Chapter 525: A Handshake
Gu Mo, a Dragon Gate realm cultivator, and Rong Chang, from the Floating Lotus Sword Lake, both looked toward the young man who had just emerged from seclusion.
Gu Mo was somewhat surprised. The refinement of a natal object by a lower fifth realm cultivator should not produce such a massive disturbance or such a grand atmosphere. It was illogical.
Rong Chang, an Infant-Soul realm swordsman, stood higher and saw further. He was not merely surprised; he was astonished.
Qi Jinglong did not turn around. He withdrew the small world created by his natal flying sword. When he struck, the flying sword was not visible, and when he withdrew his hand, it still was not visible.
Qi Jinglong said to Rong Chang, "That was somewhat discourteous."
Rong Chang came from the Floating Lotus Sword Lake. With a sword immortal like Li Cai in their sect, it was hard for inner disciples not to be straightforward. So, he bore no grudge and said with a smile, "It was my honor to personally experience Mr. Liu's natal flying sword. If there's an opportunity in the future, I'd be happy to find a place and have an earnest sparring match."
Qi Jinglong smiled and replied, "As long as it's not on Sharpening Stone Mountain."
Chen Ping'an walked over to Qi Jinglong's side. As he passed by Sui Jingcheng, he said softly, "Don't worry."
Sui Jingcheng felt a great sense of calm settle within her.
It seemed that the elder's appearance brought her more peace of mind than even the emergence of Mr. Liu's flying sword.
Even though she now knew that the elder was actually only a lower fifth realm cultivator, his current realm and cultivation still inferior to Qi Jinglong's.
Chen Ping'an stood beside Qi Jinglong and said, "Thanks."
Qi Jinglong replied, "If you really want to thank me, don't try to get me to drink."
Chen Ping'an smiled. "That's no problem."
Then Qi Jinglong gave a general account of the situation's origins and process. The inner secrets that could be known but not spoken of were naturally still left unspoken. Chen Ping'an had been completely focused on refining his natal object, with no distractions, so he was unaware of the conversation between Qi Jinglong and the other three. However, he did have a vague sense of the tension near the lotus pond. Especially at the moment Qi Jinglong unleashed his natal flying sword, Chen Ping'an, even though his mind was immersed in his own task, still clearly perceived it. But because it resonated with his own state of mind, it not only didn't disrupt his refinement process, but instead served as another form of support from Qi Jinglong.
Chen Ping'an turned to Sui Jingcheng and said, "Go back to your room first. There are some things it's better for you not to know too soon. Mr. Liu and I need to talk a bit more with Immortal Gu and Sword Immortal Rong. Remember not to eavesdrop; it concerns the path of your Great Way, so don't treat it lightly."
Sui Jingcheng nodded and walked straight to her room.
Seeing this, Rong Chang's mood became somewhat grave.
After Sui Jingcheng gently closed the door, before Chen Ping'an could say anything, Qi Jinglong had already silently laid down a talisman array near Sui Jingcheng's room, blocking sound and vision.
He did it casually, with fluid ease.
Extremely fast and extremely steady.
Chen Ping'an seemed to have no intention of reminding Qi Jinglong about this. As the door closed and Qi Jinglong began drawing the talismans, Chen Ping'an had already looked towards the two mountain immortals who had come together to find Sui Jingcheng, and asked, "Could Mr. Liu and I sit down and chat with you? It might take a while before we reach a conclusion."
Gu Mo nodded. "As you wish."
Chen Ping'an sat down on the long bench behind Qi Jinglong. Qi Jinglong also sat down, but moved a little to the side, no longer taking the central position he had occupied before.
Throughout the entire exchange, Qi Jinglong had merely stood up, reasoned properly, then drawn his sword and sheathed it again.
When the two men sat down, Rong Chang's heart sank again. How were these two men in blue robes so attuned to each other's state of mind? Sitting on the same long bench, the way they positioned themselves already seemed to convey a sense of mutual understanding and adherence to proper forms.
Regarding that "Golden Core Sword Immortal" named Chen, during their pursuit of Sui Jingcheng, aside from the information leaked by various mountain and water gazettes, Rong Chang and Gu Mo had also conducted a deeper investigation. There were many clues, but they were chaotic, only adding to the mystery.
As for Liu Jinglong, there was no need for them to investigate further.
Liu Jinglong, ranked third among the Ten Young Talents of Northern Ju Lu Continent, the land-borne dragon of the north, was a rapidly rising prodigy of the Taihui Sword Sect.
Now that both sword immortals of the Taihui Sword Sect had journeyed far to Hanging Mountain, this was a dangerous situation for a sect of that stature, especially in the Northern Ju Lu Continent, where a single harsh word could lead to a fight to the death. For a major mountain sect that prided itself on its swordsmen, enemies were never in short supply.
However, no one underestimated the Taihui Sword Sect, which was currently without a sword immortal present. Those with insufficient cultivation didn't dare to; those with sufficient cultivation didn't wish to.
Of the two sword immortals who went to the Sword Qi Great Wall, one was the Taihui Sect Leader, though not Liu Jinglong's Dao instructor. The other was of a higher seniority, also not Liu Jinglong's Dao protector. Someone who did have such a fortuitous connection was one of Liu Jinglong's senior sisters. Yet, she did not secure a place in the Northern Ju Lu Ten Talents ranking, because by the time Liu Jinglong became famous, she was already a Golden Core bottleneck swordsman. Even after his rise to fame, she still failed to break through her bottleneck. Despite the Taihui Sword Sect's attempts to suppress the news, rumors still leaked out. It was said that this highly regarded female Golden Core swordswoman nearly fell into a demonic deviation. In the end, Liu Jinglong personally intervened, at the cost of severe injuries to himself, to help her survive the ordeal.
On the other hand, Liu Jinglong's Dao instructor was merely an old Dragon Gate realm swordsman from the Taihui Sword Sect, limited by his natural talent and long destined for a decaying Great Way. He had already passed away.
Looking at it now, this was a strange affair in itself. But back then, it seemed perfectly logical, because Liu Jinglong was not a true innate sword embryo. In the early stages of his cultivation after joining the sect, almost no one outside the sect, or even within his own sect, expected his path of cultivation to advance so triumphantly. A sword immortal with generations of friendship with the Taihui Sword Sect had expressed doubts when Liu Jinglong reached the Cave Dwelling realm and was promoted to a rare direct disciple of the ancestral hall. He worried that Liu Jinglong's temperament was too soft, fundamentally contradictory to the sword path tenets of the Taihui Sword Sect, making it difficult for him to become a pillar of the sect. Of course, time proved that the Taihui Sword Sect's exceptional decision to accept Liu Jinglong as a direct disciple of the ancestral hall could not have been more correct.
Chen Ping'an looked towards the female Taoist nun from the Grand Aurora lineage and said, "I am an outsider; you must have already investigated and discovered that I am actually from Vase Bottle Continent. My saving Sui Jingcheng was a coincidence."
Rong Chang asked, "Could you elaborate?"
Chen Ping'an nodded and gave a general account of the incident at Traveling Pavilion. He naturally did not mention a single word about observing people's hearts and minds. He did not speak of who was good or bad, only of the actions everyone ultimately took.
Neither Rong Chang of the Floating Lotus Sword Lake nor the rather irritable Gu Mo worried that this man might be lying.
Because a young man in blue robes was sitting beside him: Liu Jinglong.
Even an Upper Five Realm cultivator could be full of lies, true and false indistinguishable, scheming to kill without paying with his life.
But Liu Jinglong would never do such a thing.
Therefore, those who could become Liu Jinglong's friends probably would not, either.
This was an unspoken principle, an unwritten rule.
All that was needed was for Liu Jinglong to sit there, even if he said nothing at all.
"I once speculated, with the utmost malice, that you had abducted Sui Jingcheng, making her follow you devotedly in cultivation. After all, Sui Jingcheng is young and inexperienced in the world, yet carries a heavy treasure. The way the Golden Scale Palace wasted their resources was a low-class move. When we found out about it, it caused no trouble. It was the situation I saw earlier that was truly the most troublesome."
After hearing this, Rong Chang admitted frankly, "I never expected that Mr. Chen had already guessed the Dao inheritance opportunity behind Sui Jingcheng and even left her a choice leaning towards us. It seems I was measuring the gentleman's heart with my own petty measure."
Chen Ping'an said, "I've finished explaining my side of the situation. Can you tell me something you are allowed to say?"
Rong Chang and Gu Mo exchanged a glance, both looking somewhat troubled.
Gu Mo floated down onto a small boat, sat cross-legged, and began to act like a hands-off manager. "Sword Immortal Rong, you talk to them. I'm not good at all these twists and turns. So annoying."
Rong Chang was somewhat helpless. In truth, it was hard to say that Gu Mo was being disloyal. As a matter of fact, the matter of Sui Jingcheng was originally a favor that the Grand Aurora Sovereign, Immortal Li Yu, was doing for his master, Sword Immortal Li Cai. More precisely, she was helping the future master of the Floating Lotus Sword Lake. Because Li Cai was definitely going to travel to Hanging Mountain. The reason she had delayed her departure from Northern Ju Lu was to wait for the Grand Aurora Sovereign to emerge from seclusion so they could go together to the Sword Qi Great Wall to slay great demons. Now that Immortal Li Yu had unfortunately passed away through severance of the mortal coil, his master would probably still go to Hanging Mountain alone. And his master had long since decreed that the future anchor of the Floating Lotus Sword Lake would not be him, Rong Chang, even if he were to break through to the Upper Five Realm. Neither would it be any of the other senior monks with considerable qualifications and cultivation. It could only be Rong Chang's junior sister, who had already been "in seclusion for thirty years."
That is, the "Jade of the Sui Family" from the Wuling Kingdom.
Rong Chang harbored no resentment or objection to this.
He believed that all cultivators of the Floating Lotus Sword Lake felt the same way. The reason was simple: everyone feared being slapped to death by the Sect Leader, Li Cai.
As for the Grand Aurora lineage, Li Yu was proficient in several extremely marvelous techniques, said to be true Dao techniques inherited from the True Dragon Master.
His junior sister's true body was indeed in seclusion at the Floating Lotus Sword Lake to comprehend the Dao. However, under the divine power and manipulation of the Grand Aurora Sovereign, the junior sister, in a state akin to a Yin Spirit traveling afar, had been "reincarnated" to a certain extent into Sui Jingcheng, without harming Sui Jingcheng's original soul in the slightest. It could be said that the Sui Jingcheng in the room was still the legitimate daughter of the old Vice Minister, Sui Xinyu, but not entirely. In short, it was a mysterious state of being that gave Rong Chang a headache whenever he thought deeply about it. As for the final outcome—how his junior sister would ultimately use this opportunity to practice swordsmanship—Rong Chang was too lazy to think about it.
Back then, his master Li Cai had not said much, seemingly holding a lot back. In any case, what Rong Chang needed to do was merely to erase the small unexpected incident triggered by the Grand Aurora Sovereign's passing, which affected Sui Jingcheng's side. He needed to keep Sui Jingcheng in Northern Ju Lu to await his master Li Cai's return from across the continent, so that he, Rong Chang, could avoid receiving a sword strike from his master when she got back to the sect. As for the Golden Scale Palace, or Cao Fu, his mother, he had never even heard of such things before. Rong Chang even felt that drawing his sword against them would dirty his hands.
After some deliberation, Rong Chang still didn't want to say much. The two men in blue robes before him liked to reason and were also good at it. But if he were to take them for fools because of that, he would be the fool himself. Perhaps if he revealed even a tiny clue, they would follow the vine to find the melon and uncover more of the truth. These two bystanders might even see further and deeper than he did. Not that they necessarily would use this information to blackmail him, but it still wouldn't be a good thing.
In the Floating Lotus Sword Lake, there were two things that were most undesirable: being poor at swordsmanship and being too dull-witted.
But then again, his master Li Cai seemed to think everyone was a blockhead with poor sword skills anyway.
Whenever his master got angry and wanted to hit someone, she couldn't help blurting out her favorite saying: "If your brain isn't sharp, just practice sword-fighting like crazy. And you still have the nerve to slack off?"
How was he supposed to argue with that kind of logic?
So, after carefully choosing his words, Rong Chang said, "Given the situation, the key is how to break the deadlock. Sui Jingcheng has clearly developed feelings for Mr. Chen. Cutting the thread of love with a wisdom sword is easier said than done. Using love as a whetstone for one's sword path… while there have been some who succeeded, they are far too few."
Chen Ping'an nodded. "That is indeed the case."
In the Lotus Flower Blessed Land, Zhou Fei of the Spring Tide Palace—or rather, Jiang Shangzhen—had used countless methods to help his friend Lu Fang break through his love knot. His numerous actions were not only appalling but also represented the most ruthless of mortal means. Yet the effect was still poor. Lu Fang ultimately failed to make it into the top ten. This was not just because he lost to Chen Ping'an. In truth, the more important reason was that Lu Fang's state of mind was not yet perfect. Even if he could "ascend" and leave the Lotus Flower Blessed Land, it would essentially mean he had wasted sixty years.
Rong Chang asked, "This is not to accuse Mr. Chen, but to address the current situation. Mr. Chen tied the knot. Are you willing to be the one to untie it?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head. "Difficult."
Rong Chang frowned.
Gu Mo, who had intended to practice the "silent meditation," couldn't help but speak up. "What kind of attitude is that?! A cultivator obsessed with beauty's form has already fallen to the lower path. Or do you have grander schemes, and simply want to form a Dao companion with Sui Jingcheng? Fine, that way you'd be connected to our Grand Aurora lineage and the Floating Lotus Sword Lake! You've certainly calculated well!"
Chen Ping'an shook his head again. "It's not like that."
Some words were hard to hear.
But being willing to say them to someone's face was still relatively acceptable.
The truly nasty words were always those kept in others' bellies, or whispered in a shady corner, half-yin and half-yang, under the guise of impartiality. Those were the most disgusting.
Qi Jinglong also nodded. "Very difficult."
Chen Ping'an suddenly said, "Let me talk about some possibilities. Let's start with two extremes. When Buddhism traveled east, it gradually split into Mahayana and Hinayana. Shattering attachment to the lesser self is not as good as having no attachment to the self at all. If Sui Jingcheng cultivates her mind successfully, then today's fondness will become tomorrow's indifference. That is the true severing of the love thread. Of course, there is another extreme: if Sui Jingcheng's love takes deep root, even if she is thousands of miles away from me, her heart will still be entangled. Even if she breaks through to the Upper Five Realm and becomes a sword immortal, it will be difficult to sever. Now let's talk about the possibilities between these two extremes. You two are both high-ranking cultivators from major mountain sects. You should have some techniques and divine powers specifically for overcoming love tribulations. But I think we also need to consider Sui Jingcheng's state of mind…"
Gu Mo's headache started again. "Can you get to the point? What needs to be done? Do we need all this rambling?!"
Chen Ping'an looked at her and asked, "For you, it's a matter of one or two strikes. For Sui Jingcheng, it's the entire direction and height of her life's Great Way. What's a few more words of conversation? What's a few days of patient discussion? In mountain cultivation, one loses track of the seasons of the mortal world. Is a little time like this really so long?! If it were not Mr. Liu and me sitting here today, but two other cultivators of comparable realms and cultivation, you two might already have retreated badly injured."
Qi Jinglong said calmly, "Or dead."
Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "Can you watch your words?"
Qi Jinglong gave a soft "hmm." "Go on."
Chen Ping'an took out two flasks of wine. He tossed one to Qi Jinglong, opened the other for himself, and took a sip. Qi Jinglong just held the wine without drinking; he truly didn't like it.
Rong Chang smiled.
The words were harsh.
But the logic was sound.
He could actually accept it fairly well.
But he guessed Gu Mo wasn't too happy about it.
Sure enough, Gu Mo stood up and sneered, "If you're afraid of death, would you have joined the Grand Aurora lineage?! Would you even bother coming down the mountain to slay demons and vanquish evil?! It would be much simpler to just stay on the mountain and climb higher step by step! You wouldn't even have to meet a person like this! If I, Gu Mo, die, it's just a Dragon Gate realm dead. But Northern Ju Lu would then have two even higher-level bastards dead. Who loses and who gains in that deal?!"
Chen Ping'an hesitated for a moment. "Don't you lose yourself?"
Gu Mo cursed, "Lose your grandfather's ass!"
Chen Ping'an wasn't the least bit angry. He turned to the other man and said with a smile, "You're higher in cultivation. You reason with her."
Qi Jinglong smiled and said, "You have the better temper. You'd better do it."
Gu Mo's sleeves on her "Grand Aurora" ritual robe fluttered violently. Her face was turning green with anger. "You two, stop dawdling. One of you, get the hell out here and fight me!"
Chen Ping'an said, "Your sect is too powerful. I wouldn't dare fight you."
Gu Mo laughed angrily. "I'm not a madman. I only want to spar with you, not fight to the death!"
Qi Jinglong smiled and said, "Picking on the soft persimmon isn't very nice."
Gu Mo showed no embarrassment and said matter-of-factly, "It's not about slaying demons and vanquishing evil. If I die, I die. It's just a sparring match. If I were to cross blows with you, Liu Jinglong, wouldn't that be asking for humiliation?"
Gu Mo looked at that Lower Five Realm cultivator. "You've been pretending to be a Golden Core sword immortal this whole time. You've fought several tough battles. Even the Golden Body realm martial artist of the Daguan Dynasty lost to you. And that blade-wielder Xiao Shuye was killed by you. I don't think you're a soft persimmon either. Let's you and I have a match. It doesn't involve our sects."
Then Gu Mo asked suspiciously, "Are you two muttering about something?"
Chen Ping'an nodded. "I was asking Mr. Liu whether that ritual robe of yours can withstand a full-powered strike from a terrestrial immortal sword immortal, and that's why you're so confident. Mr. Liu said it definitely can."
Gu Mo roared in fury, "Shameless!"
Rong Chang rubbed his brow.
What was all this about?
If he had known it was going to be this troublesome, he would have let someone else handle this trip from the Floating Lotus Sword Lake.
Chen Ping'an stood up.
Gu Mo smiled. "Oh? Before we fight, do you want to ramble at me some more?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head. "I don't talk much during a fight. It depends on whether you're capable enough to force me to speak, so I can catch my breath."
Chen Ping'an stomped his foot. On the wall of this residence, a faintly visible snow-white flood dragon appeared. Light exploded, blindingly brilliant, like a common mortal suddenly looking up at the sun. It was naturally dazzling.
Rong Chang merely narrowed his eyes slightly.
But Gu Mo subconsciously closed her eyes. Realizing the crisis, she abruptly opened them again.
It was a matter of an instant.
A flash of snow-white sword light and a flash of deep-green sword light darted out.
A figure in blue robes vanished instantly, appeared at Gu Mo's side, then shot back to its original position just as quickly, sitting down gently.
Gu Mo stood still, stunned for a moment. Then she sat down cross-legged on the small boat. "Alright, I lost. You can go on with your reasoning. No matter how annoying, I'll put up with it."
This was also the reason Rong Chang was willing to travel with Gu Mo, and why their relationship was not bad.
Gu Mo seemed to realize something belatedly and said angrily, "No! Liu Jinglong helped you draw talismans to gain the upper hand, didn't he?!"
Qi Jinglong waved his hand and said, "It's nothing to do with me."
Rong Chang said, "It really has nothing to do with Mr. Liu."
Gu Mo sized up the blue-robed outsider and asked curiously, "Why do you have two flying swords that aren't natal flying swords?"
Chen Ping'an said, "You're one to talk."
Gu Mo grinned. "Too bad neither is as fast as your draw. And since it's not a life-or-death fight, trading injury for injury… I'm not crazy. I wouldn't do that."
Chen Ping'an sighed inwardly.
Apart from the ritual robe she wore, Gu Mo also had at least two more flying swords hidden. Similar to him, they were not the natal flying swords of a swordsman. One should be from the Grand Aurora lineage's holdings; the second was most likely a gift from the Floating Lotus Sword Lake. So, the higher Gu Mo's realm became, especially upon entering the Terrestrial Immortal realm, the more of a headache she would be for her opponents. As for entering the Upper Five Realm, that would be a different story altogether. All external objects would then need to be pushed to the extreme: maximum killing power, strongest defense, most bizarre techniques. The truly hidden ace would be the most terrifying, giving the greatest chance of victory. Anything less would just be an embellishment. For example, Jiang Shangzhen's many magical treasures were certainly useful, and very useful. But in the end, in a life-and-death battle between equals, even after determining victory or defeat, it would still come down to the refinement level of that willow leaf to seal the deal and decide who lived and who died.
And the fact that Gu Mo could see at a glance that neither First Light nor Fifteen was a natal flying sword of a swordsman was perhaps the kind of broad vision expected of a disciple from a major sect.
Rong Chang spoke up. "For now, there is a relatively stable approach. Wait until my master arrives here and has seen Sui Jingcheng before we talk further. I wonder if Mr. Chen and Mr. Liu would be willing to wait a little longer?"
This was actually forcing the issue.
"Relatively stable" was only stable from the perspective of Rong Chang and Gu Mo.
For the outsider before them, one misstep could be a life-and-death calamity with endless repercussions. If he were to simply leave now and abandon Sui Jingcheng, it would actually save him trouble and effort. If he managed this step, even if his master Li Cai arrived in Green Oriole Kingdom, she could find no fault. Could she really expect this man to slap her "secluded disciple" awake? Would slapping work? Perhaps with an ordinary woman, but observing Sui Jingcheng's every word and action, she was clearly sharp-witted and perceptive, with thoughts that twisted and turned endlessly. Compared to his junior sister's straightforwardness on the cultivation path back then, it was worlds apart.
So, the more valued Sui Jingcheng was by the Floating Lotus Sword Lake, and the higher his master's cultivation was, the more dangerous this young outsider became. Because the unexpected would be greater.
The reason Rong Chang hadn't suggested this from the start was that it was easy to turn a situation that could be discussed and negotiated calmly into a justified life-or-death struggle.
Then they would just go hide in the Taihui Sword Sect.
Even his master Li Cai wouldn't go to the Taihui Sword Sect to find them.
There was no justification for it, and it would be meaningless.
The cultivators of Northern Ju Lu were not utterly unreasonable; rather, everyone had their own reasoning that conformed to the continent's customs. It's just that the reasoning here was a bit different from other continents.
That was why so many outsider cultivators with powerful backgrounds died here without a proper burial, and sometimes no one could even find out who killed them. Besides the younger brother of the Snowy Continent God of Wealth, and the direct descendant of the Dragon Tiger Mountain Heavenly Master Mansion, there were actually several others with equally terrifying backgrounds. But news of them was suppressed. Only the peak sects knew about them. For example, one of them was a favored disciple of an Assistant Master of the Confucian Temple.
All those great living figures, those old immortals left behind by the dead, who had thin backgrounds or weak fists?
But you think you have the guts to come to Northern Ju Lu, roll up your sleeves, and try your luck?
Northern Ju Lu doesn't have much else, but it has plenty of swordsmen, and plenty of sword immortals!
Chen Ping'an made a decision in his heart, but he didn't say anything. He just turned to look at Qi Jinglong.
Qi Jinglong smiled. "I still have nothing to do."
Chen Ping'an seemed to want to say something, but held back.
Qi Jinglong smiled. "I haven't reasoned enough yet. And even if I've finished reasoning, the Taihui Sword Sect still has reasoning to offer."
Chen Ping'an then said no more.
Then Chen Ping'an stood up and went to knock on the door.
Qi Jinglong casually retracted the talisman array.
Chen Ping'an brought Sui Jingcheng to the edge of the lotus pond. Whatever could be said, he told her one by one.
Finally, Chen Ping'an smiled and said, "For now, don't think about anything else. With that in mind, what plans do you have?"
Sui Jingcheng asked softly, "Won't I cause trouble for Elder and Mr. Liu?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head. "On the path of cultivation, as long as you don't go looking for trouble, don't be afraid of it finding you."
Gu Mo, sitting on the small boat, was even more idle than Qi Jinglong. She seemed to be gazing at the lotus leaves outside the boat, but was actually eavesdropping intently. She couldn't help rolling her eyes.
It wasn't because what the man said displeased her. Quite the opposite, Gu Mo thought he made a lot of sense. But she didn't deny having a very strong prejudice against this Chen guy, so that was why she reacted this way.
Sui Jingcheng nodded and smiled. "Then I'll wait until I've met that senior before we talk?"
Chen Ping'an said, "That's fine."
Sui Jingcheng's expression dimmed a little, her eyes full of guilt. She seemed to want to speak but hesitated.
Chen Ping'an frowned. "If you're constantly overthinking things, you'll only hinder yourself. Why bother thinking at all? Are you worried your cultivation is progressing too fast? Or is mind cultivation too easy?"
Sui Jingcheng simply said, "Oh."
She neither argued nor seemed to reflect on it.
If she were his own first disciple, Chen Ping'an would have already given her a knock on the head.
Qi Jinglong remained seated, not looking at things that weren't proper to see, nor listening to things that weren't proper to hear.
But with his high cultivation, the words reached his ears clearly. He couldn't stop it.
Rong Chang was probably the most miserable person here.
With the situation settled, Gu Mo, who had been so agitated at the start, became the most relaxed. Watching that strange pair of man and woman, she found it quite interesting.
Afterwards, Gu Mo and Rong Chang took up residence in this Immortal Guest House at Dragon Head Ferry. Both of their residences were quite spacious.
They kept a considerable distance from the lotus pond residence, which also served as a small gesture of sincerity, to avoid the two blue-robed men mistakenly thinking they didn't trust them.
Gu Mo and Rong Chang sat facing each other in a small courtyard.
Gu Mo asked, "Rong Chang, I'm just asking casually. Can you really not beat that Liu Jinglong? Defeated in one move?"
Rong Chang smiled. "If it were a real fight, I naturally wouldn't lose so miserably. But my chances of victory are indeed very slim. In that battle on Sharpening Stone Mountain between Qi Jinglong and that female Taoist nun outsider, either he was holding back, or he found an opportunity to break through his realm."
Gu Mo sighed with emotion. "This Liu Jinglong is really a freak! Who breaks through realms so easily? It's like splitting bamboo. Comparing people really infuriates you!"
Rong Chang laughed. "If we were to compare him to the two who came before him, wouldn't we have to just knock our heads against a wall and die?"
Gu Mo shook her head. "Those two, I won't even compare myself to them. I don't even let the thought enter my mind. Liu Jinglong is very promising, likely to become a future pinnacle figure of Northern Ju Lu. But those two are already set in stone. One of my masters from another lineage even asserted that one of them, even if he went to the Central Earth Divine Continent, would have a chance to make it into their top ten list."
Gu Mo suddenly asked, "The Sword Immortal Li went to Vase Bottle Continent. I heard that Wei Jin, the Sword Immortal of the Wind Snow Temple, and Song Changjing, the Great Li Dynasty's Prince, are also formidable?"
Rong Chang nodded. "All very strong. Their Great Way is promising."
Gu Mo said doubtfully, "I won't comment on Wei Jin, but Song Changjing is a pure martial artist, walking a dead-end path. 'Great Way is promising' doesn't apply to him, does it?"
Rong Chang remembered someone who had once stood beside his master, looking cocky, and had said something that the listener took to heart, though the speaker may have meant nothing by it. He repeated it: "There are also Great Ways beyond the Great Way of longevity."
Gu Mo smiled. "That kind of talk sounds a bit like the words of those uncles and masters on our Mount Padi."
Rong Chang said no more about it.
After all, Mount Padi was the mountain of the old immortal True Dragon Master. The old master almost never bothered with sect affairs, leaving them all to his disciples and grand-disciples to handle. He only cared about sleeping.
For instance, Gu Mo's master, the Grand Aurora Sovereign, had achieved success in cultivation on her own, establishing her own peak early on and leaving Mount Padi. She then took on disciples and spread her branch.
Aside from the Grand Aurora lineage, there were three other lineages, all famous and formidable in Northern Ju Lu. The Peach Mountain lineage was especially adept at the Five Thunders Correct Method, the White Cloud lineage excelled in talisman arrays, and the Finger Profundity lineage mastered the sword path.
But without exception, when all four of these direct disciples, who had made names for themselves across Northern Ju Lu, spoke of their master's Dao teachings, they always said they had only learned the mere basics.
Did listeners believe these polite words?
In Northern Ju Lu, they actually did.
This wasn't even the most exaggerated. The most speechless saying had emerged from somewhere in recent years and quickly spread across most of Northern Ju Lu. It was supposedly from a direct disciple of the True Dragon Master. While traveling down the mountain, this disciple was chatting with a hermit immortal from beyond the world who had come to visit Mount Padi. Somehow, the "celestial secret" was leaked. The disciple said that his master had once personally told him that his greatest regret in life was that his skills in subduing demons and vanquishing evil were insufficient.
It was said that the disciple seemed to take this very seriously. Fortunately, when he mentioned this, the young Taoist didn't seem to show any particular disdain for his master!
Many sword immortals from other places felt a strong urge to grab that direct disciple by the head and shout loudly, "Are you sure you're not joking?!"
Of course, after asking their question, the sword immortals would still politely see him off.
The sword immortals of Northern Ju Lu feared nothing and no one, except for that True Dragon Master, who was considered half their own.
Luckily, this old immortal loved sleeping and didn't like coming down the mountain.
However, similar to that missing young Taoist, many of the True Dragon Master's direct disciples of lesser aptitude were also on Mount Padi. Over a dozen of them remained there, building thatched huts for cultivation. To other cultivators from major sects, they seemed to be just "drifting through life and waiting for death." Apart from them, there were many young Taoist boys. After all, even with low cultivation, everyone had their own disciples. They could often hear the True Dragon Master personally expounding the Dao when he wasn't sleeping. But it seemed they still couldn't grasp it. It had been a long time since any disciple or grand-disciple on Mount Padi had made a showing in cultivation that made people wonder, "Can you be a little more reasonable?" In short, they were all wasting such a great immortal opportunity. Many Terrestrial Immortal cultivators of Northern Ju Lu felt that if they themselves had replaced any of those dull-witted Taoists on Mount Padi, they would have ascended directly to the Upper Five Realm long ago.
Thus, Mount Padi was a place of cultivation difficult for outsiders to understand. Its spiritual energy and Feng Shui were not the best. The direct disciples and their disciples who lived there were mostly people for whom the Great Way seemed dim and distant. So, although these Taoists had very high seniority, among the various lineages of the True Dragon Master, they were just that—high in seniority. Moreover, Mount Padi didn't have much interaction with other peaks. Add to that the True Dragon Master's frequent seclusions (which were just him sleeping), and the numerous cultivators from the Grand Aurora, White Cloud, and other lineages had no reason to get close. So, those whom they had to respectfully address as "Uncle Master," "Ancestral Master Uncle," or "Grand Ancestral Master" were neither familiar nor particularly close to them.
As for the origin of the name "Mount Padi," there were many theories.
The most mysterious one was that there were once several extremely powerful and ferocious flood dragons hidden in the Mount Padi area. When the True Dragon Master happened to pass by and saw them, he apparently didn't think much of them. So, he stomped them all flat, one by one. Not only that, but after the evil dragons were flattened, none dared to move a hair. After the old master decided to build his thatched hut there, he had his disciples use their divine abilities to move mountains and transport earth from remote and barren places. Those evil dragons became silent mountain ranges. It was said that the origins of the Purple Edict Peak, South China Peak, and Soaring Cloud Peak were related to these genuine "dragon veins."
As for how many evil dragons were stomped flat by the old master in the early days, who knows.
Rong Chang smiled and asked, "The old master still hasn't returned?"
Gu Mo looked a bit sad. "Not yet. If the ancestral master were on the mountain, my master definitely wouldn't have had to pass away through severance of the mortal coil."
Rong Chang sighed.
There were some things he was not in a position to say.
Sayings like "life and death are predetermined."
When one reached the level of a truly old immortal like the True Dragon Master, his compassionate heart might not be something cultivators like them could understand.
But Rong Chang did indeed deeply respect the True Dragon Master, from the bottom of his heart.
His master Li Cai did as well.
It was very simple, based on three sentences from the True Dragon Master.
"We all come from the mortal world below the mountain, and we must always return to it. Ascending the mountain relies on walking; descending the mountain relies on riding the wind. On the path of cultivation, great feats are hard to come by. Once one becomes an immortal, small matters become easy."
"However, if someone can break free from the shackles of heaven and earth and go to the highest place to have a look, that is also a good thing. Northern Ju Lu could use a few more such cultivators."
"Don't let the title of 'Number One Continent Outside the Central Earth' rest solely on swords. Killing back and forth is not true skill. I, this poor Daoist, can slap all of you to death with just a few strikes."
-----
At the Celestial-level residence of the Green Bird Inn.
After the storm, the sky cleared.
The fragrance of lotus filled the air, and the leaves swayed gently.
Chen Ping'an and Qi Jinglong sat on a long bench. Sui Jingcheng sat alone on a bench nearby.
Qi Jinglong said, "Reaching the Third Realm is commendable."
Chen Ping'an nodded.
Sui Jingcheng's eyes lit up.
Only the Third Realm?
She stood up, squatted by the lotus pond, and plucked another lotus leaf before returning to her bench.
Chen Ping'an and Qi Jinglong sat in silence, quietly gazing at the pond.
Chen Ping'an suddenly asked, "That pair of embroidered mandarin ducks, are they from the Spring Dew Garden?"
Qi Jinglong didn't answer right away. He leaned forward slightly and glanced at Sui Jingcheng.
The woman had an expression of admiration, presumably impressed by her elder's vast knowledge?
Qi Jinglong quickly sat upright and spoke to Chen Ping'an through the ripples of his mind lake. Puzzled, he said, "I didn't think so before, but now I'm starting to believe Rong Chang's worries are justified."
Having reached the Third Realm of Qi Refining, Chen Ping'an could barely use his mind lake's ripples to speak. He smiled, "Let's not think about it. We'll wait until the ancestral master of the Floating Lotus Sword Lake arrives."
Qi Jinglong said, "That female sword immortal is called Li Cai. She's not a bad person, but her temper…"
Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "Being able to become a close friend of the Grand Aurora Sovereign, and the Grand Aurora Sovereign being able to teach a disciple like Gu Mo… I have a clear picture in my mind."
Qi Jinglong then fell silent.
Sui Jingcheng didn't want to be left out. She tried to make conversation. "Mr. Liu, earlier you said that reason doesn't lie within fists. But didn't you still rely on your cultivation to convince Rong Chang? And in the end, you still brought up your sect, the Taihui Sword Sect?"
Chen Ping'an and Qi Jinglong exchanged a smile.
Neither said a word.
Sui Jingcheng felt a little annoyed and wronged. What, was she the only one who didn't understand anything?
She felt a bit hurt and lowered her head, gently twisting the lotus leaf in her hand.
Before, whenever she didn't understand something, Elder would explain it to her. But now that Qi Jinglong was here, he wouldn't.
Fortunately, Chen Ping'an spoke up with a smile. "Mr. Liu's reasoning was actually meant for the entire Grand Aurora lineage, or even for the old immortal, the True Dragon Master."
Sui Jingcheng looked up. This explanation she could understand. "So when Rong Chang said his master was coming, and Mr. Liu mentioned his own Taihui Sword Sect, it was actually meant for that sword immortal of the Floating Lotus Sword Lake? Rong Chang would pass on the message, making that sword immortal have some concerns?"
After a moment, Sui Jingcheng asked tentatively, "Could it be said that Mr. Liu's so-called 'rules are the greatest' means that when someone's fist is hard enough, they still have concerns even when they can kill? So that those with weaker fists can say a few more words? Or even, even if nothing is said, it is already reason? But if the disparity in strength is too great, whether or not to strike is ultimately still in the hands of the stronger party?"
Sui Jingcheng's eyes were bright as she continued, "Could it also be said that this is exactly what Elder meant by 'at the very least, it creates one more possibility'?"
Chen Ping'an nodded.
Qi Jinglong smiled and said, "Let's not talk about exceptional cases, only the general situation. In the streets and alleys, why wouldn't a strong, burly man dare to just barge into someone's house and rob them? In secular dynasties, why do profligate sons still need to conceal their evil deeds? When cultivators go down the mountain, why don't they just do whatever they want, plunder all the gold and silver from a city's wealthy, and slaughter everyone? Why would I, with my Infant Soul cultivation, dare to stay here with your Mr. Chen and wait for the arrival of a Jade Pure realm sword cultivator? So, having a hard fist is very impressive. This is not a derogatory or complimentary statement. But what can bind the fist is naturally even more powerful."
Chen Ping'an reminded him, "Watch your wording."
Sui Jingcheng smiled slightly.
Qi Jinglong hesitated for a moment, looking at the lotus pond. "But when it comes down to it, these are the rules in a place governed by rules. In a lawless place, they don't apply. However, as the world moves forward, looking at history and the current situation, it still needs to move from disorder to order. Then, everyone works together to turn a superficial order that may not be correct everywhere into a good order for the mountains and good laws for the foothills. The world slowly goes from 'reasoning' to gradually developing a 'reasonable' state under a grand framework, allowing more people to benefit. Perhaps it doesn't have to be confined to the Three Teachings and Hundred Schools of Thought, seeking a balanced realm…"
Chen Ping'an said softly, "Let's not talk about this for now."
Qi Jinglong stopped speaking.
Chen Ping'an suddenly said, "Gu Mo's state of mind is commendable."
Qi Jinglong hummed in agreement. "The world needs many such mountain cultivators. But it can't have only them. So, when we meet someone like Gu Mo, we don't need to be anxious, and we certainly can't be too demanding of her."
Chen Ping'an nodded. "That's right."
Sui Jingcheng watched the two men and snorted coldly. Picking up her lotus leaf, she got up and went into her room to cultivate.
I'm in your way, right? I'll just leave, okay?
Chen Ping'an asked, "What's this about?"
Qi Jinglong said helplessly, "You're the expert. Don't ask me."
Chen Ping'an was confused. "What expert?"
Qi Jinglong had already changed the subject. "Do you want me to tell you some things to be aware of in the Third Realm cultivation?"
Chen Ping'an glanced at the flask of wine in his hand. "If you're not going to drink, give it back. It cost several Snowflake Coins for this immortal brew."
Qi Jinglong said with an angry laugh, "Do you think I don't know what glutinous rice wine is? Forgetting I come from the mortal world? Even if I haven't drunk it, haven't I seen it?"
Chen Ping'an thought for a moment. "Then I must have grabbed the wrong one."
From the direction of the house, Sui Jingcheng, who had deliberately slowed her steps, quickly stepped over the threshold and finally slammed the door shut with a thunderous bang.
Qi Jinglong had another question.
Chen Ping'an said, "You can't figure out a woman's heart."
Qi Jinglong hummed again. "Words of experience, a golden saying."
Then, in their casual conversation, Chen Ping'an stopped calling him "Mr. Liu" and used the name "Qi Jinglong" instead.
"Qi Jinglong, do you have a woman you like?"
"No."
"Pity."
"…"
"You still won't drink even after that? You're almost a hundred years old, and you still haven't found a girl you like."
"Shut up."
"Should I swap it for a real immortal wine?"
"Chen Ping'an, if I drink this, can you change the subject?"
"…"
Qi Jinglong began to drink heartily, without Chen Ping'an needing to urge him.
"Qi Jinglong, let's drink and talk. Your appearance isn't bad, and your cultivation is high. There must be plenty of girls who like you."
"Get lost!"
-----
For the past few days, the guesthouse at Dragon Head Ferry had been quite serene.
But the number of guests was increasing, becoming somewhat overcrowded.
Because it was rumored that a female Taoist from the True Dragon Master's side had appeared, accompanied by a sword immortal of unknown origin.
They had confronted another faction with great ferocity.
But unfortunately, the fight didn't happen, and everyone remained at peace.
This was also why cultivators of all kinds dared to come to the guesthouse to watch the excitement; otherwise, wouldn't they be asking for death?
Chen Ping'an consulted Qi Jinglong on many key points of cultivation in the Lower Five Realms.
Qi Jinglong naturally shared everything he knew without reservation.
As for the art of talismans, they also had a lot to discuss.
However, neither casually imparted their own talisman secrets.
It wasn't that they were unwilling.
It was that they couldn't.
For example, Chen Ping'an's Ghost Axe Palace Snow Mud Talisman, which he had drawn on the wall earlier, or Qi Jinglong's casually crafted forbidden talisman array.
Nevertheless, the Great Ways were connected. Exchanging insights into talismans was more beneficial for cultivation than learning a specific talisman.
Of course, Qi Jinglong was already a master in this field, so he was mainly the one clarifying doubts for Chen Ping'an.
When Qi Jinglong learned that Chen Ping'an had over three hundred yellow paper talismans hidden in his sleeves, he was speechless and embarrassed.
Did you, Chen Ping'an, think you were a peddler trading in talismans?
Regarding the assassination attempt by the Deer-Cutting Mountain assassins.
Qi Jinglong only gave one comment: "Extremely perilous."
But when Chen Ping'an brought out the spoils of war found by Sui Jingcheng, Qi Jinglong only gave a rough estimate of the price of items like the Sweet Dew Armor and the giant bow. However, when it came to the pair of short knives inscribed with "Morning Dew" and "Evening Glow," he couldn't help but exclaim, "What luck you have!"
The reason was simple.
It wasn't because Qi Jinglong knew the inside story of Deer-Cutting Mountain, nor did he know that female cultivator.
Rather, Qi Jinglong had come across this pair of short knives in an ancient immortal text. They had a long history. That female assassin from Deer-Cutting Mountain was only lucky to have obtained this long-lost immortal weapon, but unlucky in that she hadn't mastered the essence of forging and using the knives. So Qi Jinglong explained in detail what he had read in the book to Chen Ping'an.
Sui Jingcheng, sitting nearby, was all smiles.
Later, Gu Mo and Rong Chang visited the lotus pond residence one after another. Rong Chang discussed the way of the sword with Qi Jinglong.
As for Gu Mo, she asked Qi Jinglong about the truth behind certain stories and rumors. For instance, had he truly killed that Infant Soul demon lord when he was at the Golden Core realm? Was he really deeply attached to that Immortal Lu from the Water Classic Mountain? Qi Jinglong answered one by one without evasion. After hearing all his answers, Gu Mo was both satisfied and somewhat disappointed. She always felt that her senior sisters had bad eyesight, to actually admire such an extremely boring cultivator of the Taihui Sword Sect.
Chen Ping'an and Sui Jingcheng sat on the long bench, cracking melon seeds and watching the show.
When Gu Mo asked about the "Immortal Lu," Chen Ping'an and Sui Jingcheng exchanged a glance.
After Gu Mo left, Sui Jingcheng noticed that her elder cast her a look. She immediately understood, stopped cracking melon seeds, clapped her hands, and was about to ask Qi Jinglong properly. After all, she was also curious about whether that female cultivator from the Water Classic Mountain was good-looking. From what she had seen along the way, Gu Mo or the two female cultivators on the boat were no match for her.
But Qi Jinglong remained seated, closed his eyes, and said, "I need to cultivate."
-----
After about another ten days, in the darkness of night, Chen Ping'an had almost completely stabilized the phenomena of the Third Realm.
There was no startling commotion like a rainbow of flying swords or thunderous roars.
On the opposite side of the lotus pond, a female cultivator appeared silently, a sword hanging at her waist.
Qi Jinglong, who had been sitting on the long bench all these days, opened his eyes. At the same time, Chen Ping'an, who had been copying scriptures in his room, put down his brush and walked out.
Qi Jinglong stood up, smiled, and said, "Greetings, Sword Immortal Li."
Li Cai waved her hand. "Rong Chang has already sent me a flying sword message. I have a general idea of the situation. Where's that little girl named Sui Jingcheng? As for how to settle this—whether to thank you or fight you—I'll decide after I've talked to her."
Li Cai took a step and crossed over Qi Jinglong and the long bench. "You little brat, you actually dared to use the Taihui Sword Sect to scare me. Very well, Liu Jinglong."
Qi Jinglong smiled and said, "When I reach the Jade Pure realm, Sword Immortal Li can follow the proper procedure and challenge me to a duel."
Li Cai smiled and said, "You just wait. But you need to hurry, because I'll be leaving Northern Ju Lu soon. As for killing monsters on the city wall, I have to make up for Li Yu's portion."
Qi Jinglong thought for a moment. "There will be an opportunity."
Li Cai turned her head and said, "Everyone says you talk like an old woman's foot-binding cloth. Is the news from the mountain so unreliable? With your cultivation and your temper, if you were in my Floating Lotus Sword Lake, you could definitely compete for the next Sect Leader."
Qi Jinglong turned to look at Chen Ping'an, who was standing near a house.
Chen Ping'an gave a slight nod.
Li Cai stopped, looked at the young man in blue robes standing not far away, and said, "You are Chen Ping'an?"
Chen Ping'an asked skeptically, "How does Sword Immortal know my name?"
Li Cai thought for a moment and gave an answer that was hardly conscientious. "Just a guess."
Chen Ping'an didn't ask further and stepped aside to make way.
Li Cai took a step and entered the house.
With a wave of her sleeve, she created a small world.
Sui Jingcheng was sound asleep.
She sat gently by the bedside, looking at the somewhat unfamiliar face.
Li Cai smiled and sighed, "The appearance is indeed much more delicate."
She sighed again. "But there's suffering in store. Little girl, you really are your master's favorite disciple. Like master, like disciple. We're all in the same boat."
Then she seemed a bit annoyed and cursed, "Jiang Shangzhen, you and your big mouth!"
She curled two fingers and gently tapped Sui Jingcheng's forehead. "Even in seclusion, you still manage to embarrass your master!"
Sui Jingcheng woke with a start, finding a woman with a sword lighting a lamp and sitting on a chair, facing her.
Sui Jingcheng sat on the edge of the bed, silent.
Li Cai said, "Don't be afraid. Just tell me about your experiences in the Sui clan of the Wuling Kingdom over the years."
After about the time it takes an incense stick to burn.
Li Cai led a dazed Sui Jingcheng out of the house.
Li Cai said to the young man in blue robes, "Chen Ping'an, from now on, Sui Jingcheng can continue her travels in Vase Bottle Continent. But there is a bottom line: even if she acknowledges someone as her master, whether it's you or anyone else, she can only be a nominal disciple. She cannot be entered into the ancestral hall's registry. Only when Sui Jingcheng herself has an awakening, on that day alone, can she decide whether to inscribe her name in the ancestral hall of the Floating Lotus Sword Lake or to offer incense in another ancestral hall. During this time, I will not constrain her, but you cannot further influence her state of mind. Anyone else can, but not you. As for Rong Chang, he will act as her guardian and follow her all the way to Vase Bottle Continent."
Chen Ping'an was just about to clarify what was meant by "influence her state of mind" and how it was to be "accounted for."
Li Cai was already somewhat annoyed. She waved her large sleeve and said, "Forget it. As long as you two don't roll in the sheets, anything else is fine."
After saying this, Li Cai directly turned into a rainbow and flew away on her sword, making quite a commotion. It seemed she was in a bad mood.
Sui Jingcheng's cheeks flushed red. She lowered her head, turned around, and ran back to her room.
Qi Jinglong suppressed a smile.
Chen Ping'an let out a long sigh.
On the wall, Rong Chang, because his master had appeared, didn't even dare to stand. He just squatted there.
Gu Mo also squatted nearby, pouring fuel on the fire. "Sword Immortal Rong, what exactly is 'rolling in the sheets' all about?"
Rong Chang, in a fairly good mood, pretended to be serious and said, "I'm not quite sure."
Gu Mo and Rong Chang left together.
Liu Jinglong left the lotus pond for the first time and went into a room to cultivate.
Chen Ping'an knocked on the door. Sui Jingcheng opened it.
The two sat on two long benches.
Sui Jingcheng asked softly, "In the end, I've caused Elder trouble, haven't I?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head. "Can I speak to you from my heart?"
Sui Jingcheng murmured her assent.
She turned to look at him.
Chen Ping'an slowly said, "If you like someone, no matter how high his realm is or if he is just an ordinary mortal, it's actually not a problem. But if the person you like already likes someone else, isn't that a very sad thing? You can say, 'It doesn't matter. Liking someone is my own business. If he doesn't like me back, I'll just watch from afar.' In fact, I used to think that way too. So, I understand that it seems irrelevant to right or wrong, and it's hard to attach logic to it. After walking a very long road, I, Chen Ping'an, am not blind, nor do I have trouble seeing what's right in front of me. Regarding romantic feelings related to myself, even the slightest signs and indications, I can see them."
"For me, telling you that I won't like you is not because I'm afraid that if I don't tell myself this, I won't be able to control my wild heart. It's not that I'm deliberately trying to make you think I'm someone madly devoted to love. In fact, when it comes to romantic feelings, my heart is the most settled. This isn't something I learned after practicing boxing or cultivating. It's something I felt was only natural and right from a very, very early age. You need to understand, many principles that I once thought were only natural and right have, without my knowing it, changed a great deal. Only this one thing has never changed. If I like one person, I only like her. That's more than enough."
Sui Jingcheng was silent, just looking at him.
The young man in blue robes said softly, "I'm sorry."
Sui Jingcheng wiped away her tears and smiled. "It doesn't matter. Liking an elder who doesn't like me back seems to be happier than liking someone who likes me back."
Chen Ping'an shook his head and said no more.
Sui Jingcheng smiled and asked, "Elder is also only a Third Realm Qi Refiner?"
Chen Ping'an turned his head and said, "But I'm younger than you."
Sui Jingcheng's hands were propped on the bench, her legs stretched out. She shook her head and smiled, her eyes crinkling. "I won't get angry."
Qi Jinglong had said he was going to cultivate, and he was indeed cultivating. But he couldn't help catching every word of the conversation by the lotus pond.
Having a high realm certainly had its own troubles.
Qi Jinglong thought about it and decided that he really should ask Chen Ping'an for some advice. Even if it meant being forced to drink, he could endure it.
Sui Jingcheng sat for a while, then went back to her room to rest.
Chen Ping'an began breathing and meditating by the lotus pond. At dawn, he left the residence to find Gu Mo. With the dust settled, there was something he could finally bring up.
Gu Mo opened the door. The two sat facing each other on stone stools in the courtyard.
Chen Ping'an got straight to the point. "Zhang Shanfeng is my friend. Does Immortal Gu know him?"
Gu Mo nodded. "I know him. Not very well. I've only seen him a few times. By seniority, he is considered my uncle master."
Chen Ping'an nodded. As for that old Taoist who had appeared in the alleys near the Green Oriole Kingdom, he should indeed be Zhang Shanfeng's master, the True Dragon Master.
Because the three of them had three different seniorities, but their Taoist robes were roughly the same style.
However, Chen Ping'an didn't say much more. Upon learning that Zhang Shanfeng and the True Dragon Master were not currently on Mount Padi, he only asked if he could visit the mountain if he passed by in the future.
Gu Mo smiled and said, "Since you know that little uncle master, of course, there's no problem."
Then Gu Mo added, "But when you get to the mountain, don't come and say hello to me. I'm not that familiar with you."
Chen Ping'an smiled and said, "We'll see."
Gu Mo glared at him. "My senior and junior sisters are very gossipy. If you do that, they'll be talking about it for years. Don't cause me trouble!"
Chen Ping'an smiled and nodded, then took his leave.
Gu Mo suddenly said, "You said you know my little uncle master. Why didn't you say so at the start? It might have avoided those misunderstandings."
Chen Ping'an shook his head and didn't explain.
Gu Mo's state of mind issues—Qi Jinglong could see them, and Chen Ping'an could vaguely see some signs as well.
Damming a flood is not as good as channeling it.
Chen Ping'an had a deep personal understanding of this.
Back on the Sea of Clouds, Zhu Quan of the Sackcloth Mourning Sect had handled it very well.
After Chen Ping'an left, Gu Mo waited until she was sure he was far away.
Then she raised her hand and wiped her face.
That little uncle master named Zhang Shanfeng.
Her master had only told her a little about it in private back then, saying that the ancestral master had also told her a little bit of a celestial secret.
The ancestral master had said this to the Grand Aurora Sovereign: "If your master is no longer in the mortal world one day, as long as your little junior brother is still here, with just a casual stomp of his foot, Mount Padi will still be Mount Padi. You don't need to worry about a thing."
-----
In the world, all feasts must have a beginning and an end.
Chen Ping'an was to continue his northern journey, then follow that great river upstream, crossing Northern Ju Lu transversely.
Qi Jinglong said he wanted to go to the capital of the Great Seal Script Dynasty to have a look.
At the dock of Dragon Head Ferry, Gu Mo was teasing Sui Jingcheng, urging this Jade of the Sui Family to take off her veil, since Rong Chang was around to protect her. She was so beautiful; it was a shame to hide it.
Sui Jingcheng naturally ignored her.
Rong Chang also used a concealment technique to hide his Infant Soul sword cultivator aura, suppressing it to the level of an ordinary Golden Core cultivator.
As long as you weren't a sword immortal, when traveling down the mountain to wander in Northern Ju Lu, try sticking a label of your realm on your forehead! There were some damn Jade Pure realm sword immortals who loved to wander down the mountain for no reason, specializing in hunting Infant Soul realm cultivators and Eighth and Ninth Realm martial artists. They would beat them until they were pissing their pants, and then say, "I'm helping you cultivate, so don't thank me. If you really want to thank me, endure one more blow from my sword." There were plenty of such damn good-for-nothing seniors, and quite a few of them.
Moreover, even becoming a sword immortal wasn't necessarily safe.
Chen Ping'an and Qi Jinglong strolled leisurely into the distance.
Sui Jingcheng hesitated for a moment, then followed at a distance.
Gu Mo wanted to follow her, but Rong Chang stopped her with his heart voice.
Walking side by side, Chen Ping'an chatted idly through his heart voice: "So you made an agreement with Sword Immortal Li that when you reach the Jade Pure realm, she would be one of the three sword immortals to challenge you?"
Qi Jinglong replied with a smile through his heart voice: "Don't worry, it's not out of impulsiveness. The sword intent of the Floating Lotus Sword Lake is very different from my own, so it's excellent for sharpening my sword edge. As for the danger and such—here in Northern Ju Lu, what new sword immortal would worry about that? Besides, you may not know this, but in history, many so-called sword challenges also contained a deeper meaning of transmitting the Way."
Chen Ping'an nodded and smiled. "I greatly admire the edge and bearing of you sword immortals."
Qi Jinglong smiled and said, "I hope that one day you will catch up to me, and then the two of us can travel the Central Earth together?"
Chen Ping'an said, "That would be the best."
Chen Ping'an stopped. "If—I'm just saying if—one day you, Qi Jinglong, encounter someone who doesn't listen to reason, someone with a very high realm and a very strong punch, and you need help."
He paused, his gaze firm. "Then count me in!"
He paused again, his smile bright. "I'll make him know what the fastest sword under heaven is."
Qi Jinglong clicked his tongue. "You dare to say your sword is fast, while standing right next to a swordsman about to enter the Upper Five Realm?"
Chen Ping'an chuckled, "How old are you now? And how old am I?"
Qi Jinglong was a bit exasperated. "I guess that does sound rather reasonable."
Chen Ping'an clapped him on the shoulder. "Don't mind me. It's just that after successfully refining my second natal object, I'm feeling a bit giddy."
Sui Jingcheng stopped in her tracks, standing not far away. All the farewell words she had wanted to say suddenly seemed unnecessary.
And she felt that although Mr. Liu's realm was higher, he wasn't as handsome as her elder.
She turned and left.
When she reached Gu Mo, Gu Mo gently bumped her shoulder and lowered her voice. "Why do you like that Chen guy? He's obviously inferior to Liu Jinglong in every way. Leaving everything else aside, just in terms of appearance, doesn't he still lose to Liu Jinglong?"
Sui Jingcheng glanced at her and said nothing, but she was fuming inwardly.
What a lovely girl, but such terrible eyes.
In the distance.
Qi Jinglong extended his hand.
Chen Ping'an took out two flasks of wine. They each took one. Together, they faced the river flowing into the sea, each taking small sips.
Chen Ping'an said softly, "What is a strong person? I think it's when every dream deeply buried in your childhood, every boast you made in your youth, is all realized, all comes true. And you can increasingly become more like the people you admired most back then. Qi Jinglong, what do you think?"
Qi Jinglong nodded. "Pretty much."
Chen Ping'an said, "Then the only thing you lack now is a girl you like, and a liking for wine."
Qi Jinglong completely ignored that line and finally answered Chen Ping'an's earlier question. "If I truly face an enemy I can't handle myself, I will call you, Chen Ping'an. But the condition is that you have at least reached the Infant Soul realm, or be a Ninth Realm martial artist. Otherwise, don't blame me for not treating you as a friend."
Chen Ping'an raised his hand, palm open. "A deal?"
Qi Jinglong was momentarily stunned. He had never experienced this before. Mountain cultivation was often about asceticism and a quiet heart. Of course, there were life-and-death bonds forged through battle, but they were usually left unspoken.
This kind of gesture, so full of the mortal world's camaraderie, had never happened to him.
Still, Qi Jinglong raised his hand, a smile spreading across his face. He brought his palm down hard against Chen Ping'an's. "Then it's a deal!"
At the dock, two men who both loved to reason, each holding a flask of wine in one hand, clapped the other in a firm handshake.
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