Chapter 17: Questions and Answers
After several rounds of wine, faces were flushed and ears were hot. The young boy in blue and the old immortal Jing were sitting at the table with the Dragon Kiln master and kiln workers, helping to entertain the guests. Chen Lingjun had already become quite familiar with those "elders" and was now shouting and playing finger-guessing games, using the local dialect along with hand gestures, with cries of "six-six smooth sailing" and "all red" rising and falling one after another. The guests at this table had originally been extremely restrained, but with the young boy in blue stirring things up like this, plus Liu Xianyang and the others coming over to toast and telling them to drink freely, they completely let loose.
Earlier, Jing Hao had seen that Chen Ping'an wasn't sitting at the main table, so he tactfully refrained from approaching the two Confucian Temple patriarchs and the Martial Temple's Jiang Taigong. Besides, there was no need for him, as a figure from the Central Earth Confucian Temple, to curry favor in such matters. For someone of Jing Hao's age in cultivation and realm, talking about being comprehensive in every aspect would no longer be appropriate.
The old cook took off his apron and sleeve covers, and was forcibly dragged from the kitchen to the wine table by Zhong Qian. Zhu Lian couldn't get past this leading figure of the midnight snack tradition. He patted his sleeves and asked with a smile, "Is the flavor alright?"
Zhong Qian picked his teeth with a toothpick. "When we return to Fallen Mountain in the future, the late-night snacks need to be at this level."
Zhu Lian raised his foot. Zhong Qian sighed, "I don't know why, but as soon as I leave the mountain, I want to go back up. It wasn't like this at Lotus Root Paradise."
Zhu Lian didn't actually kick him. He smiled and said, "It's both good and bad. A hero's true nature always requires returning to one's roots. No matter how glorious one is abroad, when returning to one's hometown, one is just a country bumpkin, carrying a backpack filled not with poems but with stories."
Zhong Qian nodded. He must have read quite a few books on Fallen Mountain, because his speech had become somewhat refined. "To be honest, a beauty's brows and eyes, a lingering folk song, the taste of local dishes—homesickness is all in the stomach. But it's the old cook's skill that best tugs at the heart."
Zhu Lian kicked him directly. "Then return the sixteen books you stole from my backpack. You're trying to show off your fancy words with me. I'm hinting at you, and you're pretending not to understand human language, right?"
Gu Can had already gone to throw up, leaning against the railing as he vomited, looking utterly miserable. Gu Lingyan slowly followed, gently patting his back and scolding him for drinking too fast, telling him to take it easy. Gu Can told her to go back first. Gu Lingyan rolled her eyes at him but still went. She heard Gu Can dry heaving again and lifted an arm, saying to bring him a bowl of water. She was both amused and exasperated, and her backward glance a hundred charms.
Ning Yao, with light makeup, was slightly tipsy. Only Chen Ping'an's eyes grew brighter and brighter—his capacity for alcohol seemed to possess the invincible spirit of sweeping through thousands of troops.
Liu Xianyang and She Yue, as best man and maid of honor, were too skilled at deflecting toasts and even more accomplished at offering them, so they themselves hadn't had enough to drink. So while She Yue went to the bridal chamber to change and rest, Nuan Shu hurried to the kitchen and brought back a red lacquered multi-tiered box that had been prepared earlier. It contained various snacks to accompany the wine, each layer with its own flavor: ham, duck gizzards, tripe, and thin-as-a-cicada-wing slices of seafood fish fillet, accompanied by several simple dipping sauces, including fermented bean curd and chili sauce. It seemed that before even picking up the chopsticks, the eyes were already satisfied.
While feasting heartily, they also counted the "gift money." Red envelopes and various congratulatory gifts were spread across a table, piled into a small mountain. She Yue had never been one to value wealth, and her path of cultivation had never lacked rare treasures and divine materials, but who wouldn't love a bountiful harvest?
The dressing mirror refined from the stone cliff of the Green Ox's Back was Chen Ping'an and Ning Yao's gift. Xie Gou and Xiao Mo naturally had their own gifts as well—a relic of an ancient Moon Palace from the Bright Moon's Radiant Splendor, which Xiao Mo had brought back to Fallen Mountain. He hadn't forgotten to ask fellow daoist Bi Xiao to display a divine ability that gathered the universe into a mustard seed. From this, one could see that Xiao Mo and fellow daoist Bi Xiao were truly not standing on ceremony.
Liu Xianyang suddenly slapped the table. "Alright, no messing around in the bridal chamber today! Everyone go about your own business. Chen Ping'an has already missed the morning court session. Have a bit more to drink and then hurry to the National Teacher's Mansion in the capital. Gu Can and Lingyan can also return to Fuyao Continent. Xiao Mili can continue her travels—when you reach Southern Bodhi Continent, just mention Liu Keshui's name..."
Gu Can laughed and said, "Go about your own business? And what are you going to do?"
She Yue glared at him angrily. "You little snot-nosed brat, how can you be so lecherous?"
Fortunately, Huai Lu was there, or else She Yue's makeup would have looked like a rouge shop had opened on her face. Now it had the meaning of being suitable whether lightly or heavily made up. At this moment, Xie Gou offered to help with touch-ups, saying she had seen in a book a certain dynasty's high bun, which, when paired with a few golden hairpins that were the icing on the cake, would look absolutely stunning. She Yue, having eaten and drunk her fill, wiped the corner of her mouth and allowed the girl in the sable hat to practice on her.
Gu Can glanced at Chen Ping'an. Wasn't it you who was most enthusiastic about messing around in the bridal chamber?
Unexpectedly, Chen Ping'an put on a stern face and nodded. "I also advised Gu Can, but he wouldn't listen and insisted on making trouble."
Gu Lingyan let out a "Aiyowei," her beautifully manicured fingers with bright red nail polish raised as she defended her master with a few words.
Xiao Mili leaned back in her chair, stuffed to the brim, swinging her feet and burping. For now, she couldn't very well speak up for the good mountain master.
Li Shenyuan timidly knocked on the door. Gu Lingyan got up and opened it. The young man said softly, "National Teacher Chen, my master says that Master Dong and the others have gone to the mountain pavilion to enjoy the view, and asks that you entertain them."
Chen Ping'an smiled and nodded. "You can help guide the way as well."
Li Shenyuan gritted his teeth and agreed.
The mountain pavilion was nestled deep among the lush trees, offering a wide view that overlooked the river winding like a ribbon in the distance.
The Martial Temple's Jiang Taigong was still manageable, but the Confucian Temple's Master Dong and Master Han certainly hadn't drunk like this for a long time.
A gentle breeze carried the fragrance of orchids. With drunk eyes looking at the human world, mountains and rivers repeated themselves, a lifetime never satisfied.
If one's eyesight was good enough, they could see famous courtesans and singing girls riding in oiled-silk carriages, or beautiful women and ladies from official families, dressed in fine clothes, riding along the water's edge, their graceful figures reflected like falling into a mirror.
"Spring covers autumn chills, winter goes and spring comes, another year."
Chen Chunhua sighed emotionally. "I am pessimistic. I had already prepared myself. If Zhou Mi succeeded, the demon race would surely grow strong. So for the past twenty years, I've been hurriedly writing a historical record for Confucianism, so that people in the future, a hundred or a thousand years from now, could faintly see the former Hao Ran history. Even if only a few people saw it, even if they only flipped through a few pages, this hastily written history would still have meaning."
Master Han laughed. "It's just that no one expected the last sentence of the last old history book to be the first sentence of the new human world's new history book."
Chen Chunhua laughed heartily. "Even if it's discarded drafts, it's by no means written in vain. To be honest, looking back at this book now, there's more wrong than right. Fortunately, it wasn't published, or else it would truly have been harming the trees to print useless books."
Chen Ping'an arrived at the mountain pavilion. After making a bow, he smiled and said, "In my humble opinion, the significance of 'entering the stream' scholarship—opening a feasible path for later students—is certainly of great importance. But the academic paths that history has clearly proven to be wrong are also extremely meaningful. How can they be discarded drafts? This junior would like to make a handwritten copy."
Master Dong nodded in approval. "Indeed."
The main sacrifice of the Martial Temple, known as Jiang Taigong, the old man didn't beat around the bush and asked, "Mr. Chen, may I ask how Jiang She views the current Martial Temple?"
Chen Ping'an said, "Jiang She has decided to no longer concern himself with military affairs. Before descending the mountain, he said something from the heart: that he would just consider it as having had a beautiful dream of eternal peace."
Jiang Taigong sighed emotionally. "It seems I still underestimated Jiang She's breadth of mind. Sure enough, no matter how highly one regards Jiang She, it's never too much."
Master Dong asked, "And Bai Ze?"
Chen Ping'an hesitated for a moment before saying, "It can almost be confirmed that Bai Ze will be the first cultivator to break into the fifteenth realm."
Master Dong asked, "Was Zheng Juzhong acting intentionally?"
Chen Ping'an nodded.
The boy named Li Shenyuan stood outside the pavilion, staring blankly at the "historical" figures from "portraits" and books inside the pavilion.
On the way here, National Teacher Chen had asked him if he dared to enter the mountain pavilion with him and have a face-to-face chat. The young man's face had instantly flushed bright red, and he shook his head vigorously, saying he didn't dare, truly didn't dare.
Master Dong and the others returned to the banquet, and the boy followed along, discussing scholarship along the way. Though their ages and generations might have been vastly different, the knowledge within and outside of books was interconnected.
Chen Ping'an stayed at the mountain pavilion. Yue Ding also slipped away to hide here. The truth was that the young boy in green with the Dao name Jing Qing had taken the lead, bringing half a table of people around to toast. Yue Ding, after all, was someone in the mountain and water officialdom, and he was also afraid of losing his composure while drunk. Coincidentally, Mountain Master Chen was also taking a break in the pavilion, so they discussed some follow-up details regarding the alliance between True Martial Mountain and Fallen Mountain.
If he continued to drink, Chen Ping'an would certainly be able to eat until the last hot dish. But Liu Xianyang had said that they couldn't just drink Master Dong and the others under the table.
Chen Ping'an became drowsy. He lay alone on a long bench, intending to take a nap. When he woke up, he found his head resting on Ning Yao's lap. Ning Yao gently massaged his brow. Chen Ping'an asked what time it was. Ning Yao said it was about the beginning of the Shen hour. Chen Ping'an sat up, stretched, and lowered his voice, saying, "You're more beautiful than the bride."
Cui Dongshan and Jiang Shangzhen had returned to Gongliu Island, saying that someone from the Jade Aureate Clan would soon arrive at the True Realm Sect to settle accounts. Xiao Mo continued to go into seclusion within the Snail Shell Dao Field. Xie Gou also went to Fuyao Foothill, both to guard the Dao and to observe it. Xiao Mili and the others had officially started their long-distance travels. However, Zhong Qian had to carry the young boy in green, who was still muttering drunkenly about being "good brothers."
Zhu Lian and Old Immortal Jia were still to remain in the mountain.
Lovers finally married, flowers bloomed and the moon was full, people enjoyed longevity, studied calligraphy, swordsmanship, and the Dao, earned money, fame, and merit—believing that the human world would bloom with a hundred flowers.
Chen Ping'an first escorted Ning Yao to the firmament of Vase Bottle Continent, watching her return to Multicolored World. Then he took several disciples to the National Teacher's Mansion.
Cao Qinglang was still debating scholarship with Lin Shouyi. Guo Bamboo Wine and Pei Qian had gone off to visit the temple fair in the capital.
Chen Ping'an sat at his desk, rubbing his brow. He asked Rong Yu to bring him a cup of hot tea. Then he called for Xun Qu, the newly appointed literary secretary, and inquired about the progress of cooperating with Hundred Flowers Blessed Land to create the Hundred Flowers Channel.
Cao Gengxin came to the National Teacher's Mansion to complain. He was holding a large stack of letters, saying that for the past two days, people had been begging him, reasoning with him, boasting of their merits, and putting on airs—it was driving him crazy. Vice Minister Cao slumped into a chair, shaking his purple leather gourd, and licked his lips as he asked if the National Teacher's Mansion had any wine. Rong Yu had no choice but to bring a jar of Spring Breeze Brew. Cao Gengxin removed the mud seal and filled his gourd.
Chen Ping'an said, "The Minister of Personnel in the secondary capital has already resigned. Why don't you go to Luo Capital to hide out? This kind of lateral transfer shouldn't be a problem in the court discussion. Zhou Haijing and Gai Yan and the others wanted to establish a second immortal inn, right? They can just serve as your secret bodyguards. If that's not enough, I can assign you an additional open guard."
Cao Gengxin asked, "What about Wei Liang? He's been the Left Vice Minister of Personnel for many years."
Chen Ping'an said, "He, along with Wei Li from the Ministry of Rites and Liu Xunmei from the Ministry of War—about twenty-some people—will all be transferred from the secondary capital to the capital in the near future."
Cao Gengxin thought it over. "Then let's do it that way. Even if the rank is the same, being called 'Your Excellency, the Minister' is always more glorious than being called 'Vice Minister.' By the way, National Teacher, what exactly is this 'open guard' you mentioned? Is he capable of fighting?"
To say that the officialdom in the Great Li secondary capital was teeming with talent was not an exaggeration. The key point was that on the Luo Capital side, officials native to Great Li were actually in the minority.
Chen Ping'an laughed. "He'll do. A demon martial artist just fished out of prison, named Zhao Luan. He was at the bottleneck of the Far Wandering Realm. After a few days of recuperation, by the time you reach Luo Capital, he might already be in the Summit Realm. Keeping him at the National Teacher's Mansion would be a waste. But you need to be careful—Zhao Luan has deep scheming and a good head on his shoulders. He's not easy to fool."
Cao Gengxin said, "What if this bastard has a fit and suddenly starts killing people?"
Chen Ping'an said, "Hard to say, that's why I'm leaving it to your discretion. Whether you take him to Luo Capital or not is up to you."
Cao Gengxin hesitated for a long time, then let out a "Heh!" and made up his mind. "I'll bring him along. Taking a couple of fierce and domineering thugs out onto the streets, loafing around and harassing decent women—that's been my dream of a playboy life. When I get to Luo Capital, I'll leave the official residence and travel incognito. In a tavern or on a main thoroughfare, I'll get into an argument with some blind fellow traveler, and we'll each compare family backgrounds. I won't rush to reveal my identity. When they ask me if I know who their father is, I'll ask them if they know who I am?! Hmm, just thinking about it is beautiful."
Chen Ping'an rewarded him with a single word. "Scram."
Cao Gengxin picked up the jar of Spring Breeze Brew from the side table, took a few sips, and then, following the covered corridor, wandered over to the kitchen of the National Teacher's Mansion. Besides thanking a cook who was sitting at a table in her spare time staring blankly into space, he said he was going to Luo Capital. The cook, Yu Qing, who had given up her identity as a Cherry Azure Garb, was baffled by Vice Minister Cao's words of reluctant farewell. What was the point of telling her this?
Rong Yu stood not far away, with Zhao Luan and Iron Jujube beside her. She smiled and reminded him, "Vice Minister Cao, Zhou Haijing and the others are already at the Daoist Academy on Ge Ridge, waiting for you to discuss the trip to Luo Capital."
Cao Gengxin's expression remained normal, but he was actually quite troubled. The words his uncle Cao Ping had spoken still made his heart pound with fear.
Looking at the gaunt-faced, long-bearded old man, Cao Gengxin asked with confusion, "And this old gentleman is?"
Rong Yu said with a grin, "Using the alias Iron Jujube, a Core Formation Ghost. The National Teacher said it's a buy-one-get-one-free deal. Vice Minister Cao, you've hit the jackpot."
Cao Gengxin gave a wry smile. "Excellent."
---
In a county town within the Qiyun Mountain region, there was actually a woman who should have gone to Admonishing Peak to offer congratulations but had changed her mind at the last minute. She was wallowing in self-pity here, having ordered several local specialty dishes in a tavern. She was now only a few steps away from the ancestral mountain of Dragon Spring Sword Sect, yet ultimately, she lacked the courage to go and see Master Ruan, or the current sect leader Liu Xianyang, and especially Senior Sister Xu.
This was Liu Yu, a direct disciple of Leng Qi from Poor Branch Peak. She was now in the Dragon Gate Realm, with her innate flying sword "Reed Flower."
In truth, this trip was not only Liu Yu's own wish but also on the advice of Yu Lin from Rain Foot Peak. At the time, Yu Lin had spoken very eloquently: "Regardless of how things turned out, we all embarked on the path of the sword at Dragon Spring Sword Sect. Although it's ultimately a pity that we had no master-disciple fate with Master Ruan, we should still be grateful and cherish the connection. Besides, Liu Xianyang's sword challenge to Zhengyang Mountain was a private grievance. At the time, we only did our duty by accepting the sword. To take the worst-case scenario, isn't it also a matter of 'better to end a feud than to keep it going'?"
Was this perhaps the reason Yu Lin could become a Golden Core sword immortal at the age of thirty and a peak master on Zhengyang Mountain?
One should also know this: such shrewd characters mostly thrive in wealthy circles and arenas of fame and fortune, rising above the crowd and reaping all the benefits.
The gains and losses of such matters, when it comes down to it, are always one's own doing.
Liu Yu looked gloomy. She was simple-minded and far from being as tactful and adaptable as Yu Lin. She simply felt she owed Dragon Spring Sword Sect an enormous debt of gratitude. Occasionally, she would also regret whether she had been wrong to insist on leaving the mountain back then and severing herself from the Dragon Spring Sword Sect's registry?
People like Lu Xiting and Lu Langhuan had ascended the mountain and practiced swordsmanship together with Liu Yu and Yu Lin back then. Dong Gu, Xu Xiaoqiao, and Xie Ling, among others, had once taught them on behalf of their master. For Yu Lin, who had the best natural talent and chose to seek higher ground, Dong Gu and the others felt no regret. Xie Ling had even privately jeered a few times. This "Long-Eyebrows" held such so-called smart people in utter contempt, considering them to be unbearably stupid.
But regarding Liu Yu's departure from the mountain, Xie Ling felt it wasn't right. Going to a den of thieves like Zhengyang Mountain—was it clearly a small temple with strong winds and a shallow pool with many turtles? What could Liu Yu possibly learn there? But Xie Ling only mentioned it once and couldn't be bothered to advise her further.
But when a woman falls in love, how can reason prevail?
At that time, Liu Yu was a young girl just awakening to love, and not a woman well-versed in worldly affairs. She felt that only the word "love" was true in the world. When her young eyes looked out, they saw only the lover she cherished in her heart. How could even Xu Xiaoqiao persuade her to change her mind?
After descending the mountain and then returning to another, still cultivating the Dao and practicing swords, Liu Yu had always felt a vague sense of loss over the years.
The table was laden with several seasonal dishes that were perfect in color, aroma, and flavor, but to Liu Yu, they tasted like chewing wax. After drinking a few cups of inferior wine, she put down a silver ingot without waiting for the waiter to bring her change, and left the tavern.
Liu Yu was dejected. She definitely wasn't going to Admonishing Peak, because she was also afraid of that person to the very core of her being.
When that person became the Great Li National Teacher, the various peaks of Zhengyang Mountain were simply... stuck in an awkward position.
During the last ancestral hall meeting, the atmosphere was so heavy it was suffocating.
Of course, there were also those who weren't afraid at all. These were all ignorant youngsters and children.
Liu Yu sighed, walked into a secluded alley, made a hand seal to conceal her form, and flew her sword to an official road on the outskirts of the county town. She stopped five or six junior disciples from various peaks on the road. When they saw Liu Yu, their expressions were all somewhat embarrassed. Only one slender girl with cold and beautiful eyes appeared relatively composed.
Although Liu Yu felt sorry for them and envied their complete lack of any corrupt aura, she couldn't allow them to act recklessly. She put on an angry expression and said, "You sneaked down the mountain and followed me all the way. Did you really think I wasn't aware of your whereabouts? What, you want to challenge Admonishing Peak with your swords?"
The girl said stiffly, "Uncle Liu, we just wanted to take a distant look at Admonishing Peak and Fallen Mountain, and then quietly return to the sect."
Currently, the peak master of Poor Branch Peak, Leng Qi, was in "seclusion," and Liu Yu was managing all the affairs of the peak. She was allowed to participate in the ancestral hall meetings as an exception. So in the eyes of these children, Liu Yu still possessed considerable authority.
Liu Yu's face was as cold as frost. "And after you've seen them from afar, what then?!"
The girl said calmly, "We'll leave after seeing them. If anyone asks who we are, we'll say we're wandering wild cultivators. They can believe it or not—it's not like we're doing anything anyway."
Liu Yu was amused despite herself, but she maintained a stern expression and scolded, "What nonsense!"
She had heard that this quirky girl had decent talent for practicing the sword, though nothing outstanding, and she often went alone to that boundary marker.
A leisurely sword light gracefully descended. Xu Xiaoqiao landed and sheathed her sword, laughing. "Just taking a few looks isn't a problem. Come with me and stop at the mountain gate archway for a closer look. But I'm telling you in advance: what applies at Dragon Spring Sword Sect doesn't mean you can do the same at Fallen Mountain."
Liu Yu's eyes instantly reddened. Among this group of children, she was the elder, but in front of Senior Sister Xu, Liu Yu was still like the young girl of years past.
Xu Xiaoqiao smiled and said, "There's no need to be so distant. You should come back and visit often. Brother Dong and Junior Brother Xie would all welcome you."
Instead, Liu Yu's smile turned bitter.
Those youngsters were all overjoyed. The farther north they had traveled on this trip, the smaller their courage had become. But none of them wanted to be the first to say they should go back.
Only the girl who had just spoken to Liu Yu suddenly asked a question no one expected: "Peak Master Xu, is that Gu Can on the mountain?"
If Gu Can was on the mountain, she wouldn't go near for a closer look. A person's name and a tree's shadow—who wouldn't be afraid of a Gu Can who had gone from Book Splashing Lake to White Emperor City?
At her mention of this, all the other youngsters drew in a sharp breath of cold air, overwhelmed with belated fear. Each felt a pang of guilt. How could they have forgotten this?!
Just then, before Xu Xiaoqiao could say anything, a slightly amused, warm voice sounded behind the youngsters. "Gu Can isn't on the mountain."
The girl's face stiffened. She turned to look and saw a handsome young man in a Confucian robe. Standing beside him was a beautiful woman as lovely as a flower.
---
In the northwestern region of Parasol Leaf Continent, a huge coastal city presented a scene of bustling prosperity. The streets were crowded with people. One could scarcely imagine that this densely populated city, with its walls, roads, and mansions all brand new, with the signs of various shops and the tavern banners all brand new, had been built out of thin air in less than twenty years, gathering no less than three hundred thousand people.
A young-looking, handsome Daoist, dressed in a blue Daoist robe, wearing a "Carefree Scarf" on his head and "Ten Directions Shoes" on his feet, carried himself with an excellent demeanor.
He came to a high platform specifically used for viewing the sea, but the young man didn't climb to the top for a distant view. Instead, he lingered around the nearby stalls for a while before preparing to return to the Daoist temple in the city where he was temporarily lodging.
Although the Daoist temple was small, it contained two ruins from the previous dynasty: one was a Thunder Inspection Bureau established by imperial decree, which housed an altar to a Fire Department Godly Officer; the other was a deep well recorded in local chronicles as being able to connect to the undersea Dragon Palace, and cultivators all said that a divine object lurked within, guarding the water vein passage.
However, the young Daoist was blocked by a middle-aged man carrying a sword on his back.
Seeing that the other party was tall and sturdy, strong and powerful, and that he would likely lose in a physical fight, the young Daoist could only try to go around. The man simply moved sideways, continuing to block his way, displaying all the rascally demeanor of a street thug.
The young man stopped and asked with a frown, "Fellow Daoist, why must you be so aggressive? The Great Way is wide—each can walk their own side. Why is that not acceptable?"
The man sneered. "Why must Temple Master Du pretend not to know?"
Du Hanling remained silent.
The swordsman said, "Someone said that as long as you attempt to flee into the sea, I am to take you to the Merit Forest of the Central Earth Confucian Temple. If you stay at Golden Summit Temple, then just focus on cultivating your spiritual essence and pursuing the realm of the immortals."
The man laughed. "If your patience is good enough, then I'll have a headache. Having to watch a slippery Jade Perch Realm loach every day is quite taxing."
Du Hanling of Golden Summit Temple had been in seclusion for a long time and hadn't shown his face in the world for many years. Back when the great war ended and the desolate demon race stranded on Parasol Leaf Continent was swept clean, there had been a "Peach Leaf Alliance" formed in the Dazhu capital region. Along with the Yao Clan of Dazhu, sixteen larger immortal cultivation sites, and thirty-four affiliated mountain vassal sects, it was a grand and stirring affair. In name, it was to preserve the vitality of their home continent and resist the infiltration of cultivators from other continents. In reality, everyone knew in their hearts that the one they were guarding against was the Great Li Dynasty to the north, on Vase Bottle Continent.
The Peach Leaf Alliance's influence on Parasol Leaf Continent was unmatched, even overshadowing the Jade Aureate Clan in the south.
Du Hanling, as the alliance leader, was hailed as the "king of the mountains" and the "chancellor of the peaks."
However, when the newly established Green Duckweed Sword Sect joined forces with the Jade Aureate Clan and the Great Spring Dynasty, deciding to excavate a brand new great channel, and soon constructed a temporary ancestral hall in Cloud Rock Kingdom, where besides immortal masters, there were also emperors of various nations or their Ministers of Revenue. They discussed matters every day, almost never talking about righteousness or general trends. Their discussions revolved around the most concrete word: money!
This turned the Peach Leaf Alliance into an interesting but ultimately forgotten anecdote and joke. And they understood why Du Hanling had been in seclusion for so many years. What was he supposed to do if he left seclusion? Voluntarily go to Cloud Rock Kingdom and say, "This poor Daoist is also willing to contribute what little he can to this grand undertaking"? Or go to Mirage City and argue with the female emperor of the Yao Clan, asking why she had broken the alliance? Could the rumors on the streets be true—that she and that surnamed Chen...?
Du Hanling sighed deeply. "What a sword immortal, Xu Jun."
The sword cultivator from Golden Armor Continent, Xu Xie. To put it nicely, he was a rogue immortal; to put it bluntly, he was a mountain-and-marsh wild cultivator, never having held any registry identity.
Xu Xie smiled. "An empty title given by the mountains."
Previously, he had attended the Qing Ping Sword Sect's celebration. Entrusted by someone, he was keeping an eye on Du Hanling.
Since Xu Xie had agreed to this matter, he couldn't let anything go wrong. After all, Xu Xie detested no one more than those who colluded with the Desolate Barbarians.
But besides this reason, there were also some inside stories for why Xu Xie was willing to take on this task, having some connection with the Inclined Seal Palace on Flowing Sunset Continent and the ruined Vineyard Mountain. To be precise, the true guide who had led Xu Xie onto the path of cultivation was that female ghost with the Dao name Qing Miao, named Zhou Song. Furthermore, Xu Xie was also one of the "Twenty-Two," and this had been done at the behest of Zhou Song, who was also his half-master.
Du Hanling asked with confusion, "How was the esteemed Xu Jun able to be persuaded by an outsider to waste time, for such a long stretch, watching a stranger with whom you have no enmity?"
Xu Xie was even more puzzled. "When death is already at your door, why bother with such trivial matters?"
Du Hanling frowned. "What?!"
Xu Xie laughed. "Chen Ping'an said to take you to the Merit Forest of the Confucian Temple. That's his idea. I have my own opinion."
Xu Xie spoke patiently, as if explaining one more thing to a dead man. "My view is simple: 'Better to kill the wrong person than to let the wrong person go.'"
Du Hanling wasted no more words. He displayed his signature divine ability and fled far from the city.
But no matter how flashy Du Hanling's Daoist methods, or how hard he tried, Xu Xie was like a shadow following him. He wasn't in a hurry to deliver his sword; he even deliberately gestured with his eyes, hinting to Du Hanling that he could try to use innocent lives to threaten him, Xu Xie.
Du Hanling finally couldn't help but start cursing loudly. At the same time, he attempted to secretly activate a great mountain-and-water formation.
Hearing this, Xu Xie's expression remained unchanged, and instead he laughed. "I have a reputation for a bad temper, but I don't like getting angry at dead people."
He allowed Du Hanling to activate the mountain-and-water formation centered on Golden Summit Temple. The mountain-and-water qi and spiritual energy of nearly half of Parasol Leaf Continent were stirred into a swirling maelstrom, with strange phenomena appearing everywhere. This was Du Hanling's ultimate trump card for self-preservation.
"If you piss off this Daoist, I'll take tens of millions of mortals on Parasol Leaf Continent to the grave with me!"
Xu Xie simply severed the Dao connection between Du Hanling and the great formation with a single sword stroke. It was as easy as slicing through tofu.
Then, with a casual swing of his sword, he lopped off Du Hanling's head.
As the head flew high into the air, Du Hanling's face was ashen, his expression bitter. "Xu Xie, when did you ascend to the Flying Ascension Realm?!"
Without even drawing his innate flying sword, Xu Xie twisted his wrist and flourished the blade, smiling. "As sword cultivators, we gaze up and perceive the heavens and the earth as communicating with each other. One always gains some insights and understanding."
---
In the heart of the Desolate Wilds, in the southeastern region.
On a towering cliff face that pierced the clouds, a Daoist scripture was inscribed with characters as large as a bushel. The script was the "Cloud Water Script" created by Zhou Mi himself. The content of the scripture was extremely basic, with absolutely no obscure phrasing.
This wasn't the only such spot. Scattered across the wilds of the Desolate World were tens of thousands of similar cliff carvings, containing three types of Daoist scriptures, corresponding to the initial breathing techniques of qi refinement, how to establish a dwelling, and what it meant to form a core. All of them were personally compiled by Zhou Mi as methods for entering the path and steps for advancement.
For several thousand years, often some enlightened mountain-and-marsh monsters or old spirits who hadn't fully completed their transformation would gather beneath the cliff carvings. Some lucky ones, after reading, would learn how to refine qi. They would be ecstatic, dancing for joy, and then go to another cliff carving to read the "next book." More of the spirits remained confused, coming and going, returning again, always unwilling to give up in their daze.
Throughout the Desolate World, when great demons descended the mountains to travel, flying high and looking down like birds, they would often see along a single route vast, abandoned cultivation sites with their peaks shattered, brand new yet deserted capital cities of some nation, either cleaved in two by a single sword strike or crisscrossed with ravines by powerful treasures of war... But no one dared to touch these cliff walls. No one dared to kill the "ants" gathered at the foot of the mountains studying the carvings. If anyone did, Zhou Mi's direct disciples, like his chief disciple Shou Chen, would personally hunt them down, carrying back one head or a pile of heads to hang on those cliff walls.
Over time, towns formed around these great mountain cliff carvings, complete with marketplaces. Not far away, immortal ferry stations would appear, bustling with smoke from cooking fires and crowded with tourists, mostly in human form.
But whether towns, cultivation sites, or ferry stations, they would all deliberately keep a certain distance from the high mountains.
On a pitted and rugged yellow-mud road, there was a hastily built wine stall by the roadside. The tall flag advertisement hung limply. The proprietor was a voluptuous beauty with a high and prominent chest, with abundant "fruits" above a slender, willow-like waist.
She always had a boy with dull eyes and a pale complexion by her side.
Guests stopping at the wine stall would say he was her idiot younger brother.
Generally speaking, in the Desolate World, the more human-like a demon was, the more troublesome they were.
The woman was wearing thin clothes and a pair of embroidered satin slippers.
She deliberately exposed a large expanse of fair skin on her chest. How else to attract customers? Would she rely on watered-down fake wine?!
The woman was full of resentment, muttering to herself, "I really can't water it down any more. Selling water won't fetch a price."
Of the five tables, only two had guests. The bastards at one of the tables were rolling dice, gambling without even buying any wine.
She vigorously shook an old tattered fan painted with spring palace scenes, making a whooshing sound. The patrons at the two tables—both the drinkers and the gamblers—all stared straight at her.
She was oblivious, only complaining that this ghostly life was unbearable.
Back in those years when she went to the Sword Qi Great Wall to fight, many who had succeeded in their studies all fled south, so the wine stall business was still good.
In recent years, she had heard that those soft eggs from Hao Ran had become quite menacing, and were actually going to attack the Desolate Wilds, which caused another large wave of demon cultivators to flee south.
The wine stall had good business for a few years, but unfortunately, customers were getting scarcer. Everyone had become smarter, knowing now how precious each immortal coin was.
A group of unfamiliar faces approached slowly on the road. The woman craned her neck, squinted to take a look, then suddenly threw her fan onto the table and shouted in panic, "Closing up! Get lost, now!"
Those clueless bastards were still using the oldest, most worn-out lewd jokes to flirt with her, without a shred of originality.
Enraged, she stamped her foot on a long bench, snarling fiercely, "If you don't get lost now, you'll be keeping each other company on the road to the Yellow Springs soon enough! I'm not burning any paper money for you! Now get lost!"
In the sweltering season, on the hazy yellow road, a group of Daoists could be seen faintly approaching the wine stall. Their figures were varied in height, their outlines indistinct, but all were in human form. The customers who were drinking to cool off and staring at that expanse of fair skin for free sensed something unusual, despite not understanding the reason. With no further hesitation, whether using hand seals or casting escape arts, they scattered like startled birds in an instant.
On the road, a small figure with hair in two bunches seemed about to rush forward, but was caught by her pigtails. However, the momentum was so strong that she ended up horizontal in the air, creating a very comical picture.
When they approached, it was her!
And one of the new Thrones, one of the "Southern Shou Chen, Northern Hidden Official"—Shou Chen! How had they gotten together?
But the most terrifying was the man in the middle of the formation, standing beside the small, pigtailed girl in a black robe.
The woman's smile was stiff. She pretended to be ignorant and said in a trembling voice, "Have you gentlemen come for drinks? I'm afraid the wine is too coarse and rough for your palates."
The leading middle-aged man sat down, his expression gentle. He smiled and said, "I was passing by and came to find you. I'm waiting for a few more people, and I'll also have a drink."
The voluptuous woman exchanged a glance with the "idiot younger brother," both of them looking utterly helpless.
Xiao Xun stamped her foot on a long bench and said angrily, "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and pour the wine!"
Liu Bai knew that Mr. Zheng intended to "conveniently" gather up the Heavenly Stem cultivators of the Desolate Wilds. No one could escape.
Shou Chen smiled slightly. "If we can come to an agreement, my master won't pay for the drinks. If we can't, I'll settle the bill."
---
Huaihuang County Town.
Senior Sister Su Dian had already gone on a long journey, not saying when she would return—maybe tomorrow, maybe next year, no one could be sure.
So the shop was left to Shi Lingshan alone to tend to this increasingly quiet business. The deed to the shop belonged to the Yang family, who were a prominent clan in the town. Although his master also had the surname Yang and was called Old Man Yang, he had no real connection to the Yang clan; it was more like a landlord and a tenant. Previously, the shop had an employee surnamed Yang, who was said to have made his fortune in the prefectural capital and become wealthy. After that, he looked down on working as an employee in the shop for a few taels of silver a month. That suited Shi Lingshan just fine, as he didn't want to see that truly detestable face anyway.
At the time of day when the shop was about to close, an unexpected yet reasonable guest arrived.
Shi Lingshan gave a perfunctory greeting and asked casually, "Why are you here?"
Logically, someone who was both a mountain master and a national teacher must have been burdened with heavy affairs. Even if he was out for a stroll, he should have gone to the God Lord's Mansion on Cloud-Cloaked Mountain, not come to this tofu-block-sized shop. He remembered that when they first met, the young man had spoken rather bluntly, asking the other, "Are you sick?"
Now, Shi Lingshan didn't dare to be so straightforward anymore.
Chen Ping'an said, "I just came to have a look. I'm not buying medicine or seeking treatment."
Shi Lingshan looked a bit embarrassed.
They entered the shop together. Chen Ping'an used his tobacco pipe to lift the curtain and went directly to the back courtyard of the pharmacy. That long bench had already been moved to Fallen Mountain by Xian Wei and Zheng Dafeng.
Shi Lingshan followed the Great Li National Teacher into the back courtyard. It wasn't that he was guarding against thieves, but it was only proper etiquette for receiving a guest.
This young martial artist, who had also been to the outside world, said somewhat sadly, "I heard from Master that every cultivator and every human heart is a taotie."
It had originally been just a metaphor. Zhou Mi had nearly succeeded in "realizing" this statement.
Shi Lingshan crouched by the corridor, rubbing his face. "Senior Sister and I can't quite understand it. Whatever Master says, we can't keep up with."
"Zheng Dafeng says we're just fools who can only practice boxing and don't read enough. He says if it were him, he could have a long conversation with Master."
"Maybe he was right."
After patiently listening to Shi Lingshan's rambling, Chen Ping'an sat down on the steps. He tapped out his tobacco pipe, pinched out some tobacco leaves, and didn't expose Zheng Dafeng's bragging. He simply laughed and asked, "Haven't you ever thought about leaving the town and making your way in the world on your own?"
Shi Lingshan shook his head. "Learn literary and martial arts, and sell them to the imperial family? I can't do that. It's not that I'm aloof or anything—I'm just plain lazy and don't like being managed. It's fine if Master scolds me a bit, but if it were anyone else, I wouldn't want to hear it. Just listening to people is exhausting enough, and guessing their thoughts is even harder. It's better to stay here, enjoy the peace, and not neglect my boxing practice."
Chen Ping'an nodded. "Everyone has their own ambitions. Being able to find contentment in oneself is no easy feat."
Shi Lingshan said, "Chen Ping'an, you're an old hand at the game. You know women's hearts best. What do you think? Is the reason Senior Sister Su doesn't like me because she thinks I'm not promising enough?"
Chen Ping'an said seriously, "First of all, often traveling the world and being familiar with women are two different things. Secondly, whether Su Dian likes you or not—since I've never witnessed the two of you together—I can't be sure. But the old saying 'a woman's heart is like the bottom of the sea' is always true. A childhood sweetheart who has spent every day together may not necessarily develop mutual affection and love. Even if there have been solemn vows, they may not be reliable. Women are not caged birds to be kept by men. A man's family background, talent, power, and status cannot serve as a birdcage. Marriage is determined by fate—that's not a lie."
Shi Lingshan glanced at Chen Ping'an. "I'm not bad looking either."
It wasn't self-praise. Compared to you and Zheng Dafeng, I'm more than a match.
Even you managed to find Ning Yao. For me to seek a lifetime of love with Senior Sister Su Dian isn't too much to ask, is it?
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Sounds like you're destined to be a bachelor."
The two of them weren't actually close, and indeed had little to talk about. Although Shi Lingshan was fond of martial arts, he had his own path to walk and had no intention of seeking advice or sparring fists with him. In previous years, he had actually harbored some ambition to spar with the young mountain master of Fallen Mountain whenever the opportunity arose. But after learning some news from Zheng Dafeng or from the mountain-and-water gazettes, Shi Lingshan had let go of that idea.
At most, he would occasionally grumble, "So it seems my fist skills are inferior to Chen Ping'an's."
Shi Lingshan looked at the man in the blue robe, who was seemingly intentionally sitting at the bottom of the steps, and blurted out a question.
"It was incredibly hard, but it was worth it?"
Upon hearing this question, Chen Ping'an leisurely blew out a cloud of smoke. He was silent for a moment, then nodded and smiled. "It was worth it."