Chapter 38: Hidden Official Meets Hidden Official
In the dead of night, Song Yunjian was strolling through the Imperial Tutor's residence when he encountered Rong Yu, who was equally restless. They decided to watch the barbaric landscape painting in the courtyard together, silently waiting for the Imperial Tutor's return. Looking up, a newly built Duobao Tower could be seen, its carved beams and painted rafters resembling a moonlit lady from a golden-and-green landscape scroll. At the top floor, dazzling light seeped through the window lattices, where the Imperial Tutor had stored a collection of ancient sacrificial vessels obtained from the Great Shaman. These artifacts were rustic in design, with a rough texture, far less delicate in style than later-era magical treasures.
They idly chatted about capital anecdotes, but their minds were elsewhere. A kingdom cannot be without a ruler for a day, and the Great Li Dynasty could not lack the Imperial Tutor's presence.
Earlier, a bright, rising moon had suddenly appeared out of thin air. Practitioners of the Dao could sense the vast Dao energy stirring ripples throughout the vast human world. Although the moon's outline quickly faded, such an omen still left the perceptive feeling uneasy and uncertain, wondering what monumental event was about to unfold in the mortal realm.
Song Yunjian suddenly said, "He's back."
In the covered corridor opposite, aside from the senior-junior sister pair of Pei Qian and Guo Zhujiu, there was also the female sword immortal Zhu Su, and Zhou Haijing, along with the entire twelve-person Earth Branch group, all now present.
Seeing such a bustling crowd, Song Yunjian felt relieved but didn't spot the Imperial Tutor's figure. He asked anxiously, "Where is the Imperial Tutor?"
Xie Gou grinned and said, "The young master waved his hand, and we were all thrown back. The mountain master needed to go meet Lu Chen; before parting, he told us not to worry."
Pei Qian nodded and said, "Master said he definitely won't miss tomorrow's morning court session."
Xie Gou looked up at the top of Duobao Tower, then turned to rub her hands together ingratiatingly with Rong Yu. "Sister Rong Yu, I want to go into Duobao Tower. This long journey was worthwhile—I finally figured out the real uses of those treasures. Do I need to sign in when entering and get searched when leaving to prevent unauthorized carrying?"
Rong Yu smiled. "This tower is the Imperial Tutor's private property, and Miss Xie is the chief advisor, so naturally there's no need for records."
Xie Gou waved her hand dismissively, laughing. "What chief advisor? It's all thanks to the mountain master's trust and my colleagues' favor."
Even though Yuan Huajing and the others had long left the battlefield, their hearts were still churning with excitement.
Han Zhoujin couldn't help but sigh, "I almost witnessed countless lives and deaths again."
The little novice monk pressed his palms together and silently recited a Buddhist chant.
Lu Hui said, "The Chenguan cavalry are indeed formidable."
Zhou Haijing asked with a sly smile, "Is that handsome young man the Chenguan Emperor?"
Gai Yan shot her a glare; that woman always acted like she wanted to marry an emperor.
Song Xu nodded. "Definitely. The two divine beings beside him are clearly the embodiments of Chenguan's literary and martial fortunes."
Yuan Huajing asked, "What about the Tingjing Mirror?"
Ku Shou replied, "Not a big problem."
Xie Gou entered the top floor, staring at those ancient sacrificial objects. Since they could bear merit and virtue, they could also contend with the river of time. Using old items for new purposes was wonderfully ingenious. The next batch of mountain-crossing ships for the Great Li Dynasty would be exceptionally impressive.
The sable-capped girl placed her hands on her hips. "Ha! If they can go, so can we."
Maybe she should ask the mountain master for a temporary position as ship overseer? Skills never burden a person, and neither did official titles—the more, the merrier.
---
On a desolate Gobi desert, a gaunt man in a bamboo hat with a bamboo sword at his waist raised his hand to shield his eyes. The earth stretched out like a table; suspended in the sky were a blazing red sun and a sprawling blood-red mountain range, resembling a carved Baibao inkstone screen. The man glanced into the distance, barely making out a few wisps of curling smoke. He adjusted his hat, cast a sidelong glance at a certain spot, and continued walking on his own.
Soon, from that direction, an old man in a yellow robe with an ethereal, immortal aura emerged. From afar, he made a Daoist salute and asked in a refined, eloquent voice, "Daoist Chen, would you mind traveling together for a while?"
The man in the bamboo hat remained silent, not slowing his pace, but his hand had already reached for the sword hilt at his waist.
Travel together for a while? That was possible. But soon after, they would likely part ways—one walking the path of the living, the other the path of the dead.
The old Daoist's eyelids twitched slightly. He maintained a certain distance as he walked across the Gobi, the gravel crunching beneath his feet. He got straight to the point. "Daoist Chen, here in the Wildlands, aside from Daoist Bai Ze, there are also the Daoist couple Fei Ran and Gui Ke, who join in discussions. Meanwhile, on the Haoran side, there are Li Sheng and Liu Xiang."
Chen Ping'an asked in the Wildlands dialect, "How did you find my whereabouts?"
Yan Shi smiled. "To be honest, it was pure luck."
Chen Ping'an said, "Then your luck isn't very good."
Earlier, Yan Shi had voluntarily placed himself on the battlefield, becoming the second major figure in the Wildlands after Bai Ze to openly challenge the arena, clearly a staunch advocate of war.
Yan Shi laughed heartily. "I think my luck is excellent—it's a truly auspicious day."
If talks went well, each could take what they needed. A gentleman is suited for passing the sword, and I am suited for offering my head.
Unfortunately, the ruins of the Sword Qi Great Wall were no more, and the tradition of sword immortals carving their names after slaying great demons had become old history.
Chen Ping'an said, "Traveling thousands of miles to offer your head—truly deep affection and loyalty. If all Wildlands demons were as reasonable as you, things would be wonderful."
The old temple master had indeed mentioned the matter of Yan Shi's sword liberation, but Yan Shi delivering himself to his doorstep felt off. Caution keeps the boat afloat for ten thousand years, especially in the Wildlands.
Yan Shi was momentarily at a loss for words. Seeing that the hidden official had no intention of speaking, he had to make conversation. "Before coming here, I was extremely puzzled. I couldn't believe there was truly such a selfless hero as you in this world. Fortunately, a wise man revealed a bit of heavenly insight to clear my confusion. He said that gods who cannot obtain what they seek harbor a strong tendency toward self-destruction, much like mortals tirelessly pursuing eternal life."
Chen Ping'an nodded. "Whether a being's 'self' is too thin or too tough, neither is good."
Yan Shi stroked his beard and smiled. "Those who prove the Dao through force are like splitting a mountain with an axe. Those who speak in vain and empty words are like drawing water with a bamboo basket."
Chen Ping'an said, "That doesn't sound like something a Wildlands strongman would say."
Yan Shi sighed inexplicably. "It feels like there are many landscapes in life that we pass by and miss."
Chen Ping'an raised his hand to adjust his bamboo hat. "Though we can't decide what we see, we can decide what we remember."
Yan Shi nodded in agreement. In the Wildlands, he hadn't spoken such digressions with fellow Daoists for a long time.
His disciples and descendants stared at their 'ancestor,' while cultivators from outside the mountains came knocking, begging for all sorts of strange 'talismans.' The entire Wildlands was watching when his 'ascension' would become 'fourteen.'
The last time he remembered discussing Dao was probably when Wen Hai Zhou Mi, who tried to reshape the Wildlands, visited the Jade Talisman Palace.
The romance of a thousand ages is washed away by wind and rain.
Chen Ping'an asked casually, "May I ask, Senior, in recent years, have there been any exceptionally talented young cultivators in the Wildlands who haven't yet gained fame but are destined to achieve great renown?"
Yan Shi smiled enigmatically.
This young hidden official, who cared about the world's survival, was asking if there were any Wildlands prodigies born to answer a calamity. He wanted to 'find them by the map,' kill them early, and prevent them from growing into a major threat.
Yan Shi naturally wouldn't answer. Instead, he asked curiously, "Daoist Chen walks the world alone. What is it you seek?"
A double entendre.
Chen Ping'an said, "Fishing. Big or small, I can't return empty-handed."
Yan Shi stopped walking and laughed. "Aren't I biting the hook? Whether I can be hauled ashore will depend on the hidden official's Daoist power."
Chen Ping'an stopped as well. Yan Shi also halted. They turned to face each other. It seemed there was no need to mention the old temple master anymore.
Through secret arts, Yan Shi had come here to meet the hidden official. The old man needed to confirm one thing: he had heard that Chen Ping'an was quite close to the Guan Dao Temple of the Eastern Sea, and now with Bai Jing assisting him, his connection with Bi Xiao Cave Master must be deep.
Seeking a resolution was not about stretching out his neck for a sword immortal to chop off his head.
How could a Dao-seeking adept accomplish a sword liberation so easily?
The higher the realm, the trickier it was. Thus, dying in a duel on the arena was the cleanest outcome.
The old Daoist had a subtle awareness: if he died gloriously in battle, especially if struck down by Qi Tingji, he might gain a sword liberation and perhaps even start another Daoist opportunity.
The past is like yesterday's death; the future is like today's birth.
The old man looked at the sky. "Enduring heaven's trials in the furnace of creation—bitter. Contesting victory in a puppet show—tragic."
In truth, what Chen Ping'an was really waiting for was Zouzi's uninvited arrival, or rather, the latter's specialty of waiting by the roadside.
No matter. Big fish or small fish, they were all catches.
Just as the two were about to come to blows, a very conspicuous figure wobbled onto the road ahead.
Like a blot of ink. It quickly approached—a little girl with coiled hair in two buns, wearing a dark robe. She was twisting her wrist, her eyes blazing with intensity.
Two hidden officials met.
Yan Shi smiled bitterly and explained to Chen Ping'an, "Believe it or not, it has nothing to do with me."
Xiao Xun completely ignored this master of Wildlands talismans. She stared directly at Chen Ping'an and asked, "Is Haoran really that good?"
In other words, was it worth risking your life like this?
Chen Ping'an narrowed his eyes. "Maybe not much, but definitely better than you imagine."
Xiao Xun grinned. "Do you hate me? Of course you do. I'm just curious how much."
Publicly and privately, there would be resentment. She had betrayed the Sword Qi Great Wall and ambushed her senior brother Zuo You on the battlefield.
Chen Ping'an said calmly, "It's not an irreconcilable enmity, but it's enough that I won't 'miss' you once I see you."
Xiao Xun tilted her head, puzzled. "What does that mean?"
Chen Ping'an didn't bother to explain.
Yan Shi chuckled. "If I understand correctly, Hidden Official Chen means he wants to fight Daoist Xiao Xun to the death."
Xiao Xun said, "Oh." She gave the old Daoist a thumbs-up. "Old Man Yun Shen, you're so learned, I salute you."
Then she slowly turned her thumb downward.
"Yan Shi" was instantly punched into pieces by her.
But it was only a lifelike substitute talisman.
Xiao Xun curled her lips, swung her arms a few times, and sneered, "Pretentious old bastard."
On the ridge of that distant blood-red mountain range, Shou Chen, carrying a sword case, and his junior sister Liu Bai, wearing a veiled hat, stopped to gaze at the yellow sand path.
In the old days, the saying 'Southern Shou Chen, Northern Hidden Official' on the Sword Qi Great Wall battlefield carried great weight.
Like 'White-clad Cao, Blue-shirt Chen' in Haoran martial arts.
These were titles and reputations earned through hard fighting.
The next moment, Xiao Xun felt a chill down her spine. Shou Chen and Liu Bai saw a blue-shirted figure swaying, already opening a fist stance aimed at the back of her head.
Due to the height difference, he couldn't pierce through Xiao Xun's back with one punch. From his stance, it looked like he would chop off her entire head with one blow.
Liu Bai, weaker in Daoist cultivation, had bloodshot eyes and had to turn her head away. Shou Chen, with his robust Daoist frame, could still watch from the sidelines.
Xiao Xun didn't dodge or avoid. Instead of evading the attack, she leaned her head back forcefully and took the punch head-on.
In an instant, yellow sand filled the sky, dust swirled, and a vaguely massive creature seemed to crouch on the earth.
When the dust settled, Xiao Xun had reverted to her human form. She reached behind her head, finding blood and brain matter.
Behind Xiao Xun, the ground looked like a fallen tree with countless branches.
This showed the force of the punch.
Liu Bai refocused on the battlefield, appalled.
Shou Chen's expression was grave. Before coming, Xiao Xun had told them not to meddle, or she'd turn hostile.
If not for Zheng Juzhong instructing them to keep an eye on Xiao Xun, he wouldn't have wanted to be involved in this muddy water.
Xiao Xun seemed unfazed. She flicked her hand, splattering the blood on the ground. "Never expected, did you? The sword immortal who killed the most demons on the Sword Qi Great Wall back then was actually a demon herself."
Chen Ping'an nodded. "Indeed, I never expected that."
Xiao Xun said, "Today I just came to greet you in person. I'll stay in the Wildlands and wait for you to seek revenge."
Chen Ping'an said, "We only know that the sword immortal who killed the most demons in the history of the Sword Qi Great Wall is called Xiao Xun."
Adjusting his bamboo hat, before leaving the Wildlands with a talisman formed by his fingers, Chen Ping'an said, "The next time we meet, I'll be here to kill demons."
Xiao Xun stood alone on the spot.
She reached up and grabbed her coiled bun. The weight of the word "we" seemed heavier than the solid punch she had taken.
---
Amidst layers of palace halls, Emperor Song He was still in the imperial study, unable to sleep. He repeatedly twirled a jade-handled brush meant for small, delicate calligraphy between his thumb and forefinger.
He had learned this trick from his daughter Song Lian. Back then, that princess had been scolded many times by the old tutors but never changed her ways. The tutors complained to the emperor, and Song He berated his daughter harshly until she dropped the habit. Privately, though, Song He had picked it up himself, though he didn't do it during small court sessions.
Tomorrow, he would set off for Bei Ju Lu Continent. The alliance of three dynasties wasn't enough to keep the Great Li emperor awake with anxiety; it was more that this was Song He's first real long journey, and he found it refreshing. His previous trips had only taken him as far as the rural area of Yunzhou to invite Mr. Chen to be the Imperial Tutor. This time, he would truly cross seas and continents.
The director of the Directorate of Ceremonial entered the study and said softly, "Your Majesty, the Imperial Tutor's residence has already collected the treasures. Rong Yu led the group—it was quite lively."
Song He placed the brush on a celadon pen rest, clasped his hands behind his head, leaned back, and smiled. "That's good."
As for the files and documents sent from the Imperial Tutor's residence to the palace, Song He never glanced at them. He had Zhang Yuan carefully store them intact. Song He intended to leave them for the future emperor of Great Li—whether he or she—to know what the Imperial Tutor, or former Imperial Tutor Chen Ping'an, had done for the Song family of Great Li and how much effort he had expended.
As the top eunuch of the Great Li court, Zhang Yuan said worriedly, "The Imperial Tutor took a sudden trip to the Wildlands. Grandmaster Pei, Sword Immortal Zhu Su, and the others have all returned, but the Imperial Tutor hasn't yet."
Song He said, "I trust the Imperial Tutor has his own plans."
Emperor Song He was not a cultivator, but he knew very well what a fourteenth-level Imperial Tutor of Great Li meant. Yet Mr. Chen Imperial Tutor seemed in no hurry at all.
Song He rubbed his temples, resigned. "There's only a saying about 'the emperor not being anxious but the eunuch being anxious'—where's the saying about 'the Imperial Tutor not being anxious but the emperor being anxious'?"
He glanced at Zhang Yuan. "No offense meant."
Zhang Yuan smiled. "When Your Majesty says 'no offense,' that's when I take offense."
Song He said softly, "All these years, you've worked hard."
Zhang Yuan shook his head. In his lifetime, he had served three Song emperors. He had seen countless heroes, sages, and extraordinary individuals. He didn't need to sacrifice his life on the battlefield or rack his brains for strategies. He only needed to take care of the tasks before him. Where was the hardship?
Song He hesitated, then asked quietly, "Is Song Geng really not fit to be emperor?"
The director of the Directorate of Ceremonial said nothing.
Song He said, "Just treat it as friends chatting about family matters. Zhang Yuan, there are no outsiders here."
The old man still shook his head.
This was one of the ironclad rules that Imperial Tutor Cui had set for them eunuchs back then—violators would be executed.
Even though Imperial Tutor Cui was no longer in Great Li, his rules remained.
Song He asked, "What about Song Xu? If he gives up cultivation."
Zhang Yuan remained silent.
Song He grimaced. "A father knows his daughter best. Do I not know Song Lian's temperament?"
"It's hard enough for a man to be emperor, let alone a woman—especially as the emperor of Great Li."
"Just thinking about it makes my heart ache."
"But if Rong Yu can be the Great Li Imperial Tutor, then perhaps Song Lian inheriting the throne isn't impossible?"
"How would her marriage work in the future? Would it be her marrying out or... forget it, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
Zhang Yuan simply listened silently to the emperor's muttering.
Song He collected his thoughts. He seemed to recall something very amusing and couldn't help but laugh. "I still need to persuade him. I must make the Imperial Tutor agree to be the chief examiner for this imperial examination."
Zhang Yuan smiled knowingly.
Longquan County, Huaihuang County—both fine names.
When the scholar tree fruits turn yellow, scholars are busy; fish and dragons lurk, patterns form in the water.
Unbeknownst to them, the sky was growing light.
On Piyun Mountain, famous across several continents, there was a small temple with modest incense offerings called Piyun Temple.
An old Daoist priest who held several positions was receiving a visitor surnamed Chen, who was unfamiliar to him. They toured the main hall together, both enveloped in the morning mist.
The old Daoist remembered that when he was young, there was also a visitor surnamed Cui who had asked the same question: Why is heaven impartial yet always aids the good?