Chapter 1194: You Come from Hometown
Liu Laocheng had originally not planned to wade into the muddy waters of the Great Li capital. Not only was the Great Li court watching his every move as the sect master of the Zhenjing Sect, but up on Tongye Continent, within the Upper Sect's ancestral hall, there were also some new thoughts stirring. However, Gao Mian had sent a flying sword message to Qingxia Island. Besides asking him to accompany on a trip to the capital, it also listed a bunch of trivial requests: the lodging should be a secluded spot within a bustling area, several jars of Changchun Palace's immortal wine should be prepared, and he wanted to watch the mirror-flower-water-moon broadcasts from a few specific immortal mansions and holy grounds... Liu Laocheng had no choice but to set aside his current affairs and rush to the capital on short notice. He found an old friend from the mountains, someone he hadn't contacted in years, who used their convoluted connections in the capital to help purchase a residence near the Flower God Temple. The price was said to be market rate, but Liu Laocheng didn't mind. As an immortal realm sect master, his face was worth a bit of money. On Bottle Gourd Continent, he was slightly lacking at the top but more than enough for everything else.
He arrived at the residence yesterday, and Gao Mian was fairly satisfied, saying it "would do."
The residence was old. The blue bricks on the ground were all made from the lake-bottom mud of Shujian Lake, a trend that had only emerged in the capital in the last ten years. This kind of transaction couldn't be done without some official connections.
On one side of the wall, outside the wall, the noise of the crowd was boiling over. Inside the wall, the atmosphere was light and calm. In the corner stood a large vat, and inside it were more than a dozen goldfish.
Gao Mian held a celadon jar in one hand, crumbling fish food between his fingers. The fish scrambled wildly for it, causing ripples on the water's surface, spreading out in layers.
Gao Mian smiled. "I remember in my early years, when I was leaving my hometown, I passed by a deep body of water. I focused my eyesight and saw all the way to the bottom. The water was crystal clear, with layers of ravines, high and low like fields. Multicolored flood dragons coiled there, looking like basins or jars, spitting out treasure pearls that glowed with brilliant light. They slithered and swam, their whiskers, scales, claws, and fangs clearly visible. Anyone watching would be dazzled and entranced, truly like the underwater crystal palaces described in books of strange tales."
At the table, Liu Laocheng had already poured the wine, but Gao Mian wasn't in a hurry to sit down, so Liu Laocheng didn't drink alone either. He found it a bit strange. All this flowery language from old Gao—was it something he had truly seen and felt, or had he copied it from some literati's notebook?
But the two of them had been friends for many years and knew each other inside out. There was no reason for old Gao to show off his literary talent in front of him. Gao Mian and Xun Yuan, those two shameless old men, were not only registered cultivators but also a gang leader and a sect master. In their earlier years, they had been famously wealthy landlords on Bottle Gourd Continent's mirror-flower-water-moon broadcasts, nicknamed "One-Foot Spear" and "Jade-Faced Young Master." They were notorious for their extravagance. When they threw money around, their language was crude, often making Liu Laocheng, standing by, feel like they were the ones from Shujian Lake, while he, the island master of Gongliu Island, was practically a moral gentleman of upright conduct in comparison.
The wine was the rare and valuable Changchun Palace immortal vintage, and the cups were Flower God cups, not the counterfeit knockoffs sold at temple fairs outside. It was clear that some genuine care and effort had gone into this.
Gao Mian stamped his foot on the blue brick floor, then turned his head and asked with a smile, "Old Liu, you were the unshakable earth emperor of Shujian Lake. Did you ever imagine you'd end up like this one day?"
Liu Laocheng said helplessly, "When you insult someone, don't bring up old wounds."
Indeed, Liu Laocheng's most glorious and flourishing years had been in Shujian Lake. Back when he held the title of the first Jade Pu realm rogue cultivator, he had really been able to walk sideways. He truly felt that he had a destiny on his side. What were characters like River-Slicing True Lord Liu Zhimao or Zhong Su of Yellow Oriole Island? Those few Nascent Soul cultivators were only thinking about one thing: taking down Liu Laocheng so they could swallow up Gongliu Island. But Liu Laocheng had to think about keeping them alive, making sure they didn't die too easily. Without that, how could Shujian Lake stand on Bottle Gourd Continent?
Gao Mian not only didn't stop but kept rubbing salt into his old friend's wounds. "What are you afraid of? You're not like Liu Zhimao, who's still got the jitters. An upright man has nothing to fear. You don't have to feel guilty like a thief. No need to be afraid of old accounts being dug up. No need to lose sleep every night."
Liu Laocheng had no choice but to drink a cup of wine alone in frustration.
If Chen Ping'an had only been the Sword Immortal of the Fallen Mountain, then maybe the old accounts of Shujian Lake could have been brushed aside. But once Chen Ping'an gained a brand-new identity, then it became difficult for Shujian Lake to turn that page, no matter how much they wanted to.
Gao Mian's next sentence wasn't just rubbing salt in the wound—it was stabbing straight into the heart. "Oh? He became the Great Li national teacher in the summer. Come autumn, is he going to settle old scores?"
Liu Laocheng said bitterly, "What else can I do? Just take it."
Gao Mian asked with a chuckle, "Have you always wondered why old Xun Yuan acts so timid around me, doesn't even fart loud, and keeps his posture extremely low? Yet he never treated you as a friend. Every time we clink glasses at the banquet table, he always looks down on you, and the wine glass he raises is always higher than yours?"
Liu Laocheng remained silent. It was indeed a bit of a sore spot for him, not a big one, but not small either. Liu Laocheng wouldn't say he looked down on everyone, but he did have some pride. The more Xun Yuan acted like that, the more Liu Laocheng appreciated Gao Mian's kindness. Back then, cultivators on Bottle Gourd Continent had to look up to Tongye Continent. Besides, Xun Yuan had long been an immortal. Liu Laocheng had been able to get to know Xun Yuan and maintain a decent, respectable friendship—all thanks to Gao Mian's introduction.
Gao Mian said, "He did it on purpose. He deliberately played the villain so you would appreciate me more."
Liu Laocheng nodded. "I figured it out after drinking with you twice."
Gao Mian sighed. "You're both clever people who never get drunk. For someone like me who truly loves wine, you two are just wasting good liquor. But then again, maybe you're the ones who are right. We are people drinking wine, while you are truly people drinking wine?"
"Xun Yuan once said a good word about you behind your back, a very high praise. He said that Liu Zhimao and Zhong Su, at most, had realms that matched their vision. But you, Liu Laocheng, at the Jade Pu realm, had the vision of a Flying Ascension realm cultivator. Unfortunately, Shujian Lake was both your making and your breaking point."
With that, Gao Mian raised his glass. "I have to toast you, old Xun."
Liu Laocheng raised his glass as well.
Gao Mian wiped his mouth and laughed. "When the sharp sword is not in hand, why need so many friends?"
A moment later, a maidservant came to report that a guest had arrived, claiming to be Helian Baozhu of the Invincible Fist Gang.
Liu Laocheng's friend from the dao path had not only helped buy the house but also gifted two maidservants. They were registered cultivators from a southern immortal sect, stranded here. Their realms were low, their backgrounds clean, and neither had reached the Middle Five Realms. Before handing over the residence to Liu Laocheng, that old master had already given them a large sum of spirit money, allowing them to cultivate in peace here, with the sole responsibility of taking good care of the honored guest's daily needs.
Helian Baozhu was a handsome and spirited woman. In her thick hometown accent, she said, "Old Gang Leader, at the inn run by Dong Shuijing, I ran into Liu Xianyang and Gu Can."
Gao Mian laughed. "You saw them, so what? Did you take a liking to someone, or did someone harass you?"
Helian Baozhu was already used to this. She just clasped her hands to Liu Laocheng and said, "Greetings, Old Sect Master Liu."
Liu Laocheng smiled and nodded, extending a hand to invite her to sit and drink. Helian Baozhu didn't stand on ceremony. As soon as she sat down, she downed three cups in quick succession.
Using heart-to-heart communication, Helian Baozhu said, "On the way here, I noticed a beautiful woman at the temple fair. She had an old man with her, and I couldn't tell how deep he was."
Gao Mian wasn't interested. Nowadays, how many strange people and extraordinary beings were there on Bottle Gourd Continent? He just frowned and asked, "I heard you've been getting close recently to that gang leader called Liu Shuai or something? Do you know what kind of background or method he has? Which path on the Great Li promotion chart does he connect to?"
Helian Baozhu explained, "Not really a friend. I just bumped into him in the Luojing area before and we got familiar. At the time, we agreed that when we got to the Great Li capital, he would play host. I've only heard that Liu Shuai is close to a young noble in the capital nicknamed 'Sixth Master.' I've never met him. My friends in the martial world all say this person's identity is mysterious and he has considerable influence in the capital. They speculate that he's most likely a direct descendant of one of the Pillar States surnames. As for the rumor that Liu Shuai is a confidant of the Great Prince, I'm sure it's false. Liu Shuai himself is helpless about it, saying it's a rumor deliberately spread by a hostile sect. He admits he's been living in fear for years, afraid that one careless move might land him in prison."
The Great Li Song Clan had never established a crown prince.
Song Geng, as the eldest legitimate son, had always been treated as the heir apparent. As for Song Geng's younger brother, Prince Song Xu, there was almost no talk about him outside.
Gao Mian glanced at Liu Laocheng. "You have the best network of little rumors. Do you have any reliable inside information? Don't let Baozhu fall into a trap that drags me all the way to the Ministry of Justice to explain myself."
A scholar who devotes himself to studies should never touch the court. Could a martial artist do any better? And this court had the surname Song—it was the Great Li dynasty.
Helian Baozhu seemed to want to say something but held back.
Gao Mian waved his hand. "Isn't it just that you also have an identity as an assassin of the Cherry Blossom Azure? I've known for a long time. Just pretend I'm still in the dark."
Liu Laocheng nodded. "I'll go make some inquiries soon. Wait for my news."
Helian Baozhu clasped her hands again. "Thank you, Old Sect Master Liu."
Liu Laocheng raised his glass and smiled. "It's all in the wine."
Unexpectedly, another guest arrived soon, also looking for Old Gang Leader Gao. The maidservant had no choice but to bite the bullet and report again, saying that a master and disciple had come to the gate. The old daoist was carrying a wooden plaque with a painted divine image. He claimed to be from another continent, wandering the world, with the dao name Chou Chun. He also brought a disciple carrying a huqin.
It was clear Gao Mian knew him well. He couldn't even be bothered to get up and welcome him. The old daoist told his apprentice to wander around freely but remember not to touch anything. If he broke something, he couldn't afford to pay for it even with his life.
The old daoist sat down alone and explained with a smile, "I saw Heroine Helian on the street just now. When I saw her knock on this door, I guessed you might be here."
Helian Baozhu was inwardly startled. This person had followed her all the way here without her noticing in the slightest? Dao name Chou Chun?
Gao Mian laughed. "Don't be surprised. This thieving old daoist is a reclusive master of the land sword immortal level. His whole life, his greatest specialty has been concealment and assassination in the dark."
Chou Chun the daoist said, "Still, I'm a bit lacking compared to Nalan Yexing."
Gao Mian glanced sideways. "No shame, huh? You dare compare yourself to him?"
The old daoist nodded. "No shame."
Helian Baozhu didn't understand the ins and outs, but Liu Laocheng's eyelids twitched slightly.
The old daoist said a strange thing: "Someone who never touched a drop of alcohol suddenly becomes a drunkard. Does it hurt or not?"
Gao Mian used Liu Laocheng's earlier phrase as his answer: "It's all in the wine."
The atmosphere was unusually heavy. Helian Baozhu didn't know how that sentence had stirred up such sorrow. Just then, another daoist came to visit. He didn't announce his dao name, only saying his name was Liang Shuang, and he was looking for Chou Chun the daoist.
Gao Mian brushed away the gloom between his brows and laughed heartily. "Well, well. The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. And below, the slingshot."
Liu Laocheng asked, "Which daoist master is this?"
"Never heard of him at all."
Gao Mian shook his head and looked at the old daoist. "Since he's looking for you, you must know who this divine being is. A kindred daoist friend? An enemy with a grudge?"
Chou Chun the daoist stroked his beard and smiled. "Allow me to keep you in suspense for now."
Liang Shuang entered the residence, but he didn't go straight to Chou Chun the daoist. Instead, he first found the young daoist. Liang Shuang steadied his dao heart and sighed softly. "I've worn out iron shoes in my vain search; luckily I found him without trouble."
The maidservant beside him was a bit anxious. This guest was way too informal, wandering around on his own. If he made Old Sect Master Liu unhappy, wouldn't she be kicked out?
Liang Shuang laughed. "Little girl, today you led me in to see the person. You have the merit of guiding. I'll repay you."
The maidservant was already annoyed. Hearing these empty boasts, she got even more irritated. Do I lack your measly reward?
She clearly misunderstood. She thought the old daoist was treating her like a servant girl in a rich mansion.
She stood her ground and waited a bit, but the old daoist just chuckled and didn't even give a red envelope. It really pissed her off.
She put on a stern face and told the old daoist to follow her, then strode quickly toward the courtyard. Liang Shuang didn't reveal the secret. He was in an excellent mood. Heaven never seals off all exits. Truly, heaven never seals off all exits.
While in seclusion on Tongye Continent, the old true man had suddenly experienced a sign of heavenly communion. He immediately performed a divination, but still wasn't reassured. He stepped out of his holy ground, observed the night sky, and finally understood.
The old true man traveled across continents that very night, heading straight for the Great Li capital. Sure enough, heaven did not disappoint those who worked hard. He had finally found his master's reincarnation.
This line of lineage in Liang Shuang's tradition had always been passed down from master to a single disciple. Only one disciple. When the master reincarnated, the disciple had to find the former's reincarnation, switch roles as master and disciple, and take the reincarnated one as the heir to the tradition. If they couldn't find them for a long time, they had to keep looking. Earlier, Liang Shuang had proactively gone to Tongye Continent and fought a hard battle with Zhou Mi. The old true man felt his end was near and had no regrets. His greatest worry was that this dao lineage would end with him, cutting off the incense. Wouldn't he be a sinner for a thousand generations?
When they reached the courtyard gate, the maidservant was about to stop and take her leave. The old true man pulled a nondescript yellow paper talisman from his sleeve and smiled. "A small token of thanks, not worthy of much. Please accept it, young lady."
The maidservant gave a perfunctory thank you, slipped the talisman into her sleeve, and turned to leave. She heard the old true man still muttering, "Little girl, remember, even if you sell it, don't sell this talisman cheap. It's best to wait until you've formed your golden core before you start refining this talisman. When your golden core reaches its eighth rotation, you'll see the door. Deep within a red cloud, a daoist immortal will lead you on a tour of the Jade Capital. The Purple Mansion and Crimson Palace you see and hear will all be resources for your own great dao..."
Liu Laocheng glanced at the talisman the old daoist had given away. His pupils contracted. It was definitely a heavy treasure! This old daoist, what a generous hand!
Chou Chun the daoist laughed. "This is only the second time in my life I've seen a genuine Guidance Talisman."
Liang Shuang smiled. "I still have some in stock, enough to serve as keys to the ruins of ancient cave heavens and blessed lands."
Chou Chun the daoist laughed. "Good word, 'some'!"
Helian Baozhu was low in seniority and young in dao age, so she naturally gave up her seat.
Unexpectedly, the old true man said with a smile, "I won't sit. I'll finish my business and leave."
Chou Chun the daoist said, "Senior must have guessed. It was I who set up the altar earlier, called out my true name, leaked the heavenly secrets, and wrote my disciple's birth date and time on a sand table using the planchette method, deliberately attracting your investigation."
Liang Shuang nodded. "Even if it were a dragon's pool or a tiger's den, I would still dare to charge in."
---
At the temple fair, Aunt Feng carried a flower basket on her arm. Besides several seasonal fresh flowers, there were also many artificial flowers carved from various colored jades, realistic enough to fool the eye.
She clicked her tongue. "The neighboring residence is crouching tigers and hidden dragons."
The old coachman, using the alias Su Kan, said with a dismissive expression, "Except for the stinky daoniu who showed up last, whose dao power is not weak, the rest are just so-so."
Aunt Feng glanced toward the main hall of the Flower God Temple, where the crowd was bustling. "Shall we go in and burn some incense?"
This Flower God Temple in the capital had a long history, but even the most knowledgeable literati about the capital's anecdotes wouldn't know that the very first wealthy donor to pay for the temple's construction was this very Aunt Feng.
"Forget it."
Su Kan found it amusing. "You women really hold grudges."
You, Aunt Feng, burning incense for the Flower God Ladies? Back then, who was it that ravaged the entire Hundred Flowers Blessed Land so badly that it had to recuperate for over a hundred years before reopening? What incense are you burning? If wind and rain can make all flowers wither, then add to that the lingering authority of this remnant of the old Thunder Department's Execution and Investigation Bureau, even if his divine position is now irregular, you really think a Flower God Temple can withstand it?
Hence, this Flower God Temple had never shown any divine signs. Even after the shrine was built and a hundred lifelike statues of goddesses were erected, and the incense offerings were quite abundant, the flower goddesses of the Hundred Flowers Blessed Land regarded this place as a forbidden pool and dared not "descend to the altar" here. Over time, this Great Li capital Flower God Temple developed two unusual characteristics. First, the painted statues of the hundred flower goddesses were the most vivid and lifelike in the human world. Second, because the flower goddesses of the Hundred Flowers Blessed Land were frequently promoted or demoted, shrines had to change their divine names and statues accordingly. But this shrine never had its statues replaced. The flower goddesses from the time of its initial construction were the same ones still there, such as the "Madam of Caozhou," who had long been demoted from the Hundred Flowers Blessed Land.
Aunt Feng sneered coldly. "I can't stand how they fawn over people to win favor. Once they gain favor, they get carried away, become arrogant and reckless, and forget their place."
The flowers and trees of the human world were originally created to offer joy to the gods, as adornments for the mountains and rivers of the earth.
Su Kan sighed. "Why bother? In the end, you're still taking out your anger on others."
Aunt Feng curled her lip. "I won't deny it."
Su Kan said, "It's better to let bygones be bygones. You should let go of old grudges and stop tormenting them."
Aunt Feng snorted derisively. "If someone else said that, even if I disagreed, I'd pretend to listen for a bit. But coming out of your mouth, it always sounds like the opposite, like you're urging me to strike hard."
Su Kan said, "Just pretend I farted."
Aunt Feng, carrying her flower basket, strolled leisurely into the main hall of the Flower God Temple. The statues of the flower goddesses were arranged with clear hierarchy, some high, some low. They were breathtakingly beautiful, but they were still in the positions from a long time ago on the Hundred Flowers Blessed Land.
In the early years, the dissolute literati of Great Li loved to fabricate stories about some scholar visiting the Flower God Temple at night and making up a few doggerel poems that resulted in several beauties warming his bed. This attracted many local thugs to climb over the walls in the dark and break into the temple, hoping to get a taste of the goddesses' charms. Some, blinded by lust and bold enough, even tried to carry off a divine statue and hide it in their homes. After all, weren't there ancient scholars with a "fondness for jade"? If they couldn't move the statues or steal them, there was an easy solution—the statues were just too lifelike... So the temple keeper had to spend money to hire permanent night guards to prevent those lechers from defiling the Flower God Ladies.
Aunt Feng sighed softly. Could it be that the old scholar had a point—why should women make things difficult for women?
Aunt Feng suddenly used heart-to-heart communication to ask the old coachman, who had already left the temple fair, "Su Kan, what are you waiting for?"
Su Kan walked expressionlessly down the street as the crowd gradually dispersed. "You and I are the same kind of goods. Whatever you're waiting for, that's what I'm waiting for."
Aunt Feng laughed. "Not necessarily, I'd say."
Su Kan walked back to his private residence on foot, not far from Chier Street. On the way, he passed several palaces and temples where emperors of various dynasties had prayed to the gods. The secluded alley's official name was Iron Tree Lane, but the common folk preferred to call it Prime Minister Alley. Inside the alley, there were two residences facing each other, both once home to prime ministers. In reality, the Great Li dynasty didn't establish the position of prime minister, but officials who held the concurrent title of Grand Secretary of a certain hall or pavilion would still be popularly called "Lord Prime Minister." However, ever since Cui Chan had taken the position of national teacher, the court had been generous with posthumous titles and honors, rarely obstructing the decisions of several emperors and the Ministry of Rites. But the matter of additional concurrent titles was rare indeed.
In fact, the old man, whose age far exceeded that of the alleyway, unlocked the door. The residence wasn't large, but inside it was a completely different world. Layer upon layer of thunder method prohibitions would make any grand cultivator skilled in the way of thunder shudder. Unless the Heavenly Master himself came, even a Yellow-Purple noble from the Dragon Tiger Mountain Heavenly Master Mansion would not dare to rashly trespass into this thunder pool and would only retreat in the face of difficulty.
Su Kan actually liked playing chess, and his skill was not weak. But because of his solitary nature and special identity, he only studied chess manuals.
For beings like him, they always had to find something to pass the time. Besides studying manuals alone, Su Kan also went fishing or watched people gamble on chess games.
Since he was collecting various versions of chess manuals, naturally the top choice was the "Rainbow Cloud Manual" that Zheng Juzhong and Cui Chan had played in White Emperor City.
Su Kan went to the kitchen and brought out a few plates of the capital's specialty snacks to go with his wine: pea flour cake, sweetened ginger shoots, assorted vegetables, and sweetened garlic.
Perhaps it was because he had been in the human world for too long. Whether it was a parting gift, a wrathful punishment, or a distant reprimand, he didn't know.
He and Aunt Feng, these remnants of the ancient heavenly court's gods, seemed to be gradually acquiring some emotions that originally only belonged to the Five Supremes and the Twelve High Ones. Humanity?
From hating this human world with all their being, they had begun to yearn for it. They had gradually gotten used to the annoying buzzing of pigeon whistles overhead and finally grew accustomed to standing on the ground and looking up at the sky.
Years stretched long. Ten thousand years.
Humanity and divinity were always entangled, like a tug-of-war, or better yet, a chess game that had not yet reached a conclusion.
The Heavenly Duke remained silent before the withered chessboard.
The old man was speechless for a long time. He came back to his senses, took a sip of wine, and slowly chewed on the sweetened garlic. Suddenly, he burst into rage. "They changed the chef! And they dared to raise the price?!"
Aunt Feng continued her tour of the Flower God Temple. In the crowd, she spotted a young woman in simple, elegant attire who gracefully performed a curtsey toward her.
Aunt Feng was taken aback for a moment, then narrowed her eyes and smiled. She walked over and ruffled the young woman's head. "All grown up now, young lady."
After all, she was a Fourteenth Realm cultivator.
A "watered-down" new Fourteenth Realm was still a Fourteenth Realm.
It was still quite easy for Wang Zhu to deliberately conceal her tracks.
Back in the day, when Wang Zhu left the Lizhu Cave Heaven and followed Prince Song Jixin to the Great Li capital, Aunt Feng had secretly escorted the young girl Zhigui. Even before that, the woman had regarded the Zhigui of Mud Vase Alley as a junior of sorts.
If Su Kan, seemingly placing a bet, was actually secretly protecting Ma Kuxuan, then wasn't this Aunt Feng, out of personal favor, also trying to look after Zhigui for a few years?
Aunt Feng handed the flower basket to Wang Zhu and said gently, "What a coincidence. Take it. Don't mind it."
Wang Zhu took the basket and said with a charming smile, "I don't mind. I'm very happy."
Having ascended to the Fourteenth Realm in the East Sea Water Mansion, the events of the past became increasingly clear. Although she never felt that she was the "her" who had been forced to land on the southern shore of Bottle Gourd Continent back then and fled all the way to the Fallen Place, all the people and matters of her previous incarnation, and their emotions, were so real. All the beauty in her memories had become nothing but longing, with only very few exceptions that could still be reached. One of them was the woman before her, Aunt Feng, who had once touched her forehead with mugwort. She was probably one of the few beings in this human world that had long given kindness to "her," or rather, to them.
Aunt Feng extended her thumb and gently brushed it across the perpetually slightly furrowed, beautiful brow of the young woman. She said softly, "As the old master said, even grievances spanning a hundred generations can still be avenged, but it must be done with clear distinction between grievance and favor. We must repay kindness with kindness and enmity with enmity."
Wang Zhu hummed in acknowledgment.
It might not have been that Aunt Feng's reasoning was particularly good. Perhaps Wang Zhu just wanted to hear her familiar voice.
Aunt Feng asked with a smile, "Can I borrow the authority of the East Sea Water Lord?"
Wang Zhu was puzzled.
Aunt Feng pointed at a statue of a Flower God Lady that looked relatively pleasing. "I want to have a chat with her."
Wang Zhu rolled her eyes at her. This kind of trivial matter was nothing. Besides, what authority did she have? Nowadays, the cultivators of the Haoran world, when dealing with the East Sea Water Mansion, at most kept their distance out of respect. Even the Qi Refiners who cultivated water methods and had to go out to sea to practice, looking for places to settle down like ancient immortal islands rich in water energy or the ruins of undersea palaces, mostly negotiated with the other three Water Lords and deliberately avoided the East Sea Water Mansion.
Aunt Feng gave her a flick on the forehead. "Same as always."
Then Aunt Feng formed a hand seal, using her innate divine power to ride the wind across mountains and seas, intending to invite those who could make decisions on the Hundred Flowers Blessed Land to come and catch up here.
---
Since the main party had appeared in person, Chou Chun the daoist introduced him with a smile: "This old immortal is none other than Liang Shuang, the Heavenly Master of the Dragon Tiger Mountain's outer surnames, who succeeded Fire Dragon True Man."
Liu Laocheng immediately rose to his feet. Helian Baozhu also hurriedly bowed. Only Gao Mian remained unmoved, sitting like a mountain. This gave Helian Baozhu a terrible headache. She had no idea how to salvage the situation. Their old gang leader's backbone was really a bit too stiff.
For some reason, Chou Chun the daoist took the initiative to tell a story. He spoke slowly: "Back in the day, I made a mistake in my cultivation and went out to clear my mind. Instead of learning good things, I learned bad ones. I insisted on acting rashly like old Gao. I got into a dispute, and to make matters worse, I injured the very foundation of my great dao. I needed to temper my flying sword with the Five Thunder True Method in order to save myself."
"But the mountain gate of Dragon Tiger Mountain was not a place where someone like me, a heterodox practitioner, could enter. Besides, the Five Thunder True Method was a secret passed down from one family and surname. Dragon Tiger Mountain had its own ancestral rules. Even if they wanted to help, how could they break their precepts? Throughout history, many mountain disturbances arose precisely because some Yellow-Purple noble was too kind-hearted and privately passed down secret arts. I just complained a few times over the wine table. The speaker had no intention, but the listener had ears. At the time, a fellow drinker made an excuse to go to the latrine, planning to come back and keep drinking. But instead, that bastard slipped away and never returned."
Hearing this, Liang Shuang stroked his beard and smiled. It sounded very familiar.
The old daoist continued, "About six months later, that bastard shamelessly invited me for a drink, saying that this time he absolutely had to treat me. He brought two jugs of cheap market liquor. I was already waiting for death anyway, so whatever I drank was the same. He threw a handwritten manual onto the table and swore up and down that he had been chased by a flock of fairies who adored him. He was flying on his sword too high—probably because his looks were too outstanding. Heaven was jealous of his talent, so he got struck by lightning. But unexpectedly, misfortune turned into fortune. He had an epiphany and suddenly comprehended the supreme true meaning of the thunder method, completely matching the Five Thunder True Method of Dragon Tiger Mountain. He said this should settle the wine debts he owed... I listened to his nonsense while flipping through the manual. It was indeed his handwriting. That handwriting would be hard to forge."
Gao Mian asked suspiciously, "He dared to give it, and you dared to take it? And you dared to practice it?!"
He had voiced Helian Baozhu's exact question. Was this elderly daoist sword immortal really an old star courting death by eating arsenic?
The old daoist laughed. "Regardless of the truth, I overcame that tribulation thanks to it. Not only did my swordsmanship improve considerably, but I also learned an additional thunder method on the side."
Liu Laocheng, however, was weighing the pros and cons, ready for a falling out with Liang Shuang. It was obvious that Liang Shuang had tracked him all the way to Bottle Gourd Continent. Was he here to "clean house" and retrieve the manual? To arrest Chou Chun the daoist and take him back to the Heavenly Master Mansion? Had Chou Chun the daoist sought out Gao Mian, and then Gao Mian called him, Liu Laocheng, to the Great Li capital? Liu Laocheng felt he more or less understood. Even if Gao Mian's move had the hint of dragging him into the water, he didn't care. It showed that Gao Mian truly regarded him as a friend. The title of sect master of the Zhenjing Sect wasn't enough for Liu Laocheng to cling to it. At worst, he could just become a mountain-and-wilderness rogue cultivator again.
In the old days at Shujian Lake, people like Liu Zhimao could only be rogue cultivators. They could only ever be good rogue cultivators for their whole lives. And people like Zhong Su overestimated themselves, chased fame and reputation, but their means were limited—they were never going to amount to anything.
Liang Shuang finally spoke. "Daoist friend, is that thunder method manual you mentioned still in your possession?"
The old daoist nodded, pulled a yellowed booklet from his sleeve, and handed it to this outer-surname Heavenly Master.
Liang Shuang took the booklet, opened it, glanced at a few pages, and closed it. "I'll have to confiscate this booklet. Also, I'm afraid you'll need to make a trip to the Heavenly Master Mansion. But rest assured, I'll explain everything clearly myself. This matter is minor, but it can't be glossed over. As for the Five Thunder True Method you accidentally learned... that's not so difficult. I can recommend you for a nominal position as an offering master. That way, you won't have to return it to the Heavenly Master Mansion."
The old daoist glanced at the young apprentice who was nearby, bent over looking at fish. He smiled. "So that's how it is."
Liang Shuang smiled knowingly. "So that's why it is."
Chou Chun the daoist said bluntly, "That apprentice of mine does indeed have an immortal fate. Heavenly Master Liang, take him away. I already calculated earlier that our master-disciple bond is shallow. I was wondering about it then. The child has a good heart and has no great calamities in his fate. I'm not the kind of person who hoards his bottom-of-the-chest skills. I've traveled all over the south and north, always keeping him by my side. How could our master-disciple bond be shallow? It wasn't until yesterday at Village Maiden Ferry that I suddenly understood. Now that things have come to this, it's just a matter of going with the flow. I only ask that Heavenly Master Liang take him as a disciple and train him well."
Liang Shuang formed a hand seal in his sleeve and briefly told Chou Chun the daoist the secrets of his lineage through heart-to-heart communication. Chou Chun the daoist laughed heartily. "Then I'm reassured!"
Liang Shuang said, "Daoist friend, the merit of this protection immeasurably on the path cannot go unrewarded. Papering over it would not be a good thing. Why don't you name your price? Of course, I don't mean selling the disciple. That would be insulting to you and shameful to myself. We are both men of the dao. We should understand that this is a way to sever karmic ties and worldly bonds."
Chou Chun the daoist shook his head. "It's enough that you help secure me a nominal position as an offering master at the Heavenly Master Mansion."
Liang Shuang shook his head. "Not enough. Far from enough. I'm not boasting, but I was once a Golden Immortal figure just one step away from perfect merit..."
Chou Chun the daoist cut him off. "Then I'll make a huge demand. I ask Heavenly Master Liang for two Guidance Talismans. Each one must correspond to a broken cave heaven or blessed land. They must be able to interconnect, giving the owner the opportunity to perform an act of 'opening heaven and splitting earth.'"
Liang Shuang clapped his hands and laughed. "Exactly what I had in mind."
Despite saying this, the old true man's action of pulling the talismans from his sleeve still seemed a bit less than smooth, a bit dragging.
Chou Chun the daoist called the young apprentice to his side and explained the situation. The child started crying uncontrollably and absolutely refused to change masters.
For all these years, he had followed the old daoist on a ten-thousand-mile journey, sleeping out in the open, enduring wind and rain. There were many rules. The child thought it was too hard and missed home terribly. He would always threaten with the harshest words he could think of: "One day, I'm going to find a new master."
Who would have thought that day would actually come? Now the child was clutching his master's most treasured huqin for dear life, his face a mess of tears and snot. Where was the willingness to change masters now?
The young apprentice wiped his face roughly. "If you chase me away, I'm still not giving your huqin back."
Chou Chun the daoist said, "I was planning to give it to you anyway."
The child was stunned for a moment, then plopped down on the ground and started rolling around, throwing a tantrum.
Chou Chun the daoist had a headache. Liu Laocheng and Helian Baozhu also found it quite amusing. Gao Mian was even fanning the flames, saying, "Your master is way too heartless. If I saw right earlier, your master just pocketed a huge sum of money. Enough to build a whole temple, and then some..."
Hearing that, the child felt like the sky was falling. He became even more devastated, lying on the ground, hugging the huqin, and kicking his legs.
Liang Shuang, on the other hand, wasn't annoyed at all. He just watched the stubborn child's tantrum with a beaming smile.
The old true man even had to hold back his laughter. Master, oh master. You've finally fallen into my hands. The way you taught me the dao techniques, that's exactly how I'm going to...
Thinking of this, the old true man raised the sleeve of his daoist robe to cover his face. Master, it's been a long time.
After quite a bit of coaxing, Chou Chun the daoist finally got the child to calm down. This was also thanks to Liang Shuang's promise to travel with them for a few years, then save up enough money to build a temple before switching masters.
A mountain daoist, clear-minded and spirited, a scholar of heaven and earth. A martial swordsman, upright and honorable, swift in revenge and gratitude.
Liu Laocheng also felt that this private residence, which hadn't cost him much money, had truly been graced with radiance today.
Could it really be a piece of auspicious geomantic ground worth staying in a few more times? Before leaving the capital, he should invite that daoist friend over for a drink and thank him?
Inside this courtyard, Liang Shuang had the highest dao power and the sharpest eyesight. The old true man squinted, stroked his beard, and looked up at the sky. What a fine example of "three feet above the head, there are gods."
In the sky, as blue as if it had been washed, clean as a sheet of glass, a hidden existence sensed the old daoist's probing. Immediately, a pair of golden eyes with vertical pupils slowly turned to meet his gaze.
The owner of these bright, clear eyes was Song Yunjian, dao name Yingning, from the National Teacher's Mansion, tasked with monitoring the movements of grand cultivators within the capital. Song Yunjian's very existence was a kind of reminder.
Liang Shuang smiled. "Daoist friend, could you send a message to Chen Ping'an for me?"
Song Yunjian nodded. "Of course."
Liang Shuang's cross-continental tour of Bottle Gourd Continent required approval from the Central Earth Confucian Temple. But the situation was different now. Earlier, if they could refuse, they absolutely refused. Now, if they could approve, they approved.
The reason for this change was, of course, mainly that the situation in the world was different now, and it also had to do with who was managing affairs at the Confucian Temple. The old scholar was indeed worldly wise and very accommodating.
Moreover, Bottle Gourd Continent was an exception. Besides getting the nod from the Confucian Temple, Liang Shuang also had to inform the Imitation Jade Capital side. The old true man did this, and earlier, so did Liu Tui.
This time, Liang Shuang's arrival in the Great Li capital also included a message to deliver. It turned out that the old master from the Imitation Jade Capital felt that, regarding Flying Ascension realm cultivators passing through, they could just report to the National Teacher's Mansion in the future.
Upon hearing this, Song Yunjian said, "I will relay these words from the old true man to the National Teacher. However, the final decision on this matter still requires the National Teacher to decide personally. May I ask if the old true man will wait in the capital for news, or will the National Teacher communicate with the Imitation Jade Capital directly?"
Liang Shuang laughed. "I'm an outsider on Bottle Gourd Continent. I won't keep playing the role of a mouthpiece. That would be most improper."
This friend Yingning, with his divine identity, spoke quite politely. It was similar to the current Confucian Temple.
During this break from seclusion, Liang Shuang had discussed this matter with one or two close friends. They all said that now the Confucian Temple, whether in face-to-face meetings or written correspondence, was very consultative, with extremely appropriate wording. One of them had even frankly joked that they were flattered by the favor.
Was it that the Confucian Temple had to bow their heads because the situation forced them to and they needed something from others? Not at all. In fact, the current Central Earth Confucian Temple was the most powerful it had been in ten thousand years. Their various arrangements, upon a little reflection, were no less than domineering. But the overall impression grand cultivators had of the Confucian Temple was actually better than before. The clarity of boundaries, the clarity of division of labor, the clarity of rewards and punishments, the strength of strategy formulation combined with the softness of interpersonal dealings... all of this was a fresh sight for the peak grand cultivators of every continent.
Gao Mian suddenly said, "I'm already a useless cripple. I want to do something, but I lack the strength. You, on the other hand, are different. After sending off your disciple and returning to Golden Armor Continent, why not hand over your entire sect, complete with everything? Consider it marrying it off to a good family. I'm not saying you need to curry favor with anyone, but if it can truly become a subsidiary sect of the Dragon Elephant Sword Sect, then it wouldn't be an injustice. You're the founding patriarch. The two sect masters after you were your direct disciples and disciples' disciples. Such a small matter, you can easily handle it, right?"
Chou Chun the daoist let out a surprised sound. "Being generous with what is not yours to give—you can say it with such heroic spirit?"
Liu Laocheng was inwardly astonished. Such a grand gesture? From Gao Mian's tone, it sounded like this Chou Chun the daoist actually had the wealth of an entire sect on Golden Armor Continent? Was he going to follow Old Sword Immortal Qi's example and send an entire sect as a congratulatory gift? No wonder he was a native sword cultivator of the Sword Qi Great Wall. When it came to killing demons with his sword, he didn't hold back, and when it came to dealing with people, he was equally... generous? Liu Laocheng's mind raced, calculating the various sect-level immortal mansions on Golden Armor Continent.
Gao Mian glared at him. "When I talk nicely to you, you won't listen. Do I have to start spewing shit before you nod?"
Since they were going to finalize the ownership of an entire sect, the "migration" of over a hundred disciples and descendants on the registry, Chou Chun the daoist seemed to have difficulty deciding on the spot. He remained silent.
Gao Mian said, "You're willing to give it away, but you still have to see if the other party is happy to accept it."
Chou Chun the daoist nodded. The words were rough, but the truth was right.
Gao Mian reached out his hand. "Hand them over!"
Helian Baozhu was completely bewildered.
Chou Chun the daoist, while pulling out the two talismans, grumbled, "They haven't even warmed in my hand yet."
Once he got his hands on the talismans, Gao Mian cursed, "Dammit, now that's what I call being generous with what is not yours to give!"
Liang Shuang clicked his tongue in wonder. He had really witnessed a rare sight.
The old true man couldn't help but recall an ancient poem: "A leaf falls on the Huai River, startlingly aware of Dongting's autumn." One falling leaf heralds the autumn of the world. From this, one could imagine the customs and people of the Sword Qi Great Wall.
Earlier, when Liang Shuang had sat briefly in the Imitation Jade Capital and chatted a little with that old master, they had talked about the young account keeper who had stopped at Shujian Lake. The old master said that back then, Chen Ping'an's skin couldn't be said to be as thin as a cicada's wing, but it was far from the wall-like thickness it was today. And so, the discussion turned to one thing: Had Chen Ping'an brought the customs of his hometown to the Sword Qi Great Wall, or had he adapted to local customs there?
Gao Mian glanced at Chou Chun the daoist. Chou Chun the daoist said, "Before I leave the capital, I will definitely pay a visit."
Gao Mian nodded and reminded him, "Watch your tone."
Chou Chun the daoist gave a thumbs-up. "This sentence of yours is the one everyone has to accept."
Gao Mian dismissed it with a laugh.
Since the young Hidden Officer had gone to Village Maiden Ferry, it was like having poked a hole in the window paper. The implication was that no one needed to play dumb anymore. The reason Chou Chun the daoist had chosen this particular time to catch up with Gao Mian was itself a statement. Even if Chen Ping'an hadn't gone to find Gao Mian at Village Maiden Ferry, and they had happened to run into Chou Chun the daoist at the broken temple, the founding patriarch of the Golden Armor Continent sect would still have found an opportunity to meet Chen Ping'an, steeled himself, and had an honest conversation with him once.
Gao Mian hadn't warmed the talismans either. He tossed them back to Chou Chun the daoist, paused for a moment, and said slowly, "You're going to see him anyway. Remember to give these to Chen Ping'an on my behalf. Say it's a personal congratulatory gift from me, unrelated to any sect."
Chou Chun the daoist laughed angrily. "You're just taking off your pants to fart!"
This time, it was Gao Mian's turn to be silent. Chou Chun the daoist, after all, was not the unrestrained, foul-mouthed Gao Mian. He couldn't bear to expose his friend's true feelings.
Chou Chun the daoist just tested the waters: "Why not meet him together?"
Gao Mian shook his head.
Chou Chun the daoist didn't insist. He sighed heavily. "Fine, then."
The final Hidden Officer of the Sword Qi Great Wall came from Bottle Gourd Continent, yet he became known throughout the world in their own hometown.
It was no wonder that cultivators from other continents liked to tease Bottle Gourd Continent with the saying, "The wall flowers bloom, but the fragrance goes outside." As for the people of Bottle Gourd Continent themselves, they spared no effort in mocking their own, saying that the Sword Qi Great Wall should be truly grateful to Ruan Qiong. If it hadn't been for his oversight at the blacksmith's shop in Lizhu Cave Heaven back then, how would the Sword Qi Great Wall have gotten such a bargain?
"You come from my hometown."
Yet they didn't dare to meet him often, nor did they dare to talk much.
Gao Mian and Chou Chun the daoist—their names were aliases, their dao names self-given.
Earlier, they were very afraid that this young man, who surely would never have become the final Hidden Officer without his accomplishments, would use great righteousness to pressure them, demanding they do something.
But they were even more regretful that the young man had not done so.
Look at how polite the young man was when they met, how friendly, drinking and laughing.
In the end, that was just courtesy.
Do you think you're worthy of the Hidden Officer of the Sword Qi Great Wall talking about great righteousness with you?
Perhaps, perhaps they were mistaken. The young man hadn't thought that way at all. He just wanted to exchange a few words with an old man who had walked out of the Sword Qi Great Wall. Perhaps.
Over there, in their hometown, so many seniors and juniors were like wild grass on the barren plains. Both their living and dying were burned with the most intense heat.
But they were like flowers and trees in a garden. Year after year, whether the weather was freezing cold or warm spring, cool autumn, there was no blade forcing them, no constant farewells as they watched others leave. All their honor and disgrace were within a peaceful age.
Outsiders could never understand or feel what it was like to talk face to face with the young Hidden Officer.
It was like Chou Chun the daoist and Gao Mian couldn't help but look at the "space behind" the young man. In that "place," it seemed many once-familiar old acquaintances were standing. They might be chatting and laughing heartily, bantering and cursing among themselves. Or they might be backs turned as they walked side by side toward a battlefield from which there was no return. What they feared most was that those who had been born as true sword cultivators on this side of the Great Wall and died on that side would turn their heads and glance back, as if smiling and asking, "Who are you? Are you sword cultivators?"