Chapter 465: Is There a Fallen Mountain for Chen Ping'an?
Bamboo tower, second floor.
Chen Ping'an sat cross-legged, his fists propped on his knees, panting heavily, his face covered in blood and grime, the floorboards dripping with sound.
Fortunately, the bamboo tower was incredibly mystical, essentially equivalent to a talisman for cleansing dust and filth, so there was no worry about affecting the tower's "elegance".
However, he had heard that the little girl in the pink dress often carried a small bucket to wipe the floor on the second floor, day after day. As a result, she was the only "outsider" allowed on the second floor.
The feeding of punches had come to a temporary halt. As for the so-called teaching of fist techniques and sparring, the truth was clear as day by looking at the disheveled Chen Ping'an and the calm, unhurried barefoot old man.
But Chen Ping'an still felt something was strange. It wasn't like the old days when the old man tempered his bones and muscles, and Chen Ping'an could only endure from start to finish. Now that he was learning fist techniques again, it seemed more about honing his combat skills, and then, intentionally or not, helping him consolidate that fist intent of "no one in front of him". Occasionally, when the old man was in a good mood, he would mutter a few rhyming fist principles. Whether Chen Ping'an, who was constantly being knocked down with a punch, could hear them, and if distracted but able to hear them, whether he had the ability to remember them in his heart, the old man didn't care.
At this moment, Chen Ping'an couldn't help but ask, "Why is there no need to temper the physical body and the three souls and seven spirits anymore?"
Cui Cheng scoffed, "Teaching a child to pick up chopsticks to eat is one thing. He's already a teenager. Does he need to be taught again? Are you that foolish, or am I blind to have picked a moron?"
Chen Ping'an was about to speak, hesitant, half-doubting. In martial arts, tempering the word "pure", logically speaking, every realm required it. It wasn't quite the same as for cultivators who, after obtaining immortal secrets, emphasized the master leading the way and cultivation being a personal matter.
Cui Cheng seemed unwilling to dwell on this matter, asking, "I heard you used to have Zhu Lian, at the Golden Body Realm, spar with you in life-or-death battles?"
Chen Ping'an nodded, "It was very difficult to handle."
Cui Cheng shook his head, "The fire was far off. Zhu Lian didn't dare to kill you, and you knew Zhu Lian wouldn't kill you. It was just like a pair of infatuated lovers flirting and teasing—you scratch me, I touch you. How could that truly benefit martial arts?"
Chen Ping'an felt his scalp tingle.
Cui Cheng said, "From tomorrow, bring Zhu Lian to the second floor. I'll oversee you two feeding each other punches."
Chen Ping'an asked doubtfully, "Isn't it the same?"
Cui Cheng sneered, "Same? If Zhu Lian dares not to have killing intent, dares not to kill you, I'll punch him to death. Do you think it's still the same? Remember, explain it clearly to Zhu Lian. Don't take it lightly. I don't want to repeat these words to a corpse."
Chen Ping'an smiled, "Senior, have you taken a liking to Zhu Lian?"
Cui Cheng curled his lip, "When all that slyness and rich air of his is beaten out of him, beaten to not a drop left, only then can he barely catch my eye."
Chen Ping'an shook his head, "My sparring sessions with Zhu Lian at the Golden Body Realm have never once seriously injured him. He always has strength to spare. I know just from listening to his flattery after feeding punches."
Cui Cheng chuckled, "You don't have that. I do."
Chen Ping'an smiled knowingly.
There were many people in the world who weren't afraid of hardship, but few good things came from hardship that guaranteed a return.
Although Chen Ping'an didn't know why Zhu Lian had stayed at Luopo Mountain for three years without ever learning fist techniques from the old man, now that the old man had opened his mouth, it was a great boon for Zhu Lian, whose bottlenecks in both his own fist frame and martial realm were extremely difficult to break through. For almost everything, Chen Ping'an would discuss it with the parties involved, never insisting that they had to do things a certain way—whether it was Sui Youbian going to Yugui Sect, or Shi Rou being willing to accept the immortal's discarded shell. But if Zhu Lian was somehow unwilling to go to the second floor to practice martial arts, Chen Ping'an would also persuade him, grinding away at it.
Cui Cheng suddenly said, "Thinking of the good of the people around you is naturally good. But you must remember that reaching the peak in martial arts, punching with invincibility, is ultimately a... solitary thing. You need to be clear about the distinction."
Chen Ping'an nodded, "I once watched a game of Go and realized a sword technique on paper, about cutting and demarcating. In Shujian Lake, relying on this, I got through many difficult situations..."
Before Chen Ping'an could finish his heartfelt words, the old man clicked his tongue, "Tsk, as expected of a swordsman carrying a Sword Immortal's sword! Mediocre in learning fists, yet so extraordinarily gifted in sword practice... It seems I've been holding you back from becoming a great Sword Immortal. Isn't that just wonderful?"
Chen Ping'an sensed trouble and was about to slap the ground to slide backward in his seated position, to dodge the old man's unreasonably venting punches. As for getting up and fleeing, that wasn't even worth thinking about.
As expected.
When Tao rises one foot, the Devil rises ten feet.
The old man stomped his foot, the bamboo tower shaking from the impact. Chen Ping'an, who had just leaned back a few inches, was sent flying into the air. The towering figure was there in an instant. If it had been the Iron Cavalry Breaching Formation style, it would have been fine—a single punch and he'd be knocked unconscious, pain only in an instant. But the old man obviously didn't plan to let Chen Ping'an off that easily. It was the Divine Drummer Style, the one Chen Ping'an was most familiar with and loved to use against enemies. After that, a full fourteen punches, Chen Ping'an drifted like willow catkins, floating back and forth, never hitting the ground.
Poor Chen Ping'an; when he finally fell, it was at the moment of fainting.
The taste of being hit by over a dozen punches of the Divine Drummer Style, especially with Cui Cheng, the ancestor of this fist technique, executing them, was truly enough to make one feel both ecstasy and agony.
Even after Chen Ping'an had fainted dead away, completely losing consciousness, his body was still rolling around on the floor.
The old man watched for a moment, then nodded, seemingly quite satisfied. This meant the kid's fist intent had truly "come alive".
A true martial arts grandmaster, even when in a deep sleep, could sense a trace of killing intent from a top assassin, stir his fist intent, rise, and deliver a killing blow in an instant—that was the principle.
Yet the old man still didn't let Chen Ping'an off. He kicked with his toe, precisely severing the pure true qi that flowed like a fire dragon within Chen Ping'an's body.
It was like a crack cavalry unit breaching the enemy's infantry formation on the battlefield.
Every joint in Chen Ping'an's body exploded like firecrackers, like the sound of gongs and drums on a battleground. Since the old man's protective qi was just a touch—the "cavalry" had breached without lingering—Chen Ping'an's pure true qi soon gathered again.
In the battle at Old Dragon City, Du Mao's lifebound object, the Sword-Swallowing Boat, had pierced Chen Ping'an's abdomen in one strike. The reason it caused endless suffering was that it was difficult to eliminate, wouldn't dissipate, and continuously devoured his souls. But the old man's kick this time had no such drawback. So the martial world's saying, "A Stop Realm martial artist's single punch: momentum vast as a tide toppling a city; technique delicate as a flying sword threading a needle," was no exaggeration.
A martial artist's pure true qi, seeming to break but still connected, yet not harming the word "pure"—that was one of the signature skills of the three realms of Tempering the Spirit: Golden Body, Far Traveling, and Mountain Summit.
As for martial artists below the Golden Body Realm, once their true qi was cut, it was completely cut. Replacing it with new qi was a reveal of weakness. How could they engage in prolonged battle with great cultivators?
However, this method of feeding punches was not suitable for all junior martial artists.
It was like an ordinary person holding a bowl to receive food, but the bowl was scorching hot like a charcoal—you'd not only drop the bowl but also burn your palm.
Luopo Mountain's Cen Yuanji, or the kiln girl from the Yang family pharmacy, might also be martial arts geniuses, but they were destined not to withstand such tempering.
But they had their own martial fortunes. The path of martial arts might seem like a narrow sheep trail, yet each had their own single-log bridge to cross.
Women practicing martial arts had advantages and disadvantages. Cui Cheng had traveled the Central Continent and personally witnessed many stunning female grandmasters. For example, the word "delicate" and the word "supple" were taken to the peak. Even Cui Cheng, then a tenth-level martial artist, had marveled at them. Moreover, compared to men, they often had longer lifespans and walked the martial path further.
Cui Cheng had several great regrets in life. One of them was never contending with that female martial god of the Central Continent.
So he could only hope that the kid under his feet wouldn't let him down.
It wasn't that the old man looked down on the heroes of the world, especially women, but seeing that the peak of the martial path in four worlds was occupied by a woman, overlooking all heroes—that somehow irked the old man.
As for Chen Ping'an temporarily lagging behind that peer named Cao Ci, the old man wasn't anxious at all.
Chen Ping'an's most brilliant points lay in the two words: tenacity and understanding—good endurance, high comprehension. Even if Cao Ci was a martial luck genius not seen in a thousand years, so what? Let him reach the ninth or tenth realm first! Eventually, he'd still have to wait obediently at the eleventh realm's natural disaster checkpoint for his destined rival to contest. Of course, if Chen Ping'an walked too slowly, that wouldn't do either. Maybe Cao Ci would then turn to contend with his master. If she was already at the legendary eleventh realm, then Cao Ci would wrestle with that old fellow who liked to fish for whales in the sea of clouds.
Things must not be repeated three times.
Those who truly stood atop another high mountain wouldn't idly watch one pure martial artist after another build bridges across that dead-end road.
Back then, when Daoist Patriarch Lu Chen came to the bamboo tower to see him and dragged him into the world where Lu Chen presided, was it just for fun?
Cui Cheng sighed, crouched down, and extended his thumb, gently wiping the bloodstains from Chen Ping'an's face.
When it came to enduring hardship, this kid was indeed far stronger than his own grandson back then.
Children of wealthy families, if their conduct was good, thought it natural to govern the world and leave a name in history; if their temperament was poor, they played with life, thinking it natural to enjoy fortune from birth.
Those of humble origins, if ambitious, sought to glorify their ancestors; if talentless, they were full of resentment. Regardless, they were all more able to endure hardship.
The old man sat beside Chen Ping'an, lightly flicked his sleeve, and the bamboo door swung open. The mountain breeze came without invitation.
Chen Ping'an's breathing had steadied.
The resting and recuperation of a pure martial artist emphasized a deep sleep like death.
Over the years at Shujian Lake, Chen Ping'an had lacked exactly that.
In fact, in the old man's eyes, Chen Ping'an's several far travels all lacked the deep, steady sleep of a good rest. Only when he practiced the Sword Furnace Standing did it get slightly better. Otherwise, the bowstring was pulled too taut; even if he wasn't beaten to death in the martial world, his martial path would be riddled with flaws. Yet the old man still didn't point it out, just as he didn't point out the matter of receiving the strongest martial luck gift in each realm. Some thresholds had to be crossed by the young people themselves for the lesson to be deeply understood. Otherwise, even if the Supreme Sage sat before them spitting and earnestly admonishing, it might not work.
Cui Cheng looked into the distance and muttered to himself, "But then again, noble clans also crawled up from humble families. It's just that the powerful and noble fear the saying, 'The grace of a gentleman ends after five generations,' while the poor worry about the saying, 'Dragons beget dragons, phoenixes beget phoenixes, and mice beget children who dig holes.' Once Luopo Mountain has its own sect, its troubles will be different from those of many noble clans and immortal mansions. It won't be a dispute over who is wrong, but the difficulty in who is more right. That kind of trouble, trivial when small, can become as big as the sky. It will depend on whether you, Chen Ping'an, can command the respect of the masses when the time comes. That tempering of the heart will be a different landscape from facing the grave mistakes of close associates in Shujian Lake."
Cui Cheng turned to look at the sleeping young man and smiled, "Fear of death is a good thing. Being so young, don't die. The great mountains and rivers—just one Haoran World has nine continents. How many of them have you seen now, kid?"
The old man seemed suddenly in a good mood and laughed, "At five realms against five realms, of course I'd still win, but I'd inevitably take many punches from you, kid. In that case, winning is losing. Where would I put my face?"
The old man roared with laughter, "Little bastard, so what if you've walked a few far roads? You're still too green."
After laughing, the old man said in a deep voice, "It's time to break through a realm. As long as you don't let Cao Ci pull two realms ahead, stick to him like a burr, one day, not to mention reclaiming your dignity, you can beat him three times in a row. Once you catch up and surpass him, then beating him thirty times in a row will be no problem!"
The old man suddenly looked a bit gloomy. Although the kid's future achievements were worth looking forward to, thinking that it would be an extremely long process made the old man unhappy. He turned his head, glared at the snoring guy, and got angry. He flicked his sleeve and cursed, "Sleep, sleep, sleep! Are you a pig? Get up and practice!"
Chen Ping'an was sent tumbling by that gust of protective qi, crashing into the wall. He woke up groggily. Cui Cheng had already stood up, his face dark. He took a step forward and stomped heavily.
Chen Ping'an rolled sideways, barely dodging the foot.
Cui Cheng said, "When you can deal with a Golden Body Realm martial artist calmly, and in a life-or-death battle, not lose too miserably, only then can you go down the mountain. After that, whether you go to the central part of Baoping Continent to see friends, or wander around Beiju Continent, it's up to you. But if you can't do it, then honestly stay in this bamboo tower and enjoy the blessings. Otherwise, you'll just be a wealth-distributing child who sends all his belongings and even his life to others. Want to try that?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head, "I can't die!"
Cui Cheng asked, "On what basis? Because your life, Chen Ping'an, is more precious than others?"
Chen Ping'an said in a deep voice, "On the basis that the senior who taught me fist techniques is named Cui, called Cheng!"
The old man was slightly taken aback, then nodded gently, gratified. "That sentence really isn't flattery. For such a fine phrase and honest truth... if I don't give you an old fist, I wouldn't be doing you, Chen Ping'an, justice!"
The old man's figure and momentum were like a mountain pressing down. Chen Ping'an saw blackness in front of his eyes, and then he was knocked unconscious on the spot by a single punch.
The old man stomped his foot, and the limp Chen Ping'an bounced up. In midair, he woke up with a start, but the old man's leg came again.
Another inevitable fainting.
And so on, back and forth.
Chen Ping'an complained endlessly, struggling to cope.
The old man, on the other hand, was tirelessly enjoying it.
Sticking close to the clothes to emit strength, striking the object with sound.
Naturally, this wasn't the ordinary street performer's trick of pursuing so-called "practice without sound, sail without oars". It was because the fist-protective qi in Cui Cheng's sleeve was too abundant, and every punch came out too freely.
Finally, the old man delivered a whip kick that swept across Chen Ping'an's neck. Chen Ping'an spun several times, then staggered a few steps after landing, but the force was much less than before, so he didn't fall to the ground.
Using the reverse six-step stance frame, supplemented by the ape-shaped fist intent, he hunched and retreated several steps. Chen Ping'an showed no slack, staring fixedly at the old man.
Beaten badly, both his fist frame and his fist intent were wavering.
But there was a vague "meaning" on Chen Ping'an that stood firm like a rock, like an old monk in meditation.
Cui Cheng smiled, "Alright, that's enough for today. If I hammer you any more, your bones, kid, will fall apart."
Chen Ping'an didn't move.
Cui Cheng nodded, "Not bad. You earned one less punch. Walk down the stairs yourself. Same old rules: soak in the medicinal bucket. Remember, unlike before, don't let the water cool completely. When you can boil the medicine water with your true qi, only then can you leave. Otherwise, stay obediently in the bucket and consider it practice for swimming. Wei Po has already prepared the herbs. Go downstairs and have the little girl in the pink skirt boil the water."
Only then did Chen Ping'an hold his breath, leave the room, and stagger down the stairs. As he descended, he had to hold the railing, feeling much like the days when he went up the mountain to burn charcoal as a youth—going up wasn't tiring, but coming down was.
The little girl in the pink dress was already downstairs boiling water.
Taking advantage of the break, Chen Ping'an didn't immediately return to the first-floor room. Instead, he went to the stone table by the cliff and sat down to practice Sword Furnace Standing.
Only when the little girl in the pink dress came to call him did he get up and go inside.
Half an hour later, Chen Ping'an changed into a simple elegant blue robe, one of those gifted by Wu Yi of Ziyang Manor.
The little girl in the pink dress busied herself with familiar tasks, cleaning up the mess.
Chen Ping'an sat on a bamboo chair under the eaves, smiled, and thanked her. The little girl beamed, as if doing these chores gave her more satisfaction than breaking through realms in cultivation.
Chen Ping'an clasped his hands behind his head, leaned back in the chair, and stretched out his legs.
So it turned out that not being beaten was the life of an immortal.
In the distance, Zhu Lian approached slowly with the girl Cen Yuanji.
Chen Ping'an turned his head to look.
Zhu Lian took a bamboo chair and sat to one side, while Cen Yuanji stood behind this old immortal with her hands held respectfully.
Zhu Lian smiled and said, "Young Master, regarding Cen Yuanji's martial arts training, is there any plan?"
Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "You just lead her through the basics. Whether or not to take on the name of master and disciple is your business."
Zhu Lian quickly shook his head, "How can that be? This old servant is barely passable at fighting to the death, but teaching someone fist techniques, I'm far inferior to you, Young Master. As for being a teacher, you, Young Master, are young, yet you already have the demeanor of a master..."
Cen Yuanji felt melancholy inside.
It was a pity that a hero like Old Immortal Zhu had been reduced to being a servant for this young mountain lord.
Chen Ping'an asked softly, "Does Zheng Dafeng have any ideas?"
Zhu Lian shook his head regretfully, "That Brother Dafeng is now completely focused on how to build the mountain gate's thatched huts. He wants them to look good, not lose Luopo Mountain's face, yet not cost too much money, so you, Young Master, don't waste silver. Brother Dafeng simply can't spare the attention."
Chen Ping'an had a headache.
Cui Cheng walked out of the second floor, "First practice the Mountain-Shaking Fist stance twenty thousand times, then we'll discuss learning martial arts."
Chen Ping'an hesitated.
Zhu Lian, however, thought it was feasible. He turned to Cen Yuanji and smiled, "What a great fortune. This fist stance is a rare ultimate skill in the world. Great skill seems clumsy, containing infinite fist intent. Cen girl, from today onward, you must be undistracted and do the stance over and over."
Zhu Lian turned back, grinning at Chen Ping'an.
Chen Ping'an said, "The six-step stance is something you can't teach either."
Zhu Lian said guiltily, "This old servant's stance, no matter how correct, lacks that chic elegance. It's bound to give the impression of a duck waddling, and I might cause Cen Yuanji to underestimate this supreme fist stance. If you, Young Master, do it, it will be like flowing clouds and water, smooth and exhilarating, making one feel like a spring breeze..."
Chen Ping'an couldn't stand this bootlicking anymore, so he briefly relayed Cui Cheng's words, though he omitted mentions like Golden Body Realm. Zhu Lian's face wrinkled bitterly, and he said nothing.
Chen Ping'an held back his laughter.
Zhu Lian took Cen Yuanji back to their residence.
Along the way, Cen Yuanji noticed that the old immortal seemed to be in a heavy mood.
Back then at the Cen residence, the old immortal had openly said that he was a sixth-realm martial artist about to break into the Golden Body Realm, and that she could hope to reach the seventh realm.
Could it be that the tall old man who liked to hide in the bamboo tower was a Golden Body Realm grandmaster? Otherwise, constantly talking about beating old master Zhu to death was too shameless.
Zhu Lian seriously taught Cen Yuanji the six-step stance three times, and Cen Yuanji was already very close in form.
Zhu Lian only told her to practice the stance diligently and finish the twenty-thousand times quickly, both fast and steady.
Also, that from now on, he would demonstrate it for her three times a day, so she could observe and avoid going astray.
Cen Yuanji was filled with fighting spirit and promised Zhu Lian she wouldn't be lazy.
Zhu Lian clasped his hands behind his back and walked out of the courtyard.
In truth, the first test for Cen Yuanji had quietly begun.
But the girl was completely unaware.
Now it just depended on when Cen Yuanji would complete the twenty-thousand stances, and during the process, how long it would take to go from form to spirit, and after achieving spirit, how much fist intent she would have—or whether she would loosen her stance just for speed, unknowingly taking shortcuts, being clever but outsmarting herself, reaching the dead end of her martial path early.
Cen Yuanji's aptitude, endurance, and character in learning martial arts would all be laid bare at that time.
And Cen Yuanji's future achievements—whether the Golden Body Realm, which was already in the bag, or the Far Traveling Realm, which had some hope, or even the Mountain Summit Realm, which was originally very unlikely—were actually contained within those twenty-thousand six-step stances.
This was probably what they meant by "three years old sees the old."
All of this was just a word from the barefoot old man.
Zhu Lian wasn't particularly willing to get involved in the punch-feeding sessions between Chen Ping'an and old man Cui.
It would delay his trips down the mountain to pick, buy, and collect books.
——
Over the next half-month, Zhu Lian was beaten half to death many times, and Chen Ping'an was no better off.
But unlike Chen Ping'an, who gritted his teeth and endured, Zhu Lian, who had been less than enthusiastic at first, ended up addicted to being beaten. Truly worthy of being that martial madman from Lotus Flower Blessed Land who wanted to kill the other nine alone. In the subsequent practice sessions, he even exceeded Cui Cheng's expectations. Zhu Lian, a Far Traveling Realm martial artist, found various ways to provoke Cui Cheng, a tenth-realm peak Stop Realm grandmaster. As a result, as Cui Cheng said, Zhu Lian couldn't truly kill Chen Ping'an, but he could force him to go all out, with him watching on the side to ensure no accidents. However, when Zhu Lian put on a reckless attitude of "I want to die, and if you don't hit me, you're not a master," could Cui Cheng really kill Zhu Lian? The only option was to beat Zhu Lian half to death each time.
During this period, Chen Ping'an had the most satisfying time practicing fists since he had started.
Of course, when Zhu Lian sparred with him, he was truly ruthless.
But whenever Chen Ping'an lay breathless in a corner, watching Zhu Lian get beaten so miserably by the old man, he immediately felt he was actually lucky.
However, when Zhu Lian's punches reached their fullest, that state of "demonic possession" yet still pure and untainted heart, truly opened Chen Ping'an's eyes.
Presumably, each time they finished, Cui Cheng deliberately didn't let him faint, also intending for him to watch.
If not for the age gap and Zhu Lian's stubborn adherence to the master-servant distinction, the two would truly be a pair of brothers in misery.
Late that night, the two sat by the stone table.
Zhu Lian glanced at the bamboo tower, eager to try, barely restraining himself from cursing loudly at it to get a full meal of punches.
Chen Ping'an was speechless.
At most, he could barely endure hardship. For Zhu Lian, hardship was true enjoyment.
Zhu Lian sighed, "The old senior, purely at Golden Body Realm, beating me at Far Traveling Realm, still makes me cry for my parents. You, Young Master, back then at the fifth realm, endured my Golden Body Realm attacks. The senior and you are both rare geniuses in the world."
Chen Ping'an warned, "Don't drag me into this."
Zhu Lian suddenly became serious, "The old senior is painstakingly kind."
Chen Ping'an nodded, "He wants me to know that regarding the attitude toward practicing martial arts, there are still people like you, Zhu Lian, in the world. My perseverance, Chen Ping'an, amounts to nothing."
Zhu Lian said guiltily, "Every time I land a punch on you, Young Master, the pain is in this old servant's heart."
Chen Ping'an laughed angrily, "Give it a rest."
Zhu Lian sighed, "Cen Yuanji's stance practice is still too slow."
Chen Ping'an nodded, not saying anything particularly good about Cen Yuanji, but he did say a fair word, "You can't expect everyone to learn like you. Even I, back then, was that diligent only to cling to life."
Zhu Lian shook his head, "Don't say that, Young Master. Otherwise, it would be unfair to the million-plus punches you struck after your life was no longer in danger."
Chen Ping'an asked, "Is there a way to elevate her fist intent in a relatively natural way, without affecting Cen Yuanji's state of mind?"
Zhu Lian nodded, "There is one method, but the sacrifice from you, Young Master, would be rather large."
Chen Ping'an was curious, "Tell me."
Zhu Lian's expression turned coy, lowering his voice, "You could pretend to be a lecherous mountain lord who takes advantage of women, but with a low enough martial realm. One dark, windy night, after she struggles a bit, just as you, Young Master, are about to succeed, this old servant conveniently appears and begs for mercy on her behalf. You, Young Master, concerned about face, leave angrily, but as you step over the threshold, you look back at the bed with reluctant eyes. Then this old servant comforts her, making Cen Yuanji feel that if she practices harder, she can beat you, Young Master, sooner and avoid the harassment..."
Chen Ping'an took off his Sword-Nurturing Gourd, took several sips of wine to calm down.
Finally, he asked, "Why don't we switch roles?"
Zhu Lian said helplessly, "Cen Yuanji isn't really stupid. She wouldn't believe it. And if the girl truly believed it, she might risk her life to sneak down the mountain."
Chen Ping'an asked again, "I'm just curious, how did Cen Yuanji decide that you're the good guy and I'm the bad guy?"
Zhu Lian thought for a moment, "If a man isn't bad, a woman won't love him?"
Chen Ping'an hesitated whether to ask the Sword Immortal in his swordcase to cut Zhu Lian half to death.
Zhu Lian stopped joking and shamelessly begged Chen Ping'an for a gourd of wine, saying that as a loyal old servant, he had endured the rebellion of the alcohol worms in his belly and hadn't dared to secretly stash a few jars of good wine when burying it, and now his intestines were green with regret. Chen Ping'an told him to get lost.
Zhu Lian knew he really had no chance and smiled, "Young Master, you're still so young. Being so rigid about matters between men and women, isn't that a bit pedantic and boring? What good man doesn't have a few close female friends?"
Chen Ping'an adjusted the Sword-Nurturing Gourd at his waist, put his hands in his sleeves, and looked into the distance, saying softly, "In the future, when I travel the world, if a woman truly falls for me, I may not be able to stop it. But whether I can love only one person in this life—that I can do, and must do."
Zhu Lian scratched his head and said nothing.
Chen Ping'an waited for a long time, then turned to tease, "First time ever no flattery following up?"
Zhu Lian shook his head and murmured, "Only infatuation in this world is not to be mocked by others."
Chen Ping'an said with feeling, "Only someone who is not infatuated could say such a thing."
Zhu Lian slammed the table, "Indeed! You, Young Master, are the true hidden master. Such flattery, completely traceless. This old servant is far inferior!"
Chen Ping'an's teeth itched, and he said with a fake smile, "Zhu Lian, just you wait. When I'm at the same realm as you someday, we'll see."
Zhu Lian nodded, "Maybe it'll happen tomorrow. Very simple."
Seeing Zhu Lian's expression of "if this old servant has a single word of falsehood, may lightning strike me," Chen Ping'an was choked into silence.
After a moment of silence.
Chen Ping'an asked, "I can see that Pei Qian gets along well with the two little ones, but I haven't been home for years. Are there any problems I haven't noticed, that you feel it's inappropriate to say? If there are, Zhu Lian, feel free to speak."
Zhu Lian shook his head with a smile, "For you, Young Master, there is nothing that cannot be said."
Chen Ping'an sighed in frustration, pointing at Zhu Lian, indicating he had nothing left to say.
"Currently, Luopo Mountain still has few people, so there are not many problems. For matters outside the mountain, the big ones, you, Young Master, have already handled them yourself. The small ones, like the annual gifts of gratitude to those neighbors who helped you in the past—Miss Ruan back then also set the rules. With the two shops, after this old servant took over, it was just following routine, nothing complicated. Many families have since moved to the commandery capital, become prosperous, and politely refused this old servant's gifts, but they still treat me courteously when I visit for New Year's greetings. Some, even though they have money, have grown more insatiable. This old servant goes along with their lion's jaws now. As for those families still living in poverty, this old servant doesn't give much money, but I visit them more often, sit in their homes, and occasionally ask if they have urgent needs. If I can help, I do; if not, I play dumb."
Zhu Lian narrated unhurriedly.
If one understood Zhu Lian's life in Lotus Flower Blessed Land, they would know that handling worldly affairs, from the court and battlefield to the trivialities of everyday life, came easily to him, handling heavy matters with ease.
Zhu Lian squinted with a smile, looking at the young man in blue who was used to thinking about this and that and everyone, "Additionally, there are some small issues that I couldn't conveniently speak or act on for you, Young Master, but once you returned to Luopo Mountain, they vanished. That's the honest truth. So, Young Master, I have another honest truth to say: No matter how far you travel, no matter how hard the journey, you must come back. Luopo Mountain is not afraid to wait."
Chen Ping'an nodded.
Zhu Lian smiled, "That's more than enough. When you travel to Beiju Continent in the future, don't worry too much about Luopo Mountain. With Senior Cui here, with this old servant here, and now with Brother Dafeng, you don't need to worry too much."
Chen Ping'an nodded again, then asked curiously, "Why is it that Shi Rou no longer has that wariness and distance toward you now?"
Zhu Lian chuckled, "Perhaps after looking at this old servant for a while, Shi Rou thinks his appearance isn't actually that unbearable? After all, this old servant back in Lotus Flower Blessed Land was known as a banished immortal and a noble scion of elegance and refinement."
Chen Ping'an glanced at Zhu Lian and shook his head, "I certainly can't see that."
Zhu Lian put his hands in his sleeves, squinting and smiling, his shoulders shaking, as if reminiscing about past pride, "You, Young Master, wouldn't know. Back then, how many women in Lotus Flower Blessed Land, just by seeing a portrait of this old servant, would throw away their lives."
Chen Ping'an asked with a smile, "Were you better in your youth than Cui Dongshan is now?"
Zhu Lian thought for a moment, then said seriously, "To be honest, I'm not bragging. My charm in those days surpassed his."
Chen Ping'an sighed, "That really deserves a beating."
Zhu Lian smiled, "That's why this old servant went to learn martial arts. Otherwise, I'd have to worry about my backside one day."
Chen Ping'an was stunned for a moment before he caught Zhu Lian's innuendo. Without turning his head, he said, "Say that to the old senior if you have the guts."
Zhu Lian chuckled quietly, waving his hand, "That would be true suicide."
Chen Ping'an said, "I wonder how Lu Baixiang, Sui Youbian, and Wei Xian are doing now."
Zhu Lian's expression was slightly sarcastic, but his tone indifferent, "They each went their own way. Each worse than the last."
Chen Ping'an smiled, "Sly slander behind their backs?"
Zhu Lian chuckled, "You can read minds, Young Master. Truly a god."
Chen Ping'an suddenly said, "Zhu Lian, if someday you want to go out for a walk, just say the word. It's not just polite talk. There's no need to be polite with me."
Zhu Lian shook his head, "I appreciate the intention, Young Master, but this old servant truly doesn't want to go far. I've walked enough in Lotus Flower Blessed Land. For family, for country, for filial piety, for loyalty—it's been very tiring. Besides, that last leg of the martial world journey, especially the fight for the top ten in Nanyuan Kingdom, was for myself. I have no regrets for this life. 'He who knows himself suffers less; he who is content is always happy.'... Young Master, that was well said, wasn't it? Can it be inscribed on a bamboo slip?"
Chen Ping'an had been listening seriously, but Zhu Lian's last sentence ruined it. Chen Ping'an stood up with a dark face and headed for the first-floor room.
Zhu Lian stood up, watched Chen Ping'an leave, and after the door closed, he sat back down.
The hunched old man looked alone into the night scene.
Pine nuts falling rustlingly in the mountain, grass insects chirping chirpily under the moon.
Truly the Stop Realm of the human world.
What more could one ask?
After a moment.
This Far Traveling Realm martial artist, his heart as still as water, looked around. Seeing no one, he secretly pulled a book from his bosom, licked his finger, and began to flip through it. Reading a forbidden book on a moonlit autumn night—that was one of life's great pleasures.
——
The next day, Chen Ping'an didn't go to the second floor to be fed punches.
Because the Ministry of Rites Vice Minister of the Great Li court had arrived at Piyun Mountain to formally sign the contract for the sale of the mountain peaks.
Wei Po personally came to Luopo Mountain and then took Chen Ping'an to Linlu Academy, where the old vice minister and relevant officials were already waiting.
Chen Ping'an was no stranger to this high-ranking Great Li official. Back when the Lizhu Cave Heaven had fallen and taken root, he had met the old vice minister a few times.
This was Chen Ping'an's first visit to this newly built, highest-standard academy of Great Li.
Since Wei Po had directly dragged him to a secluded spot in the academy, they bypassed many corridors and buildings.
Ruan Qiong was not there. this military sage in charge had secretly left. Instead, Dong Gu, a Golden Core Earth Immortal from Longquan Sword Sect, had come, holding a private seal of his master—a sage's token, no ordinary object. This showed that Ruan Qiong trusted this disciple, who was of spirit origin, greatly.
On a table, besides the most important general covenant, there were also land deeds for each mountain peak.
In total, six peaks of varying sizes, originally belonging to—Niujiao Mountain of Baofu Studio, Zhusha Mountain of the Xu clan of Qingfeng City, Huimeng Mountain (the closest to Luopo Mountain and vast in area), Aoyu Bei, Weixia Peak, and Baijian Terrace (the westernmost of the mountain range)—would all be transferred to Chen Ping'an's name.
The signatories and stamp bearers on the contract included Chen Ping'an, the old vice minister who carried both the Great Li imperial jade seal and the Ministry of Rites official seal, Dong Gu with Ruan Qiong's seal, and Wei Po, who removed one of his golden earrings, which, through some unknown divine ability, transformed into a solid round seal.
There were also two vice principals of the academy, but they were just there for the spectacle.
One was a renowned great Confucian scholar of Great Li, said to be the hand behind many plaques and couplets in the Longquan Commandery's civil and military temples.
The other was an old acquaintance.
That old Confucian scholar of the Huangting Kingdom who had once received Chen Ping'an and his group, whose true identity was an ancient flood dragon who had lived countless years, and who was also the father of Wu Yi, the founding ancestor of Ziyang Manor.
The Longquan Commandery governor Wu Yuan, County Magistrate Yuan, and Supervisor Cao, three young officials, were also all present today.
And beside Dong Gu stood a young man, Xie Ling from Taoye Lane, with his marked long eyebrows.
Logically, even as Ruan Qiong's disciple, Xie Ling shouldn't have been here.
But his ancestor's fame was just too great—Heavenly Lord Xie Shi.
So when Xie Ling appeared, most people present pretended not to notice, and the old vice minister even took the initiative to exchange a few polite pleasantries with this young man born with strange signs.
Xie Ling responded appropriately, neither arrogant nor shy. After finishing with the old vice minister, the young man continued in silence, but when Chen Ping'an, the main character, finally appeared, Xie Ling gave a few extra glances at the young man from Niping Lane.
Ma Kuxuan of Xinghua Lane, Chen Ping'an of Niping Lane.
These two were now famous in the mountain circles of Longquan Commandery.
One, a cultivation prodigy who had directly killed a Golden Core swordsman in a head-on battle; the other, a landowner who collected immortal mountain peaks like buying a few acres of farmland.
But there were rumors that Ma Kuxuan and Chen Ping'an didn't get along, with stories saying they had fought at Shenxian Grave in their early years.
Xie Ling found it strange how Chen Ping'an had managed to survive.
For Zhenwu Mountain's Ma Kuxuan had always been the one he silently chased.
And he, Xie Ling, besides having a Divine Ability Heavenly Lord as his ancestor, had also been favored by Patriarch Lu Chen, who personally bestowed upon him an exquisite pagoda nearly equal to immortal weapons.
So from his youth, Xie Ling's gaze had always been fixed on the peak of Baoping Continent, only occasionally looking down at the people and events below.
There was also Liu Xianyang, who, having turned misfortune into fortune and survived a great calamity, had been taken to Southern Popo Continent to study at the Chen clan of Pure Confucianism. He would certainly have good opportunities and prospects, but given the distance and poor communication, it was hard for him to make a big splash in a short time. Cultivation in the Three Teachings and Hundred Schools, the more orthodox the lineage, the harder it was to break through realms quickly. Although one could walk the Great Path higher and farther, in the early stages, the talented disciples of unorthodox schools often made faster progress.
As for that little guy Gu Can from Shujian Lake, he reportedly had a miserable state and had lost that true dragon descendant, presumably his Great Path was ruined.
Back in the day, of the five fortunes of Lizhu Cave Heaven, Gu Can was the first poor wretch to lose his.
Matters outside.
Xie Ling wasn't very interested. Even when his senior brother Dong Gu or fellow apprentice Xu Xiaoqiao mentioned them, he let it go in one ear and out the other.
Chen Ping'an today was dressed in a blue robe, with a white jade hairpin, a Sword-Nurturing Gourd at his hip, and a Sword Immortal sword on his back.
In the eyes of ordinary people, his somewhat haggard appearance subtly diminished the impression of "downy lips make slips."
Standing among the crowd, he didn't stand out like a crane among chickens, but he certainly wasn't overshadowed by anyone. Even without deliberately seeking anything, his words were gentle, his demeanor calm, as he greeted each person in turn—chatting with the old flood dragon about the cliffside carvings in the Huangting Kingdom and the food at his forest mansion, telling the academy's great Confucian scholar that he had read his works and would visit the academy again to seek answers to his doubts.
The old vice minister watched everything with a smile.
This official, ranked as a high third-rank in the court's central administration, was both prestigious and powerful. The old man naturally remembered Chen Ping'an. The first time they met was back at Ruan Saint's sword-forging shop, where the shabby boy stood beside Ruan Xiu—they were even friends, and neither side found it strange.
Having developed a pair of sharp eyes in officialdom, the old vice minister had remembered this boy Chen Ping'an back then.
Wei Po stood beside Chen Ping'an the entire time, and even Dong Gu from Longquan Sword Sect, who by nature was taciturn, took the initiative to chat with Chen Ping'an for a bit.
Signing the contract was not originally a cumbersome process, but probably because there were court "scribes" present to record, and with Wei Po and Ruan Qiong participating in this grand event, the Vice Minister of Rites added a few decorative steps to make it more solemn, certainly in accordance with Great Li ritual protocol.
From start to finish, there were no hiccups. The group chatted amiably, with no celebratory banquet—after all, they were at Linlu Academy, and as the Vice Minister of Rites with a busy schedule, he was also the chief examiner for the Great Li officials' local evaluations this year. So he had to leave soon, heading to Niujiao Mountain to take a ferry back to the capital.
In the end, Chen Ping'an and Wei Po stood in a viewing pavilion at Linlu Academy.
Chen Ping'an didn't ask about Gao Xuan. It wasn't appropriate, as he was a hostage sent from Great Sui to Great Li.
Wei Po asked with a smile, "What are you looking at?"
Chen Ping'an withdrew his gaze and smiled, "Nothing much."
From this new and magnificent Linlu Academy, looking toward that old, abandoned schoolhouse that no longer taught or studied, he could only vaguely make out the outline of the small town, and not very clearly.
Wei Po reminded, "There will be more social obligations soon. The immortal forces staying in this area will definitely be visiting Luopo Mountain one after another. Be prepared."
Chen Ping'an smiled, "I'm not unfamiliar with this kind of social exchange now. I can handle it."
Wei Po teased, "Doesn't it bother you, delaying your fist practice?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head, "No. Understanding worldly matters is all knowledge. If something is useful and unavoidable, you might as well adjust your mindset from the start."
Wei Po asked, "Why did you discreetly inquire about Dong Shuijing? Do you not trust him?"
Chen Ping'an laughed quietly, quickly shaking his head. He didn't hide anything from Wei Po. "No, Dong Shuijing and I are friends. But the matter of business involves another friend. Business shouldn't favor anyone. If both are my friends, but they don't get along with each other, and I force them together, then a good thing that should benefit all three parties might end up costing me two friends—that would be a real pity."
Chen Ping'an had already planned to write to Guan Yiran at Chishui City, roughly saying that he had a friend, a fellow townsman named Dong Shuijing, who was in business, honest, and not without sharpness. But in the letter, he would also tell Guan Yiran that if it was difficult or not the right time to stand out, if it wasn't a good time for profit, then don't force it. And before leaving Longquan Commandery, he would likely receive Guan Yiran's reply. So Chen Ping'an would also seek out Dong Shuijing again and speak more clearly, even if some words might not sound pleasant—he still had to say them.
Chen Ping'an sighed, "I've suffered from this kind of thing before."
Wei Po nodded. Chen Ping'an had roughly told him about the matter with Liu Baqiao of Fenglei Garden and Sun Jiashu of Old Dragon City.
Chen Ping'an smiled, genuinely joyful, "With so many peaks, I can do a lot of things."
Wei Po joked, "For example, who gets to be the mountain king of Huimeng Mountain, and who gets to cultivate on Zhusha Mountain?"
Chen Ping'an smiled, "Just thinking about it makes me happy."
Wei Po said nothing.
All these peaks were now Chen Ping'an's property. How to arrange them was his own calculation.
Wei Po remembered something, "Soon, in my Northern Peak domain, I will hold the first Specter Night Travel Banquet since my appointment. All the gods from all directions will need to leave their jurisdictions to come and pay homage to Piyun Mountain. If you're interested, I can bring you to Piyun Mountain."
Chen Ping'an had carefully read that Daoxuan Mountain Book of Gods and knew the origin of this tradition.
The orthodox mountain gods of each country were highly esteemed, and even the highest-ranked river gods in terms of official status would never outrank the Five Great Mountain Gods. According to the ritual system of Haoran World, the water and land gods within a region had to pay homage to the orthodox mountain god at regular intervals. From the lowest-level land gods, river elders and river mothers, etc., to the Ironfu River God Yang Hua of Longquan Commandery, and then down to the Xihua River, Chongdan River, Yuye River—these river gods—plus the mountain gods of Luopo Mountain and Fengliang Mountain, along with gods from civil and military temples and city god temples at various levels—all needed to leave their water and land domains on a certain day, bearing gifts, to pay respects to Wei Po as the orthodox mountain god.
At such times, Longquan's capital and county towns would need to implement nighttime curfews.
This was a long-standing tradition. Every thirty or sixty years, or as long as a century, the temple of the orthodox mountain god who was the lord of a region would hold a Night Travel Banquet.
There was also another situation that could give rise to such a grand event: when a cultivator broke through to the Upper Five Realms, the water and land gods within thousands of miles, regardless of national borders, would often take the initiative to pay respects to the immortal.
The night travels of the gods, numbering in the dozens or hundreds, each displaying their divine powers, were thus called by mountain cultivators a "Picture of Gods Paying Homage to Immortals."
Chen Ping'an politely declined Wei Po's offer, "I'll just watch from Luopo Mountain that day."
Wei Po didn't insist.
Chen Ping'an didn't rush back to Luopo Mountain. He let Zhu Lian "enjoy his leisure" alone for once.
He also wanted to steal a moment of leisure and sort out some cluttered thoughts.
Wei Po accompanied Chen Ping'an, standing there enjoying the view.
Chen Ping'an glanced north. Going north all the way, crossing the sea, was Beiju Continent.
Wei Po smiled, "Back then, you were in a hurry to travel and never made it to the nearest Southern Popo Continent or Fuyao Continent. Any regrets?"
Chen Ping'an smiled bitterly, "I simply couldn't afford the time. Not really a regret."
Wei Po simply moved to sit on the railing, "I've heard that the Confucian sages of two continents are the most difficult to serve: Beiju Continent and Fuyao Continent. One is busy breaking up fights, the other is busy cleaning up messes. Neither gets any leisure to focus on learning."
Wei Po turned his head, "By the way, you've been to Tongye Continent. What was your impression? Besides being much larger than Baoping Continent, what else?"
Chen Ping'an thought for a moment, "Perhaps because the map is too large, many places are very closed-off. And the spiritual energy varies greatly from place to place, making it easy to have large mountain peaks and huge immortal caves. Like Tongye Sect, Yugui Sect, Taiping Mountain, Fuji Sect—each a behemoth. In our Baoping Continent, probably only Shengau Sect could contend with these giants. But Tongye Continent also has many small countries where people don't even know what cultivators are, with thin spiritual energy—truly lawless lands."
Wei Po nodded and asked with a smile, "Do you know that of the nine continents of Haoran World, apart from the Central Continent being a special case, the qi luck of the other eight continents is actually the same?"
Chen Ping'an didn't know and soon became puzzled.
Wei Po took the hint and explained, "Don't let Baoping Continent's small size fool you. It hasn't produced many native great cultivators, but it's a classic case of 'marrying off daughters for others.' If you trace back to the roots, according to secular dynasties' so-called 'population registers,' it's not lacking. Just the cultivators who walked out of Lizhu Cave Heaven include Xie Shi of Taoye Lane and Cao Xi of your Niping Lane. Then the younger generation: Liu Xianyang, Zhao Yao—they all ran off, right? It's because they can't be kept that makes Baoping Continent seem so shabby."
Chen Ping'an sighed, "With the great chaos in Tongye Continent earlier, I suspect Fuyao Continent isn't much better off. And the demons' thousand-year operation in Tongye Continent, though it left it severely damaged—especially Taiping Mountain and Fuji Sect, with the heaviest casualties—at least everything has been turned upside down. Even back at Daoxuan Mountain, I knew that Southern Popo Continent, Tongye Continent, and Fuyao Continent all had great treasures surface. I heard that Fuyao Continent was always the most chaotic among the nine continents down the mountain, and now it's chaotic up the mountain too. I can't imagine how the Confucian sages and virtuous men there are managing the chaos."
Fuyao Continent, as Chen Ping'an knew from the Book of Gods, was indeed one word: chaos. If you considered the entire Fuyao Continent as a dynasty, after five hundred years of constant annexation, it had formed a 'warlord separatist force' led by a dozen major dynasties.
Fighting back and forth, heroes rising, villains and pillars emerging endlessly in times of turmoil. Moreover, cultivators in Fuyao Continent loved to go down the mountain to 'support the dragon' and were thus mocked by the Central Continent as "Water Bucket Continent," because it wobbled the most.
As for Southern Popo Continent, the closest to Daoxuan Mountain.
Its literary lineage flourished, and its martial fortune thrived.
It was one of the few vassal continents that the cultivators of the Central Continent deemed worthy of regard.
Moreover, Popo Continent had produced that pure Confucian Chen Chun'an, who shouldered the sun and moon.
But such discussions of the world's structure and trends, when chatted about, were just that.
Chen Ping'an worried about these seemingly unrelated great matters because of the Sword Qi Great Wall. Wei Po worried because, as the future orthodox mountain god of a continent, without long-term considerations, there would be immediate worries.
Chen Ping'an smiled, "I'll head back first, but not to Luopo Mountain—to the small town. I'll go see Pei Qian. Just take me to Zhenzhu Mountain."
Wei Po nodded, lightly flicked his sleeve, and sent Chen Ping'an to Zhenzhu Mountain.
Commanding the wind to move the sun and moon, shrinking the earth to traverse mountains and rivers. Water was the pattern on the palm, breath shaking the sky's thunder.
Such was the power of a god.
After Chen Ping'an left,
Wei Po sat alone on the pavilion railing. The birds and beasts, the clouds and mountain breeze, the living and the dead—all seemed utterly docile.
He suddenly laughed.
Because he remembered a small incident from earlier.
That Xie Ling with the long eyebrows had privately approached Chen Ping'an. After greeting him, he asked with a smile, "Aren't you curious why Sister Xiuxiu didn't come to Piyun Mountain?"
Sister Xiuxiu.
A very deliberate form of address.
Chen Ping'an had replied with a smile, "I'm familiar with Miss Ruan, but I'm not familiar with you."
That nearly made Xie Ling, that fortunate little fellow, choke on internal injury.
No words could make someone swallow bitter gourd like a mute as effectively as that light, casual sentence.
Even a blind man on the road could see that Xie Ling was deeply infatuated with his senior sister.
Let alone the disciples of Longquan Sword Sect.
But Xie Ling, with his good cultivation talent and great fortune, was still inexperienced in the ways of the world and thought few had noticed his little feelings.
Then he ran into Chen Ping'an. Though they were only a few years apart in age, when it came to reading the human heart, wasn't it just like a Lower Fifth Realm cultivator being bullied by an Upper Fifth Realm cultivator? And Xie Ling had brought it upon himself, staring at Chen Ping'an from the moment they met.
Chen Ping'an might avoid Ruan Qiong when he saw him, but would he be afraid of you, Xie Ling?
Wei Po stretched, turned his head, and looked into the distance towards the Changchun Palace in the northern outskirts of Great Li's capital region.
He wondered if the osmanthus had bloomed there this year.
Would a woman again snap a cassia branch, hold it in her hand, and walk along a mountain path?
Would there be the man her heart desired by her side?
If so, he hoped he was a scholar of excellent character and learning.
Wei Po nodded.
As Zhu Lian had said well: if he was a frail scholar, a beating in a sack was the least worrisome. If he was a cultivator, things might be a bit more troublesome. But no matter—if he, Wei Po, couldn't act, Zhu Lian, as his sworn brother, could do it on his behalf. For such matters, wielding a sack, covering one's face, and cold-cocking someone from behind was an essential survival skill for navigating the martial world, and Zhu Lian was very good at it.
To have such a true friend in life—truly a blessing.
Without reason, Wei Po thought of Chen Ping'an's actions since returning to Luopo Mountain, bit by bit.
Wei Po sighed, murmuring, "Having already acquired such a large territory, he still thinks living in a small room on the first floor of a bamboo tower is more than enough?"
Wei Po then felt relieved.
A place to settle can be small. A place to find peace must be large.
Seek great freedom in a mustard seed.
Wei Po propped his hands on the railing and softly hummed a folk tune he'd learned from Pei Qian: "Eating stinky tofu, yo."
Wei Po suddenly felt a craving he hadn't had in years.
He wondered if Chen Ping'an would stay until winter. When the bamboo shoots in the mountain bamboo grove appeared, he would dig up a few and take them to the bamboo tower. According to Zhu Lian, Chen Ping'an was quite good at improvised stewing.
And Wei Po still didn't know that back when the young Chen Ping'an traveled far to study with Li Baoping, Li Huai, and the others, his one moment of grievance was that those heartless little ones had looked down on his cooking—the fish soup he made was far inferior to that huge table of wild mountain fare at the old flood dragon's mansion. This had been an unresolved knot for Chen Ping'an ever since. Later, when he traveled alone, eating wild and sleeping rough, whenever he had some free time and could put a bit of effort into a meal, he always competed with himself.
Thus, his cooking naturally improved.
At the small town,
As soon as Chen Ping'an stepped over the threshold, he saw that head resting on the counter. The key thing was Pei Qian's eyes were fixed, not moving a bit, eerie even in broad daylight. Chen Ping'an couldn't help but smile wryly, quickly walked over, and gave her a rap on the head.
Pei Qian held her head with both hands, whining, "Master, I haven't been lazy or playful!"
Chen Ping'an reached out to pull her ear.
Pei Qian immediately straightened her face, "Master, I was wrong!"
Chen Ping'an nodded, then withdrew his hand.
Pei Qian grinned, "Master, now can you tell me what I did wrong?"
Chen Ping'an smiled, "Never mind. Master's hand was itching."
Shi Rou suppressed a laugh.
Pei Qian turned and glared, "Sister Shi Rou, what's wrong with you?! Why are you secretly laughing? Do you know, in the martial world, people like you get killed first!"
Shi Rou smiled sweetly, "But I'm already dead."
Pei Qian fumed, "Then I'll punch you back to life!"
Shi Rou lifted her chin to indicate Pei Qian's master was here.
Pei Qian immediately, without turning her head, said cheerfully to Shi Rou, "You can't just go around killing people in the martial world. I'm not that kind of person. It would ruin Master's reputation if it got out."
Chen Ping'an picked up a piece of pastry, put it in his mouth, and chewed vaguely. He also picked out pieces for Pei Qian and Shi Rou, brought them to the counter, and handed them over.
Pei Qian took a bite and beamed, "Wow, the pastries today are especially delicious!"
Shi Rou nibbled the pastry, quite the proper lady, but for her to do such delicate gestures while having Du Mao's appearance was no more pleasant than Pei Qian resting her head on the counter.
Chen Ping'an slapped his forehead in sudden realization, "Ah, no wonder the shop is so quiet. Do you two get wages? If you do, I'll deduct half."
Pei Qian signaled to Sister Shi Rou that it was her turn.
She wasn't good at dealing with Master.
Shi Rou smiled charmingly.
Chen Ping'an felt his hair stand on end, and changed his tune, "Alright, no deductions."
Pei Qian raised her palm. Shi Rou hesitated for a moment, then lightly clapped it in celebration.
Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "I'll go take a look at the other shop."
Pei Qian quickly jumped off her little stool, circled out from behind the counter, and chirped that she would lead the way for Master.
Actually, both were on Qilong Alley, just a few steps apart.
Shi Rou watched the big and little figures walk out of the shop, and she too smiled.
Only at this moment did she realize that indeed, Luopo Mountain was different with or without Chen Ping'an.