Chapter 388: Traveling Far and Wide
About half an hour after Cui Dongshan left, a man of ordinary appearance ran to the inn and found Chen Ping'an, presenting a Taiping Peace Token that only spies of the Great Li immortal sects could carry.
Chen Ping'an's expression remained calm, but inwardly he nearly panicked. He remembered that the worst trap he'd fallen into on Tongye Continent had involved a jade token from the Taiping Mountain Ancestral Temple's direct lineage—once bitten, twice shy. What's more, both jade tokens happened to bear the character "Taiping," so Chen Ping'an couldn't help but feel apprehensive.
This Great Li spy, who had lain dormant in Qingluan Kingdom for many years, needed to possess three qualities to hold such a position: great skill, able to kill and escape; mental fortitude, able to withstand loneliness and remain loyal to Great Li for years or even decades; and finally, the ability to read people's expressions—otherwise he'd be nothing more than a stagnant pawn, of little use.
So the man immediately caught the slight unease of the young immortal master, but that was none of his concern. Appearing openly here in the Hundred Flowers Garden, he would inevitably have to deal with many troubles afterward. There was no help for it—the identity of that lord was too intimidating. After entering this prefectural city right under the nose of the Qingluan Kingdom's emperor, he had not only come directly to find him but also produced an Embroidered Tiger Military Seal of the highest rank, able to mobilize all spies and expendable agents outside Great Li.
The Great Li intelligence network had originally stood on three legs: the Ox and Horse Stable, the Bronze Man Offering Terrace, and the Green Wave Pavilion. The National Master Embroidered Tiger, the Prince Song Changjing, and that palace consort each controlled one domain. A few years ago, the consort who held the Green Wave Pavilion suddenly went to a neighboring mountain near the capital to cultivate in a grass hut, withdrawing from Great Li's central power. The Green Wave Pavilion was then placed under the National Master's control. Later, even the Prince Song Changjing's Offering Terrace was, by the emperor's decree, handed over to the National Master. Cui Chan, Embroidered Tiger, now held all power in his hands.
The man spoke to Chen Ping'an in the long-unused official Great Li dialect, conveying the matters the lord had instructed.
It turned out that the yellow ox hiding outside the city had decided to follow Cui Dongshan on his travels, and Cui Dongshan would also grant this earth-ox demon, who was at the Observing Ocean realm, an opportunity to smoothly form a golden core—the prospects were promising.
Chen Ping'an breathed a slight sigh of relief and asked, "May I ask, sir, what rank is this Peace Token in your hand?"
Without any hesitation, the man answered frankly, "In reply to the young master, it is of the second-highest rank. I am unworthy of this honor and receive it with trepidation."
The hierarchy of the Taiping Peace Tokens was itself a considerable secret, but the lord had ordered him to answer all questions, so the man dared not slack off.
The man stood up, respectfully produced a money pouch, and said, "The lord also ordered me to give this to the young master, saying it was 'several strips of tuition fees.'"
Chen Ping'an rose to accept the pouch of... copper coins. He found it both amusing and puzzling, placed it on the table, and clasped his fists to the Great Li spy. "I'm sorry to trouble you, sir. I hope this won't leave you with a mess to clean up."
A trace of a smile appeared on the man's face. That statement alone was more than enough. Besides, giving his life for Great Li was his duty. He returned the clasped-fist salute. "The young master is too kind."
After the man left, Chen Ping'an opened the cloth money pouch of ordinary material and poured out the copper coins—a small pile. He had no idea what Cui Dongshan was up to. Could it really just be a private tutor's gift?
Pei Qian grumbled, "Cui Dongshan is really something. He couldn't even give a pouch of Minor Heat coins, or at least Snowflake coins? How stingy, being a student of Master."
Seeing that the pouch and coins likely held no hidden meaning, Chen Ping'an felt a bit better. After some hesitation, instead of putting them into the larger storage artifact, he tucked them into the smaller dimensional object, the Flying Sword Fifteen.
Chen Ping'an smiled and ruffled Pei Qian's little head. The charcoal-black little girl squinted her eyes in contentment.
Like a little kitten.
After that, Pei Qian began copying texts and writing characters, stroke by stroke, meticulous. Habit had become second nature; these days, if she didn't copy texts for a day, she felt uncomfortable.
Chen Ping'an circled the table, practicing a boxing stance that boasted it would teach heaven and earth to flip. No matter how strange the posture, people who saw it often would eventually stop finding it odd.
That evening, Zhu Lian came to Chen Ping'an's room and saw Pei Qian sitting by the table, holding a chivalric adventure novel he had given her in one hand, while using the other to imitate the clumsy moves described in the book, going "hmm hah" as she did. Chen Ping'an was seated, with an unclosed legal classic on the table beside him. Zhu Lian laughed. "Young master is diligent in everything. 'Nothing in the world is difficult for one who sets his mind to it'—that old saying must have been written just for you."
The four people from the scroll, though they had harbored their own intentions from the start even to this day, had traveled together from the Daquan Dynasty on Tongye Continent to this Qingluan Kingdom on Bottle Gourd Continent, through life-and-death situations and fighting side by side. Yet in the span of a single day, Sui Youbian, Lu Baixiang, and Wei Xian had left to travel far, leaving only this stooped old man before him. If Chen Ping'an said he felt no sorrow at parting, he would be lying to himself.
So Chen Ping'an brought out two jugs of osmanthus wine, one for each, and they sat facing each other to drink.
Zhu Lian laughed. "Young master, why have you never asked me how I managed to take two big strides on the martial path?"
If it had been before Cui Dongshan finished that 'game outside the game,' Chen Ping'an might have weighed his options. But perhaps after a few sips of osmanthus wine, he didn't want to be too calculating. He smiled and said, "Everyone has some hidden worries and secrets they don't want to air out in the sun. That's normal. I'm the same. As long as there's no ill intent, keeping them hidden is fine. Maybe they'll... like the osmanthus wine in our hands—the longer they age, the more fragrant they become."
Zhu Lian shook the wine jug in his hand, grinning. "But since the young master is willing to share this jug of wine, then this old servant is willing to bring it out and drink heartily. Old wine, new wine, it's all wine. I'll drink first to show respect. Young master, a toast?"
Chen Ping'an smiled and clinked his jug against Zhu Lian's, and each took a big gulp. Pei Qian watched with envy. She had tasted osmanthus wine before—during the New Year's Eve dinner at the Dust Pharmacy in Old Dragon City, Chen Ping'an had poured her a small cup. It was sweet and delicious.
Zhu Lian wiped his mouth. "Young master remembers that old senior surnamed Xun, right?"
Chen Ping'an nodded.
Zhu Lian chuckled. "This old servant breaking through the great bottleneck of the sixth realm, followed by Sui Youbian entering the seventh realm, the Golden Body realm—that was only natural. The young master wouldn't find it strange at all. But later, this old servant secretly became a Far Traveling realm martial artist. Inside this, there was the fist-feeding of the ninth-realm martial artist Zheng Dafeng, a 'death' in Old Dragon City, the guidance of old senior Xun, who even gave me a final push, and finally, my own martial arts path, which is completely different from Sui Youbian and the other two. Each link connected, indispensable. Not to boast, but although my martial path was comprehended in such a small place as Lotus Flower Paradise, its root is only four words: 'steady accumulation leads to eventual release.' Even in this Haoran World, where prodigies emerge in droves and immortals fly about, I dare say it's not inferior."
"Let this old servant perform a set of punches; see if the young master can discern some clues."
Zhu Lian set down his wine jug, rose with a smile, and walked to the space between the table and the door. This martial madman, already small and stooped, with a seemingly relaxed and weak fist intent, now curled up his frame even more—arms, legs, back, waist, all the same—making it quite awkward to watch. Pei Qian looked and felt that Zhu Lian had become even "smaller." But compared to his usual lazy old man demeanor, this contraction seemed to make his strength and fist intent burst forth all at once.
The form of an ape.
Zhu Lian twisted his body, his steps strange, seemingly throwing casual punches. His skeleton contracted, but in occasional moments when his frame stretched slightly, there was an overwhelming fist intent pouring out like thunder.
Pei Qian felt a bit of familiarity.
Chen Ping'an was filled with admiration. Martial madman, indeed a martial madman—truly extraordinary talent. No wonder he had been the number one under heaven in Lotus Flower Paradise before Ding Ying. After a series of life-or-death battles, Chen Ping'an had been convinced earlier that if it came down to one-on-one combat to the death among the four from the scroll, under the same realm, the one most likely to survive would be this Zhu Lian.
He had actually transformed the true essence of the sword techniques and blade techniques that the Taiping Mountain Daoist nun Huang Ting had taught Pei Qian—the White Ape Carrying Sword on the Back and the Dragging Technique—back then in the backyard of the pharmacy, into his own fist intent.
Of course, this also gave Zhu Lian an inherent advantage, because his fist methods and martial arts, compared to Sui Youbian, Lu Baixiang, and Wei Xian, were closest to the spirit of Huang Ting's sword and blade techniques.
But for Zhu Lian to be able to watch Huang Ting a few times and learn the form and spirit so thoroughly, integrating it into his own fist intent—Chen Ping'an had to admire Zhu Lian's insight and natural talent.
Zhu Lian stopped his boxing stance and smiled. "The young master has good eyes."
Pei Qian was a bit impressed.
Old cook, you should stop there. Can you really say such flattery? My master hasn't even spoken a word yet.
Zhu Lian's smile faded, and with a rare serious expression, he slowly said, "This path is similar to Sui Youbian's sword flight to ascension—it can only end in tragedy. It was proven to be a dead end in Lotus Flower Paradise. I never got to hear that spring thunderclap before I died. But in the young master's hometown, there are no unbreakable barriers or cities."
Chen Ping'an sincerely praised, "But in the end, it's because you, Zhu Lian, stand high and see far enough."
Chen Ping'an suddenly worried, "But you broke through two realms in a row. Won't the foundation of the seventh realm be unstable?"
Zhu Lian sighed and nodded. "Compared to the solidity of the sixth realm, my previous Golden Body realm was indeed quite ordinary."
Zhu Lian took a drink. "But there was no choice. Old senior Xun revealed a heavenly secret, saying that all the talented martial artists in Bottle Gourd Continent, if they dawdled any longer, would see this Bottle Gourd Continent become a place of sorrow for all pure martial artists of the seventh and eighth realms. They would have no hope for the rest of their lives. So I wanted to go faster, take bigger strides, and reach the ninth realm as soon as possible. Staking my claim first—even if I end up like a weak ninth-dan in the game of Go, it's better than spending my whole life at eighth-dan."
Chen Ping'an thought it over. Earlier, at the county's Martial Temple, Cui Dongshan had used his divine abilities to manifest Qingluan Kingdom's martial fortunes. So what Zhu Lian said wasn't without reason. The only hidden danger, which Zhu Lian himself had clearly seen, was that once he reached the ninth realm, the path might end there, with no hope of reaching the true ultimate realm. Moreover, among the very few ninth-realm martial artists, there were differences in strength. In battle, unlike a Go match where a divine move could turn the tables, a ninth-realm martial artist with a poor foundation facing a good one would only die.
According to Zheng Dafeng, before Song Changjing left the Pear Blossom Cave Heaven, if Old Man Yang hadn't secretly instructed, Li Er could have killed Song Changjing, who was also at the ninth realm.
Chen Ping'an said, "First come, first served. Getting it in the bag first is not a bad path."
Zhu Lian laughed. "Of course, this old servant dreams of the legendary tenth realm of martial arts, but I dare not look down on the ninth. Back at the Dust Pharmacy, Zheng Dafeng fed us punches one against four. All four of us had a stomach full of resentment. But since our skills are inferior, we have to accept it. We four still have that much grace. Otherwise, if Zheng Dafeng looked down on us from Lotus Flower Paradise, maybe the young master would too."
Chen Ping'an sighed. "I'm half a person from Lotus Flower Paradise. The time I stayed there wasn't short. The four of you combined might equal my age there. But as you said, I was walking fast and taking big steps. At the time, I didn't feel the passage of time deeply."
Zhu Lian said, "The young master is a favored son of heaven with great fortune. Such blessings are only natural..."
Pei Qian suddenly exploded in anger, "Bullshit!"
Zhu Lian was stunned, then smiled with interest. Oh? This little charcoal had gotten some backbone. But when Zhu Lian looked again, he noticed Pei Qian's expression wasn't right—not like usual.
Chen Ping'an was also a bit surprised. He knew Zhu Lian wasn't likely to get angry over such things, so he didn't dwell on why Pei Qian had suddenly flared up.
For no reason, Zhu Lian remembered that immortal youth with the mole between his eyebrows. Before their first spar, Cui Dongshan had said, "Seeing your face all smiles and your heart all sneaky, it pisses me off. Let's fight. I'll keep my word—I won't move my hands or feet. You can punch and kick all you want. If I furrow my brow even once, I lose." In the end, Zhu Lian learned what it meant to be the multi-treasure immortal of the Great Sui Academy, how he had made a name for himself in the capital battle, earning Cui Dongshan the nickname "Cheap Ancestor of the Cai Family."
Zhu Lian laughed. "Young master, this student of yours, Cui Dongshan, is truly a fascinating man. Utterly fascinating."
Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "I know all too well the bitterness. If I ever get the chance, I can tell you about the grudges involved."
After Zhu Lian left, Pei Qian was still sulking.
Chen Ping'an smiled and asked, "Did you eat too much spicy food at lunch? In a bad mood?"
Pei Qian lowered her head and didn't speak.
Chen Ping'an just took it as a child's fleeting temper and continued reading the legal classic.
---
Early the next morning, Chen Ping'an, carrying the "Sword Immortal" and a bamboo box on his back, with Pei Qian—who had a cloth bundle slung crosswise, a walking staff in hand, and a sword and saber at her waist—Zhu Lian, and Shi Rou, set off for the capital of Qingluan Kingdom. Of course, there was also the little lotus doll that could travel freely underground.
Still the shabby travel on foot—the unspoken rule Chen Ping'an and his group had accepted.
Pei Qian wore a flower crown woven from willow twigs on her head. She told Chen Ping'an that Cui Dongshan had taught her how to use the walking staff to draw circles on the ground, which would frighten away mountain and river spirits, demons, and ghosts just by seeing them. But it was too hard to learn. She hadn't even gotten the hang of that immortal technique yet. She had originally thought that once she mastered it, she would tell her master. But then she thought, what if she never learned it in her whole life? Would she have to keep it bottled up for decades or a hundred years? That would be too pitiful.
Chen Ping'an smiled and listened to Pei Qian's chatter.
Among the four from the scroll, the female ghost Shi Rou disliked the stooped, lecherous old man the most.
Now, she and Zhu Lian walked side by side behind the master-disciple pair of Chen Ping'an and Pei Qian, making her extremely uncomfortable.
But every time she deliberately slowed down, Zhu Lian slowed down too, never speaking, just looking at her with the smile he used for what he called "Du Mao."
Shi Rou couldn't help but feel nauseated. She always felt that Zhu Lian's gaze was particularly greasy and disgusting. Especially when Chen Ping'an helped Pei Qian break willow twigs, this old bastard Zhu Lian, taking advantage of her inattention, secretly pinched "Du Mao's" shoulder.
Shi Rou was terrified.
Zhu Lian said with a grin, "Careless, careless. Don't mind it."
Although she now occupied this immortal's former body, it was still in a state of being unorthodox and unrecognized, like a local shrine not sanctioned by the court. So even though she had convenient methods pointing directly to the great path, a shortcut that would make earth immortals stare in amazement, Cui Dongshan had assessed her abilities. The little yin talents and mean tricks she had learned before—fighting an experienced Observing Ocean realm cultivator was already a stretch. Even with the defensive techniques and life-saving talismans Cui Dongshan had taught her, she could at most deal with a Dragon Gate realm cultivator. Her only real use was to use this former body to stand up and take blows, block flying swords, and resist earth immortal treasures for Chen Ping'an in critical moments.
Cui Dongshan had also told her that that lecherous old man who liked watching tales of scholars and beauties and immortals fighting was now a Far Traveling realm martial artist, and she should be careful.
So Shi Rou had been deliberately speaking in a rough voice and trying not to talk at all.
Shi Rou thought she could endure all kinds of suffering in the world—her body sliced a thousand times, her soul burned after death—but only Zhu Lian's gaze left her helpless.
Zhu Lian suddenly leaned in, and Shi Rou quickly moved several steps away.
Zhu Lian whispered with a smile, "I can tell from this body of yours that it isn't a woman's. Someone used an immortal illusion—it's indeed a man's body..."
Shi Rou said coldly, "Old Mr. Zhu truly has piercing eyes."
Zhu Lian continued, "Then may I ask the young lady's age?"
Shi Rou's heart trembled. "What are you talking about?"
Zhu Lian didn't stop walking, turning his head to smile at Shi Rou. "I, Zhu Lian, look at people's hearts. Appearance, whether beautiful or ugly, isn't that important to me."
Shi Rou was about to go mad.
She quickened her pace, intending to "take refuge" with Chen Ping'an.
Zhu Lian didn't follow this time, just said softly behind Shi Rou, "Just from the way you walk, the natural charm you reveal, even though you try to hide it, I can see the swaying of your waist like a willow branch in the wind. So I dare say that in life, you must have been a beauty!"
Shi Rou really went mad.
Chen Ping'an had to turn around and speak up. "Alright, Zhu Lian, restrain yourself. Don't joke about that with Shi Rou anymore."
Zhu Lian immediately nodded. "This old servant remembers."
Pei Qian was a bit confused. Has Master also learned my own face-changing technique? Before he turned around, he was smiling, but as soon as he turned, his face became much more serious.
After turning back, Chen Ping'an winked at Pei Qian.
Pei Qian immediately signaled that she understood.
Pei Qian secretly smiled. Master and I, we have a telepathic connection.
---
**Lotus Flower Paradise.**
In the capital of the Nanyuan Kingdom, certain observant people noticed that a young man had appeared in the house near Champion's Lane. Just by his appearance and bearing, one could judge him to be a banished immortal.
He kept to himself, seldom going out. Whenever he did appear, he either held a folding fan or carried a jug of wine, strolling leisurely without going far, following a fixed route through just a few streets and alleys.
His name was Lu Tai. No one knew by what means, but he had gradually bought several young maidens from official families from the capital's music bureau, keeping them as maidservants in that secluded house. But to be honest, in terms of beauty, those maids weren't as good-looking as their master.
Lu Tai had asked the old tutor, Mr. Zhong, from the nearby private school, for a passable female spy from the Nanyuan Kingdom to serve as a bridge for passing messages to the court. That saved him from having to fly back and forth between the house and the palace, which would make the Nanyuan royal family lose face.
Today, at dawn, Lu Tai walked out of the house, closed his folding fan, and tapped it lightly against his palm. As he turned a street corner, a woman soon emerged from a silk shop, carefully approaching Lu Tai. She didn't dare look too long at this rare noble young master, afraid she would fall for him and one day forget her loyalty to her country and family. Do men alone love beautiful women? Don't women too? Who wouldn't want to enjoy a pleasing sight?
This veteran spy, who had once ventured deep into the borderlands, was dressed like a well-off commoner housewife. She said softly, "Mr. Lu, the latest list of ten has come out from the Reverence Tower and will soon spread throughout the four kingdoms. But this time there are no detailed rankings—rather strange. Our bureau thinks it's because too many new names have appeared on the list, and they have no records of matches between them, so they can't give exact rankings for now."
Lu Tai stared ahead and smiled. "Go on, tell me."
The woman's voice was gentle. "Besides Mr. Lu and our National Master, there are also Lake Mountain Sect Leader Yu Zhenyi, Bird Peak Sword Immortal Lu Fang, the Dragon Guard General Tang Tieyi who recently left our kingdom, Arm Saint Cheng Yuanshan, and the former White River Temple old master who has left the monastic life. The other four are all new faces. The Reverence Tower provided rough backgrounds and their known actions."
Lu Tai nodded. "Go on."
One was a young Daoist who had appeared by a lakeside, nameless and insane, endlessly repeating a phrase no one understood.
A blue-robed scholar, about thirty years old, who had driven the Flower Hairpin Lang out of the Spring Tide Palace. He seemed skilled in immortal arts and declared that in three years he would compete with Grandmaster Yu Zhenyi.
A tall old man who called himself the founder of Nanyuan's alchemists, dressed and speaking in early Nanyuan style. He was now heading toward Nanyuan Kingdom, claiming he had completed the emperor's secret orders and taken on over a dozen disciples along the way.
A middle-aged martial artist, a dwarf in build, who had appeared on the border and was slaughtering wantonly, eccentric and violent. Wherever he went, he killed based on his whims. Hundreds of innocent people had died by his hands. Four hundred elite cavalry from the grasslands surrounded him, but he killed every last one.
The woman added, "Besides the ten on the main list that includes you, there's also a secondary list of ten. Our crown prince and Flower Hairpin Lang Zhou Shi are both on it."
Lu Tai shook his folding fan. "No need to go into detail. It's not significant. Those who will truly have a chance to break into the top ten later won't appear on the secondary list this early."
The woman tactfully stopped.
Lu Tai walked along a street that had regained its bustling market feel. Earlier, someone had stood here alone, facing off against various grandmasters, fighting a chaotic battle that shook the heavens. The commotion had been huge, and even the commoners in Nanyuan's capital had sensed it. Now it had become a martial arts holy land where out-of-town warriors had to come to pay respects. But these martial heroes and sect masters knew that there were sure to be Nanyuan intelligence agents watching, so they didn't dare cause trouble—they generally left the street after walking through it.
Earlier, some members of the demonic cult had taken the opportunity to skulk around, testing that house which had deep connections to the demonic cult. Without exception, they were all dealt with by Lu Tai—either he twisted off their heads, or they did a favor for him and left the vicinity alive, spreading out like a net. In a short time, the three fragmented factions of the demonic cult had all heard of this man. He wanted to reorganize the factions and gave the few demonic overlords a deadline: if they didn't come to Nanyuan's capital to submit to him, he would go to each of them in turn and wipe out the three demonic branches. This man was outrageously arrogant—he even had messengers openly tell them that the demonic cult faced annihilation and that the three factions should unite against a common enemy if they wanted a glimmer of survival.
It was still early, with few people on the street and little of the market's smoky hustle and bustle. Lu Tai walked among it, looked up at the sky, and said, "The weather is about to change."
A single Lotus Flower Paradise—could it possibly become a minor cave heaven? How many immortal coins would that cost? The wealth of this realm's master was truly bottomless.
Lu Tai turned into a small alley and happened to meet the child who was going to the private school, Cao Qinglang.
Lu Tai stopped and asked with a smile, "A bit early today?"
Cao Qinglang blushed slightly. "Brother Lu, I went to the yamen yesterday to collect some silver. Last night, I really wanted to eat wontons from a certain stall. It's a bit far, so I need to leave early. Brother Lu, would you like to come along?"
Lu Tai smiled and shook his head. "I'm not too fond of those. You go ahead."
Cao Qinglang said goodbye and was about to run off, but stopped and turned. "Oh, right, Brother Lu, on my way home yesterday I bought you a jug of wine. I left it on the table. Drink it yourself."
Lu Tai nodded.
He had the key to Cao Qinglang's house.
When talking to people, this child Cao Qinglang was always very earnest. He would never run and talk over his shoulder at the same time.
Lu Tai walked toward that house, opened the courtyard gate, and sure enough, on the table in the main room was a jug of wine. Seven silver coins—not cheap for Cao Qinglang, who would deliberate all night over a bowl of wontons.
Lu Tai picked up the wine jug, carried a bench to sit on the threshold, twisted his wrist, and a small insect exuding a rich winemaking aroma appeared in his palm. He opened the wine jug and dropped this little creature, known as a wine worm, into the jug. Then he slowly waited for the wine to quickly settle, precipitating the richness equivalent to wine cellared and buried for decades.
Lu Tai gently shook the wine jug in his hand, a full smile on his face.
The first time he found Cao Qinglang, Lu Tai had been straightforward.
"My name is Lu Tai. Lu of 'land,' Tai of 'raise.' I'm a friend of Chen Ping'an's—a good friend who has gone through life and death together."
At that time, the child's eyes had immediately lit up.
Later, after Lu Tai told him some things about Chen Ping'an.
Cao Qinglang started calling him Brother Lu.
And then Lu Tai got the key to this lonely house.
Once, Lu Tai smiled and asked Cao Qinglang, "Do you want to become someone like Chen Ping'an?"
"Yes!"
"Then do you want to be better than Chen Ping'an?"
"No."
"Is it that you dare not think about it? That you find it too hard, too far out of reach?"
"I just don't want to."
After that chat, Lu Tai, who had the key but never let himself into the house, often came to sit here—sometimes when Cao Qinglang was at the private school, sometimes when Cao Qinglang was studying at home in the morning. At first, Lu Tai would bring some fine pastries for breakfast to Cao Qinglang, who had to light the stove and cook his own rice porridge. But after Cao Qinglang ate twice, the third time he couldn't help it. He very seriously told Lu Tai his thoughts—that he was now getting money from the yamen, tuition was covered, and he had enough for rice, oil, salt, and firewood.
After Lu Tai patiently listened to this child's heartfelt words, he smiled and asked, "Then from now on, you really won't get to eat the delicacies from those century-old shops? No regrets?"
Cao Qinglang was a bit embarrassed and said sheepishly, "If I really get a craving and can't help it, I'll tell Brother Lu."
Lu Tai laughed heartily and said no problem.
But since then, up to today, the only thing Cao Qinglang had craved was a bowl of wontons he could afford himself.
So today, Lu Tai was a bit happy.
In such a small place as Lotus Flower Paradise, he had found a Cao Qinglang who was very much like that guy.
Interesting, interesting.
Lu Tai finally felt that this trip to Lotus Flower Paradise had stirred up some momentum in his spirit.
Back at the house, there were chirping beauties, plump and slender. Every part of the courtyard was spotless, the paths paved with bamboo and wood, polished like mirrors by the maids.
Along the way, three maids who had been rescued from misery by Lu Tai greeted their benefactor and master.
Their greetings were a bit strange, using flattering phrases Lu Tai had taught them to dig out from books. The three young girls were originally daughters of officials who had been sent to the music bureau for crimes. They were no strangers to poetry and prose, and the old house was now well-stocked with books, so it wasn't hard.
So one said the young master's poetry was like a lotus in bloom, natural and lovely.
Another said the young master's bearing was like a sail on the eastern sea, wind and sunlight flowing beautifully.
Another said the young master's appearance was like orchids and jade trees, illuminating the entire courtyard.
Lu Tai laughed heartily.
He walked along, took off his boots, and finally leaned back on a simple and elegant arhat couch. A maidservant wanted to come forward to serve him, but Lu Tai waved her away.
He sniffed the wine jug, took a sip. Though it was much better than Lotus Flower Paradise's common wines, how could it compare to the immortal brews of the Haoran World?
Lu Tai tossed the wine jug, with the rare wine worm still clinging to the bottom, carelessly onto a distant table. It landed steadily without a drop spilling.
For the rest of the half-day, amid the laughter and songs of this house, Lotus Flower Paradise was already stirring with wind and clouds. The martial world was like this, and the court and battlefield even more so.
Lu Tai was teaching a clever maidservant the art of tea competing when a maid said that an old Confucian scholar had come to visit.
Lu Tai put aside his elegant pastime and went personally to welcome that old tutor Mr. Zhong from the private school.
According to Cao Qinglang, although Mr. Zhong was strict, he taught everyone at the school well and was even more patient.
Outside the door was none other than Nanyuan Kingdom's National Master, Zhong Qiu. His expression was unpleasant, and he refused the invitation to enter, saying he would finish his business at the door and leave.
Lu Tai smiled. "I am all ears for your guidance, Master Zhong."
Zhong Qiu said in a deep voice, "Mr. Lu, though your intentions are good, you are pulling up seedlings to help them grow!"
Lu Tai pretended to be surprised. "What do you mean by that?"
Zhong Qiu said angrily, "Mr. Lu, if you dare to do it, don't you dare to admit it?"
Lu Tai snapped open his folding fan with a slap, gently fanning a breeze, looking dashing and carefree. "May I ask, Master Zhong, where have I gone wrong?"
Zhong Qiu took a deep breath.
This Lu Tai, over the past half year, had taught Cao Qinglang a whole mess of so-called worldly wisdom and principles.
If it weren't for today at the private school, Zhong Qiu inadvertently discovering Cao Qinglang arguing with a classmate, he might never have known how much "heterodoxy" Lu Tai had poured into Cao Qinglang.
Things like "resenting others for having what you lack, laughing at those who have less." Like "it's hard to be a good person—the difficulty is that few good people truly understand that a gentleman does good without expecting repayment, so such good people are most likely to become bad." Like "those who open porridge stalls to relieve refugees are doing good deeds, but those who accept the charity and eat the porridge and pancakes are also the benefactors of those wealthy men." Besides these, there were many other chaotic teachings beyond Confucian scholarship, things that even Zhong Qiu, renowned for his erudition, had never heard of—like the Daoist Military Horse Division, the Mohist Art of Mechanisms, the Medicinal Hundred Herbs Temper the Golden Body, and the reversal of aging to return to infancy.
Fortunately, when the teacher asked Cao Qinglang gently, he didn't hide anything and told everything he had learned.
Zhong Qiu steadied his mind and slowly said, "What is Cao Qinglang's nature?"
Lu Tai thought for a moment. "Pure, kind, and inclined to good."
Zhong Qiu asked again, "What is Cao Qinglang's talent?"
Lu Tai sighed. "Passable."
Zhong Qiu asked again, "How old is Cao Qinglang?"
For the first time, Lu Tai felt a bit guilty.
Zhong Qiu said with emotion, "Being a person is not like a martial artist learning skills—enduring hardship can move you forward, just faster or slower. It's not like you banished immortals cultivating the Dao—with good talent, you can advance a thousand miles in a day. It's not even like us old Confucians doing scholarly work, seeking depth, breadth, and refinement. Being a person, especially for a child as young as Cao Qinglang, what matters most is sincerity, simplicity, and purity. When a child studies, if there are doubts, that's fine. If writing is crooked and lacks spirit, that's also fine. But I dare say that among the Confucian classics in this world, though not every word and phrase is fitting, they are ultimately the least erroneous of all learning. The more Cao Qinglang reads and absorbs now, the more peace of mind he will have when he grows up. How can a child of this age accept so many miscellaneous teachings at once?"
Lu Tai closed his folding fan and made a deep bow in apology. "I was wrong. I admit my fault."
Zhong Qiu sighed and snorted coldly. "If Chen Ping'an had stayed by Cao Qinglang's side, he would never have acted like you."
Lu Tai looked up. Instead of getting angry, he laughed heartily. "This instruction from Master Zhong has greatly benefited me. To express my gratitude, I will definitely send you a large jar of fine wine—truly an immortal brew that has never existed in the history of Lotus Flower Paradise!"
Zhong Qiu said in a deep voice, "No need."
Zhong Qiu turned and left.
Lu Tai suddenly called out with a smile, "If Chen Ping'an invited you to drink, Zhong Qiu, what would you do?"
Zhong Qiu, who seemed quite irritated by this banished immortal, didn't turn around. "With his drinking capacity? He can't handle it. A few cups and he's down."
Lu Tai watched the blue-robed back gradually recede and sighed.
The subtlety of the Dao is nothing less than life and destiny.
The great dream awakened first.
If born in the Haoran World, this old Master Zhong would be truly remarkable.
---
Walking on the official road outside the prefectural city, it was the season for spring outings, so there were many people in fine clothes riding fine horses.
Ordinary carriage travel didn't kick up too much dust, but when a group of riders galloped past, pedestrians on both sides suffered. Pei Qian ate quite a bit of dust, her clothes turning gray. Angry, she quickly took a fragrant pear from her slung cloth bundle and bit off half of it fiercely, calming down. These immortal fruits, which were replaced daily at the Hundred Flowers Garden inn, Pei Qian hadn't dared to ask her master if they could take any away. Instead, Chen Ping'an himself went to ask the innkeeper and learned that guests were allowed to take them from the inn. So he emptied the dishes from their rooms and packed everything to go!
Then Chen Ping'an gave Pei Qian a fragrant pear and a handful of dates to eat on the road.
Now on the official road, another group of men and women in silks and brocades charged past on horseback. Fortunately, Pei Qian had turned around early, holding the remaining half of her pear with both hands.
Chen Ping'an waved away the dust and said to Pei Qian with a smile, "Remember to keep the pear core."
After Pei Qian finished the pear, she put the core into her bundle and asked, "Master, aren't these horse-riding people annoying? They don't have real skills, but they love to show off."
Chen Ping'an shook his head. "It's just a bit of dust. Nothing to call them annoying."
Pei Qian thought for a moment. She probably didn't understand.
Chen Ping'an smiled and asked, "When it's your turn to roam the martial world, will you ride a horse? Do you want to whip your steed and gallop, shouting 'Here I come, world of martial arts'?"
Pei Qian suddenly understood. "That's true."
Chen Ping'an ruffled Pei Qian's little head and said softly, "When you first travel the martial world, you'll have bumps and bruises. Don't be disappointed. In the world, you'll always meet good people who will treat you to good wine."
Pei Qian muttered quietly, "But if you walk too many night roads, you'll meet ghosts. I'm scared."
Chen Ping'an laughed. "By then, you'll be riding a fine horse. I'll prepare a sword and saber for you to slay demons and vanquish monsters. The ghosts and monsters should be afraid of you."
Pei Qian said ingratiatingly, "Master, I'll take the sword and saber, but I'd rather have a little donkey. It doesn't matter if it goes slow!"
---
Halfway there, one day Chen Ping'an and his group were cooking a meal by a riverside in a secluded spot.
In the distance, a man hesitated, as if debating whether to approach. Finally, he made up his mind and came closer to Chen Ping'an.
About twenty paces away, the man stopped. Finally, his gaze fell on the young man in white, who had taken off his bamboo box but still carried a sword on his back. The man asked in Bottle Gourd Continent's refined speech, "Young master, could I discuss something with you?"
Chen Ping'an nodded. "Go ahead."
The man came closer and asked, "Has the young master heard of incense peddlers?"
Chen Ping'an smiled. "I know a bit. Are you a 'deliverer of incense' from some Daoist temple or Buddhist monastery in Qingluan Kingdom? Mountain incense or water incense?"
The man breathed a slight sigh of relief. It seemed this young immortal master was someone who understood proper terms, calling him the more pleasant "deliverer of incense." He was even an expert. His instincts were right—although this group traveled on foot, their immortal aura was unmistakable.
Incense peddlers were a livelihood among wilderness cultivators. They acted as errand runners for mountain and river deities' temples, Daoist temples, or Buddhist monasteries, serving as lobbyists to invite big spenders to come and offer incense. Generally, incense peddlers carried a certain amount of divine incense. These divine incenses, carefully crafted by mountain and river temples or true men and eminent monks, were expensive. When qi refiners burned them, they could calm their minds and absorb spiritual energy faster. As for high officials and nobles, burning such incense at family shrines for ancestor worship was said to accumulate yin virtue for descendants. The quality varied, and prices ranged widely. Mountain incense came from mountain god temples and Five Sacred Mountain temples; water incense naturally came from river gods and water spirits' temples.
Chen Ping'an remembered clearly what Cui Dongshan had said about deliverers of incense.
The man pointed to the large river nearby and smiled. "It's water incense from the local river god's temple."
Chen Ping'an put down his bowl and chopsticks, wiped his hands, stood up, and walked toward the man. "If I want to request incense, how many Snowflake coins will it cost?"
The man said, "Three sticks of incense for one Snowflake coin."
Pei Qian's eyes went wide. One Snowflake coin was a full thousand taels of silver.
Chen Ping'an then requested three portions of water incense and handed them to the man, who in turn gave Chen Ping'an three elegant long wooden boxes, each containing three sticks of incense.
Originally, after requesting incense, one didn't need to go to the temple immediately to offer it. It could be done at any time, and whether one went or not wasn't mandatory. Burning it elsewhere was also fine, as long as one observed the distinction between mountain and water—just don't offer mountain incense to a water god. It could be used at any Daoist temple or Buddhist monastery, for ancestor worship in family shrines, or at civil and martial temples and city god pavilions—all good deeds.
Still, Chen Ping'an asked the man to wait a moment, then told Pei Qian and the others to finish eating before heading to that river god's temple.
On the way, Pei Qian asked softly, "Master, this way we'll be taking a detour."
But soon she felt she had asked a silly question. Master often did this—whenever there were famous historical sites or nice scenery, as long as they weren't in a hurry, he would stop and go, taking many unnecessary detours.
Chen Ping'an looked up into the distance and said nothing.
In the gentle spring breeze, the sleeves of the young man in white fluttered as he walked slowly, murmuring, "I want to see more."