Chapter 417: The Joys and Sorrows of Autumn's Arrival

Chapter 417: The Joys and Sorrows of Autumn's Arrival

Unbeknownst to all, summer had turned to autumn.

Through this period of gentle nurturing, Chen Ping'an, compensating for his deficiencies with diligence, had both of his vital dwelling places, where his lifebound objects were stored, now brimming with spiritual energy.

Regarding his practice of fist techniques and qi refinement, Chen Ping'an tried as much as possible not to favor one over the other too heavily. But since truly becoming a Qi refiner, he had to spend at least four hours each day on breathing and exhaling. His anticipation of the bottleneck to come grew increasingly clear. One day, when he became a seventh-tier pure martial artist and then advanced into the mid-five-tier ranks of Qi refiners, he would need to make another choice.

One day, Mao Xiaodong joked, "When you were cultivating in Cui Dongshan's courtyard, I didn't see you begrudging the academy's spiritual energy. Why, when you were on the summit of Donghua Mountain back then, were you unwilling to take even a little more? Isn't that a bit pretentious?"

Chen Ping'an replied, "Once the major rules are kept, then one can talk about adapting to local customs and human nature. Cui Dongshan—thank you. Lin Shouyi—in this courtyard, both of you can draw upon spiritual energy according to your own realms, and the academy tacitly approves it as not wrong. So naturally, I can too. It's probably like... outside the small courtyard is Donghua Mountain, which is the entire Haoran World. But inside this courtyard, it becomes one country, one place, a small world of its own. As long as there's no violation of my conscience or of Confucian etiquette, then... I am free."

Chen Ping'an spoke haltingly, because he often had to think for a moment, pause to consider, before continuing.

Mao Xiaodong nodded.

It seemed that his painstaking words back then, when he was refining objects on the summit of Donghua Mountain, had not been wasted.

Mao Xiaodong asked again, "The tree that stands out in the forest is the first to be felled by the wind; the person who stands out among the crowd is the first to be slandered. What do you think is the principle behind this?"

Chen Ping'an replied, "The original intention should be to warn a gentleman to know how to conceal his talent, to adapt to a world that isn't so good. As for where it is not good, I can't really say. I only feel that it is far from the world ideal in the Confucian mind. As to why that is, I can't figure it out either. And I think there's a problem with this saying—it can easily lead people astray, making them fear standing out in the forest and dare not rise above others. Instead, it makes many think that felling the outstanding tree and slandering the exceptional person is something everyone does. Since everyone does it, if I do it, it's just going along with the common custom. After all, the law cannot punish the many. But if one delves into this matter, it seems to entangle with what I said about adapting to local customs. Although it can be subdivided, varying by time, place, and person, and then clarifying the boundaries, I still find it very exhausting. It should be because I haven't yet found the fundamental method."

This time, Chen Ping'an still spoke haltingly. He couldn't help but ask curiously, "These so-called golden words and precious sayings praised by the world—I don't deny that they can indeed save many hardships. I often use them for self-reflection too. But can they truly be recognized as 'rules' by the Confucian sages?"

Mao Xiaodong laughed heartily, but did not give an answer.

Then he changed the subject, "A white horse is not a horse—what do you think of that?"

Chen Ping'an replied, "Cui Dongshan once spoke of this. He said it was because when the sages first created characters, they were not perfect, and the Great Way was inevitably incomplete. This was an invisible 'barrier of words' imposed on the world. As time passed and later generations created more and more characters, what was once a difficult problem is now easily solved. A white horse is naturally a kind of horse, but a white horse is not equivalent to a horse. It's pitiful that the ancients could only circle around that word 'not,' going back and forth. According to Cui Dongshan, this is also called a 'barrier of context.' Without understanding this doctrine, no matter how many words there are, it's useless. For example, when someone says a correct thing, and another person uses a different correct thing to deny the first correct thing, if a bystander hears it without digging deeper or breaking it down, they might instinctively think the first is wrong. That's committing the barrier of context. There are also many cases of taking a part for the whole, confusing sequences—all due to not understanding the causes and effects. Cui Dongshan was quite indignant about this. He said that readers, even worthy men, gentlemen, and even sages, cannot escape this calamity. He also said that all people in the world, from a young age, should be first taught this doctrine. This is the foundation of establishing oneself. It is more useful than any high or low principles. Cui Dongshan even said that at least half of the writings of the Hundred Schools of Thought and the sages are 'muddled without clarity.' Only by understanding this doctrine can one be qualified to grasp the fundamental teachings of the Ultimate Sage and the Ritual Sage. Otherwise, ordinary readers, seemingly diligently studying the books of sages, end up only building an air castle—at best, a White Emperor City floating in the rosy clouds, untethered."

Mao Xiaodong savored these words, then smiled, "Not entirely the venting of that little bastard. There's still some chewiness to it."

Chen Ping'an smiled, "Cui Dongshan is willing to talk, and I just listen. After all, the old Master of Literary Sages once said that it's always good for me to think more about everything. Even if in the end my conclusion is still to deny it, that seemingly extra journey of the mind isn't really a wasted detour."

Mao Xiaodong clapped his hands and laughed, "The Master is profound and subtle!"

Then Mao Xiaodong looked at him expectantly, hoping that this junior apprentice would at least show some insight.

Chen Ping'an suppressed a smile and understood. He said, "Next time I can meet the old Master of Literary Sages, I will talk more about Master Mao of the mountain."

Mao Xiaodong said softly, "Remember, remember, don't be subtle. My Master doesn't like that. For example, when I said 'The Master is profound and subtle,' you should repeat it exactly as it was. Even if you add embellishments, that's fine. But you absolutely must not beat around the bush."

Chen Ping'an said he had noted it down.

Finally, Mao Xiaodong handed Chen Ping'an a flying sword message from Piyun Mountain in Dali's Longquan Prefecture.

Mao Xiaodong left.

Among those currently managing the Cliff Academy, some hearts were wavering, and he needed to calm them.

His occasional chats with Chen Ping'an served both to put on airs as a senior apprentice and as a way to take a break from busyness. Of course, it was also his duty as a senior apprentice to fill any gaps in Chen Ping'an's state of mind.

Chen Ping'an opened the letter. It was the familiar handwriting of Wei Bo, the Northern Mountain God.

Earlier, Chen Ping'an had sent a letter to Wei Bo, asking about the sale of mountain peaks in the western mountains at a loss.

Chen Ping'an had a natural trust in Wei Bo, the earliest and only surviving mountain god of the Divine Water Country.

Wei Bo wrote in the letter that previously, including the Xu clan of Qingfeng City, a total of nine mountain peaks were looking for buyers. Families like Ruan Qiong, the Li clan of Fortune Street, and others had taken over some. Two remained. If Chen Ping'an wanted them, he could help negotiate the price. Wei Bo also suggested that although the remaining two were what others had left behind, Chen Ping'an would still not lose out by buying them. He even complained that Chen Ping'an hadn't sent the letter earlier; otherwise, he could have secured that Oxhorn Mountain. Even if Chen Ping'an didn't have enough spirit coins, Wei Bo could advance the money, and they could split Oxhorn Mountain. Oxhorn Mountain had a baggage shop that was practically selling a celestial ferry station at half price!

Chen Ping'an read the letter again to ensure he hadn't missed any hidden implications, then put it into his acupoint storage.

The mountains west of Longquan Prefecture were indeed abundant in spiritual energy, rivaling the top celestial abodes of Precious Bottle Continent. That was true. But the mountain and river fortune was severely fragmented, and the territories were still too small. For those celestial sects or clan-level powers that often covered hundreds or even thousands of miles, the individual Longquan mountain peaks, mostly only a few dozen miles across, could hardly form a significant climate. Of course, supporting a Gold Core Earth Immortal was more than enough.

Chen Ping'an thought that buying the mountains was feasible.

He went to Mao Xiaodong's study, wrote a letter, and asked Wei Bo to first negotiate the price.

He had Pei Qian run the errand to deliver it to an old scholar at the academy who was responsible for such matters.

Sitting in the antique study, Chen Ping'an recalled a recent casual chat when Cui Dongshan had again mentioned the debate between Buddhism and Daoism in the Green Luan Kingdom. Earlier, he had mentioned to Chen Ping'an that there weren't many "orthodox" books from the Hundred Schools of Thought, so he casually suggested that Chen Ping'an go to the academy's library to find those few classic texts on Buddhism and Daoism.

Chen Ping'an hesitated for a moment, then left the study. He waited for Lin Shouyi to finish his qi refinement and dragged him to the library.

On the way, Lin Shouyi smiled and asked, "Still haven't figured out the answer to that matter?"

Chen Ping'an was startled for a moment, then remembered that it was about the gratitude Lin Shouyi had expressed during their first meeting at the academy.

Chen Ping'an said wryly, "I really can't guess. I'm very curious. Don't keep me in suspense. If you don't tell me before I leave the academy, I'll have to ask you directly."

Lin Shouyi smiled faintly, "Remember that time on the muddy mountain road, when Li Huai was rolling around on the ground, and everyone was annoyed?"

Chen Ping'an thought for a moment, "Vaguely. Later, I promised to make Li Huai a book box too, and then he laughed, stopped making trouble. Otherwise, I don't think we would have been able to move on anytime soon. But in recent years, Li Huai has become much more sensible."

Lin Shouyi asked, "Do you remember what you said to me then?"

Chen Ping'an hesitated.

Lin Shouyi smiled faintly, "I know you remember."

Chen Ping'an said with emotion, "Something that trivial, and you actually took it to heart?"

Lin Shouyi nodded, "At that time, I was the most unsociable. Li Baoping called you 'Little Uncle,' Li Huai was closest to you, even A'Liang liked to chat and joke with them. Zhu Lu and Zhu He were father and daughter. Only I, Lin Shouyi, seemed the most out of place. Although I acted as if I didn't care, if I said there was no disappointment inside, how could that be? So for a long time, I doubted myself, wondering if I should have gone to study in Great Sui with you all."

Talking about this, the usually unsmiling prodigy of cultivation of the academy actually showed a hint of warmth, "Then you squatted on the muddy road, turned to me, and said two things: 'Make one for you too?' and 'It's just a handy thing to do anyway.'"

Lin Shouyi walked slowly, "So I agreed."

Chen Ping'an chuckled, "I didn't think much of it at the time. I only felt that if I didn't say it that way, you definitely wouldn't accept. But if I made a book box for Li Huai and didn't make one for you, I was afraid you would distance yourself from Little Baoping and Li Huai. To be honest, at that moment, I did consider your feelings, but more than that, I thought that among the three of you, you, Lin Shouyi, were the oldest and had the most stable temperament. After we arrived at the academy, I would have to leave, so I hoped you would look after them more."

Lin Shouyi nodded, "I understood all that on the road at the time. But there's one thing I do well: when others show me kindness, I don't resent them for showing more kindness to others."

Lin Shouyi's smile grew, "Later, on the ferry crossing the river, you made the small book box for Li Huai first. Mine became the last one you made. Naturally, it was the bamboo box you were most skilled at by then, so it turned out to be the best one. At that moment, I realized that this Chen Ping'an didn't say much, but he was actually not a bad person. So when we got to the academy and Li Huai was being bullied, even though I didn't contribute much effort, I didn't hide. You know, at that time, I had already clearly seen my path of cultivation. So I was betting all my future. I made the worst-case plan: even if I got beaten and crippled, ruining my cultivation path, and then spent my whole life as a despised illegitimate son to my parents, I would still first become someone you, Chen Ping'an, wouldn't look down on."

Chen Ping'an nodded, "I've kept all this in mind."

Lin Shouyi smiled, "So after that assassination attempt by the Nascent Soul sword cultivator in the courtyard, when you arrived and deliberately sat next to me, Lin Shouyi, I knew—and you knew—that everyone in the courtyard, except maybe Li Huai who was oblivious, including Pei Qian, knew why you chose to sit next to me. It was because you were afraid that although I had started cultivation early and was proud, I had only watched from the sidelines throughout that battle and would feel disappointed. You were afraid I, Lin Shouyi, would drift further away from you all."

Chen Ping'an stopped walking, didn't deny it, and asked with a smile, "Then do you know what I am most grateful to you for? Now it's your turn to guess."

Lin Shouyi shook his head directly, "I am quite stubborn. I don't think too much about other things. I'm a world apart from you, Chen Ping'an, in that regard. I definitely can't guess."

Chen Ping'an didn't keep him in suspense either, saying, "You once told me that not all parents in the world are like my father and mother, Chen Ping'an's parents."

Lin Shouyi was a little puzzled.

Chen Ping'an raised his fist and extended one finger, smiling, "First, I am very glad that you, Lin Shouyi, were willing to say such things. It shows you consider me a friend. After all, your identity has always been your biggest knot."

Chen Ping'an extended a second finger, "Second, I have always kept this sentence in mind, so much so that after my travels in the Lotus Flower Blessed Land, being able to make it here with Pei Qian is all thanks to those words of yours."

Chen Ping'an finally extended a third finger, "And after hearing that sentence, I was like... a poor man who suddenly discovered that he had inherited a huge fortune and become rich! Thinking of this, when I met peers who were even richer—like Fan the Second, who later became a friend, or Liu Youzhou of the Aiai Continent, who never became a friend—when I dealt with them, I never felt ashamed about whether I was rich or poor."

Lin Shouyi smiled, then spoke an insight, "I suspect Song Jixin hates you the most for this."

Chen Ping'an nodded.

Chen Ping'an stopped in front of the library, looking up at the tall building, "Lin Shouyi, I am very, very happy that you value and cherish this tiny bit of goodwill from me."

Lin Shouyi said, "In this world, even good people like to be harsh on good people. So you should cherish a friend like me too."

Chen Ping'an smiled, "I will!"

Lin Shouyi asked, "Then if I give you gifts, and you give me gifts in return, do we have to be so particular about it?"

Chen Ping'an waved his hand grandly and put an arm around Lin Shouyi's shoulder, "Don't even think about it!"

Lin Shouyi used a slight force to nudge Chen Ping'an away, straightened his collar, and complained, "If one of the academy girls saw this, I might lose a few admirers. Naturally, I don't like them, but I don't dislike them liking me either."

Chen Ping'an laughed, "I think in all these years at the academy, it's you, Lin Shouyi, who has changed the most, and in a sneaky sort of way."

Lin Shouyi and Chen Ping'an looked at each other, both thinking of someone, and inexplicably broke into hearty laughter together.

That was probably the rapport between friends.

The two townsmen, chatting cheerfully, strode together into the library.

Countless truths within books awaited their perusal and acquisition.

---

At the bamboo building on Fallen Mountain, the azure-clad child had just returned from a farewell feast with friends at a tavern in the town.

The pink-skirted little girl was sitting on a small bamboo chair, cracking melon seeds. Noticing he seemed a bit dispirited, she asked, "Did you not drink your fill with your brother, the Yu River Water God? Or was the liquor too expensive?"

The azure-clad child plopped down onto the bamboo chair beside her, propping his chin on his hands. "Jianghu matters—you wouldn't understand."

The pink-skirted girl reached over and poured some melon seeds onto his palm. He didn't refuse.

Previously, that water god of the Yu River in Huangting Kingdom, through the azure-clad child, had successfully obtained a highly valuable Peace and No-Trouble Token.

Then, having obtained official permission and travel documents from the Huangting Ministry of Rites, he left his jurisdiction, crossed the Dali border, and visited Fallen Mountain.

The azure-clad child had taken his best jianghu brother to see many places. The pink-skirted girl guessed that the fellow must have done a lot of bragging in front of that water god.

The azure-clad child finished cracking the melon seeds, let out a melancholy wail, scratched his head and ears in frustration, then suddenly calmed. He sat limply, legs stretched out, slouching against the bamboo chair, and said slowly, "River and mountain orthodox gods are ranked into grades. While drinking, this brother of mine said that on the road here, he saw that River God of the Iron Talisman River, who has the highest rank, and was very envious. He wanted me to put in a good word with the Dali court to have some tributary rivers and streams added to his Yu River jurisdiction."

"Did he give you any spirit coins to grease the wheels?"

"Not yet."

The pink-skirted girl gave him a strange look.

The azure-clad child glared at her, annoyed, "It's not that my brother is stingy. He said it himself—between brothers, talking about money transactions is too tacky. I think that's reasonable. The only thing worrying me now is which temple to go to, which god to burn incense to. You know that Wei Bo fellow has never been friendly to me. Last time I went to him, he just made excuses, with no sense of loyalty or friendship. And that mountain god of ours at the top, with the golden head—his words carry no weight. I'd also hit a dead end with Prefect Wu Yuan and that County Magistrate Yuan. There was that Xu Ruo fellow—the swordsman who gave us each a Peace and No-Trouble Token. I think he might work, but I can't find him."

The pink-skirted girl cracked another seed and asked quietly, "Even if you find the temple, do you have the offering money?"

The azure-clad child sounded less confident, "That Xu Ruo might not charge me money. Look how well he gets along with our master—would he have the face to take my money? If it really comes to it, I'll just owe him and pay him back after borrowing from our master. That should work, right?"

The pink-skirted girl rarely lost her temper, but she snapped, "What's wrong with you?! Why are you always thinking about our master's money?"

The azure-clad child muttered, "A single coin can stump a hero. What's so strange about that? Who hasn't had their down-and-out moments? Besides, isn't this place called Fallen Mountain? It's our master's fault for picking such a mountain—the name's unlucky."

The pink-skirted girl grew even angrier, "You'd actually blame this on our master? Have the dogs eaten your conscience?!"

If it had been anything else, he would have flared up at her talking to him like that. But today, even getting angry seemed like too much effort. He just couldn't muster the energy.

Just then, Wei Bo, who had rarely visited Fallen Mountain in the past year, appeared on the path, walking slowly.

The azure-clad child leaped up and dashed over, fawning obsequiously, "Oh, Great God Wei! What brings you to our humble home today? Are you tired from walking? Would you like to sit on the bamboo chair? I can massage your shoulders and beat your legs for you!"

Wei Bo reached out and pressed against the little fellow's head, pushing him away. "Go cool off somewhere."

The azure-clad child wrapped both arms around one of Wei Bo's sleeves, only to be dragged along by the god toward the pond behind the bamboo building.

The pink-skirted girl shook her head. This was really embarrassing for their master.

Wei Bo crouched by the small pond, the water so clear the bottom was visible. The golden lotus seed had already begun to sprout.

The azure-clad child crouched beside him. "Old Immortal Wei, how about I discuss something with you?"

Wei Bo stared at the extremely precious seed—one of the "relics" left in this world by Lu Chen, the Daoist Pope of the Daoist Sect. This was also why, even though the Divine Water Country's national mandate had been severed for so long, it still clung to life with unbroken threads and lingering fortune. It was the very reason Wei Bo had his eye on Yang Hua, the River God of the Iron Talisman River. As the only surviving deity remnant of the Divine Water Country, Wei Bo had escaped death by a hair's breadth in that catastrophe long ago and managed to endure until now, becoming the Northern Mountain God of the Dali Dynasty. There was a hidden design of heaven in this, of course, but Wei Bo's own forbearance was also crucial. If a person doesn't save themselves, heaven won't save them either.

Wei Bo's tone was indifferent, and one sentence directly snuffed out the azure-clad child's faint hope. "That Yu River Water God treats you like a fool, and you actually enjoy being the fool that much?"

The azure-clad child stood up resentfully. After taking a few steps, he turned to see Wei Bo with his back to him, so he threw a bunch of wild punches and kicks at that irritating silhouette. Then he quickly ran off.

Before leaving Fallen Mountain, Wei Bo said to the two little ones sitting on the bamboo chairs, "Your master will be back soon."

Wei Bo strode away.

The pink-skirted girl was overjoyed, but turned to find that the azure-clad child, who should have been just as thrilled, was sitting blankly on his bamboo chair, looking dazed.

She asked softly, "What's wrong?"

The azure-clad child murmured, "You're already that foolish, and then Wei Bo called me a fool too. Do you think when our master sees us this time, he'll be very disappointed?"

The pink-skirted girl huffed, stood up, and ignored this ungrateful wretch. She went to fetch a bucket of water and a rag and began meticulously wiping down the bamboo building.

The azure-clad child sat hunched over, chin in hand. He had once vividly pictured a scene: when his jianghu brother, the Yu River Water God, came to visit Fallen Mountain, he would sit proudly beside him, drinking wine, and watch Chen Ping'an and his brother meet like old friends, calling each other brothers, raising glasses in toast. That would have made him proud. After the banquet dispersed, he would walk back to Fallen Mountain with Chen Ping'an and brag about his past jianghu exploits, how glorious he had been over on the Yu River.

But now, he realized that seemed a bit difficult.

The azure-clad child felt a bit lost. Looking down, he saw the melon seed shells on the ground. A few had escaped notice. In his boredom, he picked them up and started eating them. They seemed to taste better than usual?

The pink-skirted girl, who happened to be wiping the stairs of the bamboo building, caught sight of this and said in astonishment, "Are you that poor already? Did you give your entire fortune to that Yu River Water God brother of yours?"

The azure-clad child's mood had improved a bit. He rolled his eyes at her. "I'm not stupid. I left enough for a bride-price, didn't I? I don't want to end up an old bachelor like Old Cui! 'Never know money's worth when young, and end up a bachelor when old'—I'll have to mention that to our master when he comes home, so he stops being such a charity-giving Maîtreya..."

Bang!

The azure-clad child went flying out beyond the cliff.

The pink-skirted girl was used to this; she wasn't worried about his safety.

A long cyan serpent suddenly appeared, riding clouds and mist, then climbed back up the cliff wall, resuming the form of the azure-clad child, who swaggered back toward the bamboo building. "Faithful words grate on the ears, no wonder loyal ministers and good generals often die badly..."

Bang!

Again, the azure-clad child was sent flying backward.

When he returned to the mountain top for the second time, he saw an old man in Confucian robes but barefoot, standing on the second floor of the bamboo building. The azure-clad child immediately yelled, "Old Cui! I didn't say anything this time!"

He was once again knocked off the cliff.

The pink-skirted girl, now wiping the railing on the second floor, looked a bit puzzled.

The old man surnamed Cui smiled. "Itchy skin? A beating will teach you sense."

The pink-skirted girl had no retort, so she stopped pleading for him.

On the path up Fallen Mountain, the azure-clad child was cursing loudly as he scurried up.

---

On that isolated island near the Central Earth Divine Continent.

The Confucian-robed man had once again refused a visitor today, leaving a Grand Academician from a lineage of the Second Sage to face a closed door.

If it had been before, the Confucian-robed man, even if unwilling to "open the door," would still have shown himself at least. This time, he refused to see the man altogether.

The Grand Academician had no choice but to leave in disappointment, with a lingering unease deep down.

He couldn't understand why this scholar was being so cold and unreasoning.

The Confucian-robed man had been standing inside the thatched hut where Zhao Yao once lived, amidst "The Mountain of Books Has a Path."

He stood at a certain spot, flipping through a randomly selected Confucian book. The Confucian sage who had written this book had his literary lineage cut off—he had died young and without warning in the River of Time, and his disciples had failed to truly grasp the essence of his lineage. Within a hundred years, the literary fortune and incense offerings had been completely severed.

He put down the book, walked out of the hut, climbed to the mountaintop, and once again gazed out at the vast ocean.

How had Zhao Yao come here back then? He had been sheltered by a remnant soul.

Otherwise, even an outer-surname Grand Celestial Master of the Dragon Tiger Mountain and a Grand Academician of the academy had to knock before entering. How could Zhao Yao have drifted along with the currents and arrived here so coincidentally?

He withdrew his gaze and looked toward the cliff's edge. That was where Zhao Yao had once prepared to step out into the void.

He, of course, had not cared.

But at that time, a middle-aged Confucian scholar with graying temples had been giving him a look.

Only then had he spoken to dissuade Zhao Yao.

After Zhao Yao left the island, he had a conversation with the Confucian who had sent Zhao Yao here.

He asked, "Since you care so much, why not show yourself to him?"

The man replied, "Zhao Yao is still young. If he saw me, he would only feel more guilty. Some knots in the heart need to be untied by himself. After walking a longer road, he will eventually come to understand."

He then asked, "Then aren't you, Qi Jingchun, afraid that Zhao Yao will never know your thoughts until he dies? Zhao Yao's talent is not bad. It wouldn't be difficult for him to establish a school and start a lineage in the Central Earth Divine Continent. You stripped your lifebound character from those literary fortunes and hid only the most pure Haoran righteous qi inside that wooden dragon paperweight, waiting for the day when Zhao Yao's withered heart would find spring again. But aren't you afraid that Zhao Yao might end up working for another literary lineage, or even the Daoist path?"

Qi Jingchun replied, "It doesn't matter. As long as this student of mine can live well, that's enough. Whether he inherits my literary lineage or not, compared to Zhao Yao being able to study and seek the Way in peace for his whole life, it is actually not that important."

He sighed with emotion, "Qi Jingchun, it's a pity you're gone."

Qi Jingchun had only smiled and said nothing at the time.

At this very moment, this Central Earth scholar, who had once split the Yellow River Cave Heaven with one sword stroke, felt that he had lost another kindred spirit in life.

---

On Cloudy Sunset Mountain on Precious Bottle Continent.

Cai Jinjian, who had taken over a peak mansion for herself, sat alone on a meditation cushion that day. After opening her eyes, she rose and walked to the observation platform with a wide view.

This immortal child, who had been advancing rapidly on her cultivation path and had become increasingly cold as a result, seemed to recall something and a smile appeared on her face.

Back then, when a certain scholar she most admired and respected had handed her the first scroll of the River of Time, he had done something that Cai Jinjian felt turned the world upside down.

That Mr. Qi, whom she considered to have boundless knowledge and flawless virtue, actually consulted her like a student asking a teacher, sincerely asking, "If I send this scroll to the Sword Qi Great Wall, would it be gilding the lily and spoil the effect?"

Cai Jinjian still vividly remembered the feeling at that moment—it was like a Nascent Soul cultivator undergoing tribulation, struck by five thunders from the heavens.

After seeing her stupefied expression, Mr. Qi smiled and said, "When it comes to matters between men and women, I am truly seven orifices open, six closed—completely ignorant."

Cai Jinjian forced herself to keep a straight face, holding it in tightly.

Qi Jingchun said helplessly, "If you want to laugh, go ahead."

In the end, Cai Jinjian didn't laugh. Deep down, she actually felt a little sad. She stared dazedly at Mr. Qi. When she came back to her senses, Cai Jinjian gave her answer: "If she doesn't like him already, doing these things might not help. Whether it's gilding the lily or not, it doesn't matter. If she already likes him a little, seeing these might make her like him more."

At that time, after hearing Cai Jinjian's words, Mr. Qi seemed to have a weight lifted from his shoulders and smiled at once.

The way Mr. Qi smiled at that moment made Cai Jinjian feel that no matter how profound this man's knowledge was, he was still in the mortal world.

Cai Jinjian leaned on the railing, squinting with a smile. Though her eyes were staring into the distance, the spectacular view beyond the observation platform was not really in her sight.

Secretly liking a man like this, even knowing full well that he would not like her back, Cai Jinjian still felt it was the most beautiful thing in the world.

On the path of cultivation, no matter how many hundreds or thousands of years passed, she was willing to think of him in quiet, lonely moments when no one else was around.

---

In the central part of Precious Bottle Continent, at a celestial ferry station bordering the southern frontier of the Vermilion Flame Dynasty.

Liu Qingshan had bought a large jug of wine and sat by the river, gulping down one big mouthful after another.

Liu Boqi knew this day would come sooner or later, but she hadn't expected it to arrive sooner than she'd imagined.

First, there was a conflict with a Qi refiner—a minor matter. Then came an even worse news: about that farce in the Green Luan Kingdom.

She snatched the wine jug from Liu Qingshan's hand and said in a deep voice, "I've barely read any books and can't spout great truths. You're a scholar, so you may not listen to me. But no matter what, I need you to know one thing!"

Liu Boqi, the female Daoist of the Master Knife Hall, held the wine jug in one hand and pressed the other hand on the waist-saber at her side. Her expression was sharp and penetrating. "There are plenty of people in this world who are both stupid and vicious. It has nothing to do with how many books they've read. When they encounter even a tiny bit of good in people or things, they gnash their teeth with hatred. They either want to possess it or destroy it. In the future, if you meet such people and want to reason with them, go ahead. But if reasoning doesn't work in the end, I'll take over."

Liu Qingshan just kept shaking his head, shaking it hard. "I understand all that. I only want to know why Eldest Brother had to do that. The principle of being a son—I want to tell it to my most respected elder brother. What can I do? I know I'm inferior to him in every way. I just want to go home and tell him that. Can I?"

Liu Boqi shook her head for the first time in her life. She had always gone along with Liu Qingshan, but on this matter alone, she refused to indulge him. "Don't go and tell him that. You'll just have to endure it."

Liu Qingshan murmured, "Why?"

Liu Boqi said, "I don't know the cause or the reason behind this matter. And I won't make up random things just to console you. But I do know that your elder brother is suffering even more than you right now. If you think rubbing salt in his wounds will make you feel better, then go ahead. I won't stop you. But I will think less of you. I'll think that Liu Qingshan is nothing but a spineless piece of trash, with a heart smaller than that of a woman!"

Liu Qingshan stared at her blankly.

Liu Boqi felt a bit uneasy and asked bluntly, "Was I too harsh?"

Liu Qingshan stared at her for a long moment, then suddenly burst out laughing. Tears and snot ran down his face. He wiped them roughly. "Not at all."

Liu Boqi then handed the wine jug back to Liu Qingshan. "You can drink now."

Liu Qingshan didn't stand on ceremony. He took the jug and gulped down the wine.

He drank until he was on all fours, vomiting by the river.

Liu Boqi gently patted his back. "If you want to drink more, I'll buy you more."

Liu Qingshan shook his head weakly.

In the end, under the gaze of many onlookers, Liu Boqi carried Liu Qingshan on her back and walked down the main street.

---

On a road outside a county town in the Green Luan Kingdom, after a heavy rain, the ground was muddy and puddled with water.

A carriage whose driver was an old clerk from the county office slowed down, then after a moment, quickened the horses' hooves toward the county town.

Wang Yifu, who was sitting in the carriage with County Magistrate Liu, glanced at the dozing Liu Qingfeng.

Wang Yifu was one of two men secretly dispatched by National Teacher Cui Chan to infiltrate the Green Luan Kingdom. Nominally a county defender, he actually served as a martial secretary by Liu Qingfeng's side to prevent assassination attempts.

This showed just how highly Cui Chan valued this minor county magistrate from a small nation.

Wang Yifu knew that on the road behind the carriage, a few women and children were trudging along.

Wang Yifu also closed his eyes.

This former general of the ruined Lu Dynasty was beginning to look forward to seeing how high this civil official from the Green Luan Kingdom would rise in the Dali court.

---

On the northern border of the Vermilion Flame Dynasty.

Chaos was rampant.

On a mountain path, several registered immortal masters from minor sects, concealing their identities and posing as wild cultivators, had long since targeted an official's family convoy fleeing south.

Ma Kuxuan happened to encounter them. One Qi refiner was dragging a woman in fine clothes by her hair, pulling her out of the carriage, saying he wanted to taste the flavor of a prefect's wife.

Ma Kuxuan initially didn't want to get involved and continued on his way. But when one Qi refiner blocked him, Ma Kuxuan beat half of them to death with two punches. The last one fled in panic, and Ma Kuxuan ignored him.

The Qi refiner who was half-dead had his chest stomped on by Ma Kuxuan. Ma Kuxuan smiled. "Is this how you're supposed to be a villain? If you're going to be a villain, you should at least have some discernment. Do I have to teach you that too?"

Ma Kuxuan stomped straight through the man's chest.

He continued on his way.

Unexpectedly, one of the woman's relatives—a youth who felt deeply humiliated by the whole incident—angrily demanded why Ma Kuxuan hadn't killed the last fleeing man. Wasn't that just raising a tiger to court disaster?

Ma Kuxuan punched the youth to death on the spot. Then he walked through the hushed convoy, leaving only one remark. "A fool being foolish deserves death more than a villain being vicious."

After he was far away, a military scholar from the True Martial Mountain appeared, frowning. "That ignorant youth didn't deserve to die."

Ma Kuxuan laughed. "If I hadn't stepped in, everyone there would have died. Shouldn't they be thanking me for my rare act of chivalry?"

The woman wailed over her son's corpse, filled with hatred and fear for that insane young man who had so casually taken a life.

---

The immortal sect closest to the Dali capital, the Spring Longevity Palace.

Security was extremely tight.

Prince Song He and his mother stood on the mountain peak. He smiled and asked, "Is my imperial uncle going to usurp the throne?"

Soon after, Song He shook his head on his own. "But does he need to go to that much trouble? Couldn't he just stage an assassination? Death squads from Great Sui, remnants from the Lu Dynasty—aren't they all options? Mother, I think at this point, not just the Dali border troops, but even in the court, quite a few people are urging my imperial uncle to ascend the throne, aren't they? Those who side with me and Mother are mostly civil officials, and they don't carry much weight."

That Dali noblewoman, who had lost all her power, smiled faintly. "He'er, don't underestimate your imperial uncle. His ambitions are vast; he doesn't covet a mere dragon throne."

Song He didn't quite believe it.

Whether he coveted it or not was one thing. In a secular dynasty, who would find a dragon throne uncomfortable to sit on?

The woman consoled him. "In Dali, the people's will can be used."

Song He turned his head. "The people's will, Mother? Haven't you always said they are nothing but ignorant, foolish ants?"

The woman covered her mouth with a delicate laugh. "Such words are fine between mother and son in private. But in other settings, remember: even if you know a truth, don't speak it openly. In the future, when you become a supreme ruler over an entire continent, you too must learn to play the fool. With your brilliant imperial uncle, and with the entire court and bureaucracy."

Song He asked, "And with those on the mountains?"

The woman actually hesitated.

Song He said, "I've always been puzzled: why did Father keep butting heads with those immortals? If I were a Qi refiner, especially at a high realm, why would I let myself be tied down by a mortal monarch? If I ever become emperor in the future, and if I changed the established national policy, do you think more immortal sects would pledge allegiance to me, gathering around my dragon throne? Maybe then I could use that to gradually counterbalance the National Teacher and my imperial uncle?"

The petite but exquisitely charming palace-gowned woman sighed. "He'er, don't speak such foolishness again. Better not even think about it."

Song He said, "Oh, fine. I'll listen to Mother."

The woman smiled beautifully.

This was what she loved most about He'er: he was obedient and well-behaved, mother and son of one mind in everything.

As for that other one...

She deliberately forced herself not to think about him.

---

Longquan Sword Sect.

Ruan Xiu stood in her own courtyard, eating pastries bought from the Qilong Lane.

In the courtyard, the chicks had grown into hens, and had hatched another brood. Both the old hens and the chicks were increasing.

That mongrel dog, which had become enlightened, showed signs of wanting to become king of the mountain. It ran wild all over the western mountains, but having been punished before, it didn't dare go too far. When it saw people in the town, it would obediently tuck its tail between its legs.

Ruan Xiu finished the pastries, put away her embroidered handkerchief, and clapped her hands.

She soared into the air.

She arrived at the cliff face where someone had carved the four characters "Heaven Opens Divine Beauty." From the top of the cliff, she walked downward.

She reached the bottom of the cliff, then turned around and walked back up.

---

One day, Chen Ping'an took Li Baoping and Pei Qian to roam the Great Sui capital.

Cui Dongshan stood in his own study, glancing at the casually piled immortal scrolls, then at the few books Chen Ping'an had borrowed from the academy's library.

On the desk were also Chen Ping'an's carving knife and some bamboo slips, which he had used to transcribe passages from the books. They hadn't been put away.

Cui Dongshan felt somewhat pleased.

Li Baoping, Pei Qian, and Li Huai treated this place as their own territory.

And wasn't Chen Ping'an showing signs of doing the same?

But today, Cui Dongshan felt a bit out of sorts. For no particular reason, which made him even more frustrated.

Everything he could do, he had done, both openly and in secret.

But it still seemed very difficult.

So he left the study and sat cross-legged in the green bamboo corridor. Pressing his palm to the floor, he smiled. "Little fellow, come out."

With a sudden flick of his sleeve, Cui Dongshan pulled out a small creature. It was dizzy and wobbling unsteadily.

The little lotus humanoid, upon realizing it was Cui Dongshan, tried to escape back underground.

But no matter how it jumped, it couldn't manage it. So it tried to run out of the corridor and see if it could leave that way.

But it seemed to hit a wall and tumbled back into the corridor.

Cui Dongshan laughed heartily. "Little idiot."

The lotus humanoid sat on the ground, its head drooping.

Cui Dongshan looked at it.

And thought of himself.

When he had been a student, accompanying a poor old scholar in a slum that had yet to see better days. Though not exactly a man of great cultivation at the time, he had already been a Qi refiner. If it hadn't been for all those cumbersome rules the old scholar had set from the start, would the master and disciple have been reduced to such a miserable state? Unable even to fill their stomachs? Then one day, he had wanted to go earn some money. He didn't care whether he would be expelled from the sect as per the agreement. A living man couldn't let himself be choked to death by piss. But when he returned with a big bag of silver, the old scholar had worn a blank expression and said only two things. First, from now on, they were no longer master and disciple. Second, he hoped that no matter where the silver had come from, it should be returned to where it came from, because this silver was his disciple's ill-gotten gains. But after that, whether he, Cui Chan, wanted to cheat and swindle or rob and plunder, the old scholar—who couldn't even manage to teach his first disciple right—had no power to interfere and wouldn't have the ability anyway.

At that time, the young Cui Chan, like this lotus humanoid now, had sulked silently, head bowed.

Perhaps their mindsets had been very different, but their pitiful appearances were exactly the same.

Cui Dongshan remembered that young Cui Chan hadn't cried or made a fuss, begging the old scholar not to drive him away. He had also said only two things: He could return the silver, but he hoped to keep one or two ingots. He already owed half a year's tuition for his studies; that would settle the debt. The second thing was that the young Cui Chan told the old scholar to use that little bit of silver to buy some decent writing brushes. Those bald brush handles that he couldn't bear to throw away—even if there was some learning in his belly, how could he write an essay?

That day, the old scholar told Cui Chan to wait inside the bare, empty house.

The old scholar went outside, sighed secretly in the alley, then shamelessly borrowed some money from a neighbor. He was cursed out by a shrewish woman who had always looked down on his poverty. She made a whole barrel of snide, outrageous remarks. The old scholar didn't argue back; he just smiled apologetically. He spent all the money to buy half a roast chicken wrapped in oil paper, then swaggered back into the house, not mentioning the matter of driving Cui Chan away again. He just called Cui Chan to sit down and eat the chicken.

The two sat opposite each other at the rickety table. After Cui Chan had eaten for a while, he asked the old scholar why he wasn't eating.

The old scholar said his teeth had been hurting lately and he couldn't eat anything greasy.

The young Cui Chan continued eating with his head down and asked whether, after borrowing the money, he had bought the brushes.

The old scholar patted his belly and said it was all in here; it wasn't going anywhere. What did it matter if he wrote later? He could write even more essays in one sitting.

The young Cui Chan knew very well that the shabby old scholar, who was making such bold declarations, was only covering up the rumbling of his empty stomach.

Finally, the old scholar said softly, "Xiao Chan, this half roast chicken—whether for me or for you—can only be bought with money. But these somewhat out-of-step learnings in my belly—you can take as many as you like. They don't cost money, though of course they might not be worth much either. As long as we, as scholars, don't starve to death for even a day, we should still speak of principles for one more day."

In truth, that day was the first time Cui Chan had left the lineage of the Literary Sage, though it was only for less than an hour.

But later, his junior apprentice brothers Zuo You and Qi Jingchun, and all the disciples and nominal disciples of the Literary Sage, never knew about this.

Cui Chan never spoke of it, and the old scholar never mentioned it either.

---

Today, Cui Dongshan tapped the lotus humanoid's head with his finger and said with a smile, "Let me tell you something serious. It's about my master. Do you want to hear it?"

The little creature hesitated for a long time, then nodded.

Cui Dongshan slowly said, "My master has a mountain called Fallen Mountain. There's a pond there with a golden lotus seed. There's a very good chance it is your path to enlightenment—for instance, becoming the first spirit creature to break through the Nascent Soul bottleneck and ascend to the upper five realms on Precious Bottle Continent. When that happens, Fallen Mountain will also greatly benefit. Through you, it can solidify and attract large amounts of spiritual energy and opportunities. In cultivation, certain barriers are first-come, first-served. If you're late, you might not even have a chance to squat in the outhouse."

The lotus humanoid blinked, then raised its arm and clenched its fist, as if to encourage itself.

But Cui Dongshan shook his head. "However, I need to ask one thing of you. Someday in the future, when our master is not by your side, if someone speaks to you of these things, and you feel particularly worthless, and you think you should do something for our master..."

Cui Dongshan said with a serious tone, "Don't do it!"

The lotus humanoid became even more confused.

Cui Dongshan pointed to his own heart, then pointed at the little creature, and smiled. "You are the paradise within my master's heart."

The little creature tilted its head, indicating it didn't understand.

Cui Dongshan looked up at the heights. "In you, he sees the most beautiful sight of this world that he has in his mind... well, at least one of them. How should I put it? You are like the flower that has bloomed from the suffering my master endured in his youth. When he sees you, he feels at ease. He realizes that he is not alone in this world. There are other fools like him, exactly the same. And his luck was so good that the two of you met. And one day, if my master changes because of this complicated world and all kinds of helplessness, then at that time, if you haven't changed, he can still feel a little more at ease, change a little less, a little more slowly."

Cui Dongshan withdrew his gaze. "But if you do as I say, you will lose a tremendous opportunity."

The lotus humanoid shook its head vigorously.

As if to say it didn't matter.

Cui Dongshan beamed, leaned forward, and extended his pinky finger. "Then let's pinky swear."

The lotus humanoid, having only one arm, raised that arm and hooked his pinky with Cui Dongshan's. The difference in size between their fingers was amusing.

Cui Dongshan kept his back bent and smiled. "Hanging oneself, a hundred years unchanged. Hmm, if possible, a thousand years, ten thousand years unchanged."

The little creature nodded emphatically.

Cui Dongshan suddenly put on a fierce expression. "If you ever go back on your word, I'll beat you to death, put you on a chopping board, and go crack, crack, chop you into eight pieces, then make soup with you—add some green onions and garlic, sprinkle in some salt and oil..."

Mid-sentence, Cui Dongshan himself was amused and made a funny face. Not satisfied, he reached out both hands, pulled his mouth wide, pushed up his nose, and made an even sillier face.

The lotus humanoid giggled, lying on the ground, waving its arms and legs.

Cui Dongshan laughed heartily as well.

In the long years that followed, there was always this little spirit creature on Fallen Mountain.

Carefree, innocent, untouched by worldly taint.

No matter how high Chen Ping'an's future achievements would become, every time he returned home from a long journey, he would spend time alone with the little creature, simple and quiet, speaking from the heart.

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