Chapter 1205: Deep in the Clouds
The sun shone brilliantly, the sky was a clear blue, and the mountain flowers bloomed in splendor. This group of sword cultivators walked deep into the mountains where clouds were born, gradually stepping into a realm untouched by man. Along the way, the stone path was rugged, the vegetation dense, with occasional traces of human effort.
The peaks stretched in a winding chain, like the spine of a dragon, yet they were willing to yield a path for the streams to flow out of the mountains.
A plank bridge lay across the stream, and the sword immortals crossed it one by one, the planks creaking underfoot.
Beneath the bridge, the gentle murmuring of the stream could be heard. Clumps of calamus grew on the rocks, and the fish in the stream, startled by the footsteps on the bridge, flicked their tails and vanished in an instant.
The bridge was made of new wood with fresh cut marks, clearly built not long ago. Indeed, Gao Shuang discovered a stone tablet with an inscription: "This bridge was supervised by Alliance Leader Guo, jointly built by Xie Gou and Konghou. Passersby must take note, remember this well."
Who was Alliance Leader Guo? And judging by the tone of the inscription, it seemed that Bai Jing wanted to establish a hierarchy, telling everyone that she came after Alliance Leader Guo but before Konghou?
But that wasn't the most peculiar part. Beside the stone tablet were many cobblestones. Gao Shuang was utterly baffled—could this be a local custom of the Pearly Bead Cave Heaven?
Qi Tingji laughed and said, "Konghou is the music compiler of the Fallen Mountain, and Alliance Leader Guo is Guo Zhujiu. She is a sword cultivator of the Hidden Officer lineage from the Summer Retreat Palace, and now she is also Chen Ping'an's personal disciple."
As for what the cobblestones meant, Qi Tingji wasn't sure either. He guessed it might be a tally left by the Right Protector when patrolling the mountain? Or an expression of gratitude? But such guesses seemed childish and endearing, so he didn't voice them.
Qi Tingji continued, "The Hidden Officer arranged your seats in the Ancestral Hall with great care. Shao Yunyan's cultivation level is still too low, and he is an outsider to the Sword Qi Great Wall, so he definitely cannot be the Sect Leader. For both public and private reasons, Chen Ping'an would not be suitable to place him in that position, otherwise you lot would only become even more fragmented, and Shao Yunyan himself would be uneasy. However, Shao Yunyan has one thing that surpasses all of you: he truly has the greatest sense of identity and belonging to the Dragon Elephant Sword Sect. So having him as Vice Sect Leader is beneficial for both his own sword path and the future of the sect."
Old Sword Immortal Qi's remarks—"too low in cultivation" and "you don't identify enough with the Dragon Elephant Sword Sect"—were like verbal clubs sweeping across a wide area.
"Lu Zhi would make a good Sect Leader, but she wouldn't be good at being one."
"If problems arise and you can't agree, you go to her to discuss matters, and Lu Zhi would just look at you with her eyes asking, 'Why are you coming to me, the Sect Leader?' What would you do then?"
"Zhu Su has good aptitude and a strong desire for fame and merit. Besides the Sect Leader and Vice Sect Leader, the high seats in the Ancestral Hall are essentially the positions of Law Enforcer, Chief Supporter, and Treasurer. Being able to secure one of those is already giving her plenty of face."
"Mei Kan is shrewd, values practical benefits, and doesn't seek empty fame. A blessed land's heavenly treasures, earthly riches, and mountain opportunities are essentially no different from a household's daily necessities. Managing the Overhanging Bow Blessed Land suits her best. If it were you, Gao Shuang or Huang Ling, handling such affairs—whether you'd lose money is hard to say, but you certainly wouldn't make much. Don't forget, Chen Ping'an's 'famous battles' on the Sword Qi Great Wall were, first, his life-or-death fight with Li Zhen, the direct disciple of the Desolate Ancestor, and second, his business negotiations with the ship owners at the Spring Banners Studio. You lot only value the former, but Mei Kan cares more about the latter. So she is pleased with this position, and her wariness due to her disciple Mei Dantang's identity as a demon sword cultivator has lessened."
"Jin Gao appears neither to seek fame nor profit, but since childhood, he's had a bad habit of liking to play teacher, like a little pedant. Xuan Yang has always had a habit of loving to drink, chat, and shoot the breeze with talented sword embryos. When he sees them, he itches to teach them a few sword techniques before he'll let them go. Besides going out of the city to kill demons, Gao Shuang is actually not very generous; Xuan Yang, when he drinks, is the real drinker."
These words could only be spoken appropriately by Qi Tingji.
The only one who seemed to lose out was Madam Tuoyan, who had been replaced as Chief Guest Elder by Mei Dantang and relegated to Second Guest Elder.
But a woman's heart is like the bottom of the sea. Madam Tuoyan had her own ledger—along with feelings of loss and complaint, she also felt a touch of smugness, a thought sprouting like a willow shoot.
The Hidden Officer doesn't really treat me as an outsider.
The sword immortals suddenly saw a narrow but long waterfall cascading from an overhanging spot in the mountain's flank, weaving through the green expanse, like a hundred-foot jade dragon resting against the mountain.
They stopped to admire the view. Huang Ling suddenly reached out and caught a colorful secret transmission flying sword. The secret letter bore the seal of the Dragon Elephant Sword Sect's Sect Leader.
It turned out that Chen Ping'an wanted him to secretly travel to Golden Armor Continent, to a place called Mang Mountain, to find a private sword cultivator named Zhou Song. As for what to talk about after finding this female ghost immortal, Huang Ling was free to decide.
Qi Tingji revealed the heavenly secret for them, explaining, "Zhou Song was the former Ritual Officer of the Yan Kingdom. She is acquainted with the Stinktree Daoist of the Oblique Seal Palace."
In truth, the private sword cultivators had no idea who the "Yan Kingdom" was. Besides, the Ritual Officer of the Sword Qi Great Wall had almost no presence—not even comparable to the Punishment Officer, let alone the Hidden Officer.
Huang Ling thought it over and said, "Then I'll be careful with my words."
From afar, they saw several giant trees atop the mountain peak, their branches pointing straight at the sky like sword halberds. Roses climbed the branches, blooming in a strikingly vivid red. Guo Du immediately flew on the wind to pick a flower and give it to his Dao companion, Ling Xun, who was not shy about it. She imitated the ladies of the Great Li capital by wearing the flower in her hair as she walked, her smile more beautiful than the blossom.
Then their field of vision opened up dramatically. They saw crisscrossing terraced fields filled with rice paddies, rising and falling in layers, their shapes resembling lacquerware carvings.
Beside one plot of leeks and green onions stood a wooden sign with two lines of writing: "One of the personal grounds of the Fallen Mountain's Second Seat Supporter, Xie Gou."
All precious produce here is specially supplied to the kitchen of Old Master Zhu at Gathering Spirit Peak. Outsiders, birds, and beasts are forbidden to set foot here. Violators will be either slain or roasted.
Jin Gao and Xuan Yang exchanged glances, both feeling speechless. It seemed that Bai Jing really treated the Fallen Mountain as her home?
Qi Tingji said, "Being a sword cultivator on the Sword Qi Great Wall and being a sword immortal within a sect in the Haoran World are two different things. You need to learn to adapt."
"Ning Yao chose Chen Ping'an as her Dao companion. The Old Sword Immortal chose Chen Ping'an as the final Hidden Officer. I, Qi Tingji, chose to step aside and let Chen Ping'an be the Sect Leader. Since that's the case, you all need to pay attention and show the greatest respect to Chen Ping'an, the final Hidden Officer who has given you enough respect."
"Earlier at the Sword Worshipping Platform, that young lady's few words were indeed unpleasant, but they didn't wrong you. In fact, she was still too lenient with you."
Qi Tingji had a sentence he didn't voice: It's a pity that Sun Chunwang never went to the Summer Retreat Palace, or you'd have had it worse.
"Since I am no longer the Sect Leader of the Dragon Elephant Sword Sect, I've already said all I need to say in today's chat—what should and shouldn't be said."
"Let me leave you with a few final words as a farewell gift. In the future, if anyone places private grievances above public duty, whether they fall out with the Dragon Elephant Sword Sect or Chen Ping'an, whether they erase their names from the golden jade register, or part ways as gentlemen without harsh words, just walking away..."
"Fine, then you'll be in my hands."
"Whether you become carefree rogue cultivators or honored guests of some sect, Qi Tingji will come find you to have a word."
The implication of Qi Tingji's words was that he would personally see them off.
Mi Yu walked together with Xing Yun and Liu Shui, the two sword cultivators, instead of following Qi Tingji and the others to wander around that peak. They chose a tall mountain that had not yet opened any grounds or caves. Green bamboos stretched into an ocean, with no paths among them. The three sword cultivators tread upon the bamboo sea, floating upward, their forms gradually rising, as if wrapped in clouds and rolling mist. Their feet were full of verdure as they reached the mountain's summit, where three sides were steep cliffs covered in tangled vines and trees, with paths only for climbing apes.
They looked down from the height, gazing at the mortal world below. The summit was surrounded by swirling clouds and mist, which shone brilliantly under the great sun, making one feel that the pure energy here connected directly to the Emperor's Throne.
Mi Yu clasped his hands behind his back, staring blankly into the distance. Xing Yun glanced at the great sword immortal Mi Yu and had to admit that this youngster indeed had an excellent appearance. Unfortunately, his Dao heart was not firm, or his future would be limitless.
Liu Shui said softly, "Mi Yu, you are an extremely intelligent person. I won't nag you about things you've already figured out. Let me ask you one thing: Have you ever wondered why, back then, the Old Sword Immortal arranged for you to be responsible for the new Hidden Officer's safety, and later even had you enter the Summer Retreat Palace? Aside from Chou Miao being a commander-level talent, if not for Chen Ping'an, he would have been the one to serve as Hidden Officer. What about you? What was the intention?"
Xing Yun nodded. Liu Shui, that fierce woman, had hit the nail on the head with these words.
The incident on the city wall where Mi Yu erupted in fury and struck down his friend Lie Ji with his sword, killing him on the spot—that was what made Xing Yun truly regard him differently.
Sword drawn and slaying a man without thinking. On the surface, it seemed like a derogatory phrase, but the native sword cultivators of the Sword Qi Great Wall understood the weight of those words. It was absolutely a great compliment!
To give an inappropriate analogy: If Liu Shui suddenly went mad and assassinated Chen Ping'an, then Xing Yun believed that he himself could never achieve the state Mi Yu had reached when he drew his sword.
Mi Yu said, "Back on the Sword Qi Great Wall, I thought the Old Sword Immortal considered me a waste. But even a brocade pillow, being a Jade Purity cultivator, was still useless on the battlefield. He had to find me something to do, maybe to give my brother some face? You might not believe it, but regarding this matter, I was a completely idle person in both the Summer Retreat Palace and the Spring Banners Studio. I actually thought a lot, but I never dared to think of one answer."
That answer could both comfort the heart and be utterly cruel.
The Old Sword Immortal had placed hope in me, Mi Yu.
Probably after Mi Yu broke into the Upper Five Realms, his reputation became too tarnished. Many young sword cultivators couldn't imagine that during his Golden Core and Nascent Soul stages, Mi Yu was, among all sword cultivators below the Upper Five Realms on the Sword Qi Great Wall—perhaps even without the "below"—the one who dared to chat idly with the Old Sword Immortal the most. Possibly no one else came close.
Every time he sheathed his sword, Mi Yu would go find the Old Sword Immortal to talk for a bit. Even when he was heavily injured and had to immediately go back to heal and go into seclusion, he would grin and glance from afar at the figure in the thatched hut on the city wall.
The young sword cultivator seemed to be asking Chen Qingdu about something.
How was it?!
Without such experiences and feats, how could Nalan Caihuan and the others have worshipped and adored Mi Yu back then?
Qi Tingji alone shrank the earth and arrived here in one step.
Xing Yun muttered sourly to himself, Another pretty face.
Qi Tingji said irritably, "Qi Shou's aunt was ruined by you back then."
Mi Yu lowered his voice guiltily, "In the end, she still married into a good family."
Qi Tingji shot him a sideways glance.
Old Sword Immortal Qi used his eyes to indicate to the great sword immortal Mi that he should say that a bit louder.
Mi Yu braced himself and said, "I advised her many times, but she wouldn't listen. What could I do?"
But he didn't dare say, "The more I advised her, the more she thought I cared about her."
He was afraid Qi Tingji would send him on his way.
Qi Tingji chuckled, "After all, you still have a thin skin. You only have the ability to be a womanizer and philanderer, but you lack the nerve to deny everything and say, 'What can you do about it?'"
Mi Yu found this strangely familiar and realized, "It's similar to what the Hidden Officer said back then, but Old Sword Immortal Qi's words were more direct. The Hidden Officer was more subtle, a needle hidden in cotton floss."
Words in the world are like wine in the world. If you're not really craving it, you can just skip a poor vintage. But if it's good wine watered down, even if you frown, you still drink it.
After a moment of silence, Qi Tingji asked with a smile, "Mi Yu, how about accompanying me to the Desolate World?"
Mi Yu nodded with a smile, "The great sword immortal Mi was just thinking the same."
Qi Tingji asked, "Once there, what do you intend to do?"
Mi Yu waved his hand, gathering clouds into a snow-white longsword. He ran two fingers along the blade from base to tip, then lightly flicked the tip. The clouds dispersed. "Wash my sword!"
---
Inside the inner city of Great Li Capital, at the beginning of the Shen hour.
In a room, the furnishings were pristine, and the calligraphy and paintings on the walls were valuable items. Through the window, one could see the enchanting lake view, with occasional white egrets gracefully piercing the sky, dotting the horizon.
A middle-aged man sat cross-legged on a couch, leafing through a piece of intelligence that had failed to be successfully sent. The Great Li side had intercepted a transmission flying sword. The intelligence was, of course, not the original but a copy whose encryption had been deciphered by technique-cultivating scholars. The man shook his head. To dare to transmit intelligence today—wasn't that walking right into the net? In matters of flying sword transmissions, the Great Li court had indeed not issued a ban, but did you spies think that among the thousands of transmission flying swords, not a single one had been opened and recorded? In the vast majority of cases, the flying swords still departed the Great Li capital unimpeded. Only a handful were intercepted. Once that happened, it meant the sender would soon be meeting with the Ministry of Punishments.
The man raised his eyes and looked at the spy sitting rigidly on a chair. He was a thin man nearing forty, better described as a dead agent.
The recipient was the Cloud Soaring Dynasty, which had inherited most of the territory of the former White Frost Dynasty.
The man was, of course, no stranger to the Cloud Soaring Dynasty. He remembered when the Great Li iron cavalry had swept south, all the way to Old Dragon City. During that time, some small states had fought tooth and nail against the Great Li, and there were strong countries like the Zhu Ying Dynasty that preferred death to surrender. The old White Frost Dynasty belonged to the kind that had stretched their necks out early, just waiting for the Great Li blade to fall. No wonder that later, when the Great Li drew elite troops from various regions to replenish their cavalry, the number selected from the old White Frost Kingdom was even lower than from some small states with populations under ten million.
Fu Qing, one of the two maids from the State Preceptor's residence, was a royal clansman of the old White Frost Kingdom. Compared to the current Cloud Soaring Dynasty emperor sitting on the dragon throne, she was the true golden branch and jade leaf.
But the man thought that, given Chen Ping'an's personality, he probably wouldn't let her travel south to revisit her homeland. Not for reasons like coveting her beauty, though.
He smiled sarcastically and said, "Historians all say the old White Frost Kingdom collapsed because its governance was too lenient. What a warm and fuzzy explanation. But you actually believe it? Wasn't it the result of several consecutive emperors being mediocre, forced to co-govern with civil officials, gentry, and clerks? And this Cloud Soaring Dynasty, which claims to inherit the orthodox line—aren't they afraid they're just a grasshopper at the end of autumn?"
Although several basins of ice were placed in the corner of the room, the spy was still drenched in sweat, his hair sticking in clumps. He smiled bitterly and said, "In this world, winners always write history. Since you Song clan of Great Li won, naturally whatever you say is correct."
The man laughed. "I won't argue with fools. I'll assume everything you say is right, and if there's even one point where you're wrong, then it's my mistake, Song Jixin."
The spy had prepared a bellyful of arguments, but now found himself momentarily speechless.
Because this capital celebration had not initiated a Mirror Flower Water Moon broadcast, nor did it permit any mountain means for "copying."
So it all depended on the observers' eyesight and memory. For example, the contents of this intelligence were extremely detailed—the appearance, seating order, demeanor, clothing, eyes, and so on of each sword immortal on the imperial path were vividly depicted. Reading it was like admiring a painting. Fine literary talent.
At the end of the intelligence was a suggestion, or rather a warning, to the effect that the Great Li Dynasty's national power was now at its peak, its momentum like a rainbow, and could not be opposed by force. So for at least ten years, it was best to avoid its sharp edge, feign friendship, and wait for change.
Song Jixin read it twice, shook the paper covered in tiny regular script, and laughed. "If you can't oppose by force, can you outsmart it?"
The letter writer was a Great Li official serving in an office in Nanxun Ward. They had thought he would fall into the hands of the Ministry of Punishments, never expecting that Prince Song Mu himself would interrogate him. He had already despaired and didn't intend to say anything.
After all, the man before him was still the master of Great Li's secondary capital, Prince Song Mu of Luo, who had once guarded the gates of Bottle Gourd Continent!
Song Jixin picked a citrus from the fruit plate, peeled it, threw a segment into his mouth, and chewed slowly. He asked, "You're not a native of the Cloud Soaring Dynasty either. You came from a poor family in a northern vassal state, passed the imperial examinations of the suzerain Great Li Dynasty, successfully became a presented scholar with a second-class rank not even low, and rose to the sixth-rank officialdom of Great Li. If you return to your vassal state's minor court, according to the rules, you'd be promoted by two grades—fourth rank. And that's just the surface. Within three to five years, at least third rank. Why do something that costs you your head?"
The man smiled bitterly. "This is a dead-end road. It's not something I can stop even if I want to. Song Mu, you were born into the imperial clan. You wouldn't understand."
Song Jixin raised an eyebrow. "That's not right, is it? I recall a few years ago, the Ministry of Punishments of Great Li accepted the suggestion of Minister Liu from the secondary capital, allowing you officials with dubious backgrounds to immediately go to the Ministries of Punishments in both capitals and secretly confess. After filing, all past offenses would be forgiven, and they would help cover your stains. I don't know the real situation in the capital's officialdom, but at least in the secondary capital, this matter was personally handled by me, and it was done according to the rules. Quite a few native Great Li officials, and even dead agents and spies from other countries, have been living fairly well since then, and many have been promoted. And this rule has never had a 'first come, first served' deadline. As long as you don't have direct murder cases on your hands, at worst, confess earlier and get a clean slate; confess later and receive varying degrees of punishment, but never enough to end your official career. You, Zeng Tao, aren't from the old White Frost Kingdom. Your family and relatives are still doing fine in the vassal state. If we talk about national enmity, of course there is, but personal hatred? None at all. Back when you chose to defect to Great Li, it was your dozen or so local prefectural families who knew best how to read the times. Besides, I've carefully reviewed your file. You're not the type of righteous martyr willing to die for your country. I've indeed seen many true martyrs, and I've killed quite a few. But you? Forget it."
Song Jixin nodded to himself. "I remember now. The Cloud Soaring Dynasty has a rather secretive office that specializes in targeting Great Li's seventh-rank officials in various prefectures, using various methods to help pave their way to promotion. The file records that your eldest son died suddenly at the age of sixteen. He was apparently a recognized child prodigy. What, was it that your son had spiritual aptitude, but not high enough, so the Cloud Soaring Dynasty promised to help him break into the Middle Five Realms?"
Zeng Tao's expression immediately panicked.
Song Jixin chewed the citrus, his expression playful. When he saw Zeng Tao deflate like a bereaved parent, Song Jixin clapped his hands and laughed. "Terrible acting. Just messing with you."
Song Jixin clenched his fists on his knees, staring hard at Zeng Tao. "That seemingly frail second wife of yours is a cultivator from the Cloud Soaring Dynasty, isn't she?"
Zeng Tao looked up in shock at Prince Song Mu.
Song Jixin said slowly, "I guess she used mountain techniques to secretly possess a local woman. Other than her name and face, everything else is fake."
The veins on Zeng Tao's forehead bulged.
Song Jixin smiled. "Then guess: is that so-called prodigy eldest son now steadily cultivating in the Cloud Soaring Dynasty, or did he really die on the road long ago?"
Zeng Tao was stunned.
Song Jixin leaned sideways against the tea table holding the fruit plate, turned his head to look at the beautiful scenery outside the window, and muttered a few words in a vague voice: Then fight them. If they don't learn their lesson once, do it again. Let's see if they still dare to act so arrogantly! And all this unnecessary trouble! You, the new State Preceptor, surely you're not completely without confidence to control an entire continent like that Embroidery Tiger?
Zeng Tao, dispirited and fearful, asked, "What does Prince Luo intend to do with... us?"
Song Jixin picked up the copy of the intelligence again. "Do you know why you must die today?"
Zeng Tao was bewildered.
Song Jixin crumpled the paper into a ball and crushed it in his palm.
There was a detail in the intelligence related to Ning Yao. It recorded a seemingly utterly insignificant trivial matter.
The content of that line was: "Ning Yao squinted first, then looked up at the sky, rather than looking up at the sun and then squinting. Strange."
Song Jixin tugged at his collar, twisted his neck, and suddenly cursed, "Really asking for death!"
As if still unsatisfied, Song Jixin launched into a tirade in his local dialect.
If I had known, I shouldn't have meddled in this muddy water on a full stomach. Sure enough, when people get idle, they find trouble for themselves.
Damn it, if that guy finds out this intelligence fell into my hands...
With his grudges-holding nature, wouldn't he settle old and new accounts together? Can I even fight back? Or can I beat him?
The more he thought, the angrier he got. Song Jixin continued to curse Zeng Tao's ancestors for eighteen generations.
Zeng Tao had wanted to fight Prince Song Mu to the death, even if it meant his own life, but unfortunately, a scholar is useless for a hundred things.
Zeng Tao asked, "Surnamed Song, since I must die, why waste so many words with me?"
Song Jixin smiled. "The Emperor and I are lord and subject. What is there to talk about? Just memorials and replies. You see, I didn't even attend the morning court. As for that new State Preceptor, who has been my neighbor since childhood, when we meet, we can only exchange a few words. If we talk more, he'd want to hit me, and I'd want to curse him. Not worth it."
A beautiful woman in the room, nearly a femme fatale, finally couldn't help but laugh.
Not bad, not bad. It seemed that following Song Jixin wouldn't be boring. Should she mention this to the Water Lord?
The woman was named Gong Yan, her courtesy name A Wu. During this "interrogation," she had been sitting on a chair behind Zeng Tao.
Besides Gong Yan, whom Zeng Tao had mistaken at first glance for the princess, there was also a burly, robust young man guarding the door, a ninth-rank peak martial artist named Xi Man, whose true lineage was a land-dwelling flood dragon.
Since Wang Zhu, the Water Lord of the East Sea, had come to the Great Li capital, the four water mansion followers, including Gong Yan, had accompanied their master on a sightseeing trip. Among them were two—the Daoist Li Ba and the martial artist Xi Man—who wanted to pledge allegiance to Prince Song Mu of Luo. They wouldn't dare to say things like "supporting a dragon" or ask the prince if he wanted to wear a white hat [a symbol of rebellion].
Regarding Li Ba and Xi Man changing their allegiance, Wang Zhu had no qualms. This time, she had them rush from the Tongye Continent's great river to the Great Li capital, just in time to introduce them to "Song Mu." It was a token compensation to Song Jixin, better than nothing.
In truth, Li Ba and the others were a bit awkward. They had long known that back in those days on Mud Vase Alley, "Zhigui" had once been "Song Jixin's" maidservant.
If you looked at it that way, in terms of "seniority," wasn't Song Mu their master's master?
The Jade Daoist Huang Man, who had once nearly been beaten to death by Zhang Tiaoxia, was a man whose appearance rivaled that of Gong Yan.
He had been admiring the calligraphy and paintings on the wall. As for Li Ba, that fellow hadn't come to see Song Jixin; he was strolling alone by the lake, being pretentious.
Li Ba, who had founded the Qingzhang Academy on Golden Armor Continent and whose Dao name was Cuozhang, was actually from a "State Preceptor" background. Unfortunately, he made bad friends and had the worst luck—being friends with that Wanyan Lao Jing.
By the door, Xi Man grew impatient with all these convoluted schemes. The burly man habitually scratched his crotch and asked in a gruff voice, "Prince Luo, want me to dispose of the body?"
Song Jixin nodded. Xi Man walked to the chair, grabbed Zeng Tao like a chick, lifted him, raised his dharma robe sleeve, and tossed him inside.
Xi Man asked, "Is Prince Luo actually here to..."
Gong Yan coughed to remind Xi Man not to ask unnecessary questions.
Song Jixin remained silent, just staring at Xi Man.
Xi Man nodded. "Got this rule now."
Huang Man smiled. "Prince Luo, how about I go to that vassal state where Zeng Tao is from and meet that woman? Judging by her style, I might even gain an unregistered disciple."
Song Jixin shook his head. "Don't intervene. Leave it to the Great Li capital's Ministry of Punishments."
Huang Man felt a bit regretful. Having seen this little ripple—maybe not even a splash—for the Great Li Dynasty, the Jade Daoist suddenly had an interest in going to the secondary capital to take up a post and eat imperial grain.
Song Jixin suddenly said, "Send a message to Wang Zhu. Tell her that I once saw a fragment of a poem in a strange book, something like a Daoist verse: 'The four seas are ground into a mirror, chilling the gall.' I've searched for the full text for years. I've heard the Dragon Palace has many books. Ask her if she can help complete it. If she finds it, have someone copy it and send it to my princely residence in the secondary capital."
Gong Yan saw that neither of the two men in the room said anything, so she had to brace herself and nod. "Yes, Prince Luo."
Xi Man didn't understand the true meaning and simply didn't want to make an extra trip. Huang Man, however, was shaken in his Dao heart and regretted not being as wise as Li Ba. The reason? "Grinding the sea into a mirror"!
---
In the western mountains, the Sword Return Lake, created by moving an entire mountain away, was indeed a beautiful sight. Its blue waters were deep and still, a palace for fish. This lake belonged to the forbidden waters of Chuzhou Prefecture; no fishing nets dared enter.
Building a thatched hut was a simple matter, but setting up a seclusion mountain-and-water array cost Zhu Su considerable effort. However, with Mei Kan and Mei Dantang, master and disciple, building their huts nearby, Zhu Su didn't fuss too much over the precision of the array. Behind the lakeside thatched hut was a patch of lush green bamboo grove. In the Great Li capital and at the Sword Worshipping Platform, Zhu Su had indeed been impatient, eager to go into seclusion and break through realms quickly. But now, walking on the bamboo path, she felt calmer. This path had likely been trodden by local villagers in the past when they came to burn charcoal, cut wood, harvest bamboo, and dig bamboo shoots. The brown bamboo grew densely, large enough to be made into walking sticks, small enough for chopsticks.
Perhaps because this female sword cultivator's surname was "Zhu" [bamboo], as she walked the secluded path among the bamboos, she stretched out a jade-white, slender hand and caressed the bamboo joints. The soft sunlight filtered through the bamboo leaves, creating a hazy, ethereal beauty. She imagined how lovely it would be to stroll here on a moonlit night.
Zhu Su gradually felt a clear, spiritual joy arising in her heart. She abruptly turned and walked back to the hut. The time had come, the opportunity had arrived. If not now, when?!
A muddy yellow path flanked by ancient pines whose bark resembled dragon scales. On the path were two visitors from the Sword Worshipping Platform area. Wu Jiang, arms crossed, held a long knife in a black sheath. Beside him was his Jianghu friend who had "ascended" together to the upper immortal ranks, Yuan Huang.
Wu Jiang said, "Mountain fairies are indeed easier on the eyes than Jianghu heroines. What do you think?"
Yuan Huang said distractedly, "All the same, I suppose."
Wu Jiang sighed, "You just haven't woken up yet. The day you do, you'll definitely be more impatient than me."
Yuan Huang said, "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. In the future, if I marry and have children, as long as I don't set the bar too high and insist on a stunning beauty, I don't think it'll be that hard."
Wu Jiang fumed, "You only dare to fart such nonsense to me. Try saying that to Brother Dafeng, Wen Zixi, Daoist Xianwei, and the others!"
Yuan Huang just smiled and let it go.
Earlier, they had followed Luo Fumei and the others out of Lotus Flower Blessed Land, traveled through Tongye Continent, and arrived at the Fallen Mountain. Along the way, the blade-wielder Wu Jiang found it exhilarating. Yuan Huang, who was determined to become Chen Ping'an's disciple and learn both fist techniques and swordsmanship, had yet to see the mountain master. But Yuan Huang had good patience. To find a wise master through a thousand hardships and receive a single true teaching—nothing was that simple. The worst fear was having a pig's head but finding no temple. Now that he, Yuan Huang, had entered the temple, what was there to fear?
They also followed Wen Zixi to stand outside the window and listen to the lectures of the Flower Shadow Peak's Supporter Gan. However, Wen Zixi was bent on stealing knowledge, while they were genuine pure martial artists, just broadening their horizons and enjoying the spectacle.
Earlier, seeing those awe-inspiring sword lights, they had wanted to come to the Sword Worshipping Platform to try their luck and see if they could catch a glimpse of the legendary sword immortals.
The sheer intensity of the sword energy distorted the surrounding light, making the vast blue sky look like a slightly wrinkled, water-blue silk.
Wu Jiang took it in stride, merely considering it a mysterious immortal spectacle. Yuan Huang, however, felt his heart stir. He wondered if, as a Jianghu swordsman, he might one day be fortunate enough to reach the Grandmaster realm. Could he, as a pure martial artist, traverse the land and fly on the wind like mountain cultivators, looking down upon the five sacred mountains as if they were mere mounds of dirt? Could he be as spirited and free as Mr. Chen, needing no words, naturally exuding the aura of one who is matchless and embodies the Dao?
So, deep down, what Yuan Huang truly wanted to learn from Mr. Chen was not fists or swords, but the great path of human martial arts.
In contrast, Wu Jiang's ambitions were simple: ensure he could eat his fill every day, make a name for himself in the Jianghu, and have many confidantes. In the Haoran World, he added one more: be able to beat the immortals.
Wu Jiang hesitated, then said, "Yuan Huang, don't think I'm pouring cold water, but I heard Brother Dafeng mention once that the mountain master Chen already has a closed-door disciple in the martial art of fist techniques."
Yuan Huang nodded. "I've known that for a long time."
Wu Jiang said, "Then aren't you afraid of being turned away at the door and embarrassed? If you ask me, you might as well just directly become Brother Dafeng's disciple. I could even put in a good word for you. Brother Dafeng might be a bit ugly, but he has real skills. Just these past few days, watching him teach and feed his fists, we've seen a lot of real stuff, right? Otherwise, how could he claim to have taught the mountain master Chen both fist techniques and swordsmanship?"
Yuan Huang smiled. "Master Zheng is certainly a man of cultivation, the kind that can't be hidden even if he tried. But I've set my heart on becoming Mr. Chen's disciple. Nothing is difficult for a willing heart. I believe sincerity can move even metal and stone. Besides, I feel I have a connection with the Fallen Mountain."
Under the eaves, two bamboo chairs were side by side. Wen Zixi had just secretly learned a peculiar technique of "grasping the mountains and rivers" from Supporter Gan, enabling him not only to see the scene on the ancient pine path but also to hear their conversation clearly. Wen Zixi munched on melon seeds and exclaimed in wonder, "Wu Jiang isn't bad at heart, and Yuan Huang is even more—"
Zheng Dafeng was picking his toes and said, "Birds of a feather flock together. Our mountain master likes those who can talk. Look at Gan Yiban. After chatting with old immortal Jia once, didn't his power skyrocket? He used to have Flying Ascension realm cultivation but Lower Five Realms conversation skills. Now he's at least at Earth Immortal level in chatting ability. At the end of the day, it's the atmosphere of our mountain."
Wen Zixi agreed deeply. "It's really our mountain master Chen who set a good example. Those who enter the mountain always walk the path of the founder."
Zheng Dafeng said, "You can say those two nice words to Chen Ping'an's face."
Wen Zixi tested the waters, "Are you sure it's appropriate to say that to his face? I'm afraid our mountain master might misunderstand it as sycophantic flattery."
Zheng Dafeng patted Wen Zixi's shoulder. "Have a late-night snack, drink a bit of wine, what's there to fear? When wine warms the heart, the chest opens wide, the guts stand tall. Trust me, Chen Ping'an will take it to heart and nod and smile at you."
Wen Zixi patted his shoulder, half-believing. "Brother Dafeng, brothers shouldn't set brothers up. After all, I entered the mountain late, and my foundation here is thin. I lack confidence in speaking and acting. Don't harm me."
Wen Zixi had already decided that before breaking into the Upper Five Realms, he would entrust all his time to this Tiao Yu Mountain. If they didn't kick him out, good. If they did, he wouldn't leave.
Zheng Dafeng took a handful of melon seeds from Wen Zixi, was about to complain, but then spotted the figure of a little girl in black clothes. He immediately returned the melon seeds to Wen Zixi, even wiping his hands on Wen Zixi's clothes, and ran off to chat with Xiao Mili. Wen Zixi, who had an extreme aversion to uncleanliness, had no choice but to pat his clothes again and looked down at the handful of melon seeds in his palm. After hesitating for a moment, he still started cracking them, chewing on brotherly camaraderie, if nothing else.
Those who came late to the mountain were relatively easier to fool. So Zheng Dafeng called himself styled Yushu, with the alias Linfeng. He even emphasized that he went by his style name. So you can address him directly by his style, calling him Zheng Yushu.
This set of nonsense, the entire Fallen Mountain probably only Xiao Mili took seriously and carried out.
The little girl carrying a cloth bag slung across her body came running all the way, then abruptly stopped. She tilted her head slightly, cupped her hands, and slowly wobbled them. "Zheng Yushu, I have a matter to discuss, no small thing."
Zheng Dafeng, feeling warm inside, put on a serious expression, cupped his hands in return, "Zhou Dharma Protector, speak freely. We are family; if the matter is difficult, I, Zheng, will definitely not nod."
Wen Zixi clasped his hands behind his head, stretched his legs, and slumped back in his chair. This lazy demeanor—he had long forgotten who he'd learned it from. He watched the big and the small whisper together.
Inside the training ground, Cen Yuanji, who was teaching fists, frowned and shouted at a few curious young boys and girls: "Focus on walking the posts! No distractions!"
Xiao Mili immediately stopped talking and scratched her face.
Cen Yuanji turned and smiled at the little girl, her expression softening, and gently waved her hand, signaling for her to continue chatting, no problem.
After Xiao Mili finished discussing the matter with Zheng Dafeng, she took out a handful of mountain fruits from her sleeve and gave them to him, mumbled a few words, then stood on tiptoe and waved to Master Cen before turning and running down the mountain in a flash.
It was Wen Zixi's turn to feed his fists. Cen Yuanji walked toward the bamboo chair under the eaves that was exclusively hers. Zheng Dafeng handed her a few mountain fruits. Cen Yuanji smiled and asked, "I get a share too?" Zheng Dafeng laughed and cursed, "What nonsense. The mountain fruits are rationed. You get the same as me, one more than Master Wen." Cen Yuanji sat upright in her bamboo chair, lowered her head, and gently bit into the sweet mountain fruit, feeling deeply guilty.
Wen Zixi, who was feeding fists to a young boy, turned his head and grinned. "I get some too?"
Cen Yuanji thundered, "Focus on teaching fists!"
Wen Zixi said "Oh" and kicked the boy into the air. The boy crashed onto the training ground, rolled, and got up quickly, his movements having a certain fluidity. The boy grimaced, rubbed his waist, and cursed, "Fuck your mother, Wen Third! Hit me, but don't hit my kidneys! This young master still wants to marry several wives..." Wen Zixi grinned and walked over to the most mischievous kid, covered his stinky mouth, tossed him against the training ground wall, clapped his hands, and said, "Next." The boy, momentarily breathless, slumped by the wall. Watching Wen Third feeding fists to a girl with obvious restraint, he cursed under his breath: favoring women over men!
The boy gritted his teeth, staggered to his feet, his liver aching. He remembered that seemingly strange "little girl in black clothes" they had seen earlier. Their group of martial arts peers of the same age often speculated in private. Their conclusion was that she must be a great demon with deep Dao power who had returned to youth. Otherwise, why would Mountain Master Chen have personally invited her to the mountain to be the Fallen Mountain's Dharma Protector Supporter?!
The boy sighed. Truly, a hero's spirit is short-lived. Their group learning martial arts on Yingyu Peak, along with those damn immortal-wannabes on Huaying Peak, had never even been to the real Fallen Mountain.
Wen Third, that morally bankrupt lecher, had said something that really struck home.
We martial artists also have hard mouths. When our fists are weak, we're just dead ducks with hard beaks. When our fists are strong, then we speak bold words.
Wen Zixi actually had another sentence he hadn't yet spoken, waiting for those young boys and girls.
To get to the real Fallen Mountain, it's not just a matter of crossing over one Wen Zixi. There's also Zheng Dafeng, and then a Pei Qian, before you can probably see the real Chen Ping'an.