Chapter 483: Long Time No See
This cross-continent ferry of the Skeletal Beach Linen Mourning Sect was shaped like a river and lake tower ship, no different from the many medium and small ferries that Chen Ping'an had ridden before. However, after ascending into the sky, there was a subtle marvel. Around the huge ferry, smoke and mist billowed, and ethereal, illusory armored warriors emerged one after another. Like trackers towing a boat, they ran through the clouds and the void, causing the ferry's speed to be lightning fast, far surpassing that of the Da Jiao Mountain ferry from the Northern Juju Continent back in the day.
Chen Ping'an had long since removed his Sword Immortal and Sword-Nurturing Gourd, placing them on the table. While quietly practicing his boxing indoors, he would also take out a few bamboo slips and go to the observation deck to enjoy the scenery, often rubbing them. The yellowed bamboo slip in his hand at the moment was engraved with eight characters: "When idle, be serene; when busy, be decisive." Both the word 'serene' and the word 'decisive' gave Chen Ping'an a feeling of immediate resonance.
Although Cui Dongshan had given him a jade-bone folding fan as a parting gift, whenever he thought of the romantic elegance of Lu Tai reclining in a rattan chair, shaking a fan to cool himself during his travels—a pearl before him—Chen Ping'an always felt that the folding fan was wronged in his hands. He simply couldn't imagine how awkward a scene it would be for him to wave a folding fan.
After the ferry left the territory of the Li Zhu Blessed Land, it would make a temporary stop at the Changchun Palace ferry port north of the Great Li capital. Changchun Palace was a top-tier immortal cave dwelling in Great Li, with all cultivators being women. After the palace's madam fell from power, she built a thatched hut here to cultivate. At the time, the Great Li court all thought this madam, far from the center of power, probably couldn't get back up. Unexpectedly, in the end, she was the biggest winner. She gave birth to two sons: one, supported wholeheartedly by National Teacher Cui Chan, became the new emperor of Great Li; the other, more favored by the prince Song Changjing, was about to be enfeoffed as a king in Old Dragon City, remotely leading the auxiliary capital.
After the previous emperor's death, she was clearly "under house arrest," yet she seemed to do nothing, and things turned out for the best.
It seemed one couldn't blame the common folk for always saying that good people must have good rewards, yet in their hearts, they often didn't quite believe it.
Chen Ping'an was different from Gu Can and Pei Qian. He didn't record every debt, big or small, on paper. Too many, and they wouldn't be remembered heavily. When Chen Ping'an first embarked on his long journey, that Great Li madam's murderous intent was immense. She directly sent a group of Great Li's top assassins to tail him. If he hadn't happened to run into A-Liang, a hundred Chen Ping'ans would have died without intact corpses.
Of course, that woman had her reasons. Her son Song Jixin had suffered greatly at the hands of Chen Ping'an, almost being strangled to death by him—a kiln apprentice—in Mud Vase Alley under a curtain of rain.
After passing through Lotus Flower Blessed Land and the Book-Scroll Lake successively, Chen Ping'an could roughly piece together that woman's threads.
Clearly, this Great Li madam, wielding power, had begun planning when she was most influential. She raised her son Song He by her side in the capital, helped him build his reputation, and rallied civil and military officials. As for that Song Jixin, who was meant to "make waves" for the fortune of the Great Li Song clan and seize opportunities in the Li Zhu Cave Heaven, whatever he could earn for the Song clan was good. If Song Jixin died, she would probably shed a few bitter tears. But as for Song Mu, who was "stillborn" shortly after birth and whose name had long been erased from the Song clan genealogy, if he died, he would just die again—one more time. However, at least half of Song Jixin's contributions belonged to her, his mother. And her contributions naturally belonged to her other son, Song He. These inside stories might not be known to the Pillar States or the Great Li heavy ministers, but it didn't matter. The previous emperor recognized it, Cui Chan recognized it, and Song Changjing had to recognize it too—that was enough.
If Song Jixin left the Li Zhu Cave Heaven alive, that was even better. Of course, the premise was that this Song Mu, who had restored his name to the family register, shouldn't be greedy, should be well-behaved, and know not to compete with his brother Song He for that throne.
So when Chen Ping'an and Song Jixin, who was on a diplomatic mission to the Great Sui capital, happened to meet at the Mountain Cliff Academy, it was calm and light, with no conflict.
When Song Jixin was neighbors with Chen Ping'an, he didn't hold back his sarcastic remarks. He said things like the only things that made noise in Chen Ping'an's big house were bottles and jars, and the only fragrance you could smell was medicinal herbs.
But aside from tricking Chen Ping'an into breaking his vow, Song Jixin and Chen Ping'an generally coexisted peacefully. They just didn't get along with each other—well water and river water didn't mix, one took the broad road and the other the single-plank bridge. Neither hindered the other. As for a few harsh words, in places like Mud Vase Alley and Apricot Flower Alley, they were as light as goose feathers. Whoever took them to heart would suffer. In fact, back then, Song Jixin suffered greatly from the trivial gossip of these market women because he cared too much, each resentment forming a dead knot that even immortals found hard to untie.
When the ferry approached the Great Li capital region, under the night sky with a bright moon and sparse stars, Chen Ping'an sat on the railing of the observation deck, looking up at the sky, drinking silently.
When Chen Ping'an was young, he was most afraid of getting sick. From the time he became skilled at gathering herbs in the mountains to later becoming a kiln apprentice and learning porcelain-making under the old man Yao, who looked down on him, Chen Ping'an was extremely vigilant about physical ailments. At the first sign of illness, he would go up the mountain to gather herbs and brew medicine. Liu Xianyang once joked that Chen Ping'an was the most delicate person in the world, as if he were the precious daughter of a wealthy family on Fortune and Emolument Street.
It wasn't just because young Chen Ping'an had watched his mother go from bedridden to incurable, withering away and eventually dying on a heavy snowy day. Chen Ping'an was very afraid that if he died, there would be no one left in the world to remember his parents.
Back then, his mother always said that getting sick didn't hurt; she just got sleepy often, so little Ping'an shouldn't be afraid, shouldn't worry.
At first, the young child really believed it. Only later did he realize it wasn't like that at all. His mother gritted her teeth and endured it all so that he would think less and do less.
That old bed quilt had many torn corners inside.
In wealthy families, where food and clothing were plentiful, people said that children who started remembering things early would have great futures.
In poor households, children matured early. What else could they do? Just suffer hardship earlier.
Back then in Mud Vase Alley, no one cared what a young child standing on a stool to cook, his face covered in tears from the oil smoke yet still smiling, was really thinking.
A child running alone to the Immortal's Grave to pray and make wishes—was he afraid of the dark? Afraid of those eerie market rumors? When he knelt on the ground to kowtow to the gods and bodhisattvas, saying he'd owe the incense offerings and would definitely make up for them when he grew up—was that considered piety?
No one remembered that behind a certain door, inside the room, a woman endured excruciating pain, gritting her teeth so hard that faint sounds still seeped through the gaps, escaping the quilt.
Outside the door, that pale-faced child, at a loss, crouched on the ground, covering his ears with both hands, not daring to cry out loud, afraid his mother would know he knew.
Not all joys and sorrows between close kin can be shared.
To come too early isn't necessarily a good thing.
Before leaving, that night when he stayed awake in the ancestral house, Pei Qian was drowsy, nodding off. Her head dropped, and she suddenly woke up to find her master secretly crying.
Pei Qian said nothing, silently watching her master.
She vaguely saw a young figure crouching over by the wall, facing a medicine pot.
That master, still a child back then, was afraid to grow up, afraid of tomorrow, and even seemed to want time to flow backward, to return to the beautiful moments of family reunion.
Finally, Chen Ping'an gently came to his senses, rubbed Pei Qian's head, and said softly, "Master is fine. I just regret that my mother can't see today. You don't know, but when my mother smiled, she was very beautiful. Back then, no matter how sharp-tongued the women in Mud Vase Alley and Apricot Flower Alley were, everyone said my father was blessed to marry such a good woman."
In the latter half of that night, Pei Qian rested her head on her master's lap and slowly fell asleep.
After dawn, Chen Ping'an left his hometown again.
Traveling ten thousand miles, behind him was still his hometown, not a foreign land. He had to go back.
---
After Chen Ping'an left, Fallen Mountain lost a bit of its liveliness.
The old man Cui Cheng always kept to himself. Zheng Dafeng was busy finishing up at the mountain gate, disheveled from morning till night. There was no helping it—the guy liked to lend a hand to the craftsmen. The craftsmen didn't find it strange either. Even though the mountain lord of Fallen Mountain, Chen Ping'an, was said to have impressive connections and a powerful background, now that his ancestors' graves had apparently smoked green smoke and he had made it big, some gossip spread with vivid details that made people too lazy to be jealous—only envious and admiring. A kiln apprentice from Mud Vase Alley who had gotten this far must have some real skill, no matter how good his luck.
But this hunchbacked man surnamed Zheng, a gatekeeper, wasn't much better off than these bonded laborers. So when they interacted, there were no constraints. They joked around, teased each other, spoke freely, and got along harmoniously. Especially since Zheng Dafeng's jokes had a salty flavor, more intricate than the rough talk of ordinary market men, yet not too pedantic or sour. So when they drank small cups of wine and ate big bowls of meat at the table, once someone caught the meaning, they'd slap the table in admiration and give Brother Dafeng a thumbs-up.
Chen Ruchu was still busy cleaning and tidying each residence. In fact, he cleaned every day. Fallen Mountain was picturesque and clean, but Chen Ruchu never tired of it, treating it as his top priority, with cultivation taking a back seat.
So the pink-skirted girl was the only one on Fallen Mountain who had keys to all the residences. Chen Ping'an didn't, nor did Zhu Lian.
Chen Lingjun was still his usual unreliable self, wandering around everywhere. Last time, he made a big splash at the Night Banquet, so he had gained a few more "jianghu" friends. The various mountain peaks were quite attentive to this azure-clad boy who could sit in the honored guest seats. For example, the Golden Core Earth Immortal patriarch of Yidai Peak really liked having Chen Lingjun over as a guest. The old and the young would drink and chat freely, each boasting about their past exploits, getting along very well. Regarding this, Chen Ping'an had specifically spoken to Chen Lingjun in private, saying he could visit Yidai Peak often. So Chen Lingjun was fully confident: "This time, I'm making friends by imperial decree."
After Pei Qian had sent two bags of fried dough twists to Sister Xiuxiu, she remembered her master's instructions and accompanied Chen Lingjun to Yidai Peak. She brought along that Green Plum Temple immortal Zhou Qionglin. Liu Yunrun, who was holding a young white fox, loved to join in the fun and followed them to Fallen Mountain. But every time the charcoal-black girl wanted to touch the little creature, the white fox would shrink back and tremble, which made Pei Qian lose face. She felt wronged—what was the little thing afraid of? It had such a tiny guts. Wasn't there a saying about "collecting armpit fur to make a robe"? She was just thinking that skinning it to make a coat would be worth a lot; she wasn't really going to kill it.
When Zhu Lian was entertaining guests, he reminded Pei Qian that she could go to the school now. Pei Qian argued with perfect justification, ignoring him, saying she still had to take Zhou Qionglin and the others to Sister Xiuxiu's Dragon Spring Sword Sect for fun.
Zhu Lian said with a smile, "Fine, I'll give you five days to play around. By then, you should have visited all of our and Miss Ruan's mountain peaks."
Pei Qian started bargaining with Zhu Lian, and in the end, Zhu Lian "reluctantly" added two more days. Pei Qian was overjoyed, feeling she had made a profit.
Actually, what Chen Ping'an had said to Zhu Lian was that Pei Qian would definitely dawdle, so let her procrastinate for another ten or fifteen days. After that, even if they had to tie her up, they'd take her to the school.
So a little fox meeting an old fox still lacked experience.
A couple of days ago, Pei Qian walked with a spring in her step, laughing nonstop, finding everything beautiful. She held her mountain-walking staff and led the way for Zhou Qionglin and Liu Yunrun. She was familiar with the western mountains.
All those days of chasing dogs and sweating profusely hadn't been for nothing.
At the Dragon Spring Sword Sect, even the shrewd Green Plum Temple immortal Zhou Qionglin, who had an exquisite heart, felt very restrained, let alone the fearless Liu Yunrun. Especially when they saw that azure-clad woman, the legendary only daughter of the sage Ruan Qiong, they became more obedient than each other. Pei Qian almost burst out laughing and had to keep a straight face. Ruan Xiu glanced at the two unfamiliar women and then smiled at Pei Qian. Pei Qian trotted over, and Ruan Xiu naturally bent down. Pei Qian stood on tiptoe and whispered in Sister Xiuxiu's ear: "Master doesn't really like them. He absolutely refuses to let them visit Fallen Mountain. But Master has a good impression of a young cultivator named Song Yuan from that Yidai Peak, so he told me, his chief disciple, to take them to visit Sister Xiuxiu."
Ruan Xiu smiled.
She actually stopped her work of forging swords and personally led the way, making Zhou Qionglin and Liu Yunrun feel immensely flattered. Especially Zhou Qionglin, who felt that this blessing, seemingly falling from the sky, would be enough to earn her countless tangible and intangible benefits from everyone up and down, inside and out, at the Green Plum Temple in South Tang Lake after she returned. But thinking of the ever-smiling, kind-faced woman beside her, who was the only daughter of the Great Li dynasty's chief patron saint, she felt that some of her usual smooth moves back at the Green Plum Temple should be more reserved, so as not to turn good fortune into disaster.
Liu Yunrun was more innocent. Having a grandfather who was an Earth Immortal ancestor, she knew more inside stories about the Li Zhu Cave Heaven. So she truly admired this Immortal Ruan, who had a high status, many stories, and especially a good temper.
Dong Gu, now a well-known Earth Immortal in the Great Li dynasty, could do nothing about it. The only one who dared to mutter about Senior Sister Ruan was his master, and it didn't work anyway.
During this time, Pei Qian played wildly for three days, living like an immortal. On the fourth day, the little charcoal began to worry. By the fifth day, she was listless. On the sixth day, she felt the sky was falling and the earth was splitting. On the last day, on the way back from Yidai Peak, she was already hanging her head, dragging her mountain-walking staff. Zheng Dafeng rarely took the initiative to greet her, and Pei Qian only responded with a grunt before silently climbing the mountain.
Then the next day, early in the morning, Pei Qian took the initiative to run to Old Cook Zhu, saying she would go down the mountain by herself and wouldn't get lost.
Zhu Lian agreed.
To show her sincerity, Pei Qian sprinted down the mountain. But once she was a bit away from Fallen Mountain's territory, she began to swagger leisurely. She went to check if there were any fish in the stream, climbed a tree to enjoy the view, and when she got to the town, she didn't rush to Qilong Lane. Instead, she went to the Dragon Beard River to pick up stones for skipping. When she got tired, she sat on that large green cliff to crack sunflower seeds. Only when the night was deep did she happily go to Qilong Lane. But when she saw Zhu Lian sitting on a small stool at the door, she felt thunderstruck.
Pei Qian immediately pretended to limp, leaning on her staff, and said with a bitter face, "Old Cook Zhu, when I was halfway down the mountain, I ran too fast and fell flat on my face. I only just got here now."
Zhu Lian said, "Oh, no problem. Take care of your injuries first. I'll write a letter to your master saying you hurt your leg, so you don't need to go to the school for now."
Pei Qian wrinkled her face and plopped down on the threshold. Inside the shop, behind the counter, Shi Rou was clicking away on an abacus, which was annoying. Pei Qian said gloomily, "I'll go to the school tomorrow. Even if it rains, blows, or snows heavily, even if knives fall from the sky, nothing will stop me."
Zhu Lian asked with a smile, "So, should I take you to the school, or will Sister Shi Rou take you?"
Pei Qian thought for a moment, forced a smile, and said, "Let Sister Shi Rou take me. Old Cook Zhu, you have a lot to do on the mountain."
Unexpectedly, Shi Rou said softly, "I won't go. Let him take you to the school."
Pei Qian rolled her eyes. What an untrustworthy person. From now on, don't expect to freeload on her sunflower seeds.
Shi Rou sighed softly.
It wasn't that she was too lazy to walk the distance. She just had some reservations.
Shi Rou truly didn't want to go to the school of the Longwei County Chen clan. Even back then, when she nervously entered the Great Sui Mountain Cliff Academy, Shi Rou was very repulsed by such places of sages teaching with the sound of books. It was both a fear as a ghostly being and a form of inferiority.
But in this matter, it was precisely where Chen Ping'an had the best impression of Shi Rou.
"Wearing" an immortal's discarded shell, Shi Rou inevitably felt proud. So back then at the academy, she initially thought children like Li Baoping and Li Huai, and teenagers like Yu Lu and Xie Xie, were inexperienced. She looked down on those children. Of course, later on, Shi Rou suffered greatly at Cui Dongshan's hands. But aside from her limited perspective, this state of mind of Shi Rou's, and her reverence for the scholarly place, was precious.
Cen Yuanji was the same. She also had a precious quality she herself was unaware of. After ascending the mountain, knowing that the "Old Immortal Zhu" in her heart was just an old servant of the young mountain lord Chen Ping'an, at most a steward in a noble mansion, Cen Yuanji never reduced her gratitude toward Zhu Lian from beginning to end. On the contrary, she always felt indignant for the old man.
These easily overlooked kindnesses were the precious qualities Chen Ping'an hoped Pei Qian would discover on her own—the good in others.
Chen Ping'an didn't force Pei Qian to necessarily do this, but she must know.
Chen Ping'an almost never left a single grain of rice uneaten. But neither Pei Qian nor Zheng Dafeng and Zhu Lian had such strict habits. If they served too much rice or cooked too many dishes and couldn't finish them, they would "spare them." Chen Ping'an didn't deliberately say anything, and deep down, he didn't think they necessarily had to change.
This was a small matter.
Yet it wasn't a small matter.
This was also something Chen Ping'an himself didn't consider a precious quality.
And back then, Gu Can and Liu Xianyang might have just found it comfortable and natural to get along with Chen Ping'an, even though they knew clearly that Chen Ping'an himself was a very rigid and stubborn person.
But in the eyes of "seniors" like Zhu Lian and Zheng Dafeng, they could see it clearly, but they just didn't say it.
Just like when Chen Ping'an made choices on important matters. Even if others thought he was clearly giving and offering goodwill, he would always first ask Sui Youbian, ask Shi Rou, ask Pei Qian.
This calmness and ease wasn't a principle taught in books, nor was it something Chen Ping'an intentionally learned. It was a matter of family tradition, like good slowly simmered from the bitter days of a medicine pot.
In the end, it was still Zhu Lian who accompanied Pei Qian to the school.
Early in the morning, Pei Qian sat with her arms crossed, staring blankly at a table full of her most cherished belongings.
Besides the small bamboo case already strapped to her back, her mountain-walking staff, yellow paper talismans, bamboo knife, and bamboo sword—none of them could be brought! What kind of school was this? What kind of books were these? What kind of teachers were these?
Pei Qian sighed heavily, stood up, opened the door, and looked up. Until this moment, she felt she had some enlightenment, finally understanding the essence of the sage's saying: "Though thousands and millions oppose me, I go."
But she secretly hid a pouch of sunflower seeds. Of course, she wouldn't dare crack them while the teachers were lecturing. If the school went to Fallen Mountain to complain, Pei Qian knew she wouldn't be in the right, and in the end, her master definitely wouldn't help her. But during breaks, she couldn't mistreat herself, could she? She could find a secluded place to crack seeds, right?
Along the way, Pei Qian was silent. Passing through alleys, she saw a big white goose. Before Pei Qian could do anything, the goose started scrambling to escape.
Pei Qian's mood finally improved a little. She was about to leave the martial world, but there were still some formidable existences that knew her might.
Zhu Lian sent Pei Qian to the school gate and said, "More arguing, less fighting."
Pei Qian rolled her eyes and said, "Argue about what? I'll just be a little mute, fine."
Zhu Lian waved his hand.
Pei Qian felt uneasy. Her legs didn't want to obey. Maybe she could start reading tomorrow? One day late wouldn't matter. She secretly turned her head and saw Zhu Lian still standing there. Pei Qian felt a bit annoyed. This old cook really had too much free time. Hurry back to Fallen Mountain to cook!
At the school, a young teacher was waiting early, smiling.
The young mountain lord of Fallen Mountain had already informed the school. Upon deliberation, the two old scholars from the Longwei Creek Chen clan thought it wasn't a small matter, so they sent a letter to the clan. The eldest young master Chen Songfeng replied personally, instructing the school to treat her with courtesy—neither be overly vigilant nor deliberately ingratiating. Rules couldn't be omitted, but some matters could be handled leniently.
Pei Qian wasn't actually shy. Otherwise, back in the day, when she was just a little kid, she managed to fool several experienced constables at Fox Town on the border of the Great Spring dynasty, spinning them around until they didn't dare say a harsh word and respectfully escorted her back to the inn.
Pei Qian just simply didn't like reading.
The young teacher introduced Pei Qian, saying only that her name was Pei Qian and she came from Qilong Lane.
Upon hearing the interesting name "Pei Qian" (homophone for "loss money"), there was some laughter in the classroom. The young teacher frowned, and an old scholar responsible for teaching immediately scolded them, bringing the room to silence.
Pei Qian didn't care. She quickly scanned the room with her peripheral vision, memorizing everyone's faces, thinking, "Don't let me get my hands on you."
Pei Qian walked to an empty seat, took off her bamboo case, placed it next to the desk, and began to pretend to listen to the lesson.
Pei Qian endured two classes, drowsy and struggling. After class, she seized an opportunity. Instead of heading to the main gate, she tiptoed toward the side door.
But she saw Zhu Lian sitting by the roadside, cracking sunflower seeds.
Pei Qian forced a smile, deliberately looking left and right, and asked, "Old Cook Zhu, what are you doing?"
Zhu Lian cracked seeds and smiled, "Waiting for a rabbit under a tree."
Pei Qian laughed heartily, "It's not a deep mountain forest. Where would a little brother come from here?"
Pei Qian turned and left.
This Old Cook Zhu was persistent. There was no way around it. It seemed skipping class wasn't suitable today.
For the next few days, whenever Pei Qian wanted to run off, she would see Zhu Lian.
In the end, she had to resign herself. At the school, although Pei Qian was not young in age, she looked about the same as a ten-year-old child. So her current classmates were all younger than her in actual age.
Pei Qian began to get used to the school life. When the teacher lectured, she would listen, letting it in one ear and out the other. After class, she would cross her arms, close her eyes to rest, and ignore everyone. A bunch of fools—there was no sense of accomplishment in fooling them.
This day, Pei Qian began to daydream again in class.
Suddenly, she turned her head to look. After a moment, a young gentleman in a Confucian scholar's robe arrived, accompanied by several old administrators.
They didn't stop, but Pei Qian noticed that this guy glanced at her.
That evening, Pei Qian refused an invitation from two little girls. Alone, she carried her small bamboo case and sprinted back to Qilong Lane.
She found that Zhu Lian had come to the shop's backyard again from Fallen Mountain. Not only that, but the young gentleman she had glimpsed at the school was also there, sitting and chatting with Old Cook Zhu.
Pei Qian carried her bamboo case and bowed. "Greetings, sir."
There was no help for it. Her master valued etiquette when traveling the martial world. As his chief disciple, she couldn't let others mistakenly think her master didn't know how to teach disciples.
The young scholar smiled and said, "You must be Pei Qian, right? Are you getting used to the school?"
Pei Qian nodded like a chick pecking at rice, her eyes sincere, and said brightly, "Very well indeed. The teachers are deeply learned. They really should go to an academy to be gentlemen and sages. My classmates study hard. In the future, they will surely be high-ranking officials, one by one."
Shi Rou at the counter suppressed a laugh.
Zhu Lian didn't expose her skill of trimming the sails.
The young scholar seemed a bit unaccustomed to this.
This flattery was a bit too much. The direct grandson of the Longwei Creek Chen clan didn't know how to respond. But a child's words should be sincere, right? He couldn't ignore the little girl's goodwill. So Chen Songfeng, who had come from afar, just smiled and nodded at her.
Pei Qian bowed again, then slipped into her room and gently closed the door. She began to copy books—this task outside of school was actually the one Pei Qian was most serious about.
After copying the books, Pei Qian found that the guest had left. Zhu Lian was still sitting in the courtyard, holding several things in his arms.
Pei Qian held her mountain-walking staff, practiced a set of Crazy Demon Sword Techniques, then stopped and asked, "What does he want with you?"
Zhu Lian smiled and said, "Good news."
Pei Qian blinked. "What, he came to deliver money?"
Zhu Lian laughed. "Oh, your mouth is blessed, isn't it? You hit the nail on the head."
Pei Qian asked, "Can I get a share?"
"No share for you."
Zhu Lian held three boxes in his arms, raised one sleeve, shook it, and shook his head. "It's your master's friend, Liu Xianyang, who is studying in the Bodhi Continent. He sent a letter and three items to our Fallen Mountain via someone. The latter two are gifts, and one is for safekeeping. The letter says that one of them is a book for the young master, with a 'Book-Turning Wind' hidden inside that is priceless. Another is a magic bamboo fan made of Divine Thunder Bamboo for Gu Can of Mud Vase Alley. It's said that Gu Can has been timid since childhood, and the fan can suppress all ghosts and spirits that grow underground. As for the last one, it's an Ink-Eating Fish of extremely high rank. Liu Xianyang heard that the young master had his own mountain stronghold now, so he entrusted it to the young master for raising and safekeeping."
Pei Qian beamed, gave a thumbs-up, and praised, "This Liu Xianyang knows the ropes! Worthy of being my master's best friend. Generous and straightforward, no nonsense!"
Zhu Lian smiled slightly. "Besides being a friend, he's also a smart person. It seems this long journey to study hasn't been wasted. That's good. Otherwise, after years apart, circumstances have changed drastically from the past. When they meet again, they wouldn't even know what to talk about."
Pei Qian asked, "Can I take a look at that Book-Turning Wind and the Ink-Eating Fish?"
Zhu Lian stood up. "The Book-Turning Wind can't be moved. We'll wait until the young master returns to Fallen Mountain. As for that Ink-Eating Fish, which consumes quite a bit of immortal money, I'll raise it first. Next time you return to Fallen Mountain, you can feast your eyes."
Pei Qian suddenly asked, "Is this money coming from our household, or did that Liu Xianyang pay for it?"
Zhu Lian laughed. "The letter says bluntly that the young master should foot the bill. It says he's a big landowner now, so don't begrudge the silver. If it hurts, just bear it."
Pei Qian fumed, "Easy for him to say! Hurry up and return that Ink-Eating Fish. Shi Rou and I manage two shops on Qilong Lane, and we only earn a dozen or so taels of silver a month!"
Zhu Lian looked askance at her. "If you have the guts, go tell your master yourself."
Pei Qian immediately forced a smile. "Sending a flying sword message costs money again. What's there to say? Let it be. This Liu Xianyang—my master might not be able to speak up, but I'll give him a piece of my mind later."
Zhu Lian snorted. "You? By then, the whole Fallen Mountain will probably smell your flattery, won't it?"
Pei Qian sat on the steps, silent.
Zhu Lian ignored her. Kids were like that—happy one day, worried the next.
After that, waves after waves of people came to Fallen Mountain.
Even Zhu Lian was a bit surprised.
One was Lu Baixiang. Not only did he come, but he brought two tagalongs with him.
At that time, Zhu Lian was sunbathing with Zheng Dafeng at the mountain gate.
Lu Baixiang wasn't unfamiliar with Zheng Dafeng, so he pulled up a stool and sat down beside them.
The pair of siblings who "worshipped their master as a god" were a bit confused.
A decrepit old man and a hunchbacked man—they didn't show any reverence or fear toward their master.
The boy was fine, but the girl carrying a wooden spear on her back had a cold look in her eyes. Already sharp and aggressive, she exuded an air of "stay away."
Lu Baixiang didn't care about that. As for the two beside him, of course, they wouldn't mind.
After some casual chat, it turned out that Lu Baixiang had stopped in the south-central part of Baoping Continent. He first gathered a group of desperate bandits and horse thieves on the border—a fallen elite cavalry from the southernmost vassal state of the Zhu Ying Dynasty. Later, Lu Baixiang led them to occupy a mountain peak, a hidden lair of a demonic sect in the martial world, isolated from the world, with considerable wealth. During this time, Lu Baixiang took in the pair of siblings as his disciples. The spirited girl carrying a wooden long spear was named Yuan Bao. The younger brother was called Yuan Lai, with a gentle temperament. He was somewhat of a scholar at heart, with good talent and bones for martial arts, but his temperament was considerably inferior to his sister's.
Lu Baixiang considered it a cheap pickup by the roadside and brought them to Fallen Mountain to broaden their horizons. Whether to return to the martial world or stay on this mountain depended on the two disciples' choices.
When Lu Baixiang heard that Chen Ping'an had just left Fallen Mountain for the Northern Juju Continent, he felt a bit regretful.
One less heartwarming drink together.
Lu Baixiang planned to stay at Fallen Mountain for about a month.
There was no shortage of residences on the mountain. As Zhu Lian said, the family estate was now big.
Zhu Lian let Lu Baixiang go up the mountain to find a house himself. He still had to chat with Brother Dafeng.
Lu Baixiang smiled and took his leave. Zheng Dafeng told Lu Baixiang to come have a drink whenever he was free. Lu Baixiang had no objection and said he would.
The girl Yuan Bao gave a cold snort.
The boy Yuan Lai was a bit shy.
As they ascended the mountain, Lu Baixiang was filled with emotion. His thoughts and reflections upon seeing and hearing things in this Li Zhu Blessed Land, which had sunk and taken root, were naturally beyond what the two children could match.
The girl's face was dark, full of sharpness.
The boy was always afraid of his decisive and ruthless sister. He didn't even dare walk side by side with her. The master walked at the front, the sister followed, and he brought up the rear.
Lu Baixiang didn't turn his head. He smiled and said, "That stooped old man is called Zhu Lian. He's currently a Far Traveling martial artist."
The girl thought she had misheard.
Lu Baixiang continued, "As for that hunchbacked man you thought was leering at you, he's called Zheng Dafeng. When I first met him at an herbal medicine shop in Old Dragon City, he was a Mountain Summit Realm martial artist. He was just one step—no, half a step away—from becoming a Tenth Realm martial artist."
Yuan Bao pressed her lips tightly together.
Lu Baixiang wore a narrow saber at his waist, dressed in white, and continued climbing the mountain slowly. "I'm telling you this not to make you afraid of them. Your master doesn't feel any timidity about associating with them. When it comes to reaching the pinnacle of martial arts, your master still has some confidence. I'm just making you understand one thing: there are mountains beyond mountains, and heavens beyond heavens. If you want to speak with authority in the future, you need to have enough skill. Otherwise, you'll just be a joke. Losing face for yourself is one thing—it doesn't matter. But losing face for your master, once or twice is okay. After the third time, I'll teach you how to be a disciple."
Yuan Bao raised an eyebrow. "Master, rest assured! One day, you'll think that taking Yuan Bao as a disciple was the right choice!"
Yuan Lai secretly smiled.
This elder sister of his, who had always loved to compete and win.
Lu Baixiang suddenly stopped, turned, and looked down at the girl. "Everything else is fine, but there's one thing you must remember firmly. When you meet someone named Chen Ping'an in the future, be polite."
Yuan Bao's forehead broke out in a fine sweat. She nodded. "Got it!"
After Lu Baixiang and his disciples settled in, since the mountain lord of Fallen Mountain wasn't there, the matter of registering Yuan Bao and Yuan Lai in the "Ancestral Hall" register had to be put on hold temporarily.
On this matter, Lu Baixiang and Zhu Lian were exactly the same. If they recruited disciples and brought them to Fallen Mountain, they must be registered under Fallen Mountain. There was no need for discussion.
After that, another group of master and disciples visited Fallen Mountain.
It was the blind old Daoist, the lame young man carrying a banner, and the round-faced girl nicknamed Little Jiu'er.
But they first went to the shop on Qilong Lane. Pei Qian led the way, and they returned to Fallen Mountain together.
The blind old Daoist was still a bit uneasy inside. Hearing that Chen Ping'an wasn't on the mountain, he felt that seeking refuge might not be reliable. But after consulting with Manager Zhu of Fallen Mountain, he felt much more at ease. After their conversation, the blind old Daoist was startled to realize that he had gained both face and substance. He wasn't yet a retainer of Fallen Mountain, but he would receive a salary as a immortal cultivator in the capacity of a house guest, and settle down at the herbal medicine shop on Qilong Lane. As for the old Daoist's two disciples, they could only obtain the status of house guests after reaching the Middle Five Realms. But before that, Fallen Mountain would provide them with substantial financial subsidies, each being able to draw an advance of some immortal money. All of this was negotiable.
It was both a matter of human relationships and business dealings, without conflict.
The key point was that he, an old blind man, could see a bright future lying at his feet.
This made the blind old Daoist feel as if, in the scorching summer heat, he had downed a large bowl of ice-cold wine, feeling comfortable all over.
When he came down Fallen Mountain, he was walking on air.
After all, Manager Zhu of Fallen Mountain insisted on personally seeing them all the way to the mountain gate before stopping.
Pei Qian accompanied the three of them down Fallen Mountain as usual. Running back and forth this trip didn't feel tiring, and she could also catch up with Xiao Bai and chat. It was nice.
At this moment, Pei Qian turned her head to see that old cook, standing with his hands behind his back, slowly climbing the mountain.
Pei Qian scratched her head. Standing atop that tall building in the old cook's heart lake, it seemed that a young man with a blurry face had appeared. What was the word in the books? "Clothes fluttering in the wind." Something like that, probably.
---
Inside the Lotus Flower Blessed Land, the capital of the Southern Yuan Kingdom.
In that alley, a steady drizzle was falling.
A young man in blue, tall and slender, as beautiful as jade, held an old oil-paper umbrella and walked slowly.
Today, he was going to borrow books from his teacher, who was also the National Teacher of the Southern Yuan Kingdom, Zhong Qiu. These were unique books that couldn't be found anywhere else in this world.
Regarding the imperial examinations, Teacher Zhong had already frankly stated that whether he could get into the top three in the palace examination still depended on fate. Moreover, since he was still too young, the court and His Majesty had some concerns. But a ranking in the top tier of the second class was absolutely not difficult.
So now, he was no longer focusing all his energy on the art of the examinations. He began to read many long-sealed ancient and miscellaneous books.
After Teacher Zhong had talked with him, he allowed him to browse through that part of his private collection.
At the corner of the alley, an old acquaintance he hadn't seen for years appeared.
He was extremely handsome, smiling as he looked at the umbrella-holding youth.
One hand behind his back, the other holding a folding fan gently tapping his abdomen.
Lu Tai.
The most famous Young Master Lu in the world.
The youth showed a brilliant smile and quickly walked over.
Over the years, whenever Teacher Zhong occasionally mentioned this "outsider" who had disappeared after leaving the capital, he was always full of worry. Neither friend nor foe, yet like both, it was a complicated relationship.
But to the youth, this Mr. Lu was a very important presence, close and respected.
Lu Tai looked over the young man in blue and clicked his tongue. "Peach and plum spring breeze, a cup of wine; Jianghu night rain, ten years of lanterns. This saying really fits the scene, doesn't it, Xiao Qinglang? We haven't seen each other for ten years, have we?"
Cao Qinglang first put away his umbrella, bowed, then opened the umbrella to shelter Lu Tai, smiling. "I often hear about Mr. Lu's deeds in the martial world."
These ten years of the martial world and the battlefield had truly been tumultuous and bloody.
This Mr. Lu had already unified the demonic sect, and several of his disciples were now either demonic overlords dominating a region, pillars of the border army beyond the frontier, or legendary national teachers who could summon wind and rain.
Then, not long ago, Mr. Lu formally challenged the number one person in the world, going to face that transcendent existence recognized as no less than the devil Ding Ying: the immortal Yu Zhenyi.
Ten years—short or long.
In this world, there were many grudges and loves caused by this Mr. Lu.
But Cao Qinglang just focused on reading and... cultivating silently, guarding this alley and that ancestral house.
Lu Tai waved his hand, indicating that he didn't need an umbrella.
Cao Qinglang then took a step aside, holding the umbrella alone, without insisting.
With this Mr. Lu, there was never a need to be courteous.
The two walked together on that desolate main street. Lu Tai smiled and asked, "Any plans?"
Cao Qinglang slightly raised the oil-paper umbrella, moved it back, then looked up. "I want to go out and see, to meet Mr. Chen."
Lu Tai smiled. "That's not easy. Just reading books won't do it. Even if you've learned Teacher Zhong's boxing and the little immortal cultivation bits and pieces he found for you, it's still not enough."
Cao Qinglang smiled. "Within books, there is a Jade Capital, a tower forty-eight thousand zhang high, where immortals lean on the railing with hibiscus."
Lu Tai turned to look at him. "This silly look—it really resembles him."
Cao Qinglang finally showed a bit of naive purity befitting his age, happily asking, "Does it really resemble him a little?"
Lu Tai teased, "Is it that worth being proud of to resemble him a bit? Do you know that in his and my hometown, your cultivation aptitude is quite, quite remarkable? He, on the other hand, only has Earth Immortal aptitude. Put simply, according to common sense, his highest achievement in life would only be one or two levels above the current so-called immortal Yu Zhenyi. Back then, you were young, and the Lotus Flower Blessed Land at that time wasn't like now, with growing spiritual energy and suitability for cultivation. So when he passed through in a hurry, it seemed very impressive. If it were now, it would be much harder."
Cao Qinglang shook his head, raised his finger, and pointed to the highest point in the sky. The young man in blue was radiant. "Mr. Chen, in my heart, is beyond the heavens and beyond!"
Lu Tai was speechless for a moment.
Well, Chen Ping'an, you really did a number. After visiting the Observation Dao Temple, you even have such a little fool who admires you!
Lu Tai said seriously, "Do you know that even ascending in your hometown carries great risk?"
Cao Qinglang nodded. "So, if someday I fail like the sages before me, I'll trouble Mr. Lu to pass on a message: 'Cao Qinglang has lived well all these years, but he just misses Mr. Chen.'"
Lu Tai sighed. With a crisp sound, he closed his folding fan and whacked Cao Qinglang hard on the head. "If you have the guts, tell him yourself!"
Cao Qinglang held the umbrella with one hand and rubbed his head with the other, helplessly saying, "Well, that's another thing I'm inferior to Mr. Chen."
---
The Skeletal Beach ferry had already docked at Changchun Palace and then ascended again.
The other party still hadn't appeared.
Chen Ping'an wasn't anxious.
He continued practicing his boxing.
Just as the cross-continent ferry was about to leave the territory of Baoping Continent, Chen Ping'an stopped his boxing stance and walked to open the door. In the corridor, there came a petite and exquisite palace-attired woman, a young emperor not wearing a dragon robe, and someone Chen Ping'an was more familiar with: the Mohist wandering knight, Xu Ruo, with a sword across his back.
Chen Ping'an opened the door but didn't stand at the entrance to welcome them, pretending not to recognize any of the three.
He returned to the room, stood by the table, but didn't sit down first.
After the three entered the room, the woman walked straight to the opposite side of the table, smiled, and extended her hand. "Young Master Chen, please sit."
Chen Ping'an smiled.
The young man was full of smiles but didn't speak. He slightly turned sideways, just staring straight at his peer who had gone from Mud Vase Alley to Fallen Mountain.
Xu Ruo said softly with a smile, "Chen Ping'an, long time no see."
Chen Ping'an only then clasped his fists and said, "Mr. Xu, long time no see."
Inside the small room, the atmosphere could be described as uncanny.
The woman covered her mouth and tittered. "What are we doing? Let's all sit. After all, we're one family. Let's not stand on ceremony."
But after the four sat down, the atmosphere became heavy again.
Xu Ruo had already begun to close his eyes to rest.
Song He, the new emperor of Great Li, who now effectively held half of Baoping Continent, was casually looking around. This was his first time boarding a cross-continent ferry. At first glance, it seemed novel, but after a second look, that was it.
The dignified woman who had gone from Great Li Madam to Great Li Dowager Empress smiled at the young man in blue sitting opposite. Her first words were a veiled attempt to ingratiate herself. "My Mu'er lived in Mud Vase Alley for those years. We are grateful to Mr. Chen for his forbearance."
Chen Ping'an smiled slightly. "It was nothing."
From his expression to his words, they were watertight. It wasn't a great disrespect, but it certainly wasn't respectful.
But in his heart, Chen Ping'an cursed: "The hell it was nothing."
Xu Ruo's lips curled slightly, then quickly disappeared, unnoticed by anyone.