Chapter 250: From the Far North to the Far South
Over two hundred thousand miles of the Dragon Path, after Grain in Ear, had finally neared its end. This ferry boat was about to reach the southern terminus of the Dragon Path.
Having already practiced his stances twenty thousand times, Chen Ping'an's subsequent fist practice was no longer so deliberately tense, but relatively more relaxed and casual. That night when he failed to buy alcohol, the next day he went to a restaurant and bought three jars of wine, filling his Sword-Nourishing Gourd. The price was exorbitant, the taste passable—nothing compared to the aged wine from Sword Water Manor.
Then Chen Ping'an removed the two talismans pasted on the wall. Both were of common green talisman paper. One was a Still Heart and Peaceful Mind Talisman, which could to a certain extent help Chen Ping'an concentrate and calm his spirit, shielding him from external disturbances. In the great Daoist monasteries down the mountain, whenever they held Taoist ritual ceremonies, they would also post this talisman.
One was a Expel Filth and Cleanse Dust Talisman. During the scorching summer months, the high officials and renowned scholars of secular dynasties would go to Daoist temples to beg for this talisman from the true men. It not only emitted a faint spiritual aura but could also absorb evil miasma and various stains, thus making study rooms and dwellings clean and pure.
Although both talismans were the most basic ones in the "True Daoist Scriptures" and of very low rank, they had helped Chen Ping'an a great deal. Otherwise, the ferry boat crew would have had to fight Chen Ping'an tooth and nail. Two months of day and night fist practice, with Chen Ping'an sweating like rain—who would have dared to live in this second-floor room afterward?
Both talismans were one-time-use Daoist scripts, and now their spiritual energy was faint, almost like ordinary book paper. Chen Ping'an, being habitually cautious, didn't want to leave any traces. He didn't even casually throw them into the river but stored them in his storage artifact. After all, they were meritorious officials for his twenty thousand fist practices. He couldn't burn the bridge after crossing it; keeping them as souvenirs was fine.
Now Chen Ping'an had roughly determined that the stack of talisman paper that Li Xisheng had given him—especially the golden material and the ancient book pages—must be invaluable. He had to cherish them even more. It was a simple reasoning: a single Pagoda Subduing Demon Talisman on golden talisman paper could easily overpower the demon-possessed civil and military officials at the City God Temple of Rosy Cheek County. And a top Qi refiner from Comb Water Country's last-ditch life-saving talisman, summoning a Golden-Armored Celestial Warrior—the paper quality of that talisman from the Daoist Talisman Sect, regardless of the talisman's rank, might not even match the golden talisman paper Li Xisheng had given him.
Before disembarking, Chen Ping'an had already cleaned the room thoroughly, packed his luggage, returned the room token to the ferry crew, and disembarked in turn with everyone else. Not far ahead, a man and woman were talking. The woman's voice was extremely familiar. Chen Ping'an glanced lightly and saw a young woman with a mole at the corner of her mouth. Chen Ping'an felt a pang of sympathy. This madam, who had lived upstairs from him, had suffered quite a bit lately. He guessed that she and her husband must genuinely love each other, or else she wouldn't have been so accommodating and tolerant.
During the disembarkation process, Chen Ping'an overheard many things. For instance, that time at the Fat Land Ferry's Taiye Pool, someone had caught a pair of rare twin flower sprites. A single such flower maiden was worth only a dozen or so Snowflake Coins, but once paired, the buyer would have to offer at least fifty or sixty Snowflake Coins to even hope to acquire them.
Over the two-month water journey on the Dragon Path, the fishermen at the end had only caught a few river dragons two fingers long; no special encounters occurred.
The ferry had stopped and started many times. Many wealthy Qi refiners, when finally disembarking, had their attendants carrying large and small bundles, walking with extreme care to avoid damaging anything. Most of the items were delicate and precious; some luxury goods might not be cheaper than human life.
This ferry port was vast, still a lively scene of shops lining the streets. But the goods vendors were hawking were local specialties of nearby countries. With nothing else to do, Chen Ping'an strolled from shop to shop. He discovered many strange and peculiar spirits, mostly lively and adorable plant and tree sprites. There were childlike little figures, white-haired old men and women, and young maidens with various figures and faces, of different sizes. But the largest spirit was no taller than a finger, either locked in green bamboo cages or standing on an inkstone. There were also winged weaving maidens, working diligently behind miniature spinning wheels. All sorts of curiosities, each different.
By eavesdropping on customers bargaining with shopkeepers, Chen Ping'an learned that these quaint little creatures were similar to Old Mr. Hong's ancient cypress bonsai at Green Cicada Workshop—the little green-clad children standing on it shouting "Congratulations on getting rich" in unison. Their prices were determined by rarity. Cheap ones cost only a single Snowflake Coin; expensive ones sold for thirty or forty.
Chen Ping'an finally concluded that the further south one went, the more common such spirits seemed to be.
Chen Ping'an browsed all the shops and stalls but didn't buy anything. This time, it wasn't because Chen Ping'an was stingy, but he thought that after delivering the sword, after returning from Hanging Mountain and the Sword Qi Great Wall, he would buy them on his way north back to Great Li.
Walking out of the cavern, Chen Ping'an felt as if he were seeing daylight again. He found the cave entrance still covered with famous cliff carvings, even more densely packed than at the Comb Water Country ferry port at the northern end. It was as if they were fighting for space, squeezing in wherever possible. Some cliff carvings seemed to be sulking at their neighbors. Chen Ping'an looked at each one. The calligraphy was certainly good, each with its own charm, but he felt in his heart that they still couldn't compare to the writing of that young Cui Chan.
Outside the ferry port was a mountain valley with smooth, wide roads. The shops on both sides were more luxurious and splendid than those at the port. The streets were bustling with people—a peaceful, prosperous, and noisy scene. Even the stray dogs lying by the roadside exuded leisure.
The first thing to catch his eye was a three-story building on the left, with high eaves and overlapping roofs, bearing a gold-lettered plaque reading "Yi Nu Ferry Port." Chen Ping'an, now familiar with the routine, knew this was where he could pay to take a ferry to Old Dragon City. Going inside, he inquired at the counter and learned that the earliest ferry to Old Dragon City would arrive at noon today. The price for a first-class cabin was twenty Snowflake Coins; a second-class cabin was ten. Chen Ping'an asked about the price for a third-class cabin. The man smiled without warmth and explained that the goat-fat-tallow ferry to Old Dragon City only had the cheapest at ten Snowflake Coins for a second-class room; there was no such thing as third-class.
Around the hall of the building, there were slightly mocking looks and smiles. Chen Ping'an didn't feel humiliated. He took out twenty Snowflake Coins and bought a boarding jade token. On one side was carved "Goat Fat Hall," on the other "First-Class Room 11." Chen Ping'an looked at the "11" and thought of the seal he had left in the bamboo tower on Fallen Mountain. He felt it was a good omen, quite auspicious. Chen Ping'an walked out grinning, calculated the time, and decided to go shopping. He planned to buy two sets of clothes, no shoes needed. He had gotten used to straw sandals over so many years, and he still had two brand-new pairs in his storage artifact.
Although the street shops were much grander, the goods they sold were much the same as those at the Dragon Path ferry port shops. The same kind of flower and plant spirits were even cheaper here. Chen Ping'an never tired of looking at these lively little creatures.
But just looking without paying made him a bit unwelcome. Chen Ping-an wandered from shop to shop, then found one that was particularly opulent. He stood outside the entrance, a little dazed. There was a screen as tall as a person at the main entrance, on which was depicted a woman carrying a longsword on her back and a purple-gold gourd at her waist. She stood on a cliff edge gazing at the surging sea of clouds, her dress fluttering, ethereal and otherworldly.
It should have been something like the landscape painting on the Kun Boat, reproduced with mountain techniques.
Several people were pointing and gesturing in front of the screen, their words filled with schadenfreude. They talked about the centuries-old enmity between Wind Thunder Garden and Righteous Sun Mountain, saying how this Great Immortal Su, in her early years, had been so extraordinarily elegant and transcendent. The only time in her life she had worn clothes from outside her sect was when she had fought shoulder to shoulder with the founder of this shop to slay demons and monsters. She had made an exception, refused any reward, and for the first time ever wore this set of clothes. Over the past ten-plus years, this style of dress had become wildly popular throughout Treasure Bottle Continent, from north to south. Whether female cultivators or scions of wealthy families, hundreds and thousands of them had scrambled to emulate it.
A young woman sneered, "And now this shop still refuses to take down this screen. What a huge joke. I wonder if Su Jia, if she saw it now, would be ashamed enough to dig a hole and crawl into it."
A young Qi refiner with a dark face had held back for a long time, finally spoke out indignantly, defending the immortal he had long admired: "Even if Immortal Su has fallen in realm, she is still a true celestial who emerged unstained from the mud. Stop your sarcastic remarks here. If Immortal Su were actually standing here, would you dare to fart?"
A middle-aged man said with a smirk, "Before Su Jia had her heart completely shattered by Huang He, the closed-door disciple of Wind Thunder Garden's Li Tuanjing, I would have been willing to lick her shoes. But now? I'm not just blowing my own horn. If Su Jia really stood in front of me, I would dare to reach out and pinch her cheek, feel her waist! Ha, I wonder what it feels like..."
The young cultivator's face turned red. He trembled with rage. "How can there be such a vicious and despicable person like you!"
The man laughed heartily. "How can there be? Simple answer—go ask my parents."
The young cultivator clenched his fists, his eyes blazing, staring fixedly at the bastard.
The man clicked his tongue. "What, want to beat me to death? Come on. Killing someone here will not only land the killer in prison but also implicate his sect. Come on, if you don't kill me today, you can't claim to truly admire Su Jia! If you don't kill me, I'll go touch Su Jia on the screen, from head to toe."
The middle-aged man stuck out his neck, a lecherous grin on his face.
The young cultivator turned away in defeat.
The man laughed unrestrainedly, taunting, "You little coward who hasn't even grown his fuzz, daring to cross swords with me! Don't leave! I really am going to touch her. Oh, this face is so smooth, so tender. What a pretty little girl. A Great Immortal Su? A little lady with a shattered sword heart. Next time you meet her, it might be in some brothel..."
The young cultivator walked away quickly, unwilling to hear any more of the foul, heart-wrenching words.
Chen Ping'an walked straight into the shop, paying no attention to the verbal sparring. He spent a full thirty taels of silver to buy two sets of the simplest clothes. This shop had a great background; it did a huge business in southern Treasure Bottle Continent. Although this was just one of hundreds of branches, the Dharma robe that was the shop's treasure—even Chen Ping'an, a layman, after a rough glance, knew it was no less defensive than Chu Hao's Divine Armor Bearing Dew.
After Chen Ping'an walked out of the shop, that man was still there. The onlookers around him had changed; men and women were both present. In front of the screen, the men mostly looked regretful, while the women sneered in dissatisfaction. The atmosphere was delicate. That idle middle-aged man started stirring up trouble again, which pleased several women greatly. Even though they knew the man was no good, after hearing he was the shopkeeper of the miscellaneous goods shop next door, they still suggested to their male companions that they go inside and take a look. The latter were reluctant, wanting nothing more than to smash that middle-aged man's face.
The man might be low in character, but he wasn't bad at doing business. He kept sarcastically mocking that Immortal Su of Righteous Sun Mountain, saying more and more indecent things. The women were clever; they never verbally agreed with the man but would "refute" him in a harmless way to attract customers. The man understood tacitly and became even more spirited, spitting out his words. This made the women very happy. Their sidelong glances at the male companions they were traveling with seemed to say triumphantly: "You were so infatuated with Su Jia at first sight, but look at her now, fallen so low. Can you still admire her?"
The man gesticulated wildly. When he was thoroughly enjoying himself, he stepped over to the screen, extended a hand, and waved it lightly near the screen, pretending to slap the lifelike image of Su Jia a few times, cursing under his breath.
Chen Ping'an remembered the scene back in the small town when that Wind Thunder Garden sword cultivator Liu Baqiao had talked about Su Jia.
Back then, when outsiders entered the Li Zhu Cave Heaven seeking opportunities, only Liu Baqiao, who was accompanying the woman from Yingyin Chen clan and the young master from Longwei Commandery Chen clan, had made Chen Ping'an feel that the mountain immortals from outside weren't all bad.
And what moved Chen Ping'an most about Liu Baqiao wasn't that, as a genius sword cultivator of Wind Thunder Garden, he said that one day he would make Su Jia willingly marry him—not that sort of so-called heroic spirit. Quite the opposite. When someone asked him if that day really came, if the Immortal Su he yearned for actually liked him regardless of sect prejudices, what would he do? That Liu Baqiao, instead, became confused and murmured, "How could she like me?"
Thinking of Liu Baqiao, Chen Ping'an couldn't help thinking of himself.
So Chen Ping'an took a deep breath, walked over to the screen, and looked at the man who did business next door.
The man was about to lead the women to his own shop to buy things when he suddenly found another blind fool appearing. Annoyed, he said, "What are you staring at?"
Chen Ping'an said, "Staring at you."
The man glared. "You dare to stare again?"
Chen Ping'an nodded, continued staring at the man, and said slowly, "Okay."
Even the young mountain women who held great prejudice against Su Jia couldn't help but find it amusing. This sword-carrying youth was quite funny.
The sect they and their companions came from was not far from Righteous Sun Mountain, so they often crossed paths. From the founder to the outer disciples, everyone without exception revered Righteous Sun Mountain as if it were a towering peak. The men of the sect, young and old, couldn't tolerate a single bad word about Immortal Su of Righteous Sun Mountain in those days. But now that Su Jia had fallen into the dust, outsiders no longer saw her, so they had restrained themselves a bit.
The man doing business in the valley flew into a rage. "Are you looking for death?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head.
The man said fiercely, "Then why are you standing here like a piece of wood?! Do you know that my family has been doing business here for generations, and the old immortals I've befriended are more than the people you've seen?!"
In the man's eyes, the brain-damaged youth suddenly blurted out: "Wind Thunder Garden's Liu Baqiao likes Su Jia."
The man was stunned, his arrogance suddenly deflated. He was dubious.
Chen Ping'an added, "I know Liu Baqiao."
The man glanced at the sword case on the youth's back and swallowed.
Chen Ping'an said, "If I ever meet Liu Baqiao one day, I will tell him about today."
The man blustered, "Who are you trying to scare? You know Liu Baqiao of Wind Thunder Garden? I know the head of the Divine Proclamation Sect and the ancestor of True Martial Mountain, but do they know me?"
Chen Ping'an said again, "Whether they know you or not, I don't know. But Liu Baqiao knows me, I'm sure of it."
The man waved his hand. "Get lost, get lost. Stop blowing smoke without a draft. You're ruining my business. Even dog poop on the road knows how to move, what a jinx."
Chen Ping'an asked, "The port should have flying sword messaging, right?"
Chen Ping'an continued to himself, "Forget it, I'll find it myself."
The man, already growing uneasy in his heart, deliberately ignored the earnestly talking strange youth and led those mountain men and women, who looked amused, to his own shop to browse for bargains.
Then Chen Ping'an actually went to find a mountain courier station for flying sword messages, located at the end of the street. He spent ten Snowflake Coins to write a letter to Liu Baqiao of Wind Thunder Garden, roughly detailing the day's events. Whether Liu Baqiao would dismiss it, toss it aside, or fly into a rage and come rushing here on his sword, Chen Ping'an didn't care.
Some things, if he didn't do them, he wouldn't feel at ease.
But some things, no matter how uncomfortable, he had to endure. Like the unexplained crash of the Kun Boat.
After writing the letter at the courier station and giving the recipient's name and mountain gate address, everyone in the station looked slightly strange. They spoke to Chen Ping'an in a much gentler tone, and someone even escorted him out of the station, asking if he needed directions to the port. Chen Ping'an smiled and said no, then left alone.
After leaving the station, Chen Ping'an's mood improved slightly. He realized that Liu Baqiao, who had kept a low profile in Li Zhu Cave Heaven and even joked about becoming sworn brothers with him, was actually quite impressive outside. Even the flying sword courier station here had heard of Liu Baqiao.
The Goat Fat Hall ferry's berth was halfway up a towering cliff face. Someone had carved a winding plank road upward into the cliff. Walking along it, Chen Ping'an saw many ferries already hovering in the air outside the cliff. Beneath the ferries floated white clouds. The ferries were similar in style to those of Comb Water Country, but being able to navigate the wind was also a strange thing. Chen Ping'an waited to board beside the plank road at the Goat Fat Hall ferry berth. A large cavern had been carved out there, with only a few scattered vendors doing business. Chen Ping'an sat silently on a bench made from an old tree root, gnawing on dry flatbread, washing it down with his newly purchased wine.
At noon, a Goat Fat Hall ferry slid smoothly down from the sea of clouds and docked precisely on time.
Chen Ping'an boarded with everyone else. This ferry would travel south directly to Old Dragon City, taking about twenty-five days. Because the Goat Fat Hall ferry's long-distance voyage was far faster than the river ferries on the Dragon Path, and it didn't need to stop anywhere along the way. The ferry had only two decks. Chen Ping'an stayed in a room on the first deck, slightly more spacious but without a viewing balcony. The ferry climbed, passed through a layer of clouds, and when he opened the window, the view was wide. Above hung the great sun, blazing with a myriad rays, while the clouds rolled like golden mountain ranges stretching endlessly.
Chen Ping'an again wrote a Still Heart and Peaceful Mind Talisman and an Expel Filth and Cleanse Dust Talisman.
He closed the door and continued practicing his fists.
During the journey, there were thunderstorm nights with lightning, brilliant dawns with radiant morning glow, and days of boundless clear skies.
This time, Chen Ping'an practiced the six-step stances, slowing from fast to slow. Occasionally, he would open the window and practice the Sword Furnace Standing Stance while gazing at the scenery outside.
One day, when the journey was more than half over, a sword immortal came riding the wind. Just as the ferry emerged from a thick sea of clouds, the young sword immortal was almost right behind it, so fast that even some mid-five realm Qi refiners were stunned. The man split the clouds with his sword, chasing the ferry with incredible momentum. Behind him and his sword, the clouds were carved into a wide path that took a long time to close completely.
Ahead of the ferry's direction, he suddenly stopped, lightly jumped off his flying sword, and landed precisely on the ferry's bow. He sheathed his sword gracefully. Immediately, a Goat Fat Hall expert went to greet him. As for whether he had offended Goat Fat Hall or violated any rule against boarding mid-voyage, that Goat Fat Hall elder said not a word. It later proved that the old man's decision was very wise, because although the young sword cultivator had broken the rules, he wasn't arrogant. Instead, he smiled and announced his name, even proactively paying twenty Snowflake Coins.
Wind Thunder Garden, Liu Baqiao.
His name thundered, from front to back.
Old Garden Master Li Tuanjing, hailed as the number one in the tenth realm of Treasure Bottle Continent, had single-handedly suppressed the entire Righteous Sun Mountain for centuries!
Even though it was rumored that Li Tuanjing had now dissolved his physical form, at the end of that great battle, with a casual sword stroke, he shattered the grand formation of True Martial Mountain—a feat everyone had witnessed. Moreover, Li Tuanjing's closed-door disciple, Huang He, had burst onto the scene, displaying sword talent no less than Li Tuanjing's in his youth, beating Su Jia of Righteous Sun Mountain until she had no power to resist. Especially that scene of Huang He standing beside the fallen Su Jia, his toe pressing down on her Purple-Gold Sword-Nourishing Gourd—that image was deeply etched in memory.
After Huang He took over as the new garden master of Wind Thunder Garden, Liu Baqiao also easily broke through a realm, and his momentum was fierce. It was said he almost broke through two realms in a row.
Liu Baqiao didn't let the old man accompany him. He found Room 11 on the first deck and knocked gently.
Chen Ping'an had been deeply focused on practicing his fists. Although he had vaguely sensed the ripples of energy that stirred the clouds, he never stopped. It was common for celestial immortals to fly by on swords, passing cloud-borne ferries. So even when he noticed footsteps in the corridor, he didn't connect them to the sword rider.
Thus, when Chen Ping'an opened the door and saw that familiar, cheeky grinning face, he was greatly surprised.
Liu Baqiao entered the room. After Chen Ping'an closed the door, Liu Baqiao sat on the bed. Spotting the two talismans, he teased, "Chen Ping'an, you're a rich man now."
Because it was Liu Baqiao, Chen Ping'an hadn't put away the talismans before letting him in.
Chen Ping'an shrugged off Liu Baqiao's ribbing, leaned against the windowsill, and left the bed for this Wind Thunder Garden sword cultivator.
Liu Baqiao propped his hands on the bed. "You have no idea how hard I chased you. As soon as I received your letter sent from Yi Nu Ferry Port at Wind Thunder Garden, I rushed to the port..."
Chen Ping'an asked, "Did you kill anyone?"
Liu Baqiao rolled his eyes. "Kill anyone? As soon as that guy heard I was Liu Baqiao, he immediately knelt and kowtowed. I didn't even get a chance to slap him as I had planned on the way. So I just went to the shop next door and bought that screen, stored it in my storage artifact, and then asked around, following the trail until I was sure you were on this Goat Fat Hall ferry. So here I am."
Chen Ping'an asked doubtfully, "You came for something?"
Liu Baqiao countered, "Do I have to have something to come see you?"
Chen Ping'an nodded. "Otherwise? You'd chase me this far for nothing?"
Liu Baqiao was a bit abashed. "You're really no fun. Haven't changed much since Li Zhu Cave Heaven."
Chen Ping'an thought for a moment but decided not to ask about Su Jia of Righteous Sun Mountain. He figured that Liu Baqiao had probably been present at True Martial Mountain during those three bloody duels, and it wouldn't have been easy for him. Chen Ping'an didn't want to rub salt in the wound. He had originally wanted to ask if Liu Baqiao had successfully obtained that talisman sword in Great Li's capital, but thinking it involved matters of the Great Dao, he decided it wasn't suitable. Finally, he could only ask the most bland and boring question: "You really don't have anything?"
Liu Baqiao said helplessly, "Really nothing. I returned from Great Li's capital empty-handed, and when I got back to the Li Zhu Cave Heaven, I couldn't find you. I heard you had traveled far to the Great Sui Academy. After that, our Wind Thunder Garden had... well, anyway, I haven't had a moment's rest. Don't think I've been loafing around all day. Actually, I just broke through a bottleneck not long ago. After stabilizing my realm, I got bored. Just then, I received your flying sword message, and I thought we really should meet up, settle this brotherhood thing..."
Chen Ping'an could least stand Liu Baqiao's excessive warmth, so he didn't respond.
Liu Baqiao gave him a lingering look, extended a delicate finger, pointed at Chen Ping'an, and said in a high-pitched, coy voice, "How can you be so heartless, young master? Back in your hometown, under the moon and flowers, among the clear mountains and waters, we traveled together..."
Chen Ping'an flicked his toe, sat on the windowsill, crossed his arms, and kept a straight face.
It was as if he were saying: Go ahead and disgust yourself and me. Let's see who gives in first.
Liu Baqiao was the first to surrender. He sighed heavily. "I knew that when I came knocking, you'd still be like this, you bastard. Chen Ping'an, do you know that now among the thousands of sword cultivators on Treasure Bottle Continent, everyone is in awe of my talent? Don't they all see me as a sure bet for the upper five realms?"
Chen Ping'an laughed. "I only just found out. At the courier station, after they heard I was writing to you, the people who had been all business before suddenly became much more polite. Someone even walked me to the door and asked if I needed directions. They were incredibly enthusiastic, as if I were some big shot. That's a first, haha."
Watching Chen Ping'an's delighted smile, Liu Baqiao stared blankly. What was there to be happy about? Just because Liu Baqiao's reputation allowed Chen Ping'an to bask in a bit of reflected glory, the size of a sesame seed or a mung bean?
When Chen Ping'an gave Liu Baqiao a thumbs-up, the Wind Thunder Garden sword cultivator, whose talent was so great that even Li Tuanjing had looked at him with new eyes, finally understood the reason.
Your friend is impressive, and that makes Chen Ping'an happy.
Actually, the reason was incredibly simple, but this world was too complicated, with too many clever people. Especially after dealing with mountain folks for a long time, one often failed to understand the simplest things.
Liu Baqiao, who hadn't been particularly overjoyed even after almost breaking through two realms, started smiling happily along with the youth sitting on the windowsill.
Liu Baqiao couldn't help asking himself.
If your friend does better than you, much better, so much that you can never catch up in a lifetime, would you feel even a little bit conflicted inside?
The answer pleased Liu Baqiao, so he felt that he and Chen Ping'an were destined to be friends—brothers.
Liu Baqiao didn't stay long. After his realm breakthrough at Wind Thunder Garden, the new garden master Huang He had forcibly assigned him a sect position, and there was a mountain of affairs for him to handle. Although the so-called handling meant letting the old men who were good at it take care of it. Liu Baqiao stood up and asked with a smile, "Out and about, are you short on silver? I've got a few dozen Minor Heat Coins on me. Want me to lend them to you first?"
A few dozen Minor Heat Coins... spoken as if they were a few dozen taels of silver. What a plutocrat!
Chen Ping'an jumped down from the windowsill and shook his head. "No need."
Liu Baqiao said earnestly, "Then I'll head back. Remember, next time you return to Li Zhu Cave Heaven, you must come to Wind Thunder Garden to find me, or I'll..."
Liu Baqiao raised his hand again in a floral gesture, "I'll be heartbroken to death by you, you heartless man."
Chen Ping'an said seriously, "If you talk like that again, I'll never go to Wind Thunder Garden no matter what."
Liu Baqiao laughed heartily. Although there was still an indescribable hint of weariness in his brow, he took his leave. At the door, he remembered something and turned back. "In Old Dragon City, I have a very good friend, trustworthy. If you have something urgent and can't send a flying sword message to Wind Thunder Garden in time, you can safely look for him. His name is Sun Jiashu, the second richest fellow in Old Dragon City. I've mentioned you to him in letters, so if you just say your name, he'll definitely see you. And this guy, you two will get along for sure!"
Chen Ping'an replied crisply, "Good!"
"Don't see me out. That's too polite, makes it feel distant. We'll meet again often in the future." Liu Baqiao stepped out of the room and, seeing that the guy really wasn't going to see him off, couldn't help cursing with a laugh. After closing the door, he didn't leave directly by sword. At the other end of the corridor stood the old Qi refiner from Goat Fat Hall in charge of this ferry. Liu Baqiao scampered over, chatted with the old man for a while, then leaped into the sea of clouds and flew his sword northward.
A day before reaching Old Dragon City, they encountered an extremely rare spectacle of flying fish leaping out of the sea and soaring through the air. Millions of flying fish with multicolored wings swarmed back and forth in the sea of clouds. The Goat Fat Hall ferry deliberately hovered in midair and announced to passengers that it would stop for half an hour so everyone could enjoy the view. They explained that this spectacular sight occurred because a type of South Sea flying fish called "Colorful Luan" was celebrating one of its own successfully growing a pair of genuine Colorful Luan wings—an event that happened only once in a hundred years.
However, Goat Fat Hall also warned everyone not to try to find and catch that special flying fish. Angering the flying fish swarm would certainly bring disaster to the ferry. Unless there were Golden Core or Nascent Soul realm immortals to protect them, they could only await death. At the same time, Goat Fat Hall reassured everyone that Colorful Luan flying fish were gentle by nature and unafraid of humans. Once they left the sea and flew into the clouds, they actually became friendly. So it was very likely the ferry would be surrounded by flying fish. There was no need to worry. Even if someone took the opportunity to grab a few flying fish to keep as pets, it would be harmless, considered a small bonus from Goat Fat Hall to its distinguished guests.
Even Chen Ping'an came out of his room, went to the stern, and watched the free-spirited Colorful Luan flying fish. Under the sunlight, the colors flowed, a breathtaking sight.
Chen Ping'an took off his wine gourd, leaned on the railing, and drank.
Sure enough, the swarm of Colorful Luan flying fish slowly approached the ferry. They unanimously slowed their flight speed. Some curious and mischievous fish would leave the group alone, come close to the passengers. If someone extended a hand, most would dart away immediately. But a few would actually approach the hand, even alight on the palm.
Chen Ping'an had actually heard of them before. Legend had it that the greatest immortal sect in Colorful Garment Country, the Spirit Resonance Sect, wove their treasured Dharma robe, the Colorful Garment, from the wings that these Colorful Luan flying fish occasionally grew. Wearing it rendered one impervious to all spells. Most miraculously, the wearer could cause all flying swords of mid-five realm sword cultivators to retreat on their own when they came close.
Chen Ping'an also joined the crowd, extending his hand over the railing.
But not a single flying fish was willing to approach.
He had to withdraw his hand awkwardly. What else could he do but drown his sorrows in drink?
The ferry continued southward.
When it finally descended and docked at Old Dragon City's ferry port.
Unbeknownst to him, Chen Ping'an had traveled from the northernmost point of Treasure Bottle Continent to the southernmost.
All the while carrying a sword on his back.