Title: Chapter 496: Since Ancient Times, Sword Immortals Must Drink Wine
When the scholar came to, a splitting headache assailed him. He found himself on a cliffside, not far from an iron chain bridge that hung like a snake with its head and tail attached to two branches, swaying slightly in the mountain wind.
The robe on his body, called the Hundred-Eyed Glutton, was gone. The secret talismans of his clan that had been stored in his sleeve had naturally fallen into another's pocket as well.
Moreover, he was bound by a golden demon-binding rope. Looking down, he saw that its rank was not low—it actually used two dragon whiskers from an ancient flood dragon. The age of that old flood dragon was definitely not young. Compared to the so-called dragon whiskers of the Copper-Green Lake Silver Carp, this was like the Moon Palace breed of the Summer-Evading Empress meeting a true Toad of the Vast Cold Palace? Perhaps not that exaggerated, but not far off.
The scholar couldn't help but let out a rueful laugh.
He made no attempt to struggle.
Because before and behind him—at his brow and at the back of his heart—two lifebound flying swords were hovering, one in front and one behind.
Fortunately, as long as he hadn't awakened from the Reincarnation Lotus Lamp in his clan's ancestral hall, it wasn't the worst outcome.
The scholar sighed. "Good man, after borrowing my things, remember to return them to me later."
Not far away, a young wandering swordsman wearing a bamboo hat sat cross-legged on the cliff, practicing the sword furnace stance.
That person remained silent.
The scholar continued, "Good man, this habit of yours of stripping people of their clothes isn't very nice. Was the dragon robe worn by the Bone King in the Summer-Evading Empress's treasury really like I said—it would turn to ash and scatter at a touch? That female cultivator's robe from the Qingde Sect, I really didn't lie to you; its quality was extremely ordinary. Like the ritual wine bowl from the Qingde Sect's ancestral hall, it was only a spiritual artifact. You won't get a good price for it unless you run into a cultivator who likes collecting robes. Then there's some profit."
Chen Ping'an still didn't respond.
The scholar showed no anger. So what if he'd lost a robe that couldn't be shown in the light? He wasn't naked. The three golden talismans inside hurt a bit, though. One was a branch of the Mountain Talisman lineage, called the Bixiao Mansion Talisman, which could transform into the mansion of a Thunder City True Lord. If a cultivator stayed inside it, they could withstand several strikes from a Nascent Soul cultivator's lifebound magic treasure. For a Golden Core, they probably couldn't break through the mansion's gate in half an incense stick's time. There was also a Yuqing Brightness Talisman, which, when thrown by a cultivator, would illuminate the underworld and shake ghosts and demons over a wide area of several miles. It wasn't aimed at high-ranked cultivators, but specifically used to break formations and lift sieges.
The last one was the most precious, a secret within the clan's secrets: the Xiaoanyao Cutting and Exorcising Talisman. Within its talisman core were four priceless divine lights. Once released, the manifestations of four ancient deities—the Thunder God, Lightning Mother, Wind Earl, and Rain Master—would appear together and strike in unison.
Earlier, when he was in the backyard of the Guanghan Hall on Peel Mountain, the talisman he'd been holding in his sleeve was this one.
But at that moment, the opponent had also been slippery, making some hidden moves in his sleeve. The scholar couldn't determine the other's depth, and they were too close. The talisman's power was too great; it would have easily shaved off half of Peel Mountain. Unwilling to trade a loss of a thousand for eight hundred, and possibly reveal his whereabouts, he had suppressed his killing intent.
As for the talisman later broken by this man's sword, its killing power was still considerable, but it didn't look as spectacular as the Xiaoanyao Cutting and Exorcising Talisman. And it wasn't a clan secret; it was the specialty of a talisman sect in Beiju Continent, specifically designed to counter sword cultivators. So, in truth, even at that moment, the scholar hadn't been forced to the point of using his own secret techniques. He had merely seemed disheveled.
His real thought earlier had been to deliberately create a huge commotion visible across the mountains, because he was certain that that person would secretly return, hide in some place, and then, judging the situation, wait for a chance to assassinate him.
Hadn't the scholar also considered feigning weakness to lure the enemy in and then kill him?
Unfortunately, heaven did not fulfill his wishes.
Truly, the Tao is one foot high, and the demon is ten feet tall.
That person's sword was very strange, too bizarre. A golden Earth Ancestor Palace Sword-Lock Talisman had failed to lock the other's longsword. So, the earth-escaping technique he had been preparing and the second Cutting and Exorcising Talisman in his sleeve had no use. If he had released the talisman and escaped, the opponent would have died or been severely wounded, and he could have left the mob of demons to finish him off. How could he have survived?
And that guy was even more troublesome, suddenly losing his mind and forcibly seizing most of the control of the soul, dropping all defenses against this person. What was the result? Wasn't he hit without hesitation with a dark punch, causing him to end up like this?
But the luck within misfortune was that the other hadn't decisively killed him and taken his things, then destroyed the evidence.
Wasn't this a bit of fortune accumulated by the other's soft-heartedness?
Otherwise, when he woke up in his clan, though barely preserving his life, he would have lost one soul and one spirit at a huge cost, damaging his foundation. Even if the clan had secret methods to compensate, it would delay his breakthrough for at least a hundred years. Then the clan would certainly not let this person off lightly. Forget a ten-thousand-mile pursuit; even if he were the heir of a sect from another continent, they would still cross continents to hunt him down. If not in ten years, then in a hundred.
The Yang clan of the Xiaoyao Palace under the Chongxuan Office of the Dayuan Dynasty was universally recognized in the continent as extremely grateful, great in repaying kindness, long in remembering grudges, and fierce in revenge.
As for the three unused golden ancestral hall talismans or the Hundred-Eyed Glutton robe, no matter how valuable they were, could they compare to a cultivator's life and path?
So the scholar was very open-minded.
His father had always reminded him that on the path of cultivation, one must endure small losses.
The scholar smiled and asked, "Good man, how did you manage to escape the encirclement of the demon mob with me? Must have been a huge effort, right?"
After completing the Eighteen-Stop Sword Qi circulation, Chen Ping'an withdrew from the sword furnace stance and said, "No great trouble. You had been fighting with the demons for too long, and they were exhausted. They were also afraid that besides me, there might be reinforcements. They all hung back hesitantly, and their encirclement was just for show. But it still took some time to entangle them. In the end, I found an opening and ran south all the way to Ghost Valley here. But your robe was stripped off by them. I couldn't stop it in time, and I feel quite guilty."
Chen Ping'an smiled. "I was just afraid that after you woke up, you wouldn't listen to any explanation from me. As soon as you opened your eyes, you'd want to fight and kill me. Wouldn't that make the misunderstanding even deeper? Now that we've talked things out, haven't we?"
The scholar nodded. "Good man, not only do you have a chivalrous heart, but even more commendable is your meticulous conduct. I really can't find a single flaw!"
Chen Ping'an smiled faintly. "Brother Mumao, can you now tell me your surname? We're friends in life and death, brothers in hardship. If you're still hiding things, that wouldn't be good."
The scholar smiled brilliantly, with extreme sincerity, and said, "My surname is Yang, given name Mumao. I was born in the Chongxuan Office of the Dayuan Dynasty. Thanks to my ancestors serving generation after generation in the Chongxuan Office, I was fortunate to become an inner disciple personally granted the surname by the Feathered Robe Chancellor of the Xiaoyao Palace. This time I traveled south. Before reaching Ghost Valley, I had already spent most of my immortal money. So I thought I'd kill demons and accumulate virtue in Ghost Valley while earning some pocket money, so that I could put together a decent gift for the birthday of a prince who is friendly with the Chongxuan Office next year."
Since this person recognized the "Dragon Gate" inscription on the stele, he had probably seen through the origin of those three talismans.
So the scholar didn't treat the other as a fool, lest the other get angry and land another punch on him.
Chen Ping'an gave an ambiguous smile. "The Chongxuan Office of the Dayuan Dynasty, even an outsider like me from another continent has heard of its great reputation. It resounds like thunder. Brother Mumao, do you happen to know that heavenly-born Dao-seed Yang Ningxing?"
The scholar rolled his eyes. "As an inner disciple of the Xiaoyao Palace, how could I not know this famous Little Immortal? Not only do I know him, I also know his elder brother, the great master Yang Ningzhen, who loves to travel. I have a decent relationship with both of them. But of course, those two are high and mighty direct descendants of the Yang clan. My relationship with the two brothers is merely nodding acquaintance. We're not really good friends."
Seeing that the other was still suspicious and half-believing, the scholar had no choice. The other couldn't exactly torture him, could he? But if he did, a magic treasure demon-binding rope and two flying swords might not be enough to hold him.
Chen Ping'an suddenly asked, "Earlier, you were leading a pack of wild dogs around, making me think I had a chance to beat a dog that had fallen into the water. Was that solely to kill me?"
The scholar was about to spout some nonsense when he frowned as a sharp pain struck his brow. He sighed mournfully. The next moment, the scholar's entire demeanor changed, much like when he had first met Chen Ping'an and called himself "full of pure yang righteousness." A Qi refiner or a pure martial artist could conceal their Qi or change their aura, but the vague and elusive aura that a person was born with was hard to fake.
Chen Ping'an frowned. "Are you suffering from soul-separation disorder? The two sides are fighting over the soul?"
This was like brothers fighting within the same household, disputing endlessly.
For cultivators, this was usually a great taboo.
Once this happened, a Qi refiner's path to breakthrough became like a lame man climbing a mountain—extremely difficult. Breaking through to Golden Land Immortal would already be a huge stroke of luck. Wanting to break through the Nascent Soul's heart demon was simply a luxury.
The scholar sat up straight, his eyes clear, and smiled. "To save me, you were severely injured and consumed a lot of energy. That last golden earth-shrinking talisman you used was not only precious but also somewhat related to the talisman lineage of my family. So, the robe 'Hundred-Eyed Glutton' and the three talismans in the sleeve can be considered my thanks. As for me, of course, I'm not called Yang Mumao, but I am indeed from the Chongxuan Office of the Dayuan Dynasty. But my real name, I won't tell you. You can guess."
Chen Ping'an asked doubtfully, "After 'he' fell unconscious in his own small world, 'you' were still awake and could see the outside great world?"
The scholar nodded but didn't explain verbally.
Chen Ping'an said, "But wanting to kill me was your true intention."
The scholar laughed. "Wasn't it also your true intention?"
Chen Ping'an fell silent.
The scholar said, "Since you ultimately chose to save me instead of killing me, I felt it necessary to show myself and meet you once more. In my imagination, the struggle on the Great Path should be upright and open. If you also agree with this, we can pick a day in the future, after our respective trials are over, and fight to the death on the Dili Mountain? By the way, I need to remind you of something. I have a feeling that someone in the distance in Ghost Valley has been spying on you, intermittently and not for long periods. I can only faintly sense it somewhere to the north. Their cultivation is profound. Be careful."
Chen Ping'an made no reply.
The scholar laughed. "Next, I need to focus on refining that Dragon Gate stele without distraction. Please bear with the other 'me' when dealing with him. How to put it? He is like the evil in my heart—all thoughts, though I shrink them into mustard seeds, seemingly extremely small, are actually extremely large and extremely pure. Evil is true evil, no need to conceal. His natural temperament is uninhibited. But every time I distract myself and let him manifest to control this flesh vessel, I make three agreements with him, forbidding him from overstepping too much. By the way, when he acts, I can observe from the sidelines, taking it all in. This counts as observing the Dao and tempering my own heart. But when I speak, he can only sleep."
Chen Ping'an's heart shook. He was about to speak, but the scholar had already closed his eyes.
In that moment, Chen Ping'an noticed that as the scholar's eyelids lowered, he seemed to glance at a certain spot.
When he opened his eyes again, it was the familiar scholar from Peel Mountain. He wore an expression as awkward as if he had shit his pants.
The two were silent for a moment.
Then Chen Ping'an spoke. "Yang Ningxing, you're something else. One of the ten dragons and phoenixes of Beiju Continent, the Little Heavenly Lord of the Xiaoyao Palace. Such a majestic title, why hide it?"
The scholar looked confused.
Chen Ping'an sneered.
The scholar felt that "himself" wouldn't be so openhearted with someone, so he continued to put up a maze of confusion, saying helplessly, "If the Little Heavenly Lord of our Chongxuan Office heard this, he'd be angry. Yang Ningxing is the most rigid person; he can't take a single joke. Between Yang Ningzhen and Yang Ningxing, I'd rather be with Yang Ningzhen. And that female Daoist in charge of liaison between our Chongxuan Office and the court is truly a stunningly beautiful person. This time I left on my travels and ventured into Ghost Valley because I wanted to make a name for myself, to make her look at me with higher regard. Good man, your name is good, your skills are even higher. When you get to the Dayuan Dynasty, you must meet her. When she was still a young girl, she organized a grand Daoist ceremony called the Grand Universe Sacrifice. She's the cleverest. You'll meet her and most likely fall for her, but she won't like you either. Then we two brothers will drown our sorrows in wine together, brothers in misfortune, and our friendship will last forever!"
Chen Ping'an stood up, ignoring the man's joking banter. He looked around, used Qi to retrieve the demon-binding rope in his hand, and the First and Fifth swords also flew back to the gourd at his waist.
The glance that scholar had cast before sinking into stillness—was it deliberately done to make him suspicious, or was there really something strange near the mountain? A high-ranked person had arrived, and he couldn't see them? If so, was it the lingering spirit of the Nascent Soul peak cultivator Pu Rang, spirit-traveling and hiding nearby? Or was it a transcendent expert of an even higher realm? Was it the Lesser Profound Capital Temple or the Great Round Moon Temple not recorded in the "Collected Relaxed Mind"? Or was it a spirit in the north of Ghost Valley?
It definitely wasn't Jiang Shangzhen.
If Jiang Shangzhen was remotely watching over the situation from afar, that was normal. Coming here secretly without appearing was definitely not Jiang Shangzhen's style.
Regarding the Jade Gui Sect's schemes at the Book-Screen Lake, Jiang Shangzhen had been open and revealed some heavenly secrets earlier at the Mural City.
Chen Ping'an believed about seventy to eighty percent of it.
So, for now, Jiang Shangzhen could be considered an ally, not an enemy. Even if he wasn't a friend, he wouldn't scheme to harm him.
To put it bluntly, if Jiang Shangzhen wanted to kill him, it wouldn't be much easier than dealing with that swordsman who considered himself a swordsman—that skeleton in green clothes.
Now, facing a Nascent Soul cultivator, Chen Ping'an could only flee for his life.
And Jiang Shangzhen was a well-known fifth-realm cultivator in Tongye Continent who liked to kill Nascent Soul cultivators.
Chen Ping'an sighed inwardly.
He silently told himself: Don't rush.
Cultivation isn't drinking wine—it doesn't matter whether you drink big mouthfuls or small sips.
But you have to eat your meal bite by bite, walk your path step by step, and earn your money coin by coin.
The scholar got up too, stretching his limbs. "Good man, you have two lifebound flying swords? Sword cultivators are already the most money-consuming profession in the world. Ordinary sword embryos, relying on their sect to supply money and resources, raising one is already the limit. How did you manage this? Just by traveling ten thousand miles and robbing homes? It seems you're like me—a registered immortal master by birth, but with the sect's support insufficient, so you use the excuse of training to act as a rogue cultivator to supplement your income?"
Chen Ping'an didn't answer the question. He looked north and said, "Earlier, to save you, I took a huge loss. Now what?"
The scholar rubbed his hands together, grinning. "My robe and the three talismans fell into the enemy's hands, so naturally I need to go and get them back."
Chen Ping'an glanced at him. "That makes sense. Then we'll each go our own way. You go retrieve your lost items. I wish Brother Mumao great fame in Ghost Valley. As for me, I'll just honestly pick up whatever scraps I find."
The scholar cried out, "Oh no, that can't work. I've formed a death grudge with that group of demons. As soon as I show my face, I'll be attacked by the crowd. They'll be mad with killing frenzy. My situation will be even worse then. No, no, without Good Man to back me up, my heart won't be at ease. Strange to say, with Good Man by my side, I have immense courage. I wouldn't fear even going to heaven or earth, entering dragon dens or tiger lairs."
Chen Ping'an asked, "Now that you have no robe or talismans to protect yourself, what's the point of me taking you along? A burden?"
The scholar raised his palm, and a thing appeared. Then he quickly shook his other sleeve and covered it with spiritual Qi. It was a small purple flying sword. He laughed. "I have hidden treasures up my sleeve. This sword is called Purple Mushroom, imitating the flying sword of a great swordsman from our Beiju Continent. It's not a lifebound flying sword of a sword cultivator, but its aura even surpasses that of a flying sword. It's perfect for pretending to be a great swordsman and scaring people. It's a specialty of the Sword-Hatred Mountain, a unique skill in the entire Haoran World, comparable in fame to the protective spirit armor forged by the Three-Lang Temple."
Chen Ping'an pointed to the long sword behind him. "Do I need you to scare people? Can you show a little sincerity?"
The scholar reluctantly put away that impressive Purple Mushroom. He turned his palm over, and a small copper seal with a dragon-head knob appeared. His expression was tragic. "This is my absolute last hidden treasure. If I smash it, a battle-dragon of terrifying power will descend, capable of overturning mountains and seas. But it can only be used once. I even went into debt to the money-managing junior sister of the Chongxuan Office to get this heavy treasure from the Xiaoyao Palace treasury."
Chen Ping'an looked at this Brother Mumao.
The scholar smiled back.
Chen Ping'an wondered: if it came to a real life-and-death fight, what were his chances?
At the Summer-Evading Empress's Guanghan Hall, he thought he had seventy to eighty percent. Now, it seemed at best fifty-fifty?
The reason was simple: that Purple Mushroom was indeed a replica, not a lifebound object of a peak swordsman, and it was most suitable for scaring Nascent Soul cultivators.
But it was also very suitable for killing Golden Core cultivators.
Add that copper seal of unknown depth, and if the real scholar used it, with offensive and defensive capabilities combined, and if he had a better robe and a soldier's armor pill covering his body? After all, that so-called Hundred-Eyed Glutton robe was just a disguise for the scholar before him. Someone who was likely a heavenly-born Dao-seed true disciple of the Chongxuan Office, coming down the mountain to train—how could he not have ancestral robes and armor to protect himself?
The scholar's eyes were mournful, his face full of grievance. "Good man, why aren't you saying anything? Could it be that you've taken a fancy to my wealth and are thinking of harming me? Since I can't beat you anyway, I'll just have to take out my robe and spirit armor again to save my life."
Chen Ping'an said, "Didn't you say the copper seal was your last hidden treasure? Money really is impressive. I'm afraid of you."
The scholar sighed. "My junior sister said that when traveling, since one's skills are mediocre, one shouldn't be too open-hearted with others."
Chen Ping'an said, "Let's go."
The scholar cracked his knuckles. "To the Mountain-Moving Great Sage's lair, or back to the Earth-Gushing Mountain to settle the score?"
Chen Ping'an said, "Follow the Black River and look for the Old Dragon Lair."
The scholar asked, puzzled, "Why?"
Chen Ping'an began to walk down the mountain ridge, slowly. "The protective formation of Earth-Gushing Mountain was torn to pieces by you. The group of demons is now definitely gathered at the Mountain-Moving Ape's lair. Either the Pichen Prime Lord of Earth-Gushing Mountain has already hidden his wealth tightly, or he's carrying it with him and has gone to his allies' place. Should we go to Earth-Gushing Mountain to drink the northwest wind? Or go to the Mountain-Moving Ape's lair for a head-on collision and get beaten up again?"
The scholar slapped his fist into his palm in admiration. "Right, Good Man is really smart. Those two turtles didn't show up during the battle at Earth-Gushing Mountain. As Good Man said, they didn't care about the rules of the underworld at all. So even if we go to find their trouble, the demons at the Mountain-Moving Ape's lair will mostly hold a grudge and definitely won't come to their rescue."
Chen Ping'an sneered. "What I'm worried about now is whether the backing of the Summer-Evading Empress—the one you killed and ate—will come after us. Spill it, who is it?"
The scholar chuckled. "It's an old Nascent Soul spirit in Ghost Valley. Among the northern cities, his reputation is quite big. He dares to disobey even the orders of the city lord of the Skull-Piling City. In life, he was a great general of the Divine Strategy Kingdom, with outstanding merits. When alive, no one ever praised him for using troops like a god. But after his death, later military strategists praised him for using orthodox tactics without trickery. He has a very high evaluation in history. If not for the stupid emperor he served falling for a divisive scheme, forcing him to lead the army out on a doomed campaign, which led to the deaths of his entire family of more than thirty—young and old—on the battlefield, and one move affected the whole situation—that was a quite critical turning point. Otherwise, the final outcome of the Skeleton Beach War would have been hard to say."
The scholar paused for a moment, a little melancholy. "As for how the Summer-Evading Empress latched onto this spirit, I'm not a prophet, so I wouldn't know."
A withered old monk appeared out of nowhere beside the old turtle.
Compared to the hill-like old turtle, the old monk was negligible.
But in Chen Ping'an's eyes, the old monk's aura was so majestic that the old turtle seemed as small as a mustard seed.
The old monk put his palms together and, after a Buddhist chant, asked, "Two benefactors, could you allow this old monk to take this turtle back to the Great Round Moon Temple?"
The scholar laughed. "I don't care. You have to ask my brother. If he nods, it's done."
The old turtle spoke in supplication. "Monk, save me, save me! I know I was wrong. From now on, I will cultivate Buddhism peacefully in the temple. For a thousand years, ten thousand years, I won't dare to leave without permission."
The old monk looked at Chen Ping'an.
Chen Ping'an just looked back at the old monk and asked, "Whether he knows he's wrong or not, I don't care. I just want to be sure that this old turtle can make up for the sins of these years."
The old turtle wanted to speak but found himself unable to say a word.
The old monk kept his palms together and nodded. "This poor monk can guarantee on his behalf that from now on, after the old turtle's cultivation makes amends, he will do good deeds and bear good fruit. That will be more beneficial to this world than killing him now."
Chen Ping'an said no more.
The old monk showed a hint of a smile and nodded. Then he looked across the bank, chanted a Buddhist mantra, and quietly murmured, "Turn back and you are on the shore."
When this short old monk with a wide robe turned around, the old turtle and he had already disappeared.
The scholar casually retrieved the falling copper seal that had lost its "foothold."
Chen Ping'an stood still, lost in thought.
The scholar laughed. "Good man, you really have guts. Do you know the origin of this eminent monk?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head. "No. There's no record in the 'Collected Relaxed Mind.' I only knew there was a Great Round Moon Temple in Ghost Valley after passing by that peach grove."
The scholar rubbed his face with both hands and said with emotion, "If the secret records of the Chongxuan Office are not wrong, this old monk is the second Arhat of the golden body and the first in immovable stillness in our Beiju Continent. If this old monk stands still, dodging nothing, and you let even a Nascent Soul sword cultivator's lifebound flying sword stab him for an incense stick's time, the result will be that the monk won't die, but the sword will break first. If it were me, I'd never dare to bargain with this old monk like that. As soon as he appeared, I would have already prepared to obediently hand over the old turtle. But Good Man, your gambling luck isn't bad. The old monk didn't get angry but smiled instead. At least our brotherhood and the Great Round Moon Temple haven't become enemies because of this."
Chen Ping'an said slowly, "To bear such fruit, one must have such a heart."
The scholar's head hurt. "Oh, don't say that. I'm a Taoist disciple. I can't stand hearing this."
Chen Ping'an suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. He walked to the ice surface that was beginning to melt without the old turtle's spell support, sat down cross-legged, grabbed a handful of ice, and casually smeared it on his face.
Blood was still flowing from his seven orifices.
Chen Ping'an stared blankly into space, a faint smile on his face.
The scholar crouched not far away, eyes wide, and asked softly, "Good man, in such a state of soul agitation and body trembling, don't you feel any pain?"
Chen Ping'an twitched the corner of his mouth and looked into the distance. "If I said it's like an itch, would you believe me?"
The scholar nodded vigorously. "Yes!"
But in his heart, he cursed: I'll believe you when I'm a ghost.
The scholar began to count silently, wanting to see when the blood on that guy's face would stop flowing.
Chen Ping'an turned his head and asked, "That Covering Sea Prime Lord?"
The scholar laughed. "I tied her up with a demon-binding rope. She'll come when called."
Chen Ping'an gave him a strange look.
The scholar said with a grin, "Just because Good Man has a demon-binding rope, can't I, Yang Mumao, have a demon-binding rope too?"
The scholar extended a hand, and a white rope appeared in his palm. With a gentle flick, the burly woman was thrown out from under the frozen river far away. Then, as if being dragged by the hair, she ran wildly. In the blink of an eye, she was pulled to the scholar's feet.
Chen Ping'an's eyelids twitched slightly.
How many "ultimate hidden treasures" did this guy have?
The scholar asked, "What should we do with her? You decide, Good Man. I'll follow your lead!"
Chen Ping'an said, "As long as she's willing to open her cave dwelling herself, she can live."
The scholar nodded and said to the little turtle, "Did you hear that?"
But the woman made a strange move. She glanced at Chen Ping'an, then turned to the scholar, and said, "I want you to swear a poisonous oath before I'll open the door."
The scholar laughed heartily, extended a finger, restrained his smile, coughed a couple of times, and said solemnly, "Fine, I, Yang Mumao, swear to heaven..."
Suddenly, the woman burst into loud sobs. "I know I'm doomed to die. You're all liars! Big liars!"
Chen Ping'an narrowed his eyes.
The scholar's expression changed slightly. He suddenly laughed. "Forget it, let her off. Keeping her alive has other uses for me. The Dayuan Dynasty happens to be short one river matron. If I succeed in recommending her, it's a merit. It's more cost-effective than killing her and accumulating virtue."
After they were far from Chen Ping'an, she said cautiously, "Immortal Master, why not take advantage of his weakness and kill him to save trouble?"
The scholar's five fingers curled like hooks as he grabbed her head, furious. "Do I need you to teach me how to do things?!"
The woman felt her head about to explode and screamed in agony, begging for mercy.
The scholar threw her aside and muttered, "Damn it, if I could kill that guy, I'd be willing to pay half my life... but if it's more than half, it's not so certain... and what if I die?"
Annoyed and restless, the scholar slapped the Covering Sea Prime Lord, who was leading the way, sending her sprawling face-first into the dirt. Then he kicked her viciously forward.
The woman tumbled and rolled in the water, barely stopping herself. She didn't dare get up, feeling it would be better to die than to live.
The scholar finally stopped and said, "Hurry up and get moving!"
He slapped his forehead and showed a bitter smile. A water-avoiding pearl appeared in his hand, but he hadn't put it in his mouth.
He had exposed his tracks.
But it didn't matter anymore.
That guy had never planned to follow him into the water anyway. Whether he needed to hide his innate water affinity was meaningless.
The ice on the river melted faster and faster.
Chen Ping'an stood up and returned to the shore.
He looked around.
It was winter, and the world was bleak.
Chen Ping'an breathed slowly and regulated his energy.
About half an hour later, the scholar returned alone. Chen Ping'an didn't ask what had happened to the Covering Sea Prime Lord.
"To speak frankly, that wench still needs to pack up some belongings—some things that are hard to move and not very valuable—and also squeeze some stuff out of her underlings. Having spent time with Good Man, I should learn your way of making money." The scholar smiled. "Come on, let's go to the temple there and split the spoils. It doesn't set the right mood here."
Chen Ping'an had no objection.
When they entered the temple, they sat facing each other on the steps outside the main hall. The scholar waved his sleeve, and items of all sizes clattered to the ground, a dazzling pile that formed a small mountain.
The scholar said, as if claiming credit, "Knowing that Good Man is a hero who plucks every feather from a passing goose, I brought back everything that was even slightly valuable—cheap or expensive. There's one magic treasure, twelve spiritual artifacts, and as for immortal money, I'm not lying; it's all in the old turtle's cave. That little turtle, who wants to become a legitimate water goddess, is disgustingly poor. I only managed to scrape together eighteen thousand Snowflake Coins. Good Man, I really tried. You don't know, I almost broke those large screen panels..."
After a long while, the scholar returned, standing on the steps, looking down at the two broken hairpins. He shook his head. "Too bad. I didn't pick them up. Otherwise, they would have blasted your space-condensing object to pieces."
He carefully put the two jade hairpin pieces into his sleeve, not into the space-condensing object, and then truly left.
This time, the scholar didn't use earth-escape. Instead, he swaggered above the Black River, riding the wind. The turbulent river was split apart in the middle, and it took a long time to close again.
The scholar's wide sleeves billowed and flapped, making a loud noise. He muttered to himself, "People shouldn't be too idle, or stray thoughts will sprout like weeds. Too busy, and the true nature recedes, scattering like birds and beasts. So, to be carefree in body and mind and to enjoy the pleasures of wind and moon—it's hard to have both."
He rode the wind south along the Black River. On the way, he only glanced toward the Precious Mirror Mountain but didn't approach it.
That was the only requirement his clan had for this trip.
Don't go near Precious Mirror Mountain.
The scholar flicked his wrist, and the demon-binding rope appeared in his hand. It turned out the other end was tied to the Covering Sea Prime Lord. The burly woman was dragged out of the water.
He twisted his wrist again and smashed her heavily into the Black River.
It raised towering waves dozens of feet high.
The scholar landed at the southern end of the Black River, put away the demon-binding rope, and the woman stood unsteadily beside him.
The scholar began to walk south on foot. She followed behind him, terrified.
Without stopping, the scholar turned his head and smiled. "You have a heartless father, but fortunately, you've run into a master like me, who has the most chivalrous spirit. So, did you bring the things?"
The woman quickly took out a black-green small celadon water vessel from her sleeve and said, trembling, "I went to the Old Dragon Lair as ordered and brought out this pair of Ray-Fish, which my father had carefully raised for eight hundred years. I also passed orders to my father's trusted subordinate: once that person sneaks into the Old Dragon Lair and triggers the mechanisms, immediately lower the four Dragon-Locking Walls to trap him. Even if he escapes, the group of demons who received the secret message will be waiting there to catch him like a rabbit waiting for a tree stump. That guy will probably shed a layer of skin even if he doesn't die."
The scholar took the small water vessel, shook it gently, looked into it, and smiled. "This is the windfall I most wanted to get on this trip."
He turned his head to look toward the Old Dragon Lair on the Black River. "As for that side, it's probably a wasted effort. He won't go. Right, Good Man?"
The woman couldn't help but swallow her saliva.
Were all cultivators outside Ghost Valley this terrifyingly scheming?
The scholar glanced at her and put the water vessel into his sleeve. "Don't worry. Not everyone is like us. But you're too stupid. That won't do from now on. You can't just grow in age without growing in intelligence. Whether you can become a proper water goddess after being a river matron depends on yourself. I don't keep useless things. By the way, besides this pair of Ray-Fish, didn't you get enlightened and steal something else?"
The woman nodded like a chicken pecking at rice. Hurriedly, she took out a palm-sized jade box. "Yes, yes. My father said this was one of the foundational mother coins carefully forged by a great hermit immortal of the Qingde Sect for the last emperor of one of the dynasties."
She said with a crying face, "I was afraid the master would get impatient, so I rushed. In my father's secret chamber, only these two treasures were placed. I took the water vessel and Ray-Fish, grabbed this box, and hurried back. I didn't dare go anywhere else to take things."
The scholar took the jade box and opened it. "Tsk, this is indeed a remarkable treasure. It is an excellent lifebound object that any merchant cultivator would dream of."
The scholar smiled. "Good. From this moment on, you are already a surefire orthodox river god of the Dayuan Dynasty. All that's missing is the court's enfeoffment edict. But that doesn't matter. I have many such edicts at home, already sealed with the imperial jade seal. They've piled up over the years."
She couldn't believe it. After great calamity, suddenly hearing such good news felt like a different world.
The scholar had already turned and continued walking, laughing loudly. "If I'm willing, what's so hard about making you a river god?"
Her steps became light, and she looked at that back with tears of gratitude.
The scholar smiled, looking lazy and carefree as he enjoyed the scenery.
Making her ascend from river matron to river god was not because of that foundational mother coin.
Not that it wasn't valuable.
But wasn't a servant's belongings naturally the master's property by heaven's decree? Offering them with both hands, receiving a few words of verbal praise, was already a great reward. If she dared not hand them over voluntarily, she would be beaten half to death. Thunder and rain are both the grace of heaven.
In the end, he was still doing it for the sake of that Great Round Moon Temple's face, going with the flow. After all, that old turtle would most likely be "walking the river" under the Yang clan's watchful eyes in the future.
With this good karmic connection as a foundation, many of his plans could proceed smoothly and naturally.
But thinking of this, his face instantly darkened.
Plans?
Whose plans? His own?
Remembering the look in that guy's eyes at the temple earlier, he became increasingly unhappy.
That look wasn't schadenfreude, nor even compassion.
It was indescribable.
It made him both puzzled and furious!
Because he had begun to feel pitied!
He suddenly remembered the iron chain bridge between the two cliffs and those two ant-like demon creatures.
Kill them!
Let them be the parting gift for that Good Man.
But at that moment, he stopped, his face twisting.
Then his expression slowly relaxed.
"That's enough. The three agreements are not a joke."
It was the real Yang Ningxing who had returned. He smiled and said, "Traveling ten thousand miles, I've gained a lot. Success achieved, we retreat. What's there to be dissatisfied about?"
The Covering Sea Prime Lord also sensed the change in the person ahead. She stopped, her heart full of panic.
The person turned around, his expression gentle. His entire aura, in her eyes, was completely different from before. He said softly, "Don't be afraid. Let me introduce myself. I am Yang Ningxing, from the Chongxuan Office of the Dayuan Dynasty, the Xiaoyao Palace."
The woman subconsciously knelt to kowtow.
The scholar extended his hand gently, making it impossible for her to kneel.
He said softly, "Both of us are on the path of cultivation. You and I are already Dao companions. From now on, you should neither be arrogant nor belittle yourself."
The woman broke down in tears, sobbing, "Your servant will remember! I will never dare to forget the master's instruction!"
The scholar gave a silent laugh, shook his head, and said nothing more.
He took her and continued on their way.
The scholar glanced toward Precious Mirror Mountain, wondering how things were over there.
---
That Wei Gaowu came running again. When he was still a dozen steps away from the young woman, he suddenly knelt, prostrating himself, and choked out, "I beg the immortal to teach me the Dao! Wei Gaowu is willing to be your slave and beast of burden. In the future, on the path of cultivation, no matter what realm I reach, I will have no regrets!"
Li Liu laughed. "You're not even worthy of being my beast of burden?"
Wei Gaowu was in tears, knocking his head repeatedly, just begging her to teach him the Dao.
At the Sheep-Intestine Palace.
At the main gate, the two small goblins holding wooden spears had been reduced to just one.
Chen Ping'an smiled and walked slowly.
The mouse spirit was stunned on the spot. Then it quickly stood up, holding its wooden spear, and shouted, "Who are you? Report your name!"
It had actually recognized him, but it still had to put on a show.
Chen Ping'an waved his hand, signaling it to stop pretending. He asked, "Your patriarch lost a chest of military books. Didn't he take it out on you?"
That Demon-Catching Great Immortal, if he still had the guts to stay in this Sheep-Intestine Palace, Chen Ping'an would willingly and sincerely call him a Great Immortal.
The commotion at the Black River was not small. The miserable fate of the Thundering Divine General was probably known to all passersby.
Although this little goblin had already transformed into a human face, its mouse-spirit origin was still vaguely discernible. Its cultivation was indeed shallow.
It scratched its head. "Reporting to the Sword Immortal Lord, my patriarch came back late. By that time, I had already woken up on my own. Fearing the patriarch would be suspicious, I hit the gate twice more and finally managed to knock myself out. But when I woke up again, the patriarch still hadn't returned. So I steeled myself and hit my head once more. By the time I waited for the patriarch to return, he kicked me awake. I said I didn't know anything; I just fainted. The patriarch couldn't bother with me and went to check the tunnel. I quickly slipped away, dug myself a hole, and hid underground far from the Sheep-Intestine Palace. The patriarch couldn't find me, so he mounted a cloud and flew away."
Chen Ping'an sat on the steps. The mouse spirit hesitated for a moment, then sat down too, but kept a distance.
It wanted to sit closer and soak up some of the Sword Immortal Lord's immortal aura, but it didn't have the guts.
Chen Ping'an smiled and asked, "Where's the book I gave you?"
The mouse spirit pointed to where it had buried the book and said happily, "Reporting to the Sword Immortal Lord, it's safely hidden there. I didn't dare take it out. I thought I'd wait a few days before carefully looking at it. Just like you said, if my patriarch found out, there'd be great trouble. The book says this is called 'If you don't endure small things, you'll upset great plans.' Sword Immortal Lord, am I using that saying correctly?"
Chen Ping'an suppressed his laughter and nodded. "You can use it that way."
The mouse spirit hugged its wooden spear and smiled foolishly.
It was probably proud of itself for doing something remarkable.
Chen Ping'an put his hands in his sleeves, bent forward slightly, and turned his head to ask, "If you could, would you like to go outside and have a look?"
The mouse spirit nodded. "Of course I would. My patriarch said that outside, books, no matter what they're about or which sage wrote them, are sold very cheaply, almost like they're free. I want to go buy some books to bring back."
Chen Ping'an asked again, "You'd come back?"
The mouse spirit said, "Mm," with a somewhat shy expression. "My home is here."
It didn't dare sit like the Sword Immortal Lord, so it curled up its knees, put its arms on them, and shrunk its body there.
It said softly, "I know that the Sword Immortal Lord doesn't like my patriarch. Maybe if you met him, you'd even kill him. So I'm very happy that the Sword Immortal Lord came to our Sheep-Intestine Palace twice but never ran into my patriarch."
Chen Ping'an smiled. From his storage space, he took out a jug of wine. "Want a drink?"
The mouse spirit shook its head. "If my patriarch found out, I'd be in deep trouble."
Chen Ping'an said, "That Demon-Catching Great Immortal won't dare come back for at least half a month."
The mouse spirit waved its hands frantically. "Thank you for your kindness, Sword Immortal Lord, but I won't drink. I've heard... anyway, I've heard that wine burns the insides."
As it said this, the mouse spirit looked a little downcast.
Chen Ping'an nodded, broke the seal, took a small sip, and squinted. This time, he felt only a warm comfort. Basking in the sun, drinking a little wine, sitting next to a little ghost-valley creature that loved reading and taking notes—it felt like he was living an immortal's life.
The mouse spirit plucked up its courage and asked carefully, "Sword Immortal Lord, have you come to Ghost Valley for training?"
Chen Ping'an said, "Mm, and I've earned some money."
Three years new, three years old, patching and mending for another three years.
This kind of life was truly a good life.
Besides, in Ghost Valley, he had indeed earned quite a bit of immortal money.
After a few sips of wine, Chen Ping'an put it away. He stood up and said, "I'm off."
He put on his bamboo hat, and also removed the old face mask, revealing his true appearance.