Chapter 239: Watching the Waterfall
Chen Ping'an stood guard during the second half of the night. When he returned to the ancient temple, Xu Yuanxia and Zhang Shanjian didn't ask him anything, so Chen Ping'an didn't say anything either.
It was night until dawn. Chen Ping'an sat facing the campfire, its flames illuminating his slightly fairer face. No one knew what he was thinking.
As the sky was just beginning to lighten, the bearded man was still sound asleep. Zhang Shanjian packed up his bedding and noticed that Chen Ping'an wasn't in the temple. He walked out the main gate and found Chen Ping'an, who for the first time wasn't practicing his fist stance, but instead stood completely still, holding his locust-wood sword.
Hearing footsteps, Chen Ping'an turned around and smiled. "Up already?"
Zhang Shanjian nodded, stretched his arms, and flexed his muscles. The morning mountain breeze still carried a chill. Zhang Shanjian took off the peachwood sword on his back and began practicing an unchanging set of sword techniques—dodging and shifting, his body moving with the sword, his movements light and agile.
Zhang Shanjian's arms were as long as an ape's, and his sword moves flowed smoothly and naturally. From the perspective of a martial arts expert, he was a natural-born sword practitioner. Of course, in the eyes of mountain immortals, this might not be the case; they focused more on "nourishing qi and refining qi," emphasizing the speed of ascending the mountain, being so fast among one's peers as to leave a trail of dust, so fast that even elders of a hundred or a thousand years could never catch up.
When Zhang Shanjian sheathed his sword, Chen Ping'an was still in the sword-holding posture, hesitating, unable to deliver a single strike.
During breakfast, the three of them put their heads together and decided to visit the Sword Water Mountain Villa founded by Song Yushao. They would take a short rest there, inquire about the exact location of the immortal ferry in Comb Wash Kingdom, and then set off at their leisure.
The mountain villa was over seven hundred li away, mostly through towering mountains and steep ridges. Fortunately, it was summer, with gentle winds and sunny skies. The three of them set off at full speed and soon reached the territory of the Sword Water Mountain Villa. The villa was built at the foot of a beautiful and majestic mountain. Before arriving at the villa, they passed through a bustling market town. Chen Ping'an went alone to buy wine to fill his Sword-Nurturing Gourd. Xu Yuanxia visited a bookshop. Zhang Shanjian was responsible for buying dried rations and dried meat. Money was scarce when it came time to spend it. The bearded man had his eye on an extremely expensive first-edition book from the previous dynasty of Comb Wash Kingdom, in excellent condition, but he was short on cash. He regretted being too thin-skinned in Carmine Commandery and not boldly accepting those five thousand taels of silver like Chen Ping'an had.
Because a single coin could stump a hero, as they continued their journey to the Sword Water Mountain Villa, Zhang Shanjian brought up the " Grain Rain Coin," which was even more valuable than the Minor Heat Coin. He said he had never seen one in his life, only heard of its name. One Minor Heat Coin was equivalent to a thousand Snowflake Coins. One precious Grain Rain Coin, made of rare materials, was worth a hundred Minor Heat Coins. Earth immortals at the Golden Core and Nascent Soul realms seemed to use this kind of coin to trade for magic treasures. Most importantly, the Grain Rain Coin itself was a great tonic for Qi refiners, rapidly replenishing qi and restoring vitality.
During this, Xu Yuanxia reminded them that the spoils from slaying demons in Carmine Commandery, if not beneficial to their own current cultivation, should be taken to a mountain shop. Even if they had to sell at a discount, as long as they didn't sell too cheaply, they should acquire one or two spiritual tools that would aid their cultivation. Get the proceeds safely in hand—this was true for money, and even more so for a solid increase in realm.
Zhang Shanjian had already made up his mind about this. He said he wanted to buy a few offensive talismans he had long dreamed of, preferably lightning-based ones. Next, he hoped to find a dharma sword at a reasonable price. Although a peachwood sword could subdue ghosts and yin objects, the peachwood material itself was weak. If he ever encountered a powerful mountain or lake demon, he would surely be in trouble.
Chen Ping'an grumbled to himself. Of course, he wished that all the ten thousand treasures in the world would go into his pocket and never leave.
Moreover, he was different from Zhang Shanjian. His foundation was the physique and fist techniques of a pure martial artist, which he could rely on for defense. Coupled with the two little ancestors in his Sword-Nurturing Gourd, they possessed immense killing power. So for the time being, he didn't plan to sell the smaller trophies he had acquired or barter them with Qi refiners.
When they arrived at the bustling Sword Water Mountain Villa, the three found themselves in an awkward situation. It was true that the sword villa had a very old steward named Chu, but the gatekeeper and the outer affairs steward in charge of receiving guests, upon hearing that three unknown strangers wanted to see Old Ancestor Chu, didn't show anything on their faces, but they had plenty of legitimate reasons to refuse. One must know that Old Ancestor Chu was nearly a hundred years old, a founding meritorious elder who had fought alongside the old master to build the villa. He had long retired from mundane affairs. It could even be said that after the old master handed over the villa to his eldest grandson, he was like a dragon that showed its head but not its tail, often leaving for three or five years without returning. The highly respected Old Ancestor Chu was the second master of the Sword Water Mountain Villa. Who could just meet him? Did they think the Sword Water Mountain Villa was a street-side shop in a small town?
So the three of them got a polite but firm rebuff. Zhang Shanjian asked Xu Yuanxia if he could offer some silver to let the steward bend the rules.
Xu Yuanxia smiled bitterly. "In the martial arts world, especially with a leading sect like the Sword Water Mountain Villa, if you casually throw money around, you're slapping them in the face. It will only backfire."
Zhang Shanjian chuckled. "If all else fails, Brother Xu, you could just perform a saber technique in front of the main gate. The three of us will surely become honored guests."
The martial world of Vase Island was actually not that deep, not comparable to the northern Ju Lu Island, which was teeming with top-notch swordsmen. Xu Yuanxia, a pure martial artist at the fourth realm, was a grandmaster who could walk sideways in small kingdoms like Colorful Clothes Kingdom and Comb Wash Kingdom. With his excellent divine weapons, he was even more formidable. Back in the dilapidated ancient temple, if he hadn't been caught off guard by the ambush of the "old nurse" who looked like a young girl, and instead had fought a straightforward all-out battle, Xu Yuanxia might not have lost to the "Old Nurse," one of the Four Evils of Comb Wash Kingdom.
Xu Yuanxia rubbed his full beard with his palm, thinking that if it came to that, they would have to resort to this desperate measure.
Suddenly, Zhang Shanjian tugged at both of their sleeves. Xu Yuanxia and Chen Ping'an turned to look. A lavishly decorated, huge carriage slowly came to a halt, exuding an imposing aura. A young girl and a burly man stepped out. The young girl had a familiar face—it was the demon who had designed the ambush in the ancient temple. At that time, she had told the Sword Saint of Comb Wash Kingdom, Song Yushao, that she would personally visit the Sword Water Mountain Villa. It seemed she meant what she said and came without any hesitation.
The burly man was nine feet tall, bare-handed, with an astonishing aura. Wherever he passed, martial heroes from far and wide, sect masters, and renowned martial elders all voluntarily made way.
Chen Ping'an, Xu Yuanxia, and Zhang Shanjian saw the young girl demon, and she saw them. She said something to the burly man and then walked straight toward the three of them. With a graceful bow, she smiled and said, "Three heroes, no enmity remains after crossing swords. Since we are all guests at the Sword Water Mountain Villa, how about we let bygones be bygones over a few drinks at the table?"
Xu Yuanxia exchanged glances with Chen Ping'an and Zhang Shanjian, then turned back and smiled. "Sure."
Soon, an old, hunched man came out from the villa to greet the young girl and the burly man. His surname was Chu. Apparently, the burly man had submitted a name card before arriving, so the villa did not dare to be negligent.
Seizing this opportunity, Xu Yuanxia relayed Song Yushao's words to the old man. The old steward, surnamed Chu, immediately recognized the old master's tone. Compared to the cautious treatment of the young girl and the burly man, he showed much more sincerity and warmth toward them. Moreover, at this critical juncture, martial friends who had caught the old master's eye were only too welcome. The young master's position as leader of the alliance might just be secured!
Entering the villa, they passed through corridors, covered walkways, and spirit screens. The villa was built with a unique layout. The three were personally assigned by Steward Chu to a beautiful, independent large courtyard. The young girl and the burly man happened to be staying in a neighboring courtyard.
Before entering the courtyard, Chen Ping'an heard the sound of water. He asked if there was a stream nearby, only to learn that behind the courtyard, following a stone path for some distance, there was a majestic waterfall, a famous scenic spot in Comb Wash Kingdom. After a rain, a rainbow would hang in the sky, a magnificent and breathtaking sight.
Xu Yuanxia and Zhang Shanjian decided not to go out for the moment, so Chen Ping'an went alone to see the waterfall.
Zhang Shanjian practiced his sword techniques in the courtyard, while Xu Yuanxia sat on a stone bench, scoffing at himself. "Well, well, here I am, a fourth-realm martial artist, and I didn't even hear the sound of the waterfall, but you, with your sharp ears, did."
After walking some distance, the old man surnamed Chu stopped, turned, and looked toward the distant waterfall in the mountains. He muttered to himself, "This young man carrying a sword… could he be a grandmaster who has returned to youth?"
---
A convoy arrived at Dragon Spring Commandery—definitely rare visitors.
The convoy was from the officialdom of Great Sui. Although it was lightly equipped and not ostentatious, it still caused a huge stir in the central court of Great Li. So much so that among the welcoming party from Great Li were two Pillars of State, one surnamed Yuan and one surnamed Cao, along with the Minister of Rites from Cliff Academy and several high-ranking ministers from the capital. Every single one of them was a trusted confidant of the Great Li Emperor. Prefect Wu Yuan, standing among them, was barely noticeable.
The main figure from Great Sui was an unremarkable, elderly man. He was only known to be surnamed Gao, the same as the Great Sui Emperor. Judging by his appearance and demeanor, he looked more like a wandering storyteller, with no air of wealth. He was accompanied by a young girl as an attendant. The other two carriages carried Prince Gao Xuan and a eunuch in a python robe, as well as a Vice Minister of Rites of noble birth but not very high rank.
After the two groups rendezvoused at a courier station, they shared a simple meal of plain tea and coarse rice before rushing off to Cloud Wrap Mountain, which had just been newly consecrated as the Northern Sacred Mountain. The Grand Northern Sacred Mountain God, Wei Bo (who originally came from an official family in Yellow Court Kingdom and had now become the Vice Mountaineer of Linlu Academy), a divine being, and an old flood dragon, were waiting at the foot of the mountain.
The three parties gathered and ascended the mountain in turn.
The Song clan of Great Li and the Gao clan of Great Sui were to form an alliance at Cloud Wrap Mountain!
This "mountain alliance" would see the last two great kingdoms of northern East Vase Island sign a hundred-year defensive and offensive pact.
During the alliance ceremony, following the Confucian-established rites, two youths of the same age stood facing each other. Both were princes: one named Song Jixin, with an absent-minded maidservant named Zhigui standing behind him; the other was Gao Xuan, with a white-haired eunuch in a python robe standing respectfully with folded hands behind him.
Gao Xuan smiled. "Meeting again."
Song Jixin had a very poor impression of this noble of Great Sui, whom he had first met in Mud Vase Alley, so he didn't speak.
Gao Xuan put on a worried expression. "The wheel of fortune turns. Now you're even more arrogant than I am."
Song Jixin sneered and said nothing.
Gao Xuan turned his gaze to the graceful young girl and smiled. "Chen Ping'an and I are very good friends now. When he was in Great Sui, whenever he talked about home, he would often mention you."
Zhigui rolled her eyes unceremoniously.
As if recalling something, Gao Xuan asked Song Jixin, "Back then, I offered to buy this maidservant from you. If I remember correctly, your price was ten thousand taels of gold? Is it still the same price?"
Song Jixin finally spoke. "Tell me the price of all of Great Sui. When I have the money, I might buy it."
Gao Xuan clicked his tongue. "Dressed up as a man, a horse by its saddle. Now your tone is truly frightening."
Song Jixin sneered. "So, are you scared to death?"
Gao Xuan pouted and decided not to trade barbs with this guy any longer. He turned to look at the imposing temple of the Northern Sacred Mountain God of Great Li and said softly, "The Northern Sacred Temple is here. And the Southern Sacred?"
---
On the Eastern Mountain where Cliff Academy was located in the capital of Great Sui, another, more secretive half of the subsidiary mountain alliance was taking place. Although it seemed low-key and no news had leaked out, the Great Sui capital was extremely tense. From the emperor to the six ministries, as well as both on and off the mountains, they were outwardly relaxed but inwardly strict, keeping Cliff Academy under tight surveillance. Fortunately, the Vice Mountaineer of the academy, Mao Xiaodong, acted like an old hen protecting her chicks, forcefully demanding that the Great Sui court not disrupt the academy's normal teaching because of this matter. As a result, most of the academy's lecturers and students noticed nothing unusual.
The reason Great Sui was so jumpy was not unfounded. The person responsible for signing the Eastern Mountain Alliance on behalf of Great Li had an incredibly formidable background.
It was the Great Li National Master, Cui Chan.
In a quiet courtyard at Cliff Academy, a young girl named Xie Xie, who had recently become famous in the Great Sui capital, was kneeling at the door, not daring to breathe loudly.
Inside the room, two people sat facing each other.
To be precise, there was only one person.
The white-robed young Cui Chan, and the green-shirted old Cui Chan.
After meeting, they exchanged not a single word, only playing a game of chess. In the end, the youth who had renamed himself Cui Dongshan lost by one move. But he wasn't in a bad mood; he grinned and reviewed the game by himself.
Old Cui Chan's expression was solemn. He took a cup of hot tea cautiously handed over by the trembling Xie Xie, slowly sipped it, and didn't look at the chessboard.
Cui Chan suddenly spoke. "Even though there is now a method to unite the soul and spirit, you still won't agree?"
Cui Dongshan kept bending over to pick up pieces and put them into the box, saying impatiently, "Do you even need to ask? Cui Chan's temperament—better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix. That was true a hundred years ago, and it will be true ten thousand years from now!"
Cui Chan sighed. "The world is unpredictable. Absurd beyond belief."
Cui Dongshan asked with a smile, "My information is blocked now. Has Colorful Clothes Kingdom in central Vase Island started to fall into chaos?"
Cui Chan nodded. "Although there was a small accident, it doesn't affect the overall trend. Chaos is already settled."
After cleaning up the chessboard for a long time, Cui Dongshan glanced sideways at the old man sitting upright like a master. Feeling a bit aggrieved, he stopped acting cool and collapsed flat on the finely woven large bamboo mat, muttering, "Your luck is much better than mine. That old scholar bullies the weak and fears the strong. He doesn't want to tear his face with you, so he comes to clean up me, an innocent green youth. You have no idea, from Bead Grotto-Heaven to this Great Sui capital, how many sidelong glances and grievances I've suffered."
Cui Chan remained silent.
Cui Dongshan lay on his back on the mat, touched his forehead as if it still ached faintly. It was the psychological shadow left by that brat Li Baoping hitting him with her seal!
Lying down, Cui Dongshan crossed his legs and sighed. "The Great Sui emperor also has guts, swallowing his humiliation and enduring this great shame to sign this alliance with Great Li. The Gao clan of Yiyang Commandery in Great Sui will thus have to shrink back for a hundred years, be subservient, and give up all subsidiary kingdoms, including Yellow Court Kingdom, watching helplessly as the iron cavalry of Great Li bypasses their doorstep and marches south, laying the foundation for a great unification that has never been seen in Vase Island's history."
Cui Chan said calmly, "After a hundred years, how will the situation in Vase Island be? Can you and I see it? Even if we can see it, will it necessarily be correct? The patience of the Gao clan of Great Sui today may not be the first step toward overtaking those who come later."
Cui Dongshan shook his head. "If it were me, I couldn't swallow that."
Cui Chan sneered. "So it turns out that my youth, whether in temperament or vision, was so lacking. No wonder I have such a bleak state today."
Cui Dongshan wasn't angry. He swung one leg, put his hands behind his head as a pillow, and stared blankly at the ceiling. "I don't know why, but you look down on me now, and I don't like you now either. Looking at each other in the mirror, we're both disgusted. Haha, isn't that the most interesting thing in the world?"
Cui Chan hesitated for a moment. "Grandfather arrived at Dragon Spring Commandery and is staying in a bamboo building on Fallen Mountain. He has regained much clarity now. But..."
"I knew there would be a damn 'but'!"
Cui Dongshan covered his ears with both hands and rolled around on the bamboo mat, letting out the same wail as Li Huai: "I won't listen, I won't listen! A turtle chanting sutras!"
Cui Chan ignored him and continued, "Before Lu Chen left Haoran Heaven, he found him. They fought inside the bamboo building. You should understand. Someone like him, who has trained his fists to the point of obsession, his greatest wish in life is to know the Dao of the tenth realm of martial artists, compared to the Dao of the thirteenth or even fourteenth realm of Qi refiners—which is higher, and if lower, how much difference there is. So even when facing the Daoist sect's leader..."
Cui Dongshan turned his head to look at the old man across the chessboard. "Lu Chen, in Haoran Heaven, still has to follow the rules established by the Wen Temple, right? At most, he's at the thirteenth realm. If Grandfather returns to the tenth realm and can recover his peak, he's not without a fighting chance. At worst, it's not certain death."
Cui Chan shook his head. "Lu Chen used a little trick and brought him into a small grotto-heaven. With the battlefield no longer in Haoran Heaven, the situation was different."
Cui Dongshan suddenly sat up, his face full of murderous intent, but his voice was extremely restrained and calm. "Is Grandfather dead?"
Cui Chan took a sip of tea and said slowly, "No. Afterward, he walked out of Fallen Mountain and behaved like an ordinary person in the town, busy buying stationery. When I found him, he said that inside that small grotto-heaven, Lu Chen used mysterious Daoist arts to summon as many as ten tenth-realm martial artists to serve him. Imagine: one man, two fists, surrounded by ten tenth-realm martial artists from history, knowing he would certainly die. Would you throw that punch?"
Cui Dongshan stood up, then sat down cross-legged, grabbing his hair in frustration. "Of course I wouldn't. But he would. Didn't Grandfather know that withdrawing this punch would mean giving up the legendary eleventh realm of martial arts? If he didn't throw that punch, wouldn't he be abandoning the pursuit of a lifetime?"
Cui Chan put down his teacup. "But have you considered? Even if he threw that punch, survived, and even broke through to the eleventh realm, would you, and I, and Chen Ping'an ever have a peaceful life? Those old monsters who have been behind the scenes for millennia—they could tolerate a tenth-realm martial artist in Vase Island, but they might not accept a new eleventh-realm martial god. So this punch was a deal he made with Leader Lu Chen, or rather with the Central Continent Earthworm. He traded a pure martial artist's eleventh realm for a chance to go to the market to buy odds and ends, for a peaceful and ordinary life."
Cui Dongshan fell flat on his back. "No fun."
Cui Chan's heartstrings trembled. He suddenly looked sharply toward the door.
Cui Dongshan did the same.
Cui Chan sneered. "Qi Jingshun! Your lingering soul finally disappears completely at this moment? Let's see if you still have any tricks left to play chess with me!"
Cui Dongshan said weakly, "Old Cui, if you're happy to cause trouble, go ahead. I'm not playing chess with Qi Jingshun anymore. Even less fun."
Cui Chan snorted, stood up, and looked down at his younger self, mocking, "Mud that can't hold up a wall!"
Cui Dongshan didn't even blink, chuckling happily. "Lying in the mud and sunbathing is actually quite comfortable. Please don't help me up. If anyone tries, I'll get angry."
Cui Chan extended a hand. "Give it!"
Cui Dongshan blinked. "What?"
Cui Chan's face darkened. "That infinity item!"
Cui Dongshan flipped over, facing away from Cui Chan.
Cui Chan's expression shifted between stormy and clear. "Lend it to you for twenty years. After that, even if you haven't reached the upper fifth realm, I'll still take it back."
Cui Dongshan turned around quickly, stretched out a palm, and bargained. "At least fifty years!"
Cui Chan walked toward the door, his wide sleeves billowing. "Thirty years. Try to push further, and I'll beat you to death right now."
After Cui Chan left the courtyard, Cui Dongshan rolled on the bamboo mat all the way to the door.
The young girl Xie Xie, kneeling outside the threshold, had been like a wooden puppet the entire time.
Cui Dongshan sat up lazily, glanced at the girl's kneeling posture, and laughed. "Xie Xie, so you've got quite the big butt. No wonder you want to be my master's wife."
The girl remained kneeling in the same position, expressionless, as if she hadn't heard.
Cui Dongshan jumped up, ran to the girl, and gave her a hard kick on the butt, sending her tumbling into the courtyard.
The white-robed youth put his hands on his hips and burst into laughter.
The girl silently got up, not even brushing off the dust.
Cui Dongshan sighed and gently tapped his chest. "Seeing your pitiful state, my heart feels like it's being cut with a knife."
Xie Xie forced a smile.
Cui Dongshan immediately covered his eyes with one hand and waved wildly with the other. "Hurry and turn around! It's like seeing a ghost in broad daylight—your master's eyes are going blind!"
The girl turned her head, looking up at the sky. The sky was clear and cloudless.
When she was little, she never understood why "cloudless" was the best weather. Wouldn't a brilliant sunset be more beautiful? Only after she went up the mountain did she realize that cloudless meant no wind or rain.
---
Li Baoping summoned everyone with a wooden "Alliance Leader Token." This came from a novel about martial arts heroes she had just finished reading. The person revered as the leader of the martial world could command the entire martial community with just the token, which was very imposing. Holding the wooden token she had made herself, she swaggered to each door and knocked, not saying a word, just solemnly raising the token, then moving on to the next.
Finally, Lin Shouyi, Li Huai, Yu Lu, Xie Xie, and even Cui Dongshan gathered in Li Baoping's study, waiting for this alliance leader to speak.
Li Baoping coughed. The small wooden token was hung around her neck, and a thick envelope lay on the table.
The little girl in the red cotton-padded jacket slowly opened the envelope, looking solemn. "Little Uncle has written us letters. As the sub-deputy leader of the Eastern Mountain sub-branch under the Dragon Spring Commandery head branch, I will now read the letters to you. Remember, no loud talking, no carelessness, no... Li Huai, sit up straight! And Cui Dongshan, no crossing your legs! Yu Lu, stop cracking melon seeds!"
The group had no choice but to sit properly and listen attentively.
The little girl first read the letter that Little Uncle had written to her, reading with rhythm and inflection.
Then she carefully folded the letter, placed it beside her, and pulled out a second letter from the envelope. It was for Li Huai. Then came Lin Shouyi, followed by Yu Lu and Xie Xie, who shared one piece of paper.
The content of Chen Ping'an's letters mostly consisted of trivial hometown matters from the New Year, or telling them not to quarrel, to stay united when away from home, get along well, and not let their families worry. They shouldn't study too hard; they should go down the mountain to relax occasionally, stroll around the Great Sui capital together, and so on. At most, he wrote about the strange people and events he had encountered after leaving the Great Sui capital, and described the scenery of riding on a Kun ship overlooking the earth. The writing was hardly literary—plain and straightforward, with bland wording—but the feelings were sincere. Everyone could easily imagine Chen Ping'an sitting up straight and writing with an extremely serious expression, even more formal than they were now.
Li Baoping finished reading all the letters, then made a "sink the qi to the elixir field" gesture with both hands. "Finished!"
Li Huai asked in confusion, "Li Baoping, since Chen Ping'an wrote a letter to pretty much everyone, why not just hand the letters to each of us directly?"
The little girl in the red jacket glared, and Li Huai shrank his neck.
Cui Dongshan pointed at his own nose. "What about mine?"
Li Baoping crossed her arms on her chest, sitting cross-legged on a long stool, and shook her head. "Little Uncle didn't write to you."
Cui Dongshan tilted his head back as if tears were streaming down his face, murmuring, "To think there is such a heartless teacher in this world."
Suddenly, Li Baoping burst out laughing. She pulled several banknotes from a major old-style bank of Great Li out of the envelope. "In the letter to me, Little Uncle mentioned this, but I forgot to read it. Here, take it. Little Uncle said he owes you two thousand taels and is paying you back. Cui Dongshan, from now on, you can't claim he didn't pay you. I'll be a witness for Little Uncle!"
Cui Dongshan took the few light banknotes, his face full of heartbreaking sorrow. Suddenly a gleam of hope flickered in his eyes. "Baoping, did your Little Uncle mention anything about the Spring Festival couplets? The ones I wrote. Did your master put them up on New Year's Eve? Check the letter again—maybe something was missed?"
Li Baoping said firmly, "No! I've read Little Uncle's letter nine times front and back. I can recite it backward!"
Cui Dongshan looked suspicious, stood up, bent over, and reached out to take the letter, intending to check himself.
Li Baoping slapped her hand down on the carefully stacked letters, glaring at this defeated opponent. "How dare you!"
One thing subdues another.
Cui Dongshan withdrew his hand in frustration and sat back down, sighing deeply, feeling that life was meaningless.
Li Huai said quietly, "Cui Dongshan, if those banknotes bother you, give them to me?"
Cui Dongshan put away the banknotes and glanced sideways. "The banknotes don't bother me. You do."
Li Huai imitated Li Baoping by crossing his arms and said smugly, "Watch your words! Do you know? I'm now the sub-sub-deputy leader of the Wu Zi study sub-sub-branch under the Eastern Mountain sub-branch of the Dragon Spring commandery head branch!"
Cui Dongshan stood up, patted his butt, and scolded this little brat with a laugh, "Get lost!"
Li Baoping gathered all the letters and put them back into the envelope. "I'll keep the letters for you for now, so you don't lose them. Meeting adjourned!"
Cui Dongshan yawned and left the study.
Lin Shouyi and Li Huai left together.
Yu Lu and Xie Xie walked at the back.
Yu Lu chuckled softly. "In the letter Chen Ping'an wrote to the two of us, I got twenty-four more characters than you."
Xie Xie said darkly, "Yu Lu, are you that childish?"
Yu Lu smiled in an infuriating way.
---
Deep in the mountains of the Sword Water Mountain Villa, a thunderous waterfall descended like a white silk ribbon from the sky.
At the foot of the waterfall was a deep, dark green pool, its bottom invisible. Faint shadows of red fish flashed by and disappeared.
The sound of the waterfall was like thunder, and the surrounding air was thick with mist.
Chen Ping'an stood inside a delicate waterside pavilion next to the deep pool, pondering a question.
If he swung his sword with all his might, could he slice open the waterfall's curtain?
Chen Ping'an considered the strength of the waterfall's current, then thought about his own embarrassing inability to even execute a proper sword strike. The answer was no.
Chen Ping'an lightly leaped onto the vermilion railing of the pavilion, intending to practice the "Standing Pillar Sword Furnace" stance. But one hand had already reached for his Sword-Nurturing Gourd. He took another sip of wine, tilted his head back, looked up at the top of the waterfall, and slowly lowered his gaze.
It was like a sword energy that had fallen from an immortal's sleeve into the mortal world.