Chapter 482: Another Zhu Lian
Pei Qian was actually still not sleepy, but Chen Ping'an shooed her off to bed. As Chen Ping'an passed by Cen Yuanji's residence, he heard the dull thuds of punches and the rustling of clothes within the courtyard. Standing at the gate was Zhu Lian, smiling as he looked at Chen Ping'an.
The two walked side by side, a stark difference in height. The men of the northern lands of Bottle Gourd Continent were naturally tall, and the sturdy warriors of Great Li were renowned across the continent for their burly physiques and extraordinary strength. The standard-issue armor and war blades of Great Li followed the "Cao Family Style" and "Yuan Family Style" respectively, both famously heavy—only the elite soldiers of the north could wear or wield them.
Chen Ping'an was now tall and slender, while Zhu Lian habitually hunched his back. Looking only at their silhouettes, it was as if one was from the heavens and the other from the earth.
Chen Ping'an planned to send Zhu Lian to Shujian Lake, to deliver to Gu Can and Zeng Ye the Grain Rain coins they needed to organize the Water and Land Dharma Assembly and the Grand Zhou Heaven Ritual. Zhu Lian had no objections. Dong Shuijing would accompany him; Dong Shuijing would stop at Chishui City for a private meeting with Guan Yiran, the direct descendant of the Pillar of State Guan clan. Both Zhu Lian and Dong Shuijing were people Chen Ping'an could trust implicitly with tasks. With the two traveling together, Chen Ping'an didn't need to give any specific instructions.
Chen Ping'an didn't hide the general situation of the world from Zhu Lian. After hearing it, Zhu Lian showed no sighs or lamentations. He only said that back in Lotus Flower Paradise, his actions had been like performing a grand ritual in a snail shell. Now that he was in the Righteous Qi Heaven, he wouldn't bother pondering these grand and magnificent matters. He, Zhu Lian, could only handle the small tasks—sweeping the snow in front of his own door, clearing the frost from his own roof tiles.
When they reached the first floor of the Bamboo Tower, Chen Ping'an told Zhu Lian to sit while he began packing his belongings. The day after tomorrow, he would depart from the dock at Niujiao Mountain, boarding a cross-continent ship that traveled between Old Dragon City and Northern Juju Continent. His destination was a famous "place of favorable topography," so renowned that Chen Ping'an had seen it in that Inverted Mountain Immortal's book, and it had a substantial entry. It was called Skeleton Beach, an ancient battlefield site in the south of Northern Juju Continent. The immortal sect that governed this place was called the Pima Sect, a subsidiary sect of a major sect in the Central Lands. The sect kept an army of a hundred thousand yin soldiers and yin generals. Although they dealt with yin spirits and ghosts, the Pima Sect had an excellent reputation. When disciples went down the mountain for training, their main task was to gather malevolent ghosts and evil spirits that plagued the mortal world. Moreover, the founding patriarch of the Pima Sect, when he and sixteen fellow disciples migrated from the Central Lands to Skeleton Beach and established the sect, had laid down an iron rule: disciples going down the mountain to subdue gods, impeach ghosts, suppress demons, and vanquish monsters were forbidden from demanding any payment from those they helped, whether the person was a high official or a commoner in the marketplace. They were to accept not a single coin. Violators would have their Bridge of Longevity broken and be expelled from the sect.
Thus, the cultivators of the Pima Sect at Skeleton Beach were also known as "Little Heavenly Masters" of Northern Juju Continent.
Within a thousand li radius around the Pima Sect, many righteous ghost cultivators had taken up residence. Chen Ping'an planned to spend a few extra days at Skeleton Beach, after all, occupying an island in Shujian Lake and establishing a sect suitable for ghostly cultivation had always been a regretful matter that Chen Ping'an had kept in his heart but never achieved.
Zhu Lian saw Chen Ping'an take out the neatly folded Golden Nectar Robe, hesitated for a moment, as if wanting to put it away and not bring it to Northern Juju Continent.
Zhu Lian glanced at the folding fan placed on the table by Chen Ping'an. It was a gift from Cui Dongshan, and Zhu Lian knew with his gut that it was undoubtedly a treasure. He smiled and said, "Young Master, the Golden Nectar Robe paired with the folding fan is like a stunning beauty of marriageable age matched with a glass mirror that reflects her features in perfect detail—a perfect match."
Chen Ping'an sat behind the desk, carefully counting the immortal coins, and said with some exasperation, "I'm going to Northern Juju Continent to practice the sword, not to tour the scenery. And they say that in Northern Juju Continent, if someone looks at you wrong, they'll start fighting and killing. If I dared to walk the martial world like that, wouldn't I be like Pei Qian pasting a talisman on my forehead that reads 'Beg to be Beaten'?"
Zhu Lian smiled faintly. "Young Master, no matter how chaotic the martial world, it's not all fighting and killing. Even at Shujian Lake, aren't there people who pretend to be cultured? Better to keep the Golden Nectar Robe with you. In case you need it, it doesn't take up much space anyway."
A flash of inspiration struck Zhu Lian, and he chuckled, "What, has the Young Master already thought of who to 'lend' it to?"
Chen Ping'an nodded. "I want to find an opportunity to have someone send it to the Pure Confucian Chen Clan on Southern Poshua Continent, to give it to Liu Xianyang."
Zhu Lian asked, "Through that Longwei Stream Chen clan that runs the school in the town?"
Chen Ping'an gently flicked a Minor Heat Coin. It was a yellow-jade copper coin style, with seal script on both sides. It was no longer like the Minor Heat Coin from the ruined ancient temple back then, where one of the Four Evils of Combing Water Kingdom, the female ghost Wei Wei, had used it to pay off disaster. That coin had inscriptions "Out of Plum, Enter Dog Days" and "Thunder Roars at the Sky's Peak." This one was engraved on opposite sides with "Nine Dragons Spit Water" and "Eight Ministries Divine Light." The content of seal script on Minor Heat Coins was like this—varied and without fixed rules. Not like the Snow Flower Coins, which had only one design universally. This was, of course, the brilliance of the Snowy Continent's God of Wealth, the Liu Clan. As for the sources of Minor Heat Coins, they were scattered in all directions, so the exchange rate between each widely circulated type of Minor Heat Coin and Snow Flower Coins fluctuated slightly.
Chen Ping'an said, "Back then, the person from the Pure Confucian Chen Clan who came to Lizhu Cave Heaven to inspect that regular script on the grave mound was named Chen Dui. Although he had a bad temper and a harsh tone, his character wasn't bad. And the scholar from the Great Yong Dynasty's Longwei Stream Chen clan who dealt with Chen Dui at the time, Chen Songfeng, is very good friends with a friend of mine named Liu Baqiao. Although Chen Songfeng is a bit soft in character and lacked confidence when facing a direct descendant from a noble clan on Poshua Continent, Chen Songfeng is gentle and refined, and cannot fake it. I believe that a clan of such standing, with a millennium of pure reputation, is worth far more than a half-immortal artifact."
Zhu Lian didn't think there was anything wrong with Chen Ping'an sending the Golden Nectar Robe to Liu Xianyang, whether as a gift or a temporary loan. But the timing was off, so for once, he insisted on his own opinion in front of Chen Ping'an. "Young Master, although you are now a Sixth Tier martial artist, just one step away, and the Golden Nectar Robe will soon become a chicken rib, even a burden, this 'just one step away'—how can you ignore it? Your journey to Northern Juju Continent will surely be filled with both danger and opportunity. To put it bluntly, if you truly encounter a powerful sword cultivator with immense killing power, even if the young master wears the Golden Nectar Robe and uses it as a military-style Sweet Dew Armor to block a few more swords, that would be a good thing. When the young master next returns to Fallen Mountain, whether in three years, five years, or even ten years, sending it to Liu Xianyang then won't be too late. After all, unless you are a pure martial artist, it's fine. But even if you are a Nascent Soul or even a Jade Pouch realm cultivator, you wouldn't dare say that wearing the current Golden Nectar Robe is beneath you."
Chen Ping'an hummed in agreement and put the Golden Nectar Robe into his Fangcun Item, the flying sword Fifteen.
Zhu Lian said, "Since Cui Dongshan said we have half a century to steadily build up, and the young master himself agrees with that view, why are you changing your mind now that the moment is upon us? This doesn't seem like the young master's usual temperament."
Chen Ping'an stared at the lamp flame on the table, then suddenly smiled. "Zhu Lian, how about we drink some wine and talk?"
Zhu Lian bowed his head and hunched his shoulders, rubbing his hands together. "That would be wonderful."
Chen Ping'an took out two jars of treasured osmanthus wine, moved aside the items on the table, and sat opposite Zhu Lian with the desk between them.
Chen Ping'an then recounted the matter of rebuilding the Bridge of Longevity, including the mental barriers, gains, losses, blessings, and disasters he had experienced along the way. He spared no detail: the shattering of his Life-bound Porcelain in childhood, the tug-of-war with Sect Leader Lu Chen, traveling through the three-hundred-year river of time with the old Daoist in Lotus Flower Paradise, and even the 'holes' in his mind caused by the two sword strikes from Wei Jin at Snow Wind Temple and from the Dragon Lord at Dragon Lair Ditch. He also told Zhu Lian about his 'reasoning' and how it had led to bloodied head and broken bones at Shujian Lake, why he had shattered his Golden Body Literary Courage, which had already shown signs of 'morality,' the gentle scratching and farewells at the door of his heart, and the wails and lamentations beyond that door...
This was a person's foundation for the Great Way, extremely taboo. It should have been known only to heaven, earth, and the self, and was not something to be revealed to anyone. Even many Daoist couples on the mountains would be unwilling to disclose such matters to each other.
But Chen Ping'an spoke of it as if it were nothing, and Zhu Lian listened without any restraint, just pricking up his ears, occasionally taking a slow sip of wine.
Chen Ping'an bent down and took a small earthenware jar from a drawer, gently pouring out a small pile of broken porcelain pieces. He didn't pour them directly onto the table, but first let them rest in his palm, then placed them gently on the table.
"These are the fragments of the Life-bound Porcelain that my father personally shattered back then. After that, my mother soon fell ill and passed away. When I first got them back then, my mind was completely blank. I didn't think much about how they could have eventually ended up in my hands. I was too busy grieving."
Chen Ping'an picked up one piece with two fingers, his gaze dark, and said softly, "Before leaving Lizhu Cave Heaven, when I ambushed and killed Cai Jinjian of Yunxia Mountain in the alley, it was thanks to this. If I had failed, none of this today would exist. Everything before that, everything after that—it was all the same struggle. Before becoming an apprentice at the Dragon Kiln, it was about how to survive. After learning to fire porcelain from Old Man Yao, at least I didn't have to worry about starving or freezing, so I started thinking about how to live. And then, when it turned out I had to leave the town, I began pondering how to live again. After leaving that Lotus Flower Paradise at the Contemplation Temple, I looked back to think about how to live well, how to be right..."
Chen Ping'an lowered his head, staring at the table's grain illuminated by the lamplight. "There have been many forks in my life. I've taken detours and long roads, but being ignorant had its merits."
Chen Ping'an looked up. "When I encountered people I sincerely respected in my life, I knew where they stood. I was very curious about how they had managed to get there. Then it was simple: I identified that general direction and just focused on doing things, examining my conscience, and thinking about my parents, Teacher Qi, Ah Liang—if they encountered the same thing, what would they think and do? After that, I've been learning all along. I want to take all the good things I see in others and make them my own. I'm like a thief. Because I'm afraid of being poor, too afraid. I want to keep everything I cherish. As for money, it's not that I don't care about it at all, not that I'm born as the Bodhisattva of Wealth. But for me, having a barren home and no possessions, enduring hardship—that's too common, I'm not afraid of it at all. Even if I lose Fallen Mountain today, even if I'm stripped back to the basics, with only the ancestral house in Mud Vase Alley left, I still wouldn't be afraid."
"I have stolen a lot from all of you, and learned a lot. Besides you, Zhu Lian, there's Senior Song from Sword Water Manor, Fan Er from Old Dragon City, Liu Youzhou from Ape Trample Mansion, Cao Ci from the Sword Qi Great Wall who boxes, Lu Tai, even Chancellor Zhong Qiu from Lotus Flower Paradise, Zhou Fei from Spring Tide Palace, the gentleman Zhong Kui from Taiping Mountain, and my mortal enemies from Shujian Lake—Liu Laocheng, Liu Zhimao, Zhang Ye, etc. I've been silently watching all of you. The most brilliant qualities in every one of you—I envy them all."
Chen Ping'an sighed. "So Senior Cui saw the crux of the problem. In this world, there's no such thing as gaining advantages without paying a price, regardless of whether the methods and actions are good or bad. Everything has consequences."
Chen Ping'an tucked his hands into his sleeves. "Dealing with people is not like practicing boxing. With diligent study and hard training, the true essence of the fist can be grasped. But in dealing with people, taking a bit here, touching a bit there—it's easy to get the form but not the spirit. My state of mind, ever since the Life-bound Porcelain shattered, was already scattered. Now it's become like a situation of warlords carving up territory. If I hadn't barely managed to distinguish the primary from the secondary, the problem would be even greater. If I didn't entertain the delusion of becoming a great Sword Immortal, it would be fine. A pure martial artist, step by step to the peak—they don't need to worry about these things. But once you learn from the Qi refiners and step into the Middle Five Realms, that's one barrier; forming a Golden Core is another; becoming a Nascent Soul is an even bigger hurdle. This isn't like the common folk's New Year's Eve—hard as it is, it passes somehow, and you can endure. But cultivating the mind—if it's not perfect once, trouble will come."
Chen Ping'an emphasized, "I've never thought this was overthinking. I still firmly believe that temporary victory lies in strength—that's the path to climbing higher; eternal victory lies in principle—that's the foundation of standing tall. Both are indispensable. There has never been such an easy thing in the world as 'first let me live well, then I'll talk about principles.' If you achieve great deeds through unreasonable actions, you'll only become more unreasonable in the future. In Lotus Flower Paradise, the old temple master was deep and scheming. I stayed silent and observed, but deep down, I wanted to see the outcome of three things. In the end, I couldn't get any. Two were skipped, and the last was broken. When I left the river of time and returned to the world of Lotus Flower Paradise, that one thing was about a scholar in the history of Songxi Kingdom. He was extremely intelligent, a presented scholar, and ambitious, but he encountered many setbacks and bitter experiences in officialdom. So he decided to first go against his own nature, learn the rules of officialdom, and follow local customs. When he eventually reached the central court, he would then save the people and help the world. I really wanted to know whether that scholar ultimately succeeded or gave up."
Chen Ping'an unconsciously stood up, holding the jar of wine he had barely drunk from, and paced in the small space behind the desk, muttering to himself, "Many principles I know are very good. I am clear about right and wrong. Even if I only look at the results, everything I've done isn't bad. But during this time, the bitterness and sweetness I know myself—it's a mix of a hundred emotions, extremely chaotic. For example, back at Shujian Lake, should I kill Gu Can or not? Should I become an ally with Liu Zhimao, who was already a mortal enemy? Should I engage in insincere pleasantries with Liu Laocheng of Gongliu Island? After learning a full set of skills, how should I settle accounts with my enemies? Should I go forward without hesitation, regardless of consequences, as I decided back then? Or should I think carefully, take a step back, and consider modifying things? Once modified, things become right and align with principles. But deep down, am I, Chen Ping'an, truly happy about it?"
Chen Ping'an stopped, shook his head, his gaze firm, his tone resolute. "I'm not very happy."
A moment of silence.
Chen Ping'an tilted his head back, took a big gulp of wine, wiped his mouth, and said, "What to do? At first, I thought that if I just went to Northern Juju Continent, I would be free. But Senior Cui put it in a nutshell: this would help, but not much. Treating the symptoms, not the root cause. This makes me... hesitant. I'm not afraid of danger, hardship, or being wronged. But I am most afraid of that... feeling of looking around in utter confusion."
Chen Ping'an's eyes were sorrowful. "The sky is vast, the earth is wide, and I am all alone, with no relatives in sight. I look around—if I'm right, no one praises me; if I'm wrong, no one scolds me. That terrible feeling from childhood has always lingered around me. As long as I think of it, I feel despair. I know this mindset is very bad. I've been slowly changing it over the years, but I still haven't done well enough. So when it comes to Gu Can, Liu Xianyang, and everyone I consider a friend, I can't help but want to give away everything I have. Is it really because I have a bodhisattva's heart? Of course not. I'm just assuming from the start that I won't be able to keep anything. But as long as they can keep it on their end, even if I can only take a look and see it's still there, I don't consider it a loss. Whether it's money or objects, it's the same. Take this Golden Nectar Robe, for example. Don't I like it myself? I do, very much. We've been through thick and thin for so long—how could there be no attachment? What kind of person am I, Chen Ping'an? Even a scrawny horse like Qu Huang, who was my companion for over two years, I had to bring back from Shujian Lake to Fallen Mountain. But I'm just afraid that one day during my travels, I'll die just like that, and all my belongings will be taken, or become some so-called 'immortal opportunity' left for people I don't even know? Then of course it's better to give it to Liu Xianyang early on."
Zhu Lian put down his wine jar and stopped drinking. "Young Master's worries are not unique to you; they are an eternal problem shared by all people in the world."
Zhu Lian gently rubbed the armrests of his chair. "It's not just you, Young Master. I, Zhu Lian, had it in Lotus Flower Paradise. Ding Ying had it. The scholars of today's Righteous Qi Heaven have it too. Worthy men, gentlemen, sages, and all enlightened beings in the world have it. The roots of the teachings of the Three Religions and the Hundred Schools of Thought are actually all wrestling with the 'human heart.' Confucianism's self-restraint and restoration of rites, the gentleman's vigilance in solitude; Daoism's pure tranquility and non-action, not avoiding the empty boat; Buddhism's subduing the heart-monkey and tethering the mind-horse. All these teachings are excellent, but when put into practice, the threshold is still too high. It's like the chicken droppings and dog shit in Mud Vase Alley—hard to attend to. The merit and achievement studies of Cui Chan and Cui Dongshan are valuable because they can also manage the trivialities outside the alley. The drawback is that too much energy is spent on trivial matters, quantifying everything. The heart tends to move downward, too pragmatic, unwilling to be transcended, and then it's hard to seek upward."
Zhu Lian stood up, extended a finger, gently pressed it on the desk, tapped, and grinned. "Now let this old servant break the rules just this once, and address the Young Master directly by your given name."
Zhu Lian continued, "Being stuck and unable to move forward—what does it mean? It means that the way you, Chen Ping'an, look at the world is at odds and in conflict with your true heart. And these knots in your heart, seemingly as small as mustard seeds, will become more and more pronounced as your martial arts height and cultivation level increase. When you, Chen Ping'an, grow stronger and stronger, a single punch that once shattered bricks and cracked walls will later smash the city walls of a secular dynasty into pieces. A single sword strike that once helped you escape danger and intimidate enemies will later, where the sword energy reaches, shatter rivers and obliterate the great hall of an immortal sect. How can you avoid mistakes? If you were Ma Kuxuan, a very annoying person, or even Liu Xianyang, your best friend, you wouldn't have to be like this. But precisely because of this, Chen Ping'an is the Chen Ping'an of today."
Zhu Lian pointed at Chen Ping'an. "You are you."
Zhu Lian drew a circle on the desk and smiled. "At Shujian Lake, you only managed to make your knowledge and principles coexist harmoniously with this world. You could solve problems, live a solid life, and barely put your mind at ease without needing to seek external validation. But this next interrogation of the heart is about asking yourself who Chen Ping'an really is. Since you have chosen this path, whether it's right or wrong, you must first know it, see it clearly. Only then is there the possibility to correct errors and perfect the good. Otherwise, everything is over."
Zhu Lian again pointed at Chen Ping'an, but raised his finger slightly higher, pointing above Chen Ping'an's head. "Earlier, you said that Wei Bo's words were very enlightening—about how there must be a sun and a moon in a person's heart."
Zhu Lian slowly moved his finger downward, pointing behind Chen Ping'an. "And you said that Chancellor Cui Chan said that a person's heart is bright and radiant, like grass and trees turning towards the sun, but shouldn't they also look at the shadow behind them?"
Zhu Lian asked, "What do these two sentences say?"
Zhu Lian answered his own question. "One is about the future, the other is about the past. So I have another question: what is the present, and who do you believe you are? There is a saying that is so common it's cliché, but it is the one I, Zhu Lian, value most. And just at this moment, we can take it out and air it in... this lamplight and moonlight. 'He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.' What is 'enlightened'? What does this character mean? It means both a bright and unstained state of mind, and also the sun and moon existing together—that is enlightenment."
Chen Ping'an sat back down, drinking his wine. He seemed to have some understanding, and also seemed relieved, as if a weight had been lifted.
Zhu Lian finally smiled. "Some things cannot be figured out by thinking alone. Don't be afraid. Just move forward, and move slowly. If there are mistakes, correct them. If there are no mistakes, strive for better. If you are right, strive for the most right. All the skills and all the knowledge—don't they all come down to the word 'action'? You've been to Inverted Mountain, to Tongye Continent, to Lotus Flower Paradise, to Shujian Lake. So shouldn't Northern Juju Continent, a land of heroes since ancient times, be the place where Chen Ping'an should go to practice his sword now? Bring a few more jars of wine, wear your green shirt, carry your sword. Just go north to Juju Continent with courage and spirit. When you return south, perhaps you will have already earned the name of Sword Immortal, and make that martial world remember the name Chen Ping'an for a hundred years, a thousand years!"
Chen Ping'an had deeply agreed with the words before this speech, but at the end, he found it a bit amusing. That wasn't something he would think about himself.
Zhu Lian said with a straight face, "The martial world is full of lovesick beauties, Young Master must also be careful."
Chen Ping'an was at a loss for words. This version of Zhu Lian seemed more familiar.
Zhu Lian lifted his wine jar. "Tonight's chat with the Young Master has been fulfilling. This old servant feels his cottage has been illuminated. Would I dare to ask to finish the wine in this jar before leaving?"
This version of Zhu Lian was even less unfamiliar.
Chen Ping'an smiled and picked up his own wine jar, and together with Zhu Lian, they finished the osmanthus wine in their respective jars.
After Zhu Lian left with the empty jar, closing the door, Chen Ping'an began repacking his luggage again.
As for the immortal coins, they were all stored in the jade tablet Zhibu that Zheng Dafeng had given him back in Old Dragon City. He had retrieved thirty Grain Rain coins from Wei Bo, who helped him 'manage the money.' Under normal circumstances, he would absolutely not touch these. He would only use this money when dealing with opportunities to refine the three life-bound items beyond the elements of water and earth, to purchase some suitable treasure he happened upon.
Additionally, he would bring fifty Minor Heat Coins and a thousand Snow Flower Coins.
The Sword Immortal and the Sword-nurturing Gourd would naturally be carried on his person.
He wore the green robe called Spring Grass, and as per Zhu Lian's suggestion, he also brought the Golden Nectar Robe for emergencies.
The walnut shell bracelet gifted by Wu Yi of Ziyang Prefecture—each walnut shell was equivalent to a single strike from an Earth Immortal. This was an offensive treasure extremely suited to him.
That talisman of the True Form of the Day and Night Wandering Spirits had already been damaged at its core. He had heard that Li Baoping's elder brother was currently in Northern Juju Continent honing his knowledge, so perhaps he could see if it could be repaired. After that, whether the Li family would take back the talisman or leave it with Chen Ping'an was up to Li Xisheng's decision. Although Cui Dongshan had subtly hinted that he should draw a clear line with the Li clan of Fortune Street, apart from Little Baoping, Chen Ping'an was still willing to be close to Li Xisheng.
He also had three masks carefully crafted by Zhu Lian, depicting the faces of a youth, a middle-aged man, and an old man. Although they could not fool an Earth Immortal cultivator, they were more than sufficient for walking the martial world.
There were also Li Er and his wife, and Li Huai's sister, Li Liu—the woman that both Lin Shouyi and Dong Shuijing had taken a liking to. She should now be cultivating at Lion Peak in Juju Continent. He should also visit this family of three.
Then there was the matter of personally surveying the route for that great river that flows into the sea. This was a trade he had made years ago with Daoist Sect Leader Lu Chen. Of course, Lu Chen hadn't discussed it with Chen Ping'an at all. But regardless, it was a clear scheme, and Chen Ping'an wouldn't shirk it. In the future, the path to enlightenment for the green-clad boy Chen Lingjun depended entirely on whether this route went smoothly.
For members of the dragon kind, like pythons or fish spirits, the matter of 'walking the river' was never a simple thing. The Yellow Eel River demon of Tongye Continent had had its path blocked by the Buried River Water God Lady, preventing it from breaking through to the Golden Core realm for a long time.
Of course, there were people and things he wanted to see, and also people he wanted to avoid, such as He Xiaoliang, the former immortal maiden of the Shengao Sect.
Thinking of this Daoist nun, who had once possessed the supreme fortune in Bottle Gourd Continent, gave Chen Ping'an a bigger headache than if he had combined Yao Jinzhi of Tongye Continent, the White Swan River Water God Lady Xiao Luan, and Liu Zhongrun of Pearl Hairpin Island all together.
He just prayed that he absolutely wouldn't bump into her.
Chen Ping'an roughly finished packing for this northern journey and let out a long breath.
For no reason, he thought of that serious version of Zhu Lian.
Utterly brilliant.
It was impossible to imagine what Zhu Lian must have been like as a young man, like an exiled immortal in Lotus Flower Paradise.
Zhu Lian ambled back towards the residence. He saw that the silly girl Cen Yuanji was still practicing her fists. But her fist intent was unstable; she was just forcing herself to keep going, using brute effort—not very pleasing.
He lightly tapped his toes, leaped over the wall, and landed in the courtyard. "Going too far is as bad as not going far enough. You only know how to release your fist, not how to retract it. This is very troublesome. Practicing the fist is like cultivating the heart. Willingness to endure hardship is a good thing, but not knowing how to control the intensity and timing will only make the fist more and more rigid, and make the person more and more stupid. Doing this day after day, if you inadvertently harm the foundation of your body, how can you achieve high attainments?"
These words were not too polite, and had a similar effect to Chen Ping'an's drunken truth-telling earlier, when he said to Cen Yuanji, "Your fist is no good."
Cen Yuanji felt one way about the young master of Fallen Mountain, but another way about the Old Immortal Zhu. Not only did she submit willingly, she immediately began to admit her mistake and reflect.
Zhu Lian nodded. "All that said, being able to endure hardship on your own is already not bad. But since you are a registered disciple of our Fallen Mountain, you must hold yourself in higher regard. You might as well go to the peak of Fallen Mountain from time to time to practice your fists. Look around at the magnificent distant scenery, and keep telling yourself: who says a woman's heart cannot hold landscapes and rivers? Who says a woman cannot reach the peak of martial arts and look down upon all the heroes of the martial world?"
Cen Yuanji's heart trembled, and she almost burst into tears. She was, after all, a sentimental young girl. On Fallen Mountain, it was no wonder she respected this Old Immortal Zhu the most. He had not only saved her from misery but had also given her this martial arts future for free, and had treated her like a kind elder ever since. How could Cen Yuanji not be moved? She wiped away her tears and said in a trembling voice, "Every word you, Senior, have said, I will firmly remember."
Zhu Lian gave a few pointers and was about to leave. Cen Yuanji hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help asking, "Senior, why do you endure humiliation and bear a heavy burden on Fallen Mountain?"
Zhu Lian chuckled. "How am I enduring humiliation and bearing a heavy burden?"
Cen Yuanji fidgeted, too embarrassed to say what was really on her mind. It wasn't that she feared the young mountain master too much, but that she was afraid her careless words might hurt Old Immortal Zhu's dignity.
Zhu Lian pointed at Cen Yuanji. "A fool has fool's luck. Keep it like this. It's fine. Don't change. Actually, it's best not to change. Maintain it for as long as possible. Our Fallen Mountain always needs someone like you."
Cen Yuanji smiled faintly.
Even if Old Immortal Zhu scolded her or hit her, it was all out of deep concern.
Cen Yuanji asked, "Senior, are you used to living here?"
Zhu Lian nodded. "A rustic man is used to living in the mountains. I am a lazy person, so I'm quite used to it. Couldn't be more comfortable."
Cen Yuanji sincerely praised, "You are truly a wild crane among clouds, a transcendent master!"
Zhu Lian rubbed his chin. "The feng shui of Fallen Mountain is a bit strange."
This time, Zhu Lian didn't leap over the wall. He opened the gate and left.
After Cen Yuanji bolted the gate, she gently clenched her fist and murmured, "Cen Yuanji, you must not let Old Immortal Zhu's high hopes down! Practice the fist, endure hardship, and also use your heart. Be clever!"
Zhu Lian didn't go straight back to his residence. Instead, he went to the peak of Fallen Mountain, sat on the top step, and shook his empty wine jar. Only then did he remember he had no wine left. No matter—he could just wait for the sunrise here.
Zhu Lian suddenly looked up and saw an unexpected person.
It was the barefoot old man, Cui Cheng, who rarely left the Bamboo Tower.
Zhu Lian stood up, a smile on his face.
Cui Cheng slowly climbed the steps and gestured for Zhu Lian to sit down.
Zhu Lian plopped back down.
Cui Cheng sat down next to Zhu Lian. He had brought two jars of wine with him, and tossed one to Zhu Lian.
Zhu Lian uncorked it, took a hearty sip, and laughed. "If the Young Master finds out that you, Senior, have sneaked two jars of wine out, he won't dare to complain to you, but he will scold me a few words about dereliction of duty and connivance."
Cui Cheng said expressionlessly, "If Chen Ping'an doesn't like someone, he won't even say a word. A single word is too much."
Zhu Lian hummed in agreement. "That's true."
Cui Cheng gazed into the distance and asked casually, "Zhu Lian, now that the bottleneck of the Heavenly Dao of Lotus Flower Paradise is gone, why do you still deliberately walk so slowly?"
Zhu Lian put down the two wine jars, one on his left and one on his right. He leaned back, supporting himself on his elbows, and said lazily, "This way, life is most comfortable."
Cui Cheng asked again, "Chen Ping'an is certainly not bad, but is he worth you, Zhu Lian, treating him like this?"
Facing a Tenth Tier peak martial artist's question, Zhu Lian still appeared cynical. "I'm willing. I'm happy."
Cui Cheng wasn't angry. He would just go back to the Bamboo Tower and give a few more punches during his 'feeding' routine.
Cui Cheng laughed. "Are you going to keep showing this appearance to the world? Even hiding it from your Young Master?"
Zhu Lian chuckled. "Back in my hometown, I, Zhu Lian, made a living off my face—choked on it, even. Now, better forget it. I'm old; I have to accept it. Letting a bunch of young girls pine and worry, what kind of scene is that?"
Cui Cheng shook his head and left.
There was simply no point in talking to this kind of fellow.
If it weren't for the words Zhu Lian had spoken on the first floor of the Bamboo Tower earlier, Cui Cheng wouldn't have made this trip or given him that jar of wine.
After Cui Cheng left.
Zhu Lian simply lay back, hands behind his head, closing his eyes to rest.
Just before sunrise, Zhu Lian slowly sat up. Seeing no one around, he pressed two fingers against his temple and gently peeled off a mask, revealing his true face.
Wei Bo appeared silently beside Zhu Lian. Glancing down at him, he sighed, "I feel utterly inferior and ashamed."
Zhu Lian covered his face, pretending to be a shy young maiden, imitating Pei Qian's tone. "I'm so embarrassed."
Wei Bo suppressed his reaction for a long time before leaving, tossing out only the word "Disgusting!"
Zhu Lian laughed heartily, stood up, straightened his back, and clasped his hands behind him.
The great sun rose from the eastern sea, shining on Zhu Lian, making him radiant and brilliant, his luster flowing, like a god among gods.
Zhu Lian quickly put the mask that concealed his true face back on, adjusted it carefully, then picked up the two wine jars and walked down the mountain. Cen Yuanji was climbing up while practicing her fists.
When she saw the stooped old senior, she almost broke her fist intent and stopped her stance to greet him. But remembering the heart-to-heart talk the night before, Cen Yuanji forced herself to keep her breath up, maintaining her fist intent without letting it drop or break, and continued her punches.
Zhu Lian nodded as he passed by her.
Only when she reached the top did Cen Yuanji put away her stance. She turned to look and could barely make out the thin figure, small as a grain of rice. The young girl thought to herself, a man like Old Immortal Zhu, even if his face wasn't handsome in his youth, there must have been many women who liked him, right?
Zhu Lian arrived at the residence of Pei Qian and Chen Ruchu. The pink-skirted little girl was already busy.
Pei Qian was surely still sleeping in. As she put it, the best friend in the world was the blanket at night, and the hardest enemy in the world was the blanket in the morning. Fortunately, she was clear about her loves and hates.
Zhu Lian greeted Chen Ruchu with a smile, then knocked hard on the door. Pei Qian woke up groggily and asked, "Who is it?"
Zhu Lian said with a sly grin, "The Young Master has already left Fallen Mountain."
Pei Qian's heart tightened. Suddenly, she burst out angrily, "Old cook Zhu, Master is leaving on tomorrow's cross-continent ship! Who are you trying to fool?!"
Zhu Lian said, "Oh," and then, "Then go back to sleep."
Pei Qian sat blankly on the bed, then cursed loudly, "Old cook Zhu, don't you run! If you dare, let me use both hands and both feet, without even blinking, and take a full set of my Crazy Demon Sword Technique!"
"I don't dare." Zhu Lian swaggered away.
Pei Qian didn't know whether to sleep or not. She just rolled back and forth on the bed, slapping the blankets hard.
That day, Chen Ping'an left Fallen Mountain at noon, with Pei Qian tagging along. At the mountain gate, he chatted with Zheng Dafeng for a while, only to be chased away by a disgusted Zheng Dafeng, who was very busy now that the mountain gate building was nearing completion. This made Pei Qian furious.
After that, Chen Ping'an took Pei Qian to the town. He first went to his parents' graves, then spent the night in the ancestral house on Mud Vase Alley, like keeping vigil.
After dawn, he didn't let Pei Qian follow. He went directly to the Niujiao Mountain's immortal dock, with Wei Bo accompanying him. They boarded the cross-continent ship bound for Skeleton Beach. Wei Bo informed him through Heart Lake, "Someone might want to see you halfway. That person holds a very noble status in our Great Li."
Chen Ping'an understood inwardly, but still felt a little suspicious. He looked at Wei Bo, who nodded lightly.
Chen Ping'an laughed. "Don't worry. I can handle it."
Wei Bo said, "Of course I'm not worried. It's the Northern Marchmount territory, after all."
After Wei Bo's figure vanished, Chen Ping'an ignored the complex gazes around him and headed to the top-floor cabin.
When Chen Ping'an reached his room, he went to the railing of the observation deck. The ship slowly rose into the air. Chen Ping'an, in his green robe, with the Sword Immortal on his back and the Sword-nurturing Gourd at his waist, looked down at the mountains and rivers of the land that was once the Lizhu Cave Heaven. Mountains and peaks, rivers and streams—all lay within his view.
Again, he was leaving his homeland for thousands of miles.
---
On a misty cliff, four large characters were carved from top to bottom: "Heaven Opened Divine Beauty."
A young woman in green with a ponytail sat side-by-side with a little black charcoal on the first horizontal stroke of the character "Heaven."
Pei Qian vigorously swung her legs that dangled over the cliff, giggling as she took credit. "Sister Xiu, these two bags of twisted dough sticks are delicious, right? So crispy and flaky. Master bought them from a very, very faraway place."
Ruan Xiu also squinted her eyes in a smile and nodded. "Delicious."