Chapter 11: The Hidden Officer
In the old days, when Embroidery Tiger served as National Preceptor for a century, the Great Li court was not a one-man show.
Just as Summit Lord Chen in the Ancestral Hall of Jise Peak was not a one-man show either.
The eunuch director of the Directorate of Ceremonial stopped outside the hall, clasped his hands, bent at the waist, and lowered his head, respectfully seeing the National Preceptor cross the threshold to enter the hall alone for deliberations.
In the present great hall, hearts were varied and undercurrents churned, simply because from last night until dawn, hardly any capital officials had been able to sleep soundly. Especially those on the gates of Yichi Lane and Chi'er Street, who were using every channel to probe and share information. At the street-facing main gates, some wailed and beat their chests as if mourning the dead; first there were those who gloated and watched the excitement, then the excitement came knocking at their own doors; officials who spent the night trembling in fear until dawn and still had no trouble, dazed as if a Daoist crossing a tribulation; more than a few were urgently convening family councils to discuss how to spit out their fat profits in a safe manner. When they compared accounts, they realized how much immortal money their families, or their relatives' children, or their collateral branches had earned... The patrol garrison, from all levels of officers and cavalry, armored and armed, mobilized in full force. Not only did they not dare knock on the doors of these powerful clans, but even officials from the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review were arrested in large numbers. The Northern Command, especially its commander Hong Ji, overnight became the plague god and jinx of the Great Li officialdom.
Speaking only of within the Great Li capital: Minister of Revenue Mu Yan was imprisoned, Vice Minister of Rites Dong Hu voluntarily resigned in guilt, Chief Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial Yan Yongfeng claimed illness and requested leave, and the Vice Chief Minister was already in the Court of Judicial Review... Outside the capital, the General of Mizhou and the Deputy General of Wuzhou were both arrested and brought to justice. Small-scale mutinies erupted in the local garrisons that night and were forcibly suppressed. Although no worse situation occurred, the entire Ministry of War was on edge. The spies from the Ministry of Justice and the accompanying military cultivators, who had been monitoring the National Preceptor's celebration, had not yet left the capital, so they were cast out like a net to the secondary capital Luojing and the various prefectures.
Every day during the Great Li morning court, the content of discussions would be copied into official court gazettes and sent to capital officials and regional ministers. So how exactly was today's gazette supposed to be written?
Earlier, His Majesty the Emperor had not spoken, nor discussed this unprecedented upheaval in Great Li officialdom—the first in a hundred years—with any official. He was surely waiting for National Preceptor Chen to attend court. But after Chen Ping'an arrived and took his place, he never once mentioned the matter from beginning to end, as if this sky-bursting affair was not important at all, not even worthy of court deliberation?
Chen Ping'an walked to his position, facing the civil and military officials of Great Li, tucked his hands into his sleeves, and got straight to the point: "Last night, I led people on a trip to the capital of the Great Shou dynasty. Crown Prince Yin Mi ascended the throne as emperor. National Preceptor Liu Rao, who had been unheard from for a long time, reappeared that night. The lord and his minister hit it off immediately and decided to honor our Great Li dynasty as their suzerain state. The Yin clan of Great Shou is willing to become a vassal state, coming to Bottle Gourd Continent every year to pay tribute. The Middle March Mountain Lord Yin Ni endorsed this matter with no objection. Vice Leader Han of the Confucian Temple was in the capital at the time, so Great Shou Yin's state letter will soon arrive here."
Emperor Song He thought he had misheard.
If the emperor was this shocked, the civil and military officials were even more so. Great Shou was the fourth strongest country in the Haoran world, and it was not on the same continent; there could be no direct military confrontation. Even if Great Li had already decided to declare war on them and clash on the desolate battlefield, why would Great Shou surrender without a fight? Such a loss of national sovereignty? Could the Yin clan not even bear to lose a battle or two before bowing to the Song clan of Great Li?
Chen Ping'an turned his gaze to Emperor Song He. "Your Majesty, do we accept this vassal state of Great Shou Yin? If we are willing to take it on, the Ministry of Rites and the Court of State Ceremonial can negotiate with them on the exact dates and specific itineraries for the annual tribute."
When envoys from various vassal states and local subordinate forces came to the Great Li capital to pay homage to the emperor, the official term was "facing heaven"; if they went to the secondary capital, it was called "swallow journey."
Song He was caught completely off guard and had to ask, "What does the National Preceptor think?"
Chen Ping'an smiled. "After all, it's a bargain that won't cost a single copper coin from our treasury. Why not agree? Then let the Ministry of Revenue appraise the overall value of Great Shou's tribute goods, and we can give back half as a return gift. A poor suzerain and a rich vassal—there's no helping it. Anyway, the face of a celestial dynasty has never been about these formalities of reciprocal courtesy."
Chen Ping'an shifted his gaze. "Officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Court of State Ceremonial—who among you can tell me where the face of Great Li, as the third-strongest dynasty in Haoran, lies?"
The high officials of the two departments immediately felt as if they had needles on their backs. In the end, it was Dong Hu, the Vice Minister of Rites who had already submitted his resignation, who stepped forward and answered: "On the battlefield, see whose horse hooves sound louder."
Chen Ping'an made no comment. He shifted his gaze again to Cao Gengxin and said, "Vice Minister Cao, let's discuss the preliminary concept of establishing circuits in Bingzhou. Today we formally deliberate this matter."
Vice Minister Cao, distinguished and handsome, stepped out of formation. On this matter, based on the National Preceptor's instructions, he had consulted most with Zhao Yao of the Ministry of Justice and Wu Wangcheng of the Ministry of War. Since all three were vice ministers with the same rank and similar age, they had plenty to discuss. According to Cao Gengxin's proposal, for example, four relatively small prefectures including Wuzhou and Chuzhou would be merged into one "circuit" provisionally named Hehuang Circuit, while two large prefectures like Haozhou and Luzhou would be merged into one Huainan Circuit. Each circuit's chief official would be a second-rank regional minister, with candidates selected only by His Majesty and the National Preceptor in consultation; the Ministry of Personnel would have no say... Cao Gengxin was clearly well-prepared and spoke endlessly for nearly an hour. He grew so dry-mouthed that several times he subconsciously reached for a "wine gourd" that was not hanging at his waist.
After that, the Minister of Personnel announced this year's evaluation results.
Taking advantage of this Great Li evaluation, which had ended early on the surface but actually started early in truth, they tried to minimize the obviousness of last night's officialdom earthquake. Of course, it could not be hidden from those in the know or the sharp-eyed. As for those outside officialdom, it could simply be regarded as the three new fires set by the young National Preceptor and the Minister of Personnel. At the same time, Great Shou Yin's tribute and submission could also divert most of the attention from both court and commonalty. That was why Chen Ping'an had insisted on taking Qi Tingji, Cui Dongshan, and the others on a trip to the Great Shou capital last night.
This elderly Heavenly Official of Great Li, who had been twice transferred and promoted in succession, seemed to mention many thought-provoking tidbits, such as the various prefectures' guild halls set up in the capital. But everyone in the hall caught on: all clues ultimately pointed to that "Qi Crossing" which the Great Li Song clan had built with the full strength of the nation back then!
They finally understood. Back then, Embroidery Tiger had deliberately disregarded and allowed all factions to rake in huge profits. All so that the new National Preceptor, Qi Jingchun's junior brother, could wield the knife?
In that case, Minister of Revenue Mu Yan, who served as Great Li's financial minister, had been settled accounts with by National Preceptor Chen on this matter, and would never rise again.
Who didn't know that National Preceptor Chen, starting as a kiln apprentice from a humble alley, had achieved all these startling, frightening, and unparalleled "meritorious achievements" thanks first and foremost to the favor and guidance of that village schoolteacher? Moreover, this Summit Lord Chen was famously nostalgic and long-affectionate—and also held grudges. If you didn't believe it, look at Zhengyang Mountain.
Today's court session mainly "deliberated" three matters: accepting the tribute from the vassal state Great Shou Yin, reporting the evaluation results, and the impending establishment of circuits by the Great Li court.
The emperor, seated facing south, raised his gaze and looked toward the imperial avenue stretching southward. Song He remembered his teacher Cui Chan once saying that this imperial throne in the great hall faced the Old Dragon City by the sea.
Falling Mountain.
At the summit of Huaying Peak, seeking the Dao, and at Yingyu Peak, practicing martial arts, two groups of boys and girls, led respectively by Old Deafie, Zheng Dafeng, and Cen Yuji, gathered this morning at the mountain gate archway of Jiling Peak. They were preparing to ascend the mountain, finally able to cross that archway.
There were many of them, but no noise. Their eyes burned with passion, their hearts churned with emotion as they looked up at the three large calligraphy characters reading "Falling Mountain."
Previously, Falling Mountain had not restricted them from corresponding with their families or former sects; of course, the latter would never dare to write carelessly on the letters. The content was carefully weighed and repeatedly checked, afraid of leaving a handle for Great Li spies. Even the heading and line breaks on the letter had to be meticulously considered. Whenever they mentioned "Falling Mountain" or "Summit Lord Chen," how to do it, and how to write the closing words—because Summit Lord Chen's name contained the character "An," whether they needed to observe the taboo of using the emperor's given name—it all cost the senders considerable thought; it was an art... But whenever they asked about the scenery in the mountain, the boys and girls often didn't know how to answer, after all, they hadn't even crossed a single step of the divine path at Jiling Peak, let alone visit the Ancestral Hall at Jise Peak.
If passing the imperial examination meant becoming the Son of Heaven's student, then what were they?
A lively girl named Wu Chen didn't see her good friend Chai Wu and felt a bit regretful.
The twin sisters Ding Yao and Ding Tiao—one cultivating the Dao at Huaying Peak, the other practicing martial arts at Yingyu Peak—had their two small peaks at odds due to "internal strife." Now that they rarely met, if it weren't for the fact that whispering was inappropriate at the moment, the sisters would probably have started bickering. As for the siblings Wu Shange and Wu Long, they didn't have to become "enemies" like the Ding sisters; they just needed to unite against their common foe and beat up those peer-age immortal cultivators.
Several masters, including Zheng Dafeng, stood together. Over at the Sword Worship Platform, through Bai Xuan, that honey-tongued little rascal, Old Deafie had heard some stories about Master Cen and so regarded her with special respect, considering her a kindred spirit. Both were "lonely ministers" on Falling Mountain, not quite fitting in with the mountain's atmosphere.
The Chief Discipline Elder, whose Dao name was Ling Chun, was tall but well-proportioned, dressed in a plain white robe with no ornamentation—she never even wore light makeup.
In the eyes of "outsiders," this woman, the chief discipline elder of Falling Mountain, appeared to be an extremely gentle woman, without any sharp edges, always smiling no matter who she looked at.
Changming smiled and said, "Follow me up the mountain."
Whether they were seeking immortality or learning boxing, they had all come to this mountain from Jumping Fish Mountain. From this moment on, they truly had leaped over the dragon gate.
After the morning court ended, the capital officials returned to their respective offices. The Great Li heavyweights went to His Majesty's imperial study for a small court session. The Five March Mountain Lords, as well as the Grand River's Marquis of Eternal Spring, Yang Hua, and Earl of Dripping Grace, Cao Yong, were all notified temporarily by the Ministry of Rites to attend the meeting as observers.
While waiting for His Majesty and National Preceptor Chen to enter the room, Fan Junmao was consulting the Night Tour Mountain Lord on the precautions for the Night Tour Banquet. Jin Qing listened for a while and found it very instructive.
The senior prince from the Imperial Clan Court, who had also claimed illness and requested leave, did not attend. However, Chief Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial Yan Yongfeng, who had missed the morning court, arrived early at the imperial study. Yuan Chong of the Censorate had a neutral expression, impossible to read. Minister of Rites Zhao Duanjin appeared noticeably constrained. Old Vice Minister Dong Hu's resignation over guilt had not even been mentioned in the court deliberation. Zhao Duanjin felt somewhat guilty; Dong Hu was a veteran of the Ministry of Rites, diligent and hardworking. If it hadn't been for the Old Oriole Lake incident, aside from a separate biography in Great Li's official history, he would surely have received a beautiful posthumous epithet. Now that was uncertain.
His Majesty took a short walk alone with National Preceptor Chen and asked, "Ruan Qiong has voluntarily resigned as chief honored retainer. The wording in his letter is very firm. What do we do? This is the third time."
Chen Ping'an countered, "Who will fill the vacancy? The Eternal Spring Palace currently has no upper fifth-tier cultivators. Although Cao Rong of the Spirit Flying Palace has already verified his ascension to flying ascent, he might not agree. Even if Cao Rong nods, at this critical juncture, having a direct disciple of the White Jade Capital's Celestial Master lineage serve as Great Li's chief honored retainer would put the Confucian Temple in the Central Earth in a very passive position. Both court and commonalty would speculate whether the Great Li court was about to promote the Daoist school. In the Battle of Bottle Gourd Continent, the Jiang clan of Yunlin put in only perfunctory effort, all show. They are not suitable for this title; otherwise, both True Martial Mountain and Wind Snow Temple, the two military ancestral courts, would have to stand up for the Dragon Spring Sword Sect. As for Falling Mountain, it's even less appropriate to have someone fill the vacancy. Your Majesty, why not write a personal reply and say that once Ruan Qiong answers this question, the court can approve his resignation."
Song He laughed. "Liu Xianyang's wedding is imminent. Why not have the National Preceptor go to Youyi Peak and discuss this privately with Ruan Qiong? It might be more effective than official correspondence by letter?"
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Since you advise me to use private means for public good, why not come with me to the wedding banquet?"
Song He waved his hand and laughed loudly. "Forget it, forget it. I'll brace myself and write a letter to Saint Ruan, using the National Preceptor's scheme to throw the question back at him."
Entering the imperial study, the earlier court deliberation had deliberately set aside the turmoil in the capital's officialdom, but the small court session was heavy with a murderous atmosphere, focusing on this matter. Zhao Yao of the Ministry of Justice was responsible for digging up old accounts, reporting numbers, and naming names. It involved over two hundred powerful clans of Great Li, various ministries in the capital and regions. Most of the files were from secret archives already sealed by the National Preceptor's mansion; the rest were materials unearthed overnight by the Ministry of Justice and the Patrol Office. Associated merchant houses, banks, and mountain sects were countless... It made Wu Wangcheng of the Ministry of War—a man who had risen from the border army to become a vice minister in the capital, renting his residence—feel his scalp crawl. It was like a hundred ways to embezzle and line one's pockets. If these could be compiled into a book, future officials might consider it a peerless secret manual?
Emperor Song He's face turned ashen; he nearly overturned his desk on the spot.
The Minister of Public Works, Wen Er, had a strange expression, glancing sideways at the head of the Poyang Ma clan, Minister of Justice Ma Yuan.
It was worth noting that the imprisoned Minister of Revenue, Mu Yan, had originally succeeded Ma Yuan as the nation's financial minister.
But more people were observing the expression changes of Yuan Chong of the Censorate. Unfortunately, the head of this Shangzhuguo clan remained impassive.
Only after Zhao Yao, who sounded like he was "spreading rumors," finished speaking did Yuan Chong slowly rise. The chief of the Censorate had not prepared a booklet. He began to expound on solutions one by one, needing to clarify the sources and destinations of that gold, silver, and immortal money—whether it went to a certain immortal estate or a certain bank south of the Grand River. Yuan Chong also needed a thorough familiarity with and deep insight into the hidden corners of Great Li's officialdom; of course, an exceptional memory was just a prerequisite.
The emperor's expression eased slightly.
Chen Ping'an simply sat in his chair with his eyes closed, resting. It wasn't entirely because he couldn't bear to see or hear these dirty affairs; two consecutive "heavenly" upheavals had indeed exhausted his spirit to the extreme. If not for his eleventh-tier martial god physique, he would have slept even more soundly than the Daoist Priest Xianwei did last night.
Chen Ping'an opened his eyes and voluntarily mentioned the maid Fuqing, who had left the National Preceptor's mansion to go south. He explained her true identity and the machinations of the National Preceptor's mansion. Fuqing was a legitimate imperial relative of the old Baishuang Dynasty. Now, the Yunxiao Hong Dynasty, which inherited most of its territory, was the most restless one, and also the strongest nation that had planted the most spies and death warriors within Great Li. Fan Junmao caught the hint and said the Southern March Mountain Lord would ensure the girl was well taken care of. He would contact the Caizhi Mountain King's dependents and tell them to pay attention.
Fan Junmao, with the divine title "Cuiwei," also politely inquired whether the National Preceptor would have the leisure to attend his own Night Tour Banquet. Chen Ping'an shook his head and directly said he was busy.
Yang Hua's expression was complex, her mood exceedingly strange, with an irrepressible admiration that she didn't understand. Besides a shameful annoyance, this highest-ranking water god of Bottle Gourd Continent, on seeing Chen Ping'an again today, felt an involuntary "self-awareness" to respect him as a god.
Chen Ping'an said to this highest-ranking mountain and river god of the continent: "The reason I called you all for deliberation is that the Great Li evaluation has entered its second half. What we need to investigate are all the supervisory bodies, including the Ministry of Justice, the Censorate, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Patrol Office.
"Check whether they have overstepped in the course of investigating cases, conducting inspections, pronouncing sentences, and confiscating property. For example, arbitrarily imposing severe sentences to eliminate dissent, using public office to settle private grudges, abusing power, secretly instructing seasoned clerks skilled in criminal law to tamper, accepting bribes, privately threatening mountain sects, and so on. You all keep a close watch on this."
"If any oversight occurs during this period—for instance, if information leaks. Your March Mountain Lord titles: the Confucian Temple can grant them, and the Great Li court can also revoke them."
After the small court session ended, the new National Preceptor indeed practiced what he preached. The first capital office he visited was the Ministry of Justice, located in Nanxun Ward.
Minister Shen Chen, Vice Ministers Xu Tong and Wu Wangcheng—the three leading officials of the Ministry of War—all waited at the office gate to welcome the National Preceptor's arrival.
Actually, during Cui Chan's tenure as National Preceptor, he had most abhorred this kind of meaningless hospitality.
But Shen Chen was indeed old and should make way for the younger generation. At the same time, this old minister, who had led a ministry as a civil official, wanted to break precedent and indulge in some vanity before retiring, winning a glorious honor for the most practical Ministry of War.
Looking across the thousand-step corridor at the offices opposite Nanxun Ward, Shen Chen chuckled, "Go to hell, you lot."
Chen Ping'an could understand the good intentions of this old man in his eighties, so he only said, "Don't let it happen again," but he said it for Xu Tong and Wu Wangcheng to hear.
Shen Chen led National Preceptor Chen into the main hall of the Ministry of War and sighed emotionally, "It's good not to go to war directly with the Great Shou dynasty. Not having deaths is ultimately a good thing."
Unlike what outsiders imagined, the old men of the Ministry of War who truly knew what battle and war meant were less inclined to talk lightly about using troops.
Chen Ping'an did not stay long at the Ministry of War, less than half an hour. In the official hall, he listened to reports from a large number of the Ministry of War's department heads and directors. He asked them some questions about garrison defense, postal relay, and military registration. According to the old minister's schedule, the next step was to invite the National Preceptor to meet a group of young, promising, and methodical supervisors and secretaries. Then perhaps they could go to a subordinate office not in Nanxun Ward. Although that office was small, it was very important. After that, they would return to Nanxun Ward, about time for lunch, and have a small meal in the Ministry of War, using tea instead of wine... At that, Chen Ping'an smiled and asked the old minister, "Should I move the National Preceptor's mansion next door to your Ministry of War?"
The old minister, leaning on his staff, laughed happily and said, "I wouldn't object, but the Ministry of Revenue might not agree." The two young and strong vice ministers and a crowd of War Ministry officials burst into laughter.
Some young Ministry of War officials, unable to get close to the National Preceptor, had to stay in the room. When they caught sight of the figure of the "maid" beside the National Preceptor, every unmarried bachelor's heart fluttered—after all, a modest maiden is a gentleman's preference.
Then Chen Ping'an went to the Court of State Ceremonial, located at the southernmost end of Nanxun Ward. Apart from Rong Yu, he had no attendants or accompanying officials. Walking along the Thousand-Step Corridor, when the National Preceptor reached the main gate of the Court of State Ceremonial, Chief Minister Yan Yongfeng hurried out alone and led the National Preceptor on a tour of the office. Although the Court of State Ceremonial appeared to be a "clear water" office with little power, it actually had over five hundred officials. Perhaps this was the bearing of the Great Li dynasty in the old days when one country was one continent. Among the ten great Haoran dynasties, only the Court of State Ceremonial of the Dayuan Lu dynasty in North Juzhou had fewer than two hundred officials, while the Chengguan dynasty, the strongest in Haoran, had over a thousand.
The Chengguan dynasty's number one ranking was not disputed by the second-ranked Duan dynasty, and even the Great Li court accepted it.
When the Confucian Temple in Central Earth decided to formally open war against the Desolate Lands, the two dynasties that exerted the most effort earliest were the Great Li Song clan and this Chengguan dynasty.
Moreover, the emperor of the Chengguan dynasty was the first Haoran sovereign to personally go to the Desolate Lands. He seemed unconcerned about whether Chengguan might lose its ranking.
Outsiders did not know that this emperor, who enjoyed immense popular support and was of extraordinary talent and vision, had once in his tent in the Desolate Lands, holding a standard-issue battle saber, stabbed it fiercely into a map of the Desolate Lands, slashed a route, and gave a death order to his several border army commanders and fierce generals: "All our border army elites are here. We can serve as the speartip of Haoran, punch through the Desolate Lands!"
The young emperor of the Chengguan dynasty was named Huang Mang.
I wonder if a certain carefree green-robed lad, when passing through the Chengguan dynasty in the future and meeting that "Huang Mang," might slip back into old habits, forget past lessons, and advise him to change his name?
At Returning Sword Lake, Zhu Su's emergence from seclusion was actually an hour earlier than Ning Yao had expected.
Zhu Su was also surprised; it had gone so smoothly it was unimaginable, as if some heavenly guidance had drawn her along—literally, like divine assistance.
Ning Yao quickly understood. "Because you are a registered cultivator of the Falling Mountain lineage."
Being recorded in the genealogy and offering incense in the Ancestral Hall is a declaration to the world, a connection between the Dao heart and the Heavenly heart.
Zhu Su suddenly understood. As a native swordsman of the Great Wall, she had once had almost no feeling for registered identity or Ancestral Hall recording.
Ning Yao said, "I'm about to go to Youyi Peak of the Dragon Spring Sword Sect. You can continue to stabilize your realm, then return to the Dragon Elephant Sword Sect on your own."
Zhu Su nodded. The Dragon Elephant Sword Sect certainly couldn't be outdone by the Green Duckweed Sword Sect.
Xie Gou, holding a walking staff, swaggered through the wind to the lakeside and handed Ning Yao an ancient mirror. She said that the Summit Lord had entrusted Xiao Mo to go to Brother Bixiao's place and collect this "gift money," to be given to Liu Xianyang and She Yue—the couple about to marry—as a wedding present in the name of Ning Yao, the Summit Lord's wife.
It turned out that the old observer had taken away that piece of green cliff from the riverbank in the town last time. At the Haocai Bright Moon Daoist Field, this long-dusty ancient treasure of remote antiquity had been refined back to its original form by the old observer. It was the Moon Palace Mirror, originally one of the most important dowry items for the dragon girl. On the back of this bronze ancient mirror was a ring of inscription, ancient seal script reading: "A single point of spiritual connection, ten thousand years of spirit." Inside was hidden a round moon of extremely high rank, close to the "original draft of the real work" of the ancient heavenly court.
This was the great Dao opportunity that She Yue had sought so desperately when she came to the Haoran world.
The final result of refining the ancient mirror was satisfactory to the old observer. But after drinking wine with Xiao Mo earlier, he had given away the mirror before it even got warm.
For Bixiao Cave Lord, whose Dao field was named "Treasure Landing Beach," it wasn't much of a loss. In his lifetime, he had seen and handled countless good things.
Ning Yao put the ancient mirror into her sleeve. Xie Gou glanced at Zhu Su and nodded. "Finally you look a bit like a sword immortal."
Zhu Su had previously been somewhat wary of the notorious "Ancient Bai Jing" and worried whether her coming to Falling Mountain had ulterior motives. Now that the truth was out, Zhu Su greatly admired Xie Gou's choice—daring to love and hate, taking and letting go—truly worthy of Bai Jing.
Xie Gou hurriedly took her leave, saying she had to rush to the Sword Worship Platform to discuss matters with the selfless Alliance Leader Guo and a sycophantic minister.
Ning Yao found nothing strange about it, but Zhu Su felt awkward. Could it be that her own realm wasn't high enough to understand "Senior Bai Jing's" thinking?
Then Ning Yao flew north. Zhu Su remained by the lake. The female sword immortal sighed quietly. At least she hadn't had to cede the path to the Hidden Officer for a third time.
At the Sword Worship Platform, Guo Zhujiu was rarely so cheerful. It turned out that her master had told her to serve at the National Preceptor's mansion for a while, making up for Fuqing's absence. This was her old line of work!
Seeing their Alliance Leader in such high spirits, the White-Haired Boy said with sincere eyes, "Alliance Leader, you're going elsewhere to make great achievements following the Hidden Officer Ancestor. What about us little ones?! Without our backbone, the sky will fall..."
Xie Gou was somewhat impressed by the vice-leader's thick skin and rhetoric. So nauseating, so disgusting.
Konghou, a compilation officer, had also been the first miscellaneous disciple in Falling Mountain's history, and until today, the first and only outer disciple. As for the White-Haired Boy, who had now turned human, how did he feel? Nothing—he took pride in it rather than shame.
Guo Zhujiu raised her arms and pressed them on White Head and the sable hat, laughing, "When I'm not in the mountain, try to reduce your scheming. Fellow disciples should live in harmony, love each other..."
The sable-hatted girl held a green bamboo staff and chuckled. The White-Haired Boy turned his head and spat.
Sensing that Alliance Leader Guo had tightened her grip, Xie Gou immediately solemnly promised to work heart and soul with the compilation officer. The White-Haired Boy, ingratiating, said they must be good sisters with Chief Xie.
Slinging a small book chest over her back and holding a green bamboo staff, Guo Zhujiu flew north on her sword with immense momentum. Soon she caught up with her senior sister Pei Qian, and they sat together in the sea of clouds, watching the land-sea boundary of the human world.
At high noon, the sun blazed brightly. On the border of the former Middle March of Great Li, near the Dragon Spring Sword Sect, a blind old Daoist with a slanted package and a bamboo staff passed through a county town at the junction of three prefectures. This area's compasses were quite famous among mountain cultivators. The old Daoist went around the shops, compared prices, and spent five silver taels on an exquisitely made compass. He carefully wrapped it in cotton cloth, then went to a restaurant, ordered a stinky mandarin fish and a portion of hairy tofu, and drank rice wine. The old Daoist drank alone and paid the bill, then continued his journey. He left the city and headed toward Qiyun Mountain, formerly known as "White March."
Probably because the solitary old Daoist did look quite immortal and Taoist-like, people often approached and asked if he could tell fortunes or read feng shui for houses and graves. The old man just smiled and declined, saying, "This poor Daoist's skills are shallow; I dare not mislead people. Besides, small feng shui lies in geography, great feng shui lies in the human body. If you seek blessings yourself, Heaven will surely help you. Why ask a blind man about fate?" That said, the blind old Daoist would also pull out one or two yellow paper talismans from his sleeve and give them away, saying meeting is fate.
Walking all the way to Qiyun Mountain, this visit to the Dragon Elephant Sword Sect of the military Saint Ruan was not for the purpose of freeloading at tomorrow's wedding banquet. He had a mission.
Although blind, the old Daoist, who was at the Dragon Gate realm and about to form his golden core, had long had unimpeded vision.
Legend has it that in ancient times, there was a Daoist named Gong Qixia who traveled across continents to this place and lived in the mountain to cultivate. The Daoist took his home country's reign name "Qianyuan" as his Dao name. With neither companions nor servants, he single-handedly opened the mountain path, leaving behind immortal traces. It is said that after Master Gong opened the mountain, among several prefectures, this mountain had the most white clouds, making it look like an immortal island in the sea. Over time, the mountain pilgrimage incense gatherings never ceased; devout men and women came in droves, and every shrine's incense smoke curled to the heavens. Whether Master Gong achieved feathered immortality, attained the Dao and ascended, or remained on earth as a land-bound immortal—no one could say for sure.
At the foot of Qiyun Mountain, the old Daoist Jia Sheng performed a Daoist technique to invite a god. But the god he respectfully invited was not a mountain or river god, but a short, stout Earth God carrying a bramble staff with a gourd tied to it.
How many students of the Dao today knew the old rule of paying respects to the Earth God before entering the mountain? Even if they knew, they probably wouldn't bother.
Jia Sheng patted his Dao robe, shook his sleeves, made a salutation, and said, "Registered Daoist of Falling Mountain, Jia Sheng, pays respects to the God of Fortune and Virtue."
The Earth God was slightly surprised, quite flattered, and enthusiastically returned the greeting to this old Daoist who claimed to be from Falling Mountain.
As the "landlord" of this mountain, he had assumed that the old immortal would want to dispatch him for some errand, or at least ask him to accompany and guide the tour. Unexpectedly, the old Daoist only presented a gift for the first meeting, apologized for the disturbance, and even declined the Earth God's offer to climb the mountain together. The old Daoist said he dared not trouble the meritorious God of Fortune and Virtue to accompany him; he was utterly unworthy.
After bidding farewell to the Earth God, Jia Sheng ascended the mountain alone.
This mountain had "nine li and thirteen pavilions," scattered tastefully among the green hills, like various recluses, beauties, heroes, and hermits... standing gracefully on the mountain ridges. In the perpetually cloud-wreathed mountains, clusters of wild yellow sprout tea were often visible. The old Daoist ascended slowly, enjoying the breathtaking scenery all the way. He reached the second-to-last pavilion, "Gradual Entry to Immortal Gate," and paused there to rest.
The old Daoist opened his dharma eyes and looked into the distance. He saw several peaks winding in the distance, a continuous ridge like the silent back of a centipede lying low.
The thick earth was like clothing; ancient trees and flowers like brocade.
Jia Sheng stroked his beard and nodded. Truly, there were ancient things that had become spirits, nearly divine, dwelling here in hidden cultivation.
After parting from her senior sister Pei Qian, Guo Zhujiu arrived at the Great Li capital but did not go directly to the National Preceptor's mansion. Instead, she concealed her form and landed on the road outside the capital, mingling with the bustling crowds entering the city.
On the road, there were both carriages and pedestrians. Though congested, it was orderly. No powerful figures were shouting arrogantly or charging through. No mountain cultivators behaved superior or high-handed; instead, they tried to restrain the immortal mounts that ordinary people had long grown accustomed to. All because they were all going to the Great Li capital, whose royal surname was still Song. The only difference from before was that the National Preceptor had changed from Cui Chan to Chen Ping'an.
After leaving the Court of State Ceremonial, Chen Ping'an hesitated for a moment but still didn't go to the Northern Command.
He returned to the National Preceptor's mansion, changed his outfit, and then went alone to a secret "prison" established by Great Li, where he found Nian Xin.
This place was one of Great Li's topmost secrets—a forbidden area like the "dry dock" used to construct sword boats and mountain ferries. It was used to hold defeated prisoners from the Desolate Land's demon horde captured in the Battle of Bottle Gourd Continent.
It had to be admitted that some Desolate Land demons had extremely hard bones. Earlier, Nian Xin had said she would give it a try, so she came here, essentially returning to her old trade.
Chen Ping'an carried a booklet under his arm, looked around at the familiar scene, and said softly, "Old Deafie should come see this place."
Nian Xin stated matter-of-factly, "Even if he came, it would be useless. He has nothing but realm."
Chen Ping'an said, "You can't imagine how obsessed Old Deafie is now with teaching. He's already planning to periodically go down the mountain to bring people up."
Nian Xin was speechless.
When those Desolate Land demons sensed Chen Ping'an's presence in this place, the prison, which had been lifeless, suddenly became vibrant. In an instant, the title "Hidden Officer" rang out everywhere, an uproar.
Only Nian Xin understood the reason. If any ordinary Haoran cultivator who didn't know the situation heard this, they would mistakenly think Chen Ping'an was the common lord of the Desolate Lands.