Chapter 520: Long Admired, Long Admired

Chapter 520: Long Admired, Long Admired

The night was deep. Having gotten through the most drowsy period, Sui Jingcheng found herself unable to sleep. There was a term in the storybooks—"night owl"—and she felt that described her current self perfectly.

The breathing and circulation methods recorded in that small booklet were all to be practiced at high noon. Depending on the solar term, the exact timing for daytime cultivation varied slightly. At the end of the scroll, there were four characters that stirred the soul: "Daytime Ascension to Immortality."

Earlier, at their parting on the official road, the old Vice Minister had taken off that bamboo-cloth dharma robe, thin as a cicada's wing, and returned it to his daughter, Sui Jingcheng. They had bid each other a reluctant farewell. In private, he had admonished his daughter that now she was fortunate enough to be following a Sword Immortal to cultivate the mountain's Dao methods. This was the blessing of the Sui family's ancestors in heaven. Therefore, she must adjust her attitude and no longer maintain the slightest airs of a noble lady; otherwise, she would be squandering that ancestral virtue.

That man had been practicing the monotonous and tedious fist stance the entire time.

Sui Jingcheng got up and went to gather some more dry twigs from the surroundings. Imitating him, she first roasted them by the campfire to dispel the moisture contained within the twigs, rather than throwing them directly into the fire.

Over the years, her cultivation had been bumpy and very unsmooth. Without a wise master to guide her, and because the contents of that small booklet were—aside from a practical divine ability to control her gold hairpin like a flying sword, which she had mastered to seventy or eighty percent—like the opening exposition of a Daoist scripture, too overarching and abstract, treading on empty air, it left her baffled. It was like what that man had casually said before: "Principles are inevitably too lofty." With no one to help her review and break through the barriers, even though she had been painstakingly studying that booklet since she learned to read, she still felt she had never grasped its method. So, at over thirty years of age, she was still a Qi refiner stuck at the bottleneck of the second realm.

Sui Jingcheng was actually a bit hesitant. Should she take the initiative and bring out those three immortal items: the bamboo robe, the gold hairpins, and the booklet? If that vastly powerful Sword Immortal senior took a liking to them, she wouldn't really mind. But she was very afraid that he might mistakenly think she was again playing clever little tricks. And she had bungled things by overreaching more than once.

Chen Ping'an stopped his fist practice, sat back down by the campfire, and extended his hand. "To save you a worry, hand them over."

Sui Jingcheng carefully took three gold hairpins and a small booklet, as bright as new and without any signs of wear, from her sleeve. The title in ancient seal script read "The Supreme Profound Profound Collection."

Sui Jingcheng said softly, "Senior, the hairpins are a bit strange. They've been connected to me since childhood. If anyone else holds them, they get burned. In the early years, a maidservant tried to steal a gold hairpin, and her entire palm was burned through. She rolled on the ground in pain, and soon alarmed everyone else in the residence. Later, even though the injury on her hand healed, the person seemed to have contracted some kind of disorientation. Sometimes lucid, sometimes stupid. No one knows why."

"It's fine," Chen Ping'an said. With one hand he took the booklet, and with the other he held it out. Sui Jingcheng gently loosened her grip, and the three gold hairpins, shimmering with precious light and colorful radiance, fell into Chen Ping'an's palm. The hairpins trembled slightly, but Chen Ping'an's palm was unharmed. He examined them for a moment and then spoke slowly, "The gold hairpins can be considered your life-bound objects. There are three grades of refining objects in the world. Minor refining turns them into emptiness—they can barely be stored in a cultivator's qi apertures, but anyone can snatch them. Middle refining can unlock the various wondrous uses of an immortal artifact device, just like... this nameless mountain peak now has a mountain god and a shrine to preside over it. Major refining turns them into a life-bound object. The transcendent being who gave you these three opportunities is a true expert. His Dao methods are undeniably profound; at the very least, he is an Earth Immortal, and could possibly even be a Nascent Soul cultivator. As for why this person gave you the opportunity to ascend the mountain's Dao path but then abandoned you for three or four decades..."

Sui Jingcheng, who had been listening intently, said softly, "Thirty-two years, that's all."

The man chuckled. "Do we need to count the months too?"

Sui Jingcheng's expression turned awkward.

Chen Ping'an first placed the booklet on his knee, then picked up one of the gold hairpins with two fingers and gently tapped it against another hairpin in his other palm. The sound was clear, like metal striking stone. With each tap, halos of light rippled outward. Chen Ping'an looked up and said, "These three gold hairpins are a complete set of dharma treasures. They look identical, but in reality they are not. They are named 'Ling Su Qing Wei,' 'Wen Qing Shen Xiao,' and 'Tai Xia Yi Gui.' They are most likely related to thunder methods, the foremost of all methods."

Sui Jingcheng's expression was one of bewildered admiration. She said sincerely, "Senior is truly knowledgeable and seems to know everything!"

This was from the bottom of her heart.

Three gold hairpins that looked absolutely identical, and he could even discern their names at a glance—what was this if not divination?

Chen Ping'an glanced at her. "There are inscriptions on the gold hairpins. The characters are extremely small. Your cultivation is too shallow, so naturally you can't see them."

Sui Jingcheng's face stiffened.

Chen Ping'an lightly tossed the three gold hairpins back to Sui Jingcheng and began flipping through the oddly named booklet. He frowned slightly, but after only two pages he immediately closed it.

The text on the pages of this "Supreme Profound Profound Collection" had, when he opened it, a flash of precious light. Even with Chen Ping'an's eyesight and memory, he couldn't remember even a general idea of a page's contents. It was like a neatly ordered battlefield formation that instantly scattered itself, becoming chaotic and disordered. Needless to say, this was another life-bound object for Sui Jingcheng. It was highly possible that not only could Sui Jingcheng open it to see the text, but even if Chen Ping'an had her hold the book and flip the pages, the content they would each see would still be as different as heaven and earth.

Chen Ping'an beckoned for Sui Jingcheng to sit beside him and had her open the book and browse through it. Sui Jingcheng, somewhat dazed, did as she was told. Chen Ping'an soon had her put the booklet away and said, "This immortal sect's techniques are of no low rank, but they are incomplete. The person who gave you the book back then must have had high expectations for you. However, he couldn't both be your transmitter of the Dao and your protector. That's why he left for over thirty years."

With one hand clutching the gold hairpins and the other holding the booklet, Sui Jingcheng was full of smiles, overjoyed. The feeling was even stronger than when she had learned she was the so-called "Jade Person of the Sui Family."

Chen Ping'an began to close his eyes and rest, his hands gently resting on that golden thunder whip, which had been minor-refined into the shape of a green bamboo.

On the "green bamboo," there were no words at all, only a series of engraved marks, densely packed.

Sui Jingcheng suddenly asked, "Would Senior like to take a look at that dharma robe called the Bamboo Robe?"

Chen Ping'an opened his eyes, a strange expression on his face. Seeing her sincere and eager look, Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "No need to look. It must be a fine immortal treasure. Dharma robes are always precious. In mountain cultivation, there are many battles. Generally speaking, Qi refiners will have two life-bound objects: one primarily for attack and one primarily for defense. Since that eminent person gave you three gold hairpins, the Bamboo Robe is probably of comparable quality."

Sui Jingcheng was a bit slow on the uptake. Her face flushed slightly, and she said no more.

After a moment of silence, the man stopped practicing his fists and stances. Instead, he began to concentrate and enter a meditative state like a cultivator. His breathing became long and deep, and faintly, Sui Jingcheng felt as if layers of radiance were flowing around him—one bright like a lamp, one soft and yin like moonlight. Sui Jingcheng simply assumed that this Sword Immortal senior was an accomplished adept, his aura vast and majestic. Even with her meager cultivation, she could detect traces of it. In reality, Sui Jingcheng was indeed a naturally gifted seedling for cultivation. She couldn't see the inscriptions on the gold hairpins due to her limited eyesight, but seeing Chen Ping'an's extraordinary phenomenon now was due to her exceptional talent—her perception of heaven and earth's spiritual qi far surpassing that of ordinary cultivators below the fifth realm.

Sui Jingcheng suddenly remembered something. She hesitated for a long time, but still felt the matter was not trivial, so she had to ask, "Senior, the reason Cao Fu and Xiao Shuye took such a roundabout and sneaky approach this time—besides not wanting to attract the attention of the Great Seal Dynasty and some northern minor kingdom's emperor—was it also because they greatly feared the eminent person who gave me the opportunity back then? Could it be that Cao Fu's master, that Golden Core Earth Immortal, and the grand-uncle of the Golden Scale Palace's palace lord, were unwilling to show themselves, for the same reason that when they blocked our path on the ridge, Cao Fu had that blade-wielding martial world thug make the first move, to test if a Sword Immortal was hiding nearby?"

Chen Ping'an opened his eyes again and smiled without speaking.

This Sui Jingcheng's nature was truly remarkable.

Chen Ping'an patiently explained, "Once cultivators on the mountain form a grudge, it's very easy for it to drag on for a hundred years. That's why the mountain has its rules, and the martial world has its rules. Cao Fu and Xiao Shuye despise the martial world from the bottom of their hearts. They think that by setting one foot down the mountain, they can press all the way to the bottom and the entire martial world will be nothing but small fry. But they don't understand the taboos and complexities of cultivation on the mountain. Even if they are ignorant, the masterminds behind them see it all very clearly. Hence this affair. Right now, they fear me. Cao Fu only fears my flying sword. But the person behind the scenes has an additional worry: the wandering eminent person you mentioned. If your transmitter of the Dao is merely a foreign Earth Immortal, they might decide, after weighing the pros and cons, that it's worth the risk for a bigger deal. But if this transmitter of the Dao has sent a Golden Core Sword Cultivator as your protector, the mastermind will have to seriously consider whether their own strength and resources can withstand the combined retaliation of two 'Nascent Soul cultivators.'"

Sui Jingcheng's eyelashes trembled.

That man's words were straightforward and simple, yet "concealed deadly intent." Sui Jingcheng was naturally a perceptive and intelligent woman. The more she pondered, the more she gained. She felt as if that grand picture of the mountain world she had always imagined was finally beginning to reveal a corner.

Sui Jingcheng asked a question that was uncharacteristic of her previous nature: "Senior, you truly don't want any of these three immortal items?"

Chen Ping'an shook his head. "There is a proper way to take."

Sui Jingcheng smiled knowingly.

Chen Ping'an suddenly asked, "No more thoughts?"

Sui Jingcheng was startled. After thinking for a moment, she shook her head. "No."

Chen Ping'an said, "When Cao Fu used Xiao Shuye to lure me away earlier, thinking he had the victory in hand, and blocked you on the small path, he told you directly what your fate would be if you went up the mountain with him. Didn't you find that terrifying?"

Sui Jingcheng was indeed still shaken. Being refined into a living cauldron by Cao Fu's master, and then, after being taught Dao techniques, engaging in dual cultivation with the Golden Scale Palace's patriarch... That was her future.

Although Sui Jingcheng was single-minded in her pursuit of the Dao, she had no desire to become such a pathetic puppet without control over her own body.

Chen Ping'an sighed. "But have you ever thought about the original intention of the eminent person who gave you that opportunity? Have you considered the possibility that this person's cultivation is even higher than Cao Fu's backer, his intentions even more malicious, and his schemes even more long-term?"

Sui Jingcheng broke out in a cold sweat.

Chen Ping'an reached out and gestured downward twice, signaling Sui Jingcheng not to be too frightened. He said softly, "This is just one possibility. Why did he dare to give you three heavy treasures? He gave you a tremendous opportunity for cultivation, yet also, invisibly, placed you in danger. Why didn't he directly take you to his own immortal sect? Why didn't he station a protector by your side? Why was he so confident that you could become a cultivator on your own? What is the hidden meaning behind that strange incident back then, when your mother dreamed of a divine being holding a baby girl?"

Sui Jingcheng reached up to wipe the sweat from her forehead, then pressed the back of her hand against it. She shook her head. "I can't figure any of it out."

Chen Ping'an nodded. "That's how most things in the world are. No matter how hard you think, you can't figure them out. And if you really could figure them out, it might not be a good thing."

Sui Jingcheng’s face wore a dazed expression.

Over this period of time, she had been displaced and wandering like a stray dog. Then there had been a sudden turn of events, full of ups and downs. And tonight, the few words from this man had caused her emotions to soar and plummet.

Chen Ping'an said, "I'm telling you all this only after you've decided to go to Bottle Gourd Continent. I want you to make another decision in your heart: how should you treat that wandering eminent person who might never show up, or might appear tonight? Suppose that eminent person harbors good intentions towards you, but was just too protective of you at the beginning of your cultivation, to avoid hindering your growth through excessive interference—though he might not yet know about the affairs of Wuling Country and the Sui family. After all, in mountain cultivation, the higher the realm, the more one goes into secluded cultivation, becoming unaware of the passage of seasons in the human world. In that case, you can temporarily go to Bottle Gourd Continent, but you must not hastily take Cui Dongshan as your master. If that person had ill intentions towards you from the start, then there's no such worry. But for now, neither you nor I can be certain of the truth. What should be done?"

Sui Jingcheng, in a daze, asked back, "What should be done?"

Chen Ping'an laughed in exasperation. "What do you mean, 'what should be done'?"

Sui Jingcheng wiped her face and suddenly burst into laughter. "If I had met you before this, or if someone else had saved me, I wouldn't have cared about anything. I would have run as far away as possible. Even if I felt I had failed that wandering eminent person who had shown me such great kindness, I would have tried not to think about it too much. But now I think you're right, Sword Immortal Senior. The scholars down the mountain, when faced with danger, protect themselves—but they must still have a bit of compassion. And we cultivators on the mountain, when facing danger, may flee—but we should still retain a sense of gratitude. So, whether it's you, Sword Immortal Senior, or that senior Cui Dongshan, even if I am fortunate enough to become someone's disciple, I will only be a nominal disciple. Not until I am reunited with that wandering eminent person in this life. Even if his realm is not as high as yours, I will still plead with both of you to allow me to change my master and formally become his disciple!"

Chen Ping'an nodded. "That is the correct principle."

What was even more commendable was that Chen Ping'an could tell that her words were spoken sincerely.

Some words require looking rather than listening.

That is one of the benefits of mountain cultivation.

So Chen Ping'an said with emotion, "I hope my earlier guess was just me being too dark-minded. I still hope that one day, that wandering eminent person will become your master, and the two of you will ascend the mountain hand in hand, taking in the landscape."

Sui Jingcheng sneaked a smile, narrowing her eyes as she looked at him.

Chen Ping'an immediately understood the unspoken words in her eyes. He glared at her. "You and I... The way we view the world is the same. But our natures are vastly different."

Sui Jingcheng couldn't help but laugh out loud. For once acting like a child, she looked around. "Master, where are you?"

Who knew? Maybe, just like that green-robed Sword Immortal senior who carried a bamboo box back then, he could be far away at the horizon or right here under her nose?

Chen Ping'an laughed along with her.

Of course, Sui Jingcheng's "master" did not appear.

After that, the two did not deliberately conceal their whereabouts. However, since Sui Jingcheng needed to cultivate at fixed times during the day, on the way to the capital region of Wuling Country, Chen Ping'an bought a horse-drawn carriage and became the driver himself. Sui Jingcheng took the initiative to talk about some key points in her cultivation of the "Supreme Profound Profound Collection." She described some phenomena that occurred at different times during her breathing exercises: sometimes her eyes felt warm as if steamed, sometimes they itched and stung as if electric light swirled around them, sometimes there were sharp cracking sounds within her internal organs, and sometimes sudden ringing. Chen Ping'an really couldn't offer much advice. Moreover, Sui Jingcheng, a complete amateur, had been cultivating on her own for nearly thirty years without any signs of going astray. Instead, her skin was fine and her eyes were clear and bright. There probably shouldn't be any major problems.

The journey went smoothly, moving day and night without stopping.

Just like when he had escorted Li Huai and the others to the Great Sui Academy back then. There had not only been bumps and bruises, but also harmonious moments. And even more of the trivial daily life of the mundane world.

Like when Li Huai had to go relieve himself, he would only dare to go if Chen Ping'an accompanied him. Especially in the dead of night, even if Yu Lu was on watch for the second half of the night, and Chen Ping'an, who had been on watch for the first half, was already sound asleep, Li Huai would still shake him awake. Then Chen Ping'an, his eyes still heavy with sleep, would go off with that guy who was clutching his crotch or cradling his backside. That's how it had been the whole way. Chen Ping'an had never said anything to Li Huai about it, and Li Huai had never said a single word of thanks.

But country children truly weren't used to saying "thank you." Just like scholars who genuinely didn't like to say "I was wrong."

But in the end, Li Huai had taken it to heart. So everyone could see that among that group back then, Li Huai cared about Chen Ping'an the most. Even years later, after studying in the academy for a long time and making his own friends, his attitude towards Chen Ping'an was still that of the cowardly bully and timid child from back then. When truly faced with trouble, the first person he thought of was Chen Ping'an—not even his parents or sister in another continent. One was dependence, the other was attachment. Different emotions, but equally deep.

As for Sui Jingcheng, although she was a half-baked cultivator, she had not yet achieved the state of abstaining from grains. And being a woman, she had quite a few inconveniences.

So when Chen Ping'an had bought a horse carriage in a prosperous county town earlier, he deliberately stayed an extra day and checked into an inn. At the time, Sui Jingcheng, who had been sleeping out in the open and felt like she weighed a hundred and sixty jin, was relieved. She borrowed some silver from Chen Ping'an, saying she needed to buy some things. Then she changed into a newly purchased dress and bought a veiled hat to conceal her face.

It wasn't exactly to accommodate Sui Jingcheng. In truth, Chen Ping'an himself wasn't in a hurry to travel. He already had a general idea of the route and schedule; he just needed to make sure he reached Green Oriole Country by early autumn.

So one evening, by a rocky bank beside a swift-flowing river, Chen Ping'an took out a fishing rod and cast his line. The silt shifted, but the great stones remained unmoved. Unexpectedly, he caught a black carp weighing over ten jin. As they drank the fish soup, Chen Ping'an said that in a mountain lake on Tongye Continent, there was a species of black carp that was most remarkable. If it lived for over a hundred years, a blue stone of varying sizes would form in its mouth. This stone was extremely pure. If crushed and sun-dried using a secret technique, it became a material that Talisman Sect cultivators dreamed of for making talismans.

Sui Jingcheng listened, utterly amazed.

They also occasionally played Go. Sui Jingcheng finally confirmed that this Sword Immortal senior was truly a terrible player. His opening moves were powerful and flawlessly precise, but the later his moves got, the worse they became.

The first time they had a game, Sui Jingcheng had been very serious. She thought that in their game at the wayside pavilion, the senior must have been holding back.

Later, Sui Jingcheng resigned herself to the truth.

This senior had only memorized some opening patterns by rote.

Luckily, the senior didn't seem to find it at all shameful. He lost ten games out of ten, and during each review, he would humbly ask Sui Jingcheng about her brilliant moves. Sui Jingcheng naturally didn't dare to hold anything back. Finally, while browsing a bookstore in a prefectural city, he picked out two Go manuals: one "Great Endgame Manual," which focused on life-and-death problems, and one that specialized in joseki. The senior had given her some gold and silver back in the county town, telling her to keep it for herself. So after buying the manuals, she still had some left over.

One night, while traveling by carriage, they passed a desolate graveyard. The senior suddenly stopped the carriage and called Sui Jingcheng out. Then, using two fingers, he lightly tapped her between the eyebrows and told her to focus and look at a certain spot. Sui Jingcheng lifted the thin veil of her hat and saw a white fox carrying a human skull on its back, bowing to the moon on top of a grave. She asked what this meant. The senior said he didn't know either. He had often seen fox spirits transforming into beautiful women to seduce wandering scholars, but this was the first time he had seen one carrying a skull and bowing to the moon.

The carriage continued on.

Hearing the commotion, the white fox carrying the skull vanished in a flash. A moment later, on the path ahead, a voluptuous woman appeared, posturing flirtatiously. Chen Ping'an ignored her. Sui Jingcheng, sitting outside the carriage, was a bit annoyed. She took off her veiled hat and revealed her true face. The woman looked as if she had been struck by lightning. Muttering and cursing under her breath, she turned and left. Sui Jingcheng raised an eyebrow, put her hat back on, and sat with her legs dangling outside the carriage, gently swinging them.

Chen Ping'an chuckled. "Why are you getting angry at a fox spirit?"

Sui Jingcheng said, "Transforming into a woman to seduce men—no wonder the common folk use 'vixen' as a curse. Later, when I've perfected my immortal arts, I'll teach them a proper lesson."

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Fox spirits aren't all like that. Some are mischievous but kind-hearted. I've heard that on the Celestial Dragon Mountain in the Central Earth Divine Continent, there's a Celestial Fox enshrined in the Heavenly Master Mansion. To repay the old Heavenly Master who used the Heavenly Master Seal to press it onto her fox fur, helping her escape the vast heavenly tribulation of entering the upper five realms, she has since been protecting the descendants of the Heavenly Master Mansion, even helping them temper their Dao hearts."

Sui Jingcheng silently committed this mountain world tale, which was more bizarre than any ghost story, to memory. But her final thought was that that fox spirit probably wasn't as beautiful as she was.

One evening, they passed an ancient local temple. It was said that the river there had once been perpetually turbulent, making it impossible for the common people to cross even with boats. An ancient immortal drew a talisman on paper, and a stone rhinoceros leaped out of the paper, jumped into the water to suppress a water monster, and thereafter the river became calm. Sui Jingcheng entered the temple with Chen Ping'an to burn incense. The incense shop was run by a young couple. Later, at the ferry crossing, Sui Jingcheng noticed that the young couple had followed their carriage. For some reason, they knelt on the ground and bowed to them, begging the immortals to take them along and cross the river together.

Chen Ping'an agreed. In the end, the carriage, Chen Ping'an, Sui Jingcheng, and the couple all boarded a huge ferry to cross the river. After disembarking, the carriage traveled a few li and then the young couple asked to get off. Sitting inside the carriage, which was a bit cramped, Sui Jingcheng noticed more strange things. As the carriage and the ferry crossed the river together, the couple was drenched in sweat, looking as if the boat might capsize and drown them at any moment. They clung to each other, holding hands, with expressions of facing death as if returning home. This made Sui Jingcheng extremely anxious. She mistakenly thought some demon was causing trouble in the river, ready to capsize the ferry at any moment. But then she thought of the Sword Immortal senior sitting outside, and she felt much more at ease.

After the young couple got off the carriage, they knelt and bowed again, performing the great ritual of three kneels and nine prostrations.

Sui Jingcheng noticed that the senior didn't say anything. He just stood there, accepting the great ceremony. But after the tearful young couple rose, the senior said softly, "Spirits and demons, if you perform good deeds and accumulate virtue, the Dao has no bias. It will naturally protect you."

Sui Jingcheng felt that strange things were happening one after another. The young couple, upon hearing these words, looked as if they had received a pardon, or as if they had been suddenly enlightened. They were about to kneel piously again.

But this time, the senior reached out and stopped the young man. "Go now. The mountains and rivers stretch far. The path of the Dao is arduous. Take good care of yourselves."

The young couple did not walk on the official road. They left the road. At a distance, the young woman stopped and turned. One person bent deeply in a bow, and the other performed a curtsy.

Then, as the carriage entered a small path, Sui Jingcheng was about to ask about the background of that couple when she suddenly widened her eyes. Ripples appeared, and a golden-armored divine being holding an iron spear stood in the middle of the road.

Chen Ping'an stopped the carriage, floated to the ground, and clasped his fists. Then he asked, "Have we caused any trouble for the Water God by acting on our own?"

The solemn-faced golden-armored divine being smiled and shook his head. "In the past, I was bound by rules. It was my duty, and I couldn't bend them to let them through. That couple deserved this blessing. Protected by your virtue and merit, Sir, they waited a hundred years to finally cross this river."

The golden-armored divine being moved aside to let them pass. Standing sideways, he gently tapped the ground with his iron spear. "This minor god respectfully sees the gentleman off on his travels."

Chen Ping'an clasped his fists again, smiled in farewell, and returned to the carriage. It slowly passed the golden-armored divine being who presided over the river.

Sui Jingcheng was silent for a long time before softly asking, "Senior, is this what it means to have achieved cultivation? To the point where a golden-armored divine being, who has lived through the ages, voluntarily opens the way for you and sees you off?"

But Chen Ping'an's answer was off-topic. He said slowly, "You must understand that the mountain world is not only populated by the likes of Cao Fu, and the martial world is not only inhabited by the likes of Xiao Shuye. Some things, no matter how much I tell you, are not as good as you experiencing them for yourself."

That night, the carriage stopped in a silent, uninhabited spot. The Sword Immortal senior, for once, spent a bit more energy and time, stewing a large pot of bamboo shoot and cured meat soup.

As for why those bamboo shoots were still so fresh in the middle of summer, or why they hadn't been taken from the bamboo box, Sui Jingcheng couldn't be bothered to think about it.

But Sui Jingcheng felt that the senior, who looked so young, was in a very good mood after crossing the river.

As for the Sword Immortal senior's age, Sui Jingcheng had asked him about it before. The first time, he ignored her. Later, unable to contain her curiosity, she asked twice more in a roundabout way. Only then did he say he was probably a little over three hundred years old.

This strengthened Sui Jingcheng's resolve to pursue the Dao.

This day, they passed by a bustling county town near Susha Manor, and happened upon a temple fair.

At regular intervals, there were similar stalls with clay dolls and small porcelain figurines set out on the ground. For one copper coin, you could exchange for a small woven bamboo ring from the stall owner, or for two copper coins, a large woven willow ring. The place was packed with people. Adults would help children throw the bamboo or willow rings. Whenever an adult managed to ring a clay or porcelain figurine, the children nearby would cheer joyfully and dance with excitement.

Chen Ping'an smiled at the time. "So this is how few martial artists your Wuling Country has?"

Sui Jingcheng didn't understand the question at first. She just said, "In Wuling Country, the literary culture is more flourishing. That's why, after Senior Wang Dun emerged, both the court and the common people—even civil officials like my father—felt honored. They hoped to get to know Senior Wang Dun through Hu Xinfeng."

It wasn't until the carriage had traveled a bit further that Sui Jingcheng understood the reason behind the senior's question.

If there were more martial artists, there might still be stalls like that at the temple fair, but there definitely wouldn't be so many. Because if a martial artist happened to be unlucky enough to pass by, the stall owners would clearly be running at a loss. Unlike the merchants at this temple fair, who were all making money easily, earning more or less depending on the day.

Sui Jingcheng sighed with emotion.

This was probably one of the hidden veins of the world.

If she hadn't met this senior, she might never have thought about these things in her entire life.

Not thinking about them wouldn't cause any loss. Life would go on. And thinking about them didn't seem to bring any immediate effect or benefit.

No wonder the senior had also said that thinking about veins of events, reasoning things out, and analyzing the world's affairs was never an easy or relaxing task.

Once, when passing by a melon patch, the carriage stopped. Chen Ping'an squatted by the ridge, staring blankly at those lovely green watermelons.

He recalled the old locust tree in his hometown years ago. Many families would pull up bamboo baskets from the iron-locked well. The old folks would tell old stories, and the children would eat cold watermelon. Under the locust tree's shade, their hearts also felt cool.

Sui Jingcheng jumped off the carriage and asked curiously, "Senior, do immortals on the mountain like you also want to eat watermelon?"

Chen Ping'an was silent for a long time. Finally, he said, "If one day I can act as I please, and steal a watermelon and run away, that would mean I have truly achieved something in my heart. The influence that stick of sugar-coated hawthorns had on my state of mind back then will then be completely eliminated."

Sui Jingcheng felt this was an even stranger saying than any strange event. She was utterly baffled.

Near the capital region, on a dangerous mountain path, they encountered a gang of bandits. Sui Jingcheng felt that these swaggering fellows were really, really lucky...

Chen Ping'an had Sui Jingcheng show off a little. A single gold hairpin flew out like a sword, and they were scared out of their wits.

Later, the senior took Sui Jingcheng and secretly sneaked near the bandits' lair. They saw the simple houses there, heard the roosters crowing and dogs barking, and saw smoke rising from chimneys. A skinny child was flying a shabby paper kite. One of the bandits squatted nearby, grinning. Beside him stood a short, elderly man in tattered clothes, loudly scolding the man for being useless. If they didn't bring in any more earnings, the lair wouldn't be able to open its pots. The brats inside shouldn't even think about studying anymore. When they recited their lessons in the schoolhouse, their stomachs growled louder than their voices. The man scratched his head and said that woman was something else—probably an immortal like the ones in the stories. If they hadn't run fast today, they wouldn't have starved to death; they would have been beaten to death.

Chen Ping'an quietly led Sui Jingcheng away, returned to the carriage, and continued on their way.

In the dark, Sui Jingcheng couldn't sleep. She sat outside the carriage, sideways, looking at the trees by the roadside.

She said to herself, "First I saw them robbing people, and I wanted to kill them all. Senior, if I had actually done that, would I have been wrong?"

Chen Ping'an shook his head. "No, you wouldn't have been wrong."

Sui Jingcheng asked again, "But if I had seen their lives first, and then met them on the road again, and thrown them a bag of gold and silver, would that have been wrong?"

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Not wrong, but also not right."

Sui Jingcheng suddenly felt a bit uneasy.

Chen Ping'an said, "As I said before, I was just lending you that gold and silver. Whatever you do with it, I won't interfere. So don't worry about me questioning you for secretly leaving something outside the lair."

Chen Ping'an concluded, "The world's affairs are complex. They are not something you can casually talk about. The theory of 'veins' I explained to you—seeing the threads of people's hearts—once you have some small achievement in it, what seems complex actually becomes simple. But the theory of 'order'—what seems simple is actually more complex. Because it not only relates to right and wrong, but also involves good and evil in people's hearts. So I talk about 'veins' everywhere, but ultimately, I aim for 'order.' But the question of how exactly to proceed—no one taught me. I have only temporarily understood the method of cutting and delineating on the path of the Heart Sword. I've explained these things to you roughly. Since you have nothing else to do, you can use these three concepts to properly sort out what you saw today."

This day, the sun was blazing hot, and the heat was intense. Even wearing the Bamboo Robe, Sui Jingcheng felt stifled and uncomfortable inside the carriage. But unexpectedly, clouds soon gathered, followed by a torrential downpour. The mountain paths became muddy and difficult to traverse.

Fortunately, nearby there was a residence built in the forest by some refined scholar, which provided shelter from the rain.

Sui Jingcheng knew the owner of this house. He had had some dealings with the Sui family in the early years, and like her father, he was a grandmaster of Go. However, his official career had not been very successful; he had retired after reaching the position of Director of the Ministry of War. But his sons and nephews were a talented bunch. Among them was a Go scholar who surpassed his master, and two young men who had passed the highest imperial examinations and were now filling official vacancies. So this originally obscure mountain had begun to live up to the saying that "a mountain's fame lies not in its height, but in the immortals who dwell on it." Even though the residence was located in a remote mountain forest, there were constant visitors and guests all year round, making the place as busy as a marketplace.

The old gatekeeper of this family, upon learning that the woman in the veiled hat was a collateral branch of the Sui family who had married far away and was now returning to her hometown, was very polite. When he heard that she didn't need lodging, he was actually a bit disappointed. After all, the old Vice Minister Sui was the moral pillar of the Qingliu faction in Wuling Country, and a Go immortal like his own master. So her identity as a Sui was not comparable to that of ordinary noble ladies.

While Chen Ping'an and Sui Jingcheng were sheltering from the rain, even though Sui Jingcheng hadn't removed her veiled hat, the gatekeeper still had servants bring them tea.

Whether it was because a maidservant had leaked the news or for some other reason, a graceful young nobleman soon hurried over. He exchanged some pleasantries and asked if the lady was skilled in Go. Sui Jingcheng responded flawlessly. The young gentleman was surprisingly good at sitting still; even when there was clearly nothing left to say, he could find something to talk about without the slightest embarrassment. He even managed to chat with the young carriage driver in the green robe. When he heard that the driver was a nephew of the family who was delivering a letter for the lady, he was very enthusiastic and showed none of the arrogance typical of a noble scion.

After the rain stopped, the young nobleman personally escorted the two to the gate of the residence. Watching them leave, he smiled and said, "She must be a peerless beauty. An orchid in a secluded valley, hidden in the wilds. A pity I couldn't see her face."

The old gatekeeper seemed familiar with the young gentleman's temperament. He joked, "Why didn't the Second Young Master escort them a bit further himself?"

The young man shook his head and walked back into the residence, heading off to play Go with a beautiful maidservant.

On the road, Sui Jingcheng sat by the carriage curtain, took off her veiled hat, and lifted it slightly. "Senior, if that man had been stirred by my beauty and caused trouble, would I have been at fault? Would there be at least a little bit of fault on my part? After all, my beauty was displayed before him, and so he developed covetous thoughts afterwards."

Chen Ping'an sighed. This was the trouble with the theory of "veins" and "order." At first, it can easily lead one into a state of utter confusion, as if everyone is a bad person and everyone has malice in their hearts. Yet even evil deeds and evil people seem to have a little bit of reason to them.

If Chen Ping'an were truly her transmitter of the Dao and protector, he would generally not directly point things out, leaving her to ponder deeply on her own. But since he wasn't, and since she was already intelligent, he had no such worry. He said directly, "That's not how you talk about 'order.' In the world, many matters of right and wrong—especially once they are established by custom on a continent or in a country—are absolute. Seeing wealth and intending to steal it, violently committing a crime; seeing beauty and intending to seduce, bullying others with power—these are unquestionably wrong. It's not because you have money that you are wrong, nor is it because a woman is beautiful that she is wrong. Only after clarifying these things can you start to talk about 'order' and the degree of right and wrong. Otherwise, even if a common woman flirts and flaunts herself in the streets, that is still not a reason to forcibly take her. As for the child carrying gold through the market, and the saying 'possessing a treasure is a crime,' do you really think the child was wrong? That the person possessing the treasure was wrong? That's not it. It's just that the world is like this. Hence these helpless old sayings, merely meant to admonish good people and the weak to be extra careful."

Chen Ping'an turned his head and smiled. "Things are like this in the world; they've always been like this. Does that make them right? I don't think so."

Sui Jingcheng's eyes sparkled. "Senior, your insight is brilliant!"

Chen Ping'an turned his head back and chuckled. "This counts as brilliant insight? If the sages' principles in the books could come to life, I reckon that countless scholars in the world would have countless little figures in their bellies that would either be choking with rage or so desperate to escape that they'd rather bash a hole through their skin and run back onto the pages."

Sui Jingcheng asked cautiously, "Senior, do you have a prejudice against scholars?"

Chen Ping'an shook his head. "A scholar is not defined by how many books he has memorized. Nor is someone who hasn't read books or doesn't know his characters necessarily not a scholar."

Sui Jingcheng was about to offer a comment.

But Chen Ping'an had already said, "Spare me the flattery."

Sui Jingcheng couldn't help blushing. "Senior truly has foresight."

Chen Ping'an turned his head away.

Sui Jingcheng blinked, silently lowered the carriage curtain, and sat back. She couldn't suppress the smile that slowly spread across her face.

Then, upon entering the capital region of Wuling Country, the senior would stop the carriage at every famous historical site to take a look. Occasionally, he would carve inscriptions from plaques, couplets, and stele into bamboo slips.

Along the way, they also encountered young martial artists roaming the world, galloping past the carriage on horseback.

The sleeves of the young man and woman, along with the manes of their horses, fluttered in the wind.

They also passed by rustic villages where groups of children were playing and frolicking. One by one, they leaped across a small stream ditch. Even some frail young girls would step back a few paces before making a running jump.

One child stood cockily by the small stream ditch. Instead of running to jump across, he swung his arms, trying to jump from a standing position. Then, with a plop, he fell straight into the water.

The carriage had stopped nearby. Sui Jingcheng saw the profile of the senior. After witnessing that scene, his eyes narrowed slightly in a hint of amusement.

The carriage bypassed the capital of Wuling Country and headed north.

Heading straight for the Susha Manor of Wang Dun, the foremost martial artist in Wuling Country.

Because they had not deliberately avoided the prefectural cities and county towns along the way, and had frequently stopped, they caught wind of various martial world news that had spread throughout the court and the countryside.

Wang Dun had been ranked among the top ten on the latest ranking list. Although he was at the bottom of the ten, Wuling Country was nonetheless celebrating as if the whole country were rejoicing.

Because the Great Seal Dynasty alone had five people on the list. It was said that this was even after leaving out a few old masters who had not shown their faces for a long time. Qingci Country had only one person, Xiao Shuye, ranked ninth. The Golden Screen Country, with its fierce folk and strong military, had no one at all. Lanfang Country was even more out of the question. So even being at the bottom of the list was a great honor for the old senior Wang Dun, and a matter of pride for everyone in Wuling Country, which was known for its "weak literary culture and lack of heroes."

The emperor of Wuling Country had specially sent an envoy from the capital with a plaque.

So Sui Jingcheng could guess that Susha Manor was now bustling with guests, with well-wishers coming in an endless stream.

But she didn't know whether old senior Wang Dun had had an audience with the Great Seal Dynasty's Zhou emperor and had then returned from the Great Seal capital on an immortal ferry.

As for the news regarding Sui Jingcheng herself, it was no less lively than Wang Dun's ranking. People brought it up with great excitement, spittle flying everywhere. The women traveling the rivers and lakes mostly wore displeased expressions.

Every time, Sui Jingcheng would sneak a glance at him. Either he was quietly drinking wine and eating in a tavern, or drinking some cheap tea that quenched thirst but not the heat at a tea stall.

This made her a bit disappointed.

There were also times when they encountered a group of refined scholars drinking in a scenic spot.

Someone raised his cup and shouted, "In the forest, a great tree; out of the mountain, a small weed!" His face was covered in tears. The others present also seemed deeply moved. Another man stood up and performed a sword dance, which could be considered impassioned.

The carriage passed slowly by.

Sui Jingcheng said with a smile, "If it were a gathering of famous scholars, with wine cups floating along a winding stream, Senior, do you know which two types of people are indispensable?"

Chen Ping'an smiled and shook his head. "I've never participated. Tell me."

Sui Jingcheng laughed. "These literary gatherings must have someone who can write poems that are on everyone's lips, and preferably also a painter skilled in capturing the likenesses of everyone present. If you have one of these, it can be recorded in history. If you have both, then it becomes a grand event and a beautiful tale passed down for a thousand years."

Chen Ping'an nodded. "Very insightful. I must tell a friend of mine about this. He might write it into his travelogue someday."

Sui Jingcheng, still wearing her veiled hat, covered her mouth and laughed. She sat sideways outside the carriage, swinging her legs.

They were now close to Susha Manor. In a county town, Chen Ping'an sold the carriage at a reduced price.

He took two rooms at an inn. Since the inn was near the county town, there were noticeably more martial artists around. They were probably all heading to the manor to offer their congratulations.

One had to admit, camaraderie in the martial world was forged on the road. Similarly, many friendships could be forged over drinks.

To become a respected old-timer in the martial world, one either had extremely high martial arts skills, so that even a bad temper didn't matter—that was still a heroic nature—or one had mediocre martial arts but was a first-class old fox or old smoothie, with a good reputation. As for those younger ones who also understood the ways of the martial world, they just had to bide their time. When the second-rate old-timers died off one by one, leaving their chairs empty, they would naturally move up and sit in them, becoming the new old-timers. But this kind of success was, after all, somewhat unsatisfying. So sharp-tongued young people were never liked by the old-timers of the martial world.

But according to Sui Jingcheng, Old Senior Wang Dun was truly venerable and highly respected.

Chen Ping'an stood by the window for a while, watching the bustling street.

Then he went to the next door and knocked, saying he wanted to go sit in a tavern in the county town and buy a few jugs of wine.

Sui Jingcheng put her veiled hat back on and walked to the threshold. She seemed a bit hesitant. She said she wanted to go drink some wine on the street. She had only ever read about it in martial arts stories—at a grand martial arts feast, all the heroes gathered together, eating big pieces of meat and drinking big bowls of wine. She was curious and wanted to try it.

Chen Ping'an didn't stop her.

They went to a lively tavern on a street corner. They only got a seat after a group of people had paid their bill and left. Chen Ping'an ordered a jug of wine and poured her a bowl.

Since Sui Jingcheng was wearing a veiled hat, she had to lower her head and lift a corner of the veil to drink.

The tables in the tavern were close together, and the place was noisy. Some were playing drinking games and shouting finger-guessing. Others were chatting about interesting events in the martial world. A burly man sitting on the bench behind Sui Jingcheng exchanged a smile with his table of martial friends. Then he deliberately reached out as if to play the drinking game, aiming to knock off Sui Jingcheng's hat. But she leaned forward slightly and dodged it. The man was taken aback. He didn't press the matter, but he couldn't suppress his curiosity. This woman's figure was really good. If he didn't get a look, wouldn't he be missing out? But before their table could do anything, a new group of martial artists arrived. They were all flashily dressed and dismounted from their horses without tying them up. They looked around and spotted the young man and woman sitting opposite each other, with two empty benches. Just by looking at the woman's sideways sitting posture, she seemed to be the best wine in the whole county. A burly, strong man plopped down on the bench between the veiled woman and the green-robed man. He cupped his fists and said with a grin, "I am Lu Dayong of the Five Lakes Gang. My friends on the road give me face and call me 'River-Turning Dragon.'"

Chen Ping'an smiled and said, "Long admired, long admired. A pleasure to meet."

This Hero Lu had four companions. He grinned and said, "You don't mind if we sit together, do you? We're children of the martial world, we don't stand on ceremony. We can squeeze in..."

But just as he was about to beckon the other three to sit down—of course, someone would end up sitting on the same bench as that veiled woman, maybe even himself—he stood up, intending to give his own bench to his friends and squeeze in next to her. In the martial world, one values boldness and heroism. There was no such nonsense as "men and women should not touch when giving or receiving."

Unexpectedly, the young man smiled and said, "Actually, I do mind."

But Hero Lu obviously hadn't anticipated this answer at all. The burly man had already stood up and caught a whiff of a fragrance more alluring than wine. He was about to generously sit down on that bench.

But the next moment, not only did this martial hero stop in his tracks, but even the onlookers who had clearly heard the words "actually, I do mind" stopped their laughter. They swallowed nervously. Some even lifted their buttocks from their seats, ready to slip away.

Because a delicate, miniature green flying sword was now suspended just a few inches from the burly man's brow.

The young man in the green robe smiled. "Now, do you mind squeezing in with me and having a drink?"

Do you mind?

Or do you not mind?

Lu Dayong felt that no matter how he answered, it would be wrong.

The three martial friends behind Lu Dayong stood rooted to the spot, looking at their noses and noses at their hearts. They seemed rather unfamiliar with the "River-Turning Dragon," Hero Lu.

Chen Ping'an waved his hand, and Lu Dayong and his three friends fled.

The other drinkers also looked terrified and were about to bolt.

But the legendary "Sword Immortal," who hadn't been seen in a hundred years, said another sentence: "Pay your bill before you go."

Several tables of guests immediately threw silver ingots onto the counter and hurried away.

Now, besides Chen Ping'an and Sui Jingcheng, there were no customers left.

Chen Ping'an pretended to be weak. He looked around, and his hovering flying sword wobbled unsteadily, then fell onto the table, which he quickly swept into his sleeve.

Sui Jingcheng's lips curled into a smile.

The old shopkeeper, who had suddenly come into a windfall and had witnessed the scene, smiled and said, "Aren't you, a mountain Sword Cultivator, afraid of causing even bigger trouble? The martial heroes are very vengeful and good at banding together. They prefer to help their friends regardless of right or wrong, and to help the weak against the strong."

Chen Ping'an turned his head and smiled. "With a hidden master like you, Old Shopkeeper, sitting in this tavern, I shouldn't be in too much trouble."

The old shopkeeper chuckled. "You sure have sharp eyes, kid."

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Likewise, likewise."

Sui Jingcheng asked softly, "Can I take off my hat?"

Chen Ping'an nodded.

So Sui Jingcheng took off her veiled hat. Finally, she could drink her wine in peace and quiet.

The old man let out a low whistle. "What a pretty little lady. In all my life, I've never seen a more beautiful woman. You two must be what they call an immortal Daoist couple, right? No wonder you dare to travel the world like this. Alright, you two can drink your fill today; no need to pay. Your coming here has already made me a fortune today."

Chen Ping'an had just raised his wine bowl to drink when he heard the old shopkeeper's words. He paused for a moment, hesitated, but said nothing. He took a big gulp of wine.

Sui Jingcheng's autumn-water-like long eyes were full of restrained laughter.

The old man glanced at the distance outside, sighed, and looked at the back of the young green-robed man. "I suggest you have your lady put her hat back on. Old Wang isn't in his manor right now. If trouble comes, I might be able to help you temporarily, but I can't protect you all the way. Are you waiting for Old Wang to return from the Great Seal capital so you can ingratiate yourselves with him before you dare to leave? Let me tell you straight: Old Wang comes here often to bum drinks off me. I know his temper best. He's always had a bad opinion of you mountain immortals. He might not even be willing to see you."

Sui Jingcheng glanced at the senior's face from across the table. Repressing her smile, she explained to the old shopkeeper, "I am just a nominal disciple. We are not an immortal couple."

The old man curled his fingers and pointed at his own eyes. "Do you think I'm blind?"

Sui Jingcheng turned her head to look at the man across from her, putting on a pitiful expression as if to say "I can't help it."

But Chen Ping'an seemed completely unconcerned. He just turned his head and smiled at the old man. "Old Senior, why did you retire from the martial world and go into hiding here in the marketplace?"

In the streets and alleys, people were constantly gathering, pointing at the tavern.

The old man smiled. "Of course, because I couldn't make it in the martial world anymore, so I rolled my bedroll and got the hell out. You mountain immortals really don't know the hardships of the common people, do you?"

Chen Ping'an asked again, "If I were a frail scholar, and hadn't met you, Senior, in this tavern, then when faced with today's situation, should I have risen in anger and been beaten half to death, or should I have swallowed my pride and endured the humiliation?"

The old man leaned on the counter, took a sip of wine, scratched his head, put down his cup gently, and said, "Endure it. As long as you're alive, you'll always find a chance to get back at someone else somewhere, right?"

Chen Ping'an laughed heartily, raised his wine bowl high, and drained it in one gulp.

The old man still took small sips. "But of course, it's still wrong."

Soon, people were sitting on the rooftops near the tavern, watching.

A legendary Sword Immortal—just one look, and it would be a story they could tell for a lifetime.

But although there were many onlookers, no one was foolish enough to come looking for trouble. Hero Lu, though he gathered his friends and hid among them, was not insane. Instead, he was overjoyed, telling people how he had experienced the presence of a Sword Immortal. Spit flew as he said that flying sword had been less than an inch from his brow! Truly a close call, a matter of life and death.

Chen Ping'an had finished his wine. Since the senior was being generous, he was not rude enough to insist on paying.

He just stood up, cupped his fists, and said softly, "I meet you now, Old Senior Wang Dun."

The old man smiled and nodded. "I said you had good eyes, kid. What, aren't you going to ask me why I like wearing a face-skin here and pretending to be an old wine seller?"

Chen Ping'an shook his head.

The old man snorted. "Made it into the top ten but came in last. Should I stay hidden away, drinking my sorrows in peace? Or should I have people congratulating me all day while I smile and say, 'It was nothing, just lucky'?"

Sui Jingcheng quickly stood up and performed a curtsy to the long-admired Old Senior Wang Dun.

The old man waved his hand. "Even though your man seems decent, you still need to cultivate well yourself. There aren't many good men under heaven. Whenever something happens, they like to blame you for being a femme fatale."

Sui Jingcheng turned to look at the senior.

Chen Ping'an smiled. "I have achieved success in heart cultivation. I am not what I used to be."

But he glanced at the veiled hat on the table.

Sui Jingcheng quickly put it back on.

Wang Dun suddenly said, "You two wouldn't happen to be that foreign Sword Immortal and Sui Jingcheng, would you? I heard that because of that Jade Person of the Sui Family, Xiao Shuye, the ninth-ranked, died at the hands of a foreign Sword Immortal. His head was taken back to Qingci Country. Good thing I pawned everything I had to buy a copy of the Mountain and River Gazette, or I would have missed out big time."

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Senior, you have good eyes."

Wang Dun let out a whoop. He came around the counter and sat down on the bench at their table. "Sit, sit, sit. Don't be in a hurry to leave. When it comes to mountain cultivators like you, I have long admired, long admired. A pleasure to meet!"

(End of this chapter)