Chapter 397: Meeting a Fellow Townsman in a Foreign Land

Chapter 397: Meeting a Fellow Townsman in a Foreign Land

Over the next two days, Chen Ping'an took Pei Qian and Zhu Lian to browse the shops in the capital, while Shi Rou stayed behind at the inn to look after the place.

It was truly lively. Because of this grand Buddhist-Daoist debate, the premier city of the Qingluan Kingdom was a melting pot of people from all walks of life, some seeking fame, others profit, and of course there were those like Chen Ping'an who had come purely to enjoy the scenery, taking the opportunity to buy some local specialties of the Qingluan Kingdom.

Pei Qian and Zhu Lian probably suffered from a case of "lamplight darkness"—they didn't find it strange that Chen Ping'an liked to browse bookshops. But Shi Rou, with her keen observation, noticed some subtle clues. When Chen Ping'an visited the various large and small bookstores, he almost never touched the beautifully printed new books, nor did he show much interest in the classics of the Hundred Schools of Thought. Instead, he was drawn to unofficial histories, local gazetteers from various countries, and obscure genealogies that were usually tucked away in corners. He would pick up every book he saw and flip through half of it, but after flipping through them, Chen Ping'an never bought them.

This earned him quite a few dirty looks.

Fortunately, Zhu Lian, who liked to spend money lavishly whenever he had it, helped smooth things over, so they weren't met with harsh words from the bookshop owners.

Pei Qian probably figured that since they were in the capital, Chen Ping'an had already bought over a dozen bundles of the most famous and expensive Xuan paper from the Qingluan Kingdom, then bought that pair of celadon official-grade go stone containers for Lu Baixiang, and also bought her a hand-hollowed gourd. The expenses were already far beyond usual. Even if she saw something she truly liked and found pleasing, she only secretly glanced at it a few times. Besides, the multi-treasure box that Yao Jinzhi had given her was already completely full, with no room for more items. Otherwise, she might have asked her master for a brand new multi-treasure box. After some deliberation, Pei Qian abandoned the idea. She figured that although her master had earned some Grain Rain coins on this trip to Lion Garden, she herself had also bought a hand-piece. Next time she earned some money, she could ask her master again.

The fact was, they were poor.

Pei Qian was a bit sad. She didn't know when she would be able to accumulate multi-treasure box after multi-treasure box, all filled to the brim with treasures. The old cook said that bigger and better than multi-treasure boxes were the multi-treasure shelves that wealthy families all had. Once those were filled with objects, that was what truly deserved to be called a dazzling array of beautiful things, enough to make people's eyes fall out and not be able to pick them up again.

During these two days of shopping, they heard some rumors that barely related to Chen Ping'an and his group.

According to Zhu Lian, the taste of the Emperor of Gengshan Kingdom was so "outstandingly unique" that it left him utterly in awe. This monarch, whose word was law in the Gengshan Kingdom, did not like slender, graceful beauties. His only preference was for plump women in the world. Among the most favored imperial consorts in the Gengshan court, four of them could no longer be described as merely voluptuous; each weighed over two hundred jin. The Emperor of Gengshan Kingdom gave them the euphemistic titles of Gluttonous Pig, Gluttonous Dog, Gluttonous Bear, and Gluttonous Sparrow.

And the foremost of the Four Gluttons, the Gluttonous Pig Yuan Ye, had an even more famous identity: she was one of the Four Great Martial Arts Grandmasters across the dozen or so countries in southeastern Bottle Gourd Continent.

The Emperor of Gengshan Kingdom, Zheng Kui, was currently staying at the capital's official hostel in the Qingluan Kingdom, accompanied by the Four Gluttons.

The day before yesterday, Zheng Kui, in civilian clothes, took the relatively "slender" Gluttonous Sparrow among his consorts to visit temples and Daoist abbeys in the capital. While burning incense, they got into a conflict with a group of aristocratic scions. The Gluttonous Sparrow struck swiftly, beating them nearly to death, causing a huge uproar. The yamen in charge of capital security and high-ranking officials from the Qingluan Ministry of Rites had to get involved, as it touched upon diplomatic relations between the two countries. The matter was barely pacified. The troublemakers were scions of the capital's great families and some peers from southern refugee aristocratic clans. After learning the identity of Emperor Zheng Kui of Gengshan, they backed down. But no sooner had one wave subsided than another arose. That very night, several of the troublemakers, who had just recently settled into new residences in the Qingluan capital, were found dead in gruesome fashion, their deaths so horrific that even the coroners from the yamen were said to have felt nauseated.

Soon, a strident rumor spread throughout the capital: the killer's methods were exactly the signature technique of the Gengshan Grandmaster, the Gluttonous Pig—severing all four limbs, leaving only the head attached to the torso, sealing the acupoint to prevent speech, and even helping to stop bleeding, leaving the victim to struggle to death.

The Qingluan court had swiftly mobilized personnel from all sides to investigate the matter. A team composed of experienced criminal investigators from the Ministry of Punishments, court-appointed immortal masters, and renowned veterans of the martial arts world entered the hostel where Zheng Kui was staying.

Yet this still couldn't stem the tide of public outrage. Countless scholars and literati surrounded the hostel where Emperor Zheng Kui was lodged. If not for the capital's yamen runners holding them back, and the personal dispatch of two hundred elite armored soldiers by Grand Governor Wei Liang, glaring menacingly and preventing the situation from deteriorating further, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Those defenseless scholars would have only ended up being killed on the spot by one of Zheng Kui's beloved consorts, the Gluttonous Sparrow.

The Gluttonous Pig Yuan Ye put out a statement: she would have a life-and-death duel with Zhu Fengxian of Daze Gang, who was also one of the Four Great Grandmasters. If she lost, the Gengshan Kingdom would accept that basin of dirty water. But if she won, then the Qingluan scholars who had been shouting outside the hostel would have to kneel one by one outside the hostel and kowtow in apology.

It was rumored that the old demon Zhu Fengxian, who had once driven a scarlet carriage and stirred up bloody storms in the martial arts circles of several countries, was indeed currently in the capital, lodging at a certain Daoist abbey.

Then, yesterday, Zhu Fengxian, infamous for thirty years, emerged from retirement. In the capacity of the Qingluan Kingdom's number one hero, he arrived at the hostel as promised for a life-or-death battle with the Gluttonous Pig Yuan Ye.

From the moment Zhu Fengxian's carriage left the abbey, countless commoners and martial artists in the Qingluan capital cheered and waved flags for him along the way.

But the Dao was a foot high, and the demon was ten feet higher. Zhu Fengxian, who had been pinned with high hopes, fought hard but was ultimately no match for that Gluttonous Pig. He suffered severe injuries and lost to Yuan Ye, who ranked second among the Four Great Grandmasters. Bathed in blood but mostly unharmed, Yuan Ye casually grabbed Zhu Fengxian by the neck and swaggered to the main gate of the hostel. Looking around at the now-silent crowd, she threw the limp and unconscious Zhu Fengxian onto the street, leaving behind a single sentence: "Don't forget to kowtow tomorrow."

Zhu Fengxian was carried into a carriage by his Daze Gang disciples, weeping as they took him back to the abbey for treatment.

Outside the hostel, the doors were deserted. Outside the abbey, curses never ceased.

Having happened to hear about this incident at a bookshop, Chen Ping'an continued searching for books.

Pei Qian was carefree. She only felt that Zhu Fengxian was really pathetic—lacking in skill yet fond of showing off. Couldn't he have just stayed hidden in the abbey and not gone out? He had been beaten into a state of unknown life or death by that two-hundred-plus-jin Gluttonous Pig, and on top of that, he had lost his hard-earned reputation. According to the martial world customs and conflicts described in those romance novels, a person who lost their reputation in the martial arts world had essentially lost their life, didn't they? Pei Qian's only regret was that on their way up Golden Osmanthus Abbey, they had stayed in that luxurious mansion built by Zhu Fengxian for his granddaughter halfway up the mountain. He was a generous and wealthy man; she had quite liked him. But now it seemed that even if the old Zhu fellow had a tough life and didn't die at the abbey, when they met again, she doubted she'd be able to freeload food and drink from him anymore.

That time the two groups had met by chance, they first sheltered from the rain together, then climbed the mountain together. In the end, Zhu Fengxian's granddaughter, Zhu Ziyang, together with Liu Qingcheng of the Rouge Studio from Yunxiao Kingdom, both became direct disciples of Old Immortal Zhang Guo at Golden Osmanthus Abbey.

Pei Qian and Chen Ping'an had witnessed that apprenticeship ceremony. It was full of tedious formalities, taking nearly an hour. In the end, it gave Pei Qian a headache. Having to stand still like a wooden dummy, she felt it was more tiring than copying books.

Chen Ping'an walked out of the bookshop. It was noon. Standing on the steps, he was lost in thought.

Zhu Lian asked quietly, "Young master, what do you think?"

Shi Rou's heart tightened. She silently prayed, Don't get involved. Whatever you do, don't wade into these troubled waters.

Chen Ping'an's answer left Shi Rou feeling both relieved and anxious.

Chen Ping'an said, "Let's go see Zhu Fengxian. If he's badly injured, I happen to have some medicinal pills on me. Give him the pills, see him, and then we'll leave the abbey."

Zhu Lian praised, "The young master is both compassionate and prudent."

Pei Qian glared at him. "What are you doing stealing my lines, old cook? You've said it all, what am I supposed to say?"

Zhu Lian retorted bluntly, "What to say? Go eat shit. It won't cost you. If you're not full, just let me know. We'll go back to the inn, and you can wait outside the latrine for me. I guarantee it'll be piping hot."

Pei Qian rolled her eyes. "Disgusting."

Chen Ping'an ignored their usual daily bickering. He asked for directions and headed towards the capital's abbey that had become famous overnight.

They walked for almost an hour before approaching the abbey. There were a few scattered people outside the surrounding wall. Some threw stones and shouted curses before running off, but most were just sightseers, satisfied after wandering around outside the abbey. There were also some martial artists who had come to investigate. Most were likely from families or lineages that had suffered under Daze Gang's power in the past. They didn't dare to curse loudly, nor were they foolish enough to kick a man when he was down. After all, the old demon Zhu Fengxian's life was hanging in the balance, but several of his notoriously fierce disciples were still staying at the abbey. Even if singled out, any one of them would be more than enough to give ordinary Qingluan martial arts masters a very bitter pill to swallow.

The abbey was not large and had closed its doors to visitors today. Chen Ping'an knocked on a side gate for a long time before a Daoist opened it, his expression wary. Chen Ping'an said he was an old acquaintance of Patriarch Zhu Fengxian and asked the abbey to inform him that Chen Ping'an was visiting.

The young Daoist nodded, asking Chen Ping'an to wait a moment. After closing the gate, about half an incense stick later, the gate opened again. Besides the Daoist who had gone to deliver the message, there was also one of the attendant disciples who had accompanied Zhu Fengxian to send Zhu Ziyang up the mountain for apprenticeship. Recognizing Chen Ping'an, this closed-door disciple of Zhu Fengxian breathed a sigh of relief and led Chen Ping'an to the deepest part of the abbey. The man didn't say much along the way, just some polite words thanking Chen Ping'an for remembering their bond of brotherhood.

When the group neared a building, the smell of medicine was extremely strong. Several of Zhu Fengxian's disciples stood solemnly with clasped hands in the corridor outside. Everyone looked grim. When they saw Chen Ping'an, they only nodded in greeting, but didn't relax. After all, their trip to Golden Osmanthus Abbey had been nothing more than a brief, chance encounter. People's hearts were hidden behind their ribs. Who knew what intentions this outsider surnamed Chen had? If Zhu Fengxian, lying on his sickbed, hadn't personally requested that Chen Ping'an and his group be brought in, none of them would have dared to open the gate.

Chen Ping'an had Zhu Lian and the other two wait at the corner of the corridor, not even letting them approach the room.

After one of Zhu Fengxian's direct disciples opened the door, Chen Ping'an, carrying his sword on his back and his bamboo case on his shoulder, walked into the room alone.

Zhu Fengxian was propped up against his pillow, his face deathly pale. A quilt covered him. He smiled and said, "Parting on the mountain, meeting again in a foreign land. That I, Zhu Fengxian, should be in such a pitiful state... Please forgive me, Young Master Chen."

He was seriously injured.

Besides the bedridden Zhu Fengxian, there was also an old Daoist with a wooden expression in the room. The disciple who had opened the door, after closing it, moved a chair for Chen Ping'an and then stood to the side, not leaving, to prevent Chen Ping'an from suddenly attacking.

Chen Ping'an took off his bamboo case, placed it at his feet, sat down on the chair, and asked softly, "Did the old patriarch not conceal his whereabouts when entering the capital?"

Zhu Fengxian coughed a few times and forced a smile. "How could I not have concealed them? But the court's eyes and ears are sharp; I couldn't hide them well enough. This Daoist abbey in the capital has been a branch secretly managed by Daze Gang for nearly thirty years. It's quite possible the court has had its eye on it for a long time. That's nothing. Our Qingluan Emperor Tang Li has been fascinated by the martial arts world since his youth. After ascending the throne, he has treated the martial world fairly well. As long as the grudges and vendettas don't go too far, the authorities generally don't bother much.

"In fact, back when I was dominating the martial arts circles of several countries, invincible, it's said that Tang Li, who was still a prince in hiding back then, had great admiration for me. He declared that one day he would personally summon this martial artist who brought glory to the Qingluan Kingdom. So this time, when I was inexplicably named by that Gluttonous Pig, even though I knew full well someone was setting me up, I really didn't have the face to just sneak away from the capital."

Seeing that Zhu Fengxian was speaking with difficulty, haltingly, Chen Ping'an decided not to ask any more questions. He bent down to open his bamboo case.

As he made this move, the old Daoist and the man in the room tensed, ready to spring. Chen Ping'an stopped his action and explained, "I have a few bottles of medicinal pills refined on the mountain. Of course, they can't regenerate flesh from bone or quickly repair damaged meridians, but they are quite good for replenishing qi and nurturing the spirit, and can do some patching up for a martial artist's physique."

Zhu Fengxian tried to raise his arm but lacked the strength. Instead, he let it rest on the quilt, gently waving it. He laughed to his two confidants, "No need to be nervous. My skill at judging people is better than my martial arts. In this capital right now, anyone might come to pick up scraps, but not Young Master Chen."

On his way here, Chen Ping'an had chosen a secluded alley, taken three bottles of pills from his storage item, and moved them into the bamboo case. Pulling things out of thin air would be too conspicuous.

Chen Ping'an took out the three porcelain bottles and handed them to the old Daoist master. "I'd trouble the old Daoist to first verify the medicinal efficacy and see if they are suitable for the old patriarch's recovery."

Zhu Fengxian couldn't help but laugh. "Young Master Chen, offering medicine to save a life and getting treated so shabbily for your kindness—you must be the only one in the world."

The old Daoist took the three bottles, still unsmiling. He went to the table, poured out one pill from each bottle, took out a silver needle from his sleeve, and meticulously crumbled the pills.

Far from being angered by having his good intentions trampled, Chen Ping'an felt that the old Daoist's approach was precisely how a true martial artist should conduct martial arts business.

Though Zhu Fengxian looked poorly, he was in good spirits. And since he was a Seventh Realm martial artist with a solid foundation, he ignored his disciple's eye signals suggesting it was time to see the guest out. Zhu Fengxian asked with a smile, "Young Master Chen, do you think that Gluttonous Pig is the real culprit?"

Chen Ping'an shook his head. "I haven't seen her, so I don't know her true nature. It's hard to say. Under normal circumstances, that Gengshan Imperial Consort wouldn't be so foolish as to brutally murder several people in another country's capital using her signature technique. But if she used that as a smokescreen to clear herself, the possibility is small, but still exists. In the end... it might just be a struggle between the two countries' national power, a conflict over the situation in southeastern Bottle Gourd Continent. Whether Yuan Ye killed them or not might not matter. So, Old Patriarch, this fight of yours wasn't worth it. The person behind the setup is quite brilliant. As for how to leave the capital next, you need to be very, very careful."

Zhu Fengxian nodded. "Indeed."

The old Daoist, who had been meticulously examining the pills, looked up at the young man in white carrying a sword.

Chen Ping'an exchanged a few more pleasantries with Zhu Fengxian, then stood up to take his leave.

Zhu Fengxian couldn't get out of bed, so he could only manage a very weak fist-and-palm salute. Even this motion aggravated his injuries, causing a fit of coughing.

Chen Ping'an and his group left the abbey and returned to the inn.

Inside the abbey room, the man who had escorted Chen Ping'an and his party out of the abbey returned. He hesitated, as if wanting to speak.

Zhu Fengxian laughed. "What, still thinking about asking Chen Ping'an to escort us out of the capital?"

The man answered honestly, "If he were willing to help, of course it would be a good thing. Since he came here, it already shows he's friendly towards our Daze Gang. If we were to persuade him a bit, maybe..."

Zhu Fengxian gave a derisive snort, cutting off his disciple's wishful thinking. He sneered, "You fool. 'A man's heart is never satisfied, the snake wants to swallow the elephant.' Can you pretend you didn't hear the implication behind Chen Ping'an's advice to be careful leaving the city? That was already him making his stance clear. Giving the medicine was for the sake of the bond from that chance encounter on the mountain. Coming to visit, delivering the medicine—that's the extent of fulfilling that bond. Don't you understand even this simple principle? Don't mistake someone's integrity for foolishness."

The man knew the ins and outs of this all too well. He lowered his head. "Our current situation is too dangerous."

Zhu Fengxian sighed. "Good thing you held back. If you had made any superfluous requests, and next time something happened to Ziyang while she was cultivating at Golden Osmanthus Summit, do you think Chen Ping'an would save her if he encountered the situation again?"

The man remained silent.

He understood the logic. But the life-or-death crisis facing Master Zhu Fengxian and Daze Gang now might very well be insurmountable. From this abbey to the capital gates, and from there to the road leading back to Daze Gang, any stretch of that journey could become a road to the Yellow Springs.

Zhu Fengxian laughed freely. "Enough. Walking the martial world, life and death are on one's own head. Is it only acceptable for others to die under my fists because they lacked skill, but not for me to die in the martial world? Is this martial world mine alone? Is it the backyard pond of Daze Gang?"

The man managed a smile. "Thirty or forty years ago, in our Qingluan Kingdom, it pretty much was."

Zhu Fengxian closed his eyes.

The old Daoist spoke up. "The pills are fine. Their quality is extremely high; they are undoubtedly valuable. They will be beneficial for your recovery. This is not just icing on the cake, but truly 'sending charcoal in a snowstorm'—a timely help."

The man was overjoyed. "Really?"

The old Daoist looked at him sideways. "You don't believe me?"

The man grinned. "I wouldn't dare."

This old Daoist was the old military strategist who had served Daze Gang diligently for decades, planning and advising. That Zhu Ziyang had embarked on the path of cultivation at such an early age was also due to the old Daoist's keen discernment.

Zhu Fengxian suddenly opened his eyes. He first asked that disciple to leave the room. After the door was closed, he said slowly, "Go ahead. You've helped me for so many years, and now you've set me up this once. What exactly are you after? Whatever the outcome, I won't blame you. I only hope that you and the person behind you will look after Ziyang in the future, try not to involve her, and let her live well as a mountain cultivator."

The old Daoist stood up, sat down on the chair Chen Ping'an had used, and said, evading the question, "Old Zhu, I think that Chen Ping'an, though young, has quite an old-school martial aura."

The old Daoist mused, "It seems we old-timers of the martial world are finding it harder and harder to get by. The young people these days, to climb up, like to use 'bare-fisted chaos to beat the old master.' They don't care about rules or conventions. They don't recognize them."

Zhu Fengxian turned his head and asked with a smile, "How old are you, anyway? When I first met you, you looked just like this. Nearly sixty years have passed, and you haven't changed much."

The old Daoist thought for a moment. "Just about half a lifetime wandering in my homeland, and half a lifetime spent in your Qingluan Kingdom."

Zhu Fengxian saw that his old friend was unwilling to answer and didn't press further. It was meaningless.

The capital's aristocratic scions and southern refugee scholars started a conflict at the temple. The Gluttonous Sparrow, a consort beside Zheng Kui, taught them a lesson. That very night, several people died violently. The capital's populace was shaken and united in outrage. The southern refugee aristocratic clans who had moved to the Qingluan Kingdom were furious, sparking a conflict between the Qingluan and Gengshan kingdoms. The Gluttonous Pig named Zhu Fengxian, also a martial arts grandmaster, as her opponent. Zhu Fengxian was heavily defeated. Not a single person kowtowed at the hostel. Then the Gluttonous Pig Yuan Ye openly mocked the integrity of the Qingluan literati, causing an uproar in the capital. For a time, this incident overshadowed the Buddhist-Daoist debate. Many of the southern refugee powerful clans made contact with local families, pressuring the Qingluan Emperor Tang Li. The Gengshan Emperor Zheng Kui was preparing to leave the capital swaggeringly with his four consorts, leaving all Qingluan martial artists seething with indignation.

In just a few short days, the situation was in turmoil.

Every link in the chain was connected.

As Chen Ping'an and his group prepared to leave the capital.

At the Lion Garden outside the capital, a carriage traveled along a small path in the night.

The coachman's true identity was an elderly master of disguise, ranked first among the Four Great Grandmasters. Extremely tall, he had just secretly entered the Qingluan Kingdom from the Yunxiao Kingdom. His martial arts cultivation had already reached the Far-Traveling Grandmaster realm, far above the Seventh Realm Gluttonous Pig Yuan Ye of Gengshan and Daze Gang's Zhu Fengxian.

After reading an intelligence report from Green Wave Pavilion, Liu Qingfeng said, "We can stop now."

A handsome young master sitting opposite smiled. "Stop now? I was originally planning to take some private advantage and go meet this certain someone, but it seems they haven't taken the bait."

Liu Qingfeng's expression was flat. "It's enough."

The person opposite Liu Qingfeng in the carriage was none other than Li Baozhen of Dragon Spring Commandery. After exchanging glances with Liu Qingfeng, he smiled. "Alright, since Mr. Liu says the timing is right, then I'll follow the Imperial Preceptor's instructions and learn more from Mr. Liu. Anyway, this time... it's just a small appetizer I'm offering to your Qingluan Emperor Tang Li after I take office. Just to keep him from thinking that leaning on the Yunlin Jiang family tree means he can rest easy. After all, even a crooked wind or slanting rain can give a person a chill that penetrates the bones."

Liu Qingfeng said nothing.

As they neared the Lion Garden, Li Baozhen suddenly laughed. "I won't go into the garden. I'll wait in the carriage while Mr. Liu finishes his business with the old vice-minister, then we'll return together to the county office."

Liu Qingfeng stepped down from the carriage and walked alone into the Lion Garden veiled by night.

Li Baozhen came out of the carriage, but didn't get down. He sat behind the coachman. This young man, who came from the same place as Chen Ping'an—the former Cave of Pearls and Radiance—had nothing to do, so he swung his legs and laughed. "Every time I think about how my precious little sister likes to call Chen Ping'an 'Little Master Uncle,' it really pisses me off. What can I do? I, as her brother, can't bear to say a harsh word to her, Little Bottle Gourd. So I'll just have to amuse myself with that mud-legged kid from Clay Vase Alley. If not for the sake of the debt of gratitude from that escort mission to protect Little Bottle Gourd, Yuan Ye, Zhu Fengxian, and the like wouldn't be going at each other's throats like this. What I admire most about the Imperial Preceptor is his ability to calculate people's hearts. Planting chess pieces in other people's courtyards—everyone does that. Back in our Great Li capital, and in that Everlasting Spring Palace, even around Song Changjing, there were plants in many places, quite a few of them. Even our Emperor isn't immune; are there not high-minded individuals from the Hundred Schools of Thought with ulterior motives? But when we finally gather the pieces and take a look at the board, it seems every time we lose a little here and gain a lot there, in the end it's always our Imperial Preceptor who comes out ahead. That's truly terrifying."

Li Baozhen muttered to himself for a while, then asked the coachman with a smile, "Your file—even I can't access it for now. Can you tell me why you're willing to work for our Great Li?"

The old coachman said flatly, "I hope you don't stumble in your official career. If you do, I'll be the first to kill you."

Li Baozhen paid it no mind at all. "You really need to change that terrible habit of yours, saying everything on your mind to everyone. At least wait until you have the chance to actually kill me before saying things like that."

The old coachman sneered. "Fine. I'll repeat it then."

A moment of silence.

Liu Qingfeng hadn't returned yet.

Li Baozhen asked casually, "Is the martial world fun?"

The coachman said grimly, "Not fun. People die easily."

Li Baozhen said, "Oh. Then I'll be careful. I've just arrived; let me first get familiar with the local customs and traditions. I've been timid since I was a child, and there are so many formidable people back home. Even farting on the street, I'd be afraid of disturbing the neighboring land immortals or martial grandmasters."

Li Baozhen patted his knees gently with both hands. "They say that when a fellow townsman sees a fellow townsman, their eyes fill with tears. I wonder, next time we meet, whether it'll be that surname Chen mud-leg or me who's crying. Sigh, that silly girl Zhu Lu, when she found me in the capital, she was crying her eyes out. I almost felt so sorry for her that I nearly slapped her to death. Just a small matter, and she couldn't handle it. She made me fall out of favor with the Empress Dowager, costing me my future in the Great Li officialdom. Otherwise, why would I need to come to this crappy place and climb up step by step?"

The old coachman laughed. "When a bad seed like you falls on hard times, it'll be especially miserable."

Li Baozhen sighed. "See? Speaking your heart again. How many times do I have to tell you, that's not good."

The night was thick with darkness.

Li Baozhen looked towards the Lion Garden. "This Mr. Liu of ours is much worse off than I am. At worst, I'm full of bad ideas. The number of people who fear me will only grow. He's got a bellyful of bitterness. People curse at him endlessly."

A small inn on the outskirts of the Qingluan capital.

The atmosphere was extremely tense.

This tiny inn was a hidden den of dragons and tigers tonight.

In one room.

It was a glaring contest.

The young man in white pointed at the nose of the old man in blue robes, jumping up and down in a rage. "You old turtle! We agreed to gamble fairly, no tricks outside the ring! At this critical juncture, you actually throw Li Baozhen into the Qingluan Kingdom! With that bastard's nature, will he not use public office for private revenge? Do you have any shame left?!"

The old man in blue robes was expressionless. He said blandly, "You little brat, you secretly sent a message to Chen Ping'an to block the road to Lion Garden. Do you have any face?"

The handsome young man with a mole between his eyebrows continued his furious tirade. "Old thing, you broke the rules first! Setting up that trap for Chen Ping'an is harming the very foundation of my Dao! Can't I scratch you back?"

The two in the room were none other than Cui Dongshan. And Xiu Hu Cui Chan.

Which was, in fact, just one person.

Cui Chan's expression remained indifferent as he wiped the spittle off his face. "Arguing with yourself? Interesting?"

Cui Dongshan grinned fiercely. "Damn satisfying!"

Cui Chan sneered. "Seeing the pathetic state you're in now, I finally understand why back then we stopped at the peak of the twelfth realm."

Cui Dongshan plopped down onto a chair. "If I'd known you were such a useless piece of crap, I'd have strangled myself back then."

Cui Chan smiled slightly. "It's not too late to die now. Just remember to leave this mortal shell and the storage item behind."

Cui Dongshan rolled his eyes. He spread his hands and rested them on the table, then lay his face flat on the surface, saying gloomily, "The Emperor... is he dead? Will Song Changjing serve as regent for a while?"

Cui Chan nodded.

Cui Dongshan didn't lift his head. "Then who will be the new emperor? Still the same two candidates, each with an equal chance?"

Cui Chan pretended not to hear.

Cui Dongshan raised his head, shifting from lying flat to slouching back. "So damn boring."

Cui Chan said, "I think you're having quite a blast being someone's student disciple."

Cui Dongshan kept rolling his eyes.

Finding joy in bitterness?

Cui Chan was also a bit puzzled. He didn't seem to have been like this when he was younger, did he?

Cui Dongshan stopped rolling his eyes and hesitated for a moment. "How's the old man doing in the bamboo building on Fallen Mountain?"

Cui Chan was silent for a long time before answering, "Lu Chen completely cut off his path to the eleventh realm, but his state of mind is pretty good now."

Cui Dongshan sat cross-legged on the chair and asked, "If Chen Ping'an kills Li Baozhen, what will you do?"

Cui Chan shook his head. "Chen Ping'an once promised Li Xisheng that he would spare Li Baozhen once. After that, life or death is on his own head."

Cui Dongshan snapped his head up, staring blankly at Cui Chan.

Cui Chan said calmly, "Yes. I calculated it. Right now, Li Baozhen is too green. If he's to be of great use in the future, he needs to suffer a bit."

Cui Dongshan burst out laughing, jumped off the chair, and started massaging Cui Chan's shoulders, grinning mischievously. "Old Cui, well, you are one of us after all. I misjudged you this time. Don't be mad, don't be mad."

Cui Chan was unmoved. "If I had known there would be a 'you' like this in the end, we really should have strangled ourselves back then."

Cui Dongshan lightly slapped Cui Chan on the head. "Don't say such unlucky things. Spit-spit-spit. No matter what path we take, let's both try to live a thousand years as scourges."

Cui Chan said, "Spit on my head again, and you won't live a thousand years as a scourge."

On the small road leading from Lion Garden to the main highway, through a reed marsh.

A carriage slowly came to a halt. The old coachman was on high alert. Li Baozhen lifted the carriage curtain, saw the person there, and wore an expression of utter disbelief. You've got to be kidding me? A fellow townsman seeing a fellow townsman after all?