Chapter 1127: Twenty People and the Candidates (9)

Chapter 1127: Twenty People and the Candidates (9)

Heaven and earth stretch endlessly, the night light is dim and distant. The lush green vegetation presents strange wonders, and suddenly green mountains are seen at the bottom of the water.

When Wei She and that astonishingly imposing short old Daoist appeared together, among the four empty chairs, two "hosts" had yet to show themselves.

It seemed they still needed to wait for more people.

Earlier, they had been discussing the two new Fourteen Realms cultivators from Ai'ai Continent, one of whom might be Wei She. Unexpectedly, Wei She turned out to be one of the behind-the-scenes figures of this ancestral hall. This brought a sense of relief to many seated members. After all, in these times of change, cultivators had encountered a good era. Openly and covertly, nearly ten individuals had successively achieved enlightenment and ascended. If this ancestral hall lacked a Fourteen Realm cultivator, it would seem somewhat lacking.

Du Shanyin, a swordsman attending the council for the first time, felt he had not wasted his journey.

Someone directly asked, "Senior, have you already joined the Dao?"

Wei She replied, "The former Flying Ascension Realm, the current new Fourteen, actually there isn't much difference."

Such bold words could be spoken by few.

Since the person himself said so, the others refrained from offering congratulations.

The incense stick had not yet burned out.

Among the twenty-two chairs, there were still a few empty seats.

Wei She, still standing, smiled and said, "You can chat a bit more."

None of those seated here were timid, so someone curiously asked, "Who is this Daoist?"

The old Daoist, sitting cross-legged on one of the "host" chairs, ignored the question. He occasionally stroked his sleeve, his palm full of golden fragments.

Wei She did not give a definite answer, only saying vaguely, "I must also address him as 'Senior'."

The old Daoist, eyes closed, said, "Those with the same direction and walking the same path can address each other as Daoist friends."

Wei She chuckled, "Senior has a longer Daoist age and was earlier in joining the Dao. Addressing him as 'Senior' is never too much."

The old Daoist opened his eyes slightly and glanced at Wei She, who still refused to sit down opposite him.

Immortal Yun Miao was deeply shaken. Another Fourteen Realm?!

Moreover, from Wei She's tone, this Daoist was an old Fourteen?

Wei She's words effectively confirmed everyone's speculation. Their expressions varied. After all, speculation is one thing; knowing the truth is another.

This only made them even more curious about the owners of the remaining two chairs.

Wei She of Ai'ai Continent, whose Daoist temple was located on Lu Mountain. The entire mountain had thirty-six peaks, winding like a ring, so Wei She styled himself "Lord of the Thirty-Seven Peaks."

In his youth, Wei She had exceptional talent for cultivation, thus he enjoyed wandering the world, befriending many far and wide. He was also sharp and outspoken, caring little about making enemies.

Unfortunately, such a heaven's favored son who once galloped alone on the path of the Great Dao gradually became the oldest Flying Ascension cultivator least likely to succeed in joining the Dao.

It was worth noting that those who lost to Wei She back then, or those who followed behind him on the same cultivation path—barely able to see his back—were no ordinary figures.

Cultivators of the same era as Wei She had their brilliance eclipsed by him, becoming lackluster, without exception.

Perhaps a figure like Wei She could truly be called one of those rare, transcendent beings.

At that time, Wei She had a widely circulated and extremely arrogant saying, after single-handedly defeating several cultivators of the same realm:

"You are a once-in-a-century talent; he is a once-in-a-century figure; I am too. We all are. We really make this 'century' difficult."

The whole world acknowledged Wei She as "the foremost immortal material since ancient times," a name surpassing the likes of Su, Liu, Huai, Zhou, and other immortals.

These "Su, Liu, Huai, Zhou" were Su Zi, Liu Qi, Huai Yin, and the sword immortal Zhou Shenzhi. Moreover, Fire Dragon True Lord of Beiju Continent had also lost to Wei She.

Whether in mountain sparring, discussing the Dao, or in life-and-death battles, Wei She won ninety-six consecutive matches.

These were not battles of the same realm, often crossing realms to face opponents. None of his defeated foes were weaklings.

Yet, during the storm over the struggle for the character "North," when faced with the cross-sea sword challenge from a Beiju Continent swordsman, Wei She never appeared from start to finish.

From the outside, it seemed that Wei She was too ambitious. Having only ascended for a few years, he rashly went into seclusion, coveting the Fourteen Realm, leading to a failed Dao union. From then on, he became disheartened and ceased to concern himself with worldly affairs.

Wei She's absence made Lord Cai, who was managing the overall situation, appear to be fighting alone. Hence, in recent years, the Qi Refiners of Ai'ai Continent had harbored some resentment toward Wei She and Lu Mountain.

If White Emperor City was the best place for wild cultivators in the world, then Central Earth's Iron Tree Mountain and Ai'ai Continent's Lu Mountain were the ideal Daoist temples for spirit-beast-type Qi Refiners.

Yu Fushan, now the guardian of Taiping Mountain, had long yearned for Wei She's Daoist temple, especially coveting peaks like Refining Sun Peak and Moon Worship Mountain.

Although the later-rising Fire Dragon True Lord often teased Wei She as "bright at the start but dim at the end," in his disciple Yuan Lingdian's eyes, Wei She's evaluation was extremely high. It roughly meant that Liu Qi and Zhou Mi's Willow Tendon Realm, Lü Yan's Golden Core Realm, and Wei She and Yao Qing's Nascent Soul Realm were all "scorpion droppings—unique."

Yuan Lingdian felt his master's saying "unique" might not be quite appropriate?

The old True Lord criticized this unenlightened disciple, saying one shouldn't be too rigid in life, shouldn't nitpick words; just grasp the general meaning.

As for the ninety-seventh battle, who Wei She ultimately lost to remained a curious unsolved mystery.

Chen Ping'an was one of the few who knew the answer. Because when they met again at the Sword Qi Great Wall, Wu Shuangjiang had mentioned it, claiming that before leaving the Bright World for the Dao Profound World, he had fought Wei She.

Wu Shuangjiang was rather implicit at the time, saying he now somewhat regretted adding insult to injury for Wei She.

Wei She asked telepathically, "Senior, can you deduce Han Yushu's situation?"

The old Daoist nodded, "Tell me his birth date and other such information."

After a moment, the old Daoist withdrew his hand into his sleeve, then reached out and shook his sleeve, saying, "He has returned to the mountain of Dao."

Translated into simpler terms, it meant he was dead.

Wei She was not too surprised, merely uttering two words: "A pity."

The old Daoist slowly said, "The heavenly secrets cannot be divulged too much. I can only say he provoked an old figure he should not have. That Han Yushu inherited his ancestral legacy, owning the Three Mountain Blessed Land. He mistakenly believed it was heaven's mandate, failing to cherish his blessings while in the blessed land, unaware that the moment he truly left the blessed land was when fate decreed he suffer this calamity. In the end, he was too used to being a frog at the bottom of a well, with narrow vision, unaware of the vastness outside."

Wei She made no comment.

The old Daoist said, "While the other two haven't arrived yet, Daoist Wei, tell me about the situation here over the past century. Pick ten—older ones and younger ones each."

As Wei She mentally calculated whom to select, he allowed everyone seated to remove their concealing spells.

Except for Lou Miao and Du Shanyin, the other dozen or so all withdrew their various magical techniques and showed their true faces.

Yun Miao's emotions were complicated. All the mysteries were finally clear today, laid bare before him.

A woman with brows like paintings, carrying a sword on her back, wore a round-collared brocade robe with vulture patterns. A flower was pinned in her hair. Around her snow-white neck was a dragon-shaped golden necklace with a yellow embroidered cord.

Many cast sidelong glances at her.

Because of her special identity—a descendant of the former Summer Retreat Palace Hidden Official lineage—the female sword immortal Luo Shan. She and Zhu An were Xiao Xun's right-hand and left-hand assistants.

When Luo Shan left the Sword Qi Great Wall, she was a Jade Purity Realm swordsman; now she was a great sword immortal.

Earlier, she had reminded certain people not to be too casual when discussing Chen Ping'an.

Yun Miao shifted his gaze slightly and spotted several "acquaintances" who were local powers in various continents.

In Flow Radiance Continent, there were four recognized major mountain factions: Jing Hao's Azure Pine Palace, Shu Nanyuan's Tianyu Cave Heaven, Cao Gun's Square Inch Sect, and Liao River, which produced two immortals.

The current head of Liao River, Immortal Qin Zao, Daoist name "New Cicada," looked like a dandy young man in white, carrying a caged bird.

His junior sister, Cong Qian, was also an immortal. One sect with two immortals—a substantial reputation.

But the one who attended the Central Earth Confucian Temple council was not him, the sect leader, but the law-ruler Cong Qian. That itself was a statement by the Confucian Temple.

At the moment, the white-robed youth was lounging with his legs crossed, whistling at the parrot in the cage.

Beside Qin Zao sat a neighbor of his sect, the master of Tianyu Cave Heaven, Shu Nanyuan, Daoist name "Jiao Ming."

Shu Nanyuan also had many elegant self-proclaimed titles and nicknames, such as "Strong Thoughts," "Cold Man," "Green Peak," etc.

This new Flying Ascension Realm cultivator was a very portly man with narrow eyes. If he walked the streets with his Dao companion, they would likely be seen as a typical "handsome man and beautiful woman."

It was said that a bold outsider once dared to tell him a so-called "heartfelt speech" claiming that his nephew Shu Zhongshu was not his biological son, suggesting a blood test.

But Shu Nanyuan's Daoist roots were extremely concealed.

However, the old Daoist saw through his true form at a glance.

Legend had it that fishermen in the Eastern Sea once saw a small insect building a nest on a mosquito's eyelash, and a book also said, "The Buddha sees a bowl of water, with forty-eight thousand insects."

There was also a dignified old man in Confucian robes, Duan Qingchen, who styled himself "Deviating from Classics."

He became a vice mountain chief of a Southern Slender Goose Island academy at a young age, but later had many conflicts with Chen Chun'an. With his irritable temper, he angrily left the academy.

This was the man who, during a certain council, made a sarcastic comment from the sidelines, saying he wanted to see how Chen Chun'an could monopolize "pure Confucianism."

Among them was a tall, thin old man who seemed deliberately targeting Yun Miao, asking knowingly, "Daoist Green Cloud, what about that white jade ganoderma?"

This man wore a yellow dharma robe, hailing from the Central Earth Lu Clan, named Lu Xu, Daoist name "Yellow Carriage." He had a long Daoist age and high seniority.

He was of similar seniority to Lu Wei of the main lineage, with a close relationship. Additionally, Lu Xu was the leader of the Lu Clan's Platform Observatory Masters.

Yun Miao sneered, "My own belongings, I can give to whomever I wish. Why must you meddle in everything, Daoist friend? Do you have the right?"

Lu Xu snorted coldly.

Obviously, Yun Miao's words "meddle in everything," with the nod to "discussing heaven," had hit a sore spot. "Zouzi talks of heaven; Lu Clan speaks of earth," each occupying half of the Yin-Yang school. So indeed, the Central Earth Lu Clan couldn't manage "heaven."

During the Confucian Temple council, burdened by a proud disciple who liked to skip stones, Immortal Yun Miao had a conflict with the young Hidden Official. Under the public eye, in the Yuanyang Islet battle, as an apology, Yun Miao handed over the half-immortal-tier white jade ganoderma.

The master of this Nine True Immortal Lodge was also a renowned handsome man.

Yun Miao naturally had a face like jade, white robes, white shoes, and held a jade-handled white whisk, plus the white jade ganoderma. His immortal aura and appearance were truly extraordinary.

His Dao companion, Wei Zi, was also at the Immortal Realm. Her fortune was even better than Yun Miao's; she possessed most of a broken miasma blessed land. She was currently in seclusion. If not for the nine sticks of incense being lit, Yun Miao, as her guardian, would certainly not have come to this council.

Nowadays, which clan-level immortal mansion did not have a few founding ancestors or young geniuses in seclusion?

There was also a burly man seated near Lu Xu, wearing a golden crown and a mask covering his face. Only a pair of pitch-black, hollow eyes like dark, deep wells were visible. His arms, from wrists to shoulders, were tightly wound with a series of hand bracelets, each painted with male and female faces. The expressions on the beads ranged from resentful to longing, fierce to tender. Every pair of lovelorn figures "separated by a sea" had a dark red glow connecting them, causing two surges of towering resentment and lingering affection to intertwine around the masked man's entire body. Sparkling lights gathered into the golden crown on his head.

He spoke gloomily, "Daoist Green Cloud is indeed loyal. When Nan Guangzhao died suddenly, leaving a leaderless sect, he immediately went to help with the aftermath. The funeral banner sent by the Nine True Immortal Lodge was truly eye-catching. Entrusting an orphan to a righteous man—Nan Guangzhao sure chose well."

Lu Xu laughed loudly, "Loyalty? More like good appetite, I'd say. Not a direct disciple but better than one; not a biological son but dearer. Lodge Master Yun Miao first inherits the legacy of a large sect, then helps care for the descendants. I wonder when the two sects will merge into one? Then we must prepare gifts for a proper celebration."

Yun Miao brushed aside facts and directly changed the subject, counterattacking both at once, "I heard the Observatory was smashed? And that cold temple built in the wilderness was also targeted by Gao Xuandu?"

Lu Xu was momentarily speechless. To say it wasn't collapsed didn't seem like something worth boasting about.

The burly man associated with the cold temple also didn't want to discuss that family matter any further.

Yun Miao naturally knew why these two targeted him—because of the Nine True Immortal Lodge's actions in Fuyao Continent, blocking their path to profit.

Now, among the various branches of the Lu Clan, those of the same or older generation were only the clan leader Lu Shen, Lu Zai, and Lu Wei.

Earlier, when Chen Ping'an, accompanied by two swordsmen, had cut through layers of restrictions to appear at the Observatory and issue a challenge, the commotion was too great to hide. Given the Lu Clan's notorious internal discord, news quickly leaked. (Note: Chapter 1006, "Begin Battle")

At that time, a group of Lu Clan leaders responsible for entertaining guests had walked out together from the Zhilan Office. Among them was the young-looking clan leader Lu Shen, Daoist name "Sky Edge," who also controlled the "sky watcher" lineage.

Beside him was the plain-looking female cultivator Lu Zai, Daoist name "Great Rule," who was responsible for another, more hidden Daoist lineage within the Lu Clan, referred to by mountain-top cultivators as "Land Officials."

These Lu Clan descendants could travel between the world of the living and the dead, holding dharma plaques to walk in the Fengdu netherworld, connecting the seen and unseen. They shared deep incense-friendship with the various city god temples in the Bright World.

In the war-torn Fuyao and Golden Armor Continents, where countless lives were lost, Lu Xu—though not from this lineage—volunteered to accumulate external merit. He handed over a astronomical amount of immortal money to get Lu Zai's approval, allowing him to earn a share of the hidden virtue by lying on a bed of merit. He led the Lu Clan land officials, who revered her as their ancestor, to the shattered lands of the two continents. They guided tens of millions of ghostly beings and heroic spirits across the Ghost Gate, along the Yellow Springs Road, up the Three-Foot Slope, onto the Cancelled Mountain, and then onto the Naihe Bridge hung with billions of coffins. There, they met the "Meng Po" with a million avatars. This is the folk saying: "You don't shed tears until you see the coffin; after drinking a bowl of Meng Po soup, you bid farewell to this life and this body."

Within the Lu Clan, there were over a dozen Daoist lineages, notoriously divided into many mountain strongholds. However, the main three were the most prominent.

Besides the main lineage of Lu Shen, the other two factions were headed by Lu Zai and Lu Xu. Lu Zai, in particular, was most at odds with Lu Shen, usually opposing whatever he said.

Lu Xu asked, "That mink-hatted girl beside Mountain Lord Chen—has her true identity been confirmed? Does anyone here know?"

According to the rules here, purchasing "information" required payment. But the specific price could be negotiated privately via telepathy.

Being called an "old thief" by that mink-hatted girl had made Lu Xu hold a grudge.

It was because Lu Shen had issued a murderous clan-head dharma decree: for the next hundred years, no one was allowed to unauthorizedly deduce any Yin-Yang arts related to Chen Ping'an. Offenders would be expelled from the clan.

According to clan law, the cultivator would have their memory erased, all Lu Clan art lineages "pruned," and then be randomly discarded into a wilderness of some continent, becoming a walking corpse with mere remnants of true spirit.

Actually, this decree was aimed at Lu Zai and Lu Xu. Lu Shen had stared at them both until they nodded before moving on to other topics.

Luo Shan smiled and said, "I know."

Along with providing the mink-hatted girl's identity, Luo Shan also added a telepathic reminder to Lu Xu:

"From now on, Daoist Lu should be careful when traveling. It's best not to appear alone outside. Bai Jing likes and excels at ambushing. Though she's a swordsman, she has many means."

Bai Jing didn't just steal Daoist names.

Luo Shan, intentionally or not, glanced at a chair that had changed occupants.

It had once been the seat of the executioner Hao Su. The old Flying Ascension cultivator Nan Guangzhao, whom this Flying Ascension swordsman had targeted, was already dead.

Lu Xu already had a fair idea of the mink-hatted girl's realm. An Immortal Realm swordsman could never have cut down Lu Shen's yin spirit on Lu Clan territory.

But once her identity was confirmed—a Flying Ascension Realm perfected swordsman, a monster who had lived over ten thousand years, plus the Daoist name "Bai Jing"—Lu Xu felt very hollow.

Luo Shan suddenly asked, "Last time the young Hidden Official visited your clan, did you all do your utmost to deduce the fortune of Fuyao Continent for him?"

Lu Xu frowned deeply. Was there such a thing? Had Lu Shen secretly reached some kind of tacit understanding with Chen Ping'an, playing a double act with him and Lu Zai? For instance, Chen Ping'an might have privately agreed to let Lu Shen observe a Dao session?

Luo Shan had her own conclusions and sighed helplessly, "That Hidden Official's mouth could even trick a water ghost onto dry land."

Yun Miao's expression was calm. A few light, disgusting words weren't worth minding.

In the past, Lu Xu's favorite person to spar with was Tian Wan.

One was the junior sister of "Zouzi discussing heaven," the other an old founding master of "Lu Clan speaking earth." It would be strange if they didn't quarrel.

No matter. Once his Dao companion Wei Zi emerged from seclusion, the Nine True Immortal Lodge would astonish the world. With a Flying Ascension Realm cultivator guarding, the lodge could truly be counted among the top-tier sects.

Although Yun Miao was not a mountain god, his Dao companion Wei Zi was qualified to light a stick of mountain incense, paying distant respects to Tongye Continent.

They had once exerted a little effort, secretly helping that Mr. Zheng... Mountain Lord Chen, fill a missing piece in a continent.

Wei Zi, as the "landlord," held that miasma blessed land. At first glance, it seemed covered in a ghostly miasma and poisonous vapors, with ghostly beings dwelling in groups. But if one used qi-watching techniques, it appeared as a vast land of clear celestial qi and abundant Daoist energy.

At the center of the blessed land was a tall platform with landscape restrictions, towering into the clouds. The owner Wei Zi could patrol the entire blessed land's dynamics from there, stripping away turbid qi and removing baleful qi.

After many years of arduous management, pouring countless immortal money, the couple had built several orderly and majestic cities. Yin spirits and ghost beings lived there among pavilions, towers, and blooming flowers. If a low-realm living cultivator accidentally entered, they would hardly be able to distinguish between life and death, the visible and the hidden. It was clearly a heaven-defying means of recreating the living world.

After the war ended, Yun Miao, together with his Dao companion, had secretly visited Golden Armor and Fuyao Continents several times. They cleaned up the battlefields, tidied the remnants, used various secret methods to gather those ghost beings who had lost living sacrifices, collected the fierce yin spirits on the verge of true spirit annihilation, and repeatedly brought tens of thousands of lonely ghosts back to their sect. During this process, they expended immense amounts of their own qi, and over a hundred treasures shattered along the way.

Giving countless ghost beings a "place to go" naturally accrued great merit.

Back when the young Hidden Official visited the miasma blessed land, Qing Tong, having a long Daoist age and broader knowledge, guessed that there was a master within the blessed land who had built a bridge connecting the living world and the netherworld. The immortal woman Wei Zi, as the blessed land's owner, was a legendary mountain "pallbearer."

Yun Miao felt very confident now.

His Dao companion, relying on the accumulation of that miasma blessed land, was nearing completion of merit. The bottleneck of the Immortal Realm was loosening, on the verge of breaking. Wei Zi had already entered seclusion.

As long as she successfully emerged, she would surely and smoothly transcend the tribulation, with hope of ascending as an immortal!

But what truly made Yun Miao believe that his Dao companion's seclusion would certainly succeed was an external aid of "courtesy exchange," helping Wei Zi achieve "heavenly time, earthly advantage, and human harmony" all at once.

Otherwise, for any immortal to achieve enlightenment and ascend, who would dare to use the word "certainly"? It's more likely "certainly not"?

Back then, when Mr. Zheng and the Flying Ascension Realm attendant came secretly and left secretly, Wei Zi believed most of the identities of Mountain Lord Chen and Mr. Zheng, but still dared not fully trust them.

However, Liu Chicheng of the White Emperor City's Glazed Pavilion had recently concealed his tracks and personally visited the Nine True Immortal Lodge, secretly delivering a message to the couple.

Pavilion Master Liu didn't even look directly at Yun Miao; he only looked at the ghost immortal Wei Zi, saying that the upcoming White Emperor City gatekeeper, the swordsman Zheng Dan, would deliver a sword strike at the critical moment to help Wei Zi take the final step and smoothly transcend tribulation through dissolution.

Helping the ghost immortal Wei Zi achieve enlightenment, Sword Immortal Zheng Dan would also benefit. Each would gain advantages for their own Great Dao.

Generally speaking, who would dare let an outsider interfere? The choice of guardian was of utmost importance. The cultivator in seclusion must be extremely cautious.

Down in the mortal world, literary masters entrust propriety.

For cultivators, it is entrusting their entire life.

The guardian should be both high in realm and principled, willing to take responsibility, and capable of handling matters at critical moments—both willing and able to share the heavenly tribulation.

According to custom, when helping with guardianship, whether or not anything happens, after the cultivator successfully emerges, the guardian can receive a "big red envelope" for good luck.

Historically, there were many who thought it was just a formality and they could just collect the red envelope. But unexpected accidents happened during seclusion. When the great calamity came, the guardian, seeing the situation turn bad, would simply retreat.

He had only given away a white jade ganoderma, and his Dao companion Wei Zi, following her heart, lit a stick of mountain incense.

Mr. Zheng would "repay" the Nine True Immortal Lodge with a Flying Ascension Realm cultivator!

Such deals—the more the better!

Since he had already helped his Dao companion Wei Zi, why not help him too?

Maybe a few words of guidance, clearing the clouds and seeing the sun—a hint of true transmission, showing a path to the Immortal Realm bottleneck, would be nice.

At that time, the immortal lodge master looked pitifully at Pavilion Master Liu.

Liu Chicheng looked confusedly at the strange-looking immortal.

One dared not push further, not saying a word more, but unwilling to let go of a faint hope concerning the Great Dao.

The other was lost in the clouds—what exactly is the matter? Just say it.

Before his death, Yun Miao's master had left a cryptic prophecy-like admonition: The Nine True Immortal Lodge's lineage would flourish and expand in Yun Miao's generation.

It did not point directly at Yun Miao himself but added the word "generation," which made Yun Miao both relieved and anxious.

Relieved because the sect's incense-fire was destined to surpass the past; anxious because the "one who lit the incense" was not Yun Miao himself.

Later, when his Dao companion Wei Zi lit a stick of heart-incense in the blessed land, Yun Miao realized that his master had already calculated this step.

Someone asked curiously, "Lu Wei of the main lineage—he's known as the most proficient in the Lu Clan's inner studies of Grand Divination and Earth Mirror. Failing to achieve enlightenment and ascend is one thing, but how did he almost die?"

If not for a person with extraordinary skills, Lu Wei could not have represented the Central Earth Lu Clan to enter the Pearly Pearl Cave Heaven.

After surviving the transition from cave heaven to blessed land—what the mountain world called a "heaven-earth connection tribulation"—one would think that Lu Wei, already somewhat famous in Central Earth, should have at least not ended up having to "light a lamp" in the family ancestral hall, even if not necessarily ascending.

The term "hang up" in the mountain world had only been in circulation for less than two hundred years. It was said to be coined by some bastard, meaning death and dissolution, turning into a portrait on the wall.

Lu Xu said indignantly, "Someone interfered and sliced off his Great Dao path with a sword."

Tian Wan asked knowingly, smiling, "I wonder who that someone is?"

Lu Xu wouldn't indulge this woman, so he sneered, "It's your father. Satisfied?"

Tian Wan pursed her lips. She wasn't about to get into a street brawl with this old coot.

A middle-aged man in a cotton robe wore a sword. (Note: Chapter 447, "What a Coincidence, I'm Also a Swordsman." Chapter 986, "Martial Artist, See My Bamboo Lodge.")

It was Mr. Zeng, the credit-seller.

Beside him sat a heroic woman. She turned to look at him.

Qin Buyi said bitterly, "Is it you?"

Mr. Zeng smiled, "Yes, it's me."

Qin Buyi had mixed feelings. Who could imagine that the person sitting next to her, whose identity she had speculated for years without any clue, was actually someone she had traveled with for a long time not long ago—intercontinental journeys from Vase Continent to Tongye Continent.

Mr. Zeng said self-deprecatingly, "I guess I'm what you call a lingering ghost?"

Qin Buyi didn't know how to respond for a moment.

In the past, there were twenty chairs in total. Qin Buyi marked them all with numbers.

Some people's identities and affiliations needed no guessing. After participating in many councils, their words and actions essentially revealed who they were.

For example, Han Yushu, the sect leader of Wanyao Sect from Three Mountain Blessed Land, when speaking in council, focused solely on Tongye Continent, never mentioning other affairs.

As for Lou Miao of Beiju Continent, he was a special case—each time a new face appeared, he seemed afraid they wouldn't know he was the master of Qionglin Sect.

For some council members, a clue or two was enough to identify them, though one might not be completely certain.

For instance, Qin Buyi had previously guessed that "Luo Shan" came either from Hanging Sword Mountain or the Sword Qi Great Wall.

The rest were deeply hidden, each more slippery than the last, with seamless current identities and backgrounds. "Mr. Zeng" was among these.

Qin Buyi hesitated but still asked telepathically, "Was the assassination in the Chongyang Temple of Yuxuan Country your doing, Mr. Zeng?"

If so, things would become very messy, turning a situation that had become clearer into a tangled mess.

The Blood-washing Man had just invited Chen Ping'an to take a key position, and she was sitting next to the assassin? What kind of situation was that?

Qin Buyi wouldn't claim to be aboveboard, but she would never play a double game.

Mr. Zeng gently patted his sword sheath and smiled, "Although I walk in the shadows of others all year long, I still value fair transactions. I wouldn't want to tarnish the word 'swordsman.' Rest assured, Daoist Qin, I had nothing to do with that conspiracy."

Qin Buyi breathed a sigh of relief.

A flash of inspiration hit her, and she continued, "Earlier, Mr. Zeng mentioned two martial arts grandmasters, saying you didn't dare to do business with one of them, Cui Cheng, for fear of reprisal from Embroidery Tiger. What about the other, Zhang Tiaoxia?"

Zhang Tiaoxia, before Pei Bei was the Bright World's top martial artist, suddenly switched to cultivation, calling himself Dragon Earl, and seemed to have acted solely as a Qi Refiner, abandoning his pure martial artist identity.

Why this happened? The mountain world had many theories. Although no one dared to say directly that Zhang Tiaoxia feared death, that was indeed the most reasonable explanation most Qi Refiners could think of.

As for how Zhang Tiaoxia could change paths mid-life and still retain his martial arts realm, that was another huge mystery.

If not for Zhang Tiaoxia's strength, which made even Flying Ascension cultivators cautious about provoking him, many great cultivators would have wanted to investigate the truth.

Mr. Zeng smiled without speaking, neither confirming nor denying.

Qin Buyi asked a somewhat taboo question, "May I ask Mr. Zeng's Daoist age?"

Unexpectedly, Mr. Zeng answered truthfully, "No hope for the Great Dao; four thousand years wasted in vain."

His tone carried much regret.

Ascension and Dao union might seem only one realm apart, but how insurmountable that chasm was—if one wasn't a perfected Flying Ascension, one could never truly understand.

Qin Buyi was slightly surprised.

For a ghost immortal like herself, leaving the Daoist temple required extreme caution, especially avoiding too much contact with the bustling mortal world.

The main reason she could never ascend was likely due to her deep involvement in worldly affairs. But if she were to devote herself single-mindedly to cultivation, ignoring the world to pursue ascension, she wouldn't be Qin Buyi.

Qin Buyi pressed, "Mr. Zeng, are you in the Flying Ascension Realm?"

Mr. Zeng smiled, "Daoist Qin has quite a few questions today."

Qin Buyi and "the most carefree man in the world" were from the same country and era. Bai Ye once wrote poems for him.

She was also a guest of the Bamboo Sea Cave Heaven, one of the very few who could come and go freely. However, Qin Buyi didn't attend the Green God Mountain feasts; she had once taught Qingchun martial arts.

Qin Buyi laughed in resignation and apologized, "Mr. Zeng, I'm sorry. I'm simply too curious."

Mr. Zeng, true to his credit-seller nature, liked to reciprocate and asked Qin Buyi in turn, "In the assassination at Chongyang Temple, do you know who made the move and roughly what means they used?"

Qin Buyi said helplessly, "The target was Mountain Lord Chen. It happened suddenly and caught him off guard. It was an accomplished ghost being, using a junior sister's body as a ferry to launch a frenzied attack. Luckily, Mountain Lord Chen... was cautious, so he wasn't seriously harmed."

Mr. Zeng nodded, "It's likely an attempt to achieve Dao union through completing external merit."

Although not a superior path to Dao union, it was at least a Great Dao.

This was the limitation of ghost beings. For Qi Refiners, cultivating for longevity was in a sense a heaven-defying act against the natural order. For ghost beings, it was even more so. The higher their realm, the narrower the paths they could take.

A few years ago, he had taken on an unregistered disciple—a young cultivator from the Stone Mill Country in Vase Continent, named Jian Ming, who styled himself "Yueren Song."

It was at this Mr. Zeng's behest that Jian Ming returned the stolen national treasure—the dharma blade "Famous Spring"—to the Dayao Yao Clan.

The youth thought this was like taking off pants to fart, utterly puzzled as to the purpose.

Mr. Zeng said that between stealing and returning, there was a "interest" in heaven and earth, and therein lay great learning.

The credit-seller's favorite customers were still pure martial artists.

After all, martial artists had limited lifespans. Even a long-lived martial artist like Pei Bei, the female martial god of the Duan Dynasty, could not compare to a mid-five-realmer Qi Refiner in terms of "longevity."

But if the martial arts achievement was high enough, the credit-seller could make a huge profit with a small investment, without needing to play the long game.

For example, Han Guanghu, the top martial artist of Golden Armor Continent, who had suppressed the continent's martial arts circles for over a hundred years, served as the state preceptor of the Dayao Dynasty for a thirty-year term.

That was also Mr. Zeng's doing.

It was clearly a bet on the Yao Empress, predicting she wouldn't return the royal surname to the Liu Clan.

If not for the emergence of "Teacher Lin" in Ruzhou of the Dao Profound World, Pei Bei would have been the undisputed top martial artist across multiple worlds.

Cao Ci was still young, after all.

A pure martial artist in his twenties winning against a "monster" two hundred years old was generally considered far more difficult than a Qi Refiner in his twenties defeating a cultivator with a Daoist age of two thousand years.

Previously, the Bright World and the Dao Profound World rarely interacted. Even when great cultivators "visited," upon returning to their respective worlds, they didn't like to talk about other worlds' affairs.

There was one notable exception.

Not only did he travel frequently, but he also talked a lot.

Of course, it was our Lord of Teachings, Lu Chen.

This Third Lord of Teaching of the White Jade Capital, whenever he had the chance, would loudly praise Pei Bei, saying that the number one martial artist in the world was finally a female hero—how satisfying!

Then he would go to Crow Mountain to apologize to Teacher Lin. Lin Jiangxian naturally wouldn't care about such false fame, but he wouldn't give Lord Lu the opportunity to go up the mountain, take a seat, and drink three penalty cups.

Lu Xu telepathically asked, "Lou Miao, do you happen to have a fragment of someone's lifetime porcelain hidden on your side?"

Lou Miao, thus addressed, could have chosen not to answer.

The rule here was that every piece of information must be the complete truth as known; lying was absolutely forbidden, and even partial truths that could mislead any council member were not allowed.

When Lou Miao spoke, he habitually stood up and said respectfully, "I did. But it's in the past, because I have had someone take it to the Multi-Color World and hand it over to a Dao sect member."

Lu Xu pressed, "When did you hand it over?"

Lou Miao replied, "When I learned that he had become the last Hidden Official."

Lu Xu sneered, "Indeed, too hot to handle."

Lu Xu laughed, "Didn't Embroidery Tiger come to you for that thing?"

The lifetime porcelain trade in the Pearly Pearl Cave Heaven—Qionglin Sect was the biggest buyer. But the seller, the Dayao Dynasty, had the national advisor Cui Chan as the real decision-maker.

Logically, Cui Chan, though of the Wen Sheng lineage, was still half a senior brother to Chen Ping'an. There was no reason for him to deliberately make things difficult for Chen Ping'an on such a matter.

Lou Miao shook his head, "Embroidery Tiger never once asked our Qionglin Sect for that fragment."

Lu Xu continued, "Based on the fragment you had, what kind of object do you infer the complete lifetime porcelain to be?"

Lou Miao hesitated, then answered, "Perhaps a paperweight."

Lu Xu asked, "A paperweight for pressing books? What specific shape?"

Lou Miao said bitterly, "Hard to infer."

Seeing that he couldn't get more useful information, Lu Xu didn't even mention the price for the information.

Just chatting with you, Lou Miao, who's known as the "king of Jade Purity Realm," is already a huge favor.

My, Lu Xu's, face is worth more than a few Guyu coins.

Since Lu Xu didn't bring up the price, the soft persimmon-like Lou Miao didn't ask either.

In previous councils, Lou Miao of Qionglin Sect, seemingly at the bottom, and Han Yushu of Wanyao Sect from Three Mountain Blessed Land, who was second-to-last across from him, were like a pair of door gods.

But unlike Lou Miao, Han Yushu was at least a deep-rooted Immortal Realm. His position at the back wasn't due to insufficient realm but because he came later and had less seniority.

Plus, his sect had been sealed for too long, with very few cultivators traveling in the Bright World. Tongye Continent was isolated, so Han Yushu had very little useful information and fewer opportunities for mutually beneficial exchanges.

Now, the oddest thing to Lu Xu was that Wei She was still standing, refusing to sit, and his seat happened to be very close to Lou Miao.

Listening to Wei She's evaluations of various people, and taking in all the telepathic conversations, the old Daoist held the miniature banner in his arms, stroking the chair armrest, and sighed with emotion, "In just a little over a hundred years, so many things have happened across the Bright, Primordial, and Dao Profound worlds, and so many new people have appeared."

Though the Daoist looked old, his hands were crystal clear like jade.

He was once an orthodox Dao official in the Dao Profound World. This time, he came from across the worlds, but not from the already chaotic Dao Profound World; rather, he came from the Western Buddhist Kingdom.

Perhaps feeling that they were all too cautious, not daring to call any of those Fourteen Realm cultivators by their names—too restrictive—the old Daoist summoned a talisman artifact. It was a scroll painting depicting the Five Stars and Twenty-Eight Mansions divine forms. The scroll instantly unfurled, connecting end to end like a ring, encircling the entire "ancestral hall."

Then, from his sleeve, he took out a ten-thousand-year lamp no taller than an arm, casually tossed it onto an empty spot, and stuck it into the ground. No special phenomena occurred. After that, he closed his eyes to rest.

Wei She laughed, "From now on, you don't need to be too restrained when speaking."

Knowing they were all curious about the old Daoist's identity, Wei She didn't offer any explanation.

In the history of the Dao Profound World, there had been three great calamities.

Outer heavenly demons caused mischief, secretly infiltrating the human world, directly Dao-cultivating a whole region, eventually causing it to sink into the sea—that was one calamity.

Song Maolu, a disciple of the Xuan Du Temple in Qizhou, led a million grain bandits in a grand rebellion that nearly shook the foundations of White Jade Capital—another calamity.

There was also another calamity that swept across several regions, affecting over a hundred countries, causing countless casualties. All the horrific descriptions of war in later history books had appeared in those lands.

And this old Daoist was the instigator of that great calamity.

In total, there were three calamities: heaven, earth, and man, originating from the heavens, the mountains, and the human world.

The Dao Ancestor said, "Man follows earth, earth follows heaven, heaven follows the Dao, the Dao follows nature."

But he proclaimed, "Nature follows the Dao, the Dao follows heaven, heaven follows earth, earth follows man."

It was clearly going against the Dao Ancestor.

If he were merely a scholar or a wild eccentric fond of novelty, it would be one thing. But the problem was that this Dao Profound official, under the alias Zhang Jiao, had genuinely won a Three Teachings Debate.

His life's ambition was to "establish teachings according to circumstances, and through tribulations become a teacher." Since the Dao failed in the Dao Profound World, this Daoist went to the Western Buddhist Kingdom.

Aside from the two host chairs, all who should be here and could be here had arrived.

The three remaining empty seats were destined to remain empty.

Besides Xun Yuan and Han Yushu of Tongye Continent, there was also Wanyan Kyoji, the former top cultivator of Golden Armor Continent, who colluded with the demons and chose to betray the Bright World.

However, one of the heroes who stopped Wanyan Kyoji was present today: Xu Xie, a swordsman from Golden Armor Continent.

If not for him and Han Guanghu joining forces, the war situation on Golden Armor Continent might have been even more disastrous.

He was an Immortal Realm swordsman less than two hundred years old, with the mountain epithet "Sword Immortal Xu."

Before this, Xu Xie was not just unknown; even in his home continent of Golden Armor, he was obscure.

Xu Xie sat upright, his sword laid across his knees, silent with closed eyes.

He was now a guest of the Liu Clan of Ai'ai Continent, responsible for guiding the Liu Clan's intercontinental ferries at the Quyu Ferry in Yuzhou, southern Tongye Continent.

Xu Xie had a good impression of Despair Mountain and had even attended the founding ceremony of Qing Ping Sword Sect. He particularly admired Pei Qian, who had fought demons in his homeland.

Last time he saw Pei Qian, this proud sword immortal humbly said that he still had some connections in Golden Armor Continent. He told Pei Qian that when she next traveled there, in situations where she shouldn't reveal her identity, she could use his name.

Xu Xie had entered this place about a hundred years ago, taking a seat. At that time, he had just reached the Fifth Realm.

He once met a seemingly ordinary middle-aged man. The man's appearance was unremarkable, and Xu Xie couldn't tell his depth of cultivation. The man only said he was looking for a suitable "suppressor" to act as a "counterbalance."

Xu Xie declined the offer, even though the man had shown him a path to ascension.

The man didn't force the issue and, as a fallback, referred Xu Xie here, saying he could broaden his horizons and see the depth of the world from another angle.

Xu Xie had traveled with that man for several years. The latter was mostly silent, rarely speaking. When he did ask questions, they were all huge issues.

Xu Xie never thought himself capable of answering those few puzzles. He even felt those questions could not possibly have definite answers.

Once, there was a question and answer session. The man first asked, "In heaven and earth, beauty is recognized as beauty because there is ugliness to contrast it. Goodness is recognized as goodness because there is evil. Xu Xie, do you agree with this?"

Xu Xie thought this principle was rather simple, so he replied, "Of course. Solitary yang doesn't grow; lone yin doesn't last."

"Then what kind of world do you think is a good world?"

After asking the question, the man quickly added, "You can completely ignore feasibility and only describe your ideal state."

Xu Xie tentatively said, "A peaceful world, government unhindered, the people in harmony, mountains quiet, each cultivates their own Dao. Immortals and mortals coexist harmoniously, yin and yang operate orderly, gods, ghosts, and immortals have no conflict. All beings fulfill their duties, all things are in their proper places?"

Hearing this, the man laughed and asked, "So, in a simpler way, it means there are no bad people in the world, only good people?"

Xu Xie hesitated. How to define "good and bad"? Who defines it?

As if reading his mind, the man laughed, "Then let it be you to define it. Suppose you have the final say, and suppose the human world has exactly one hundred people. Then I have two questions. If they are all 'good people' in your mind, do those hundred people truly not see any bad among the other ninety-nine? That's the first question. The second is what you're thinking now: how many bad people do you leave? One? Or two? Could even one or two survive in such a 'good' world? If ten, a dozen, twenty or thirty, how do you ensure their number doesn't increase? Could they even turn the tables? Or do they decrease, returning to ten, to two, to one, finally to zero, looping back to the first question?"

Xu Xie was completely dazed.

The man continued, "The Dao Ancestor said all things in the world are born from being, and being from non-being. So I have another question: if the Great Dao circles endlessly, and non-being gives rise to being, being gives rise to all things, then what do all things give rise to? Isn't it 'non-being'? What state is non-being? Will we 'people' have a place then? Facing this trend, like a duck knowing the spring river's warmth, the first to sense this direction—how should cultivators cope? Should they believe man can conquer heaven? Do their best and accept fate? Or follow the Dao Ancestor's saying: 'Reversal is the movement of the Dao; weakness is the function of the Dao'?"

Xu Xie wanted to reply: "I'm a pure swordsman; why should I think about all this?"

The man said, "What if I assume Xu Xie is the world's first Fifteen Realm pure swordsman, and there is no second Fifteen Realm? The heavens and earth's direction, the world's rises and falls, the life and death of all beings, even how they become people, how they act as people—everything proceeds according to your will. Then would you still find these questions meaningless?"

Xu Xie was left speechless.

"The pursuit of no fault, wanting perfection," the man muttered. "All ten thousand faces are equally good? I think that's a potential great danger. Of course, this is just my opinion. There are those on the path who disagree with me, saying I worry needlessly about the sky falling—if not today, then tomorrow."

For example, the Overseer of Bixiao Cave in the East Sea's Observation Dao Temple.

"A Flying Ascension Realm swordsman like Xu Xie might not need to consider these. A Fourteen Realm Xu Xie won't be able to avoid them."

Xu Xie heard this and asked, "Can I reach Flying Ascension Realm, or even Fourteen Realm?"

The man laughed, "No."

Xu Xie was angered into laughing. Was he being toyed with? Why bring it up?

"Not Xu Xie, but someone else will."

The man looked up at the sky and said, "One must always prepare for a rainy day."

It was only recently that Xu Xie began to understand part of the deep meaning of "preparing for a rainy day."

Today, another person was nearly as silent as Xu Xie: a gloomy-looking old man.

He called Wei She by name, "Wei She, I've already met Chen Ping'an."

Wei She seemed unbothered, smiling, "When and where?"

The old man said, "At the Feather Transformation Platform of Rain Dragon Sect."

Wei She nodded.

So this old man was Tian Su, the Nascent Soul Realm guest elder who coveted Yun Jian's beauty. With superb acting, he deceived the cautious Nalan Caihuan.

Yet, like a fish caught by an outsider, he was hooked.

The old man, Tian Su, who was actually the founding master of Rain Dragon Sect, couldn't help but remind, "With such a commotion at Whole Pepper Mountain, now occupied by Gu Can, Chen Ping'an will definitely dig three feet deep into the hidden truth there. Be careful not to leave evidence. After all, it's only your yin spirit that cultivates at Whole Pepper Mountain."

He and Song Hong of Grand Dragon Pool were founding members of this place. Although their seniority and background were less than Wei She's, compared to faces like Lu Xu, they knew more inside stories.

Wei She laughed, "Nothing serious. I recently took a trip to Despair Mountain myself. But I didn't go up the mountain; I just sat at the foot for a while. I didn't see Mountain Lord Chen, who was in seclusion."

He didn't see Chen Ping'an, but he did share tea with a blind-but-insightful Daoist, and they had a pleasant conversation.

Tian Su's expression was peculiar. After a long pause, he said helplessly, "You're bold and skilled indeed."

Earlier, there was an emaciated old man carrying a qin case, alone and travel-worn, visiting Despair Mountain.

He hit it off with the guest-greeting Old Immortal Jia, and revealed his identity: he was from Whole Pepper Mountain, Daoist name "Empty Mountain," study name "Cocoon Studio."

He claimed that when he first started cultivating, young and arrogant, he looked down on all the world's Qi Refiners, yielding only to one person on three mountains.

Daoist Jia Sheng naturally didn't know what "yielding to one person on three mountains" meant.

But Mountain Lord Chen Ping'an was well aware.

Because Mr. Three Mountains and Nine Marquises had once "stepped aside" for Wei She of Ai'ai Continent.

So this trip to Vase Continent was made with considerable sincerity by Wei She.

It was equivalent to clearly telling Chen Ping'an that the old owner of Whole Pepper Mountain in Fuyao Continent was Wei She of Ai'ai Continent.

However, the reason Wei She was willing to appear at Despair Mountain had more to do with Wu Shuangjiang.

Wei She asked, "Liu Zhou, since your identity is leaked, where do you plan to stay next?"

Tian Su glanced at Lou Miao near Wei She, then at an empty chair, and sneered, "I don't have your skills or Xun Yuan's guts. I'll just wander, sliding like a watermelon skin, wherever it takes me."

Heaven once rained grain.

Within the Rain Dragon Sect he founded, he had to use the alias Tian Su. Regardless, he had evaded that weapon tribulation, achieving his wish and ascending.

Liu Zhou, Song Hong, Mr. Zeng—these old men who had crossed numerous tribulations on their cultivation path—each had their own methods, seeking eternal life and immortality.

Liu Zhou turned to an empty seat and sighed inexplicably, "If Xun Yuan had your cultivation talent..."

Wei She smiled and shook his head, "If he had my talent, he wouldn't be so smart. There would be no need."

Liu Zhou said, "Saying things like that just makes one want to hit you."

Wei She smiled, "Many people have felt that way before."

Xun Yuan and Wanyan Kyoji were cultivators of similar seniority. When the latter first came here, he was timid and fearful. As his realm gradually rose, his nature changed.

In contrast, Xun Yuan started off brimming with pride, a deeply proud person inside. The higher his realm, the more he concealed his edge, eventually becoming a man with almost no sharp edges.

It was like one grew younger, the other grew more pessimistic.

The old Daoist opened his eyes and introduced himself, "My worldly name is Zhang Jiao, Daoist name 'Yellow Heaven.' I managed to reach the Fourteen Realm. My past is not worth mentioning—just a stray dog."

Perhaps except for Wei She, who stood at the summit after just over a hundred years of cultivation, and the well-informed Tian Wan, none of the dozen or so others knew the old Daoist's true origins.

Tian Wan knew that her senior brother Zouzi highly esteemed this man, saying the Daoist's path was at least on the level of opening new realms.

In the once-per-century Three Teachings Debate, the Confucian Temple and White Jade Capital combined had won less than half of what the Western Buddhist Kingdom had won.

So later generations of scholars often wondered why Buddhist temples had many "abbots" but Daoist observatories had few.

And the only person to "win two consecutive debates" in history was Wen Sheng. (Note: Chapter 961, "Youth Most Fleeting")

But before the Three Teachings Debate, the Dao Profound World and the Western Buddhist Kingdom had already started debating.

The Dao Profound World fared rather poorly, especially in one session where the White Jade Capital and the world's seven major Daoist lineages sent a total of seventeen Dao officials, and they lost all seventeen debates.

These seventeen Daoists had to remove their hats and robes, shave their heads, and become monks—they were the later "Wuwu Seventeen Monks." (Note: Chapter 734, "Encounter Snow Lodging at Hibiscus Mountain")

Later, Confucian Temple scholars joined the debate, turning it into a conflict of the Three Teachings. Zhang Jiao emerged spectacularly. Though he won with difficulty, at least he regained a point for the Dao Profound World.

Later, Lu Chen won very beautifully and easily.

It was because of Lu Chen's appearance that the Three Teachings Debate had to establish a new rule, restricting the identity and realm of participants.

Lu Chen even went to the Lotus Small Cave Heaven to complain to his master, saying this rule was too targeted against him, begging him to speak for him...

The result? The Dao Ancestor said he made that rule.

So last time, Old Scholar, encountering Lord Lu, who always wandered around, in his student's village school, over wine, he spoke heart-to-heart, saying that the unprecedented honor of consecutive wins should actually be Lord Lu's. Lord Lu kept saying "no, no, I wouldn't dare." Old Scholar's eyes were sincere, saying "you dare, you dare, here, here..."

Later, apparently after drinking too much, Old Scholar dragged Lord Lu to have a quarrel for practice. If it's too much, you can admit defeat and pay half.

Council members each had their own territories. Except for Central Earth, generally one continent had at most two people. For example, Beiju Continent and East Vase Continent had only Lou Miao and Tian Wan respectively.

When everyone showed their true faces, there were still a few unfamiliar faces.

For instance, the figure who appeared as the nominal host of this ancestral hall, responsible for lighting incense and presiding over the council—the immortal from Grand Dragon Pool—had a puzzling identity.

The teacher of Lin Huizhi, the former head of Little Dragon Pool, had once played a game of chess under an ancient pine on the mountain peak with Han Yushu of Wanyao Sect, leaving a residual chess pattern that later cultivators could never solve.

That was a well-known mountain anecdote in Tongye Continent.

Until the young Hidden Official, visiting Little Dragon Pool, made two moves, exchanging the old for the new, finalizing the game.

"Truly excellent moves, worthy of Embroidery Tiger's junior brother."

"Song Hong, aren't you afraid of being tracked back? The Hidden Official is said to be very suspicious. Don't get caught in a sweep."

"Even if he doesn't come to the mountain, just reporting to the Confucian Temple is enough to give us trouble?"

"We're not rebels or traitors. Even if our identities leak, we'd be heroes, not bandits."

Song Hong finally spoke, "With Situ Mengjing around, it's unlikely he'll suspect the Grand Dragon Pool. Even if he has suspicions, without evidence, what can he do to me?"

Tian Wan said abruptly, "Unless someone collaborates with Chen Ping'an from within."

Luo Shan bent her fingers, rubbing her bright red nails. Without looking at Tian Wan, she sneered, "Maybe it's the thief crying 'Stop, thief!'"

Tian Wan's face instantly turned cold as ice.

Song Hong smiled, "Besides, even with evidence, what can it prove?"

Lu Xu slapped the chair armrest and laughed loudly, "Well said! Someone who got lucky and rose to fame overnight—how far does he reach? Vase Continent, Sword Qi Great Wall, now Tongye Continent. He wants to manage everything. Either he's scheming to build his reputation in the mountains, or he goes around taking credit. Who does he think he is?"

Luo Shan said with a smile, "Why don't you say it's a time without heroes, letting a nobody become famous?"

Lu Xu snorted coldly.

He wouldn't argue with a reckless swordsman.

The Grand Dragon Pool of Central Earth had been in existence for three thousand years since its founding.

The Cloud Soaring Mansion of Grand Dragon Pool was the mountain abode of Dragon Beard Immortal Lord Situ Mengjing.

Ostensibly, it had two Immortal Realm cultivators and one Jade Purity Realm. But the main sect and its subsidiary, Grand and Little Dragon Pool, had not produced a new Jade Purity Realm in over two hundred years.

The only Jade Purity Realm, the law-ruler founding master of Grand Dragon Pool, Daoist name "Suspended Bell," was the junior brother of the sect leader and Situ Mengjing. Meanwhile, almost all Nascent Soul cultivators were figures with little hope of reaching the Fifth Realm, stuck in a state of discontinuity.

But there was no need for worry. This Song Hong, who had presided over the council for years, was already an Immortal Realm.

Within Grand Dragon Pool, Song Hong was an unremarkable Golden Core cultivator, neither high nor low. To be precise, Song Hong had been a "Golden Core Earth Immortal" seven or eight times in Grand Dragon Pool, each time "dissolving and reincarnating," changing identities, and returning to continue cultivation.

In fact, Grand Dragon Pool had a secret identity: it belonged to the Dragon-Propping Faction.

In the Taiping Mountain region, why did Han Yushu take the opportunity to persuade Chen Ping'an to join them? Because earlier, Han Yushu had already communicated with this Grand Dragon Pool immortal.

It could achieve two goals at once.

Han Yushu would have credit for the invitation, while Song Hong and Grand Dragon Pool would gain more room to maneuver, smoothly approaching the True Dragon King Zhu.

Wei She helped smooth things over, changing the subject, laughing, "Haven't seen young Dragon Beard in many years."

Situ Mengjing, always indifferent to fame and fortune, had excellent relationships in the mountain world. He and Wei She were friends despite age difference.

After all, even the Old Observer, when mentioning Situ Mengjing to Chen Ping'an, said that "Dragon Beard boy" was a decent person.

Wei She glanced at the two men; they both nodded, indicating no objection.

Wei She then introduced their true identities: "Liu Zhou, founding master of Rain Dragon Sect. Song Hong, first-generation mountain master of Grand Dragon Pool."

The locally-worshipped spirit of Fuyao Continent, with few worshippers but great divine power, self-proclaimed "Pink Path Master," laughed heartily, "Indeed, those who can hold their seats here are no nobodies."

Yun Miao's heart was in turmoil. He desperately wanted to tell these people: The young Hidden Official you are guarding against, trying to win over but not daring to act rashly—he is actually White Emperor City, Zheng Juzhong, Mr. Zheng!

But Yun Miao absolutely dared not reveal this huge secret.

"Various forces are now secretly collecting gold essence copper coins. Prices are skyrocketing. Does anyone here have surplus?"

"I heard that the cave heaven Lord Shu is determined to acquire, Changyu Cave Heaven, even Jing Hao has given up the fight. But then a female ghost Zheng Dan of the Yue Girl Sword School appeared and ruined it. Isn't that the hunter and clam fighting, and the fisherman profits?"

Shu Nanyuan laughed loudly, "Temporary gain or loss means nothing. Gao Yi will always be short of money or face difficulties."

After mocking Yun Miao, Lu Xu finished his business with the empty-handed Lou Miao, then turned his gaze to Tian Wan, a Jade Purity Realm woman with a red string tied around her wrist. Her position close to Song Hong was, of course, due to her excellent senior brother.

Lu Xu clicked his tongue, "You and Bai Shang schemed for a thousand years, but it all fell short. One wrong step, every step wrong. He missed his chance to impact the Fourteen Realm. Pitiful, truly pitiful—drawing water with a bamboo basket, gaining nothing."

Tian Wan sneered, "A Flying Ascension pure swordsman, in any world, is a great hero."

"Bai Shang, what happened? Why didn't he simply kill He Xiaoliang? She came to him, clearly intending to ruin his seclusion. In the mountain world, that's an irreconcilable enmity. Public or private, Bai Shang could have struck her down. How could he endure it? If I remember correctly, Cao Rong wasn't even at Flying Ascension then. Even with Heaven Lord Xie Shi and Gu Qing song backing her, could they really stop Bai Shang from leaving seclusion and delivering a sword strike?"

Tian Wan could only play deaf and mute. Because it involved the pure sun Lü Yan.

Someone turned to Luo Shan, teasing, "Can you tell us some inside story about the new Throne of the Primordial World?"

Luo Shan's expression immediately became awkward.

Because during Mr. Bai Ze's "Mountain Summit Council" on the Primordial World, someone had seen through her identity. Instead of blaming her, he asked if she could recommend him.

Zhou Qinggao even personally promised to actively leak some Primordial World military camp intelligence, using war merits equivalent to half a continent of Bright World land to exchange for this secret identity. And he guaranteed no leakage.

Since the Hidden Official Chen didn't want to see me, I'll come to see him.

This former leader of the Jiashen Tent, later the closed-door disciple of Wenhai Zhou Mi, was practically Chen Ping'an's number one fan.

This fact was now well known among the mountain summits of both worlds.

Why he was so obsessed was a mystery.

The old Daoist suddenly said, "Dear fellow Daoists, you should pay more attention to the recent flow of martial arts fortune. Don't always put on airs as mountain immortals. Within a hundred years, each sect should select more children with martial arts talent, especially those with some hope of gathering martial fortune. I dare not say how much profit, but at least it's a safe, sure-win deal, guaranteed whether the harvest is good or bad."

Some immediately paid attention, considering fostering puppets or making plans and sealing cooperation. Others, after weighing the pros and cons, didn't take it seriously.

Wei She also gave a suggestion: "Additionally, fellow Daoists should pay attention to those medium and small sects with many military strategist cultivators. If possible, get a few in hand."

"Getting in hand" naturally meant using whatever means to occupy the nest: either using secret arts to become the head of some immortal mansion or secretly propping up such sects.

The only deity present had no interest in these matters.

In his view, in a declining age, people believe in ghosts; fools cultivate to seek immortality.

The old Daoist glanced at this spirit who deliberately avoided seeking proper enshrinement, and smiled. This fellow had grand designs.

Sensing the old Daoist's gaze, the spirit immediately restrained his thoughts.

Previously, Tongye Continent's mountain world had selected ten people in the continent's martial arts history. (Note: Chapter 895, "Exhilarating Tonight")

Among the living, there was only one male and one female grandmaster: Wu Shu, ranked fourth, and Ye Yunyun, ranked sixth.

Although today, among the eight continents of the Bright World, it seemed that any Qi Refiner looked down on Tongye Continent.

But selecting ten history figures for one's home continent's martial arts was indeed novel, so the practice quickly became popular across continents.

Except for Central Earth and Vase Continent, the other seven continents all began to leaf through their "Martial Arts" almanacs.

Sales of landscape gazettes from various sects and clans skyrocketed.

With rankings came disputes. With dissent, the gazettes included explanations and insights from masters, further boosting sales.

However, the evaluations by immortal masters were hard to satisfy everyone. Laymen watch the spectacle; only insiders know the craft.

No matter how high a cultivator's realm, when judging pure martial artists, there was always the suspicion of being out of one's depth.

The most convincing method would naturally be evaluation by peak realm grandmasters, especially Termination Realm martial artists.

But for such figures, especially a Termination Realm martial artist, who would want to get involved?

Even the wealthy Liu Clan of Ai'ai Continent couldn't invite Pei Axiang of Thunder Lord Temple to give a few personal opinions.

On Golden Armor Continent, who dared to ask "Han Ten-Thousand Slayer" to bother himself? Was he full and needed a beating?

But there was indeed one Termination Realm grandmaster willing to speak. Through the landscape gazette of Lion Peak, he publicly expressed his views. It was Wang Fusu of Beiju Continent.

He detailed the strengths and weaknesses of eight deceased Termination Realm grandmasters—their martial arts and boxing techniques. These were proper words.

He also said that on Tongye Continent's ten-person list, the two living ones: Wu Shu's rank was too high, undeserved; he should move back a few places. Ye Yunyun's rank was too low. If he, Wang Fusu, were a Tongye Continent martial artist, he could at least be fifth. Could he beat her? Certainly not. If there were a chance to spar and exchange secret skills, it would be too dazzling and he'd be distracted. But no matter, he'd be willing to lose three matches, at most explaining to her that he wasn't usually like this, just off form that day.

When this came out, several continents were in uproar. It was said that Yellow-Robed Yun had already traveled north to challenge this old, improper senior with lewd talk.

Wang Fusu continued to send messages through the gazette: Let her, Yellow-Robed Yun, cross continents and come to ask for a spar.

That's what he said, but actually, Wang Fusu had already hidden away in Thunder Lord Temple on Ai'ai Continent, drinking with Sister Axiang.

After all, Ye Yunyun had just entered Termination Realm's Return to Truth level, when her martial intent was strongest and most aggressive.

Ye Yugu, the founding master of Pusan Cloud Grass Hall on Tongye Continent, ranked fifth. Known for suppressing three continents with his fists for two cycles of sixty years each, he was invincible in the eastern Tongye, Vase, and Beiju Continents.

Though this Ye ancestor had a formidable spirit and had long traveled across continents, he remained stuck at Termination Return to Truth, never reaching Divine Level.

Ye Yugu was indeed a genius, comprehending martial principles from six immortal paintings, creating a bright path for the Ye family that combined immortal arts and martial arts.

Apart from the north-south confrontation between Tongye Sect and Jade Gui Sect in Tongye Continent, there were few people and events truly worth discussing from other continents. Huang Ting of Taiping Mountain's blessings, Jiang Shangzhen's dissolute life in Beiju Continent—most would also know of Pusan Cloud Grass Hall. Pusan was a sect that could both cultivate immortality and practice martial arts. That Yellow-Robed Yun was a female grandmaster.

When Ye Yugu hit a bottleneck, he had to pick up cultivation again, hoping to use the Jade Purity Realm to extend his life. By this path, he could distinguish the primary and secondary in martial arts and immortal methods, slowly forging his martial artist physique and increasing his martial intent. He succeeded. Upon reaching Jade Purity, his first act after seclusion was not to report to the academy or Central Earth Confucian Temple for sect promotion, but to visit an old friend from his mountain circle. He intended to join forces to resist the arrogant, ill-mannered Tongye Sect.

Simply put, Ye Yugu planned to join forces with his old friend Xun Yuan, an Immortal Realm of Jade Gui Sect, to fight Du Mao, the sole Flying Ascension of Tongye Continent.

But he thought too simply.

Or perhaps he thought human hearts too clear.

When Ye Yugu descended the mountain, he was so confident. When he returned, he was on the brink of death.

Since then, for many years—especially before and after Ye Yunyun reached Jade Purity—the martial artists and cultivators of Pusan Cloud Grass Hall felt this was fate.

They believed Pusan was never meant to be a clan-level sect. Thus, even now, Pusan has no intention of becoming a sect.

One disaster of heaven, one of men.

The heaven disaster: when Ye Yunyun became Jade Purity, the Primordial demons invaded the Bright World.

The man disaster: when founder Ye Yugu descended to visit a friend, he was ambushed and severely injured by Du Mao, his realm dropping back to "two Gold Cores," causing his death soon after returning.

Ye Yugu never told anyone who attacked him.

Visiting an old friend? Indeed, it was a visit. But full of deadly intent.

Even Ye Yunyun, to this day, the entire Tongye Continent thought it was Du Mao who injured Ye Yugu.

Killing ruthlessly to prevent another "Little Tongye Sect" or "Second Jade Gui Sect" from emerging in the middle of the continent and sharing the pie.

Who could imagine the true culprit was Xun Yuan?

That's why Ye Yugu never dared to tell anyone the murderer. Instead, he told Ye Yunyun not to pursue it.

Ye Yugu knew full well that Xun Yuan deliberately let him return alive to Pusan.

He also knew that when he lay on his deathbed, Xun Yuan must have been within Pusan Mountain.

Why Xun Yuan went to such lengths, unafraid of complications, Ye Yugu never understood.

Only at the moment Ye Yugu's dissolution, Xun Yuan quietly appeared and revealed the truth: someone would personally guide him into Jade Gui Sect for cultivation, having already paved a path. And that person was not Xun Yuan himself.

In this ancestral hall now, there was a knowledgeable person who passed a final judgment: "A true hegemon is no more than this."

Compared to Du Mao, the revival founder of Tongye Sect, in terms of schemes and means, he was not fit to hold Xun Yuan's shoes.

Early on, Xun Yuan estimated that Tongye Continent's total fortune could only support one Fourteen Realm cultivator.

Xun Yuan naturally hoped it would land in his house.

If not him, then Jiang Shangzhen, Wei Ying, or someone of lower seniority, but it must be within Jade Gui Sect.

If Ye Yugu could elevate his immortal arts and martial arts simultaneously—Jade Purity to Immortal, Return to Truth to Divine—then later, could Ye Yugu succeed?

There was a fair chance.

At least a much bigger chance than Du Mao.

Xun Yuan naturally knew that slaying Ye Yugu would harm heavenly harmony and hinder his Dao heart.

Coupled with being burdened by sect affairs, Xun Yuan could not break through to ascension for a long time.

When the Primordial demons invaded Tongye Continent, the entire old order was smashed. After the war ended, though Jade Gui Sect was heavily damaged, it was still better than Taiping Mountain and Fuji Sect, which had only one descendant left, and far better than the sealed Tongye Sect. Under normal development, Wanyao Sect, hiding in the Three Mountain Blessed Land, intending to establish a branch in Tongye Continent, would have to ally with Jade Gui Sect. A Zhong would restrain and suppress the northern Tongye Sect, preventing it from lifting its head for a thousand years...

Before Xun Yuan's sacrificial death, he stepped down as sect leader, handing over to Jiang Shangzhen, forcing this lazy fellow to shoulder the heavy burden.

But Xun Yuan's greatest hope for "Tongye Continent's Fourteen Realm candidate" was Wei Ying, or Qiu Zhi, the reincarnation of Ye Yugu.

In short, all posthumous affairs were arranged neatly by the old man, without even needing to reveal the truths to Jiang Shangzhen and Wei Ying.

As the old saying goes: The predecessors plant trees, the descendants enjoy the shade. That's probably it. Drinking water need not know who dug the well.

Xun Yuan's greatest regret in life, perhaps his knot, was three words: "The family was poor." (Note: Chapter 631, "Light Wind, Melting Moon")

Xun Yuan had endured great hardship on his cultivation path. The bitterness was known only to Jiang Shangzhen.

Thus, Xun Yuan had to stubbornly focus on "earning money"—not for his own enjoyment, but to plan for his descendants' livelihood.

So despite his intelligence and talent, to help Jade Gui Sect continue its incense, he still had to forcibly break through with unorthodox methods to ascend.

Xun Yuan once had an open-hearted talk with Jiang Shangzhen, who failed to enter Jiuyi Peak. They sat on the steps of the Divine Dao Mountain Path.

Jiang initially thought old Xun was trying to persuade him to be open-minded, saying something like "consider the bigger picture." But Xun Yuan dismissed the grumbling Jiang with a few words, spending more time complaining—vaguely, without mentioning specific people or events—leaving Jiang feeling stifled.

"It's like living: the day after tomorrow might bring a big sum of money, but what about tomorrow?"

"Jade Gui Sect is at least a sect; it's not so poor that it can't make ends meet."

Jiang's implication was clear: he still didn't approve of old Xun's short-sightedness.

"Some opportunities, once missed, are gone forever. There's no time to deliberate and plan a perfect strategy."

"Old Xun, you're spouting too many grand principles today. Doesn't sound like you."

"Hopefully, in the future, Jade Gui Sect in your hands will cultivate well and do fewer things against your conscience, allowing for a bit more freedom."

Everyone is a book, appearing in each other's books. Some are like protagonists, some like passersby.

Protagonists in some books are passersby in others, and passersby are protagonists in other books.

If you think this is nonsense, you haven't yet known yourself as a character in a book. If you find these words most bitter, you are already the reader turning the pages.

The old Daoist, sitting cross-legged, shook his body and put his feet down.

Wei She said, "If anyone has suitable candidates, they can propose them now. This doesn't need to go through the formal council procedure."

Within the last cycle of sixty years, they had absorbed some young people as "ancestral hall direct disciples" as candidates.

For example, Lou Miao recommended Xu Xuan, a swordsman from the same continent and the sole disciple of Bai Shang.

Hao Su recommended that dream wanderer from Flow Radiance Continent, the City of Night Sails, alias Shao Baojuan, real name Shao Benchu.

Tian Wan had recommended one person years ago: Su Jia, who returned to Zhengyang Mountain.

Xun Yuan had long recommended a disciple of Fuji Sect. That youth later accidentally stumbled upon the Primordial demons' conspiracy, making him in a sense the revealer of the war between two worlds.

Liu Zhou intended to cultivate a Rain Dragon Sect registrant named Fu Ke. But he was a pitiful wretch with ambitions above his capacity and was ultimately useless.

Mr. Zeng nominated a Beiju Continent martial artist named Huang Shi, a nobody. The nomination was rejected, and Mr. Zeng didn't insist.

Unfortunately, Liu Qingfeng, the Minister of Rites in the Dayao Dynasty's secondary capital, could not be used by them.

He had declined Mr. Zeng's recommendation. This ancestral hall had been very eager for his entry, with no objections.

Qin Buyi wanted to recommend Gong Sun Lingling.

But Gong Sun Lingling was first expelled from the Cherry Blue Robe lineage, then went to the Ma Clan mansion in Yuxuan Country as a cook. Later, she was caught up in collateral damage and imprisoned by Chen Ping'an—truly a troubled fate.

There were also several other good seedlings, one by one becoming candidates.

For instance, Huai Qian.

His grandfather was Huai Yin, one of the first ten of Central Earth.

Relying on his talent and illustrious family, he traveled alone to Beiju Continent, nominally to avoid a betrothal, but actually to gather sword qi and increase his Dao power.

But the end of Huai Qian's journey was a lamp lit in the family ancestral hall. Because he encountered a "Daoist Sun" who found Huai Yin weak. (Note: Chapter 544, "All on the Boat Are Enemies in War.")

And Liao Qing Ai.

Her master was Pei Bei.

She also had a junior brother with nearly equal fame: Cao Ci.

Lou Miao spoke first, "I propose supplementing with Lin Su."

Tian Wan had several candidates in mind but none succeeded.

One was Gao Jianfu of the Divine Herald Sect, once a golden boy with He Xiaoliang.

Another was a young swordsman from her own Zhengyang Mountain, known as "the Little Wei Jin of Vase Continent" or "Li Tuanjing the Second": Wu Tijing.

She had even set her sights on the "Xie Family Treelord with Long Brows" of Dragon Spring Sword Sect.

But having already recommended Su Jia, and being entangled by Cui Dongshan and Jiang Shangzhen, she was too busy to bother.

Lou Miao explained, "I chose Lin Su because his cultivation path was previously too smooth, which became an obstacle. Lin Su couldn't break the Nascent Soul bottleneck and failed two seclusions, showing signs of heart demons. Betting on him now should yield great rewards in the future."

In Qionglin Sect's early ranking of the top ten youths, Lin Su topped the list.

Second place, Xu Xuan, had already reached Jade Purity and was already a candidate.

Qi Jinglong became the head of Grand Dagger Sword Sect.

Li Liu, the direct disciple of Lion Peak, was no longer on the list.

Wild cultivator Huang Xi and female martial artist Xiu Niang—the young couple who once fought to the death on the Dili Mountain arena—had married and each broken through.

Also, Yang Ningzhen, who changed his identity to martial artist Yang Jinshan, and his younger brother Yang Ningxing, the deputy Heavenly Lord of Chongxuan Office—each had their prospects.

Lu Sui, the immortal maiden of Water Classic Mountain, obtained a fine-quality sword-raising gourd.

It seemed that among the much-watched favored children of Beiju Continent, only the most-praised Lin Su was unexpectedly stagnant, while the other nine had their own fortunes, overtaking him.

Tian Wan frowned, "You've already recommended Xu Xuan."

Lu Xu teased, "Lord Lou, if you have the ability, bring Bai Shang here to fill Xun Yuan's or Wany