Chapter 461: Not Playing the Role of the Wealthy Child

Chapter 461: Not Playing the Role of the Wealthy Child

Wei Bo looked up at the sky, the full moon hanging high above.

It was only after he had become the mountain god of the Divine Water Kingdom that he learned there existed another world where the wondrous sight of three moons vying for brilliance occurred. Even now, Wei Bo could not fathom how many laws of heaven and earth, utterly different from those in the Grand Harmony World, the operation of that world had produced because of those two extra moons.

Chen Ping'an unhooked his Sword-Nurturing Gourd, took a drink, and thought about burying some of the good wines he had stored in his dimensional treasures and his close-proximity treasures deep underground at Fallen Mountain, in a spot with relatively deep mountain roots and abundant water luck. Counting them up, he really did have quite a few types of liquor.

Osmanthus brew personally made by Madam Gui of Old Dragon City, Immortal Brew from the well at Bee Tail Ferry, Black Cry Wine from Letter Library Lake, and Water-Flower Wine from the Green Tour Mansion gifted by the river god of Buried River—there was still more than half a jar left, though it should now be the Green Tour Water God Palace. There was also the Old Dragon's Saliva Wine gifted by Wu Yi of Purple Sun Prefecture, and the Yellow Vine Wine from Crimson Cliff Island, the hometown of Hong Su, also known as "Meal-Adding Wine." Chen Ping'an had tried it before; it was smooth and mellow, easy to drink. Back then, thinking of his hometown where Pei Qian and the pink-skirted little girl were, he thought they could have a couple of cups during festivals, so he had bought a batch of aged cellar stock during his travels. It was just common street liquor anyway, not expensive.

Traveling the jianghu with a book box and a sword, accompanied by wine and a horse—one would never feel lonely.

The trip to Northern Reed Continent, already delayed for three years, could not be put off any longer. He planned to first pass through the lands of Colored Clothes and Comb Water by the end of this year, meet some old friends, then board a cross-continent ferry to that famous continent, where sword cultivators were as plentiful as clouds and arguments were settled with fists.

Wei Bo withdrew his gaze, passing over Fallen Mountain and Chess Pier Mountain, all the way to the southern town of Red Candle. As a mountain god, looking over the territory under his jurisdiction, this distance was clearly visible. If he wished, he could see even the tiniest detail in the Water God Temple of Red Candle Town, even every pedestrian on the street. Nowadays, with the prosperity of Dragon Fountain Commandery, this confluence of the Embroidered River, the Jade Liquid River, and the Surge River—already a water transportation hub—had become even more flourishing.

In childhood, not knowing the moon, I called it a white jade plate.
Immortals dangled two feet, and the osmanthus tree was so round.

These were fragments of a poem passed down from the ancient Shu Kingdom, later becoming a folk song in Red Candle Town. Every boatwoman, young or old, loved to sing it.

Although he was now the Great Li Northern Marchmount True God, the "mean registry" of all the boat households at the Drown Water Bend in Red Candle Town remained unchanged. Except for that woman who had already gone to practice cultivation in the Spring Eternal Palace, generation after generation, for so many years, the descendants of the five surnames from the former Divine Water Kingdom had never been able to escape their lowly status, nailed to Drown Water Bend by the iron law of "not allowed to go ashore."

Wei Bo had watched over the five great surnames of Drown Water Bend for so many years, yet after his meteoric rise, he had never even meant to plead with the Great Li court.

After becoming the Great Li Northern Marchmount True God, Wei Bo had done many great things. Changing the registry of the boat households at Drown Water Bend—regardless of success or failure—was merely a small matter of informing the Ministry of Revenue and the Capital Music Bureau. The outcome depended solely on whether the Minister of Rites and the State Preceptor Cui Chan nodded their heads. Yet Wei Bo precisely had never opened his mouth on this matter.

Wei Bo was silent for a long time, then smiled. "Chen Ping'an, after all that grand talk, shouldn't we discuss some mundane affairs?"

Earlier, when Wei Bo had gone to the mountain gate of Fallen Mountain to welcome Chen Ping'an, their chat while climbing the mountain had been a true casual conversation. Since Fallen Mountain had a mountain god temple stationed there, it was clearly a nail driven in by the Great Li court, and the Great Li Song clan made no attempt to hide it at all—this was a silent gesture. If Wei Bo were to isolate a small heaven and earth, it would inevitably arouse suspicion of "guilty conscience." Given the unbending and upright nature of that Song mountain god at the peak, who was a loyal minister in life and an heroic spirit in death, he would surely record this in the ledgers and report it to the Ministry of Rites.

Better to avoid trouble than to court it.

Chen Ping'an had already prepared for this and asked, "If the land deed negotiation with the Great Li court goes smoothly, which mountain peak would be better for establishing the main ancestral hall? Fallen Mountain has the deepest foundation, but it's too far south, at the very edge. Besides, I'm completely ignorant of geomancy. I currently possess two sets of formation diagrams, of... extremely high quality, I'd say. One is a sword formation, suitable for offense and repelling enemies; the other is a mountain-guarding formation, suitable for defense. Once rooted on a mountain, they are extremely difficult to move or relocate. Should I place both formations on the same peak from the start, or set them up separately, one in the north and one in the south, to complement each other? But there's another problem: I have the formation diagrams for these two great arrays, and enough immortal coins, but I'm still lacking two pivotal core items. So even if I can set them up in the near future, they'll be empty shells."

Wei Bo didn't stand on ceremony with Chen Ping'an and asked bluntly, "How high is the quality? Is there a specific rank?"

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Besides the jade token close-proximity treasure that Zheng Dafeng gave me, I actually also have a phoenix tree leaf from the Parasol Leaf Sect, also a close-proximity treasure. But when I received it, I was warned not to open it, so I've never done so all these years. Inside, besides a large number of Grain Rain Coins taken from the Parasol Leaf Sect, the most crucial items are two precious formation diagrams for mountain-guarding grand arrays. One is an imitation of the attack-oriented sword formation from Taiping Mountain in the Parasol Leaf Continent, and the other is an imitation of the mountain-guarding formation from the Planchette Sect. The Grain Rain Coins are enough to cover the cost of constructing both formations and to maintain their operation for a hundred years."

Chen Ping'an smiled bitterly. "But for the core items needed to power the two grand arrays—nine high-grade swords and five golden-bodied puppets—I'll have to rely on my own luck to find them. Otherwise, I'll have to buy them with immortal coins. I reckon that even if I happen to come across someone selling such items, they'll be prohibitively expensive. Maybe all the Grain Rain Coins in the phoenix tree leaf will be used up. Even if I manage to build two complete mountain-guarding arrays, I might not have the power to run them. I might even have to pawn everything I own to make ends meet, so the arrays don't lie idle. Just thinking about it hurts. It's practically forcing me to explore those shattered cave paradises for opportunities, or to follow the wild cultivators into dangerous and remote places."

After speaking, Chen Ping'an glanced at Wei Bo.

Wei Bo nodded. "There won't be any spying."

Only then did Chen Ping'an take out that yellowed phoenix tree leaf. It looked ordinary, but if a cultivator examined it closely, they would discover that this tiny phoenix tree leaf was actually full of profound mysteries and immense aura.

Chen Ping'an handed it to Wei Bo and said softly, "The reason I dared not open it is that inside there are two fragments of Du Mao's glazed golden body that shattered and fell into the Parasol Leaf Sect after his failed ascension. One is as small as a thumb, the other as large as a child's fist. Compared to the other glazed golden body fragments that fell into the territories of the Parasol Leaf and Treasure Vase Continents, these are considered small. The moment I open it, it's like revealing heaven's secrets, and it might attract the covetous attention of upper fifth-realm cultivators."

Wei Bo pinched the phoenix tree leaf between two fingers, raised it high, squinted at it, and sighed emotionally, "Fortunately, you didn't open it. The glazed golden body fragments of a flying ascension realm cultivator are immeasurably valuable. Not to mention others, even I am extremely tempted. The aura is so rich. Look, even the veins of this phoenix tree leaf, after being soaked for a few years, have already seeped with a golden jade luster from the inside out. If you had opened it, just think of the trouble! You should know that many Yin-Yang cultivators make a living by selling the heavenly secrets they deduce to high-level cultivators for Grain Rain Coins. So by resisting the temptation not to look, you've avoided countless unforeseen problems."

Wei Bo admired the phoenix tree leaf for a moment, then returned it to Chen Ping'an, explaining, "This phoenix tree leaf is very likely a fallen leaf from that foundational ancient phoenix tree of the Parasol Leaf Continent. Everyone says 'a tall tree catches the wind,' but that ancient phoenix tree, whose location no one knows, almost never sheds its leaves. It remains green for ten thousand years, gathering the continent's luck. So every fallen leaf and every broken branch is extremely precious. Every time a leaf or branch falls to the ground, for the cultivators of that continent who manage to get their hands on it, it's a great opportunity. In a mysterious way, they can gain the patronage of the Parasol Leaf Continent. What ordinary people call 'blessings and hidden virtue' is nothing more than this. Back then at Chess Pier Mountain, you saw that small bamboo grove I carefully cultivated, remember?"

Chen Ping'an nodded and smiled.

Of course he remembered. He was still thinking about asking Wei Bo for another bamboo pole, to make a bamboo knife for himself and one for Pei Qian—master and apprentice, one big, one small. If the bamboo was big enough, he could also make a bamboo sword for Pei Qian.

With Wei Bo, Chen Ping'an had no need to be shy.

That bamboo grove on Chess Pier Mountain was actually the offspring of the ancestor bamboo of the Ten Virtue Bamboo, one of the ten immortal bamboos from the Bamboo Sea Cave Paradise—specifically the Valiant Bamboo.

Back then, A Liang had chopped off a huge amount with one slash. Apart from what Chen Ping'an had used to make his bamboo box and carve into bamboo slips, the real bulk had gone to building the bamboo tower on Fallen Mountain. But the latter's appearance was Wei Bo's own wish. The Valiant Bamboo perfectly matched a prophetic saying of a military sage: "When military might is already shaken, it's like splitting bamboo; after a few joints, it splits at the touch." Building a tower with this bamboo was most beneficial for pure martial artists and military cultivators. Later, Li Xisheng had covered the bamboo tower with talismans, and the barefoot old man almost always stayed on the second floor of the tower, meditating and cultivating—no wonder.

Looking back, Wei Bo had made a great deal, getting a huge profit for a small investment, and in return had obtained the position of the Great Li Northern Marchmount True God.

It was only after passing through Letter Library Lake that Chen Ping'an realized that being able to conduct business sincerely and naturally, without any hint of philistinism or the stench of money, turning business into a friendship between gentlemen—that was the true skill and maturity of dealing with people.

Wei Bo had no idea he was about to be taken advantage of again. This was probably what they meant by "a family thief is hardest to guard against."

This Great Li True God was still explaining to Chen Ping'an why that phoenix tree leaf was so precious. "You must keep it safe. For example, traveling in Great Li, for a mid-fifth-realm cultivator, having or not having a peace token makes a world of difference. When you return to the Parasol Leaf Continent and travel around, having or not having this phoenix tree leaf is also a difference between clouds and mud. If I didn't know you were already set on your plans, and that you have mortal enemies over there on the Parasol Leaf Continent, I would advise you to bypass the Parasol Leaf Sect and go directly to the southern part of the continent to try your luck."

"The Parasol Leaf Continent, I won't be going for now. And the reason is not just Du Mao and the Parasol Leaf Sect."

Chen Ping'an hesitated, then told Wei Bo in detail about Sui Youbian going to the Jade Pendant Sect, switching from pure martial artist to sword cultivator, and Li Fugu following her, narrating the whole process from beginning to end.

That the lower sect of the Jade Pendant Sect on the Parasol Leaf Continent was established at Letter Library Lake in the Treasure Vase Continent was now common knowledge.

But this was the first time Chen Ping'an had revealed his relationship with the old man surnamed Xun and Jiang Shangzhen, as he had never felt secure about the flying sword messages sent back and forth between Cloak Cloud Mountain and Crimson Cliff Island.

After hearing this, Wei Bo was stunned for a moment. He thought it over, frowned, and said, "The Jade Pendant Sect is probably using this opportunity to show goodwill to the Central Earth Confucian Temple, but they don't want to completely break ties with the Literary Saint lineage. So they let that high-level cultivator, who switched from the Parasol Leaf Sect to the Jade Pendant Sect, be the vanguard pawn to test the waters. They didn't let Jiang Shangzhen, their own man, go directly to Letter Library Lake to kill you. If you die, there's a scapegoat. If you don't die, this action still counts as an explanation to the accompanying holy sage of the Second Sage lineage, not wasting their support for the Jade Pendant Sect's founding of a lower sect. And that high-level cultivator from the Parasol Leaf Sect's ancestral hall wasn't stupid either. He didn't want to be used as a knife to kill, so he sneakily pushed out the Nascent Soul cultivator Li Fugu. Although Li Fugu's realm is lower, she's not stupid. She followed you the whole way before deciding to reveal herself and put on that act with you in the Plum Glaze Kingdom."

Wei Bo also explained in detail many of the inner rules and hidden regulations between upper and lower sects.

Chen Ping'an finally understood.

Why the Jade Pendant Sect had been so inconsistent, from that old man surnamed Xun at Old Dragon City, to Jiang Shangzhen, and finally at Gongliu Island, they had shown not a shred of "friendly relations."

It all involved the sect's eternal enterprise.

Chen Ping'an shook his Sword-Nurturing Gourd, sighed, and lost the desire to drink.

He wondered what roles the old man surnamed Xun and Jiang Shangzhen had played in this scheme.

Now, the person who knew the most about the mountain ranges west of Dragon Fountain Commandery was undoubtedly Wei Bo. Moving the luck of mountains and rivers was not difficult, but returning to Chen Ping'an's initial question about where to build the two grand arrays and when to start construction, Wei Bo's expression was not relaxed. He said slowly, "The quality of these two grand arrays is extremely high, and the cost is astonishing. Since you're still missing the key items, if you're not in a hurry, I suggest you delay making a decision. For mountain-guarding arrays, this is the top priority for anyone founding a sect. Wait until everything is truly foolproof, then put up the arrays in one go. It's best not to do it piecemeal."

Wei Bo smiled. "Anyway, with me around in Dragon Fountain Commandery for now, you don't have to worry about those mountain peaks of yours. If all else fails, add a 'Sage Ruan' to the mix."

Chen Ping'an's head ached.

After the joke, Wei Bo continued with business. "Mohist experts proficient in formations and mechanical arts—they're hard to find elsewhere in the Treasure Vase Continent, but we have quite a few in Great Li. This is something you can prepare for early, so you won't be scrambling when the time comes. Ordinary Mohist cultivators wouldn't dare take on these two grand arrays. You have to settle on the personnel early, then work out the timing, not set a date first and then look for people. So you can take the chance soon to contact that heroic figure, Xu Ruo. This man holds considerable weight behind the scenes in Great Li, and I can't even see through his depth. Don't worry about this matter. I'll handle it and put in a word for you. Otherwise, you might not even be able to find Xu Ruo."

Worried that Chen Ping'an might be too eager and insist on building the grand arrays before leaving for Northern Reed Continent so he could travel with peace of mind, Wei Bo patiently reminded him, "On the path of cultivation, the Great Way is long. Some opportunities you must seize; some good things come from waiting. Don't think that just because your trip to Letter Library Lake was so agonizing, with days feeling like years, that all time in the world is so... slow."

Chen Ping'an nodded. "I understand that truth."

Wei Bo smiled slightly. "Good thing. I thought I'd have to use a lot more words to convince you."

Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "To be honest, I really want to have a proper mountain peak, grand and imposing, so that whether I'm on the mountain or thousands of miles away, I can feel at ease. That would be a... very happy thought just to imagine. But since you've said that, I'll just have to hold back and take it slow."

Chen Ping'an suddenly laughed, tucked his Sword-Nurturing Gourd at his waist, and said, "Great Mountain God Wei, I don't suppose you have any extra Valiant Bamboo? Just one pole will do."

Wei Bo asked with a sly smile, "Isn't this what they call 'shaking someone down for money'?"

Chen Ping'an said shame-facedly, "I'll pay however many immortal coins are needed, at market price. I'll owe it to Cloak Cloud Mountain. I was just thinking that I've only been back a short while and will soon leave Dragon Fountain Commandery. I feel bad for Pei Qian. I want to make her a bamboo knife and a bamboo sword as parting gifts, so she won't cry."

Wei Bo raised his thumb. "Helping you contact Xu Ruo is one matter."

He raised his index finger. "Shamelessly asking for a pole of Valiant Bamboo is the second matter."

Wei Bo finally raised his middle finger. "Go ahead, let's make it a triple."

"There actually is one more."

Chen Ping'an laughed grimly. "I only have one pouch of Gold Essence Coins left now, and I have to keep them for the four people in the painting. My dharma robe, the Golden Sweet Wine, can be upgraded in quality by throwing Gold Essence Coins into it. Someone once said it's best to make it a half-immortal artifact in one go—definitely not a loss. Even if I break through to the Golden Body realm as a martial artist and wearing it becomes a burden, at most I can sell it for a sky-high price. But according to the current Great Li practice, all debts of Gold Essence Coins will be written off once those mountain peaks are sold to me. So I was hoping that Great Mountain God Wei, being capable, could use his influence to squeeze out a few more pouches of Gold Essence Coins for me. If that's really not possible, just treat it as me being in debt to the Great Li court."

Wei Bo smiled radiantly and asked, "May I ask this young hero Chen, did you accidentally drop your face somewhere in the jianghu and forget to pick it up before returning to Dragon Fountain Commandery?"

With a righteous expression, Chen Ping'an said, "Listen to what you're saying. Hurting the friendship is one thing, but it's not at all like an immortal's style. You can't do that."

Wei Bo rubbed his brow. "Chen Ping'an, are you actually the flattery master for Mr. Zhu and Pei Qian?"

Chen Ping'an waited for the next words.

Wei Bo thought for a moment. "One pole of bamboo is easy enough. I'll give it to you as a gift to that little girl. But asking the Great Li for a few more pouches of Gold Essence Coins—the matter itself isn't all that big, but making a last-minute price hike does break business rules. So I'll have to think carefully about how to bring it up."

Chen Ping'an clasped his hands and smiled.

Wei Bo said seriously, "Chen Ping'an, don't think I'm making a fuss. Whether it's mountain and river gods or mountain cultivators, some rules, the smaller they seem, the more basic they are. It might seem like trampling them has no consequences, but the more you should respect them."

Chen Ping'an nodded. "When I was working as an accountant at Letter Library Lake, I thought about this too. Later, traveling around, I gained some insights on the matter."

Wei Bo's expression returned to normal, and he said woefully, "What a fine 'capable person does more work.'"

Wei Bo looked toward Fallen Mountain and smiled. "There's another visitor at Fallen Mountain."

Chen Ping'an, once bitten, twice shy, tensed up, afraid that Ruan Qiong might still be angry and had directly attacked the mountain.

Wei Bo pressed a hand on Chen Ping'an's shoulder and laughed. "We'll know when we get there."

Chen Ping'an suddenly said, "Wait."

Wei Bo stopped his movement and asked with a look of grievance, "There's more? Chen Ping'an, this is going too far!"

Chen Ping'an teased, "It's hard to send away a god once you've invited him in."

Wei Bo rubbed his cheeks with both hands. "Come on, let's make it a Grand Four Happiness."

Chen Ping'an took out that phoenix tree leaf again, then retrieved that jade token of the accompanying holy sage from his dimensional treasure. On it were the words "I am skilled in nurturing vast righteous qi" (Note: This classical term refers to a noble, flood-like qi often associated with righteousness and moral courage).

Wei Bo glanced at the jade token and clicked his tongue. "This thing isn't just any ordinary hot potato."

Chen Ping'an first handed over the jade token and smiled. "Lending it to you for a hundred years. Consider it the price for the pole of Valiant Bamboo I'm buying from you."

Wei Bo took the jade token without hesitation and laughed heartily. "This feels great. I've been waiting for you to say that ever since you returned to Dragon Fountain Commandery. With this jade token, my seat as the Great Li Northern Marchmount True God will be completely secure. Even if you give me half of the Treasure Vase Continent to manage, I can ensure the mountains and rivers remain stable. It definitely won't burst my belly."

Chen Ping'an then placed the phoenix tree leaf in Wei Bo's hand. "Give the larger glazed golden body fragment inside to you. I'm not comfortable carrying the phoenix tree leaf on me, so I'll leave it at Cloak Cloud Mountain. Anyway, I'm not in a rush to build the two grand arrays for now."

This truly surprised Wei Bo. A piece of glazed golden body as large as a child's fist—given to him?

This was a treasure of the world that could make upper fifth-realm cultivators fight to the death.

It was something Wei Bo had never dared to imagine.

Especially since these fragments of the immaculate golden body were most beneficial to mountain and river gods, even more so than to cultivators.

Wei Bo held back for a long time, then asked, "Good things come in pairs. Why not give me the remaining small fragment as well?"

Chen Ping'an raised his middle finger.

Wei Bo breathed a sigh of relief. "Seems like this is a well-considered decision. You won't regret it."

Wei Bo carefully put away the phoenix tree leaf and praised Chen Ping'an, calling him a true "Wealthy Child" (a reference to the bodhisattva Sudhana, a wealthy child who sought enlightenment).

Chen Ping'an said smugly, "This is called 'if you want the horse to run, you have to feed it grass.'"

Wei Bo looked askance at Chen Ping'an. "Really not regretting it?"

Chen Ping'an shook his head, his expression somewhat dazed. He gazed into the distance, his hands tucked into his sleeves, looking utterly weary. "My journey to Letter Library Lake was a solo affair. Every time I stretched an arm or took a step, I had to be cautious and terrified. I don't want to be in a situation someday where, even in my own hometown, I have to rely on myself every moment. I also want to be able to slack off sometimes."

Wei Bo was silent for a moment, then asked with a smile, "That small glazed fragment—you were originally planning to give it to the mountain god of Fallen Mountain, right? After all, a close neighbor is better than a distant relative. Building a good relationship isn't a bad thing."

Chen Ping'an grunted. "Seems like I can save it now."

Wei Bo said, "That's not very 'Wealthy Child' of you."

Chen Ping'an retorted, "I never was one!"

Wei Bo smiled and let it go.

Chen Ping'an remembered something and asked, "By the way, does Horned Bull Mountain have any ferries that can go to the Colored Clothes Kingdom area?"

Wei Bo nodded. "This Northern Marchmount Mountain God has that much face."

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Next time, I want to start climbing from the foot of Cloak Cloud Mountain and walk the whole way."

Wei Bo said, "You can also drop by the Linlu Academy. You have a friend studying there."

That was Gao Xuan, the prince of the Great Sui Empire.

Chen Ping'an had a decent impression of this person.

Wei Bo sighed emotionally. "Accumulated earth makes a mountain; wind and rain rise from it. Chen Ping'an, you can indeed look forward to the future. Within your mountain territory—Fallen Mountain, Grey Mist Mountain, the Sword Worship Platform, and many other domains—you'll have Mr. Cui, Cui Dongshan, Pei Qian, Zhu Lian, and many other cultivators. Within Great Li, you have me, Xu Ruo, Zheng Dafeng, Gao Xuan, and many allies."

Chen Ping'an smiled knowingly.

After many hardships in life, there is often a village in the dark.

Wei Bo again pressed a hand on Chen Ping'an's shoulder. "Don't keep your guest waiting."

With a gentle push.

Chen Ping'an had disappeared from Cloak Cloud Mountain.

Wei Bo remained alone at the summit. Cloak Cloud Mountain was extremely high, with a vast sea of clouds that seemed to be level with the sky and on par with the moon.

He looked out.

The scenery was magnificent.

A flying mirror under the moon; cloud towers built on the sea.

Chen Ping'an staggered. With one step, he felt as if he were in a glazed fairyland, a slight dizziness washing over him. When he focused his eyes, he was already at the foot of Fallen Mountain.

Chen Ping'an was long accustomed to this. Back in Lotus Flower Blessed Land, this was common.

It was a form of "wading through water"—the water being the river of time.

The earth-shrinking divine ability of earth immortal cultivators or mountain and river gods, this struggle against the river of time, was the most subtle kind.

And the current earth-shrinking divine ability was said to be far inferior to the ancient immortals' and gods' ability to move mountains and cross seas. There was a fragment from ancient texts that said, "Shrinking the earth, the Yellow Springs appear; ascending to heaven, paying homage at the celestial palace." What carefree freedom that was. These were all casual remarks from Cui Dongshan in his early years. As for Cui Chan's so-called "moving three mountains" and "crossing four seas," Chen Ping'an hadn't thought deeply about it at the time. Later, after buying that book of immortal scriptures from Hanging Mountain, he discovered that the Grand Harmony World didn't have any such concept of three mountains and four seas. Later, when he met Cui Dongshan again in the southeast of the Treasure Vase Continent, during a game of chess, Chen Ping'an casually asked about it. Cui Dongshan laughed slyly and only said it was all old history, refusing to continue.

Chen Ping'an saw a hunched man with a stalk of dog's tail grass in his mouth.

That fellow also saw Chen Ping'an. The man clicked his tongue. "Not bad, shrinking the earth and shifting mountains. What, got tired of that golden-headed fellow and decided to become the mountain god of Fallen Mountain yourself?"

Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "That's Wei Bo's divine ability. I don't have such skill."

Chen Ping'an relaxed his posture naturally, hands tucked into his sleeves. "Want to take a walk?"

Zheng Dafeng glanced at Chen Ping'an. It had been a few years since he'd seen him. He'd probably lost at least ten or twenty jin. He seemed a bit taller, but with his slumped spine and drooping shoulders, he didn't look very tall.

Zheng Dafeng exclaimed in admiration, "Looks like Sui Youbian's kung fu has grown a lot since leaving Old Dragon City."

Chen Ping'an was baffled. "What do you mean by that?"

Zheng Dafeng said earnestly, "Young people just don't know restraint. When you overexert yourself in certain areas, you must have insufficient qi and blood, depleted marrow, and lower back pain that prevents you from bending or looking up. I'm sure recently you've been weak and unable to practice your fists, right? Go back to that old man's pharmacy later, get some good prescriptions to nourish your body. If that's not enough, ask Wei Bo for a qi-combining technique. Then you can make up for it with Sui the Great Sword Immortal later. No shame in that. A man just starting out is often no match for a woman."

Chen Ping'an finally understood what Zheng Dafeng was implying. Knowing Zheng Dafeng's temper, the more you reacted to such teasing, the more he'd carry on. If Sui Youbian were here, Zheng Dafeng would probably get a sword strike.

Chen Ping'an couldn't help but recall a sage's saying from a "proper" Taoist scripture. He smiled slightly. "The Great Way is clear and empty; how could there be such a thing?"

Zheng Dafeng scoffed.

Chen Ping'an asked, "Your master took on two more disciples. I've met them. That woman, like you and Li Er, is a pure martial artist. But why does that youth from Peach Leaf Lane not seem to be on the martial path?"

Zheng Dafeng shook his head. "How that old man thinks, nobody knows. I don't even know how many senior brothers and sisters besides Li Er are scattered around. Would you believe it? The old man never likes to talk about this."

Chen Ping'an asked, "What are your plans now?"

Zheng Dafeng said matter-of-factly, "Isn't that obvious? I'm looking for a wife with wide eyes! These days, I wish I could carry a lantern at night and pick up a woman off the street to take home. Do you think being a bachelor is fun? The long nights, besides the crowing of roosters and barking of dogs, there's only the sound of a fart. And you have to keep it under the covers, not let it escape. If it were you, wouldn't you feel sorry for yourself?"

Chen Ping'an wiped his face and said nothing.

Zheng Dafeng asked with a grin, "Let's discuss something."

Chen Ping'an was curious. "Go ahead."

Zheng Dafeng pointed behind him at the foot of Fallen Mountain. "I plan to return to my old profession—being a gatekeeper—and mooch off you for food and drink. How about it?"

Chen Ping'an stopped walking. "Are you joking?"

Zheng Dafeng was annoyed. "I walked all night just to come to Fallen Mountain and joke with you?"

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Alright. I'll have Zhu Lian build a house by the mountain gate."

Zheng Dafeng rolled his eyes. "Need one on the mountain too, otherwise it'll be embarrassing. Word will get out, and I'll never find a wife."

Chen Ping'an looked around, then leaned in close to Zheng Dafeng and whispered something.

After listening, Zheng Dafeng hastily wiped his mouth, looking sly and smiling. "Isn't that not quite right? It'll ruin my reputation, won't it? And I still don't have a wife. Besides, you already gave it to that little girl in the pink skirt. Asking for it back from a little girl—that's not very appropriate."

Chen Ping'an said, "Those are your words. Don't come crying later. You'll leave the mountain gate unattended and just loaf around on the mountain all day."

Zheng Dafeng grabbed Chen Ping'an's arm. "Don't! Can't a guy be a little shy? You know my face is thin. How come after roaming the jianghu for so long, you still haven't developed any sense of observation?"

Chen Ping'an rubbed his chin. "Fine, I won't ask for that foxskin talisman paper back from the little girl in the pink skirt. Later, I'll find someone to buy you another sheet from Breeze City."

Zheng Dafeng nodded vigorously, then suddenly caught the implication. He asked tentatively, "Wait, what do you mean? You're not paying for the talisman paper?"

Chen Ping'an smiled. "I'll pay for it. Consider it an advance on your gatekeeping wages."

Zheng Dafeng got anxious.

Chen Ping'an dropped the joking tone. "If you really want a quiet place to settle down, besides Fallen Mountain, there are quite a few other peaks: Grey Mist Mountain, Turtle's Back, Sword Worship Platform. Pick whichever you like."

Zheng Dafeng shook his head. "Being a gatekeeper isn't shameful. If I really thought my life was over and I wanted to hide away and not face anyone, there's plenty of places I could go. Why would I come to Dragon Fountain Commandery?"

Zheng Dafeng patted Chen Ping'an on the shoulder and walked slowly, looking up at the peak of Fallen Mountain. "Here, there's the flavor of humanity. I like it. The old town had it too, but after it was downgraded from a small cave paradise to a blessed land, the restrictions were gone. Thousands of miles of mountains and rivers took root, people came and went, a mix of good and bad. It just seemed lively, but actually lost its human touch."

Chen Ping'an had felt the same way when he passed through the town on his way back to Dragon Fountain Commandery, but he hadn't expressed it as directly as Zheng Dafeng had.

Zheng Dafeng said, "If someday I feel that Fallen Mountain has become like that too, I'll move away. Don't blame me if I don't say goodbye."

Chen Ping'an thought for a moment. "Maybe you should still say goodbye before moving?"

Zheng Dafeng didn't answer. He suddenly reached out and patted Chen Ping'an on the back. "Stop deliberately slouching. Isn't that tiring? Even if I, Zheng Dafeng, am hunched, so what? I'm handsome."

Chen Ping'an tried to force a smile but couldn't.

Zheng Dafeng stayed that night at Zhu Lian's courtyard. Those two kindred spirits, given two jugs of wine and a few plates of appetizers, could probably chat all night.

Knowing there was a Zhu Lian around, Chen Ping'an felt a bit more at ease about Zheng Dafeng volunteering to be the gatekeeper at Fallen Mountain.

He figured Zhu Lian would be running down to the foot of the mountain quite a bit. Once those two started drinking and shooting the breeze, Zheng Dafeng would probably be bragging about being the style of the Four Heavenly Generals guarding the Heavenly Court!

Chen Ping'an returned to the bamboo tower. The old man surnamed Cui stood on the second floor, twitched his mouth, and turned back into the room.

Chen Ping'an's scalp tingled.

He still went up to the second floor.

The old man sat cross-legged in the room and taunted, "Not thanking me for sending you off, letting you see a charming scene of a beauty under the moonlight?"

Chen Ping'an sat opposite him, his face stern. "I really can't bring myself to say anything against my conscience."

The old man nodded. "Understandable. A few years without a beating, and your skin is itchy and your guts are fat."

Chen Ping'an knew he was in trouble.

The old man said mockingly, "Still running? Not afraid I'll punch you straight to Divine Elegance Mountain, and have Ruan Qiong smash you back down to Fallen Mountain with his hammer?"

Chen Ping'an's forehead beaded with sweat.

The old man took a letter from his sleeve and tossed it to Chen Ping'an. "Your student left this for you."

Chen Ping'an reached out to catch the envelope, but the old man's casual punch was already there. Even though Chen Ping'an sensed it, he was still caught off guard. With a loud bang, he flew backward and crashed into the wall.

The old man said coldly, "How strange. A peak fifth-realm martial artist, not even as sharp as a third-realm one back then? No wonder you can only eat dust behind others."

Chen Ping'an put the letter into his close-proximity treasure, took off the sword box on his back, removed his boots, and hunched his body. His boxing stance seemed loose, his fist intent restrained, but in fact his bones and tendons suddenly stretched out, his joints snapping like firecrackers, causing his blue robe to shudder and send dust flying in all directions.

If Zhu Lian had been here, he would have been astonished, then immediately started flattering, saying that the student had surpassed the master.

Because the only boxing stance Chen Ping'an had been "practicing without practicing" over the years was Zhu Lian's original "Ape Form." Its essence was only in the phrase, "When the Heavenly Gate opens, a spring thunderclap sounds."

Although Chen Ping'an had not yet achieved great completion, he was already extremely close to Zhu Lian, who had been tempering it for decades.

Then, with that Ape Form fist intent, Chen Ping'an assumed a "Great Dragon Calibration" boxing structure learned from Zhong Qiu, the state preceptor of Lotus Flower Blessed Land, but his striking posture was the "Cavalry Charge Array." "Come! If you only use the fifth realm, try to kill me!"

The barefoot old man slowly rose.

The bamboo tower shook, and the dense spiritual energy around was scattered. A blur of blue robe shot forward, a knee strike aimed at the old man's head as he was still straightening up and raising his neck.

The old man casually reached out a hand, pressed against Chen Ping'an's knee, and shoved him away with a flick. The old man continued to rise slowly, his speed neither increasing nor decreasing by a single point, just standing up straight, calm and composed.

After being thrown off, Chen Ping'an didn't seem flustered. He lightly tapped the bamboo wall with the tips of his toes, floated down gracefully, and frowned. "Sixth realm?"

The old man clearly considered it beneath him to answer such a childish question.

He considered for a moment, then, exactly like Chen Ping'an, used the Ape Form fist intent to support his spirit, used the Great Dragon Calibration boxing structure to expand his posture, and finally used the Cavalry Charge Array to lead the way. He smiled, "You don't know your limits. Let me teach you."

Chen Ping'an slightly bent his knees, stepped back with one foot, drew arcs with his hands like flowing clouds and water, and finally turned his palms into fists, assuming a strange posture the old man had never seen before. "As long as it's the fifth realm, am I afraid of you?!"

The old man raised an eyebrow.

He threw a punch.

Chen Ping'an fainted on the spot, only managing to utter half a curse.

Because that punch from the old man was clearly not at the fifth realm. Not even the sixth; maybe it was already at the seventh.

The old man held one hand behind his back and smiled. "Sorry, I couldn't hold back the punch."

This was not the old man deliberately teasing Chen Ping'an.

It was the absolute truth.

Over the past few years in this bamboo tower covered in talismans, he had been slowly nourishing his originally extremely fierce and strong fist intent with a gentle flame. Tonight, that little brat's fist intent had slightly stirred his own. That punch from the old man had been something he just had to let out. Even when trying his utmost to suppress it, he could only hold it down to the upper seventh realm.

The old man sighed inwardly and walked out to the corridor outside the room.

Although returning to the final level of the tenth realm's three levels was only a matter of time, the eleventh realm of martial arts, which he had once considered certain, was truly beyond hope now.

Back then, he had personally given up that single chance to enter the eleventh realm in exchange for the safety of two young people. He didn't regret it, but how could there be no regret at all?

The old man turned his head to glance at the young man inside the room. After withdrawing his gaze, he thought for a moment, then went back and kicked Chen Ping'an, waking him up. Before Chen Ping'an could say anything, the old man kicked him in the forehead again, knocking him unconscious. The old man muttered, "If you don't manage to reach the eleventh realm later, I'll beat you to death."

He returned to the corridor, feeling refreshed, as if he were back in those days when he locked his grandson in the attic of the book tower and removed the ladder. Every time his grandson made progress, the old man would feel gratified but never utter a single word. Some of the most heartfelt words—whether of extreme disappointment or extreme joy, especially the latter—would often never be said by an elder to the younger one they had high hopes for. It was like a jar of old wine placed in a coffin. Once the old man was gone, that jar would never have a chance to see the light of day again.

How did the old man treat Chen Ping'an?

Pei Qian might not know, the green-clothed child and the pink-skirted girl might not truly understand, but only Zhu Lian knew.

That was why Zhu Lian never had the thought of asking the old man to teach him boxing.

With a perfect example before him, one old and one young, teaching and learning boxing at the summit of the mountains—that was enough.