Chapter 374: Meeting an Old Friend in a Distant Land

Chapter 374: Meeting an Old Friend in a Distant Land

The previous few times Chen Ping'an had passed through immortal ferries, aside from the one at the border between Shushui Kingdom and Songxi Kingdom, where he made a transaction at Qingfu Workshop, he had either come and gone in a hurry or simply browsed without buying anything. Today, however, he brought Pei Qian and the others to thoroughly explore this ferry. Chen Ping'an gave each of the four from the painting one Minor Heat Coin, allowing them to purchase items on their own. Among mountain immortals' currency, there was the saying "thousands, hundreds, tens"—a Snowflake Coin was worth a thousand taels of silver in the secular world, while a Minor Heat Coin was equivalent to a hundred thousand taels of genuine gold and silver. While one couldn't hope for spiritual artifacts or magic treasures, it wasn't difficult to buy a few clever, rare, and skillfully crafted mountain items to take home and enjoy.

They agreed to meet up at the ferry's most famous landmark after one hour. Chen Ping'an took Pei Qian to browse on their own. At the ferry, when buying things from places like Qingfu Workshop, where experts presided, the chance of finding a bargain was extremely small, and prices were relatively expensive. Some itinerant peddlers without a fixed stall were the ones that truly tested one's luck and discernment. These people were mostly wild and rogue cultivators, wandering the world, fond of buying cheaply from the fallen children of once-great noble families, or claiming that their family ancestors or sect founders had been Golden Core or Nascent Soul Earth Immortals. The methods of selling were more or less like this; buyers didn't need to dwell on such matters. Back then, Chen Ping'an had learned many tricks of the trade from the roving, bearded hero Xu Yuanxia, and later Yao Jinzhi's explanation of "inside the cage" also belonged to this profession.

Pei Qian was inexperienced in the world. She was dazzled by the endless variety of immortal paintings, spiritual treasures, and mountain spirits in the various shops. Pei Qian had one good quality—Zhu Lian sarcastically called her a little glutton—she loved collecting things and accepted everything, but she hated spending money and would part with not a single copper. So no matter how tempting an item was, she would only take a few glances and never open the small sachet given by Madame Gui, which she used as a money pouch. If she truly liked something, she would just stare at it fiercely a few times, treating it as her own after looking, as if it were temporarily stored in the shop.

Chen Ping'an had never been extravagant, so after browsing for about half an hour with Pei Qian, visiting over a dozen shops, he hadn't taken out a single copper coin.

On the way, they encountered an itinerant peddler, a middle-aged, lame man with a simple appearance. He claimed his surname was Liu and could be called Liu Ganzi. When he saw Chen Ping'an in his white robe with a white-sheathed longsword on his back, he followed him for nearly seven or eight hundred paces. Though he looked honest, his speech was not clumsy. He said his grandfather was a great general of Wenjing Kingdom. After Wenjing Kingdom fell, the emperor died on the run and lost a jade seal in the shape of a hornless dragon, one of the seventeen treasures of the Jiaotai Hall. His grandfather had taken it among the common folk. Now, a great immortal master of Qingluan Kingdom had already collected sixteen of the seventeen treasures and was only missing this "Fortune-Condensing Divine Treasure." In the collecting trade, "seeking perfection and completeness" was the top priority, so this treasure, which "might still contain the kingdom's fortune and dragon energy," was priceless.

The reason the man had followed for seven or eight hundred paces was, first, that this young man, who clearly looked like a wealthy young master, had a good temper—he didn't shoo him away but listened attentively. Second, the man was truly desperate for business, as he had a great hardship to face. Last year, he had barely managed to get through the year-end hurdle, which involved three Minor Heat Coins—enough to cost him several lives. After a timid and miserable New Year, according to the rules, if he didn't find a sucker after the first month of the new year, he would be in serious trouble. Every kingdom had its laws, and every trade had its rules; people could really die.

To sell something and stay alive, the man was willing to do anything. As a third-realm Qi refiner, he had shamelessly followed them all the way, not only that but also proactively introduced the ferry's attractions to the young master.

This immortal ferry on the border of Qingluan Kingdom was called Bee Tail Ferry. It was named because, at the beginning of the ferry's construction, it was a small market town. Historically, a Jade Core realm immortal had arisen from humble beginnings here. As a wild cultivator, he had reached the Upper Five Realms through great perseverance and fortune. His immortal deeds spread across half the continent, and he was extremely famous among all wild and rogue cultivators in Bottle Gourd Continent. His ancestral home was located in an alley called Bee Clip Lane, at the very end of the lane. Hence, later generations named this ferry Bee Tail Ferry.

Because the ferry was at the intersection of three kingdoms, for centuries, the Tang clan of Qingluan Kingdom and its two neighboring kingdoms had fought countless battles with both pens and swords, on paper and on the battlefield, over the ownership of this lane and the ancestral home. However, the three sides had a tacit understanding that the war would not affect the ferry. To this end, Guanhu Academy had sent virtuous scholars several times to mediate.

Under the man's enthusiastic recommendation, the ferry had a unique "Immortal Brew from the Well Water," which cost one Snowflake Coin per small pot. The high officials and nobles of Qingluan Kingdom loved to use it to show off. The young master actually bought a pot of well-water wine at a street-corner shop, asked the shopkeeper for two white bowls, sat down, and smilingly gestured for the man to join him. The man had originally planned to stand aside and play pitiful, hoping the young master might take pity and buy some of his junk. But the wine bug was biting his stomach, so he sat down and drank. As he drank, he cursed himself for not being able to control his mouth, thinking that by drinking too much, he had probably ruined the deal. A mix of emotions welled up, and he treated it like a last drink before the execution.

Chen Ping'an clinked his bowl with the man and asked with a smile, "Since this jade seal is valuable and there's an immortal master waiting to complete the seventeen treasures of Wenjing Kingdom, why not go directly to sell it to him?"

The man had long prepared an answer for such buyer questions. He smiled bitterly, "That old Earth Immortal, his cultivation is heaven-reaching, but his character... I'm afraid I'd get the money but not live to spend it."

The man's voice was low, and he mumbled vaguely.

Chen Ping'an nodded. That explanation made sense. Among mountain immortals, it was said they pursued the Dao, but there were eight hundred side paths and three thousand left-handed paths. So even among mountains, wasn't there someone like Du Mao, a great cultivator at the Ascension realm? Earlier, wasn't there Liu Zhimao, the River-Cutting True Lord of Shujian Lake? As for that group of Qi refiners from the Fuzhi Sect who had evil intentions on Tianjie Street, if they hadn't been outmatched and ended up delivering themselves to their deaths, once they succeeded in ambushing and killing him and Lu Tai, they would be truly wealthy now. With such financial resources, perhaps one or two Golden Core Earth Immortals would have emerged in the world.

The man, probably feeling he needed to step up his game or miss this wealthy outsider, put down his wine bowl and said in a low voice, "Actually, my story about my grandfather being a great general of Wenjing Kingdom is just a cover-up. To respect the noble, I used it to fool people. My grandfather was actually a lane keeper in Anle Ward of the old Wenjing capital. Anle Ward was originally where the royal family raised rare animals. Later, when funds ran dry and it fell into disuse, it was used to house eunuchs and palace maids who had been demoted after making mistakes. The last emperor of Wenjing Kingdom grew up in this filthy Anle Ward as a child. He was often cared for by my grandfather. Later, he rose to power—an illegitimate son hidden outside somehow became emperor. Regardless of why the kingdom fell, he was still a sovereign who remembered past kindness, and he treated my grandfather well. After the capital was breached by the army of Yunxiao Kingdom, he fled back to Anle Ward. I was young then and don't remember much. In the end, this jade seal was passed down from my grandfather. Before he passed, he instructed me to return the jade seal to the descendants of Wenjing Kingdom and not to treat it as our own..."

At this point, the man drank some wine, his gaze dazed. "I am such an unfilial descendant. I've betrayed my grandfather's dying wish and also let down the crown prince of Wenjing Kingdom, who reportedly changed his surname to cultivate on the mountains."

The man's lips trembled, and tears welled in his eyes. "Young master, please do me a kindness and buy this kingdom's treasure jade seal. Then I can drink to drown my sorrows and pretend to be muddled, so I don't have to face it every day and feel guilty to death."

Chen Ping'an poured him another bowl of amber Immortal Brew and shook his head. "I can treat you to wine, but I won't buy your item."

The man was still unwilling. "Young master, won't you even take a look? You can clearly tell whether it's genuine or fake. Even if you drive a hard bargain, I won't regret it."

Chen Ping'an shook his head again. "I don't have such windfall luck... So forget it. Find a buyer who knows its value and has the affinity. Don't waste your time on me."

Pei Qian was about to speak, but Chen Ping'an glanced at her, and she immediately shut up.

The man drank the second bowl of wine, apologized, thanked him, and then walked away dejectedly.

Pei Qian said softly, "He's quite pitiful."

Chen Ping'an drank his wine. "He really is pitiful, but that doesn't mean the item is genuine."

Pei Qian asked in confusion, "How do you know without looking? What if it's real? Besides, we're not in a hurry to travel."

Chen Ping'an patiently explained, "The 'what if'—if that one-in-a-million chance really falls on us, that's the best outcome. Let's talk about the worst outcome."

Pei Qian was baffled. "Isn't it just that it's fake, we misjudged, and that guy swindled us out of some immortal money?"

Pei Qian suddenly slapped the table, heartbroken. "That's unbearable!"

Chen Ping'an laughed. "That's not the worst outcome. The worst is that they set up a 'wild goose trap'—not only do they force us to buy, but if we can afford the immortal money, they might push further and just kill us for the goods. Take this man's character. We don't know him well. Even if he's not inherently bad, when he's in a tight spot—deep in debt, weak-willed, with ruthless debt collectors—the pitiable becomes despicable. We pity him now, but who will pity us then?"

Pei Qian thought carefully. "But we have quite a few people. If we're in the right, can't we just beat them with a few punches?"

Chen Ping'an rapped her on the head. "When traveling, if you only use your fists to reason, then we might run into someone like Du Mao. Couldn't we also run into others?"

Pei Qian said aggrievedly, "But we're good people! Du old thief is not. Evil people get struck by lightning, boiled in oil after death, have their tongues pulled, hearts gouged, and molten iron poured down their throats..."

Chen Ping'an interrupted her nonsense. "Where did you learn all that?"

Pei Qian said fearfully, "Last Lantern Festival, when we were viewing lanterns in Old Dragon City, there were some lanterns that Xiao Bai said were 'warning the world, educating people, and promoting good.' I stared at them for a while and thought they didn't have much to do with me. But a book said, 'If you have them, correct them; if not, guard against them.'"

Now that Chen Ping'an's Sword-Nurturing Gourd held the small alchemical wine, he couldn't fill it with the ferry's specialty Immortal Brew. Besides, Fan family had given him many jars of osmanthus wine stored in the Fingertip Object Jade Token, so he hadn't lacked good wine for nearly a year. He only bought two jars from the shop, planning to put them together with the osmanthus wine and bury them behind the bamboo building at Fallen Mountain, digging up one jar every ten years. That would be one of Chen Ping'an's substantial family assets.

At the mouth of Bee Tail Lane, they met up with Wei Xian and the other three, who had arrived one after another.

On this trip to Bee Tail Ferry, Chen Ping'an hadn't found any item that particularly appealed to him. He only bought Pei Qian a sage's book with illustrations. The printing was excellent, and every character was full of spirit.

Just as Chen Ping'an was about to leave the ferry, a young man carrying an empty wine jug walked out of the alley. He was burly, with a belt that looked like a fine iron chain.

Chen Ping'an narrowed his eyes for a moment but quickly returned to normal, planning to avoid trouble and pretend not to recognize him.

Unexpectedly, the man saw Chen Ping'an, strode over, and pointed a finger at him, as if vaguely recognizing him but unable to recall his name. He looked a bit anxious.

Since he couldn't avoid it, Chen Ping'an smiled and greeted him in Bottle Gourd Continent elegant speech, "We met once at the entrance of that small town. You were outside the fence, and I was inside with the gatekeeper. Your memory is really good; you still recognize me after so long."

The burly young man smiled and nodded, happy. "Yes, that's you. Besides the gatekeeper, you're the first local I met from that town. I didn't expect to run into you here. At first, I wasn't sure. You've changed a lot. You say my memory is good, but I think yours is even better than mine."

Seeing Chen Ping'an carrying two jars of Immortal Brew, the young man, whose chin had already grown stubble, laughed. "You overpaid for this well-water wine. Genuine Immortal Brew has to be made with water from the three oldest wells. These two jars are from new wells dug later by unscrupulous merchants. The taste is off. Come, come, I'll take you to buy real old-well wine. Otherwise, your trip to Bee Tail Ferry is wasted."

He took a step, then laughed heartily. "Forget it. The martial world is treacherous. Let's not get too chummy."

The burly young man gave Chen Ping'an the addresses of two wine shops. "If you want to buy wine, go yourself. I won't seem to be ingratiating myself, so neither of us has to be suspicious."

He clasped his fists in farewell and strode off to buy wine.

He was a straightforward man.

Chen Ping'an sighed inwardly.

The iron chain that the burly young man wore as a belt was clearly the thick chain from the Iron Lock Well of Lizhu Cave Heaven before it shattered and fell. At the time, Chen Ping'an had heard that this man had obtained this great fortune. Aside from the Five Elements items, among the many treasures hidden in the mortal world of Lizhu Cave Heaven, this item, along with Song Jixin's green gourd, the Mountain Spirit Gourd, and a Bright Mirror for Subduing Evil—about five or six items in total—were the most precious. Among them, this Dragon-Binding Iron Chain was the most priceless. It had once been a Demon-Subduing Rope that successfully bound the world's last true dragon. Its quality was unimaginable.

Now, this man had refined it into his lifebound object and openly displayed it. Either he was skilled enough to be bold, or his backing was strong enough, or both.

That was the first time Chen Ping'an had truly touched the world outside.

The Moving Mountain Ape of Zhengyang Mountain, Cai Jinjian of Yunxia Mountain, the Xu clan of Qingfeng City, Fu Nanhua of Old Dragon City.

Those were a series of life-and-death encounters, the hardest period of Chen Ping'an's life. The helplessness he felt then was even greater than what he would face in the future—facing the Nascent Soul old flood dragon in Flood Dragon Trench, or the Ascension realm cultivator Du Mao in Old Dragon City.

But just as Lu Baixiang once confessed in the courtyard, on the path of life, if you can meet a flower in the midst of desolation, everything changes.

Chen Ping'an had met a good girl who, when she smiled, made him feel like the richest man in the world.

How could he not like her? How could he bear to not keep her in his heart?

On the last night in Old Dragon City, drinking with Fan Er on the pharmacy rooftop, Chen Ping'an said, "The girl I like is already the most beautiful. But even more beautiful than the most beautiful is the way she looks when she doesn't know I'm looking at her—her sidelong glance, the slight tremor of her eyelashes."

Fan Er was stunned and asked him, "Chen Ping'an, just how much do you love that girl?!"

At that time, Chen Ping'an was a bit drunk and just hugged his Sword-Nurturing Gourd, grinning foolishly.

As Chen Ping'an followed the route to find the genuine old-well wine, the burly young man didn't want to run into this young man who had left Lizhu Cave Heaven again, to avoid suspicion, so he chose a different tavern. On the way, an old man with restrained aura quietly appeared beside him and reported a small matter.

The young man said angrily, "Are these people out of their minds? They're asking for death. Send word to the person in charge to stop them. Don't let them be someone's meal."

He wanted to say more, to take the opportunity to clean up the unhealthy trends at Bee Tail Ferry, but thinking of the hardships of wild and rogue cultivators, he shook his head helplessly. "Forget it. No need to deliberately warn them. It's their own fortune. But the group of outsiders I met just now—no one at Bee Tail Ferry is to provoke them. Also, take this opportunity to privately help Old Liu clear his debts. According to the rules, however many Minor Heat Coins it is, so be it. After that, find a chance to scare Old Liu and make him stop being a degenerate gambler. The little wealth he has left is enough for him to live comfortably."

The old man asked cautiously, "What if Liu Ganzi can't control himself and gambles again?"

The burly young man said, "Then he'll have brought it on himself. I can help once, but not for a lifetime."

The old man hesitated.

The young man shook his head. "That jade seal, though genuine, is something ordinary Qi refiners can't touch. Master said not to underestimate the residual fortune of a fallen kingdom. The blessings and calamities within are immense. After all, Wenjing Kingdom's Jiang clan still has a crown prince cultivating on the mountain. As for that one obsessed with collecting the seventeen treasures of Wenjing Kingdom, he follows the path of Dragon-Blessing Art. He's suited for it; we are not. Such matters—if one can't control greed—they're on the same level as Old Liu, maybe even worse. We cultivators seek long life, which is already unreasonable, and then we gamble with Heaven? Tired of living?"

The old man took his leave.

This old retainer, who lived in seclusion at Bee Tail Ferry, was the Golden Core cultivator who had earlier discerned Chen Ping'an's "momentum" at a glance.

The burly young man sighed all the way until he bought a pot of wine, drinking the most authentic and mellow Immortal Brew, which improved his mood somewhat.

When he was young, a wandering master passing by the seaside had seen his excellent bone structure and took him as a disciple. His parents happily agreed. Initially, the clan elders had believed he was unfit for cultivation, and his early-maturing peers regarded him as useless, suffering countless disdainful looks. So he left that clan at a young age, brought by his master to Bee Tail Ferry, and settled in a dilapidated lane at the end of Bee Clip Lane. Over the years, his cultivation had advanced quickly, and he had seized many opportunities. But he had no desire to return to that lofty, strict clan in glory. He only wanted to secretly visit his parents and repay their kindness. However, he had always been grateful to his elder sister, who was the legitimate daughter of the main branch. He was willing to repay a drop of kindness with a gushing spring. Mountain people liked to say this but didn't mean it; he, however, took it seriously. So, despite his master's reluctance, he insisted on giving that little creature he had unintentionally caught as part of her dowry. It was said that the entire clan was stunned and couldn't believe it.

If a person could owe no money and have a clear conscience, he thought that was good.

As he drank, the tavern owner was an ordinary-looking woman, honest and simple, keeping her ancestral craft and the old well. She wasn't good at business; what should have been a goldmine was run as a small trade. Over the years, he watched this once gentle older neighbor sister marry, sell wine year after year, still blushing and getting annoyed at frivolous drinkers, but her eyes gradually creased with wrinkles. The burly young man would feel fortunate to have met his master. Maybe by the time the tavern owner's grandchildren were old, he would still look the same.

Although Bee Tail Ferry was an immortal ferry, countless common people there couldn't escape birth, aging, sickness, and death.

His master always said that these mundane people, who turn white-haired in sixty years and are rare at seventy, were the foundation of the few mountain cultivators.

Without them, so-called cultivation would be a castle in the air.

The burly young man didn't think too much about it. He simply didn't want to. He always liked to let things take their course in cultivation—not actively harming others, but not being soft when harmed. So his master had repeatedly advised him to choose one of the three emperors—Tang of Qingluan, Yan of Yunxiao, or He of Qingshan—go incognito, and temper his Dao heart in the court. By dealing with his inner demons early, he could avoid having to make hasty repairs when he reached Nascent Soul. But he always refused. What fun was there in dealing with emperors and ministers all day? Emperor Tang was lavish and vain, liking to compete financially with mountain immortals. Emperor He of Qingshan had bizarre hobbies, with the shocking "Five Temptresses" in his harem, causing chaos in court and public. Emperor Yan of Yunxiao was ambitious and diligent, but ruthless, even more fond of scheming than merchant sons. He had even personally written a popular essay, "Herbal of Money," saying, "Money, sweet in taste, hot in nature, is both poison and medicine. It can communicate with gods and make ghosts grind millstones." This revealed the art of commerce.

After finishing a pot of wine and paying, he had his jug filled with dozens of catties of Immortal Brew, hung it at his waist, and left. He also asked for two small pots of fine wine, pinching them between his fingers. The woman wasn't surprised. Throughout Bee Tail Ferry, everyone knew the young man was no ordinary person, and no one dared provoke him. He had lived at the end of Bee Clip Lane since he was very young, never causing trouble. It was said he looked after half the lane on someone's behalf, collecting rent. Those who rented a courtyard on Bee Clip Lane were either wealthy rogue immortal masters or high-ranking officials and nobles from the three kingdoms pretending to be cultured. The rest were local powers who directly bought the houses, and they treated the young man, who had grown up under their noses, with great respect.

The burly young man walked back into the lane, deeper into it. Fifty paces behind him, in the middle of the lane, there were two large empty houses facing each other. On their doors were painted door gods that hadn't been replaced in centuries but remained brand new. On the left door were two civil door gods; on the right, two martial door gods. As the young man passed the two houses, he tossed a wine pot to each side. The four painted door gods shimmered, each extending a golden arm to catch the pot and withdraw it "into the door." Then, on the two paintings, the civil and martial door gods inexplicably held an additional painted wine pot. After drinking, they passed the pots to nearby colleagues. After finishing, the four painted door gods returned to normal. Only the beard of one martial door god with a great beard seemed slightly damp, but it quickly dried.

The burly young man returned to his own house, which was quiet and lonely, as it had been for so many years. His master liked to wander around. Every time, he swore he would find a beautiful wife for him this time. But this time, he wasn't going after the future wife who might still be sleeping in her mother's womb. It was for serious business: a certain Upper Five Realms immortal's Lotus Golden Body after divine dissolution. Several pieces had fallen on Bottle Gourd Continent. If he could grab one piece, he would be rich and have a wife's dowry. For this, his master had also invited a close friend. Otherwise, he might not be able to compete with a few old turtles of similar age. With that friend's help, his chances increased.

The burly young man had some concerns: would that so-called friend covet such a treasure?

His master laughed heartily and said that anyone in Bottle Gourd Continent might, but this old turtle, who called himself "Jade-Faced Little Gentleman," absolutely would not. Although his temper was as hard and foul as a stone in a cesspit, this man was known on the path of cultivation as "no ghosts in his heart." For friendship and sect honor, he had fought two desperate battles, reaching Jade Core realm twice, only to fall back to Nascent Soul twice. Such heroic spirit might not even exist among Ascension realm cultivators. Ruan Qiong, the sword-forging master of Wind Snow Temple, who had become a Sage of the Military family, was also known for his blunt temper. He had once declared that if this man needed a sword, he, Ruan Qiong, would not only forge it immediately but also deliver it personally to his mountain.

The burly young man had never seen his master so confident in anyone, so he set aside his worries.

For a moment, he was curious about his master's friend, whose nickname was quite "elegant and unique."

After Chen Ping'an bought two more jars of old-well Immortal Brew, the group went to the last tourist attraction at Bee Tail Ferry: a thousand-year-old ginkgo tree whose shade covered several acres. The tree was hollow at the base, filled with coins, gold, and silver. About this tree, the itinerant peddler Liu Ganzi had spoken at length. Before Qingshan Kingdom rose from the ruins of Wenjing Kingdom, this old ginkgo tree already had a rich history. First, the founding emperor of Qingluan Kingdom's Tang clan had specially bestowed it the title of "Imperial Wood." Later, the emperor of Wenjing Kingdom, not to be outdone, sent a prime minister to confer a title, probably one rank lower, so it was locally called "Chancellor Tree." Finally, the emperor of Yunxiao Kingdom also joined the fun. Three hundred years ago, during Yunxiao's zenith, a meritorious general rode here, erected a stele, and wrote an inscription. So now, the people of Yunxiao Kingdom still habitually call it "General Ginkgo."

Imperial Wood, Chancellor Tree, General Ginkgo—one tree with three titles—truly a marvel.

Under the tree, Pei Qian took out the small sachet that Aunt Gui had given her. Inside, besides a few emerald-green osmanthus leaves, there was also a small osmanthus branch as long as her finger, full of seeds. Even broken from the tree, the fragrance didn't diminish, and the golden seeds didn't fall off. She had placed the leaves and branch in the Multi-Treasure Box, occupying a separate compartment, and only used the empty sachet to hold the Snowflake Coin Chen Ping'an had given her as New Year's money, along with a few coppers she had earned through hard work. For example, she had begged Sui Youbian to haggle when buying New Year goods in Old Dragon City, earning one coin per transaction. She had made seven or eight in one go and put them all in this sachet.

Since Chen Ping'an had said the sachet was no ordinary item, Pei Qian didn't dare hang it ostentatiously at her waist; she kept it hidden in her sleeve. Now, she cupped it furtively, thinking it would be nice if she could add some ginkgo leaves and flowers.

There weren't many visitors at the thousand-year ginkgo tree. The local ferry residents only came on holidays to toss coins for blessings. Ferry passengers were mostly familiar mountain merchants who neither believed in such things nor wanted to spend money. So at this time, only Chen Ping'an's group and a few groups of children playing with bamboo horses were there. Further away, a few scattered children were flying kites, and a few unlucky kites were caught in the high branches.

After Chen Ping'an examined the tree with its faint spiritual aura, he was about to leave when he noticed the little lotus figure emerge from the ground, standing in the hollow belly of the ginkgo like a door, peeking around.

Soon, another head emerged from the coin pile, and the two stared at each other.

The latter climbed out of the coin mountain, straightened its waist, and put its hands on its hips, full of arrogance, but it couldn't hide the curiosity and excitement in its eyes.

The little creature wore ornate and comical clothes: a miniature bright yellow dragon robe, an ivory tablet at its waist, and a red-sheathed saber.

Pei Qian tugged at Chen Ping'an's sleeve. Chen Ping'an thought for a moment, took out a Snowflake Coin, and gave it to Pei Qian. "Go on," he said with a smile. "Remember to speak respectfully to this little ginkgo immortal. Don't be rude."

Pei Qian scurried over and squatted at the "little door."

After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Pei Qian came bouncing back, loaded with gains. Chen Ping'an didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Without a word, he gave her a rap on the head.

But this time, the little lotus figure surprisingly took Pei Qian's side, gesticulating and babbling.

Pei Qian looked a bit guilty. She obediently turned around, ready to return the handful of dirt and the tender little sapling to the ginkgo spirit. What a pity—she had even spent two Snowflake Coins. This deal was a loss.

The little lotus figure was quite stupid, unable to speak. The gaudily dressed little creature was smarter. It spoke Bottle Gourd Continent elegant speech more fluently than Pei Qian. It chattered away with the lotus figure for a long time. Pei Qian hadn't understood, then the lotus figure tapped on Pei Qian's boots and pointed at the Snowflake Coins in her hand. After a while, Pei Qian started bargaining with the little ginkgo spirit, even bragging about how her home had much more abundant spiritual energy, so thick it was like water, and you could get a bellyful with one sip. Finally, the silly little creature shyly produced a small sapling from the ground in front of Pei Qian, telling her to take it home, plant it somewhere, treat it well, and let it drink its fill of that watery spiritual energy every day. Pei Qian agreed, thumping her chest boldly, but she was already prepared to eat a few raps on the head.

After understanding the situation, Chen Ping'an took the dirt and sapling from Pei Qian, walked to the tree roots, and squatted down.

The little creature in the dragon robe, with its tablet and saber, stood in the coin pile, looking wary and vigilant.

After a few questions, Chen Ping'an learned the truth. It was about to break into the Middle Five Realms, but the spiritual energy here was insufficient. More precisely, it didn't dare absorb too much, because this was an immortal ferry with many Qi refiners. It had managed to take root and cultivate here only by relying on three somewhat illegitimate "titles." The three kingdoms' courts didn't really care, let alone the power behind this ferry. Spiritual energy depletion was the most taboo thing for immortal sects. For example, Du Mao had forcibly occupied all the spiritual energy of the Phoenix Parasol Lesser Heaven, mostly for selfish reasons, to ascend elsewhere. But if he had succeeded, according to the rules set by the Ritual Sage of the Haoran Heaven, the Parasol Leaf Sect would have gained great merit, and the Confucian academies would have protected that "sect" for at least a thousand years. It was undeniable that this was also a major reason Du Mao risked ascending. Otherwise, he could have just hidden in the Phoenix Parasol Cave Heaven, where breaking the mountain-and-river formation was possible but breaking the cave's restrictions was impossible.

After Du Mao's failed ascension, nearly all disciples of the Parasol Leaf Sect, who had once revered and loved this reviving ancestor, turned to hate him bitterly. They considered him the eternal sinner of the sect, not a reviving ancestor but a ruinous one who squandered their heritage. As for Du Mao's small original intention—to throw himself into another prison to find a way out for the sect—very few considered it. The purple-robed sword cultivator, the sect master, and the Jade Core realm old cultivator in charge of the ancestral hall's registry, for whatever reason, did not deliberately suppress, guide, or explain the sect's heated emotions. Du Mao's lineage, such as his direct descendant Du Yan, not only lost the treatment of a Nascent Soul attendant but was also held accountable. The Du family's assets were almost turned inside out to pay the sect and fill the gaps.

One or the other, black or white.

Both ends of a ruler.

Especially when it came to personal interests, this seemed to be human nature.

Chen Ping'an hoped that if he ever established a sect, he would rather from the beginning no one thought he was a flawless moral saint. In the end, if irreparable changes occurred, no one would think he was an unforgivable villain. Even if hearts turned away, he would strive for a decent parting, a good beginning and a good end as much as possible.

Chen Ping'an squatted on the ground, looked down at the ancient ginkgo spirit, and asked with a smile, "Haven't you considered negotiating with the immortal masters at Bee Tail Ferry? Become a guest worshiper or something, find a Five Sacred Mountain, sign a mountain oath, and become a secure Middle Five Realms mountain king. They should welcome that, right?"

The little creature sat atop the coin pile, looking worried. In a childish voice, it said, "I've thought about that, but those money-grubbing guys might trust me, but I don't trust them. This is a troublesome place. Bee Tail Ferry borders Qingluan, Qingshan, and Yunxiao. The ferry's powers are intertwined, and none bows to the other. For money, they often secretly bash each other's brains out. A mountain oath—which of the three kingdoms' Five Sacred Mountains should I pick? Even if I stupidly pick one, wouldn't the other two hate me? Maybe they'd find someone to split my main body for firewood? Right now, though the incense offerings are meager—full one meal, starve for three—at least I won't die. You cultivators all say 'better to live in poverty than die in wealth,' right? And 'death to the Taoist friend, not to the poor monk.'"

Chen Ping'an pretended he didn't hear the last part. He understood the little creature's concerns. As a rootless ginkgo spirit, to break through, it needed to sign a mountain oath with a cultivator. But since Bee Tail Ferry was at the intersection of three kingdoms, not under any single jurisdiction, this was indeed a big problem. If one power dominated the ferry, it would be easier.

Chen Ping'an couldn't help.

The little creature said pitifully, "I heard from the little dark girl that you live in a place like a cave heaven or blessed land, drawing spiritual energy like drinking water. Why not help me out? Take this sapling back. If it survives, it can help stabilize your mountain's spiritual energy. It's a mutually beneficial deal. Ordinary Qi refiners, not to mention money-grubbing merchants, but even farmers and herbalists would treat this as a blessing from heaven, passing immortal master, you must cherish it!"

Chen Ping'an put the dirt and sapling on the ground and said with a smile, "Should I add, 'If heaven bestows, not to take is to invite calamity'?"

The little creature drooped its head, scratching its cheeks. "The small ones are easy to fool, but you big one, experienced in the world, are indeed hard to trick."

Once Chen Ping'an planted this sapling on his mountain, it would help stabilize the mountain's spiritual energy, but to a very limited extent, and instead would primarily steal spiritual energy for the parent tree. So it was definitely a losing deal.

Chen Ping'an had learned about such tree spirits back when he was on Osmanthus Island. Because his hometown had an old locust tree, he had chatted with Fan family's resident old sword cultivator Ma Zhi and learned some inside stories.

After Chen Ping'an returned the dirt and sapling, the ginkgo spirit, showing some discernment, also returned two Snowflake Coins to Pei Qian.

The little lotus figure was listless, and Pei Qian was crestfallen. Both little ones felt they had let Chen Ping'an down.

Chen Ping'an placed the lotus figure on his shoulder and held Pei Qian's hand, saying gently, "Why are you feeling guilty? The one who should feel guilty is it."

Inside the hollow of the ginkgo, lying in the coin pile, the little creature yawned. "I'll just have to wait for the next fool to take the bait."

It drifted off to sleep and had a wonderful dream. It dreamed of itself growing on a towering, ever-growing mountain into a massive tree. Every ginkgo leaf glowed with golden spiritual light, every branch was refined by golden incense offerings. It became the only Upper Five Realms tree spirit in Bottle Gourd Continent... On its high branches stood two blurry figures, watching the sea of clouds. One was drinking, tilting his head back; the other had saber and sword crossed at his waist...

When the little creature woke up, it was overjoyed, even if it was just a dream, enough to make it happy for years. But for some reason, when it touched its face, it was covered in tears.

It lay in the coin pile, puzzled, and felt a sense of loss.

The four from the painting, with their Minor Heat Coin worth a hundred Snowflake Coins, each made some gains. Zhu Lian, who had been empty-handed, left Old Dragon City with a bundle on his back. This time, after leaving Bee Tail Ferry, his bundle was even heavier.

Now, Zhu Lian considered himself a scholar, so naturally he was traveling with a load of books.

The group still walked to the capital of Qingluan Kingdom. Among the three kingdoms around Bee Tail Ferry, the year before last, Qingluan Kingdom hosted a grand Water and Land Dharma Assembly, personally organized by Emperor Tang. The next year, Yunxiao and Qingshan kingdoms almost simultaneously held Taoist Grand Rituals of the Heavenly Altar, divvying up all the various Taoist deities, catching Qingluan off guard. Emperor Tang, having gone too far to turn back, decided to hold a Buddhist-Taoist debate this spring, selecting one as the national religion, above Confucianism. The loser would be at the bottom.

So Chen Ping'an believed that Zhang Shanfeng and Xu Yuanxia would at least stay in the capital of Qingluan Kingdom until the coming spring.

Probably because it was near Bee Tail Ferry and had many Taoist temples, Buddhist monasteries, and scenic landscapes within its borders, the three kingdoms had relatively abundant spiritual energy. Compared to Shushui Kingdom, where Chen Ping'an had passed through earlier, there was much more spiritual energy. At that time, as a pure martial artist, he hadn't felt it deeply, only a rough impression. Now that he had refined the Water Seal as his lifebound object and could slowly absorb spiritual energy, he could discern the difference through comparison.

Among the countries in the middle of Bottle Gourd Continent that Chen Ping'an had traveled through on foot, Colored Clothes Kingdom had slightly more spiritual energy.

As for Colored Clothes Kingdom, within Chen Ping'an's Fingertip Object, there was a talisman containing a White Bone Beauty Ghost with whom he had signed a contract.

Chen Ping'an didn't like her. After leaving Osmanthus Island, he had never let her out of that strange talisman.

But later, when he arrived at Fallen Mountain, he would release her. With the mountain god overlooking the surrounding mountains and waters, he believed it would be a deterrent to that female ghost.

The legitimate mountain and water gods of the Great Li Dynasty were unmatched by any dynasty in Bottle Gourd Continent. The Great Li gods were naturally one grade higher. Now, with half of Bottle Gourd Continent already in the bag of the Great Li Song clan, and only awaiting the nod of a Confucian academy in the Central Plains, the distinction between Great Li gods and Bottle Gourd Continent gods would likely disappear.

When they left the boundary of Bee Tail Ferry, they noticed that incoming travelers, whether Qi refiners or martial artists, all needed to hold a yellow talisman sold at the ferry's main gate. When entering, a shimmering gate appeared for them to pass through. The talisman was similar to a secular dynasty's travel permit. This was a novelty. Chen Ping'an had never seen such a thing. At other ferries, there was no such toll. When leaving Bee Tail Ferry, no talisman was needed. After walking out the gate, Chen Ping'an went to ask a fifth-realm Qi refiner gatekeeper. The man, seeing Chen Ping'an's impressive bearing and that he had come from Bee Tail Ferry, smiled and explained. It turned out that Bee Tail Ferry had a mountain-and-water formation jointly built by a Yin-Yang master and a mechanist. Golden Core Earth Immortals could walk straight in, but those below needed a talisman costing five Snowflake Coins. Anyone who tried to force their way in would alert the patrols of Bee Tail Ferry. That talisman was a branch of the Barrier-Breaking Talisman, custom-made by talisman masters for this formation.

When Chen Ping'an asked why other ferries didn't require such talismans, the Qi refiner smiled meaningfully, stomped his foot, and asked, "Whose territory is this?"

This gate was heading into Qingluan Kingdom, so Chen Ping'an naturally answered, "Tang of Qingluan." Before the Qi refiner could elaborate, Chen Ping'an suddenly understood and sighed, impressed by Emperor Tang's talent for generating revenue.

The capital of Qingluan Kingdom was over 1,600 li from Bee Tail Ferry, and there were more than two months until the Buddhist-Taoist debate, which began on the Grain Rain day. So walking was fine.

Along the way, they passed various Taoist temples and Buddhist monasteries. None of them were particularly devout. They would visit out of curiosity, enter, and Chen Ping'an and Pei Qian would respectfully offer three incense sticks, as a courtesy to the deities. Wei Xian didn't believe in such things and generally waited outside. Zhu Lian also didn't believe, but he accompanied Chen Ping'an and Pei Qian. Lu Baixiang only burned incense and bowed to Bodhisattvas in monasteries, with great piety. Sui Youbian, on the other hand, would enter Taoist temples and offer incense with equal sincerity.

Chen Ping'an had reminded Pei Qian that it was fine to burn incense, but she shouldn't casually make wishes. Nor should she bow to every Bodhisattva and deity she saw, making wish after wish.

But he also told her that if she ever felt a true heart connection and really wanted to make a wish, she should do it seriously, remember the content of the wish, which temple or monastery she had burned incense and knelt before, and which deity. If the wish came true, no matter how far away she was, she had to return to fulfill the vow.

Seeing Chen Ping'an's solemn expression, Pei Qian was too scared to make any wishes at all. She just burned incense. Otherwise, thinking about having to travel from Longquan Prefecture back to Qingluan Kingdom to fulfill a vow, she felt she would either be exhausted to death or die of regret halfway, crying half to death.

Also, when entering to kowtow and burn incense, Chen Ping'an had a rule: the money for "inviting incense" couldn't be borrowed; she had to pay herself.

Fortunately, along the way, Chen Ping'an had asked Pei Qian to run errands several times, and the skinny little girl had earned a few silver coins. Converted to coppers, it was enough for incense in the temples.

Pei Qian didn't think Chen Ping'an was being stingy about a few coppers.

She increasingly felt that Chen Ping'an treated her, as his first disciple, much more generously than he treated Old Wei and the others.

This made Pei Qian very happy.

Around the time of the Waking of Insects, in a desolate wilderness within a small county of Qingluan Kingdom, even over a hundred li away, Chen Ping'an and his group felt the earth shake and mountains tremble. Dust rose in the distance, blotting out the sky. A huge, vaguely shaped demon seemed to be in great agony, roaring to the heavens. Countless forest birds flapped into the air.

Chen Ping'an thought for a moment and asked Wei Xian and Sui Youbian to investigate first, to see if any innocents were being harmed.

As for himself, his injuries hadn't fully healed, and he was still balancing the fire and water between the spiritual energy lake in his apertures and a mouthful of pure true qi. Although his martial realm bottleneck at the fifth realm remained, his actual strength was only at the fourth realm.

Wei Xian held the Sweet Dew Armor in his hand, and Sui Youbian carried the Infatuation Sword on her back. With both offense and defense covered, even in danger, they could support each other and retreat safely.

Chen Ping'an didn't deliberately quicken his pace. When Sui Youbian and Wei Xian returned, they reported that it was so-called "earth ox turning its back." A bunch of wild cultivators had somehow found this earth ox that had been dormant here for centuries and tried to surround and kill it for its heavenly treasures of flesh and blood. But two meddlesome people had stopped them: a young Taoist with a peachwood sword and a bearded man with a blade. The two sides couldn't reach an agreement and came to blows. Their strengths were vastly mismatched; the besieging side was determined to succeed, with a Golden Core cultivator overseeing the situation. The outcome was a foregone conclusion.

Chen Ping'an patted his Sword-Nurturing Gourd and leaped high into the air. The flying swords First and Fifteen shot out of the gourd. Chen Ping'an stepped onto the flying swords, one step at a time, like an immortal riding the wind, rushing away.

The four from the painting looked at each other.

Pei Qian held her Mountain-Walking Staff, looking left and right. What was going on?

Sui Youbian vanished in a flash.

Zhu Lian laughed heartily and shot off after her. "Another fight! How satisfying!"

Wei Xian carried Pei Qian on his back.

Lu Baixiang followed silently.

Something was strange. Why was Chen Ping'an so agitated?

Was there an acquaintance there?

But Chen Ping'an, who came from Lizhu Cave Heaven and lived in Mud Vase Alley, even if he knew people, shouldn't they be ninth-realm martial artist Zheng Dafeng, tenth-realm grandmaster Li Er, sword immortal Cao Xi, celestial master Xie Shi, and the like?

His hometown was truly a den of hidden dragons and crouching tigers, beyond reason.

Even if an Ascension realm old monster suddenly appeared, the four from the painting, including Lu Baixiang, wouldn't be too shocked. But if some "minor character" from the Middle Five Realms suddenly appeared claiming to be Chen Ping'an's friend, they would feel more uncomfortable.

Even with two flying swords, Chen Ping'an, due to his injuries and the hindrance of that pure true qi, was roughly on par with Sui Youbian and the others on the ground.

In a large mountain basin littered with rubble, a badly injured earth ox, forced to reveal its true form, lay in a pool of blood.

Before it stood a disheveled young Taoist and a bearded hero. They stood back to back, surrounded by over twenty Qi refiners, like wolves circling their prey.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, a young man, either riding the wind or flying on his sword, descended swiftly. He was dressed in white, ethereal and otherworldly, truly like an immortal.

The white-clad immortal master landed abruptly, took five or six light steps, walked before the two, and raised both palms to them, smiling.

The young Taoist and the bearded swordsman were stunned, unable to believe it. The Taoist even rubbed his eyes, and then a smile spread across his clear eyes.

The young Taoist and the bearded hero each extended a hand and heavily slapped palms with the white-clad immortal master. All their previous dejection vanished; they were brimming with spirit, utterly delighted.

Chen Ping'an looked at them, his eyes perhaps even brighter than Pei Qian's when she held the sun and moon in her gaze. He grasped their hands and laughed heartily, "I knew it! Only in the world would my two friends, Zhang Shanfeng and Xu Yuanxia, be willing to do such thankless work!"