Chapter 524: The Principles of Chen Ping'an and Qi Jinglong
On the river, a small skiff drifted downstream. In the slanting wind and fine rain, an old fisherman in a straw hat and green coir raincoat sat at the bow, tilting his head back to drink. Behind him were two beautiful singing girls, scantily clad, their postures graceful. One held a pipa, plucking the strings with a rapid, clattering rhythm; the other gripped a red hardwood clapper, her voice lilting and melodious. The sounds seemed chaotic and interwoven, but in truth, there was order within the disorder, each enhancing the other.
The three on the skiff—master and servants—were naturally all cultivators.
A Qi refiner flew across the river surface, casually offering up a magic tool. The treasure radiance, like a flowing white ribbon, streaked toward the skiff as he cursed loudly, "Too noisy! What's with all the drinking and swagger? There's enough river water here for you to drink your fill, and it won't cost a single silver coin!"
In response, the old fisherman raised his arm and gently flicked his sleeve. The menacing white ribbon, instead of capsizing the boat, was all sucked into the fisherman's sleeve, buzzing for a moment before quickly falling silent.
The Qi refiner looked as if he had lost his parents. He abruptly halted in midair and pleaded, "Old immortal, return my flying sword!"
The old fisherman scoffed, "Kneel and beg me."
Without a second word, the Qi refiner landed on the river, using the water as solid ground, and banged his head, sending up splashes of water.
The skiff sped away like an arrow. After the clueless brat had kowtowed three times, the old fisherman finally shook his sleeve and tossed out a snow-white sword pellet. He caught it lightly and flung it back.
The sword cultivator retrieved his natal sword pellet, then flew a long stretch downriver, laughing loudly, "Old man, if those two girls are your daughters, then I'll be your son-in-law—one's not too few, two's not too many…"
One of the pipa-holding young women sneered, suddenly plucking the strings with force, fierce as wind and rain.
Behind the skiff, the river surface exploded into a massive chasm, extending all the way toward the Observation Sea realm sword cultivator. Sensing danger, the sword cultivator rose higher to escape the river, but the graceful woman holding the red hardwood clapper gently raised her hand and lightly tapped. From the high rain curtain, a red hardwood clapper dharma image, as large as a mountain peak, descended, smashing the sword cultivator squarely and sending him crashing into the river. By the time the skiff had traveled more than ten miles, the poor sword cultivator finally crawled ashore, lay on his back, and panted heavily, no longer daring to provoke the three on the boat.
Because of the rain, Sui Jingcheng had taken shelter in the waterside pavilion. After a moment's hesitation, she still did not remove her bamboo hat veil. She turned to watch the rustic old fisherman scene on the river. Having experienced two life-or-death upheavals, Sui Jingcheng didn't have much emotional turmoil over the immortal beings' magical duel.
Chen Ping'an merely glanced at the river once, then averted his gaze. In any case, it was very Beizhou. If this had been in Baopingzhou or Tongyezhou, a sword cultivator wouldn't have made a move, and even if he had, the old fisherman wouldn't have returned the flying sword.
Qi Jinglong, however, kept his gaze fixed on the river for a long time. Perhaps he was quietly waiting for the rain to stop, after which he would bid farewell.
Chen Ping'an asked, "Mr. Liu, as a sword cultivator, you spend so much thought on mortal affairs. Doesn't that hinder your cultivation?"
Qi Jinglong nodded. "Of course it does. That's the gap between me and the other two. Our aptitudes are similar, and while our fortunes differ, in the end, I lose out because of divided attention. One of them once advised me to spend less time thinking about what's below the mountains and focus on practicing the sword—that I could think about such things after reaching the fifth realm."
Chen Ping'an smiled. "What's lost today might be gained tomorrow."
Qi Jinglong smiled and nodded. "I'll take your good words to heart."
Chen Ping'an asked seriously, "Mr. Liu, do these considerations of external matters arise from your own feelings?"
Qi Jinglong nodded. "My background is ordinary—just a well-off market town family. But since childhood, I loved reading miscellaneous books. After I went up the mountain, the habit was hard to break. The path of cultivation is very lonely; I had to find something to do. Moreover, as a cultivator, I have some advantages, like better memory and no worry about money for books. Every time I descend the mountain for travel, on my return journey, I buy some texts to take back."
Chen Ping'an asked, "Mr. Liu, do you have any conclusions about good and evil in the human heart?"
Qi Jinglong smiled. "Not yet. If I draw a clear boundary between good and evil from the start, it's easy to become confused myself, and the subsequent understanding will lack balance."
Chen Ping'an sighed. "Yes, if personal feelings are mixed in, it will inevitably be biased."
Qi Jinglong said, "As knowledge grows, that slight bias is like a spring at the source. Perhaps in the end, it will become a great river flowing into the sea."
Chen Ping'an smiled knowingly. "Mr. Liu, you've resolved another doubt for me."
Qi Jinglong didn't ask further.
Chen Ping'an stood up, looking at the surging river outside the waterside pavilion, rolling eastward day and night.
This was the reason Chen Ping'an had decided to refine the First.
Gao Cheng was certainly powerful—a strongman who pursued absolute freedom.
Leaving aside Gao Cheng's original intentions, whether ambition or aspiration, there was one matter in which Chen Ping'an saw a very subtle thread.
Chen Ping'an had once acted as a high-seated deity judging good and evil at Cangyun Lake Dragon Palace. This made him more certain of one thing. Combined with Yang Ningxing from Skeleton Beach—that young Daoist of Chongxuan Pavilion Yu Xiao Palace, who was a scholar incarnated from a mustard-seed evil thought—
The two added together.
As he continuously reviewed the chess game, Chen Ping'an became increasingly convinced of one conclusion: Gao Cheng, as he was now, was far from having the mentality of a lord of a Small Fengdu. At least not yet.
Chen Ping'an certainly didn't have it either, but he could roughly see and guess the kind of malignant atmosphere one should have at that height.
Gao Cheng still had personal likes and dislikes. This City Lord of Jingguan City still had resentment in his heart, still clung to that "self."
Even if these were extremely small—as small as a mustard seed—so what? They still existed. So many years had passed, and they were still deep-rooted, remaining in Gao Cheng's state of mind.
So when Gao Cheng eventually became the master of an entirely new Small Fengdu, the god of a great heaven and earth—
That slight deviation in Gao Cheng's state of mind, as the scale of Small Fengdu expanded, as Gao Cheng's divine throne rose higher, as the long river of time flowed, and as the ghosts of Small Fengdu increased, would continuously produce greater deviations, even infinite deviations.
This was what Qi Jinglong had meant by a stream becoming a great river.
Perhaps Gao Cheng would have a chance to correct those subtle deviations when he reached a higher realm.
But that was only "perhaps."
Moreover, in the struggle for the Great Dao, one must have the spirit of the Great Dao's struggle. If Gao Cheng had failed to seize the flying sword from the start, with no subsequent pursuit and traps—if he had only appeared and spoken that last sentence—Chen Ping'an might have been willing to wait and see, to finish walking through Beizhou before deciding whether to go to Skeleton Beach Jingguan City.
Chen Ping'an actually thought that only two people had the best chance of accomplishing such a thing and doing it well.
In Tongyezhou, the old temple master of Guandao Temple. Not even the gentleman Zhong Kui, at least not yet.
In Baopingzhou, Cui Chan. Not even Cui Dongshan.
And the latter two were precisely close to Chen Ping'an. As for the former, he had no goodwill toward them whatsoever.
Wasn't this the helplessness of worldly affairs?
Just because someone becomes a friend doesn't mean everything is good. Just because someone becomes an enemy doesn't mean everything is wrong.
Should a friend's faults be advised? Should an enemy's good points be learned? All this is cultivation of the heart, both on the mountain and below.
The light rain gradually stopped.
Chen Ping'an asked, "Mr. Liu, would you be willing to travel a bit farther with us?"
Qi Jinglong nodded. "Of course."
Before leaving the waterside pavilion, Chen Ping'an asked, "So Mr. Liu sets aside good and evil for now, in order to get closer to the essence of good and evil in the end?"
Qi Jinglong smiled. "Exactly."
Chen Ping'an, following Confucian etiquette, bowed deeply to this Beizhou cultivator he had met by chance.
If the old sage Wen Sheng were here and heard about this man's self-discovered principles, he would be very pleased.
Even though Qi Jinglong was not a Confucian disciple.
Qi Jinglong quickly rose and returned the bow.
Chen Ping'an raised his head, looking at this refined and gentle cultivator. He hoped that in the future, if possible, Cao Qinglang of Lotus Flower Blessed Land could become such a person—not exactly the same, but somewhat similar.
No one is required to become another person. That is an impossible task, and unnecessary.
Just as Chen Ping'an didn't want Pei Qian to become himself.
Wasn't it fine for Pei Qian to study hard and grow up slowly in their hometown? Besides, Pei Qian had already done better than Chen Ping'an had imagined. She had been constantly learning the word "discipline."
Chen Ping'an never thought Pei Qian was idling away her time or wasting her days.
Afraid of hardship, afraid of pain in practicing boxing? That's okay.
As her master, he had become the strongest Fifth Realm martial artist under heaven. Then he would go and fight for the strongest Sixth Realm!
Military fortune obtained, the master would give it to his first disciple. Wouldn't Pei Qian then be able to study and practice martial arts without conflict?
Sui Jingcheng watched this somewhat unfamiliar senior.
When the senior and his half-guardian taught her how to conduct herself and how to polish her learning, he would learn from others.
The senior seemed to prefer the latter.
Sui Jingcheng felt a pang of sadness.
She had thought that the senior, who had seemed so distant, was now a little closer. But in truth, the senior had always been running on the path of cultivation, while she had been slowly shuffling.
One day, she wouldn't even be able to see his back.
Even if they were reunited after a long separation, once, twice, three times—when they stood together, what could they talk about?
Sui Jingcheng didn't know.
They still had some distance to Dragon Head Ferry. The three walked slowly.
Chen Ping'an asked some questions about Dazhuan's capital.
Qi Jinglong said, "It's like a storm is brewing. The Sword Immortal of Yuanxiao Mountain, Ji Yue, and the Tenth Realm martial artist who guards Dazhuan's military fortune haven't fought yet. Once they do, the commotion will be enormous. So this time, the Confucian scholars of the Academy have all left, inviting several experts to watch from the sidelines, to prevent the battle from harming the common people. As for which side lives or dies, they don't interfere."
Chen Ping'an asked, "Any major news from the Great Li dynasty in Baopingzhou?"
Qi Jinglong sighed. "The Great Li iron cavalry continues southward. There's been some back-and-forth in the rear. Many righteous people from annexed states have risen up, sacrificing their lives nobly. That is right; no one can fault them. But many innocent commoners have died, which is wrong. Although both sides have reasons, such tragedies are unavoidable. It's always…"
Chen Ping'an said, "Helpless."
Qi Jinglong hummed in agreement.
Qi Jinglong recalled something and chuckled. "Our Beizhou's Heavenly Lord Xie has already accepted three challenges."
Chen Ping'an thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Hard to lose."
Qi Jinglong said, "Indeed, undefeated. After all, Baopingzhou's Shen Gao Sect's Heavenly Lord Qi is destined not to make a move. Among the three matches, the most notable was the earlier challenge from the Snow Wind Temple Sword Immortal Wei Jin. Although Wei Jin lost, that young sword cultivator's future achievements will be very, very high! But I've heard he's already gone to Daoxuan Mountain, to practice swordsmanship at the Sword Qi Great Wall. So I think the higher a sword cultivator like him rises, the better."
Chen Ping'an smiled.
Qi Jinglong asked curiously, "You've met him?"
Chen Ping'an said, "Once."
At that time, Wei Jin's gaze toward Chen Ping'an had been very indifferent.
But Chen Ping'an still thought he was a good person and a sword immortal. Over the years, he had come to understand Wei Jin's strength even more.
Qi Jinglong was silent for a moment. "Oh, right, there's another major matter. In Great Li, besides Piyun Mountain, the other four sacred mountains have all been appointed and enfeoffed."
Chen Ping'an's heart stirred.
Refining the natal objects of the Five Elements attribute.
Cui Dongshan, carrying a small hoe, had dug up five large bags of multicolored earth from the Great Li mountains.
Accumulate earth to form a mountain, and wind and rain arise. Once successfully refined, one could create a grand pattern of mountains and rivers depending on each other.
Many choices on life's path would change.
For instance, regarding the refinement of the multicolored earth of the Great Li mountains, Chen Ping'an had originally given it up first. Later, after two heart-to-heart talks with Cui Dongshan and Cui Chan, he became exceptionally resolute. Even on the intercontinental ferry to Beizhou, when he saw the woman who had gone from being the Great Li Empress Dowager to the venomous Great Li Dowager, Chen Ping'an still didn't change his mind.
So now, Chen Ping'an had two choices before him. One was just to take the Dragon Head Ferry to escort Sui Jingcheng to Pima Sect at Skeleton Beach, and refine the multicolored earth there. Safe but time-consuming.
The other, in order not to delay the journey along the great river, was to find a spirit-enriched immortal inn near Dragon Head Ferry, or take a slight detour to a secluded, uninhabited mountain marsh to go into seclusion.
Qi Jinglong seemed to sense Chen Ping'an's shifting thoughts. He hesitated, then smiled. "This time I came down the mountain just to talk to you. Having talked, I have nothing else to do."
Some people, when helping others, think even more about it.
Chen Ping'an was no different.
Knowledge connects. Personalities are similar.
This is what it means to be on the same path.
So Chen Ping'an, abandoning his usual caution, asked, "What if I said I need to refine a natal object at Dragon Head Ferry and need someone to help me stand guard? Would Mr. Liu be willing?"
Qi Jinglong smiled. "I can."
Chen Ping'an added, "The process might not be quiet. And I have some enemies in Beizhou, like the Golden Scale Palace of Dazhuan."
Qi Jinglong said, "Trivial matter."
Chen Ping'an slapped Qi Jinglong on the shoulder. "It's a pity you don't like drinking."
Qi Jinglong said helplessly, "Pressuring someone to drink is really bad for one's character."
Chen Ping'an couldn't help but laugh. "You should tell that to an old gentleman someday. Hmm, and if you get the chance, to a certain swordsman too."
Qi Jinglong shook his head.
At Dragon Head Ferry, they checked into a spirit-enriched immortal inn, hanging a sign that read "Jade Bird."
Chen Ping'an, for once, was generous. He rented a Heavenly Character courtyard, which even had a lotus pond. The lotus leaves emerging from the water were as big as plates. After the rain, dew still clung to them in white beads. A gentle breeze carried the fragrance, refreshing the heart and delighting the mind.
Qi Jinglong, whenever he traveled down the mountain, always used a fake name on his registration. In bustling places, he would even use a concealment technique.
Now, Qi Jinglong moved a long bench and sat by the lotus pond. Sui Jingcheng copied him, removed her bamboo hat veil, moved another bench, held her walking staff, and sat not far away, beginning to breathe and practice.
A small boat was tied by the pond.
Qi Jinglong silently gazed at the lotus pond, his hands lightly clenched into fists, resting on his knees.
Chen Ping'an had already begun his seclusion.
Qi Jinglong was an Infant realm cultivator and a registered immortal master. Besides reading and understanding principles, his so-called "divided attention" in mountain cultivation was only compared to the other two.
Qi Jinglong had actually studied many things, but he was proficient in them all. In the past, just by casually drawing a formation, he could prevent Yang Ningzhen of Chongxuan Pavilion Yu Xiao Palace from breaking it—and at that time, Yang Ningzhen's technique realm was even higher than his naturally gifted younger brother Yang Ningxing's. That made Yang Ningzhen angry enough to switch to martial arts, effectively giving up his inheritance rights at Chongxuan Pavilion. Surprisingly, he managed to build a great martial future, turning misfortune into good fortune.
So when it came to seclusion, Qi Jinglong was most experienced.
No matter how much commotion Chen Ping'an made, how turbulent his Qi flow became, it couldn't escape the courtyard at all.
Because Qi Jinglong was a sword cultivator.
It looked like it would rain again, but this time it would probably be a storm.
Sui Jingcheng felt distracted. She interrupted her breathing practice, exhaled a mouthful of turbid air, and frowned.
Qi Jinglong pretended not to notice.
Sui Jingcheng murmured, "I heard the senior say a rural proverb: 'Rain in Lesser Heat is like silver; rain in Greater Heat is like gold.'"
She muttered to herself, "I think this kind of saying must have been said by a scholar, and definitely a scholar who wasn't very successful in studies or high in official rank."
Qi Jinglong replied, "Makes sense."
Sui Jingcheng stood up, leaned her walking staff diagonally against the bench, and crouched by the lotus pond. "Can I pick a lotus leaf from the pond?"
Qi Jinglong nodded. "We paid so many snowflake coins to stay here; picking a few lotus leaves is no problem. But the spiritual energy in lotus leaves is thin; once picked, it won't last long."
Sui Jingcheng picked a leaf from the water's edge and sat back on the bench. She gently twisted it, sending raindrops flying.
Qi Jinglong said, "Chen Xiansheng has already taken shape. The refinement should be no problem."
Sui Jingcheng turned her head. "Is it absolutely foolproof?"
Qi Jinglong felt helpless. How was he supposed to answer that?
Sui Jingcheng turned back and asked softly, "Is the senior really that young?"
Qi Jinglong looked into the distance and smiled. "In actual age, naturally young. But in terms of mental age, not young. The world is full of wonders, and the strangest are cave paradises and blessed lands. Time passes slowly or quickly, different from the mortal world, yet still part of it. So when that Mr. Chen says he's three hundred years old, it's not entirely a lie."
A rainstorm arrived abruptly.
Sui Jingcheng fetched her bamboo hat veil and coir raincoat and sat by the pond, letting the rain soak her.
As for Qi Jinglong, he didn't need to circulate his Qi—the heavy rain couldn't touch him.
It was a matter of his sword heart stirring, his sword intent guiding his sword Qi.
Soybean-sized raindrops hit the lotus leaf that Sui Jingcheng had placed on the bench, making a crackling sound.
Sui Jingcheng suddenly widened her eyes. In the distance, on the lotus pond, she vaguely saw a pair of brocade mandarin ducks sheltering from the rain under the lotus leaves.
Sui Jingcheng's mood immediately lifted.
Qi Jinglong chuckled. "Those are a kind of spirit fowl sold by the Spring Dew Garden's Jiamu Mountain Range. Not ordinary mandarin ducks. They have a fierce temper. If raised in mountain waters, they can guard the precious fish in the pond, preventing them from being carried off by mountain beasts."
Quite the mood killer.
Sui Jingcheng's mood instantly soured.
Qi Jinglong, confused as to how he had offended her but aware that he had said the wrong thing, fell silent.
Late at night, Sui Jingcheng had returned to her room, but the lamp stayed lit all night.
Qi Jinglong remained seated on the bench by the water, motionless.
Occasionally, ripples of Qi leaked out, but they were all shattered by sword Qi and returned to heaven and earth.
As for the treasure light phenomena from Chen Ping'an's room—the furnace for refining, the various celestial materials—Qi Jinglong naturally wouldn't allow anyone to spy on them with divine sense.
For a cultivator, refining a natal object is a matter of utmost importance, a matter of life and death.
The next day, around noon, Chen Ping'an emerged from the room, his face pale.
Qi Jinglong sighed.
Was it this exaggerated for a lower fifth realm cultivator to refine a natal object?
Whether it was the quality of the refining furnace, the rarity of the celestial materials, or the difficulty of the refinement, wasn't it a bit too extraordinary?
It wasn't as if he was a Dragon Gate realm cultivator at a bottleneck trying to break into the Golden Core Earth Immortal realm.
Qi Jinglong smiled wryly. "Not going to drink a few sips to steady your nerves?"
"I'll take a moment first." Chen Ping'an saw an empty bench by the lotus pond and sat down. He turned and smiled. "No problem. I came prepared. I still have two more chances."
He casually picked up a lotus leaf that had been knocked onto the bench by the rain.
Qi Jinglong pointed at his own heart. "The key is here. Don't let anything go wrong. Otherwise, no matter how many chances or celestial treasures, they're meaningless."
Chen Ping'an nodded. "Of course. That's the one thing I have going for me."
Seeing no sign of discouragement, Qi Jinglong felt relieved.
Sui Jingcheng came out of her room, but there was no place for her. Chen Ping'an shifted to one end of the bench, so Sui Jingcheng sat on the other.
Chen Ping'an asked, "If picking lotus leaves requires extra payment, put it on the tab."
Sui Jingcheng laughed. "Fine, it's only a few snowflake coins. Bill me if you want."
Chen Ping'an turned to Qi Jinglong.
Qi Jinglong remained impassive.
You two can flirt; leave me out of it.
Chen Ping'an had to explain, "Mr. Liu, you misunderstand."
Qi Jinglong smiled. "All right, let's say I misunderstood."
Chen Ping'an sighed, took out his Sword-Nurturing Gourd, and silently drank.
A thought struck him. "Those three on the skiff we saw at the waterside pavilion—are they famous in Beizhou?"
Qi Jinglong said, "Like that old Sword Jar gentleman who used to like warming flying swords for others, they are among Beizhou's ten strangest people. This one loves music and has collected many musical instrument magic treasures. Eccentric and wandering. Many sect-level immortal families in Beizhou consider it a blessing to invite the master and his dozen or so disciples to play at celebrations, like opening ceremonies for peaks or successful breakthroughs by senior cultivators. The last time they gathered was when they were invited by the youngest sect leader in Beizhou's history, appearing on a cliff at Qingliang Sect's small cave paradise."
Chen Ping'an nodded.
About a quarter-hour later, Chen Ping'an returned to his room without another word.
Sui Jingcheng, with nothing to do, continued twisting the still-green lotus leaf.
Qi Jinglong said, "Do you mind if I say something about your Dao cultivation? I don't mean to pry, but your breathing and Qi circulation feel familiar."
Sui Jingcheng shook her head. "I mind."
But she turned, glanced at the room, and said softly, "Mr. Liu, go ahead."
Qi Jinglong smiled. "The breathing technique you practice is very similar to that of Tai Xia Yuanjun, Li Yu, a direct disciple of the Fiery Dragon True Man."
Sui Jingcheng was puzzled. "Mr. Liu, wait. I don't know many rules of the mountain, but after following the senior this far, I understand that a Daoist True Man is only at Earth Immortal realm, while a Yuanjun is at least the Jade Pure realm of the upper five realms. Is it that Li Yu's talent is so great that she surpassed her master by that much?"
Qi Jinglong smiled and shook his head. "This is an interesting piece of mountain gossip in Beizhou. That Fiery Dragon True Man is actually an external-surname Celestial Master from the Dragon-Tiger Mountain in the Central Earth Divine Continent. There are some rumors… well, it's not good to talk nonsense, so I won't mention it. Anyway, this old immortal is extremely, extremely high in realm, but he has always kept the title of True Man. It's said he likes to sleep and cultivates the great Dao in his dreams—profound and mysterious. Li Yu is one of his direct disciples. Because the old immortal takes disciples on a whim, not caring about aptitude or bone structure, every time he goes down the mountain, he brings back one or two people. As a result, the ancestral hall roster has as many as forty to fifty direct disciples. Over the long years, some, like Li Yu, have advanced to Daoist Yuanjun, but more have died at various bottlenecks, from Cave Dwelling realm to Infant realm. There are still over twenty direct disciples alive, continuing to cultivate. So among the same generation, ages differ greatly, and realms differ even more. This Tai Xia Yuanjun has been in seclusion for years, but her branch has been the most prolific in terms of disciples. After her, there are already over a hundred third-generation disciples."
Sui Jingcheng's expression shifted slightly.
The senior had once identified the seal script on her three gold hairpins, one of which read "Tai Xia Summons Ghosts"!
Sui Jingcheng quickly steadied her mind.
A fierce inner struggle began.
Qi Jinglong turned to glance at Sui Jingcheng, his eyes complex. Forget it. Some things, it's best to see but not speak. Let Mr. Chen worry about the final outcome himself.
Sui Jingcheng's Dao roots were not that simple. She might indeed be a targeted disciple of Tai Xia Yuanjun Li Yu. But the possibility was both great and small, because Li Yu, before entering her life-or-death seclusion, had already accepted a closed-door disciple with excellent aptitude. That disciple is now not yet forty, but she is a candidate for the next Beizhou top ten young cultivators.
Mountain cultivators, especially those at the peak, never take the master-disciple relationship lightly.
Moreover, the hidden secrets in Sui Jingcheng—that Mr. Chen, not being a true Earth Immortal sword cultivator, hadn't yet discerned the clues. But that might not be a bad thing.
Regardless, based on the faint sword intent in Sui Jingcheng, Qi Jinglong could roughly guess something. This cultivation method was too dangerous and would bring some trouble. If mishandled, it could affect the very foundation of the Dao.
Qi Jinglong could even follow this thread, along with the complex relationships among Beizhou's senior cultivators, to draw further conclusions.
But many mountain affairs can be known but not spoken.
As for that Yuanjun's youngest disciple, Gu Mo, Qi Jinglong had met her once during his travels. Her aptitude was indeed excellent, but her temper was not very good.
The Tai Xia lineage had always been like that.
When descending the mountain to slay demons and exterminate evil, they feared nothing. So what if they died and their Dao vanished?
As long as they had reason on their side, even facing a cultivator two or three realms above, all external-surname Celestial Masters of Tai Xia would still draw their swords.
In history, there had been Earth Immortal cultivators, even upper five realm Sword Immortals, who casually slew those clueless minor Daoist cultivators, mostly thinking it would go unnoticed. But invariably, most would be killed by Tai Xia Yuanjun or one of her senior brothers and sisters. If a peak cultivator managed to block them and drive them back, that didn't matter. In the past thousand years, the Fiery Dragon True Man had descended twice—once, he casually slapped to death a Twelfth Realm military cultivator; another time, he directly killed a Twelfth Realm Sword Immortal who thought he could defend himself. The old True Man came away unscathed, and a battle that should have shaken heaven and earth passed without a ripple.
Sun and moon alternated, day and night cycled.
When Chen Ping'an emerged from the room the second time, Sui Jingcheng immediately left her own room.
This time, Qi Jinglong didn't speak.
Chen Ping'an sat on the same bench. The lotus leaf on the bench, its spiritual energy dissipated and lost, had begun to show signs of withering, its color no longer glossy and full.
Sui Jingcheng didn't sit on the bench; she stood nearby.
Standing gracefully like a lotus flower.
Chen Ping'an drank from his gourd and smiled. "Don't worry."
Qi Jinglong grinned. "You're not worried, so why should I be?"
Chen Ping'an turned to him. "I've troubled you."
Qi Jinglong's reply was succinct. "No need to be polite."
Chen Ping'an asked, "Mr. Liu, do you have your own understanding of the Buddhist concept of subduing the mind-monkey?"
Qi Jinglong shook his head. "Just superficial knowledge, not worth mentioning. When I think of something deeper, I'll tell you."
Chen Ping'an said, "I once met an enlightened monk, so I have a few thoughts. Care to chat?"
Qi Jinglong smiled. "That would be best."
Chen Ping'an stood up, extended a hand, curled his fingers like hooks, held them motionless as if restraining something. "Is this subduing?"
Qi Jinglong thought deeply, then shook his head. "If it's like this at the start, definitely not. If it's the final result, it's still not complete."
Chen Ping'an nodded, then crouched down. With his finger, he traced two very shallow lines on the bluestone ground by the lotus pond. Then, scattered around, he drew a series of lines. Finally, he stretched out his palm and wiped it all, but didn't completely smooth it out, leaving faint, broken traces.
Qi Jinglong asked, "Is this our state of mind? The mind-monkey and will-horse gallop everywhere, seeming to return to their original place, but with a single misstep, some traces remain on the path of the heart, not yet truly wiped clean?"
Chen Ping'an said nothing. He went to the pond, scooped a small handful of water with his right hand, stood near the center of the traces, and with his left hand, gently flicked a drop of water, letting it fall onto the center.
Qi Jinglong looked intently.
Then Chen Ping'an crouched again and lightly wiped with his hand.
On the bluestone, it seemed there was no water left, but within the faint lines, thin water paths kept spreading in all directions, of varying lengths and distances.
Chen Ping'an turned and smiled. "Mr. Liu is right."
Qi Jinglong thought for a moment. "But when the mind-monkey and will-horse trample through, are traces necessarily left? As with footprints in snow, when the sun comes out and shines, don't they disappear completely?"
Then both of them fell into their own thoughts.
Sui Jingcheng crouched near Chen Ping'an, wide-eyed, trying to see something.
Otherwise, being so lost in the fog would be embarrassing, wouldn't it?
When she looked up, she found the senior glancing at her.
She sat on the bench, putting on an expression that said, "I must understand everything."
Chen Ping'an slapped his forehead, shook the water from his hand, twisted his wrist, and produced a blue-paper Buddhist scripture. He stood up and handed it to Qi Jinglong. "I don't know Sanskrit. Can you tell me which sutra this is from?"
Qi Jinglong took the page and smiled. "From? This is a complete Buddhist teaching."
Chen Ping'an was taken aback, then sat down nearby.
Qi Jinglong thought for a moment. "I'll tell you the content later. When you have a chance, go to a temple and ask the monks. Remember to keep it safe."
Chen Ping'an put away the page… the complete Buddhist teaching.
Chen Ping'an suddenly laughed. "All right, even if I don't recognize the characters, I can still copy it to calm my heart."
Qi Jinglong nodded.
Chen Ping'an stood up to go copy the scripture.
Sui Jingcheng seemed to want to say something but hesitated.
Chen Ping'an said, "It's fine."
Sui Jingcheng's eyes reddened.
Chen Ping'an said seriously, "Don't think you can renege on the deal just because of this."
She glared at him, twisted her waist, and sat on the bench.
Qi Jinglong kept looking ahead, blinking. He thought, Mr. Chen is quite a master.
Could he perhaps learn something from him?
After all, both within and outside his sect, on and below the mountain, the looks from many female cultivators had given Qi Jinglong a certain guilt.
This was the trouble with always reasoning everything out.
It wouldn't affect his Dao cultivation or the clarity of his sword heart, but he still ended up with many regrets on his account. He was fine, but they were not. Not good.
That day, after copying the scripture, Chen Ping'an continued his seclusion, starting the fire for the colorful golden stove.
The final refining of the multicolored earth of the Great Li mountains.
That night, under the dark sky.
Qi Jinglong sat with his eyes closed, resting.
Sui Jingcheng sat in a daze.
Qi Jinglong opened his eyes, turned his head, and said softly but sharply, "What are you distracted for?! This is the key moment on the Great Dao. Can't you trust someone just this once? Is being alone every time really better?!"
The slightly chaotic ripples from the room steadied.
Sui Jingcheng panicked. "An enemy attacking? Immortals from the Golden Scale Palace?"
Qi Jinglong shook his head without further explanation.
A white rainbow sword light and a dazzling stream of rosy clouds swept magnificently from the end of the sky, creating enough commotion to shake all of Green Oriole Kingdom's Dragon Head Ferry.
Almost every cultivator at the inn glanced up. Those strolling or chatting in the courtyards quickly returned to their rooms.
The sword light landed on the far side of the lotus pond, and the resplendent glow alighted on the lotus leaves.
Tai Xia Yuanjun Li Yu's closed-door disciple, the female cultivator Gu Mo, wore the unique Daoist robe of an external-surname Celestial Master from Dragon-Tiger Mountain. The robe was embroidered with crimson-hued clouds that slowly drifted, radiating light.
The dharma robe "Tai Xia" was one of Tai Xia Yuanjun Li Yu's famous treasures.
The other person was an outstanding Infant realm sword cultivator, not a Qi refiner from Fiery Dragon True Man's mountain.
Just as I thought.
Qi Jinglong understood.
Cultivators on the mountain, especially female cultivators, also have their own "boudoir friends."
Tai Xia Yuanjun naturally was no exception.
Then it was understandable why that female sword immortal from central Beizhou hadn't gone to Daoxuan Mountain.
She was probably waiting for her good friend Li Yu to successfully emerge from seclusion.
Gu Mo spotted Qi Jinglong but, due to the difference in realms, didn't recognize this "land dragon" Liu Jinglong.
But the Infant realm sword cultivator saw through the concealment technique. He smiled and said, "Rong Chang of Floating Duckweed Sword Lake. Greetings to Mr. Liu."
Floating Duckweed Sword Lake, master Li Cai.
Sui Jingcheng felt a strange sensation. When she saw this sword cultivator who claimed to be from Floating Duckweed Sword Lake, she felt a sense of closeness and familiarity. She shook her head to dispel this inexplicable emotional ripple, took a step back, and moved further behind Qi Jinglong.
Rong Chang saw this, chuckled softly, and said nothing more. It was within reason; he would look and listen but not interfere, lest he overdo it and harm the Dao.
But after this "long separation" with her, Rong Chang felt a weight in his heart."
Originally, the matter of "Sui Jingcheng's" cultivation wouldn't have had so many twists and turns.
No one had expected that Tai Xia Yuanjun Li Yu, who had a good chance of succeeding in her life-or-death seclusion—a senior cultivator who was very close to his master—had already passed away through weapon dissolution.
So on this southward journey, as the most favored and cherished closed-door disciple of Li Yu, Gu Mo's mood could be described as utterly terrible. Several demon lairs that had plagued the region for years—she destroyed them with her sect's thunder techniques, cracking mountains and splitting the earth. Once, if not for Rong Chang's sword, she would have been trapped in a desperate situation, facing an Infant realm great demon that had gone berserk. Thus, despite being injured, Gu Mo continued her journey, first going to Wuling Kingdom, then following clues back here to Green Oriole Kingdom's Dragon Head Ferry, not taking time to rest. Rong Chang advised her twice to no avail, so he gave up. Gu Mo was, after all, not from his sect.
Upon learning of Tai Xia Yuanjun's weapon dissolution death, Rong Chang immediately sent a flying sword message to the predetermined location at Baopingzhou's Book Scroll Lake.
Soon, his master sent a flying sword back to Floating Duckweed Sword Lake, demanding that he must protect that woman's safety, that no more accidents were allowed, or he would be held accountable.
Rong Chang was well aware of his master Li Cai's temper. This was definitely not an empty threat.
His master's temper was simple. The whole sect didn't need to guess. For example, his inability to break into the Upper Five Realm made Li Cai look at him with great displeasure. Whenever she saw him, she had to discipline him. Even if Rong Chang merely flew his sword back and forth, unluckily caught in his master's view during her rare moments of scenery appreciation, he would be knocked out of the sky by a sword strike.
After all, this was a major matter.
Despite her terrible mood, Gu Mo, following her agreement with Rong Chang of Floating Duckweed Sword Lake, said to the woman, "You are Sui Jingcheng, right? You are considered a nominal disciple of my master Tai Xia Yuanjun. From now on, your path of cultivation will have a guardian—that is me, Gu Mo. But rest assured, aside from teaching you a sword-control technique, you can wander freely, up the mountain or down into the water. No one will restrict you, not even me. The bamboo robe dharma garment on you is now officially yours. But among the three gold hairpins, the one reading 'Tai Xia Summons Ghosts' must be handed over. The sect has other plans for it. However, I will exchange it for other magic treasures of equal rank. No loss to you."
As for that Liu Jinglong, since he was using a concealment technique, Gu Mo pretended not to see him, not to recognize him.
She had heard he was a high-realm, talented, famous, but overly fussy and meddlesome eccentric.
She didn't want to exchange pleasantries with him.
Social niceties?
The Tai Xia lineage only extended social graces to those cultivators who had fought alongside them. Even if you were a lower five realm cultivator, you could be an honored guest on the mountain. Other than that, even if you were an Upper Five Realm cultivator, what did that have to do with her?
Sui Jingcheng was stunned. Gritting her teeth, she moved beside Qi Jinglong and asked carefully, "I want to go to Baopingzhou and take a look. Is that okay?"
Gu Mo, standing on the lotus leaf, glanced back at Rong Chang.
Rong Chang smiled. "It's better to stay in Beizhou."
Because, if nothing unexpected happened, his master Li Cai was already on her way back to Beizhou.
Sui Jingcheng quickly produced the three gold hairpins. "I can return all three of these. If possible, I would like to follow a certain senior in cultivation—I mean, if it's possible. But if Tai Xia Yuanjun doesn't allow it and still wants me as her nominal disciple, could I at least finish this journey to Baopingzhou? I will come back to Beizhou and apologize to the Yuanjun..."
Gu Mo raged, "Stop your nonsense!"
Rong Chang was also in a difficult spot.
This woman's words weren't problematic in themselves, but they struck a raw nerve with Gu Mo.
A Yuanjun passing away through weapon dissolution is a great misfortune for any sect-level immortal family, let alone for Gu Mo, Li Yu's direct disciple.
Qi Jinglong sighed inwardly, guessing that something major had happened at Tai Xia Yuanjun's side.
But he remained calm and said, "Let's talk this out civilly."
Gu Mo's face was icy as she stared at Qi Jinglong. "What right do you, an outsider, have to butt in?!"
Qi Jinglong's expression didn't change. "I have a friend currently refining a natal object; he's at a critical stage. Miss Gu and Sword Immortal Rong should be aware of that. Can we calm down and talk?"
Sui Jingcheng nodded vigorously, still holding out her hand with the three gold hairpins.
Rong Chang frowned.
Please don't let it be that calamity!
That was a seemingly harmless but very tangled mountain pass.
Tai Xia Yuanjun's seclusion failure had, to some extent, affected this woman's cultivation opportunity. If this woman fell into the tribulation now, it would be nothing but trouble upon trouble.
If that were the case, Rong Chang couldn't just stand by.
A few ripples in the mind lake could be suppressed early. But if allowed to grow wild, like the small pond turning into a field of lotus leaves, how could it be cut? And even if cut, wouldn't it still harm the roots of the Dao?
Qi Jinglong sighed softly. "The path of the Great Dao is hard. Haste makes waste. Shouldn't we think more slowly? Waiting a little while—this very moment—isn't that too much to ask?"
Gu Mo sneered, "An hour? Or half a day?"
Qi Jinglong's brow furrowed, but he remained gentle. "I earnestly ask both of you to wait until my friend completes his refinement. Then the three parties can discuss. The one who tied the knot must undo it. Maybe the solution will be better than our hasty decisions now."
Rong Chang thought Qi Jinglong's words were correct.
But the tricky part was that "the one who tied the knot must undo it" wasn't necessarily good. What if that person had no sense of propriety, refused to untie the knot, and instead stirred things up with a few words? Given the woman's current state of mind, it would only tighten the rope and make the knot harder to undo.
So Rong Chang was very conflicted.
Gu Mo laughed scornfully. "What? Relying on your prestigious immortal lineage and high cultivation? You think that makes you right? I don't understand. What gives you, an outsider, the right to boss everyone around? Don't you have any shame?"
Qi Jinglong shook his head. "This is now a chain puzzle. If you truly care about Sui Jingcheng's Dao, shouldn't you listen to her own heart? How can you be sure your good intentions won't cause harm? Things have come to this point with so many hidden dangers—running away is impossible. I believe that when my friend comes out of that room, he will listen to your reasons. If it turns out that Miss Sui's reasoning is too small and my reasoning is too biased, that's fine. If not, we can find a solution. Only by clarifying the threads among the three parties can we truly untie the knot and resolve the heart..."
Gu Mo erupted, "Liu Jinglong, will you ever shut up?! Such a small matter, and you need to pontificate like this? She hands over the hairpins, leaves Dragon Head Ferry with us—except for Baopingzhou, she can go anywhere in Beizhou!"
Sui Jingcheng turned to glance at the room, took a deep breath, and said, "I'll leave with you."
Qi Jinglong suddenly turned and smiled. "Are you afraid of implicating Mr. Chen? Or have you actually changed your mind?"
Sui Jingcheng's eyes glistened with tears as she clutched the three hairpins tightly.
Qi Jinglong nodded and asked, "Then what if I tell you that as long as I, Qi Jinglong, stand here, your senior can safely refine his natal object? What would your decision be? This time, I can give you a definite answer. I guarantee that what happens in Mr. Chen's room is his own business—I won't speculate whether he succeeds or fails. But for what happens outside this room tonight, with me here, it's absolutely secure."
Sui Jingcheng's eyes blurred with tears. "Even if I have to leave, I want to say goodbye to the senior. But I'm still afraid..."
Qi Jinglong turned around and said cheerfully, "Afraid of what? Do you think that Mr. Chen and Mr. Liu's principles aren't worth a meal?"
Sui Jingcheng's expression was panicked.
Qi Jinglong shook his head. "Not doing something is for the sake of doing something."
He looked at the furious Gu Mo. "I know Miss Gu is not an unreasonable person. It's just that your Dao heart is unsteady right now, leading to such words and actions."
He turned to the Infant realm sword cultivator of Floating Duckweed Sword Lake. "I also know that Sword Immortal Rong has his concerns and means well."
Gu Mo sneered, "Oh, are we getting a 'but' now?!"
Qi Jinglong smiled and shook his head. "I am standing here. That is the 'but.' No need for me to say it."
Rong Chang thought for a moment. "Just one sword strike, how about it?"
Qi Jinglong nodded. Then he stopped looking at Rong Chang and shifted his gaze directly to Gu Mo, his expression blank. "Now it's your turn."
Gu Mo's heart trembled in shock. She abruptly turned her head.
Rong Chang stood motionless, smiling bitterly. "That battle at Mount Dilish—so both of you held back."
This Infant realm sword cultivator from Floating Duckweed Sword Lake was, at this moment, as if placed within a small world.
That small world was constructed from countless pure sword intents.
Qi Jinglong's natal flying sword was named "Rule," its name derived from a classic by a former Confucian sage. But almost no one in Beizhou knew what innate ability this oddly named sword possessed.
Gu Mo gritted her teeth, her face pale, her hands beginning to tremble.
Qi Jinglong said sharply, "Calm your heart, compose your Qi! Do not act rashly!"
As if struck by a warning, Gu Mo took a deep breath and steadied her mind. She looked at the man in the blue robe with a very complicated gaze.
At that moment, a young man also in a blue robe emerged from the room. "Sorry to keep you two waiting."