Chapter 1138: Mayflies See the Blue Sky

Chapter 1138: Mayflies See the Blue Sky

Night voyage at sea, drifting like duckweed, a life of clouds and water.

Flipping through memories like turning pages to find historical records, Chen Ping'an opened some memories of a summer palace, but quickly closed the book again, looking down at a spiritually clear city called Lingxi City. Although Lingxi City was one of the four middle cities, it occupied a relatively small area. However, within the city, palaces, towers, pavilions, waterside kiosks, neighborhoods, and flower gardens were all exquisitely crafted. The previous city lord had very few restrictions on her own jurisdiction; as long as the basic rules of the Night Voyage Ship were followed, the "native residents" of Lingxi City had no additional laws to obey. Lingxi City and Item City both happened to be surnamed Li, but their local customs and habits were two extremes. The previous city lord, a woman, disembarked with only a silver-eyed boy with antlers following by her side.

Earlier, when boarding the ship heading to Fuyao Continent, Chen Ping'an had already met with some nominal administrators within the city. After all, he was acting as the temporary city lord, and this was a necessary step; he couldn't simply avoid them.

When they met, Chen Ping'an felt that these refined scholars, well-read and eloquent, were too elegant, while they felt that this disciple of the Wen Sheng lineage, bearing the title of Hidden Official, was too vulgar.

Although it didn't come to mutual dislike, the atmosphere was hardly harmonious. The kind of scenes in storybooks and plays where one party immediately bows in submission and the other welcomes with shoes in hand were absolutely impossible. At that time, Chen Ping'an was relatively quiet, but Xiao Mo, who had been reading sage books since arriving at Luopo Mountain, accompanied those romantic figures who could talk endlessly about literature and poetry, discussing the struggle between the Way and political power, talking about the rise and fall of the world's orthodoxies and successive dynasties' political systems, and mentioning the "teacher and friend" that the Second Sage had always emphasized—how a true Confucian should interact with a virtuous ruler, treating him as a friend while the ruler should serve him as a teacher. Xiao Mo also asked them one thing: Since the Confucian Temple's leader, Master Dong, insisted on exclusively revering Confucianism and abolishing all other schools, why did he bring up the concept of "Heaven" to suppress emperors and kings? And why did the Confucian Temple's vice-leader, Master Han, say that a ruler only needed to govern by non-action? Finally, Xiao Mo asked them what the meaning was behind the Jade Capital's Leader Lu's seemingly prophetic saying, "The Way and techniques will be split for the world," and its implied meaning. Afterwards, Xiao Mo was a bit worried that he might have been too outspoken, causing trouble for the young master in their eyes. After all, Chief Zhou had said that in today's world, when chatting with scholars who held no official position, one must be extremely careful and deliberate, otherwise a single wrong sentence could easily incur resentment. But Chen Ping'an smiled and said it was fine, since they wouldn't be staying in Lingxi City for long. "We reek of money, and we don't dare to engage in any transactions involving wealth here. Since it's a chicken rib, we'll give these refined talkers the proper courtesy they deserve, keep our distance, and that's enough."

Liu Xianyang and the others returned to the rainbow bridge corridor suspended in the air, laughing. "That was an eye-opener. First time outside of books seeing so many living immortals burdened by reputation. Gouzi is well-traveled and knowledgeable, and she could tell at a glance that they were half-baked self-cultivators who had been pulled back into the book and imprisoned within words. They say this divine ability was first concocted by the gentleman of Three Mountains and Nine Marquises."

"Gouzi also said that in ancient times, whether Taoists or scholars, they did learning with great boldness. Every word, every line, was like the sound of grand bells, not like now—wilted eggplants, like autumn insects chirping, with a sour and petty air. Ten thousand years ago, when the Ritual Sage studied the extremes of heaven and man and created writing, and the gentleman of Three Mountains and Nine Marquises clarified all images, there was also a barbarian great demon who specialized in studying all the rhythms of heaven and earth. It seems that later became the fourteen-realm great demon on the Barbarian Wild who used the alias Lu Fayan, but unfortunately got eaten?"

"Gouzi praised the mastermind behind this ship, saying his learning was not shallow, his talent was extraordinary, and he managed to draw upon the strengths of many, borrowing a bit from here and stealing a little from there, giving the Night Voyage Ship its current appearance, like an archive."

Having said that, Liu Xianyang cupped his hands and shook them. "Gouzi, good, good."

The girl in the sable hat smiled brightly and returned the gesture. "Brother Liu, where, where."

Liu Xianyang continued shaking his fists. "Here, here."

Truly worthy of Lingxi City. The two exchanged a glance. Xie Gou, haha. Liu Xianyang, haha.

Chen Ping'an glanced at Xiao Mo, who was smiling. Outside the family, your own Dao companion was acting like a fool—weren't you going to do something about it? Xiao Mo clearly didn't want to interfere. Xie Gou and the Sword Immortal Liu had similar temperaments, both carefree, and naturally hit it off at first sight. On the way here, they had already agreed that as long as the mountain lord's wife didn't mind losing face, Xie Gou would be a bridesmaid for She Yue.

Xie Gou laughed heartily. "The mountain lord has fallen into a nest of beauties."

Liu Xianyang wiped his mouth and nodded. "Worth coming, worth coming."

This rainbow bridge was built within the palace, and everywhere there were female officials patrolling, with curved brows and full cheeks, graceful figures, flowing robes and long sleeves, adorned with powder and green. They carried palace lanterns made of white paper and bamboo strips, with famous poetic lines written in ink on the paper, accompanied by a few lines of small regular script annotations in delicate script.

As for the city's residents, historically they weren't prominent officials who stood in court and directed the hundred officers. They were talented but unlucky, frustrated with their lot. Now they had become recluses living in remote wilderness, focusing only on self-cultivation.

Chen Ping'an wanted to shut the door and read some secret archives, so Xiao Mo followed. Liu Xianyang said he wanted to discuss something with Gouzi. Xie Gou tilted her sable hat. "Huh?"

Of course, Chen Ping'an wouldn't usurp the previous city lord's residence. Such matters required a bit of discretion.

As the city lord, even with the word "acting" attached, according to the Night Voyage Ship's regulations, he was already allowed to access a considerable number of documents.

Chen Ping'an placed a bowl of sweet fermented rice wine on the table, treating it as a drink to go with the anecdotes.

He suddenly remembered that long-ago journey across the sea that began from Inverted Mountain, on a treasure-devouring whale that contained several ancient broken secret realms. That guy Lu Tai seemed to be hanging out with Zhang Fenghai now, stirring up a new sect. Chen Ping'an could tell with his knees that in that process, Lu Tai, who always wanted to see the world in chaos, must have been instigating and fanning the flames on that side. As for why Lu Tai and that group of Green Summit Dao officials who had set up their own faction would cross the world at this time and choose to travel in the Barbarian Wild, it probably had a hint of self-vindication? At the same time, first watch from the sidelines, then bet on which side? Chen Ping'an took out a rough geographical map, put his hands in his sleeves, and let his gaze wander irregularly over the map. The names of mountains and rivers here overlapped heavily with those in several worlds. Chen Ping'an had an idea. He extended a finger and tapped a spot on the map, muttering to himself, "Just choose this place to settle down and cultivate the Dao for a few years?"

It was a mountain range. The mountain was called Difei, anciently known as Zhongnan.

Liu Xianyang and the girl in the sable hat walked out of the rainbow bridge corridor and continued climbing higher, reaching the top floor of a tall building. Under the eaves, bells chimed as the wind rose.

Liu Xianyang leaned on the railing and smiled. "Bai Jing, since we're friends now, I'll open the window and speak plainly. Do you mind?"

The girl in the sable hat grinned. "Bai Jing might mind, but Xie Gou definitely doesn't. Go ahead. Whether it makes sense or not, I'll lend an ear."

Liu Xianyang nodded and got straight to the point. "Since you're the owner of that Latitudinal Armor and also Xiao Mo's temporary guardian, why didn't you lend the armor to Chen Ping'an for self-defense when he encountered several untraceable dangerous sneak attacks during his seclusion in the Fuyou Lu Dao Field? Is it because the rank of this Latitudinal Armor is too high, and wearing it has special considerations, like once on, you can't take it off?"

Xie Gou blinked and answered evasively, "Brother Liu knows even about such secret matters? In the Barbarian Wild, in the mountains, and beyond the heavens, I never summoned that item, nor did I boast to anyone about possessing this treasure. Who did Brother Liu hear it from? Mountain Lord Chen? It couldn't be him; he never forces others to do things. Little Millet? Even less likely. Could it be Qing Tong from Tongye Continent, that big mouth?"

Liu Xianyang smiled enigmatically. "A man of the mountains has his own clever ways, knowing the affairs of all ages."

Xie Gou adjusted her sable hat. "No beating around the bush. I'll tell you straight. Before I came to the Barbarian Wild, I had an agreement with Master Bai. When he and the Little Master start fighting to the death, I must rush back to assist the Barbarian Wild. Master Bai spoke straightforwardly, saying even if he's half-dead, he'd crawl over. Bai Jing has a strange temper, capricious, but she takes promises very seriously. If she breaks a promise, she'll feel guilty for a long time. That feeling is too unbearable, and I don't want a second time. This Latitudinal Armor on me is one of my trump cards. Unless it's a life-and-death battle where I need to gamble my life, it's best not to reveal it, lest someone with ulterior motives get advance knowledge and prepare. In a fight, if realms are similar and Dao powers are equal, it comes down to who has more and better trump cards."

Xie Gou snapped her fingers. "Before giving the real reason, let me first invite Brother Liu to look at some interesting old history."

Within Liu Xianyang's heart lake, without warning, towering waves surged, accompanied by rumbling sounds. Suddenly, images stood up on the lake's surface.

Some images were blurry, but all contained great divine intent. Even Liu Xianyang had to stabilize his mind, condense a single mustard seed of mind, and look inward with bated breath to avoid disturbing his Dao heart.

Some were scenes Bai Jing had witnessed with her own eyes; some were her imagination.

Different armors, different owners. The creator of the ancient twelve high positions, using the five paramount positions—specifically the armor-wearer—as a prototype, had imitated and created three second-tier true divine objects. Among them, the divine armor "Great Frost" shattered and fell to the ground during the battle to ascend to heaven. The martial ancestor collected it, barely restoring its original appearance, and secretly joined forces with one of the ancient ten heroes. Their two personal disciples expended countless resources, extending upon the Great Frost Armor to successfully forge three different forms of "ancestor" armors. These were the "predecessors" of the later three types of martial family armor pills. So the Warp Armor, the Sun Crow Armor, and the Divine Bearer Dew-Collecting Armor were actually all forgeries in a sense.

Liu Xianyang laughed. "I was a kiln worker making ceramics. So those three inner armors like the Great Frost were official imitations of officials, and the later armors forged by the martial ancestor were private kiln products?"

Xie Gou casually appeared in Liu Xianyang's heart lake, giving a thumbs-up. "Good analogy."

Since today's topic started with the Latitudinal Armor, Liu Xianyang paid more attention to it. Looking at the appearance and clothing of the figures in the images, the Warp Armor (Jing Jia) first fell into the Western Buddhist Kingdom. Liu Xianyang asked, "Was it worn by the eminent monk Shenqing?"

Xie Gou shook her head. "Whether the chicken soup monk is the owner of the Warp Armor, I haven't met him, so it's hard to say. But I can be sure of one thing: at least the chicken soup monk didn't wear the Warp Armor. He didn't need it; otherwise, it would have become a chicken rib. During the battle to ascend to heaven, on a certain main attack route, the ancient Heavenly Court once activated a sword formation. Countless flying swords, like a torrential rain, pierced countless stars into sieves, or even ground them to dust on the spot. Liu Xianyang, guess how we, this group of Qi refiners, dealt with such a catastrophic disaster?"

"There was the first Taoist in the human world. Seeing this scene, he didn't retreat but advanced, speeding up his climb, deliberately distancing himself from the masses. He manifested the Yang spirit, walked the Yin spirit, boundless in Dao magic. With a sleeve containing the universe, he gathered countless flying swords, reversed Yin and Yang, turned them into his own use, and flung out waves of flying swords with a single sleeve, creating brilliant rivers of stars. He fought the strong with strength."

"The Taoist chanted spells like songs, never forgetting to transmit the Dao."

"There was also a monk who had attained the great Dao under the Bodhi tree. Following closely, he took off a patched old robe and casually threw it out. It could cover the sky and block the earth. Flying swords stabbed the robe, sounding like beating drums."

"The monk Shenqing's indestructible golden body was best at tracing origins and returning to the root. So this old monk, who was said to best understand the ancestor's intention from the West, had no need to wear the Warp Armor."

Xie Gou jumped onto the railing, sat down with her body leaning slightly forward, fists resting on her knees. "Ah, that ancient hero among the ten, the foremost in the sword way, was immensely profound in both offense and defense, more powerful than all of us sword cultivators. He almost never spoke, and his orthodox roots were mysterious and unknown. He wielded his sword and climbed high, breaking through one hundred and twenty-seven formations set by the various departments of the Heavenly Court. His true form Dharma appearance, left and right, was this very person, responsible for clearing all obstacles on both sides of the path."

Liu Xianyang's expression turned strange.

Xie Gou's expression was complex, murmuring, "Can you imagine? Throughout the entire human world, all sentient beings with spirit felt a resonance, as if incense fires were burning everywhere, no longer praying to the gods, but holding a common hope."

On the path to heaven, the scholars surged forward, from the earliest central positions quickly becoming the frontline of the battle formation, falling one after another, dying generously.

After a long silence, Liu Xianyang couldn't help asking, "May I ask where the Taoist Ancestor was in this battle?"

Xie Gou laughed. "Same old, same old. What else could it be? He always lived apart from others, more like a god than the gods themselves. Back then, in a session of transmitting, inquiring, hearing, and realizing the Dao that had no sectarian barriers, that ancient Taoist procession wound like a dragon across the mountains and rivers of the earth. He hung far at the tail of the line. When they completely fell out with the ancient gods and war began, the Taoist Ancestor still walked at the back. Naturally, it wasn't that the Taoist Ancestor was afraid to fight, nor that his strength was insufficient. It was because all of us Qi refiners knew in our hearts that it had to be, and could only be, him who would... deliver the final blow, to decide victory or defeat!"

Xie Gou's eyes sparkled. "In terms of lineage, among the most cowardly, selfish, and mediocre people of later generations, every single one of them carries the bloodline of the ancient heroes."

Xie Gou grinned. "And now? They all compare whose father or master is, how much money their family has. It's infuriating."

Liu Xianyang laughed it off.

Xie Gou's face turned cold. "Precisely because I've witnessed those magnificent acts of sacrifice and selflessness."

"That's why I find today's world so disappointing."

"The Taoist Lu Yan once spoke of a certain wine. In prosperous places, no one would touch it; only in poor, bitterly cold places would it be sold. Newly brewed, the wine surface is emerald and lovely, with lees floating like ants. Ha, just hearing about it makes me crave it. I'll have to taste it someday."

Having said that, Xie Gou withdrew the paintings. "Back to the main point."

Wearing the Warp Armor is like occupying a boundless world's Dao field. Even if the two parties' physical forms are close at hand, they will be as far as the horizon. Magical attacks trying to find the owner of the Warp Armor are as difficult as looking for a needle in the sea. Therefore, wearing the Warp Armor, while not increasing killing power, ensures an invincible position, best for preserving life. It is said that if a Qi refiner dons this armor, as long as they don't actively provoke at the Confucian Temple's Merit Forest, the Jade Capital, the Western Spirit Mountain, or the Sword Qi Great Wall, even if two or three fourteen-realm cultivators join forces with murderous intent, they would be extremely troubled about how to accurately find a particular grain of sand in the Ganges.

As for the Latitudinal Armor, it is said its greatest wonder is one point: it allows the armor's owner to continuously absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, with no bottleneck in quantity and no worry about overflow. Xie Gou explained, "The sword cultivator Bai Jing can wear it year-round; Xiao Mo can borrow it for a few days; you, Liu Xianyang, can wear it once when facing a life-or-death fight with low odds of victory. But Chen Ping'an is not suitable. Otherwise, in a tug-of-war that was somewhat evenly matched, he would easily lose. Even if I dared to lend it, would Chen Ping'an dare to wear it? The mountain lord wouldn't dare."

Liu Xianyang nodded. "Saying it like that, I understand."

Xie Gou looked at him with a hint of grievance and said, "Brother Liu, the fact that you asked this question shows you truly regard me as a friend. Rest assured, I don't feel the slightest bit wronged..."

Liu Xianyang smiled. "I come from a poor background, but since childhood I've blindly believed that I was born with a wealthy destiny, that I would have a great future. So I can't tolerate any grievance. No money in my pocket, but I still have to put up a proper appearance and show. When I was a kiln worker back home, it looked like I could get along with anyone, but I had very few real friends. However, once someone is recognized as a friend, I become easy to deal with. A little friction between friends isn't a big deal. Misunderstandings are like fake wine, grievances like spoiled rice. Don't save any of that stuff. As a youth, I fell out with Chen Ping'an several times. With his stubborn personality, would he willingly soften up and apologize to me? Every time, it was I who went to him with a cheerful face and patched things up. With you, first I invite you to be Qian Yue's bridesmaid, then I ask you this question. That's my way of being prepared for a disagreement."

Xie Gou let out a "Wow!" and said, "Saying it like that, I understand!"

Liu Xianyang smiled. "Gouzi, whoever thinks we're fools is the real fool!"

Xie Gou nodded solemnly. "That's for sure. The world is complicated now. Not smart enough, you can't get things done. Too smart, and you'll mess things up. People like us are just right, haha, great wisdom."

Liu Xianyang chimed in. "The doctrine of the mean, great wisdom appears foolish."

Then she looked a little worried. "Brother Liu, we're having such a good time chatting. Won't Xiao Mo be jealous?"

Liu Xianyang said, "How about when we return to Treasure Bottle Continent, we pretend not to know each other? Or maybe we just pretend we didn't come to an agreement today, fall out, and become enemies like sworn siblings turned foes?"

Xie Gou clapped her hands and laughed. "Excellent plan!"

Then she came to her senses and asked in confusion, "Brother Liu, back then, why did you fall out with the mountain lord multiple times? I feel that in his conduct, the mountain lord wasn't like that when he was young?"

Liu Xianyang smiled. "He's always been the same, no change. But I have a foul mouth. I never watch what I say. I spend money like water. When the month ends and I settle accounts, I'm broke after paying debts. I'm always reckless and thoughtless. With Chen Ping'an's cautious nature, he'd advise me, but I wouldn't listen. After many times, who could put up with that?"

Xie Gou grew even more puzzled. "Brother Liu, are you proud of that?"

Liu Xianyang countered, "Isn't it something to be proud of?"

Xie Gou was about to express hearty agreement when her expression changed. She hurriedly threw out a line about "having diarrhea" and ran off. As she hid herself, Xie Gou grumbled inwardly about a certain old blind man's disciple—both an opening and closing disciple—who, during his study travels, should have just read his sage books properly. Why did he keep asking people whether Pei Qian really was the princess who had fallen among the people? What was that about?!

Liu Xianyang was amused. He had originally wanted to ask Xie Gou something: according to her description, were the fourteen-realm and earth immortals of ancient times too powerful?

But in an instant, Liu Xianyang sensed something amiss. He squinted at a spot and readied himself to deliver a sword at any moment.

At sea, someone had actually managed to catch up to the Night Voyage Ship. A burly man reached out and pried open the formation, stepping in with large strides. As he landed, the ship shook violently, and nearby waves rose a hundred feet high.

The man looked around and laughed. "No need for the host to come out and greet me. I'm just here to chat a bit. You don't need to adopt a tense stance either."

Chen Ping'an didn't get up. He looked up toward the doorway.

The burly man pushed the door open and entered. His presence was so imposing that it felt like a mountain was shifting indoors.

He blurted out two sentences that made Chen Ping'an's eyelids twitch.

"Zhou Mi was too impatient."

"He should have waited for me to emerge from seclusion."

Those great demons who had slumbered for ten thousand years—Bai Jing, No-name, Li Gou, and others—had all once followed this martial ancestor in launching another grand campaign.

The first ancient battle was called Ascending to Heaven, a united effort. The second battle was actually an internal strife. At that time, almost the entire demon race chose to bet on one person.

According to Old Man Yang's disparaging assessment, it was a squabble over uneven spoils.

They had conquered "Heaven," and when it came time to distribute rewards, sit in order, and eat the fruits, almost nobody was satisfied.

Xiao Mo, though always fond of challenging sword cultivators, had never involved himself in these meaningless disputes over interests.

Chen Ping'an changed the subject. "Near Quanjiao Mountain, I heard from Xiao Mo that senior just made a trip to the Green Summit World."

The man casually picked a chair and sat down. "Took back something that rightfully belonged to me. Also took the opportunity to visit an old friend. I had planned to have a drink and then go to Crow Mountain to see the so-called 'Martial Uncle Lin,' the foremost martial artist in several worlds. But I found my old friend's Dao field still there, yet everything had changed. My old friend was always shrewd and had foreseen his own end. After a long, long accumulation of a thousand years, he had finally managed to produce a fourteen-realm cultivator who had seized every advantage and whose Dao power was comparable to the mountain's founder. I had intended, out of regard for my friendship with his ancestor, to offer a few pointers. But the mountain's atmosphere was an utter mess—from top to bottom, inside and out, hardly any good ones. If my old friend knew in the underworld, the lid of his coffin would probably buckle. I forced myself to say a few words to him, but that fellow didn't know good from bad. Instead, he sneered and said all sorts of strange things. With my temper, would I coddle him? We agreed and verbally signed a life-and-death pact, then fought. Who would have thought that even a fourteen-realm cultivator—freshly concocted, watered-down goods—would have such weak physique, unable to withstand a single blow?"

Chen Ping'an said nothing.

The man laughed heartily. "In his Dao field, they seemed to have a grudge against martial artists. Whenever they brought up pure martial artists, they would say something like 'martial artists are all talk.' As a result, within that entire prefecture, when martial grandmasters heard that he had entered the fourteen-realm, they all fled to other prefectures. It goes to show that the martial artists of that prefecture were indeed disgraceful, no wonder those Dao officials and immortals looked down on them. But of all things, after signing the life-and-death pact, he had to sarcastically ask me, 'Your Excellency Daoist, what does this evaluation of martial artists have to do with you?'"

The man narrowed his eyes and smiled. "Chen Ping'an, tell me, does it have anything to do with me?"

Chen Ping'an said, "If I were in senior's shoes, I might have replied, 'Yes, yes, yes, Your Excellency is wise, everything you say is correct.'"

The man then laughed uproariously, rubbing his palm on the armrest. "Brother Bixiao was right. The kid is sharp, as crafty as ever, and a good piece of material for learning martial arts."

Chen Ping'an said, "When senior has leisure, you can go meet Cao Ci. I'm sure you won't be disappointed."

The man nodded. "I've already seen him. He's much more pleasant to look at than you."

Chen Ping'an was momentarily speechless.

The man said, "Everything was already agreed upon beforehand. My coming aboard this time is to inspect the goods and take delivery."

Chen Ping'an breathed a sigh of relief. "That's as it should be."

––––

The Barbarian Wild World.

Fallen leaves on alien trees.

The four return-to-void channels connecting the two worlds are: East Sea Whale Mark, South Sea God's Township, West Sea Sunfall, and North Sea Heavenly Eye.

The four return-to-voids located in the Barbarian Wild are far apart from each other. Therefore, the Central Earth Confucian Temple has arranged a large number of top-tier combat forces to guard these so-called "death grounds."

At the same time, Haoran has opened three huge ferry ports in the northern part of the Barbarian Wild World, named Holding a Candle, Galloping Horse, and Earth Vein.

The martial family had once made a rough estimate: Haoran's Nine Continents used 30% of their strength to defend against the invasion of the Barbarian Wild demons. Now they have to use 70% of their strength to attack the Barbarian Wild World.

On the Confucian Academy side, a large number of "Upright Men" and noble men have already been placed at the exits of the return-to-voids on the front line.

In addition, some noble men and many academy wise men are "travelling" and training at the two ferry ports.

At the Barbarian Wild Sunfall return-to-void, the top combatants include not only Suzi, but also the newly promoted fourteen-realm cultivator Liu Qi, the Da Li Iron Cavalry commander Song Changjing, Zhang Tiaoxia—who had long reached the Shenzhi Shen Dao level and bears the Dao name Long Bo—the Jade Gui Sect Master of Tongye Continent, Sword Immortal Wei Ying, and the Zhijing martial artist Wu Shu.

Although Suzi is still at the Flying Ascension realm and Liu Qi is already at fourteen-realm, Suzi remains the chief decision-maker here.

Today, visitors came: two Taoists traveling together. The middle-aged Taoist wore a yellow robe, with a long beard flowing; the old Taoist wore a blue robe and a crane-feather cloak. Their apparent ages were very different.

After stating their reasons at the checkpoint, Suzi laughed heartily, left the temporary office, and strode quickly toward the old Taoist with an immortal air, taking his arm joyfully. "Brother Zijing! Years passed, reunited amidst clouds and water."

The middle-aged Taoist smiled. "Fortunate indeed."

This long-bearded Taoist was named Yang Shichang, styled Zijing, and his Dao field was at Kongtong Mountain. His face was as fine as jade, and a purple bamboo vertical flute was tucked at his waist.

One autumn day, during Suzi's official travels, he had gone boating at night with friends and composed a record that became a famous piece.

In the boat, Suzi knocked on the gunwale and sang loudly. A guest played the vertical flute to accompany the song. Intimate friends discussed profound mysteries, refilled cups, and drank again. Cups and plates were in disarray, and they fell asleep tangled together, unaware that the east was already dawning...

Suzi, as if with a pointed remark, smiled and said, "Brother Zijing, now at the bottleneck of the Immortal Realm, and being at a critical point in cultivation, why wade into troubled waters and risk yourself?"

Yang Shichang smiled. "Brother Su, why ask knowingly? Besides, to put it vulgarly, isn't the bottleneck of the Immortal Realm less serious than that of the Flying Ascension Realm?"

Suzi said, "I do revere Buddhism and admire Daoism, but my foundation is ultimately that of a Confucian disciple. In some matters, there is no room to decline."

Yang Shichang said, "Brother Su is a man of letters. Am I not a reader of books as well?"

Suzi laughed heartily. "I can make an exception for Brother Zijing and have a good drink!"

During the last great chaos, Taoists like Cao Rong, the Heavenly Lord of Lingfei Observatory in Treasure Bottle Continent, came down the mountain when turmoil began and retired when battles ended. There were many such cases. Back when the battle line was pushed all the way to the northern Golden Armor Continent by the Barbarian Wild army, there were seven or eight Taoists of astonishing Dao power. They moved unpredictably in the south, slaughtered demons everywhere they encountered them, and put considerable pressure on the Barbarian Wild's rear. In the final battle, five Taoists directly launched a surprise attack on a military camp's headquarters, shattered an entire great mountain range, and eventually forced the camp, which had suffered heavy losses, to relocate elsewhere.

Of that group, only two Taoists remained.

The last time the Central Earth Confucian Temple held a council, invitations were sent, but those two Taoists declined to attend.

The taciturn, blue-robed old Taoist said, "Suzi, the formation is so dense?"

Suzi's smile faded, and he nodded. "The Confucian Temple has long required that the great formations at each ferry port must be able to withstand a full-force strike from a Barbarian Wild fourteen-realm great demon."

The logic was simple: as long as they could block that one strike from the Barbarian Wild great demon, then a Haoran fourteen-realm cultivator could make a move.

The blue-robed Taoist nodded. "Poor Daoist isn't skilled in one-on-one duels, but I can do my small part for this formation."

Suzi bowed in salute and smiled. "Thank you in advance. I am extremely grateful. But this matter still needs the approval of three or four people from the Confucian Temple." The great formation was interlinked; a single move affected the whole, involving the safety of millions of people around the ferry port. So every addition or change to a formation link required Suzi and the other ferry port overseers to report the detailed situation to the Central Earth Confucian Temple. Liu Qi had once joked that the so-called "three or four" were actually two or three opinions, with the real key behind the scenes being one person who said yes or no.

The blue-robed Taoist was unconcerned and returned the salute with a greeting bow, saying indifferently, "It's only proper."

"Poor Daoist once traveled to the White Emperor City amidst the clouds and had the fortune to discuss the foundations of formations with Mr. Zheng."

A while back, a group of academy disciples came here to train. Earlier, at the Galloping Horse ferry port, they helped with military logistics.

Among the group was a young Confucian scholar named Li Huai, a wise man from the Cliff Mountain Academy, one of the seventy-two academies under the Confucian Temple in Treasure Bottle Continent. Accompanied almost entirely by noble men and wise men, he didn't stand out. When academy disciples traveled far, they often discussed learning together, exploring nature and righteousness. Li Huai didn't speak actively; he just listened attentively. Occasionally, someone would ask for his opinion, but Li Huai would simply say he didn't understand.

At first, some mistakenly thought Li Huai was simple-minded, introverted, and disinclined to talk. After spending more time with him, they realized that Li Huai... genuinely didn't understand.

But Li Huai was indeed humble and studious, so his traveling companions, the noble men and wise men, didn't look down on him.

As they became closer, they each asked about his teacher. Li Huai only said that the former mountain lord of the academy was now the Siye of the Liji Academy.

Mao Xiaodong, the Siye of Liji Academy, had become a big name in the Central Earth Confucian Temple... Everyone acknowledged he was rigorous in his studies, impartial, and persuasive with reason...

Since transferring to the Ritual Sage's lineage, Siye Mao had been stationed at the Central Earth Confucian Temple, mainly assisting his former benefactor, the Wen Sage, in handling various affairs. What a coincidence, wasn't it?

Regarding this matter, there had been some private discussion inside and outside the Confucian Temple, and among the mountains of Haoran.

Was it said to be the idea of that close-door disciple?

Impossible, right?

Think it's impossible? That means you've never been to the Sword Qi Great Wall.

What's the inside story here?

Inside story? Heh, plenty!

...

A stooped little old man came without notice. What was particularly special was that the old man was accompanied by a figure who absolutely should not have appeared in this place.

They appeared in plain sight, striding together into this heavily guarded majestic city.

Suzi and several great cultivators said there was no need to worry.

Walking and strolling through the city, the man's realm was high enough that with a little attention, he could see flowing colors of formations everywhere. He clicked his tongue in wonder. "This defense is a bit excessive. Are the other places about the same standard?"

Layer upon layer of formations, seamless, with no concerns about conflict between them. One example alone was the stacking of five Five Elements great formations into a single formation—exquisite and brilliant.

The old man nodded. "The differences between places are limited, and they are being thickened day by day. Those mountain-top cultivators all care about face, and they have a strong sense of competition; they don't want to lose face. Haoran has never lacked strange and extraordinary people, and now there's no shortage of immortal money."

The man asked worriedly, "Daoist Zhisi, give me a straight answer. If I get ganged up on, will you be responsible?"

The old man shot back, "I've never kept my word anyway. Do you still want a straight answer?"

The man sighed deeply. "Acknowledging you as a Daoist is more blind than I am."

The old man said, "Such a foul mouth. What, did you crawl under Yangzhi's or Guan Yi's skirts before coming here?"

The man gave up and shut up obediently.

When nearing a certain place, the old man subtly tugged at his collar and smoothed his sleeves.

The man felt he had truly seen something—a trip not made in vain.

A Da Li Ministry of War Assistant Director was lecturing nearly a hundred people, holding a pointer stick, analyzing the pros and cons, gains and losses of a recent battle.

Among the attendees were noble men and wise men from the academies, Qi refiners from various schools of thought, and military generals from various continents.

Inside the "classroom," there was standing room only.

Li Huai sat in a corner by the window. When important points came up, he would raise his pen and take notes.

Although Li Huai wasn't proficient in military strategy, he had loved it since childhood and listened with great attention.

The old man was as thin as a skeleton, his eye sockets sunken, hands behind his back. He stood outside the window on tiptoe, "watching" Li Huai buried in writing at his desk.

Beside the old man, or more precisely at his feet, stood a stocky middle-aged man, leaning against the base of the wall, grabbing a handful of dirt and slowly rubbing it in his hand.

The old man said rather smugly, "No-name, how about my disciple?"

The middle-aged man, being called "No-name," was truly puzzled. He released his grip, stood up, and asked, "What 'how'?"

Cultivation aptitude? Innate bone structure? Divine intent and Dao power? This young man—none of it was particularly remarkable.

The old man couldn't be bothered to say more.

Li Huai noticed a shadow on his desk. He looked up and suddenly saw two heads at the window. Startled, he recognized the old blind man, put down his pen, and rubbed his wrist.

Then he noticed the "teacher" lecturing and several nearby "students" all looking his way. Li Huai was terribly embarrassed. He quickly signaled with his eyes for the old blind man to leave quickly—class wasn't over yet, what was he doing standing there?

The old blind man said via mind voice, "It's fine. We'll wait until your class ends. It's not like the teacher and students dare to speak and the others dare to listen."

Li Huai got anxious and used the technique of gathering sound into a thread. "Old blind man, don't talk nonsense!"

The old blind man laughed. "Alright, alright. Just continue your lesson. Consider me an auditor. The teaching master can't very well drive me away."

Soon after, a handsome man with a willow branch hanging at his waist came over.

The old blind man said nothing, just raised a hand—a gesture of dismissal.

Predictably snubbed, Liu Qi had no choice but to silently retreat.

The man laughed. "Li Gou is still waiting at your Dao field."

The old blind man said, "Did I ask him to wait?"

The man was helpless.

Thinking back to those days, the famous Daoist Zhisi—whether in appearance or speech—wasn't like this at all. What refinement, what elegance, what transcendence!

The Ten Thousand Great Mountains.

No one around. Looking down from above, there was no trace of life, only desolation.

The master wasn't home. A youthful Barbarian Wild great demon had come alone, sitting cross-legged on a cliff edge.

After being awakened by Bai Ze, the youth had always worn a universe pouch and a demon-catching gourd at his waist. But last time during the council, Xiao Mao used a lame excuse and, with the generosity of others' goods, gave them to Feiran as a gift.

Trivial matter.

After waiting for ten thousand years, it hadn't been in vain. At least he had gained a higher realm.

Unlike Yangzhi, Zhu Yan, and those Barbarian Wild great demons who hadn't slumbered, very little was known about them on the Haoran side.

Hard to imagine that he and Zhisi had once been part of that band of ancient scholars, even starting off on good terms.

For instance, Daoist Zhisi wanted to become the second scholar in the human world to refine his own life-character.

And he, on the other hand, had always hoped to build a literal book city, ruling from within shadows.

Having received the favor of the Wenhai Zhou Mi, who had paved the way and then stepped aside, this matter had come to pass. Now he had replaced the Tongtian Old Fox, who had departed to heaven, as the master of words in the Barbarian Wild World.

The youth habitually took a book from his sleeve. While waiting patiently, he read with concentration. He read aloud, and his voice had a rhythmic quality, as if chanting itself was a Dao technique.

The flavor of books was like grains and millet, like delicacies, like ghee, like strong wine; the flavors of the various schools were like pickled meats.

Ten thousand years ago, he and Zhisi had indeed been like-minded, wanting to see all worlds both inside and outside books.

As for the recent incident in a certain part of the Barbarian Wild, where a demonic cultivator skilled in talismans had "stumbled into" that Haoran Study, the youth was unmoved by Zhou Mi's secret arrangement. He only observed the flow of literary fortune from afar.

After the lecture ended, a wise man from the academy who was familiar with Li Huai, hailing from the Liuxia Continent, noticed the unusual presence outside the window and asked softly, "Li Huai, who's that?"

Li Huai felt a bit awkward but explained, "That's my master—the mountain kind, not a teacher from the academy."

The wise man didn't press further, just said with a look of sudden understanding, "Not bad. Kid's been hiding deep."

Li Huai chuckled sheepishly.

The young wise man bowed in salute toward the window. The old blind man, hands behind his back, hesitated for a moment before nodding in acknowledgment.

Once all the other students had left the classroom, the old blind man entered with No-name. Master and disciple sat across from each other at a desk.

No-name still sat against the wall.

Li Huai asked cautiously, "Master, who's this senior?"

The old blind man said casually, "Don't mind him. He has no name."

The man cupped his hands toward Li Huai and said in clear Haoran elegant language, "Li Huai, long admired, fortunate to meet you. I'm just a martial artist with a few fancy moves."

Li Huai was about to speak when the old blind man interrupted. "No need to bow. A type like him isn't worth it."

The man smiled and nodded, covering for himself. "A real man isn't bothered by trivialities. Whatever's comfortable."

Li Huai sent a mind message: "Old blind man, if you keep acting like this, you'll have no friends."

The old blind man laughed. "I never had many friends to begin with. Those who are friends will get used to me."

Li Huai clicked his tongue and gave a thumbs-up. "Impressive, impressive. Reasonable and well-grounded. Watertight."

The old blind man asked, "Care for a drink?"

Li Huai laughed in exasperation. "You tell me if I want a drink?"

The old blind man said, "Good disciple, don't always be so constrained. The world is vast. Very few people care about who's who."

Li Huai lifted his chin. "With so many great principles, why don't you go be a teacher tomorrow?"

The old blind man chuckled. "I could teach, but they couldn't handle it."

Li Huai asked, "On the way here, how many dishes did you have with your drinks, and how many jin of wine did you down?"

The old blind man just smiled.

No-name crossed his arms and leaned his head back against the wall, closing his eyes to rest. He was mentally exhausted.

He felt that this Li Huai alone, just by chatting, was more disarming than Xiao Mao and Bai Jing combined.

The old blind man was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Li Huai, having a master is about finding a friend, not a backer, right?"

Li Huai's eyes widened. Without hesitation, he shot back, "If not for a backer, what would I need a master for? Huh?"

The old blind man reached out a withered finger and scratched his sunken cheek, momentarily at a loss for words. The disciple's words were extremely logical.

No-name felt like completely shutting off his spiritual sense to avoid seeing or hearing any of this. He had to admit, Daoist Zhisi's good disciple had qualifications inversely proportional to his boldness.

Li Huai explained, "When I was a kid at home, my mother was my backer. Later, when I traveled far to study, I found Chen Ping'an as my backer. At the Cliff Academy in Dasui, Li Baoping and Lin Shouyi were all my backers. Now that I've taken you as my master, if you don't become my backer, am I supposed to be yours? Old blind man, are you telling me that you've been alone in your Dao field without anyone to take care of your meals and daily needs, so hungry that you're spouting nonsense at me?"

The old blind man laughed it off and changed the subject. "Over on the Haoran side, you have a good relationship with that kid surnamed Chen. You're from the same sect and the same hometown. He has one virtue: he remembers old ties. That puts my mind at ease."

Li Huai added, "Tendaoist isn't bad either. We're on great terms."

The old blind man didn't respond, as if just mentioning the Daoist name "Tendaoist" would make him want to drag that Flying Ascension-realm being over and stomp on him a few times. He continued, "In the Five Colors World, that girl Ning Yao is like a junior to my family. Besides, when Chen Xi was young, he once passed through the Ten Thousand Great Mountains. I gave him a few pointers, things that Chen Qingdu couldn't teach. That counts as a bit of teaching grace. That favor, big or small, he naturally has to repay. So when you go to the Five Colors World to travel, you can find Chen Xi as a backer, and he'll accompany you to see the landscapes."

Li Huai instantly showed his characteristic of being brave only at home. "That's the Sword Qi Great Wall's veteran sword immortal with great battle merits. I wouldn't dare open my mouth about that. I don't have the face. I'll definitely be intimidated the moment I meet him."

The old blind man seemed to have expected this. He nodded. "So I've already spoken to Chen Xi—now the Feisheng City's Chen Ji. He said it's no problem. As long as you arrive in the Five Colors World, he'll look out for you."

Li Huai coughed and lowered his voice. "How are you talking? Don't make it sound like we're some gangster sect."

The old blind man smiled placidly. "Human affairs are all the same bird's nest. More or less. Old blind man doesn't bother with such pretenses."

Li Huai quickly warned, "You can't be saying things like that here."

The old blind man continued, "Both academic study and practical training require traveling thousands of miles. In terms of majestic landscapes, Haoran and the Barbarian Wild each have their own charms. So I've also arranged for a group of people to accompany you. Rest assured, you can travel with them freely. The leader is a Taoist named Zhang Fenghai, a barely passable new fourteen-realm. Besides him, there's someone who is an old friend of Chen Ping'an's, so you won't worry about being isolated or having nothing to talk about. They are on their way here..."

Li Huai grinned. "Old blind man, looks like you're entrusting me to someone, like a dying emperor. But I'm no crown prince."

No-name was at a complete loss for words.

He had known Daoist Zhisi for over ten thousand years, and truly, there were very few who dared to speak to Zhisi like this.

The old blind man scratched his cheek and laughed. Worth it, his disciple. Just hearing him talk was heartwarming and pleasant.

Li Huai couldn't keep up the act any longer. His smile gradually faded, his expression darkened. Several times he seemed about to speak but stopped. Finally, he forced a smile, looked at the old man across from him, and spoke slowly, as if talking to himself, asking and answering himself. "Master, that's how it is. But there are always things you have to do. No way around it, right? Master, can you promise me that once you finish your important business, you'll come back? Even if you're going to a far-off place, and can't return for a while, you'll always come back, right? Master, you're at such a high realm. Doing this small thing is possible, isn't it?"

The old blind man had no idea how to say comforting words. He stared at Li Huai for a long time, then slowly said, "A true man stands upright between heaven and earth. He may shed blood, but he does not shed tears."

Li Huai was silent, staring blankly.

On the mountain peak, Li Gou felt a little sad. He put away his book, placed his hands on his knees, and murmured to himself.

"We who study the Dao, our hearts are pure as crystal, our spirits clear as the Great Void."

"We once uttered wild words: without living a hundred thousand years, what is the use of being human?"

The great Dao has a shore; the Dao technique is boundless. Sacrifice the body for the Dao, sacrifice the self for the Dao. One man goes alone, with nothing but generosity.

In the ancient days of glory, the Qi refiners of the human world wanted to achieve everything in one battle.

Countless Taoists gathered almost instantly at a certain place in the human world. Regardless of race, regardless of magical techniques or Dao lineages, they were of one heart and one mind, all fellow travelers.

As they were about to ascend to heaven, a handsome man in a fluttering blue robe appeared, hair disheveled, walking through the void. He was spirited and magnificent, utterly dashing.

He said to the leading group of the highest-realm Taoists, "Just change your path to ascend. Go ahead and help the other battlefields."

He looked up. "This path, I will open it myself."

A great demon said solemnly, "Zhisi, don't be reckless! Acting alone is absolutely impossible! This is a matter of great importance. Don't act on impulse. At worst, you can charge at the front with us. According to the old rule, if I die first, quickly devour my true body to repair your Dao power and continue."

Another great demon, carrying a long staff on his shoulder, was extremely impatient and grinned ferociously. "Zhisi, who do you think you are? Are you the one walking at the front of that Taoist procession, or the one at the back?! Don't block Grandpa Yuan's path! Either go together, or get the hell out of the way."

Zhisi paid no attention, not even glancing at him, only leaving a remark: "If you want to follow, follow. Just don't slow me down in opening the path."

As he spoke, a vast Dharma appearance ten million feet tall appeared on the earth, standing upright in the human world. It suddenly rose from the ground, shooting straight into the clouds. Its magnificent Dao energy took on a blue-purple hue, matching the color of the sky. The Dharma appearance emitted great light, golden and brilliant, dazzling to the eyes.

The enormous Dharma appearance, embodying infinite Dao meaning, wherever it passed, wantonly disturbed a river of time.

The Taoist named Zhisi, refining a red sun between his brows, scattering his hair to embrace the pale moon, drifting gracefully on the pure wind. Both heaven and man looked up to him in awe.

At that time, the crowd of demon cultivators were like mayflies seeing the blue sky.