Chapter 1176: Heaven's Five, Man's Five
Walking while observing, Jiang She felt that embroidered tiger was still quite something. A pity it had been born ten thousand years too late, truly a pity.
After leaving Chuzhou territory, he and his Dao partner had wandered idly to the Great Li auxiliary capital. Without entering the city, they walked along the banks of the Great River. Jiang She smiled and sighed, "Pei Qian's martial arts aptitude is truly extraordinary. It's clear that Cui Cheng's method of teaching fist techniques at the Bamboo Tower was also quite refined. If Chen Ping'an were to be the master teaching and feeding fists... hah, whether Pei Qian could even be at the Far Roaming realm now would be questionable."
Wu Yan's face was full of anger. "Are you never going to stop? Has your conscience been eaten by dogs?!"
Jiang She said, "I'm just speaking the truth. I never said anything bad about him."
He only mentioned how Pei Qian had studied the Eighteen Stops of Sword Qi in her early years, getting stuck at the third stop. If it were Chen Ping'an, he would certainly have stagnated and wouldn't dare act rashly. But Pei Qian didn't care at all—if this place wouldn't have her, another place would. She let her imagination run wild and opened a new path for circulating sword qi, and she actually succeeded.
Jiang She planned to wander all the way to Old Dragon City at the southernmost tip of the continent. He heard that on the ninth day of the first month, Old Dragon City had the custom of "Heavenly Lord's Birthday," setting up three tables at varying heights, burning tall incense, and worshipping heaven to pray for blessings. Then from there, they would take a ride on Osmanthus Island. That small courtyard nicknamed "Toad Palace" had been transferred by Chen Ping'an to Pei Qian. As for that Lady Cassia, she was actually an old acquaintance of their couple. During this time, they could also visit the East Sea Water Lord's Mansion.
Wu Yan said, "We should do something, shouldn't we?"
Jiang She said, "The pressure-suppressing person of Fallen Mountain is that guy with the wooden hairpin. I can't exactly do anything to him."
Wu Yan frowned. "Stop talking nonsense. Let's talk seriously."
Jiang She said, "Don't even mention that Zhong Qian. Haven't I already instructed Cen Yuanji in some fist techniques? And there's that youth named Cao Yin on the back mountain."
Wu Yan laughed angrily. "What great karmic connection! Surname Jiang, do you still think you're the First Patriarch of the Martial Arts?"
Jiang She said helplessly, "That kid is a money-grubber. How about I go over to the Aiai Continent right now, take from the Liu family treasury the ancestral money incarnation of that Snowflake Coin, make it a pair of good things, and kidnap the other one too? Send them to Fallen Mountain? The problem is, even if I dare to send them, would he dare to accept?"
Fallen Mountain's Law Keeper Long Life, Dao name Spirit Spring. And the sword cultivator Du Shanyin's maid Jiqing. They were all such extraordinary existences.
The woman seemed to ponder deeply, then whispered, "I think it's feasible."
Jiang She rubbed his brow, regretting bringing this up.
The woman pressed him, "What do you think?"
Jiang She said self-deprecatingly, "Ju Bao doesn't lack anything. What kind of empty promise can I feed him?"
The woman covered her mouth and laughed. "Finally admitted it."
The group from Lotus Root Paradise went out for training. They boarded a ship at Fish Scale Ferry, taking a cross-continent ferry boat belonging to the Liu family of Luo Ma River in Northern Ju Lu Continent. Crossing the boundless, vast sea surface, they finally saw land, arriving at Old Dragon City, known as a den of luxury. They could disembark and sightsee for two hours. At various shops, they only needed to mention the Liu family name and show their ferry jade token to get a twenty percent discount on all expenses. The ferry company guaranteed that if any Old Dragon City merchant dared to raise prices before discounting, once discovered, the Luo Ma River Liu family would pay ten times the compensation.
They found a restaurant displaying a banner with the words "Delicacies" near the ferry terminal. With money in their pockets, they ordered dishes and drinks without worry. After sitting down, they heard that the nearby Southern Mountain God, named Fan Junmao with the divine title "Kingfisher Green," was about to hold a Night Tour Banquet. They noticed several people at nearby tables who had an immortal aura about them, with expressions of drowning their sorrows in wine. Each of them smiled bitterly but dared not complain. At most, some immortal would mutter softly, "These mountain gods are deadly."
Old Dragon City had dedicated ferry boats and talisman boats that could directly go to the Southern Mountain Ferry Terminal. Taking the boat didn't cost a single Snowflake Coin.
In the eyes of Sun Wanyan and the others, there was always a strange expression of knowing it was a pirate ship but having no choice but to board it.
When settling the bill at the Delicacies Restaurant, which had branches everywhere in Vase Bottle Continent, they actually got a fifty percent discount.
Sun Wanyan found it interesting and asked the manager why.
The manager explained that it was the owner's rule: any honored guest from Northern Ju Lu Continent would automatically get a fifty percent discount on all food and drinks at the restaurant.
Luo Fumei, pretending to be a newly emerged registry cultivator, innocent and naive, unfamiliar with worldly affairs, asked the manager, "If you give a fifty percent discount, can the restaurant still make a profit?"
The manager smiled but didn't answer.
Luo Fumei immediately understood. The profit margins at this Delicacies Restaurant must be terrifyingly high. Apparently, the Vase Bottle Continent customers were like fat pigs willingly throwing themselves in.
Previously, they had "escorted" those immortals and former royal descendants who had lodged in Lotus Root Paradise for many years back to their homeland, Tongye Continent.
Chief Zhou said it well: when men and women travel together in pairs, it adds beauty to the great rivers and mountains.
The female cultivator Sun Wanyan, Dao name Spirit Talisman, the first talisman cultivator in the paradise's history, was currently studying two talisman immortal texts. One was a private book gifted by the Green Duckweed Sword Sect's Sect Master Cui, and the other was bought from Zhou Fei—on credit.
Many cultivation bottlenecks and path obstacles that had baffled her for so long became clear the moment she read the books. Sun Wanyan couldn't help but sigh, realizing that staying cooped up in the paradise for so long had made her a frog at the bottom of a well. If she had the chance, she would definitely visit Peach Talisman Mountain in the Central Earth Divine Continent. Even knowing that their threshold was high and she'd most likely be turned away at the door, she still wanted to stand at the mountain gate and pay her respects before returning home. That alone would make the trip worthwhile.
As for Luo Fumei from the Fox Kingdom, she was purely looking for an excuse to join the excitement. Having stayed too long in the sealed Fox Kingdom within the paradise, she was terribly bored. Luo Fumei didn't yet know that she was about to enter the Great Li Ministry of Justice for training, and would soon possess the "Trouble-Free Offering Token" that cultivators across the continent dreamed of.
The others were all martial artists. From the Song Lai Kingdom's Jiangzhou came the female martial arts grandmaster He Qizhou. The sword adept with both civil and martial skills, Cao Ni, was already at the Golden Body realm. Present was also the wandering swordsman Yuan Huang, who felt a bit of "hometown trepidation," and the slovenly blade master Wu Jiang.
Yuan Huang's trip to Fallen Mountain was made with utmost sincerity. He had only one thought: to apprentice himself to the Sword Immortal Chen who had transmitted the teachings at the Great Tree Temple. Having a formal master-disciple relationship would be best, but not having one was also fine. He didn't dare hope for more. As long as the Sword Immortal Chen truly taught fist techniques, that would be enough.
As for the other two native sword cultivators born from the Lotus Root Paradise—Mai Qing, a maiden who had grown tired of reading martial arts tales while waiting to be married, and the big-bearded man Geshu Longshang, who rode a donkey to compose poems beyond the frontier passes—they should have traveled north to Vase Bottle Continent together and entered Fallen Mountain. But they were intercepted by a secret letter, redirected from Fish Scale Ferry in the Yunyan Kingdom's capital straight to Green Duckweed Sword Sect. The sect master's own handwriting on the letter was emphatic, its gist being: "Though we are Fallen Mountain's subordinate sect, in terms of Dao lineage depth and sect seniority, we naturally can't compare in any way. There's only one thing we can be proud of—the sheer number of sword immortals." Geshu Longshang and Mai Qing, as junior sword cultivators who had just birthed their life-bound flying swords, naturally felt tempted after reading the secret letter's contents.
Thus, Xu Jiaoqie was responsible for protecting them as they accompanied them to the sword-immortal-filled Green Duckweed Sword Sect to pay their respects.
At the Caizhi Mountain Immortal Ferry, the resting place of the Southern Mountain's crown prince mountain, the cross-continent ferry made a brief stop. It happened to encounter the Wind Kite ferry boat that was docking there after traveling north. They returned their jade tokens, as this was ultimately a "family" cross-continent boat. When the Luo Ma River Liu family ferry manager heard they were transferring to the Wind Kite ferry, he actually refunded half their fare. Sun Wanyan found this interesting too. The manager only smiled and said, "In business, one always tries to maintain one's capital while making things convenient for others."
Northern Ju Lu Continent—what a wonderful place! No wonder Vase Bottle Continent cultivators couldn't stand hearing the words "Tongye Continent" these days, but whenever Northern Ju Lu Continent was mentioned, smiles appeared on their faces. They said the two continents had harmonious relations, like two neighboring villages forming marriage ties between "family friends," where courtesy required reciprocity.
In truth, Sun Wanyan and her group weren't short on money. They were quite well-off.
Because that fellow who claimed to have an irreconcilable enmity with Spring Tide Palace's Zhou Fei had tossed them a bag of immortal coins when they parted.
He said it was for travel expenses. When traveling abroad, one shouldn't suffer for the sake of money. He, Zhou Fei, happened to have a modest family fortune and had always loved befriending extraordinary people and wandering friends. He couldn't bear to see a hero brought down by the lack of a single coin.
That bag of immortal coins was called Guyu Coins.
Earlier, Wu Jiang absolutely refused to believe that a so-called Guyu Coin could actually be exchanged for so much gold and silver.
But when at the Fish Scale Ferry immortal inn, one Guyu Coin was exchanged for ten Xiaoshu Coins, then converted into five bags of one hundred Snowflake Coins in total, and considering that immortal coins were now worth more—for instance, an unworn Snowflake Coin could easily be exchanged for a thousand taels of silver, with rumors of a premium of ten to twenty taels—the young blade master Wu Jiang's eyes went wide round. He had never had money like this in his life. He bitterly regretted cursing that brother Zhou Fei all along the way. What did it matter if he stole a few glances at Sun Wanyan? He wasn't married, she wasn't married. They were both single, with no Dao partners or spouses yet. Why had he meddled in their business and broken up a pair of lovebirds? Next time they met, he wouldn't just warmly call him "Brother Zhou" a few times—he'd acknowledge him as his ancestor.
After smoothly boarding the Wind Kite ferry boat, Wu Jiang sidled up to Sun Wanyan and began to make amends. "Sister Spirit Talisman, I think this Zhou Fei person is actually pretty good. Flirty with words but upright in heart. You two are both cultivators practicing immortal arts on the mountain. You should look past words and skin and see a person's pure Dao heart."
Sun Wanyan sneered coldly. "I think it's Zhou Fei's money in his pouch that you think is pretty good, right?"
"Deep blood feud with Spring Tide Palace's Zhou Fei, so he deliberately used the alias Zhou Fei to walk the world, wanting to fish. He wants to skin him, pull his sinews, eat his flesh, drink his blood every day..." Who was he trying to fool? Fooling the money-blinded Wu Jiang and the ignorant Mai Qing was fine, but trying to fool this old lady? No way.
Wu Jiang couldn't very well claim he didn't like money, so he had to say, "Sister Spirit Talisman, rumors in the martial world are always a mix of truth and falsehood. Take me, for example. I'm branded as a member of the demon cult, but I often do chivalrous deeds and never bully the innocent. In recent years, I've personally broken the legs of over a dozen womanizers, and half of them were disciples of righteous factions. What happened? They crawled back to their sects, wailed a few times to their masters and elders, then started spreading filth, saying I was the thief climbing walls to harm virtuous women, getting official warrants issued against me."
But in his heart, he was calculating: the rich landowner Zhou Fei, who had no shortage of enemies, probably needed a few bodyguards and servants to spend money on safety.
Sun Wanyan nodded. Wu Jiang's words weren't false.
He Qizhou suddenly asked, "When you get to Fallen Mountain, will you still go back?"
Cao Ni laughed. "I'm definitely going back to my hometown. But before that, I want to ask that Zhong Qian—who's rumored to be frantically practicing fist techniques in the mountain day and night seeking realm breakthroughs—for a fist match. A sparring session, to see if the gap between myself and the number one under heaven in my homeland has narrowed or widened."
Zhou Fei said that when Zhong Qian arrived at the mountain, wanting to go even further, to become the first grandmaster in the paradise to break through to the Far Roaming realm so he could return home in glory, he went all out, practicing fists until he forgot to eat and sleep. No matter how others tried to persuade him, nothing could stop him.
Yuan Huang said, "I might follow Grandmaster Zhong's example and stay in the mountain to practice martial arts."
Wu Jiang tapped the handle of his blade a few times with his palm, full of spirit. "A wanderer of the martial world makes his home everywhere."
Luo Fumei was the most carefree. The Fox Kingdom had long ago been under the Xu family of Qingfeng City, a money-making treasure trove. Only later did they move to Lotus Root Paradise and seal the mountain, making things quiet. Her thinking was simple: first become the Law Keeper Patriarch of the Fox Kingdom, catch the eye of Sword Immortal Chen, then find another path. Taking a position at Fallen Mountain would be best, but going to Green Duckweed Sword Sect would also be very good.
The sea of clouds was like clusters of cotton, the green mountains below like small anthills, the roads winding like silk threads.
A great river with a wide surface divided Vase Bottle Continent into north and south.
The massive ferry occasionally pierced through thick black clouds, with lightning interweaving as if some god was raging here, ordering the ferry to quickly change course. When the ferry suddenly burst out of the sea of clouds, above was a sky-covering sea of clouds dyed with layers of golden edges, below was also a sea of clouds, pure white. The ship moved like a person walking slowly along a covered corridor. Occasionally, patches of green could be seen piercing through the white, poking out their heads. The mountain colors were miniature like potted landscapes, presumably the peaks of various countries' great mountains that rose above the sea of clouds. All kinds of beautiful scenery, beyond description, too much to take in.
Finally arrived.
The legendary Fallen Mountain.
It was said that in history, the founding emperor of Southern Garden Kingdom, Wei Xian, who had sent people everywhere to seek immortals, and Sui Youbian, who attempted the feat of ascending with a sword but ended up tragically emaciated, had both been here... listed in the green registry, ranked among the immortals.
The Wind Kite ferry docked at Ox Horn Ferry. They all disembarked. Those waiting here to guide them up the mountain were a man named Zheng Dafeng and a fair-faced youth with a strange name, Wen Zixi.
They introduced themselves as fist-teaching masters at Oriole Peak of Jumping Fish Mountain—one formal, one temporarily on probation.
Wen Zixi, who wore a sword talisman at his waist, took a folded paper talisman from his sleeve and casually threw it into the air. It transformed into an immortal talisman boat with seal script flowing with treasure light on its hull and blue mist rising from its bottom. It approached close to the ground of the ferry terminal, and mist swirled around the boat. Everyone boarded. Wen Zixi, acting as helmsman, waved his sleeve, and the talisman boat, carved from a single piece of white jade, suddenly rose into the air. It sped along like lightning, dragging a trail of fireflies behind it in the sky.
The talisman boat circled around Gray Mound Mountain, passed through a sea of clouds between Fallen Mountain and Heavenly Capital Peak, and slowly landed on the road at the mountain gate.
Wen Zixi said they had arrived. When everyone stood up, their boots passed through the bottom of the boat and gently touched the ground. The blue mist instantly dissipated. Wen Zixi made a hand seal, and the talisman boat, as if receiving a command, transformed back into a folded piece of paper. With a flash of treasure light, it flew into his Dharma robe sleeve.
In the past, before coming here to learn fist techniques on the mountain, Wen Zixi had greatly enjoyed this kind of showing off that stuck a label of "money" or "immortal" on one's forehead.
Now that feeling had faded. Watching those beautiful women of the mortal world no longer stirred his heart either.
This kind of showing off one's immortal aura had become extremely boring to Wen Zixi. If not for Zheng Dafeng insisting he come to Ox Horn Ferry to receive guests—saying he didn't have enough sword talismans and they were borrowed, and they couldn't exactly make a big group of guests walk all the way to Fallen Mountain's gate—Wen Zixi thought to himself, since he still had this "probationary" status, he should at least do a little something to continue teaching fists at Oriole Peak on Jumping Fish Mountain and attending lectures on Flower Shadow Peak.
When they arrived at Oriole Peak's martial arts training ground, they realized that there were only eight young boys and girls learning fists here, but quite a few teaching masters. Grandmaster Zheng Dafeng, Second Master Cen Yuanji, Probationary Instructor Wen Zixi, and Mountain Lord Chen with Pei Qian, Old Cook, Zhong Qian, and a white-haired child who served as the registry officer of Fallen Mountain. Occasionally, some would come to give a few pointers on fist techniques, but they didn't come often.
Weren't the teachers almost outnumbering the students?
Wen Zixi knew Zheng Dafeng was talking nonsense but couldn't very well call him out on the spot.
Yuan Huang and the others also saw their fellow countryman Zhong Qian, the number one martial artist of their home world, walking into the training ground with his chest puffed out and patting his belly. Was this the martial arts fanatic who was reportedly practicing fists in this mountain to the point of wishing a day had twenty hours?
Wu Jiang squatted at the edge of the training ground and muttered, "Martial arts geniuses are this worthless?"
During their travels, they had either been on ferries piercing through sea clouds or at strange immortal ferry terminals full of extraordinary people. After seeing so many, they didn't seem that special anymore. But they hadn't seen many top-tier martial artists or grandmasters from Tongye Continent. Then, arriving at Jumping Fish Mountain, they see a whole nest of them—boys and girls, all geniuses, all with fist intent and condensed true qi.
Sun Wanyan and Luo Fumei went to Flower Shadow Peak. The former stood outside a window listening to a Daoist priest lecturing on the subject of talismans.
Later, she lost interest and wandered off on her own, encountering an extremely beautiful woman with the Dao name Mei Zheng who had built a thatched hut by a stream.
Luo Fumei wasn't shy, so she casually chatted with her. The two beauties, their graceful figures, amidst birdsong and human voices within the green mountains.
That Zhou Hu casually asked a question: What does "repairing leaks and gaps, Heaven's Five and Man's Five" mean?
Luo Fumei was speechless. Such a great question—why ask me, fellow Daoist? You should ask the Hidden Officer instead.
Having barely held on to his Chief position, Jiang Shangzhen said he planned to visit the True Realm Sect to relax and ease his mind.
Zhu Lian asked him to also check on Zeng Ye's situation while there. Jiang Shangzhen naturally agreed readily.
Riding the wind to Ox Horn Ferry, Jiang Shangzhen found a lump of white crouching near a wooden sign by the road.
Cui Dongshan stood up, turned his head, and smiled. "I'll accompany you on this trip to Letter Writing Lake. The journey is long and the mountains and rivers far—no need to feel lonely."
Jiang Shangzhen smiled and asked, "Sect Master Cui, I'm going to the True Realm Sect to show off my wealth. What are you going for?"
Cui Dongshan flicked his sleeve and complained, "So distant. Why call me Sect Master Cui?"
Jiang Shangzhen, who had almost become the Deputy Mountain Lord, chuckled cheerfully.
Cui Dongshan also knew he hadn't handled that matter well, so he immediately changed the subject. "After much thought, which exhausted my mind, I've finally come up with a conjecture. I think Jiang She didn't tell the truth, or he misjudged. You might actually be connected to a soul of the Second Patriarch of the Martial Arts. But she used a relatively clever illusion technique, like splitting a soul in half, giving half to Jiang Shangzhen of Cloud Cavern Paradise and half to 'Zhu Lu' of Fortune Street in Li Zhu Cave Heaven. That would fool the heavens and cross the sea, wouldn't it?"
Jiang Shangzhen was dumbfounded. White Goose, aren't you stretching things a bit here?
"Fooling you? Think about it. Her past life was quite something. Remember that mountain peak question-and-answer session with Gao Gu back then? She directly created a Zhuolu Relic site! So when she came here, it was both the White Jade Capital giving her a chance to atone for her mistakes—she was supposed to protect someone's path—and as for her past life's true form, she probably had her own calculations, like whether there was a chance to establish contact with 'you all' here in the Haoran Righteous World, especially you. Since that plan failed, the White Jade Capital had no choice but to recall her. Now that little woman Zhu Lu is about to 'return to her position' as the wooden master. What do you think? Plausible?"
Jiang Shangzhen's expression grew serious.
"Returning to you: first, in the Lotus Flower Paradise of Contemplation Taoist Temple, you met my master. After leaving the paradise, you soon encountered that fool surnamed Zuo on the sea. After that, you quickly became familiar with my master, didn't you? Let's push further back. How did you meet Lu Fang, one of the Seven Souls, and become close friends? Just based on looks? Then, in Northern Ju Lu Continent, an outsider at the Golden Core stage, you were thriving. Count—how many times have you narrowly escaped death? Once was your own true skill, twice was luck, three times was ancestral virtue, four times was your tough fate, five times? Six times? Doesn't this count as 'Heaven's will in the unseen'? Someone was clearly protecting you, yes or no? Ten thousand years ago, she chose to assist Jiang She as the second-in-command of the Martial Arts. Ten thousand years later, at Fallen Mountain, you became the Chief Supplicant early on. Remember when we met again in Tongye Continent last time, how I asked you: is Jiang Shangzhen still Jiang Shangzhen?! If I'm not mistaken, did my master also ask you something similar?"
Jiang Shangzhen grew more and more frightened. How could he still care about being Deputy Mountain Lord or not? With a mournful face, he hurriedly transmitted his thoughts: "Brother Cui, don't scare me! Talk like this any longer, and even if I'm not, I'll become it! We're brothers who've risked our lives together—give me a straight answer!"
Cui Dongshan sneered. "Not calling me Sect Master Cui anymore?"
Jiang Shangzhen breathed a sigh of relief.
But unexpectedly, Cui Dongshan pointed at his head. "Here, we manage ourselves. It all relies on 'memory is reality,' so everything is conceivable."
Then Cui Dongshan pointed at his heart. "But here, who manages it is uncertain. The old saying goes: a ghostly drive and divine push. Doubt means no faith, but faith means existence?"
Jiang Shangzhen felt his heart leap to his throat.
Cui Dongshan's expression was grave. "Do you think why did I trick you into going to Green Duckweed Sword Sect? Besides me being a master of soul-related arts—anyone who plays games with me must weigh whether their cultivation is profound enough to reach the heavens—there's one more thing..."
Jiang Shangzhen asked cautiously, "And what is that?"
Cui Dongshan put on a stern face and choked his throat, saying, "Another reason: Chief Zhou himself said, 'If you hurt my heart, then I'll have to hurt your Great Path.'"
Jiang Shangzhen didn't know whether to laugh or cry. That sentence was indeed a joke he had made earlier at the "Well Mouth" in Tongye Continent to the Daoist Liu Xun.
Cui Dongshan said seriously, "I'm not deliberately trying to scare you. There really is that one-in-ten-thousand possibility. But don't worry, even if it's ten-thousand-to-one, as long as I'm here, the Jiang Shangzhen who serves as Fallen Mountain's Chief Zhou will be free in all his choices from now on. At least."
Jiang Shangzhen smiled. "What I heard earlier, I half-believed and half-doubted, not taking it seriously. But this last sentence, Jiang Shangzhen takes seriously."
Cui Dongshan raised his palm, and Jiang Shangzhen lightly slapped it.
Cui Dongshan suddenly raised his hand to cover his mouth. "Actually, I was lying to you all along. Only I suffered bitterness in Tongye Continent, feeling unsettled..."
Jiang Shangzhen reached out, grabbed his neck, and dragged him forcefully toward the ferry.
This trip to Letter Writing Lake, besides making an appearance at the Five Islands Sect to support Zeng Ye, Jiang Shangzhen also had to give a magical treasure to Zhou Caizhen, who was almost like a biological daughter to him. Every time he went to the True Realm Sect to see her, he brought gifts—it had become a tradition.
And then there was Guo Chunxi, whom he had instigated to "go up the mountain to seek immortality." He had once been the senior disciple of Xu Yuanxia from Xianyou County. He wasn't skilled in his studies, but for some reason, he had gone up the mountain, cultivated immortality, and even had a relatively high seniority in the True Realm Sect.
As the sect's Law Keeper, Li Fuqu had always valued this personally taught disciple, even though his realm-breaking speed was slower than a turtle's crawl.
Promoted from second seat to Law Keeper, she had the Sect Master Liu Laocheng and Chief Supplicant Liu Zhimao. Her greatest advantage was that she was originally from a registry of the superior sect, Jade Gui Sect. When the True Realm Sect was first established at Letter Writing Lake, she was one of the first founding elders of the Patriarch Hall. Later, she successively assisted three sect masters: Jiang Shangzhen, Wei Ying, and Liu Laocheng. Whether in merit, seniority, or her current Jade Pu realm cultivation level, a promotion to the superior sect would surely not invite any gossip.
Furthermore, Li Fuqu was also a nominal guest elder of Fallen Mountain.
At first, she had been hesitant, wanting to avoid suspicion. But in the end, she feared the unpredictable Sect Master Jiang's temper. After all, the local magistrate had more authority than a distant superior. Being indebted to the superior sect was still better than having Jiang Shangzhen make things difficult for her in the True Realm Sect.
How many troublesome matters in the world unexpectedly turn into unexpected happy turns of events!
A group of female cultivators from Pearl Hairpin Island near Turtle Back Mountain—Liu Xia, Guan Qing, Bai Que, and other personally taught disciples of Island Master Liu Zhongrun, along with over a dozen registry female cultivators of lower seniority—were also taking a ferry to Letter Writing Lake. Over the years, Bai Que and the others had indirectly suggested to their master Liu Zhongrun that they wanted to return to Pearl Hairpin Island for a visit. This time, Liu Zhongrun was finally willing to let them "out on parole." However, she repeatedly warned them not to show off on the way, and when they arrived at Letter Writing Lake, they should also keep a low profile, going quietly and returning quietly. If they encountered villains, they should say they were acquainted with Jiang Shangzhen. If that didn't work, and they met someone reckless who didn't fear death, they could throw away their pride and directly say they were under the Hidden Officer Chen of Fallen Mountain... They could make up whatever they wanted!
As luck would have it, they happened to be on the same ferry as Chief Zhou.
Jiang Shangzhen greeted the pretty girls warmly and made plans to eat well together later at the Delicacies Restaurant on the upper deck of the ferry.
In the premium room, standing on the observation deck, Jiang Shangzhen asked, "Are you preparing for the mountain lord to change his identity and make another trip to Letter Writing Lake?"
Cui Dongshan leaned on the railing. "Probably. We'll probably each need to make another trip to Letter Writing Lake. Probably."
A technique of "dragging things out" could probably drag things into an unresolved state.
A technique of "enduring" could perhaps endure until things turn the page.
At Letter Writing Lake, at Su Lin Island, an unexpected visitor arrived, one no one could have imagined. His official travel document named him Yellow Flower God. He had no Dao name, claiming to be a nominal Supplicant of Fu Yao Sect.
In fact, he had once been a Jade Pu realm rogue cultivator in Fu Yao Continent, very famous, known for his arrogance and expertise in sneak attacks throughout the continent. Now, under Gu Can, he was secretly bound by agreement to observe the disciple's etiquette.
Whether in realm or sect status, Tian Hujun, who had yet to reach the Nascent Soul stage, dared not be negligent.
The last time they met, when Gu Can returned to Letter Writing Lake, she had promised Gu Can to take care of the Five Islands Sect on his behalf, which actually meant Zeng Ye and Ma Duyi.
Gu Can had asked her to do one or two things that would provide timely help, not just add icing on the cake. He also said that someone by Zeng Ye's side would prompt him, so there was no need for superfluous actions.
Tian Hujun admitted she had never understood Gu Can in her life.
For instance, why he fought that fight with Cao Ci, who had already reached the Spirit Arriving layer, and got seriously injured.
Just by looking at Yellow Flower God's appearance and bearing, he was no different from the land immortals in strange tales. He seemed like a figure painted directly from textual descriptions, wearing a green jade crown, eyes clear and bright, dressed in a Daoist robe, straw sandals, holding a whisk, with a solemn demeanor.
"The sect master knows that with your natural talent and understanding, and with Liu Zhimao always unwilling to teach you everything, you absolutely cannot reach the Nascent Soul stage within thirty to fifty years. He worries that your low realm will hinder that mutual agreement, which is why I have come to Su Lin Island."
Yellow Flower God took out a secret manual from his sleeve and lightly tossed it to Tian Hujun, who was sitting on the cushion opposite. "In Fu Yao Sect, I'm just a free-spirited idler with nothing to do. The sect master asked me to come to Su Lin Island and grant you a karmic opportunity. Take the book and keep it safe. In the near future, consult it carefully. If you have any questions or doubts, come ask me. Each question costs one Gold Essence Copper Coin. That'll save you from disturbing my secluded cultivation over trivial matters. The rule of paying for answers is my own idea. If you, fellow Daoist, feel dissatisfied, develop a grudge, or have obstacles in your thoughts that hinder your cultivation, feel free to write to the sect master to complain. The outcome—we'll each deal with it based on our own abilities."
Tian Hujun's scalp tingled. She received the secret manual with both hands and quickly scanned the golden text on the cover. Not looking would have been fine, but this glance caused a change. Her mind seemed to be forcibly gripped by the golden characters, involuntarily sinking into the cover. Startled, Tian Hujun hurriedly circulated her energy, desperately stabilizing her Dao heart, barely managing to shift her gaze away from the golden characters.
Yellow Flower God's eyes showed a hint of mockery. This woman's Dao heart was like rotten wood, truly unworthy of carving.
How did Gu Can end up with such a mediocre "senior sister"?
Tian Hujun had no choice but to deliberately ignore his teasing gaze and tentatively asked, "May I ask, senior, can this be converted into Guyu Coins?"
Nowadays, those few types of Gold Essence Copper Coins were simply unavailable on the market, too rare. Tian Hujun couldn't even guarantee she could get her hands on a few.
"Of course not."
Yellow Flower God reached out his hand, saw her puzzled expression, withdrew his hand, and had to patiently explain, "Fellow Daoist Tian already owes me one Gold Essence Copper Coin."
Tian Hujun was stunned.
Yellow Flower God seemed to mutter to himself, "I really can't understand how such a small Letter Writing Lake can make people so miserable."
Besides Sect Master Gu Can and Law Keeper Patriarch Zhong Su, some had three characters scraped off, becoming taboo, or pasted over with yellow paper, trying to cover things up.
Tian Hujun's expression changed slightly, but in the end, she dared not say anything more.
---
At Crow Mountain, Lin Jiangxian told some stories to Su Dian.
That Zhu someone twisted his wrist, flipped out a wine flask, and started drinking on his own. Stories with wine had a special flavor.
Back then, the Sacrificial Official Yan Guo secretly left the Sword Qi Great Wall and went to Inverted Mountain, lodging at that newly opened Crane Magpie Inn. Yan Guo shared a drink with the young innkeeper who had taken the alias Bai Luo. From the innkeeper to the shop assistants, this inn was staffed by the most capable cultivators of the Sui Chu Palace. Their "apparent" purpose was to find that fleeing celestial demon hiding everywhere, their only clue being the narrow blade Zhan Kan.
Afterwards, Yan Guo fought a battle at sea with Zhang Tiaoxia, who was then known as the number one martial artist under the Haoran Righteous World. He went to Tongye Continent, recording his experiences along the way, and wrote a landscape travelogue with rough but expressive writing. Eventually, he traveled north to Vase Bottle Continent, entered Li Zhu Cave Heaven, found the Azure Lad Heavenly Lord at the Yang family pharmacy, and became his disciple. His already masterful and perfect martial arts reached even further. When he arrived at the Azure Underworld World, he transformed and became "Teacher Lin" of Crow Mountain in the Red Gold Dynasty.
He was disliked by Xin Ku of the Leap Month Peak martial artists. This was a natural rejection by the local supreme power against outsiders.
Later, Lu Tai had a similar experience, but Lin Jiangxian was at a higher realm. Although Xin Ku felt that this number one martial artist under heaven was flawless in his words, actions, bearing, and cultivation, deep down, he still detested this man. The root cause was that he "knew" this mighty dragon from beyond, no matter how much he tried to conceal his momentum and hide his power, was still too strong. Intuition told Xin Ku that Lin Jiangxian would have a tremendous impact on the Azure Underworld World.
It was not appropriate to confront the Martial Arts Ancestral Court of the Haoran Righteous World head-on, so he found another path in the Azure Underworld World.
And so there was Crow Mountain in Ruzhou, and "Teacher Lin" who took four personally taught disciples: Zhao Hechong, Qi Huajian, Zong Xuequan, and Song Yue. Two were at the Mastery realm, two at the Summit realm.
For him to be the number one under heaven was one thing, but to teach disciples fist techniques like this—who could reason with him?
Lin Jiangxian said, "Martial arts and divine powers and techniques actually share the same origin but diverge. The posture of 'well water not interfering with river water' that later generations display is just an appearance. The human body is most suitable for cultivation—this is common knowledge on the mountain. Otherwise, mountain and lake spirits who laboriously refine their forms to become human wouldn't do so just because the human form is the most attractive. The current incompatibility between Refining Master's spiritual energy and martial artist's true qi is the optimal choice evolved over ten thousand years."
Su Dian nodded. Thinking of Tongye Continent's Pu Mountain Cloud Grass Hall, where fist stances all came from diagrams. Historically, there had been many "two-gold" cultivators—both Golden Core earth immortals and Golden Body realm martial artists. But their ultimate achievements were not high.
That Zhu someone laughed. "So martial artists can also draw talismans using pure true qi."
Su Dian nodded. "I've heard Senior Brother Zheng mention this. Mountain Lord Chen is skilled in this way."
That Zhu someone tilted his chin toward that Teacher Lin. "He's even more skilled. That's my guess."
Lin Jiangxian smiled. "Wanting the two rivers to converge, like a 'closing of the dragon,' requires entering the Eleventh Realm within two to three hundred years."
That Zhu someone rolled his eyes. That was something he wouldn't even dare to think about. He figured even if he dared to think about it, he'd be disheartened. How could he connect those two to three hundred years with the martial arts realm of the Eleventh? Was he supposed to tell himself, "In ten thousand years, no one has done it, but I will"? The gamble was too big.
Of course, it seemed that might not be the case anymore now. At least this Teacher Lin in front of him could certainly be considered an exception. As for how many others there were, the answer would soon emerge. Mastery realm martial artists were unlike accomplished cultivators—they couldn't hide. Perhaps there were new Fourteen Realm cultivators who could keep hiding until they got old, until they reached the "old" stage. But Eleventh Realm martial artists absolutely would not hide.
Lin Jiangxian said, "The reason sword cultivators are troublesome, besides their way of doing things, is always because their killing power is high enough. The reasoning here is simple: the lifebound divine ability of a flying sword is the most direct form of heavenly bestowal. When cultivators of the Dao use other divine powers in the world, they are ultimately not as smooth as the gods. As for the techniques that landed ten thousand years ago, almost all required Daoist priests to improve them. But the sword path is different. The sword-bearer was one of the five supreme beings of the ancient Heavenly Court, and the Thunder Department, which held great authority, was still only one of the twelve high positions. For example, in the court of the mountain below, supervisory officials in the Six Offices of Scrutiny might have low ranks, but which official dared to underestimate them? In the imperial examination path, there were room examiners and chief examiners, different from those personally appointed by the emperor."
Su Dian's expression was awkward. "Teacher Lin, I completely don't understand officialdom."
Lin Jiangxian took a talisman from his sleeve and handed it to Su Dian. "Study it more carefully. It might be beneficial. This talisman uses sword techniques as its talisman core, and within it is hidden an ancient sword Dao lineage. Wan Yao Sect knows the 'what' but not the 'why,' so they gained little from it."
Earlier, during his "descent from the mountain," the young Hidden Officer had drawn this talisman.
It was said to be a Five Sacred Mountains Talisman obtained from the Three Mountains Paradise, very different from the Five Sacred Mountains Talismans widely circulated in later generations.
In ancient times, the four sword Dao lineages inherited from heaven by the mortal world had orderly transmissions and unbroken incense offerings.
The lineage of Chen Qingdu of the Sword Qi Great Wall, the lineage of the Xuan Du Temple in the Azure Underworld World, the lineage of the Heavenly Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain in the Haoran Righteous World, and the lineage of the monk Jiang Xiu.
If these sword Dao lineages were undoubtedly "mainstream studies," then there were also a few "obscure studies" that, for various reasons, did not flourish and could not be manifested.
Lin Jiangxian looked toward the direction of the White Jade Capital and said, "That Zhu someone, why do you think Yu Dou has always been quite tolerant toward martial artists compared to the Dao officials inside and outside the White Jade Capital?"
That Zhu someone shook his head. "This kind of question, I can't be bothered to think about too much. Just thinking about it makes my teeth ache."
Su Dian couldn't understand one thing: "Since Teacher Lin also admits that Vice Leader Yu governs the world entirely without selfish motives, why does the world rebel?"
Lin Jiangxian was silent for a long time.
Su Dian also knew that this question was extremely difficult for anyone to give an "accurate" answer to, especially a "correct" one.
A great question.
Lin Jiangxian answered with a question: "Since in your hometown, the town's dragon kiln tradition forbade women from approaching, this old tradition, this rigid rule, was followed generation after generation. The kiln supervisor's office didn't need to issue laws. The master kiln workers, the formal kiln workers, and the apprentices all observed it. Why did they still let you work there as a helper back then, allowing you to earn a meal and not starve to death?"
Su Dian thought for a while, to no avail, and shook his head. He really wasn't good at pondering these kinds of principles. He never had been.
"Principles can kill without a blade, but they can also save people. Principles can commit suicide, or they can save themselves. Using principles as a pretext to live is always easy. In a world where being a good person requires paying a price, who can do anything about it?"
Lin Jiangxian smiled. "Right and wrong, good and bad—it's hard to say clearly now. Often, 'not being strong enough' is wrong, and 'being good but not good enough' is also wrong."
That Zhu someone tilted his head back, raised his wine flask, and used the remaining wine to wash his face.
---
Xiao Mo, in the Azure Underworld World, returned to the Contemplation Taoist Temple from the Sui Chu Palace, drank another round with Fellow Daoist Bi Xiao, and then returned to Fallen Mountain.
He went straight to the Great Li capital.
He brought back two pieces of news.
First, at the Sui Chu Palace side, Wu Shuangjiang, who had "usurped the throne" and "stolen the name," immediately began constructing a new Martial Temple Ancestral Court.
The Bingzhou Qing Shen Dynasty publicly announced the establishment of a private ordination altar. The Hongnong Yang family of Youzhou followed suit. Ruzhou did the same.
Now, of the fourteen prefectures in the Azure Underworld World, in the eyes of accomplished summit-realm cultivators skilled in observing celestial energy, half had changed color.
A Fourteenth Realm cultivator, the Elegant Minister Yao Qing, voluntarily entered that Martial Temple, taking the second highest position, converting to a Martial Cultivator, while simultaneously obtaining a purple sword light and a dragon vein manifested by the Great Path.
Yao Qing thus ascended to another level, entering the Pseudo-Fifteenth Realm, yet no heavenly tribulation descended.
Second, it was a heavenly secret leaked by Cave Master Bi Xiao.
After the Three Teachings Patriarchs dispersed their Dao, the first Pseudo-Fifteenth Realm cultivator in the Azure Underworld World was not Lu Chen, but Yu Dou, who had refined the entire White Jade Capital Mountain. However, he seemed to have been schemed against by Zou Zi. The Leap Month Peak's Xin Ku, symbol of the Great Path, crossed the world and traveled far to the Savage Wasteland, causing Lu Chen to bear two "Heavenly Curses" in one bright and one dark aspect. Now Yu Dou's true body could not leave the White Jade Capital region. At most, his yin spirit could leave his body for distant travel. Therefore, the same-realm Yao Qing manifested his Dharma form, standing tall in the mortal world, confronting him from afar.
At the National Teacher's Residence.
After Xiao Mo finished speaking these things, Xie Gou, who had just returned here from Qiu Country, unusually didn't cling to him. She just sat with him on the steps outside the study.
Chen Ping'an walked out of the study and strolled in the courtyard, holding a travelogue written by an envoy from a vassal state of the former Lu Dynasty. It was one of several books on his senior brother Cui Chan's desk. The content was remarkably... beautifully written. The book had fold-out pages, where that envoy wrote about his pilgrimage journey to the imperial court, meeting a literary scholar from the Li Kingdom who happened to be traveling the same way. They hit it off, talking late into the night by candlelight, drinking together, sharing a plate of peanuts, chatting about everything under heaven—worldly affairs and mountain matters alike.
Rong Yu emerged from the study, staggering under a large stack of books.
Fu Qing almost simultaneously walked into the courtyard and said softly, "National Teacher, preparations in Hanzhou are complete."
Chen Ping'an nodded.
Fu Qing went to transmit the order.
Chen Ping'an stood under the tree, holding the rolled-up book in one hand, touching the jade hairpin on his head.
Peach blossoms seek the sword wanderer. Without a word, they smile at the spring breeze.