, "Qing Rang is going to be suspicious. Brother Yun Shen of the Jade Talisman Palace will be cursing—having such a tangled and unseverable karmic thread appear out of nowhere."

Qing Rang was, of course, not some external incarnation of Master Yan. In fact, Qing Rang and Chen Ping'an had similar backgrounds—nothing remarkable about a past life or special origins. How someone like that could achieve such talisman mastery was probably what they meant by "Heaven never leaves one without a way out." Traveling through mountains and rivers, one delights in seeing new scenery; Heaven too wants to see fresh faces.

Chen Ping'an grimaced and asked, "Master Yan is an old friend of yours, senior?" The old temple master laughed, "Otherwise, what did you think? The old fellow's Dao age is considerable. He used to come often to mooch wine, had a red nose, was slovenly, a chatterbox, and a drunkard. But he and Xiao Mo didn't get along—they wouldn't speak when they met." Chen Ping'an said, "I heard from Xiao Mo that they used to brew wine together and sometimes went years without saying a word." The old temple master stroked his beard and smiled, "That's what real friends are—no need to talk, long silences, yet no awkwardness between them."

"As for Xiao Mo and Yun Shen, they seem equally silent, but actually they have nothing to say. Their respective realms, cultivation, temperaments, and personalities are what they are—neither is willing to accommodate the other and speak some meaningless words first. But Master Yan's luck was average—he dodged and weaved, but failed to avoid calamity twice and had to reincarnate. I advised him long ago: a Daoist walking the great road should not have such a timid Dao-heart. But it's his nature. He understands the principle, but when the moment comes, he can't act. Look at this time—his attainment was taken away by his fellow Daoist Xuan."

"As one of the add-ons to the deal, when you travel to the Barren Wilderness in the future, go to the Jade Talisman Palace for me, cut down Master Yan with your sword, and help him shed his mortal form." Chen Ping'an was stunned on the spot.

How could a deal be made like this? The price had already been settled, and now an extra add-on was being added? Besides, even if he were going to the Barren Wilderness World, it wouldn't be a leisurely sightseeing trip.

But the old temple master didn't care. He looked at the five "guests" trapped in the cage and could see Chen Ping'an's intentions without even counting on his fingers. Heaven had five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Following Heaven's way, the qi moved through the earth, transforming and nurturing things according to the seasons to form all things. It revolved and cycled endlessly, never ceasing.

Yu Shiwu of True Martial Mountain, a martial cultivator and one of the bearers of the "joint decapitation" from the past—Cui Chan had successfully persuaded the Central Earth Martial Shrine's main hall to provide two portions of martial fortune, so Yu Shiwu had three portions of martial fortune simultaneously. He was truly worthy of the element metal.

Xiao Xing was her true name, with the alias Xu Jiaoqie, Dao name Youren, and her emerald robe was called "Da Mao." Her true form was an ancient immortal bird that liked to carry fire in its beak, and she had thus received fire techniques and advanced swiftly in cultivation.

Yu Qing, who had been a cook at the Ma Manor for many years, was of the Cherry Blossom Azure lineage of the Wrong-Redressers, and her true name was Gongsun Lingling. She belonged to the element water.

Sword cultivator Doudou belonged to the element wood.

Unfortunately, Xian Zao of the Guanghan City Snow Frost Division, like Gongsun Lingling, belonged to the element water. Thus, the five elements were not complete.

The old temple master laughed, "That Qing Rang—just from his alias, you know he belongs to the element earth. You missed him." Chen Ping'an murmured, "If it's really that coincidental, shouldn't that be terrifying?" The old temple master's expression turned amused, and he nodded, "That seems right."

Before Chen Ping'an could speak, the old temple master changed the subject and gave a critique: "If we rank them by quality, Yu Shiwu and Xiao Xing are of top-grade talent, Doudou is second-rate, Xian Zao is a step below, and Gongsun Lingling is substandard. So the latter two can be replaced. Keeping Gongsun Lingling locked up here is essentially meaningless. After a while, she'll be the first to exhaust her talent. Doudou can barely keep up with Yu and Xiao, but Gongsun Lingling won't even be able to see Doudou's back."

Chen Ping'an was puzzled and asked a key question, "Xiao Xing stands on equal footing with Yu Shiwu?" The old temple master sneered, "She's just at the immortal realm. You're at the same realm, and you can't see through her little trick?" Chen Ping'an was willing to learn, "Please enlighten me."

He only saw that Xiao Xing's true form was a xiao bird—a species long extinct in the human world. Legend said that ancient sages had seen a bird like a xiao gliding through the azure heavens, and when it pecked a tree, brilliant fire would burst out.

The old temple master pointed at Xiao Xing and said cheerfully, "She cultivates fire techniques, so she's of fire element destiny? Who taught you that reasoning? Old Xiucai? Or Lu Xiaosan?"

Chen Ping'an was speechless.

Seeing that the conversation was going nowhere, the old temple master didn't say more. When discussion turns sour, half a sentence is too many.

Having no choice, Chen Ping'an brought out Lu Zhangjiao as a scapegoat. "It was Lu Chen." Anyway, Lu Chen himself said calling him Lu Zhangjiao would be too formal.

Talking with the old temple master was actually not tiring. The logic was clear. Though the old Daoist's realm was extremely high, he didn't like to speak in "mysterious words" or "big talk." The content was never obscure; he didn't intend for people to guess and ponder. It was like a vast flowing river—others' thoughts could go downstream or upstream, either way—just don't stand on the bank, watching vaguely and pretending to be clever.

Sure enough, the old temple master continued speaking, only slightly shifting the topic. "How did you find Qing Rang? Tracing back to the source, was it because you successfully copied a heart-image scroll of Doudou from Xiao Xing's memory?"

"Wood overcomes earth—it was the wood-element sword cultivator Doudou who connected to the earth-element Qing Rang."

"Earth overcomes water—Qing Rang suppresses and restrains Xian Zao of Guanghan City."

Hearing this, Chen Ping'an grew even more confused. "According to that, Xiao Xing belongs to fire, and fire overcomes wood—wouldn't that directly counter Doudou? That chain of mutual overcoming would be correct, wouldn't it?"

The old temple master said, "Within the five elements, wood generates fire. As Yuxisheng once said, 'When the xiao becomes an old spirit, it is a wood demon; fire arises from its nest.' A scholar? Haven't you read that?" Chen Ping'an searched his memory for a moment and couldn't help asking, "Who said that, and when?" The old temple master stroked his beard thoughtfully and slowly said, "Probably about two thousand years ago, in some obscure anthology I found in a library in Qingtong."

Chen Ping'an's expression stiffened slightly, but he managed to maintain a smile.

"Xiao Xing is a special case of heaven-gifted wood-born fire attribute—she possesses both destinies. If you don't know this, it's understandable, since your efforts are focused on sword techniques and boxing rather than reading many books." The old temple master continued slowly, "But you, who often learns from Lu Xiaosan and sets up fortune-telling stalls, how could you not know that in the principles of the five elements and destiny, only fire and earth share the same palace?"

Thus, within the bird-cage, the heart-image world: Yu Shiwu, metal. Doudou, wood. Xian Zao, water. Xiao Xing, naturally extraordinary, capable of both wood and fire. Chen Ping'an, born on the fifth day of the fifth month, possessed both fire and earth.

"This thread is clear, with no branches—distinct and obvious." The old temple master gave a moderate evaluation. "At least you've done some proper work. When you eventually attain the Dao and ascend to Flying Ascension, compared to cultivators of the same realm, you will be quite impressive."

With the five elements complete, Heaven and Earth's qi would have a track to follow, able to fill the cultivator's primordial spirit, nurture the soul, and strengthen the body. Sword cultivators could already use their life-bound flying swords to nourish their spirit and physique. Pure martial artists walked the path of body becoming god. Adding in the ever-increasing number of refined items, it was equivalent to over fifteen hundred "courtyards," each with its own treasure.

As for the future height of Chen Ping'an's Dao achievements and the strength of his Dao-line, it was hard to say. But regarding his ability to withstand beating—that was indeed worth looking forward to.

"Don't feel repulsed just because Zizi talks about the five elements and has a role in spreading it, thinking he's beneath you."

"Hanging corpses with swords in the mountains—who are you trying to scare? Zizi's ambition is as high as the sky; he doesn't target anyone specifically. He wants to be the balancer of this world."

"By letting Gu Can in the Mud Bottle Alley off, you are not letting yourself off."

"By not letting Ma Kuxuan in the Apricot Flower Alley off, you are letting yourself off."

"Physical body, treasures, immortal arts. Destiny, fortune, merit. Family, master's teachings, Daoist grounds. Among these, destiny is important, but it is not the most important."

"All in all, cultivators work hard on these nine matters: increasing and decreasing, patching and mending. Those who diligently cultivate increase Dao power; those who quietly practice the Dao solidify their Dao line."

The old temple master selected five chess pieces of different colors from the board and suspended them in the air. According to the mutual generation of the five elements, he connected lines between each piece, forming a complete circle that cycled on its own. He glanced at Chen Ping'an.

Understanding, Chen Ping'an picked up four pieces from the board and, using one of the pieces from the old master's circle as a starting point, formed another circle.

The old temple master nodded, then picked up another four pieces, and another five-element ring formed in the air above the board. The three circles were interlocked.

Chen Ping'an was silent in thought, then looked back at the old temple master. The old temple master smiled knowingly, withdrew the circle that had started from a node of the second circle, and reconnected it to a node of the first circle.

Chen Ping'an asked, "Can Zizi handle that?" The old master didn't give an answer. Instead, he said, "That's enough for today's teaching. The heat is about right."

Chen Ping'an dared not ask for more. He asked, "About the mountain path and the mountain gate?" The blue-robed boy was still banging his head against walls there.

The old temple master smiled faintly. "What, does Fellow Daoist Chen want to stick up for that little snake from the Yu River?" An infant soul realm cultivator wasn't worth the notice of the all-powerful Azure Cavern Lord. If it had been a Flying Ascension, it would probably have been in the Daoist ground within that bright moon by now.

Chen Ping'an tested the waters. "The child unintentionally offended you, senior—a small punishment to teach a lesson?" To be honest, even now, Lord Chen didn't know what his own offertory priest had said or done to make the old master so hard to let go.

The old temple master retorted, "I teach you some cultivation secrets, and you want to teach me how to do things?" Chen Ping'an felt powerless. Mainly, Chen Lingjun had encountered the Azure Cavern Lord, which made him, as the mountain lord, feel very uneasy.

The old master stood up. "The immortal realm is one thing, but once you attain the Dao and ascend to Flying Ascension, you'll be a behemoth in the human world. Every time you venture out, you'll inevitably stir up waves. Feng Xuetao, as a wild cultivator, doesn't care about karmic consequences. In the past, strong Flying Ascension like Fiery Dragon True Man had secret methods to roam the mortal world with minimal karmic involvement. The problem is those who are neither—half a bucket of water sloshing around, the splashes might bring a long-awaited rain to the world, or they might cause a catastrophic flood."

"Thousand-year tortoise, ten-thousand-year turtle." The former referred to ordinary land immortals; the latter to Flying Ascension and Fourteen Realm cultivators. A Flying Ascension cultivator who wanted longevity needed a turtle shell—preferably an alternative Daoist ground.

The old temple master suddenly said, "Do you know why that effeminate kiln worker, if we don't talk about long-term karma, chose to end himself in this life? Was it really a few words that killed him?"

The rain master of the ancient Heavenly Court, who had turned from female to male. The fire-tending kiln worker Su Han, who had endured many tribulations before slipping off the hook.

Chen Ping'an was silent for a moment, then nodded. "It took a long time for me to truly understand. Back then, Su Han made that choice because of my existence."

The old master nodded. "Able to recognize this truth and admit to it—this shows you have some sense of responsibility. It's not in vain that he gave you that opportunity for water affinity."

"Someone who wants to be a good person must do good deeds. But does a good person's good deed necessarily bring good results? Don't just say you have a clear conscience; this question has troubled people for ages."

Su Han, bedridden with a serious illness, relied on Chen Ping'an, the kiln apprentice, to boil medicine and take care of him every day. Their constant companionship formed a small world of its own. Thus, in Su Han's world, there were only good people. When Su Han could get out of bed and leave this small world, he returned to the complex world, a saha world where people's hearts and actions, good and evil, were hard to judge. The suffering that Su Han had once been used to became unbearable. What he had taken for granted as suffering became genuine suffering.

In a sense, Chen Ping'an's existence contributed to Su Han's death—this line of reasoning was plausible. At least in Chen Ping'an's own mind, and in the eyes of the old master, it was a clear karmic thread.

The old temple master smiled slyly. "Don't you think I'm being too hard on you?"

Chen Ping'an shook his head. "No. Giving others hope is itself a kind of demand. In life, if you carry hope and have something to look forward to, you're not truly poor."

The old master said "Mm," and for the first time, showed undisguised approval.

Poverty and wealth were not actually opposites; poverty and affluence were. The opposite of "poor" (qiong) in its ancient sense was "successful" (da). The ancient character for "qiong" had "cave" on top and "body" below, meaning a person curled up underground—no way to success, no outlet.

The old master asked, "Do you know why I gave you a quarter of the Lotus Root Blessing Land and also let the Fallen Mountain acquire the Five Peaks True Form Diagram as its mountain-protecting formation?"

Chen Ping'an said, "Some words can only be said by you, senior. If I said them myself, it would seem like self-praise and boasting."

The old master smiled. "You're wrong. Your attitude toward the world and your willingness to practice it align well with my path of merging with the Dao. But that's not the real reason."

"My opinion is the opposite of Zizi's. He is a pessimist. He thinks that people like you, if you ascend to the Fifteenth Realm as a sword cultivator, might lead to the worst possible outcome. He believes this world cannot bear that, even if it's just a possibility. I dare to bet."

"This gambling table was built by your own hands. You can be proud of that."

"How can you see Cui Chan and Cui Dongshan as separate people but see Xie Gou and Bai Jing as the same person?"

"Don't answer in a hurry. Think carefully about why."

On the mountain path's sacred way, not far from the mountain gate archway, Little Millet asked curiously, "Jingqing, what are you doing?" She had already finished one patrol and was back, but he was still wandering here.

What was there to see on this sacred path?

Chen Lingjun could no longer maintain his bravado. He sat down on the steps and tentatively asked, "Right Protector, are you familiar with that tall old Daoist?" To be a good ear-to-the-ground for Fallen Mountain, one must be cautious, meticulous, and speak without loopholes, with eyes and ears sharp—all essential.

"The old immortal is kind and friendly with everyone—it's hard to say whether we're familiar or not." But since they were buddies, Little Millet got straight to the point. "Do you have something to discuss with the old immortal? Want me to pass a message?"

Chen Lingjun nodded pitifully. "Just tell him I know I was wrong and ask him to be magnanimous."

Little Millet scratched her face. "The problem is, I can't find the old immortal either."

Chen Lingjun lowered his voice. "Just shout his Dao name, Azure Cavern Lord, a few times, then say what's on your mind. He'll probably hear you; you don't need to find him."

Little Millet put down her walking stick and golden carrying pole, put on a serious expression, frowned, closed her eyes, and pressed her palms together.

Chen Lingjun asked curiously, "What are you doing? A ritual?" Talking to that Daoist from the heart—there was no need to be so dramatic.

Little Millet opened her eyes and complained, "Jingqing, sincerity! You need sincerity. Remember, the good mountain lord said, 'Sincerity can reach the spirits; one thought stirs echoes from all mountains.'"

Chen Lingjun actually remembered "half" and puzzled, "Wasn't that what Immortal Wei said to us when he was chatting idly last time?"

Little Millet, who had just closed her eyes, had to open them again and glare. "Can't it be that the good mountain lord said it, and Immortal Wei repeated it?"

Chen Lingjun suddenly understood. He muttered to himself, "Damn, that friend of Xiao Mo's has some real skill. This time, even my lord seems unreliable."

But before Little Millet could sincerely "make a wish," the old Daoist and Lord Chen appeared together on the sacred path. Though not in their true bodies, the one wearing the Daoist crown—Chen Ping'an—had changed his clothes.

The old temple master looked kindly, rubbed the black-clad little girl's head, while Lord Chen cheerfully pressed his hand on the blue-robed boy's dog head.

Chen Lingjun cautiously assessed the situation and found his peace of mind. He immediately pulled Little Millet's hairpin Daoist. The old temple master asked, "Why didn't you bring him up the mountain?"

Chen Ping'an said, "I am unworthy."

The old master said, "If he were on the mountain instead of guarding the gate, then within a hundred years, Heaven's fortune would rain down on Fallen Mountain in countless inexplicable ways. Everyone in sight would share. There would be no fourteen-realm cultivators or alternates sneaking attacks. Qing Rang would have been found by Huang Ting long ago. That Xiao Xing would probably have been ground down by the luck of the Lotus Root Blessing Land. You wouldn't need to protect Ding Daoshi, and you could cultivate that Flying Ascension method you realized on your own. Perhaps, benefiting from this, Xiao Mo or Xie Gou might find their path to merging the Dao sooner. In short, the benefits would be too many for you to imagine."

Chen Ping'an asked curiously, "If I take Heaven's fortune as my own like this, what will happen after a hundred years?" He had roughly determined the identity of the Daoist Immortal Wei at the time, but hadn't thought much about it—just enshrining him with respect was enough. Taking him as a disciple? He didn't even dare think about it. Even if he admitted Immortal Wei as a registered disciple of the Rainbow Sunset Peak Founder's Hall, Chen Ping'an felt it would be too much of an advantage.

Founding achievements and setting one's mind to work were like planting a tree. A hundred-year tree first has roots, then a trunk, then lush foliage, then flowers and fruit—clear order, step by step.

In the Lotus Root Blessing Land, which was the world of the Eastern Sea Daoist Temple, the experience of a youth with a sword on his back had deeply influenced Chen Ping'an, and still benefited him, and probably would continue to do so.

The old master said, "If you take such shortcuts, you'll naturally have to repay the debt. If you do it ignorantly and muddle through, giving Immortal Wei a seat in the Rainbow Sunset Peak Founder's Hall, that might be acceptable. But if you do it deliberately, thinking you're clever and relying on luck, it won't be so simple."

The old master paused for a moment and smiled. "This mountain will probably explode."

One and one, each half. The one in Heaven was meticulous, trapped in the ruins of the Heavenly Court by the founders of the Three Teachings after they dispersed their Dao. The one on Earth, Chen Ping'an, would surely be tested.

When encountering events, they are encounters with oneself. How to handle oneself is simple: walk the bright road, the noble man works diligently all day long.

Chen Ping'an asked, "Senior, is it time for you to return to the Azure Bright World?" The old master nodded.

Chen Ping'an took his leave.

The old master was about to return to his Daoist ground when he saw the hairpin Daoist at the foot of the mountain stand up and make another proper Daoist bow. So he had to walk a few more steps down the mountain. Passing the mountain gate archway, he returned the bow to the Daoist.

Xie Gou sat on the steps watching the show, the sable-hatted girl muttering to herself: "Ashamed to carry a short sword, just for seeing the mountains." That was all the learning she had; she had to use it repeatedly.

Xie Gou clicked her tongue in wonder. Even in front of the Dao Ancestor, this Caizhou Daoist hadn't been so devoutly respectful—back then it was just that he couldn't beat him.

But why the Azure Cavern Lord treated the hairpin Daoist like this had an inside story, which Xiao Mo had personally told: In ancient times, on a winding road, regardless of wind, sun, rain, or snow, the Daoist moved like a dragon in the wild.

At the gate, the old master thought for a moment. Instead of going to trouble that Fellow Daoist, he laughed heartily, proactively announced his Dao name and Daoist ground—for the first time in ten thousand years introducing himself as the Azure Cavern Lord of the Falling Treasure Shoal—and bowed farewell to the Daoist Immortal Wei.

Immortal Wei was baffled but followed suit with a bow.

Only after the strangely hunched old Daoist, probably due to his too-sturdy frame, had vanished did Immortal Wei rub his stiff neck, shake his Daoist sleeves, and think—he had read too many proper books.