Chapter 444: All Worldly Affairs Are Like Mustard Seeds

Chapter 444: All Worldly Affairs Are Like Mustard Seeds

Outside Sui Mountain.
A quietly arrived Grand Sacrificial Minister from the Confucian Academy still patiently awaited a reply.
Even that golden-armored deity felt somewhat sympathetic.
A scholar who had a hope of becoming a Vice Leader of the Confucian Temple had been left waiting by an old scholar who had even smashed his own statue, for over half a month now. If this got out, merely the spittle of the scholars in the Haoran World would probably be enough to drown Sui Mountain.

At the summit of Sui Mountain.
The old scholar still paid no attention to the commotion from the Confucian Temple side. Every day he stayed at the mountaintop, deducing situations, grumbling, admiring inscriptions, pointing at the landscape, wandering back and forth. As the Sui Mountain god put it, the old scholar was like an old fly that couldn't find any dung to eat. The old scholar was not angry at all; instead, he slapped the mountain deity's golden armor and said cheerfully, "That's a powerful statement. When I see the old man later, I'll tell him this is your final verdict on those enshrined worthies of the Confucian Temple."

The Sui Mountain god's face was cold. "If you dare say that, don't ever come to Sui Mountain again."

The old scholar quickly spat into his palm and helped wipe the golden armor on the deity. "Can't you tell a joke? No sense of humor at all."

This golden-armored deity, widely acknowledged as the most ill-tempered in the Central Earth Divine Continent, stood motionless, both hands resting on his sword, gazing at the borders beyond Sui Mountain's jurisdiction. He had grown accustomed to the old scholar's antics. This showed just how much hardship the old scholar had caused him over the years—so much torment that he had become numb.

The old scholar scratched the back of his head, standing beside the golden-armored deity. "As a teacher, you never know which word you said, which principle you taught, or which thing you did will truly be remembered by your students for a lifetime. If a scholar truly believes he is 'imparting knowledge and resolving doubts for the people of the world,' his heart will actually be very fearful. For so many years, I have been in this immense fear, unable to extricate myself. In the end, I became disheartened because I discovered that among my disciples, there were always flaws of one kind or another, most likely caused by me."

The golden-armored deity sneered. "So it's not just fools who trouble themselves."

The old scholar jumped up and cursed, "I warn you, don't think just because we're close, you can learn from those fake scholars and speak with innuendo. Don't you know I hate that the most? I've tolerated your bad temper for hundreds of years. If you don't change it, I'll really not leave this place. I'll stay here and disgust you every day."

The golden-armored deity chuckled. "I'm terrified."

The old scholar muttered, "A scholar meets a soldier—reason can't get through."

The golden-armored deity asked, "According to your deductions, Cui Chan has been thrashing around in Bottle Gourd Continent, east one moment and west the next, and finally scheming against that child. Besides wanting to pull Cui Dongshan back to his side, is there a bigger conspiracy?"

The old scholar said with a grin, "I, a top smart guy who knows heaven, earth, and everything, naturally know Cui Chan's true pursuit. But I won't tell."

The golden-armored deity nodded. "Then I beg you not to tell."

The old scholar sighed. He lightly tugged a hair from his head and handed it to the Sui Mountain god beside him.

The golden-armored deity frowned. "What for?"

The old scholar said sternly, "A blockhead like you who's so bad at learning—take this hair and go hang yourself."

The golden-armored deity smiled. "You want to find a way to save face. If you anger me, I'll just slash you out of Sui Mountain's territory so you can go see that Grand Sacrificial Minister. Sorry, no such luck."

The old scholar clicked his tongue. "You're not stupid after all."

The golden-armored deity's expression behind the mask suddenly turned serious. "Are the major events you deduced still chaotic and unclear?"

The old scholar's smile faded. "Very troublesome. That ancient pass, even if I personally go, it will help, but it's extremely slow. Far water cannot quench near fire. So that Grand Sacrificial Minister from the Academy waiting at Sui Mountain's border—I feel too embarrassed to see him. The biggest trouble is that this time the Desolate Barbarian World is serious. They've produced several great geniuses who seem born for the time. The contest at the Sword Qi Great Wall back then was just a small test for those young fellows, yet it was already an extraordinary masterpiece. That's why I have to go to the Bodhi Continent to find that pedantic fellow and remind him not to die carelessly, and then get cursed for a thousand years."

The golden-armored deity was about to speak.

The old scholar shook his head. "Heaven's secrets cannot be leaked. The Yin-Yang school of the Central Earth Lu clan, I no longer trust them. I'm just short of reversing all their deductions."

The golden-armored deity said, "On Bai Ze's side, the Grand Sacrificial Minister of the Rites Academy hit a snag. On the overseas islands, the Grand Sacrificial Minister of the Lesser Sage lineage had it worse—I heard he didn't even get to see the person. And now this last one also got the cold shoulder. Three Grand Sacrificial Ministers from three academies, all so unlucky. What, has your Confucianism sunk to this level? Former allies and your own people have all chosen to stand by and watch the mountains and rivers collapse?"

The old scholar sighed and tugged at his beard. "Who knows what the old man and Sage of Rites are thinking."

The golden-armored deity mocked. "Aren't you supposed to be the smart one?"

The old scholar shook his head seriously. "Truly great matters never rely on cleverness. They rely on... foolishness."

The golden-armored deity said irritably, "With just such a pointless remark, you've claimed all right and wrong and reason in the world."

The old scholar shook his head again. "Wrong. That's not an ambiguous nonsense. You don't understand, not because you're not smart, but because you're not in the human world. You stand only on the mountaintop. Do the joys and sorrows and partings of the world concern you? A little, but they can be completely ignored. This makes it hard for you to truly put yourself in the shoes of others and think about small matters. But you need to know, there are so many people in the world. The accumulation of small matters from each person—pile them up, and a hundred Sui Mountains stacked together wouldn't be as high. Ask yourself, if in the end, when the storm suddenly comes, we discover that the house painstakingly built by generations of Confucian sages for the people of the world, to shelter them from wind and rain, looks big and sturdy, but is actually a castle in the air, ready to collapse at any moment—what will the common people living inside do? Stepping back, our Confucian literary vein is resilient. It can be broken and then rebuilt into a new, larger, sturdier hut. But what about the countless common people crushed by the collapsing house, the countless displaced, the countless sufferings of life? How do we account for that? Rely on Buddhist teachings to calm ourselves? I can't do that, anyway."

The golden-armored deity shook his head. "Don't ask me."

The old scholar stomped his foot and looked into the distance. "Every scholar who reaches a high position should seriously consider what conscience is."

He murmured, "When granaries are full, people know propriety. Such a good saying—why don't you all listen? Are you going to let the Dao Ancestor mock our Confucianism for another ten thousand years, year after year?"

The golden-armored deity had been present during those two Three-Teachings Debates. Regarding the old scholar's words, they had actually been part of a startling argument. Even though he was considered a friend of the old scholar, he had thought it impossible to win. Yet in the end, the old scholar had convinced both the Buddhist heir and the Daoist heir from the other two teachings. In that debate encompassing all things, there had been another argument about "when the great Way is abandoned, there is benevolence and righteousness." A certain Daoist heir from the Jade Capital had debated this with the old scholar. It was extremely perilous. In the end, the old scholar not only won against that brilliant Daoist heir but also managed to convince the Buddhist heir who was watching from the side.

After winning, in the Haoran World, all Daoist sects and their collected books had to personally strike out by red pen one sentence written by the Dao Ancestor! And from then on, any Daoist scriptures printed in the Haoran World had to delete that sentence and its related chapters.

That sentence was: "When the Way is lost, then virtue; when virtue is lost, then benevolence; when benevolence is lost, then righteousness; when righteousness is lost, then propriety. Propriety is the thinness of loyalty and faith, and the beginning of chaos."

The disputes among the three teachings were not just three geniuses sitting on high platforms moving their lips. Their impact on the entire human world across the three realms was immeasurably profound and closely interconnected.

The golden-armored deity sensed the old scholar's rare dejection and felt a touch of sympathy. He brought up a relatively light topic. "Does Qi Jingchun really have no backup plan? Chen Ping'an is the secluded disciple he helped you choose."

The old scholar shook his head. "Intervening to help Little Ping'an break this situation would be a low move. Qi Jingchun wouldn't do that. It would mean losing to Cui Chan from the start."

The golden-armored deity shook his head helplessly. "The human heart is so entangled—that's why you have cultivation. Why does Qi Jingchun seek more trouble for himself?"

The old scholar suddenly smiled. He shook his sleeves and stood with hands behind his back. "That's why you deities will never understand why the human world, though so muddy and messy, is still so magnificent. As long as people look up, they can see it. Perhaps most people just glance and then lower their heads to continue their work. But eventually, a few will be enchanted, sit and discuss the Way, and then rise up and act!"

The old scholar abruptly raised his arm, pointing high at the sky. "I survey the human world; I treat the human world with kindness!"

A moment of silence.

The golden-armored deity said, "That 'old man' you speak of probably can't hear your heroic words."

The old scholar stamped his foot in chagrin. "What a waste of my passionate and stirring emotions!"

---

In the Fan family's high tower in Pondcity, people had already left the building empty.

This tallest pavilion in Pondcity had once been the Fan family's proud observation tower. When guests visited, this was the first choice. But now the Fan family had not only cordoned off the tower, forbidding anyone to set foot inside, but had also closed their doors to guests. The gate was deserted, and the street outside no longer bustled with carriages and horses.

Fan Yan was standing at the foot of the tower today. As the true master of the Fan family, if it were before, since he himself had issued the ban, he could certainly disregard the rules and ascend his own tower to enjoy the lake view—what of it? But Fan Yan did not dare.

This man, the "foolish young master" of Pondcity who had deceived almost everyone in the Book Bamboo Lake, still hadn't recovered. It was as if someone had scratched his spiritual mirror into a mess with a knife. Now, whenever he thought of that knife, especially the person holding it, his heart ached violently. Just thinking about that person and that knife gave Fan Yan a splitting headache.

On the day Cui Dongshan left Pondcity.

At that time, the Book Bamboo Lake had not yet seen its first snow of winter. But Fan Yan had encountered a great snowstorm in his life that nearly froze him to death. Even now, Fan Yan felt a bone-chilling cold.

That day, Cui Dongshan summoned Fan Yan.

Before that, Fan Yan had received dozens of resounding slaps in the face from his parents on the top floor. After leaving, in the Fan family's secret chamber, he made his biological parents slap each other in front of him. They slapped until their mouths bled and their faces were bruised and swollen, but they dared not complain at all.

Then, a few days later, Fan Yan went to "pay homage" to that white-clothed youth.

They stood by the railing, enjoying the view together.

Cui Dongshan hopped up and sat on the railing, and began to speak "words from the heart" that made Fan Yan's heart pound with fear. But Fan Yan dared not tell him to shut up, so he just listened.

Cui Dongshan said, "Ignorance is a very comfortable, very happy state. When a person climbs a bit higher and becomes self-satisfied, it's even more wonderful. Because you don't understand the causes of fortune or misfortune; you just endure them. If you get through it, you're still a good man. If you don't, you curse the heavens. I'm not saying this is wrong. Sometimes I even envy these two states."

"I once traveled far and wide with my first teacher. Once, we visited a street-side bookshop and encountered three young scholars. One came from a noble family, one from a poor background, and although the third was plainly dressed, he seemed rather refined and elegant. The three were all candidates for the provincial imperial examinations. At the time, a beautiful young woman was there looking for books."

"The wealthy scholar, wanting to catch the pretty woman's attention, picked up a book at random and began to talk nonsense. The poor scholar, timid and deferential, truly admired him—after all, a poor scholar before making his fortune wouldn't have seen many books."

"The bookshop owner was a down-and-out literatus. He endured it for a long time, but finally couldn't listen anymore. He made a few fairly reasonable comments."

"As a result, the wealthy scholar pointed at his nose and said, 'I come from a prestigious family with a profound scholarly heritage. I have been taught by illustrious teachers since childhood. I have read through all the hundred schools of thought. Do I need you to teach me the principles of being a proper person? What do you think you are?'"

"My shabby teacher played the peacemaker. He couldn't help it; his whole life, he loved to muddle through small matters, always feeling that everyone wasn't entirely wrong, and even if they were, they could change. So he told the shop owner not to be angry—there are many principles, and everyone has them. Then he gently pressed down the scholar's finger and said, 'Speaking to people like this is inappropriate. Even if you are right, people will think you are wrong.'"

"That scholar also had a hot temper. He slapped my teacher's hand away and cursed, 'Old man, go cool off somewhere else.'"

"Of course, my teacher didn't get angry. Then the young man who seemed the most refined, appearing gentle and polite, smiled and said three fair-sounding words. 'First: This is a bookshop selling books, and we are scholars buying books. Be careful, or you might not get the books you want and even get thrown out.' Fan Yan, do you know the subtlety? You surely do. The subtlety lies in confusing the order. Instead of first talking about adapting to local customs, it immediately assumes a premise: the shop belongs to the owner. If the guest is thrown out, it is 'reasonable.' Is it really reasonable? Any ordinary person wouldn't think so. So according to this line of reasoning that avoids right and wrong, once you trace back, the owner instantly becomes the unreasonable one. Isn't that a bit interesting? If someone didn't know the cause and only heard that sentence, or only saw the owner throwing someone out, would they bother to distinguish right from wrong? Probably not. Life is busy; who wants to investigate? Just watch the fun. So when I heard that sentence, I thought it was amusing. I thought this guy was quite clever."

"Second: 'Old sir, you probably have your eye on a book you want to buy. Don't take the shop owner's side just because of that. If so, you would be disgracing your scholarly dignity. I see you are also a scholar—why do you lack integrity? Why do you fawn over a bookseller like this?' Isn't that even more thought-provoking? If an outsider in the shop speaks for the owner, he is a flatterer. Some onlookers who don't want to get involved might not agree with this reasoning, but won't they all feel a bit uneasy?"

"Third: 'Shopkeeper, if you really had such profound learning, why would you be here selling books to make a living? Shouldn't you be holding a high position in the court or writing books that are passed down through the ages?' How about that? It cuts to the bone, doesn't it? Here, two premises are presupposed again. One: principles in the world need status and reputation to support them. You, a bookseller, have no right to speak the sages' principles. Two: only those who achieve fame and success possess principles. Principles exist only in the sacred books of the sages and in the corridors of power. In the bustling markets and bookshops filled with the fragrance of ink, there are no principles at all."

"What happened next, you ask? My teacher slapped him. He started cursing that cleverest scholar. That was the first time in all my years as his student that I saw my teacher, who was always such a good-natured person, not only angry but also cursing and hitting. The old scholar yelled at that poor fellow, 'From your parents, to your schoolteachers, to every sacred book of the sages—there must have been at least one or two good principles taught to you. But you, you bastard, you've smeared chicken shit in your eyes and stuffed dog feces down your throat!'"

"This stunned that fellow. What happened next, you ask? The one who was beaten lost all his courage, with only a deep hatred in his eyes and malicious schemes in his heart. But the wealthy scholar and the dull scholar both rolled up their sleeves, ready to beat my teacher. What could my teacher do? He ran. What could I do? I ran with him."

"We ran a long way before stopping. My teacher turned to see that they weren't chasing us. First, he laughed heartily, then the laughter faded. That was the first time I saw my teacher look so disappointed about something."

"On the way out, my teacher was silent for a long time. Finally, he found a tavern by the roadside, ordered a pound of wine, and drank happily while speaking gloomy words. He said, 'The debates of learning among scholars, the ordinary quarrels in the markets, the arguments over principles between people—the attitude towards reasoning matters most. If the attitude is good, that's best. If it's bad, and they can't hear a word you say, that's not a big deal either. Matters in the world always become clearer through debate. Even if it just ends up with red faces from shouting, it's not a bad thing. So in that bookshop, that young man with the bad temper—what was his fault? Even if he and the shopkeeper were talking at cross purposes, at least each was speaking their true mind. I, as a teacher, listening to them speak their own principles, no matter their intentions or natures, was still happy. But that last fellow who spoke—his mouth was the most venomous, his heart the most evil!'"

"My teacher, who rarely made final judgments on anyone's character, slammed the table and said, 'That fellow has a problem with his character! A man like that, wearing the cloak of a Confucian blue robe, only seeks personal gain. The more he reads, the more harmful he becomes. As soon as something happens, he likes to hide in the shadows, sneakily, with innuendo, saying disgusting things. He calculates everything, weighs pros and cons. Either he lacks the guts, or when he plucks up the courage, he's usually sure of himself. So when it comes to doing real evil, he can profit more than anyone else. If such a person keeps climbing higher, year after year of subtle influence, without him even having to say anything, it will affect his family, his children, his entire clan, his classmates and colleagues, the atmosphere of the officialdom he's in, the local customs of his jurisdiction, and even the literary fortune of a country. All could be ruined.'"

"As long as people are still willing to speak and listen to reason, big or small, good or bad, they can be taught and saved. If they really can't be, then those who have become virtuous gentlemen—especially those of us who have been lucky enough to enjoy the offerings of cold pig heads—should do more, work harder, and help mend this world a little."

"If the world were full of the third type of scholar who speaks with innuendo, then I think the old man was right to have been scolded so miserably by the Dao Ancestor back then. The old man deserved that scolding. Old man, you shouldn't have spoken those principles aloud, written them in books, and taught them to the world!"

"Blame our Confucianism itself—too many principles, talking to ourselves. The principle in this book is denied by that book, and the principle in that book is deemed worthless by another. It leaves the common people at a loss. That's why I have always advocated one thing: when arguing with others, never think you have all the right. If the other side speaks well, even in disputes among the three teachings, I listen carefully to the paths of the Buddhist heirs and Daoist heirs. When I hear something that resonates, I laugh. Why? Because I heard such a good principle. Shouldn't I be happy? Is it shameful? No!"

"Principles that are too lofty will make the common people mistakenly believe that only scholars can speak of principles. But principles are not only found in books. Even a child of a few years can speak very good principles. Even a village bumpkin who has never read a book is still practicing the best principles. Even a bookshop owner who never passed the imperial exams might speak a wrong principle at this moment, but at another time, he might say something that makes the old man and the Sage of Rites smile knowingly if they overhear it."

When Cui Dongshan said this, his expression was as calm as the clouds.

Upon hearing this, Fan Yan had only one thought: he was dead.

After confirming that Cui Dongshan was no longer going to talk about that "old story," Fan Yan thudded to his knees and said not a word.

Cui Dongshan turned his head. The white-clothed youth with a mole between his eyebrows was truly elegant and carefree.

He laughed. "In your Book Bamboo Lake, don't you all like to do whatever you want as long as you feel good? As long as you have a reason that convinces yourself, and your conscience is clear, and you have a hard enough fist, then you can kill whoever you want? What's so difficult about that? Being a good person is hard in this world, but being a bad person? Even a child in open-crotch pants can do it. The slightly harder part is just being a bad person with enough brains. So let me ask you, you're about to be killed by me, who wants to learn the 'fun' way of Book Bamboo Lake and crush you like an ant—are you enjoying yourself now?"

Fan Yan prostrated himself on the ground and said in a trembling voice, "I beg the State Preceptor to use a secret immortal technique to erase this memory of mine. And as long as the State Preceptor is willing to expend the effort, I am willing to give up half of the Fan family's wealth."

Cui Dongshan jumped down from the railing. "You really are quite clever. I almost can't bear to kill you. No matter how you look at it, having you, Fan Yan, keep an eye on things in Book Bamboo Lake is a good thing. Fan Yan, you should stop being a human from now on. Be a dog of Great Li, and you'll survive."

Fan Yan immediately began to kowtow. After banging his head on the ground, he looked up, tears of gratitude streaming down his face at the lofty "youth." This gratitude came from the very bottom of his heart; it seemed it could move the heavens.

Cui Dongshan crouched down and clicked his tongue. "Such a clever man, reduced to being a dog—how miserable."

He patted Fan Yan's cheek, once, twice, with considerable force. "Don't you think your luck is terrible, running into a like-minded person like me who just happens to have a slightly bigger fist?"

Fan Yan shook his head vigorously.

Cui Dongshan shrank back, withdrew his hand, and looked at the face that was the picture of fear and anxiety. "But now I suddenly feel that a dog, even if it will be very obedient in the future, is a bit of an eyesore. What should I do?"

Fan Yan was still confused.

Cui Dongshan had already pressed two fingers together and was aiming at the center of Fan Yan's forehead.

If that strike landed, Fan Yan would surely have his soul obliterated.

But in a flash of lightning and flint, someone appeared behind Cui Dongshan, bent down, grabbed him by the back of the collar, and pulled him backward. Cui Dongshan was dragged back, barely saving Fan Yan, whose forehead already had a shallow hole.

Held in the person's hand, Cui Dongshan still stared fixedly at Fan Yan. "Do you know, in this world, there are so many old scholars and Chen Ping'ans who have been wronged by you all?! Who will repay that in the future? The demons who breached the Sword Qi Great Wall?! Come on! Hurry up and invade! Teach all the fools in the Haoran World a lesson! Teach you all that there are no freebies that you take for granted. You bastards, you have to pay it back! You have to pay it back, do you hear?!"

The uninvited guest who stopped Cui Dongshan from killing was Cui Chan, who had returned to Book Bamboo Lake.

This elderly Confucian scholar in blue said calmly, "If you kill Fan Yan today, it will be very difficult for you to break into the Upper Five Realms. Also, don't say childish things. You're not young anymore. I don't mind if you act like a child to annoy me. But if you act stupid, I won't allow it, because you still have many things to do next."

Cui Dongshan struggled. Cui Chan released his hand, and Cui Dongshan sat down on the ground.

Cui Chan waved at Fan Yan. "Get out. From now on, weigh what you should say and do. Otherwise, if he can't kill you, I will."

Cui Dongshan leaned on the railing, staring blankly.

Cui Chan reached out a hand and gently pressed it on Cui Dongshan's head. "If you don't hold any hope for this world, you will never be disappointed. You will not hate evil people or villains, nor will you like good people or kind ones. And since you happen to be a scholar and don't deny it, and you understand the complexity of this world well enough, then once you've thought through the best and worst outcomes and the consequences you must bear, just go ahead and do it. So don't let Chen Ping'an become your exception. Once you confuse things, seeming sincere but actually only harming yourself and others."

Cui Dongshan said gruffly, "Take your dog paw away."

Cui Chan smiled. He put his hands behind his back and gazed at Book Bamboo Lake. "Judging people's good and evil is not easy. Even the old scholar dares not casually discuss it. In this respect, Buddhism does speak better. The old scholar admitted that himself, not in private, but at the Three-Teachings Debate. Remember? Several Confucian enshrined sages' faces turned black on the spot. The Buddhist heir and Daoist heir from the other side weren't scared to death, but our own people almost were. We heard it with our own ears, saw it with our own eyes. That's why the old scholar is the old scholar. I acknowledge your good principles, but you must also acknowledge mine! Whether you like it or not!"

"After winning the last Three-Teachings Debate, what did the old scholar do? The poor old pedant sat up straight, stretched out his hands, and said what? 'I invite the Dao Ancestor and the Buddha to take their seats.'"

"And then? Those two, who hadn't met in countless ages, really came. The Sage of Rites also came. The old scholar just pretended not to see them."

"What then?"

"So the 'old man' the old scholar talks about came. As soon as he arrived, he immediately isolated heaven and earth. What happened in the end? Soon after, the old scholar appeared before us stealthily, grimacing, head tilted, rubbing his ear?"

Cui Chan said no more after that. "Let's go. The outcome of Book Bamboo Lake is no longer something we need to watch. There is a matter I will tell you about later. When the time comes, I'll talk to you about a chessboard bigger than Book Bamboo Lake."

Cui Dongshan jumped onto the railing again and stretched out his hands, just like the posture the old scholar had made back then. But Cui Dongshan did not say the words "I invite the Dao Ancestor and the Buddha to take their seats."

He declared loudly, "The sky is high, the earth is vast, and principles are great."

"People are like mustard seeds, affairs are like hairs!"

Cui Chan smiled. "Three times won't do. I don't want to hear childish words a third time."

Cui Dongshan turned on his toes, his two big white sleeves flapping. He put his hands behind his back, then clenched his fists and bent forward, offering them to Cui Dongshan. "Guess, which one is principle, and which is..."

A loud bang.

Cui Dongshan was knocked into Book Bamboo Lake, raising huge waves.

After swimming ashore with a dog paddle, Cui Dongshan walked along a lakeside path, his two big sleeves flying as he went farther and farther away, leaving Book Bamboo Lake behind.

But Cui Chan did not leave the railing quickly.

He was reminiscing about people and events from bygone days.

---

In the twilight, the outline of Willow Palace Island was faintly visible. Unlike other islands covered in snow and ice, Willow Palace Island was lush with greenery, almost without a trace of snow.

This was not surprising. One of Liu Laocheng's natal treasures was the Goldfire Spirit Seal. Since fire and water were incompatible, Liu Laocheng probably didn't like snowy scenes, so he had used immortal magic to make Willow Palace Island stand out.

But the vast island was unimaginably lonely—Liu Laocheng lived there all by himself.

A small ferryboat, like a mustard seed, kept approaching the boundaries of Willow Palace Island.

A thousand zhang away, the "boatman," having traveled far, pulled his bamboo pole out of the water and said hoarsely, "Chen Ping'an seeks an audience with Island Master Liu."

After a moment, although Liu Laocheng did not respond with any words, Chen Ping'an felt the ferryboat under his feet move forward on its own and finally dock slowly at the Willow Palace Island pier.

Chen Ping'an tied up the ferryboat and began to ascend the island. The willows on the island were lush and green, even in the depths of winter, appearing as vibrant as midsummer.

Most of the buildings on Willow Palace Island had been abandoned and were crumbling. Previously, when this place was chosen as the venue for electing the Lake Ruler, Green Gorge Island had paid for the renovation of a few main halls on Willow Palace Island.

But then Liu Laocheng, for whatever reason, had attacked Green Gorge Island, making Green Gorge Island's "good intentions" a laughingstock for many wild cultivators. Liu Zhimao's good deed had truly been rewarded. As soon as Old Ancestor Liu returned to Book Bamboo Lake, the first thing he did was visit Green Gorge Island. He truly deserved the title of "River-Cutting Heavenly Lord," the new overlord of Book Bamboo Lake. What great face he had!

Just as Chen Ping'an was wondering where Liu Laocheng might be, that Jade Purity Realm wild cultivator appeared in his field of vision. Walking slowly but arriving in an instant, Liu Laocheng walked along a bumpy path on the "belt" road of Willow Palace Island. Chen Ping'an followed behind him.

Liu Laocheng said, "Considering you had the ability to stop me from killing at Green Gorge Island, I'll give you the chance to say three sentences. If I'm not satisfied, I'll send you away."

Chen Ping'an said slowly, "Two sentences will be enough."

Liu Laocheng, with his hands behind his back, did not turn around. He laughed. "That's perfect."

Chen Ping'an said, "Regarding Hongsu of the String Sound Manor, I have already persuaded Liu Zhimao to remove his unique restrictions. From now on, whether Hongsu is 'borrowed' by you, Island Master, to come to Willow Palace Island, or ends her days peacefully on Green Gorge Island without conflict, it is entirely up to you, Island Master."

Chen Ping'an paused for a moment, then quickened his pace to walk shoulder to shoulder with Liu Laocheng. He extended his hand, holding the jade plaque engraved with the words "I Nurture the Vast Qi." "This object, I dare not give it as a gift, nor is it appropriate for it to become your, Island Master, personal possession. So I want to lend it to you. On the day you, Island Master, break into the Immortal Realm, you can return it to me."

Liu Laocheng glanced at the jade plaque in Chen Ping'an's palm but did not stop walking. "Is that all?"

Chen Ping'an nodded and said nothing.

Liu Laocheng then turned his head and looked at Chen Ping'an. "Quite a bit of cleverness."

He smiled. "Go ahead and say it if you want. The first two sentences didn't convince me, but they were enough for you to finish walking this road."

Only then did Chen Ping'an speak. "To survive, 'fight' comes first. Afterwards, to live well, 'cleverness' paves the way."

Liu Laocheng hummed in acknowledgment. "About the same as what I thought back in the day."

He asked, "If you have to leave empty-handed, and I can answer one question for you, what would you ask? Why did I kill Gu Can? That shouldn't be—you, an accountant, wouldn't be that stupid. Why didn't I give any face to Tian Tan Yuanyi of Grain Island or the Great Li iron cavalry to the north? That's a more valuable question. You can ask it. Ask, and then don't come back here to try your luck again. Next time, I won't be this good-tempered."

Chen Ping'an asked, "Will Hongsu be beaten to death by you, Island Master, with your own hands?"

Liu Laocheng stopped walking.

Chen Ping'an stopped almost at the same time.

Liu Laocheng pointed at the Sword-Nurturing Gourd at Chen Ping'an's waist. "Asking such a damned question, don't you need a drink to bolster your courage?"

Chen Ping'an did indeed take down the Sword-Nurturing Gourd. "I'll make up for it now."

Liu Laocheng shook his head and continued his stroll. "Fine. Since I agreed to it, I might as well tell you straight. It's just an old barrier. Getting hurt is routine for wild cultivators. I've been beaten half to death more times than I can count on my hands. I don't mind revealing this scar. Hongsu's original name was Huang Han. She was my direct disciple, and later my Dao companion. 'Hongsu' was her childhood nickname. Liu Zhimao always likes to show off his petty cleverness, so he left her with that name, which wasn't really a name. Huang Han's aptitude wasn't good; she was the worst among my disciples. Later, I spent a huge amount of spirit money to forcibly raise her to the Golden Core tier. Her temperament was like her real name—not very feminine, straightforward. Her heart was completely different from other cultivators in Book Bamboo Lake. In the eyes of a ruthless old wild cultivator like me, her silly, naive innocence was enough to kill me..."

At this point, Liu Laocheng actually broke off a willow twig and began to weave it skillfully. "My aptitude was good, and my luck was even better. On the path of cultivation, I often stumbled and took losses, but every critical moment went smoothly. So I was already at the Nascent Soul stage. But the worst thing I could have done was fall in love with her. Even worse, she found out. At first, to avoid her, I left Book Bamboo Lake. But after a few decades, I found out that the willow twigs on Willow Palace Island had all been picked by her. So I softened. I thought I might as well follow my heart. Previously, my utter ruthlessness was why I couldn't break into the Upper Five Realms. Maybe stirring from stillness would be the key to breaking the bottleneck. So I became her Dao companion. The bottleneck did loosen. But after that, because she wanted to spend more time with me and extend her life, and she didn't want to ask me because she feared I'd look down on her, she found a fragmentary secret manual from somewhere. The method was too dangerous. She almost went into qi deviation. So I spent a huge pile of Rain-Grain coins, draining half of Willow Palace Island's savings. In the end, stumbling and falling, she became a Golden Core cultivator. But soon I realized that her existence was a nightmare for me. I didn't want to kill her to mend the flaw in my heart mirror and break into the Upper Five Realms, so I pushed her onto the seat of the Lake Ruler and left Book Bamboo Lake. But I was wrong again, terribly wrong. As time passed, she, left behind on Willow Palace Island, began to change. She was afraid of death. Her Golden Core was half-real, half-fake, leaking from all sides. Her earlier practice of evil shortcuts to form a core had worsened her state of mind. My departure added fuel to the fire. She became more and more obsessed. Finally, one day, she left Book Bamboo Lake and started searching like a madwoman for me, everywhere I had been or might have been. With her temperament, leaving Willow Palace Island and losing her title as Lake Ruler, she suffered terribly along the way. If not for the two treasures I left her, she might have died... That would have been a fortunate thing for both of us."

Liu Laocheng, one hand behind his back, gently spun the willow ring. "When I found her, her soul was shattered, fragmented like a thousand pieces of porcelain. Even to this day, I can't understand what supported her until the day I appeared. Even a Nascent Soul cultivator probably couldn't have held on. At that point, she was completely delirious. She vaguely sensed that I was different from others. She stood there, looking at me... Do you know how that felt? You wouldn't understand. She was trying desperately to remember me, as if she were fighting against the heavens."

Liu Laocheng waved his hand gently, and the willow ring fell into Book Bamboo Lake.

Ripples spread. The mountain and river grand formation had quietly activated.

Liu Laocheng's tone turned cold. "At that moment, I, a Nascent Soul cultivator just one step away from the Upper Five Realms, almost had my Dao heart shatter on the spot, just like her scattered soul. Only at that moment did I realize in my heart that she was indeed the great opportunity for my enlightenment. My choice to follow my heart back then had not been wrong. So I cut off that heart demon and killed her with my own hands."

Liu Laocheng sneered. "But at the time, although I was hard-hearted enough, it still wasn't perfectly aligned with my own Great Way. That's why there is now this 'Hongsu.' Her soul should have completely dissipated, without even a chance for reincarnation, let alone having a 'Hongsu' appear on Green Gorge Island in String Sound Manor, later used as a handle by that stupid, insufferable Liu Zhimao. I've killed her once. What difference does killing her again make?"

Liu Laocheng's face grew serious. "That trace of mercy nearly caused me to become bait for the outer celestial demons when I broke through the Nascent Soul bottleneck. That battle was the most brutal fight of my life. The outer celestial demon wore Huang Han's appearance... No, it was her. It was that Huang Han in my heart. On the lake of my heart, as tall as my golden body dharma form, as strong as my cultivation, but I suffered damage to my spirit while she did not. Every time I shattered her, she appeared again intact. She fought me desperately, with no end. Finally, she spoke, cursing me as a faithless man, cursing me for killing her again and again just to attain the Way."

Liu Laocheng laughed bitterly. "That was the first time she ever cursed me. So saying I killed her once isn't accurate—it was actually over a hundred times."

"Was it dangerous?"

Liu Laocheng answered himself. "Compared to what came later, it was like children fighting, crying over a scratch."

"After I killed her countless more times, she stood there stunned, just like in the old days, staring at me blankly, as if trying to remember me, as if by spiritual affinity. She actually regained a sliver of clarity. Blood began to flow from her tear ducts. Her face covered in blood, she told me haltingly with her mind voice, 'Hurry up, don't hesitate. Kill me one more time. I don't regret loving you in this life. I only hate that I can't walk with you to the end...'"

"At that time, my heart was in complete turmoil again. I almost wanted to die. Was it really worth it, for the sake of the so-called Upper Five Realms, to have a seat at the summit? Without her by my side, could I really be a carefree immortal?"

"She walked toward me step by step, stumbling, her limbs stiff. She kept repeating three words with her mind voice, 'I beg you.' Finally, she said, 'Live on for me.'"

"So I went mad and shattered her. Heaven and earth fell silent."

"I collapsed to the ground."

"But when I opened my eyes, I saw in the sky Huang Han, flying like an immortal, her figure graceful, her ribbons fluttering. She said nothing, but her eyes told me everything. All her previous struggles and deep affection had just been her tricks."

Liu Laocheng paused. He didn't say how it ended between him and Huang Han, or rather that outer celestial demon. Instead, he turned his head.

He saw a young man with a tightly wrinkled face, looking into the distance, the corners of his mouth trembling slightly.

Liu Laocheng smiled and shook his head. "It seems you're someone who has a girl you like. Just by stepping into that situation a little, you felt it and couldn't bear it."

They continued walking. Liu Laocheng said emotionally, "The reason I'm telling you all this is, of course, because I can let it go. Also, because you found out Hongsu's background and came to Willow Palace Island. Everyone in Book Bamboo Lake would surely never guess that your real reason was for an insignificant abandoned piece. As for the answer to your question, I can tell you: whether it's Hongsu or Huang Han, she must die. Otherwise, the bottleneck for me to reach the Immortal Realm will be another great calamity. Even if it's just a 'one in ten thousand' chance, I will kill her with my own hands. On the Great Way, that so-called one in ten thousand is often everything. When that time comes, you can try again to see if you can stop me. As for after killing you, whether I'll end up as miserably as Du Mao? Heh. As a wild cultivator, who hasn't scavenged like a wild dog under the feet of registered immortals, eating their leftovers while being beaten half to death? If I could do it back then, having finally reached the Upper Five Realms, would I suddenly lose that courage? Would that make me worthy of being called a true mad dog in the eyes of those registered immortals?"

Chen Ping'an was silent.

From beginning to end, the old cultivator, who was very un-"Island Master Liu of Book Bamboo Lake," began to press. "If you dare say you still want to try, I'll kill you right now."

"If you thought you could use Hongsu as an entry point to scheme great plans with me, such opportunistic trickery to achieve some ulterior motive, and then give up immediately when cornered by me—do you really think I, Liu Laocheng, am a fool like Liu Zhimao? I won't kill you directly, but I'll beat you so badly you won't be able to get out of bed for four or five years, unable to move. All your schemes and hard work will come to nothing."

"If you change tactics, assess the situation, realize you can't save Hongsu, and choose to let go, but plan to make me suffer for it, willing to pay a huge price for a woman you've known for a short time—that's also an option. But in this Book Bamboo Lake, under my nose, if you want to be a good person and a hero, be prepared for my retaliation. Don't worry, it will be more painful than being beaten to the point of years in bed. Slow torture, not too severe, you can still walk—just about as good as a cripple. I have plenty of time to play with you."

"Chen Ping'an, now it's your turn to answer me. What will you do?"

Chen Ping'an let out a gentle breath. "Then I choose the third option."

"You want to kill Hongsu. I can't stop you. But I will use that jade plaque to drain half of Book Bamboo Lake's spiritual energy. Then, along with the jade plaque and the energy, I will 'lend' it all to someone in Great Li."

Chen Ping'an looked directly at Liu Laocheng. "Although I don't know why you don't even care about the Great Li iron cavalry, it precisely shows how much you value Book Bamboo Lake. This is not about profit; this is the foundation of your Great Way. Even if you become an Immortal Realm cultivator, you won't give up this enterprise. And you can probably convince the Song clan of Great Li to allow you to split the territory here. The more that is true, the worse it will be for you if I choose the third option."

Chen Ping'an opened his hand. "The jade plaque is right here. Try to take it? Or else, kill me now, or shatter my remaining natal spirit palace. But sorry, the jade plaque has already begun to absorb the spiritual energy and water fortune of the entire Book Bamboo Lake."

On the crystal-clear jade plaque, the words "I Nurture the Vast Qi" began to shine brightly.

From all directions, with Willow Palace Island as the center, spiritual energy and water fortune condensed into various water veins, rushing into the six characters.

Liu Laocheng's face darkened.

Chen Ping'an said, "Now it's your turn to choose. Either kill me, and the spiritual energy of Book Bamboo Lake will be drained completely into this jade plaque, which you dare not take, and even if you take it, you can't open or close it. Or beat me half to death, and I will absorb half of Book Bamboo Lake's water fortune. Or we do business properly, each step back, seeking the greatest mutual benefit. The precondition is that you let me leave Willow Palace Island. After I safely return to Green Gorge Island and apply a restriction to the jade plaque, it will 'open its own cave upon my death.' Then we can sit down and talk. Whether at Green Gorge Island or here on Willow Palace Island, it doesn't matter."

Liu Laocheng sneered. "Do you really think I would believe that you have the ability to control this jade plaque?"

Chen Ping'an willed it, and the speed at which the jade plaque absorbed the world's spiritual energy gradually slowed, no longer as fierce and magnificent as before. This scared the wits out of the wild cultivators within a hundred li of Willow Palace Island who didn't know what was happening. They mistakenly thought Liu Laocheng was about to break into the Immortal Realm and was engaging in a desperate act, intending to devour the water fortune of Book Bamboo Lake, leaving no living space for any wild cultivator.

Liu Laocheng laughed. "Chen Ping'an, you're ruthless. After all these years of hunting eagles, I almost got my eye pecked out by a hawk."

The old cultivator waved his hand. "After you return to Green Gorge Island and finish your business, we'll talk again."

But Chen Ping'an said, "I think it's better if you, Island Master, accompany me back to Green Gorge Island. Otherwise, I'm worried that on the way back, you might have already snuck over to Green Gorge Island. Then Liu Zhimao wouldn't dare use Green Gorge Island's mountain and river formation to shield my heavenly secrets, preventing you, a Jade Purity Realm deity, from using the divine ability of 'viewing mountains and rivers in the palm of your hand' to check whether I truly have the ability to use my own life and death as the key to the jade plaque's cave opening and closing."

Liu Laocheng clicked his tongue. "Cautious enough. No wonder you've survived this long. But by doing so, aren't you just making a confession? Otherwise, why would you worry about my 'viewing mountains and rivers' to confirm whether you can actually do this?"

Chen Ping'an smiled. "The closer you are to the Great Way, the more you gamble on the 'one in ten thousand.' That's what you said yourself, Island Master. What if, even if I die, I still give you a huge unexpected surprise?"

Liu Laocheng clapped his hands and laughed heartily. "Although I'm almost certain you don't have that ability and are just bluffing, it doesn't matter. I'm willing to personally escort you back to Green Gorge Island. Once there, do two things. Use those two little things you stole or robbed from somewhere, before we get close to Green Gorge Island, to send a message to Liu Zhimao and have him open the mountain and river grand formation. Make up any excuse you want. If you can't think of one, I'll even help you come up with an idea, so he doesn't even dare to open the formation. Then, go to String Sound Manor and bring Hongsu near the mountain gate. I want to see her."

Chen Ping'an asked seriously, "What if you've been bluffing me all along, and you don't actually want to kill Hongsu, but when you see her being a little close to me, you get jealous and want to make me suffer a bit? What do I do then? I can't just spitefully open the jade plaque restriction over that, nor can I reason with you and demand justice."

Liu Laocheng was stunned for a moment, as if he hadn't thought of that. He shook his head with a laugh. "Who did you learn your chess from? That Mr. Qi from Bead Abyss Cave Heaven who almost poked a hole in the sky?"

Chen Ping'an shook his head.

Liu Laocheng slapped Chen Ping'an on the head, making him stumble. "Let's go. Don't worry, I don't have a jealous heart to tip over."

One old, one young. Chen Ping'an used a bamboo pole to punt the boat. Although the speed was not slow, in Liu Laocheng's eyes, they were slowly returning to Green Gorge Island.

But Liu Laocheng did not refuse. He let Chen Ping'an return in his own way. However, he sneered, "You really use every means to get ahead. Borrowing my authority like this, from now on in Book Bamboo Lake, among the tens of thousands of wild cultivators staring wide-eyed at this ferryboat, who would dare to say 'no' to Chen Ping'an?"

Chen Ping'an said, "Make the best use of everything. Every little bit counts."

Liu Laocheng laughed it off, unconcerned. The old cultivator sat at the other end of the ferryboat and asked curiously, "Since you have this jade plaque, why don't you just directly absorb half of Book Bamboo Lake's water fortune? At that time, the wild cultivators who kneel and kowtow to you, begging you to return the spiritual energy, will number no less than ten thousand."

Chen Ping'an said slowly, "There are things you don't do so that you can do others. That kind of method yields immediate results but is not a long-term solution."

Liu Laocheng thought for a moment. "Such great ambition. It's a pity you didn't join our line of work as a lawless wild cultivator."

Chen Ping'an stared blankly into space.

It seemed he had never considered whether he was a wild cultivator.

He indeed had no sect in the conventional sense.

Liu Laocheng suddenly laughed. "You're not that fearless, are you? Wearing a dharma robe under your cotton coat, and still sweating?"

Chen Ping'an said, "I'm not an idiot. With my life hanging by a thread, it's hard not to be nervous."

Liu Laocheng shook his head. "It's a bit different. I'm very curious about your 'hitching post.' Despite being afraid of death, it doesn't stop you from matching wits with me."

Chen Ping'an replied, "If it had been you, Island Master, just after breaking through the outer celestial demons, even if you were about to face a Flying Ascension cultivator, you would still have set life and death aside."

Liu Laocheng smiled slightly. "It seems you've suffered quite a bit on Green Gorge Island."

Chen Ping'an used pure true qi to propel the boat, deliberately trying to avoid the jurisdictions of all islands along the way, so that the jade plaque's absorption of spiritual energy would not affect any island's own gathered water fortune.

Liu Laocheng couldn't bear to watch. He shook his head. "I take back my earlier words. It seems you'll never become a wild cultivator in this life."

Chen Ping'an raised one hand and pointed at the sword immortal on his back. "I am a swordsman."

Liu Laocheng glanced at that half-immortal weapon. The old cultivator sat on the bow of the boat and casually grabbed, blasting apart the mountain gate of a nearby island more than ten li away. The sect founder of that Golden Core land immortal on the island was so frightened that he immediately withdrew his secret technique. He had not been using the 'viewing mountains and rivers' to spy on the ferryboat and the two of them, but had hidden a fish containing a sound-listening talisman inside its belly, quietly swimming near the ferryboat, hoping to eavesdrop on their conversation.

Liu Laocheng sat cross-legged. "After so many years, having seen all kinds of people, I still can't understand why so many people like to court death. How rare are people like you and me?"

Chen Ping'an said, "Perhaps in Du Mao's eyes, my actions at Old Dragon City back then were courting death. In the eyes of certain big shots, in eras I don't know about, you, Island Master, must have been seen the same way."

Liu Laocheng said, "It looks the same, but it's actually very different."

Chen Ping'an nodded, his eyes dark.

Liu Laocheng suddenly said, "You dared to come to my island, besides carrying that jade plaque and some things we both know, I guess there are other reasons? But I haven't figured it out yet."

Chen Ping'an didn't hide it. He nodded. "One very important reason, and it's a very small matter."

Liu Laocheng had nothing better to do, so he began to ponder this small matter, like solving a riddle.

Chen Ping'an smiled. "You won't guess it, Island Master. Don't bother."

Liu Laocheng lightly patted the boat railing. "I've already guessed the answer."

Chen Ping'an was skeptical.

That small matter was indeed very small.

In Bee Tail Alley, there was a handsome, burly young man who happened to live there. Even more coincidentally, he was someone Chen Ping'an knew—the lucky one who had obtained the opportunity of the Iron Lock Well in Bead Abyss Cave Heaven. He had told Chen Ping'an where to buy the most authentic Well Immortal Brew.

Pei Qian later said, "This is a good person, ah."

Chen Ping'an felt the same.

And Bee Tail Alley happened to be the birthplace of the only Upper Five Realm wild cultivator in Bottle Gourd Continent, Liu Laocheng.

A master who could teach such a "good person" disciple might not necessarily be a good person himself, but he certainly had his own distinct code of conduct. That was also an unbreakable rule.

One must know.

The world is complex. Everyone's words and actions, according to Chen Ping'an's own division of the six major territories forming a circle, the human heart flows uncertainly. But upon careful examination, Chen Ping'an increasingly found that there might be one or two fundamental threads supporting everything. This was the "vein obstacle" Cui Dongshan had mentioned, similar to the old Daoist's advocacy of "cause and effect." So if you reverse the pejorative "vein obstacle," you can use it to distinguish the human heart.

Then, using the Literary Sage's old gentleman's theory of order, approach a specific matter.

These two have some conflict, yet also complement each other in a larger sense.

Chen Ping'an's risky visit to the island was to see with his own eyes and hear with his own ears, to determine the sixth thread in Book Bamboo Lake.

The thread's head was on Hongsu, and the thread's tail was in the hands of that tall young man.

Knowing a little more was always a good thing.

Knowing more, considering more, could reduce mistakes.

Cui Dongshan had once asked him at the Cliff Academy: if one uses a wrong method to achieve the most correct result, is it right or wrong?

Now, Chen Ping'an still could not give an answer.

But in Book Bamboo Lake, a thread had gradually become clear: use what method to achieve how to make fewer mistakes, and with what mindset to achieve how to correct mistakes.

In that mysterious, profound feeling, it was like... the mountains are high and the moon is small; the water recedes and the rocks emerge.

Liu Laocheng asked, "Then aren't you curious why I was willing to tell you in such detail about my own 'merging with the Dao' process? Was it just that I had accumulated it for many years and had to get it off my chest?"

Chen Ping'an shook his head. "Of course I am very curious. But after thinking it over, I couldn't come up with an answer, so I stopped being curious."

Liu Laocheng sighed. "A person never knows which karmic connection will bear good fruit or bad fruit."

Chen Ping'an changed his breath of pure true qi, showing no sign of nervousness.

If Liu Laocheng was truly determined to kill him, it would be as easy as snapping a finger.

The jade plaque, the sword immortal, the Sword-Nurturing Gourd, the dharma robe, the fist techniques and swordsmanship.

Green Gorge Island's Liu Zhimao, Grain Island's Tian Tan Yuanyi, the Great Li Song clan's iron cavalry.

And that small matter that gave Chen Ping'an more courage to come to the island.

Bit by bit, like piling up earth to form a mountain, from which wind and rain arise.

All of this, first and foremost, was to ensure Hongsu's safety, and only then for the sake of his own plans.

He could not skip the first step.

Otherwise, Chen Ping'an's heart would not be at peace.

For Chen Ping'an, the term "friend" was found in "a cup of wine amidst peach blossoms and spring breezes," but even more so in sacrificing life and death.

Liu Laocheng asked, "For a chance-met stranger like Hongsu, is it worth it?"

Chen Ping'an shook his head. "Don't even mention you; even I myself think it's hardly worth it."

Liu Laocheng was taken aback.

Chen Ping'an then added, "But it makes me happy."

Liu Laocheng looked at the young man's eyes. The old cultivator withdrew his gaze, patted the railing, and laughed, making no comment. He just looked around. "When you have leisure, you become the master of the world's wind and moon. Only when you truly become an immortal do you realize that you have even less leisure."

Chen Ping'an hesitated, as if to speak, then asked, "If I speak a true but unpleasant word, can you, Island Master, be magnanimous?"

Liu Laocheng shook his head. "Then keep it to yourself. I don't want to hear it."

Chen Ping'an indeed said nothing.

He had wanted to curse Liu Laocheng: "You bastard, it's easy for you to sit here and talk big."

On the small ferryboat, the two were silent.

On many islands in Book Bamboo Lake, those who had personally witnessed this scene or learned of the news were buzzing with excitement.

Liu Laocheng, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them and teased, "Oh, your mind is disturbed? That's a rare thing. Chen Ping'an, what are you thinking about?"

Heaven and earth were vast.

A single leaf of a boat. Two mustard seeds.

Chen Ping'an stopped punting and sat down. He laid the bamboo pole across the ferryboat, took a sip of wine, and remained silent.

Although his current state of mind prevented him from practicing fist techniques and swordsmanship, that didn't mean Chen Ping'an was giving up in despair.

On the contrary, for the first time, Chen Ping'an delved deeply into the fundamentals of fist intent and swordsmanship.

Not just the diligence of "not asking about the harvest" alone.

Back on the lake outside Cloud Town City, when his body and soul were almost overwhelmed, Chen Ping'an could kill the close-combat military cultivator with one punch. Although limited by his physical condition, the punch was strenuous and had many aftereffects, in terms of his state of mind, from wanting to throw a punch to the punch reaching the enemy's body, it had never been so smooth and natural. The flow of fist intent had never been so effortless.

That was the realm, praised by both fist practitioners and chess players: "no one before you."

Chen Ping'an dared not say he had fully entered that realm, but he had one foot, half a foot, inside it. This was absolutely not Chen Ping'an being arrogant and overestimating himself.

This gave Chen Ping'an some peace of mind.

Working hard with both mind and body, it was always painful to mend one mistake while unknowingly making another.

Then all his cutting and delineation in Book Bamboo Lake, looking at the cause and effect of five or six threads, would become a joke.

Chen Ping'an rested for a moment, then stood up again and resumed punting. He said slowly, "Liu Laocheng, although I don't like your conduct and actions at all, I... I really like the story between you and her."

Chen Ping'an searched for a long time but still couldn't find the right words. So he simply extended his thumb to a Jade Purity Realm great cultivator and then said, "But if it had been me, in the same situation as you, I would definitely have done better."

When he said this, the thin, haggard young accountant, with hollow cheeks, was still punting the boat. Tears suddenly streamed down his face. "Since I've met such a good girl, how could I bear to let her down?"

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