Chapter 370: New Year, New Atmosphere
On New Year's Eve, it was time to write and change spring couplets. The Dust Moth Pharmacy had bought quite a bit of red paper for the couplets earlier. There was one couplet for the shop's main entrance, and three for the back—the main house and two side rooms—making four couplets total.
Chen Ping'an, Pei Qian, Zheng Dafeng, and Lu Baixiang each wrote one couplet, all copied from a small booklet of market-style spring couplets. There wasn't much fuss about it.
Chen Ping'an's writing was neat and proper, Lu Baixiang's was elegant and flowing, and even Zheng Dafeng's turned out surprisingly decent. Pei Qian volunteered to write one, saying she wanted to give it a try. She put in a lot of effort, but the result was rather disliked. Zhu Lian kept shaking his head, and even Wei Xian commented that it was written well enough, but unfortunately, it couldn't stand comparison. Pei Qian felt a bit guilty, but she hadn't expected Chen Ping'an to say, "Just leave it as it is. It's for the festive spirit; no need to be too particular about the quality of the characters." Pei Qian, Wei Xian, and Sui Youbian—the three in charge of New Year goods—were responsible for moving stools, setting up ladders, and fetching rice paste to paste up the couplets. Chen Ping'an and Zheng Dafeng stood by, giving directions and making comments from the sidelines, not knowing the pain of the work. Pei Qian, feeling that her couplet hadn't been well written, insisted on pasting it perfectly straight. This left the skinny little girl, who was eager to make up for her mistake, drenched in sweat. In the end, it was Sui Youbian who told Chen Ping'an and Zheng Dafeng to shut up before Pei Qian could finally succeed.
The character "spring" was written by Chen Ping'an, while the character "fortune" was written by Zheng Dafeng.
Zhu Lian was busy in the kitchen preparing the New Year's Eve dinner, working for nearly the entire afternoon. Chen Ping'an and Pei Qian helped wash, pick, and cut vegetables, doing odd jobs. Sui Youbian stood at the kitchen door for a while, then left.
Finally, Zhu Lian served a bountiful New Year's Eve dinner with a mix of meat and vegetables that was both colorful and fragrant. The signature dish, symbolizing abundance year after year, was a large braised fish. The main course was a clay pot of stewed pork hock, which Chen Ping'an and Pei Qian used chopsticks to help pull apart.
Zheng Dafeng sat in the seat of honor, facing south. Lu Baixiang and Wei Xian sat on his left, while Sui Youbian and Pei Qian sat on his right. Pei Qian secretly chuckled, saying that Sui Youbian, whose name means "on the right," was sitting on the right. As a result, Sui Youbian twisted her ear, and Pei Qian immediately begged for mercy.
Chen Ping'an and Zhu Lian sat on a long bench near the door.
The Zhao-family Yin Spirit stubbornly refused to come in and take a seat, so they had to let it be.
The drinks on the table were osmanthus wine from the Fan family's Osmanthus Island. It had a rich fragrance, a sweet and smooth taste, and a lingering aftertaste.
Seeing Pei Qian's eager eyes and knowing she had been busy all day without rest, Chen Ping'an figured the osmanthus wine wouldn't go to her head or be too harsh, so he poured her a small cup—about two or three sips' worth. But he reminded her that from now on, she could only drink alcohol on New Year's Day. If she dared to sneak a drink any other time, she'd have to answer to him. Pei Qian nodded eagerly like a chick pecking at rice, her slightly fuller, dark-skinned face brimming with the innocence and happiness befitting a child her age.
At Chen Ping'an's insistence, Zheng Dafeng had to be the first to pick up his chopsticks and take a bite before anyone else could touch their chopsticks, bowls, or wine. He also had to raise his glass and say a few polite words—just a couple of sentences would do.
This embarrassed Zheng Dafeng, who normally had such a thick skin. He hemmed and hawed for a long time before finally saying something like, "Everyone, eat and drink well. Wishing you a happy New Year and all the best." Pei Qian took a small sip of the osmanthus wine, her eyes lighting up. Could there really be something this sweet and delicious in the world? Maybe growing up had its advantages. By then, she'd be able to drink whenever she wanted, right?
The dinner table was rowdy. With Pei Qian around, it was hard to have a quiet meal.
Neither Zheng Dafeng nor Chen Ping'an talked much about Li Zhu Cave Heaven or Dragon Spring Town.
Instead, Zheng Dafeng asked more about the strange people and unusual events in Lotus Flower Blessed Land. The four from the scroll were quite interested in the former number one under heaven, Ding Ying, as well as the exiled immortal, Jiang Shangzhen. Chen Ping'an picked a few stories to share. Only then did Zheng Dafeng naturally steer the conversation toward the secrets of Cave Heavens and Blessed Lands, mentioning Li Zhu Cave Heaven.
Generally speaking, among the ten great Cave Heavens and the thirty-six lesser ones, what made a Cave Heaven a Cave Heaven was its abundant spiritual energy, unparalleled under heaven. It was said that cave chambers reached straight to the heavens, carrying various opportunities left behind by ancient immortals who had either undergone liberation or ascended. These were the top choices for immortals to cultivate, allowing them to achieve twice the results with half the effort. For example, the Tungsten Leaf Sect's Parasol Tree Lesser Cave Heaven was monopolized by Du Mao, who only shared a portion with the sect's upper fifth-realm cultivators.
However, there were exceptions—such as the Lotus Lesser Cave Heaven connected to Lotus Flower Blessed Land, which belonged to the Dao Ancestor, and of course, Li Zhu Cave Heaven. The latter's spiritual energy was naturally abundant, but it wasn't known for its celestial treasures. What truly made it coveted was the innate exceptional aptitude of the town's common folk for cultivation. Elsewhere in Haoran World when a land immortal descended the mountain, it was like searching for a needle in a haystack, painstakingly looking for a good seedling. Even after finding someone with good aptitude, they might not be suitable for taking as a disciple, or their temperament might not align with the sect's Daoist methods, and so on. In the end, it could all be for nothing, and they'd return to the mountain disappointed. But in Li Zhu Cave Heaven, there were not a few who showed promise of reaching the middle five realms. Even a child of an ordinary immortal couple might not necessarily have such aptitude for cultivation.
After finishing the New Year's Eve dinner, everyone changed into new clothes. Wei Xian was initially reluctant, saying he'd just wear his dragon robe instead, claiming new clothes never fit well and felt uncomfortable. But after Pei Qian pestered him for a long time, he agreed to change into a new set of clothes and boots. To match the occasion, Chen Ping'an temporarily took off his Dharma robe, Golden Sweetdew, and changed into a blue long robe that Pei Qian and Sui Youbian had helped pick out.
Chen Ping'an gave Pei Qian and the four from the scroll each a New Year's money gift: one Snowflake coin per person, wrapped in red paper.
Pei Qian knew that this immortal coin was worth a thousand taels of silver and was overjoyed. The other four accepted theirs, but naturally, they didn't share Pei Qian's excitement.
After that came the night vigil.
In the end, only Chen Ping'an, Zheng Dafeng, and Pei Qian remained, sitting around the stove until dawn.
Chen Ping'an crossed one leg, with the little lotus figure sitting on his instep. When he shook his leg, it bobbed up and down, delighting the little guy no end.
Chen Ping'an didn't dare drink too much of the minor medicine wine from his sword-nurturing gourd. He and Zheng Dafeng drank through the night, but each only had half a catty of osmanthus wine, stopping before it was too much.
Zheng Dafeng talked a lot about the townsfolk around Chen Ping'an's age: Ma Kuxuan, Song Jixin, Zhao Yao, Lin Shouyi, and the younger ones like Li Baoping and Gu Can.
He said the most unexpected person was still Chen Ping'an—not only had he survived, but he'd also made it this far.
By the second half of the night, Pei Qian had already fallen asleep, so she didn't hear these stories about Li Zhu Cave Heaven. Zheng Dafeng proactively asked about Chen Ping'an's destiny porcelain. Chen Ping'an smiled and said it was a white porcelain paperweight, roughly in the shape of a hornless dragon. He had kept a few broken pieces of the porcelain as relics—not many—and had secretly hidden them in a clay jar in the corner of the ancestral home on Clay Vase Alley. As expected, once it was fired, it wouldn't be placed on the desk of the Great Li Emperor as an imperial tribute. Instead, it would most likely be kept hidden in a mountain immortal's mansion. Because, according to the Sword Immortal of the Sword Qi Great Wall, Chen Ping'an was originally meant to have the aptitude of an earth immortal.
Zheng Dafeng didn't continue.
Chen Ping'an didn't press him.
The implications were too deep.
And Chen Ping'an happened to have enough patience and perseverance.
Finally, Zheng Dafeng pointed outside. "Old Zhao is the ancestor of the Zhao Yao branch of the Li Zhu Cave Heaven. After he died, our old man gathered his soul—half spirit, half yin-sha. If his luck is good, he could be sent out and become a mountain deity in the Great Li Dynasty. But we definitely can't hope for someone like Wei Bo, who rose directly from a minor mountain god to the Northern Peak True God of a half-continent. Still, it's possible for him to end up like Gu Can's father, governing the qi and luck of a thousand miles of mountains and rivers."
Chen Ping'an nodded. "I figured as much."
Teacher Qi had left three wisps of spring breeze—one on Chen Ping'an, one on Zhao Yao, and one on Song Jixin.
Zhao Yao hadn't been able to keep the most precious Spring Character Seal back then, but Teacher Qi said he wasn't disappointed. Chen Ping'an hadn't understood at first. Given Teacher Qi's temperament, it definitely wasn't because he hadn't held high hopes for Zhao Yao. In fact, Teacher Qi had still valued Zhao Yao more than Song Jixin. Now, thinking back, Teacher Qi had actually hoped that Zhao Yao would take this opportunity to completely sever ties with Teacher Qi's lineage. Whether Zhao Yao started his own sect or joined another lineage, he might be able to live a stable life, and Teacher Qi would have been content.
Chen Ping'an admitted to himself that he couldn't be as open-minded as Teacher Qi.
Maybe after reading more books and meeting more people, he might manage it someday. But definitely not today.
Regarding Ma Kuxuan of Apricot Flower Alley, Zheng Dafeng revealed a hint of heavenly secrets. He said that the white cat who lived with Ma Kuxuan as his only companion had an extraordinary background. Its opportunities were even greater than those of the Great Sui Crown Prince Gao Xuan's Dragon King Basket and Golden Carp, Ruan Xiu's Fire Dragon Bracelet, Zhao Yao's Wooden Carved Dragon, Gu Can's Little Loach, and Song Jixin's Four-Legged Snake. But unlike the latter five, the white cat had sneaked into Li Zhu Cave Heaven and would only recognize Ma Kuxuan as its master.
Chen Ping'an then recounted his two fights with Ma Kuxuan—one at the Immortal Tomb in their hometown, and one on the main street of Caiyi Country.
Zheng Dafeng laughed heartily, not taking it too seriously. He said that in Li Zhu Cave Heaven, every thousand years or every five hundred years, a pair would emerge—either mortal enemies or close friends. The latter included the Great Li Dynasty's Cao-Yuan Duo. This time, it might just be the two of them: Ma Kuxuan of Apricot Flower Alley and Chen Ping'an of Clay Vase Alley.
Chen Ping'an turned to look at the sky outside. It was the early morning of the first day of the new year.
This time last year, he had been wandering like a lonely ghost in Lotus Flower Blessed Land. It felt like another lifetime.
When Pei Qian woke up, she immediately went to the alley outside the pharmacy to set off firecrackers. But perhaps because she was a year older, she was very well-behaved. She first asked the Zhao Yin Spirit if the firecrackers would scare it. The spirit smiled and said it was fine.
Listening to the incessant crackling of firecrackers in the alley, Zheng Dafeng suddenly asked, "Pei Qian stays with you, and you can restrain some of her natural tendencies. But what happens when she leaves you?"
Chen Ping'an thought for a moment. "I'll try my best, before she leaves me, to teach her the difference between good and evil. Only after she achieves that can we talk about approaching good and avoiding evil. Otherwise, she'll always be confused about what she does."
Chen Ping'an used his toe to draw a circle on the ground. "Without rules, nothing can be accomplished. She's still young. Inside the circle I draw for her, she can do whatever she wants. But if she does something that goes outside the circle, I'll tap her and teach her some principles. Take it slow—it can't be done all at once. She's only eleven years old now, and she's doing well."
Zheng Dafeng smiled. "Can she compare to you?"
Chen Ping'an smiled back. "Why does she need to compare to me? Pei Qian is Pei Qian, and Chen Ping'an is Chen Ping'an."
Zheng Dafeng sighed emotionally. "Pei Qian is lucky to have met you."
Chen Ping'an turned to look at Zheng Dafeng. "And you, Zheng Dafeng—aren't you lucky to have met me? I've passed through Old Dragon City only twice, and both times I've had to act as both your preacher and your guardian. It's very tiring, you know?"
Zheng Dafeng clicked his tongue. "You did an okay job as a preacher, but as a guardian, you're really not that great."
Chen Ping'an laughed heartily, cupping his fists in a completely insincere manner. "Apologies, apologies. I'm only a fifth-realm martial artist—can't do any better than this."
Zheng Dafeng rolled his eyes and lamented, "How am I ever going to find a wife now?"
Pei Qian, carrying a feather duster over her shoulder, said she was letting the walking stick rest. When she reached the back courtyard, she greeted everyone with kind words. She hoped Old Wei would find a beautiful little wife soon, hoped Little Bai would get better and better at chess and maybe become the world's number something, hoped Sister Youbian would stay young forever and never get a wrinkle, hoped Zhu Lian would make even more delicious food this year, hoped Grandpa Zhao the Yin Spirit would rise in rank quickly so he could take her to the heavens to play, and hoped Zheng Dafeng's shop would have booming business.
Finally, Pei Qian hoped that in the new year, Chen Ping'an would have a steady stream of wealth coming in, unstoppable, with gold, silver, and treasures overflowing.
Obviously, she didn't want to be a "loss-making commodity" anymore in the new year.
Whether it was Pei Qian's luck turning or not, from a little crow's mouth that even Zhu Lian feared, she became someone whose words came true the very same day.
On the first day of the new year, according to the customs of Vase Island, brooms were placed upside down, no guests were received, no long journeys were made, and no work was done—only eating, drinking, and having fun. Yet Fan Junmao still came to the Dust Moth Pharmacy in the morning. Besides asking Chen Ping'an when he would go again to the Cloud Sea to refine his destiny object, he brought Chen Ping'an three bags of Gold Essence Copper Coins—one bag each of Suppression, Offering, and Spring-Welcoming coins—totaling over thirty coins. They were all paid for by the Great Li Emperor himself, and Fan assured that more would come. As the Great Li cavalry advanced south, not only were the forbidden shrines of various countries being banned, but even some uncooperative mountain true gods were having their golden bodies smashed and shattered, with the fragments used to cast Gold Essence Copper Coins.
Chen Ping'an looked at Zheng Dafeng, who was also puzzled. "Isn't it the same as firing destiny porcelain in Li Zhu Cave Heaven? Haven't Gold Essence Copper Coins stopped being minted?"
Fan Junmao sneered. "That's exactly the sincerity of the Great Li Song family's apology. How else would they show such generosity?"
Zheng Dafeng thought for a moment. "Unless the old man put pressure on the Song Emperor, the Great Li Dynasty wouldn't be so willing to cut off their own flesh. These golden body fragments would be more cost-effective if kept for smearing the golden bodies of the other three mountain gods in the future."
Chen Ping'an nodded in agreement.
Zheng Dafeng was a bit puzzled. "Doesn't seem like the old man's style."
Fan Junmao said crossly, "Earlier, a cross-continent ship from North Juzhou heading south wasn't supposed to stop at Dragon Spring Ferry, but a man fell straight from the sky to the ground. Now that so many factions are establishing foundations and building mansions in the western mountains, there are many eyes and ears. This news has already spread in the northern part of Vase Island. Everyone knows that besides Song Changjing, Vase Island also has a legendary tenth-realm martial artist."
Zheng Dafeng wiped his face. "Li Er, no doubt. Just don't know when he'll get to our Old Dragon City."
Fan Junmao was confident. "Based on the Dragon Spring Ferry's schedule, if he's willing to spend money, heading south to Old Dragon City should be in a few days."
Zheng Dafeng counted on his fingers and laughed. "From North Juzhou to the northernmost part of Vase Island, the Great Li Dynasty, and then down to the southernmost point here—that's a pretty rushed journey. But I reckon the old man held him up a bit."
Zheng Dafeng lowered his voice. "What about the Tungsten Leaf Sect?"
Fan Junmao sneered. "Those waste earth immortals in Old Dragon City wouldn't dare cross the sea to snoop around in Tungsten Leaf Continent. Vase Island has always been looked down upon, and the Tungsten Leaf Sect is the most domineering mountain on Tungsten Leaf Continent. Nobody wants to provoke them. Only the Fu family might know a little inside information. The other major surname families are as blind as moles regarding the Tungsten Leaf Sect's movements. However, I suspect something major has gone wrong with the Tungsten Leaf Sect. Otherwise, the Fu family—beyond the Great Li Dynasty offering three bags of Gold Essence Copper Coins—wouldn't have Fu Qi, aside from that Old Dragon Rain-Commanding Pendant, brought out something I never expected, to be handed over to Chen Ping'an. Fu Qi also said it still needs to be discussed in the Fu family ancestral hall, but he'll try to get it approved. It will be delivered when Chen Ping'an leaves Old Dragon City. Care to guess what it is?"
Chen Ping'an quickly called Pei Qian over from the yard, briefly explained the Fu family situation, and then said earnestly, "You take a guess. Guess for something good."
Pei Qian thought seriously for a moment, then said timidly, "Could it be a half-immortal artifact?"
Fan Junmao was speechless.
Chen Ping'an and Zheng Dafeng exchanged glances and burst out laughing.
On the fifth day of the new year.
Aside from the elderly outsider staying at the Dust Moth Pharmacy, cracking sunflower seeds and chatting idly, Pei Qian accompanied him in a conversation that was like a chicken talking to a duck. The old and the young each boasted about their own things, neither interfering with the other.
The pharmacy had one more guest today.
A short, stocky man walked into the alley. The old man sitting on a bench by the threshold couldn't help but take a few extra looks. Indeed, the man before him was even rarer than a Jade Stand Realm cultivator on the mountain.
Although the four from the scroll hadn't seen this person with their own eyes, they almost simultaneously felt a sense of dread—a resonance between pure martial artists. In the back courtyard, Wei Xian, Zhu Lian, and the others, as the man slowly approached the pharmacy, sensed something like a huge flood dragon forcefully squeezing into a small stream.
There was such a martial artist in the world?
After discovering that Chen Ping'an and Zheng Dafeng weren't tense, the four from the scroll relaxed.
Wei Xian rubbed his chin with his palm, Zhu Lian's eyes burned with fervor, and Lu Baixiang and Sui Youbian stopped their game of Go. Sui Youbian tapped a spare piece on the board with one finger.
Chen Ping'an and Zheng Dafeng walked together to the front shop.
Zheng Dafeng hunched his back, looking left and right. His first words were, "Where's the sister-in-law?"
The man looked at Zheng Dafeng, his wooden face expressionless. "If not for the master telling me to wait, I'd already be on the Tungsten Leaf Sect's mountain by now."
Zheng Dafeng scratched his head, saying nothing.
Then the man turned to Chen Ping'an and cupped his fists. "Chen Ping'an, after that long journey, Li Huai has become much more sensible, gaining things you can't learn from books. I, Li Er, must thank you. Teacher Qi taught Li Huai well back then. After Teacher Qi left, you taught him well too. I really should call you Master Chen. Today, I still have to rush to Tungsten Leaf Continent to tear down Du Mao's Ancestral Hall, so I can't chat long. Just a few crude words left here: I, Li Er, only throw punches when my family is bullied. But I promise you, Chen Ping'an, in the future, if you send word that you want me, Li Er, to smash someone, I'll be there immediately and smash them. If I so much as frown, I'm not Li Huai's father!"
He cupped his fists again and said solemnly, "I'm off!"
And with that, the man left.