Chapter 361: So It Wasn't Peaceful Either

Chapter 361: So It Wasn't Peaceful Either

Chen Ping'an led Pei Qian and the others and quickly found the Fan family members at the Osmanthus Island ferry crossing. Last time, it was the Golden Core old sword cultivator Ma Zhi who drove the carriage, with Fan Er seeing him off. Chen Ping'an had directly boarded Osmanthus Island, so he hadn't had much contact with the Fan family disciples at the ferry. But when Chen Ping'an announced his name, the Fan family steward looked as if he had heard the best news in the world. He asked Chen Ping'an to wait a moment, immediately sent word back to Old Dragon City, and soon called for several elegantly decorated carriages. He personally escorted Chen Ping'an and his group into the carriages, showing a deference that left Chen Ping'an somewhat baffled.

As the hub connecting Baoping and Tongye Continents, Old Dragon City was even more prosperous than the capitals of great dynasties. It boasted two immortal ferry crossings, and the six cross-continent ferry ships owned by the five great families of Old Dragon City docked at this isolated island thirty miles from the city. Back when Chen Ping'an first arrived at Old Dragon City, the ferry had been on the west side, and entering the city required passing through a jaw-dropping three-hundred-mile-long street that was entirely Sun family ancestral property. The family head, Sun Jiashu—a young man who had nearly become a friend and nearly become an enemy—still left Chen Ping'an unable to let go of the matter.

Chen Ping'an rode in the same carriage as Pei Qian. Pei Qian had been floating in the sky on a cyan bird-borne tower ship for so long that finally setting foot on solid ground, and arriving at Chen Ping'an's hometown, filled her with excitement. She pulled aside the carriage curtain and gazed curiously at the scenery outside.

Lu Baixiang and Sui Youbian began a game of Go inside the carriage. Wei Xian and Zhu Lian shared the space—one dozed with eyes closed, the other glared while flipping through an old book.

Chen Ping'an sensed something amiss from the Fan family steward's attitude and began sorting through his thoughts. He, Chen Ping'an, was certainly not an important figure. When he had left Old Dragon City, he was only a fourth-realm martial artist who had just broken through his bottleneck in the Sun family ancestral home. The people he knew were merely Fan Er; Sun Jiashu, with whom he had parted ways; Zheng Dafeng from the Dust Pharmacy; and Fu Nanhua, with whom he had formed a mortal enmity in Pearl Grotto but never crossed paths again in Old Dragon City—a handful at most.

Back then, Old Dragon City had been shrouded in a festive atmosphere because the Fu family was about to marry a legitimate daughter of the Yunlin Jiang clan. To be precise, it was the Yunlin Jiang clan's legitimate daughter who was marrying down into the Fu family. The marriage partner was none other than Fu Nanhua, the young city lord who had nearly been killed by Chen Ping'an together with Cai Jinjian.

The phrase "marrying down" was very deliberate. Even the Fu family, wealthy enough to dominate an entire continent, saw no issue with it.

Wealth and nobility: wealth does not necessarily bring nobility, but nobility inevitably brings wealth. Wealth is far inferior to nobility. Because the latter implies orderly inheritance, deep family foundations, and backing only from those lofty, cloud-shrouded heights.

Of course, families like the Jiang clan of Yuguizong in Tongye Continent, or even the Liu clan of Aiai Continent, who were so rich that spending money was harder than making it, were different stories.

The Yunlin Jiang clan was one of the earliest central plains magnates to migrate to Baoping Continent. Their mansion was located on the southeastern coast, with its gate facing the sea. The spirit path extended over thirty miles into the ocean, ending in a pair of massive natural reefs that served as the gate pillars, hailed as "Embracing the Eastern Sea," a sight famous across several continents.

In the early days when Confucianism had just become orthodox, Ritual Sage established the intricate rules of propriety for the Righteous Hao Ran World. The Jiang clan's ancestors had produced several "Great Invokers" of transcendent status, who, along with the Grand Scribe and Grand Steward, were among the six great heavenly officials in the "Great Rites of Spring," presiding over the prayers for blessings from all earthly monarchs and kings.

At that time, all of Old Dragon City was guessing whether the Jiang clan's legitimate daughter's dowry would include a half-immortal weapon.

For Chen Ping'an, however, such excitement—barely grazing him—was merely something to chat about over drinks with Zheng Dafeng and Fan Er. He was neither a native of Old Dragon City nor involved in the continent's grand trends, so it didn't affect him deeply. Even if Fu Nanhua married a woman of noble status, what difference would it make? Even if this enemy, whose cultivation level was inferior to his brother Fu Donghai and sister Fu Chunhua, somehow managed to become the city lord of Old Dragon City... well, that would trouble Chen Ping'an a bit. It would likely implicate Fan Er, or even the entire Fan family.

But in the face of countless difficulties, one can think and ponder, but never be overly anxious or fearful, otherwise one would only lose composure.

Chen Ping'an understood this clearly.

After about half an hour, the carriage slowly stopped before entering the city. Chen Ping'an bent down and lifted the curtain, immediately spotting a familiar figure jumping out of a carriage and running over, waving energetically—still so sunny. Breathing a slight sigh of relief, Chen Ping'an got off the carriage, raised his hand high, and slapped it firmly against the newcomer's hand. It was Fan Er, no longer a ruddy-lipped, white-toothed youth, but a handsome young gentleman. Yet wherever he went, Fan Er still carried that unique sunny aura—unchanged.

Fan Er shook his hand, grinning. "Chen Ping'an, feel the power of that slap? I might scare you, but I'm a fourth-realm martial artist now! But don't worry—among all the fourth-realm martial artists under heaven, you're number one and I'm number two. Perfect!"

Also a fourth-realm martial artist? Also?

Pei Qian and the other four who had followed Chen Ping'an out of the carriage all showed some surprise.

Chen Ping'an said with a squint, "Impressive, impressive."

Fan Er circled Chen Ping'an once. "Why aren't you wearing straw sandals anymore? I almost dared not recognize you."

Then he gestured to compare heights and looked a bit crestfallen. "You've gotten quite a bit taller than me."

Fan Er furtively pulled out a bulging money pouch from his sleeve, then held out one hand to Chen Ping'an, blinking emphatically.

According to their previous agreement, Chen Ping'an needed to fire a ceramic piece to give him as a gift. It didn't matter if it was ugly—as long as it was made by Chen Ping'an himself. That way, Fan Er could show it off to his friends.

Chen Ping'an quickly signaled Fan Er to hide the money pouch, then said softly, "You mean the ceramic piece I promised? Haven't made it yet. Once we're inside Old Dragon City, I need to buy some pottery tools and find suitable clay. Do you think it's that easy?"

"Alright, we'll talk about it once we get to Old Dragon City. Fine work takes slow effort. I'll help you find the clay when the time comes."

Fan Er wasn't disappointed. He secretly tucked away the pouch of his private savings—all gold ingots of secular wealth. The Fan family had strict rules; no matter how much they doted on him, they would never give him immortal coins. So they had agreed that Chen Ping'an would treat him to a visit to a pleasure house. In these past two years, Fan Er had flattered his elders quite a bit. Last New Year's, he visited every single Fan family household he could, painstakingly scraping together this fortune.

Fan Er suddenly said, "Let's talk in the carriage. Head to my place."

Chen Ping'an nodded, told Pei Qian to return to the original carriage, and followed Fan Er into his.

Once seated inside, Chen Ping'an asked, "Trouble?"

Only this carriage could block certain prying eyes.

Fan Er nodded. "Not long after you left, Old Dragon City turned upside down."

Chen Ping'an took off his wine gourd and handed it to Fan Er. "Take your time. No rush."

Fan Er beamed, took the gourd, shook it, and said, "I'll only take one small sip. A gentleman is cautious even when alone... Ah, this wine is good. It's a different flavor from our Osmanthus Island brew. Both have their merits. I'll count that as one sip. Let me have a bit more, a bit more..."

Chen Ping'an sat cross-legged, smiling at this peer of his.

No matter what bad news he heard next, seeing that Fan Er was still Fan Er was the best news.

Fan Er took "three small sips" of the Tongye Continent wine from the Sword-nurturing Gourd before returning it. He spoke slowly, "You probably already know the five great families of Old Dragon City: Fu, Sun, Fang, Hou, Ding. But in reality, our Fan family has always been attached to the Fu family. The Fu family, capable of fighting the other four combined, is the city lord, and they also own Osmanthus Island. So some people like to drop one of the Fang, Hou, or Ding families and put the Fan family in that spot. The Sun family, with their Nascent Soul ancestor guarding the ancestral home and their excellent business reputation, is never questioned."

Chen Ping'an nodded.

Fan Er rested his hands on his knees and began to recount the inside stories and upheavals of Old Dragon City over the past two years.

"Whether it's the five or six great families, originally the Fu family didn't want to dominate alone, and everyone lived in peace. There were frictions, but before last year, they never went as far as tearing apart."

"City Lord Fu Qi was already a Nascent Soul earthly immortal and possessed four half-immortal weapons. And the Fu family was strange—Golden Core cultivators could wield such immortal weapons. They also had an ancestor hiding behind the scenes."

"Sun family head Sun Jiashu wasn't known for his cultivation, but just the Sun ancestral home alone had one Nascent Soul ancestor and three Golden Core retainers. One of them had just extended his contract by a hundred years. In Old Dragon City, he and Chu Yang, the Fu family's chief retainer who cultivated beside the Dragon Ascension Platform, were regarded as the great Golden Core cultivators most likely to break into Nascent Soul."

"Although the Fang family had no Nascent Soul, they had two seventh-realm martial arts grandmasters and one eighth-realm Golden Core sword cultivator. In the south of Baoping Continent, both in dynastic and martial arts circles, they had deep roots and could not be underestimated."

"The Hou family barely held their ground in Old Dragon City by relying on a family member who was a worthy of the Academy by virtue of being a concubine's son. Originally the weakest family, that Hou worthy, who never returned to his hometown for ancestral rites, suddenly became a noble of Guanhu Academy in the spring of last year. For the first half of the year, the Hou family enjoyed great glory. They had nearly lost the ferry route along the Dragon Path, but after gaining a noble, the Fang family obediently spat out the meat they had already swallowed and compensated the Hou family generously. Several hillside immortal sects fostered by the Hou family were mostly weathervanes."

"The Ding family's situation was similar to the Hou family's—both relied on an 'outsider' to uphold their prestige. The Hou family had a noble who had been heartbroken by his family; the Ding family relied on a woman they had once looked down upon, who had managed to form in-law relations with Tongye Sect. And that direct disciple, or rather that woman, was truly sentimental, very different from the Guanhu noble who had stubbornly turned his back on his family. Last year, that man returned to Old Dragon City with his wife, accompanied by several Golden Core cultivators as attendants."

Fan Er reached out. "Thirsty."

Chen Ping'an tossed him the Sword-nurturing Gourd. "Just keep the gourd. Passing it back and forth—you might not be annoyed, but I am."

Fan Er wasn't polite. He took a small sip and continued, "But after that, two things happened that turned Old Dragon City completely upside down. One you can guess, the other you definitely can't."

Chen Ping'an smiled. "The Jiang clan's legitimate daughter marrying Fu Nanhua is one of them. I guessed that."

Fan Er nodded. "The dowry that woman brought was unimaginably huge. Her teaching matron was a legendary Nascent Soul sword cultivator, who entered the Fu family together with her. Besides that, the dowry also included..."

Here Fan Er sighed and took another sip. "...a young flood dragon that had traveled underwater from the Jiang mansion all the way to the outskirts of Old Dragon City. Though it was only at Golden Core level, as an ancient relic, by convention it could be treated as Nascent Soul."

Chen Ping'an said, "That gives the Fu family the foundation—at least the momentum—to completely unify Old Dragon City."

But he quickly frowned. "But even with the Yunlin Jiang clan's dowry bolstering them and the Fan family as allies, wouldn't the cost of the Fu family trying to swallow all of Old Dragon City be too great? The Sun, Fang, Hou, and Ding families would be forced to unite. Once war broke out, battles among Golden Core and Nascent Soul earthly immortals on the mountains—never mind how much of Old Dragon City they'd destroy—the Fu family would suffer grievous losses."

Fan Er smiled bitterly. "And so, in this tense standoff where no one had 'righteous cause' to strike, something unexpected happened."

Chen Ping'an asked, "What do you mean?"

Fan Er scratched his head. "It was related to the Dust Pharmacy, and to Mr. Zheng. Which means it was related to our Fan family."

Chen Ping'an waited for the rest.

Fan Er tilted his head back and took a big gulp, wiped his mouth, and said softly, "Soon after you left, a girl from the pharmacy was defiled by a direct descendant of the Fang family and died."

Chen Ping'an remained silent.

Fan Er continued slowly, "When the news came, an elder in charge of the Fan family's ancestral hall and genealogy immediately went to inform Mr. Zheng. My father was among those waiting in the ancestral hall for news from the Dust Pharmacy. When the elder returned to the hall, he looked relieved and said Mr. Zheng didn't seem to take it very seriously. My father believed him. But my aunt warned my father privately that things weren't that simple, urging him to pay closer attention and help Mr. Zheng unravel the matter, to see if someone was scheming behind the scenes. If someone was targeting the Fan family or Mr. Zheng—in the former case, they needed early plans; in the latter, they couldn't stand by. But my father didn't want to make a big deal out of it. He said that with the four families besides the Fu beginning to ally, if the Fan family stuck out its head, they'd be seen as the Fu family's vanguard and might invite the four families' enmity, or even be treated as a soft target. So we couldn't act rashly. I went to talk to my father once and was confined to the ancestral hall for a whole month. The bag of dirt under my bed that I never got to use—I tasted it. You lied. It can't be eaten."

Chen Ping'an saw Fan Er reaching for the gourd again, so he snatched it away. "How many sips is that? Drowning sorrows in drink is bullshit. Don't believe it."

Fan Er nodded, rubbed his face, and said, "I tried to sneak out of the ancestral hall several times but was stopped. After a month, when I heard the Dust Pharmacy had made no move, I couldn't believe it. I went to the pharmacy myself. Mr. Zheng was sitting at the door smoking his pipe. When he saw me, he greeted me cheerfully. I was an idiot then—after chatting with him about this and that, seeing that he truly didn't seem to care about that 'small matter,' I left feeling a bit angry."

Fan Er said bitterly, "I know many people—even my revered father—saw it as a small matter. A truly small matter. This was Old Dragon City, after all. What couldn't be solved with silver? Even the reasons everyone gave left me with no fault to find. But in my heart, I never felt it was a small matter."

Chen Ping'an said, "Fan Er, you were right. That was never a small matter."

Having held it in for so long, finally someone told him it wasn't a small matter. This young man, whose eyes had once been so clear that even Chen Ping'an envied him, exhaled a heavy breath and forced a smile at Chen Ping'an.

Chen Ping'an took back the gourd but didn't drink. In fact, since boarding the ferry at Tianque Peak, he had drunk very little, only occasionally sharing a few cups with Wei Xian and Lu Baixiang.

He asked, "And then?"

Fan Er smiled a bit more. "Later, Mr. Zheng didn't disappoint me. Having such a teacher is the greatest honor of my life!"

Fan Er then looked somewhat despondent. "But after Mr. Zheng made his move against the Fang family, I was confined within the family, not allowed to step outside the main gate. I could only learn about his actions through fragmented news."

Fan Er's eyes brightened again. "I heard that after Mr. Zheng learned the full story, on the day of Start of Summer last year, in broad daylight, he went to the Fang family mansion, punched their gate to pieces, strode straight in, and said only one sentence: 'All below Golden Core, get lost.' The Fang family was furious at first. Two Dragon Gate realm retainer cultivators showed up first—he knocked them out with two punches. Then a seventh-realm martial artist stationed at the mansion came out grandly, saying he wanted to test Mr. Zheng's skill. Mr. Zheng knocked him out with one punch and killed him on the spot! After that, the culprit was brought out by the Fang family's decision-maker, who said as long as he stayed alive, Mr. Zheng could do whatever he wanted—break his arms or legs, the Fang family wouldn't stop him. The Fang decision-maker had beside him that Golden Core old sword cultivator, the Fang family's anchor. Mr. Zheng didn't even look at them. He just crooked his finger at the Golden Core sword cultivator, and in the end... knocked him out with one punch too!"

Fan Er reached out. "Wine!"

He spoke with bravado.

Chen Ping'an had no choice but to hand over the gourd.

Fan Er drank deeply. "The Fang family had no Nascent Soul big shot. That Golden Core old sword cultivator refused to admit defeat and even summoned his life-bound flying sword—Mr. Zheng shattered it! But strangely, Mr. Zheng didn't kill that little bastard on the spot. He left a single sentence and went straight to the Fu family, demanding that Fu Donghai come out and take a punch. Only then did Old Dragon City understand that Fu Qi's eldest son, Fu Donghai, had meticulously orchestrated this accident. Fu Donghai deserved death far more than the actual villain, but he had far more guts than the Fang family boy. He really had the gate opened, went out, and took Mr. Zheng's punch. But thanks to a heirloom Old Dragon Rain-Obscuring Pendant, he survived, and was rescued by a strange old matron."

Chen Ping'an nodded. "That should be the Yunlin Jiang clan's teaching matron."

Fu Donghai's move killed two birds with one stone: it could sow discord between Zheng Dafeng and the Fan family, and push the Fan family forward, forcing them to start a war with the four united families first.

But Fu Donghai probably never imagined that Zheng Dafeng had a Zhao-named yin spirit from Yang Laotou's "little temple" in Pearl Grotto, skilled in soul-snatching, interrogation, concealment, and other secret arts. The spirit followed the vines and found him—the mastermind so well hidden.

Fan Er felt some sorrow. He stopped drinking and just held the gourd, saying softly, "At that time, the Fu family was at their peak in Old Dragon City. First, family head Fu Qi bought another half-immortal weapon from another continent. Then the Yunlin Jiang clan's legitimate daughter married in. Even if the Fu family was willing to lose face and let the matter drop, how could the Jiang clan allow their legitimate daughter to become a continental laughingstock right after her wedding? So that Nascent Soul old crone appeared, forcibly saving the half-dead Fu Donghai. She didn't act herself, only told Mr. Zheng that if he had the skill, he could beat all the Fu men first, then fight her."

Fan Er leaned back against the carriage wall, hands behind his head. "Afterward, my father told me that the Jiang crone's Nascent Soul realm was very complete—probably only a step away from the upper five realms. Even city lord Fu Qi, wielding a half-immortal weapon, could only fight her to a draw."

He looked at Chen Ping'an. "At first, I always thought Mr. Zheng was a seventh-realm martial artist, maybe eighth. After that battle, I learned he was a ninth-realm Zenith Grandmaster. The Fu family soon brought out Chu Yang from Dragon Ascension Platform, the man hailed as Old Dragon City's number one Golden Core cultivator, even better at fighting than the Fang family's Golden Core old sword cultivator. It was said that outside the Fu family gate, Mr. Zheng finally couldn't take down his opponent with one punch."

Fan Er held up three fingers. "He knocked Chu Yang back with one punch, severely wounded him with two. Unexpectedly, Chu Yang turned misfortune into fortune and successfully broke into Nascent Soul, but Mr. Zheng still knocked him down with the third punch!"

Chen Ping'an took a sip of wine.

Fan Er's eyes suddenly reddened. "Our Fan family was in an uproar that night. Many elders kept saying 'things have come to this.' Even if my father regretted it, he thought that at this point, going to apologize to Mr. Zheng would be useless. In the ancestral hall, they urged my father to firmly ally with the Fu family. Since the Fu family was so powerful, they might as well go with the flow. If they could break up the alliance of the other four families, even if the Fan family suffered heavy losses, they wouldn't need a hundred years to recover—they'd become the second-greatest family in Old Dragon City. My aunt, my biological mother, and my sister Fan Junmao all had no right to enter the ancestral hall. No matter what I said, it was useless. When I kept babbling, my father lost his temper and asked me who was the head of this family. What could I say?"

Chen Ping'an asked, "What did your Fan family ancestral hall finally decide? Abandon Zheng Dafeng to his self-destructive path, ally with the Fu family who had stabbed you in the back, and attack the four families?"

Fan Er looked dazed. "That's what should have happened. But then suddenly they changed their minds. My father sent word to everyone saying it was to be discussed again. No one knew why. I asked my aunt and mother, but they had no idea what my father was thinking."

Fan Er continued, "After Mr. Zheng defeated Chu Yang with three punches, Chu Yang returned to Dragon Ascension Platform to recover and didn't pester him further. But the Fu family, having lost face so publicly, couldn't let it go. So after Fu Donghai and chief retainer Chu Yang, a third person emerged: the Nascent Soul ancestor Fu Yang, wielding a heirloom half-immortal weapon of the Fu family. Since it happened at the Fu family gate and a half-immortal weapon appeared, the Fu family qi cultivators joined hands to conceal the battlefield. All that was known was that when Mr. Zheng walked out, he was covered in blood. He walked alone down the street, raised his arm, and extended his little finger behind him toward the Fu family."

Fan Er said softly, "That very day, the Sun family broke faith and defected to the Fu family. The crippled Fang family contacted the Hou family and proposed pushing the Ding family to lead. The Ding family's backbone was clearly that direct descendant of Tongye Sect with heaven-reaching origins. Soon after, a ferry from Tongye Sect docked, with only two people disembarking. But after that, the three-family alliance led by the Ding family was even more confident than when the Sun family was with them."

Tongye Sect.

The number one hillside immortal sect of Tongye Continent.

It and the Yuguizong where Jiang Shangzhen belonged stood at the north and south ends of Tongye Continent, but Tongye Sect was clearly superior.

According to Jiang Shangzhen, back when the three of them intercepted and pursued the great demon of Fuzong Sect, if not for Zuo You's sword, it would surely have been one of Tongye Sect's founding patriarchs who took the demon's life using the sect's supreme treasure.

Chen Ping'an now had a rough picture of the turbulent situation in Old Dragon City.

Zheng Dafeng's unpredictable "unreasonable move" set off a chain reaction, greatly accelerating the changes in Old Dragon City's situation.

It forced the various families—to put it nicely—to show their cards; to put it badly, to reveal their true colors.

Zheng Dafeng, enemy of the whole city.

All for a girl who swept the pharmacy floor.

Chen Ping'an took one last sip.

Fan Er said bitterly, "Of course the Fu family wouldn't stop there. Family head Fu Qi personally went out and made a half-year pact with Mr. Zheng. They would fight at Dragon Ascension Platform early this winter. But just before the battle, that Tongye Sect disciple, who had been keeping a low profile at the Ding family, visited the Dust Pharmacy in person. Outsiders don't know what went on inside—whether it was recruitment or threats—but in any case, Mr. Zheng had another big fight on the street outside the pharmacy. Some say it was three against one, others say it was duels. Anyway, he was severely wounded again. So Fu Qi sent word to the Dust Pharmacy, postponing the battle to year's end, a fair fight at Dragon Ascension Platform until one lives and one dies... Only a few days left now..."

Fan Er hugged his knees and could not say another word.

He lifted the curtain and looked outside. They were about to enter the outer city gate of Old Dragon City.

Chen Ping'an secured the Sword-nurturing Gourd and said to Fan Er, "I have a general idea. Let us off here. It's not appropriate for me to go to your Fan mansion right now."

Fan Er flushed with anger and was about to refuse, but Chen Ping'an smiled. "Don't be stupid. Doing dumb things like eating dirt to stay alive—once is enough. Friends aren't supposed to be like this. It would make you unfilial and me unjust. No fun."

Chen Ping'an reached out and lightly patted his chest. "Whether Fan Er is still Zheng Dafeng's disciple is right here. Whether Fan Er is Chen Ping'an's friend is also right here."

Before Fan Er could say anything, Chen Ping'an stood up, bent down to lift the curtain, and said, "Stop."

Fan Er was about to follow, but Chen Ping'an had already bent out. Before letting the curtain fall, he said with a smile, "Don't see me off—that would be like seeing me off. I'm just going to sit at the Dust Pharmacy for a while. Not what you're thinking. The world is so chaotic, with injustices everywhere. I, Chen Ping'an, can't manage them all. I just want to see Zheng Dafeng—that 'Mr. Zheng' you keep talking about, the one who knocks people down with one punch."

Fan Er glared. "Don't forget the ceramic piece, and we agreed to go to a proper pleasure house together..."

Chen Ping'an had already jumped off the carriage.

Fan Er lay in the carriage, staring blankly.

He had drunk wine and seen his best friend, but his heart still felt heavy.

Chen Ping'an got off, and Pei Qian and the other four had no choice but to leave the carriage as well.

Watching the Fan family convoy enter the city first, Pei Qian asked cautiously, "What's up? That guy doesn't want to spend money, so he won't give us free room and board? Doesn't seem like that kind of person."

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Nonsense. Let's go find someone else first."

They paid the toll to enter the outer city gate. To enter the inner city, they would need to pay again.

This money—the Dust Pharmacy should at least help cover it, right?

Chen Ping'an knew the way to the Dust Pharmacy and had a good memory, but Old Dragon City was enormous. By the time he reached the corner of the alley and street leading to the pharmacy, it was nearly dusk.

He led the five behind him into the alley and saw a disheveled man sitting on a small stool at the shop entrance, smoking a pipe like his master.

Zheng Dafeng choked on the smoke, coughed, and grinned. "Rare visitor, rare visitor."

Chen Ping'an looked at the still-slovenly man but said nothing. He glanced at the shop, now empty of the usual chatter of female voices, and plopped down on the doorstep. "Is the pharmacy hiring?"

Zheng Dafeng said irritably, "No money to hire anyone."

Chen Ping'an said matter-of-factly, "Lend me forty Grain Rain coins, and I'll be your shop assistant. Lend me, not give."

Zheng Dafeng looked at Chen Ping'an as if he were an idiot. "What, you've broken through a realm and changed your clothes, so Grain Rain coins are now copper cash to you? Get lost, I'm in no mood for jokes."

Zheng Dafeng suddenly looked up at Sui Youbian, who carried the Heartfelt Sword on her back. "But if this young lady is willing to stay in our shop, that's a different story. Room, board, and meals provided. As for salary, it'll be on credit!"

Sui Youbian stood in the alley, unmoved by this disheveled man's flirtation. Her face showed no change in expression.

Chen Ping'an waved at Pei Qian, pointing inside. "We're staying here. Put your luggage away and pick your own rooms."

Pei Qian, holding her mountain-walking staff, cheered. She first took out her favorite Pagoda-Suppressing Demon Talisman from her sleeve, stuck it on her forehead, and dashed into the shop. She had been exhausted walking through Old Dragon City and had wanted to use that talisman to "boost her internal power" for a while. Now she finally got her wish.

Wei Xian and the others stepped over the threshold without a word.

Zheng Dafeng said helplessly, "My dear Chen Ping'an, do you really not know what's going on in Old Dragon City right now, or do you think you're tough enough to play hero in my shabby shop?"

Chen Ping'an chuckled. "What do you think?"

Zheng Dafeng stared at Chen Ping'an as if seeing him for the first time. After a while, he turned away, continued puffing smoke, and mumbled, "Fine, stay if you want. The old man bet a lot on you; he wouldn't let you die so soon. At worst, I'll have Brother Zhao keep an eye on you. As for Dragon Ascension Platform, Old Zhao can't meddle anyway."

A yin spirit appeared in the shadowy part of the alley and said to Chen Ping'an, "Don't get involved. Both Zheng Dafeng and I could die at Dragon Ascension Platform."

Chen Ping'an didn't answer immediately. He looked at Zheng Dafeng's profile. "What happened?"

Zheng Dafeng smoked his pipe, smacking his lips. "Don't think too highly of me. It has to do with my great path. I had no choice but to act. Back then, I couldn't break through the ninth-realm bottleneck no matter what. You, my so-called guardian—only half the credit is yours. The other half came from a book a girl had, the 'Sincerity Chapter.' I stole it from her. She found out, so I said it was a loan. Then I accidentally shattered it. After I finally broke through, I wanted to buy a new one. It cost over forty wen—I was heartbroken. I put it off for a few days, and then I never got the chance to repay her."

Zheng Dafeng's face was shadowed by smoke. "Back then, I only owed you, Chen Ping'an, five wen. Now I owe that girl too much. Do you think I can sit still? I have to do something. Besides, if it weren't for me, she could have found someone to marry in another two or three years. She'd be poor, but at least she'd have a life. A living dog is better than a dead lion. I, Zheng Dafeng, have always lived by that. And her death wasn't even what I'd call a 'good death.' Old Zhao finally gathered her soul. The foolish girl didn't say much—just begged me to take care of her parents and younger brother. She cried and said she didn't blame me."

The Zhao-named yin spirit said flatly, "She said she likes you. Said her body was defiled in this life, so she doesn't dare hope. But if there's a next life, she wants to meet you again, Zheng Dafeng. She'll still like you, just be bolder."

Zheng Dafeng suddenly looked up.

An overwhelming surge of true qi filled the entire alley.

Zheng Dafeng growled, "Get lost!"

The yin spirit, unfazed, slowly faded.

"Catch."

Chen Ping'an tossed a porcelain bottle to Zheng Dafeng.

But Zheng Dafeng let it fall past him and roll on the ground.

Chen Ping'an got up, picked up the bottle of Zuo Wang elixir, stood in front of Zheng Dafeng, and held it out to him. "Elixirs that a Tongye Continent Nascent Soul earthly immortal used to nourish his spirit. Six pills. Take as many as you can. If you die on Dragon Ascension Platform, I'll go ask Yang Laotou for money afterward. If you live, you'll owe me."

Zheng Dafeng looked up, frowning. "Chen Ping'an, what exactly are you trying to do? What does this have to do with you?"

Chen Ping'an kept bending over, holding out the bottle. "You think a mud-legged brat from Mud Vial Alley like me, who has worked so hard practicing fist and sword, enduring plenty of hardship—do you think I did it just to survive? Now, as you said, I'm already presentable. What do you think I'm after?"

Zheng Dafeng said flatly, "How the hell should I know what you're after? Last time at the pharmacy, I told you Zheng Dafeng and Chen Ping'an have never walked the same path."

"This has nothing to do with me, but I still have a reason to stay."

Chen Ping'an maintained his posture. "Want to hear the flowery version or the mud-legged version?"

Zheng Dafeng ignored him.

Chen Ping'an spoke on his own. "In this life, how to dispel sorrow? Only wine and money. For minor injustices in the world, buy wine with money and drown them. For great injustices, I still have one sword and one fist."

Chen Ping'an grinned. "I learned that from books. In the words of this mud-legged brat, Chen Ping'an: since I'm already this pissed off, I'll just kill them! Otherwise, why the hell am I practicing sword and fist for fun?!"