# Chapter 551: The Real Man Arrives and Knocks on the Gate
An old Daoist priest and a young one spent two snow-flower coins at one end of the long bridge to obtain two pieces of immortal peach-wood plaques.
Zhang Shanfeng asked in a low voice, "Master, is your disguise spell really effective? I feel like there are still plenty of people staring at us. Besides, we're from Prostrate Earth Peak—it's not something to be ashamed of. When I traveled abroad back then, no one ever recognized me as being from Prostrate Earth Peak. Not once was I mistaken for being from Peach Mountain or Pointing to Mystery peaks, not even those senior brothers' peaks. And when I followed your advice and said I was a non-clan Celestial Master from Dragon Tiger Mountain in the Central Continent, even fewer people believed me."
Fire Dragon Real Man smiled faintly. "I imagine your senior brothers' reputations aren't very grand."
Zhang Shanfeng sighed. "I think their Daoist arts are all quite high."
Fire Dragon Real Man chuckled. "And you can tell that from watching them go up the mountain slowly and come down awkwardly every time?"
Zhang Shanfeng nodded vigorously, lowering his voice. "I've heard the mountain nephews mention it a few times. They say the senior brothers and sisters who managed to leave and open their own peaks have realms so high they're terrifying."
Fire Dragon Real Man asked with a grin, "How high is 'terrifying'?"
Zhang Shanfeng shook his head. "Hard to say. Some say they're Golden Core Earth Immortals, others say they should at least be Dragon Gate realm deities."
At this, Zhang Shanfeng spoke earnestly, "Master, I know Prostrate Earth Peak doesn't allow casual talk about realms, but the nephews are still young. Their idle chatter is just childish innocence. You can't take it too seriously and lose your temper at them when we get back. Otherwise, how can I continue to cultivate on Prostrate Earth Peak? They'll all curse me behind my back as the meddlesome junior uncle who can't keep his mouth shut."
Fire Dragon Real Man nodded with a smile.
Zhang Shanfeng still wasn't reassured. "Master, I need a definite promise from you, or I'll worry."
He couldn't help being nervous. Ever since he could remember, he had only seen his master lose his temper once.
One senior brother who had gained permission to leave Prostrate Earth Peak and establish his own peak had gotten into an argument with another senior brother who remained on the peak. For reasons unknown, perhaps because they couldn't settle things through reasoning, one of them had brought up the matter of realm elevation.
Actually, the senior brother who was criticized hadn't even considered it worth worrying about. But unexpectedly, the master, who had been in deep slumber for two or three years, shattered the accumulated snow atop the peak and vanished in a flash, leaving Prostrate Earth Peak.
At the time, Zhang Shanfeng was still a little child, busy having a snowball fight with several other young Daoist boys. They all stared at each other in bewilderment, then went back to their snowball fight. Whether the master was there or not didn't hinder their play. On Prostrate Earth Peak, snowfall was a rare treat—it only happened when the master was asleep. It was more exciting than New Year's.
Only later did Zhang Shanfeng learn that the senior brother who had said the wrong thing was expelled from the sect that very day. At the border of Prostrate Earth Peak's territory, the senior brother knelt for an entire month, kowtowing the whole time, but the master never relented. The other senior brothers all returned to Prostrate Earth Peak but dared not speak. They just stood there, as if their own mistakes were no less grave than their fellow disciple's.
Perhaps because Zhang Shanfeng was young, he was the only disciple who dared to ask about the matter. He was very curious why the master was so angry.
At the time, after all the other disciples had left Prostrate Earth Peak, the master said only two things to Zhang Shanfeng.
"In this world, there is no such thing as an unintentional word. Only deliberate thoughts spoken carelessly."
"To those below the mountain, it doesn't matter. To those above the mountain, it can be deadly—either the cultivator's own life, or the lives of many ordinary mortals below."
Zhang Shanfeng wanted to plead for the senior brother, but Fire Dragon Real Man just shook his head, gently patted the young Daoist's head, and said, "Let it be. Since that senior brother has reached the end of his path on the mountain, let him go cultivate his heart beyond the mountain."
Now on the long bridge, the old Real Man had to give his word. "Very well. Your master will pretend he never heard of this."
Walking on the long bridge, Zhang Shanfeng noticed a sharp-eyed young man in yellow standing not far away, staring blankly. He seemed to be watching the master and disciple, then turned and ran, disappearing in a flash.
Zhang Shanfeng asked in confusion, "Master, what's that about?"
Fire Dragon Real Man chuckled. "I've met him before. Had dealings with him."
Over there, Li Yuan broke into a cold sweat and ran for his life. "Dealings your grandmother! I'm the Water Lord of the River Ji, and you pinned me at the bottom of the great river with your water technique for a whole month back then!"
Fire Dragon Real Man frowned slightly and turned his head to look.
It was Sun Jie, the sect leader, also using a disguise spell.
Sun Jie steeled himself and hurried forward. What choice did he have? If the old Real Man were just passing through the Water Dragon Sect, Sun Jie could have gotten away with not showing up, given the instructions he'd received. But the old Real Man was clearly heading to the Dragon Palace Cave Heaven. If Sun Jie remained in the ancestral hall, it would be a breach of etiquette. Even if the old Real Man scolded him to his face, it would be better than having the Water Dragon Sect lose face.
Fire Dragon Real Man didn't particularly enjoy social niceties, but this was a sect leader after all. A smiling face wasn't met with a fist. So he said, "This poor Daoist is merely visiting with my disciple."
At the same time, he spoke clearly into Sun Jie's mind: "Sect Leader Sun, my disciple is not well acquainted with matters below the mountain. Please be discreet."
Sun Jie immediately understood. He made a Daoist salute and said with a smile, "Greetings to the Real Man."
Fire Dragon Real Man nodded in acknowledgment with a smile.
Zhang Shanfeng was completely in the dark. He didn't even know how to address the other party properly, so he returned the salute. "Junior Zhang Shanfeng greets the senior."
Sun Jie quickly returned the gesture.
As a direct disciple of Fire Dragon Real Man, Zhang Shanfeng deserved a separate salute from the sect leader of Water Dragon Sect.
This made Zhang Shanfeng somewhat flustered, so he hastily and respectfully made another salute.
Fire Dragon Real Man found this a bit exasperating.
Sun Jie himself felt it was awkward, so he dispensed with formalities and simply offered to accompany the Real Man for a stretch.
Whenever Fire Dragon Real Man traveled down the mountain, he always went alone, almost never accompanied by disciples. Neither the unfortunate Grand Purple Cloud Lord who had passed away through dissolution, nor the disciples of Peach Mountain, Pointing to Mystery, and other branch peaks—though their Daoist arts were profound—had ever been said to have traveled the world with the old Real Man who loved to sleep. In fact, Zhang Shanfeng's current journey down the mountain was not much different. For many years, he had traveled alone, enduring hardships, until the later part of his journey when he went south to another continent and his master found him. Then they traveled together through the Central Divine Continent and the South Potala Continent. Before that, regardless of eating, drinking, or sleeping rough in the open, Zhang Shanfeng had been on his own—ostensibly to sharpen his Dao, but in truth, to taste every bitterness.
Sun Jie escorted Fire Dragon Real Man and Zhang Shanfeng to a tavern, then took his leave.
During the walk, Zhang Shanfeng did all the chatting, probably worried that his master wouldn't handle social graces and so the disciple had to act as surrogate.
Just as Sun Jie was about to turn away, Fire Dragon Real Man spoke. "Regarding Li Yuan, this poor Daoist will put in a word for you."
Sun Jie started to bow.
Fire Dragon Real Man waved a hand. "No need."
After the rather courteous senior had gone far away, Zhang Shanfeng said quietly, "Master, you barely paid him any attention."
Fire Dragon Real Man chuckled. "He's not a friend. There's nothing to talk about. And friends aren't made through talk."
A look of nostalgia crossed Fire Dragon Real Man's face. Did he have friends? Of course, and quite a few. Unfortunately, they were all old acquaintances now.
Living too long meant one could only see off friends one by one. Some could be bid farewell face to face, others could not. Being able to or not—it was all sad.
This had nothing to do with the level of one's Daoist arts.
Thus, this disciple of his having met Chen Ping'an, who liked to argue about principles, and Xu Yuanxia, who loved writing travelogues of mountains and rivers—they were good things.
And the fact that both Zhang Shanfeng and Chen Ping'an genuinely respected that bearded wandering knight—that was even better.
Shared ideals, shared hardships—drinking water was sweeter than wine.
Some brotherhoods were mere embroidery on brocade, with knives hidden in the flowers.
But some acts of charcoal in the snow were offered by friends who brought the burning coals themselves. Afterward, they waved their fists and bid farewell, saying only, "It was nothing."
Thirty-four li from the city gate bearing the inscription "River Ji Summer Refuge," Zhang Shanfeng asked, "Master, how did you calculate Chen Ping'an's location?"
The old Real Man said, "That's a difficult matter. But Chen Ping'an has deep ties with you—for instance, that Celestial Master seal, and the ancient sword you carry on your back—both were obtained by him first and given to you as fortuitous opportunities. That gave your master some clues. Moreover, Chen Ping'an happened to be in North Upanishad Continent. If he were on another continent, it would have been even harder for me to divine."
Actually, there was another secret that Fire Dragon Real Man did not reveal to Zhang Shanfeng. Years ago, when they met in that alley in a village southeast of Vase Bottle Continent, the old Real Man had given Chen Ping'an a gift in return—a meeting gift that would help the child walk more steadily on his future martial path. This trivial bond of goodwill wasn't something worth boasting about.
At the entrance to the Dragon Palace Cave Heaven, when they learned they had to pay two small heat coins, Zhang Shanfeng felt the Water Dragon Sect was being a bit shameless.
Gritting his teeth, Zhang Shanfeng reluctantly fished out two small heat coins from his sleeve and handed them to the Water Dragon Sect cultivator guarding the city gate.
As they passed through the gate, Zhang Shanfeng touched the door nails embedded in the red-lacquered gate and turned to say to his master, "Master, do you want to touch them too? Chen Ping'an once told me about many folk customs. Walking off ailments on the city wall, touching the door nails when passing through a gate—all of them drive away filth and bad luck."
Fire Dragon Real Man smiled and shook his head. "Your master will pass."
After passing through the gate tunnel, Zhang Shanfeng saw the nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine white jade steps and exclaimed, "Magnificent! Truly magnificent! This is what an immortal sect of sect-level should look like!"
Their own Prostrate Earth Peak only had a winding, rugged path up the mountain, overgrown with weeds. But there were plenty of wild fruits. Before his journey down the mountain, Zhang Shanfeng often led a crowd of little Daoist boys on mountain expeditions, always returning laden with booty.
Reaching the mountaintop and seeing the sixteen dragon reliefs beneath his feet, Zhang Shanfeng felt even more that the Water Dragon Sect was wealthy beyond measure. Thinking that this immortal sect's splendor was partly thanks to his two small heat coins, he felt a bit pleased.
Fire Dragon Real Man asked with a smile, "Still think a golden nest or silver nest is not as good as your own straw nest?"
Zhang Shanfeng nodded. "Absolutely. Once I've seen Chen Ping'an, I'll go home!"
Sixteen snow-white flood dragons soared through the mist, plunging into the sea of clouds on their way to the Dragon Palace Cave Heaven.
---
Inside the house on Floating Water Island.
Chen Ping'an closed his eyes to rest and think for a long while. Then he took out brush and ink, spread paper, and began to write a reply.
The name "Lotus Root Blessed Land" was good. Let it be named as such.
After the gap in that blessed land was repaired and it was elevated to a medium-grade blessed land, the site selection for future mountain and river deity temples could continue to be secretly surveyed for auspicious geomantic locations. However, Fallen Mountain should not rush to sign any contracts with the South Garden Kingdom's emperor. Let him wait until Chen Ping'an returned to Fallen Mountain, and then he would personally handle it. Until then, no matter how favorable the terms the emperor offered, Zhu Lian should stall.
That Wei Bo's breakthrough in realm was a cause for great celebration. Fallen Mountain needed someone to prepare a congratulatory gift. Chen Ping'an's portion must be an immortal item of Dharma treasure grade. He could temporarily borrow one from Jiang Shangzhen of the True Realm Sect. If Zhu Lian deemed it appropriate, he could even agree to Jiang Shangzhen using his Nascent Soul identity and the alias Zhou Fei to serve as a nominal honored guest of Fallen Mountain, on the condition of one additional Dharma treasure. For the gifts from younger members like Pei Qian, they could be lighter—maybe have Pei Qian copy a festive couplet. Of course, if Pei Qian had a more thoughtful idea on her own, even better.
Regarding Liu Zhongrun, Zhu Lian could summon Lu Baixiang to secretly excavate the Water Hall and Dragon Boat. That would be the best outcome. But before proceeding, they must first notify Cui Dongshan and wait for his explicit reply. Only then could they depart from Great Li. If Cui Dongshan deemed it inadvisable, they should directly refuse Liu Zhongrun. Moreover, they should warn her to abandon the matter completely. Harsh words were fine. Since they had become long-term neighbors on the mountain, it didn't matter whether she listened to some unpleasant truths—it was another matter whether they spoke them.
Chen Ping'an paused his brush at this point, then continued writing.
If Liu Zhongrun insisted on taking risks, Fallen Mountain should withdraw the lease of Turtle's Back. Whatever consequences and compensation for breaking the agreement, Fallen Mountain would bear as much as was due.
Better to sever ties early than to be dragged into trouble by the Hairpin Island cultivators later, suffering undeserved calamity. For Fallen Mountain to sustain long-term growth and steady flow, some choices had to be made. Better to cut ties now, even if Hairpin Island complained about being let down, than to face greater enmity and mutual resentment later. If a complete stalemate occurred, some additional covert compensation would be needed—such as asking Jiang Shangzhen and Guan Yiran to look after Hairpin Island on Letter Bamboo Lake without informing Liu Zhongrun. Fallen Mountain would owe these two significant debts, which could remain outstanding until Chen Ping'an returned to Vase Bottle Continent, when he would find a way to settle them.
Regarding Dong Shuijing, Fallen Mountain should proactively help as much as possible on matters not involving major principles, without calculating gains or losses. However, any help for Dong Shuijing must not in the slightest harm the interests of Guan Yiran, the garrison general of Pool Water City. Zhu Lian needed to think carefully and maintain proper boundaries. As for the personal relationships between Dong Shuijing, Prefect Yuan, and Superintendent Cao, Fallen Mountain should not meddle even a little. But Wei Li, the new provincial governor from the Yellow Court Kingdom, was worth befriending. Zhu Lian would have to gauge the proper closeness himself. As for the newly emerged City God of the province—since the incense child of the City God Pavilion was already familiar with Pei Qian—Chen Ping'an could give Pei Qian a few instructions to continue interacting naturally with the incense child. Beyond that, Fallen Mountain's relationship with this newly emerged City God should exist but remain limited—shallow rather than deep. Anyone who could leap from being a minor local Earth Deity to a provincial City God must have an extremely complicated background. For now, Fallen Mountain should prioritize stability to avoid being caught in any immortals' battles on the Great Li court. The current state of the Great Li central government was bound to be treacherous and dangerous.
As for Fan Er and Sun Jiashu from Old Dragon City, if Zhu Lian had time, he should personally visit them on Chen Ping'an's behalf to express thanks. During that time, if Madame Gui from Osmanthus Island hadn't traveled across continents, Zhu Lian should also proactively visit her. And Ma Zhi, the old gentleman who was the Fan family's Golden Core sword cultivator honored guest—Zhu Lian could bring a flask of wine. The immortal brew buried underground near the bamboo building could yield two jars as a pair to gift to the old gentleman.
As for Liu Zhimao, the honored guest of the True Realm Sect who had broken through to the Jade Essence realm, there was no need to pay attention or send congratulatory gifts.
For Sunrise Mountain and Breeze City's Xu clan, continue to secretly collect any related information through intermediaries.
Additionally, there were twenty-odd other matters, large and small, which Chen Ping'an recorded in this confidential letter. Most were simply reminders for Zhu Lian to handle as he saw fit—Chen Ping'an was merely alerting him of their existence.
For matters that Chen Ping'an had already decided, if Zhu Lian and the other two felt the direction was wrong and needed reconsideration, they could send a letter to Li Liu, because before returning to Vase Bottle Continent, Chen Ping'an would definitely visit Lion Peak first.
Finally, Chen Ping'an did not write a separate letter to Pei Qian. Instead, at the end of the letter, he told her to correspond more with her sister Bao Ping. She should also report safety to Chen Ruchu and Chen Lingjun on his behalf, as well as Zhou Mili and Shi Rou, the shopkeeper of the Year-Pressing Shop on Dragon Riding Alley. Then, rambling on, he instructed Pei Qian not to misbehave at the school. If she temporarily found the teacher's skills lacking, she should learn from the teachers' conduct. If she thought the teachers' character was mediocre, she should only learn the sages' principles from the books.
At the close of this family letter, Chen Ping'an promised Pei Qian that he had agreed to officially promote Zhou Mili, the great water monster of Mute Lake, to Right Protector of Fallen Mountain, under the strong recommendation of his own first disciple. He also permitted Pei Qian to personally announce this to the entire Fallen Mountain.
As he wrote this sentence with a light hand, Chen Ping'an himself didn't realize that his face was full of smiles and his eyes were warm.
After finishing the letter, Chen Ping'an leaned back in his chair, propped his hands behind his head, closed his eyes, and thought of that lotus-faced little figure who was said to still dislike showing himself.
He wondered if the grass and trees beside the mountain paths back home would bloom more luxuriantly next spring than in previous years.
---
Every time the Golden Register Daoist rite concluded, the Dragon Palace Cave Heaven saw more rain.
Chen Ping'an put away his letter, walked out of the house, picked up his oil-paper umbrella, and went out for another stroll.
After the walk, he planned to send the letter to Li Yuan for delivery to Fallen Mountain.
Chen Ping'an walked along the bluestone path where mountain met water on Floating Water Island. Suddenly, he turned to look in one direction. Vaguely, he could see a talisman boat approaching slowly.
In the Dragon Palace Cave Heaven, aside from Li Yuan and the Lady of the South Fragrance Water Hall, he had no acquaintances.
The talisman boat suddenly sped up like a flying sword, drifted onto the lake, and anchored steadily.
Chen Ping'an stared intently, rubbed his eyes, and confirmed he wasn't mistaken.
He quickly activated the jade plaque inscribed "Steep Green, Rain Phase" to lift the mountain-water restrictions of Floating Water Island.
Fire Dragon Real Man had already removed the disguise spells from himself and his disciple. Zhang Shanfeng shouted with laughter, "Chen Ping'an!"
Chen Ping'an asked with a smile, "How did you get here? I was thinking of visiting the River Ji first, then heading to Prostrate Earth Peak to find you."
Zhang Shanfeng strode forward toward Chen Ping'an.
Chen Ping'an handed his oil-paper umbrella to Zhang Shanfeng, then bent at the waist and clasped his fists. "Junior Chen Ping'an greets the Real Man."
"Not so old, not so old. Just Real Man is fine."
Fire Dragon Real Man nodded with a smile at the young man. The moment he stepped off the talisman boat onto Floating Water Island, the rain immediately stopped.
Zhang Shanfeng froze for a moment, then put away the oil-paper umbrella and said cheerfully, "Good omen! Good omen!"
Then Zhang Shanfeng compared heights with Chen Ping'an and asked in surprise, "Chen Ping'an, you've grown that fast?"
Indeed, Chen Ping'an was now about a fist taller than the young Daoist.
In truth, years had passed since their parting and reunion.
Chen Ping'an then found himself in an awkward position. Living alone on Floating Water Island, he had nothing. If it were only Zhang Shanfeng, things would be fine—no need for formality. But with the old Real Man present, it was troublesome. He had wine, but that seemed inappropriate. He also had some small Xuanbi fruit from the Colored Bird Manor, but he was completely useless at brewing tea—he was one hole short of seven holes—and lacked tea sets entirely.
Fire Dragon Real Man sized up the young man and teased, "Walking with a limp? Having trouble?"
Chen Ping'an smiled wryly and nodded.
Under the old Real Man's watchful eyes, Zhang Shanfeng elbowed Chen Ping'an lightly. Chen Ping'an returned the gesture. Back and forth.
Fire Dragon Real Man pretended not to notice as he walked slowly ahead, with the two young men walking beside him.
The old Real Man asked again, "Such a fine literary courage, perfectly suited to your Dao—how did it break? If you'd had the support of metal, water, and earth, you wouldn't be limping up mountains like this."
Hearing this, Zhang Shanfeng immediately stopped his playful jostling.
Chen Ping'an replied, "I encountered some circumstances and couldn't convince my own conscience. Some principles shouldn't only be used to constrain others."
The old Real Man asked with curiosity, "I'm somewhat curious. What principle required such a great price?"
Chen Ping'an hesitated, then gave a rough answer. "Someone I could kill with my own hands a thousand times in ordinary circumstances—precisely that one, I couldn't kill."
The old Real Man hummed. "Once your literary courage shattered, the accumulated moral aura in your body scattered and dissipated. So then what? When will it end?"
Chen Ping'an remained silent.
The old Real Man chuckled. "Have some wine, think it through, and then speak."
Chen Ping'an took down his Sword-Nourishing Gourd. It now held homemade sticky rice wine from his hometown. He took a light sip and handed it to Zhang Shanfeng, who gestured with his eyes to indicate his master was present.
The old Real Man continued, "Your personal bias is so heavy—why exactly couldn't you kill? In my view, even if you hadn't shattered that literary courage, it would have shattered on its own."
Chen Ping'an took another sip of wine.
The old Real Man smiled and extended a hand. "Did you exhaust every scheme, use every skill, bring all your scattered knowledge to bear, just to barely reach today? For example, using the Buddhist method of subduing the heart-monkey, transforming a certain thought into that heart-monkey, locking it in your heart, and regarding the person who deserves death as the intent-horse, imprisoned somewhere in the real world? And as for correcting mistakes, it's even more complicated—mixing Legalist laws, the measures of the School of Techniques, Buddhist conversion, Daoist fasting, and trying to piece them together with Confucian rules to form concrete remedial measures, isn't that so? Hoping that one day, as you and that person correct your mistakes year after year, you can eventually repay this world? If you made one mistake, you compensate with something greater. Over time, you might find some peace of mind. Right or wrong?"
Chen Ping'an's expression darkened. He gripped the Sword-Nourishing Gourd tightly.
The old Real Man nodded but also shook his head. He sighed, "How difficult."
Zhang Shanfeng didn't even dare to breathe.
The old Real Man smiled. "But have you considered what the key is in this trial of conscience?"
He answered his own question. "It's whether you kill the other first, then kill yourself, or kill yourself first, then consider killing the other."
Chen Ping'an stared blankly, lost in thought. He murmured, "How could I not first determine right and wrong before speaking of anything else?"
The old Real Man scoffed. "Then I'll ask you again: why is this person the only one before your fists and your sword that you absolutely cannot kill?"
Chen Ping'an had no answer.
The old Real Man chuckled. "Because you know that as soon as the murderous intent rises, you kill yourself. Before you kill him, you are already dead. Chen Ping'an, is this so hard to understand? You're too clever. Your understanding of the human heart far surpasses your peers. Many subconscious choices you make are entirely in accord with your true nature and have nothing to do with the principles you advocate. Those are your deepest, most fundamental thoughts and cognitions, buried in your heart. They don't require any mental deliberation. So it seems you're unaware, but in truth, it's all real."
Beside him, Zhang Shanfeng found this particularly difficult to understand.
And heartbreaking.
The young Daoist had thought this reunion would bring only joy.
Not these troubles.
Zhang Shanfeng regretted bringing his master to Floating Water Island.
Fire Dragon Real Man shook his head and spoke. "In your view, Chen Ping'an, if you kill this person, your entire life—from child to youth to wandering the world—would die completely. Everyone you know and who knows you, especially those who have already passed away, would seem to die along with it. In the end, isn't this your personal bias at work? You are too afraid of death. Afraid of your own death, and even more afraid of others' hearts dying toward you."
Chen Ping'an stood still. The Sword-Nourishing Gourd fell gently from his hand to the ground.
Fire Dragon Real Man said to Zhang Shanfeng, "Let's continue walking. Let Chen Ping'an think it over. No rush."
Zhang Shanfeng's throat was nearly burning with anxiety.
But the old Real Man shook his head at him, so Zhang Shanfeng clutched the oil-paper umbrella Chen Ping'an had handed him and accompanied his master on their walk.
When they were far away, Zhang Shanfeng looked back worriedly and asked softly, "Master, leaving Chen Ping'an alone like that—is it really all right?"
Fire Dragon Real Man said calmly, "When has Chen Ping'an ever not been alone?"
Zhang Shanfeng was stunned.
The old Real Man chuckled. "I'm not saying Chen Ping'an isn't sincere with you. That's not it. It's just that this boy has been used to it since childhood."
Zhang Shanfeng asked, "Is that a bad thing?"
Fire Dragon Real Man thought for a moment. "That he's been able to come this far means it's not a bad thing—it's a good thing. But if it remains this way after today, then it will be..."
Zhang Shanfeng asked the same question, "A bad thing?"
To his surprise, Fire Dragon Real Man shook his head with a smile. "An even better thing. But he's lacking that one point—if he can't see it through and can't break that bottleneck, then it's a bad thing. That one point—if he can't break through, can't see through, can't acknowledge it—then it becomes a great disaster, the greatest inner demon."
The heart-pass was the gate to the underworld. Outside the gate, people wander, caught between human and ghost. Thus, there are often the living who are ghosts and the dead who are human—hard to distinguish.
For ordinary mortals, it's simpler—just seeking to live and live better. Whether human or ghost, there's no fixed rule. But for cultivators, if the path of the heart is muddy, it leads to disaster.
Zhang Shanfeng scratched his head. "Master, all this twisting and turning—I truly don't understand."
The old Real Man smiled. "Because you don't need to understand. Each person is a different world from another."
Zhang Shanfeng asked, "Master, if you say someone has heavy personal bias, I can't argue. But saying Chen Ping'an has heavy personal bias—I think that's wrong."
The old Real Man shook his head. "It's not a derogatory term. So don't fight his battles for him."
Zhang Shanfeng suddenly stopped. "Master, I'm not going any further. I'll stay here and watch Chen Ping'an. Otherwise, I won't feel at ease."
The old Real Man nodded. "Very good."
Zhang Shanfeng complained, "What's so good about it?"
The old Real Man smiled and continued alone, planning to circle the island once.
The old Real Man was also curious about what answer the young man would ultimately find.
Zhang Shanfeng crouched where he was. Since it wasn't raining, and he had nothing to do, he opened the umbrella and stared at the tiny figure standing by the water in the distance.
Fire Dragon Real Man continued walking, not fast.
Floating Water Island was only thirty or forty li around, so Fire Dragon Real Man eventually approached Chen Ping'an again. Together they gazed at the lake view. Floating Water Island had no rain, but the other islands in the Dragon Palace Cave Heaven were drenched in downpours. Night and rain interwove, rain falling and connecting with the water, blurring the vision.
Chen Ping'an slowly spoke. "Real Man, there's something I've never told anyone."
Fire Dragon Real Man said, "Speak freely. Get it off your chest."
Chen Ping'an took a deep breath. "I've traveled many places in my life, but looking back, I think the greatest trial I faced was actually the most stable leg of my journey—crossing mountains and rivers. It wasn't the Mountain-Moving Ape that almost killed me in my hometown. It wasn't the Lord of Teachings from Azure Underworld, Lu. It wasn't even having my belly pierced by a Swallowing Sword Boat or the endless conspiracies and battles. The most unsettling path I ever walked—I was accompanied by one of the people I respect most. His name is A Liang. He is a swordsman."
Fire Dragon Real Man said calmly, "A child who trembles as he faces an unfamiliar world, forced to speculate about others with the worst intentions, only to discover afterward that his own feelings were so petty. The higher A Liang's swordsmanship, the higher his character, the more he can encompass heaven and earth. The more that child will feel loss and guilt in his future life. It's a completely different state of mind from how he treated Master Qi, whom he regarded as a divine being from the start."
Fire Dragon Real Man said, "Go on. I'll listen and forget. Be open. Let the rain wash the world clear, and examine your conscience."
Chen Ping'an continued, "I only learned later that matters of love and marriage can be manipulated by those at the peaks. So I'm very afraid that the girl I love might not love me as much on her own. I'm very afraid of this."
Here, Chen Ping'an smiled slightly. "But after thinking it over, I still believe she wouldn't. Because she's Ning Yao. In a thousand, ten thousand years, there is only one Ning Yao. So there's no 'what if,' no 'even if'."
Fire Dragon Real Man smiled. "And more?"
Chen Ping'an said, "I'm very afraid of becoming like that little snot-nosed brat—becoming the kind of person I hated most back then. So I've always been afraid of becoming a 'mountain person.' At first, when I saw the elegance of sword immortals, I admired them. But as I traveled far and wide and saw more human suffering, I grew more and more repulsed by those so-called feats—cutting off a mountain with one sword, destroying a city with one fist. But later, I figured it out on my own. I didn't need to fear this. If I reached the peak in strength and my cultivation of the heart kept pace, I could make those mountain people who only seek their own pleasure find no pleasure at all—and that would be my pleasure."
Fire Dragon Real Man clicked his tongue. "This is the first time I, as an 'old Real Man,' have heard this argument. It has some bite. Not bad, not bad."
Chen Ping'an laughed. "In that trial of conscience, it took the Real Man's insight for me to admit my personal bias. Before that, I always deliberately complicated the world's workings in my mind, making them darker and more chaotic. Toward myself, I subconsciously thought that shattering my literary courage meant I didn't have to dig deeper. That was really a form of retreat. As the Real Man said, it's personal bias at play. Having such heavy personal bias isn't terrifying. What's terrifying is acting on that bias without knowing it. Once you know, there's nothing to fear. When things have reached their worst, as long as I still have the spirit to lift myself up, no matter how hard, things will improve."
The old Real Man shook his head. "Not enough."
"I hold grudges. There are quite a few people I want to kill but can't. I can only endure. But I'm not afraid to wait. What I fear is waiting too long and finding that my principles have changed, that I've lost the reason to kill. So I always hope that before new principles emerge, I will have the power to kill!"
Chen Ping'an thought for a moment before continuing, "And I've always been the most timid. As a child, I feared ghosts. After my parents died, it wasn't that I stopped fearing ghosts—I just found another way to escape. My best friend Liu Xianyang knows that when I was an apprentice at the Dragon Kiln, my greatest fear was falling ill. In those days, before I'd even started boxing or cultivation, I was already trying my hardest to catch every trace in the small world of my body. I began trying to connect the two worlds—the macrocosm of heaven and earth and the microcosm of the human body—through the subtleties of the four seasons and solar terms. That's why Liu Xianyang said back then that I had the fate of a poor servant girl but the mind of a noble young lady."
"It wasn't only after leaving home that I became cautious. To seek justice and revenge for my parents, I started disguising myself from a very young age. In the neighborhood, I had to appear as a grateful child, making everyone feel I would cause them no trouble at all. I wouldn't steal or rob. I absolutely would not become a troublemaker around Mud Vase Alley or a cursed seed in the old folks' mouths. Because I knew that if I lost certain protections, I would surely not survive. Even when I was very young, just learning to understand things, I learned how to please everyone around me. I would often stare blankly at the medicine pot that no longer needed to boil herbs. After staring long enough, I understood that I had to learn to master the right temperature. So I secretly swept the snow from the alleys in winter. I knew that if I did it once or twice, no one would see, but if I did it ten or a hundred times, someone would notice. I helped old people carry water. I helped other children climb trees to retrieve kites. I lent a hand at weddings and funerals. I helped as much as I could with others' farm work. I couldn't let them think the child named Chen Ping'an from Mud Vase Alley was clever, that he had already thought of all this and did so many things for show. They had to think that child was truly 'good.' Before becoming an apprentice at the Dragon Kiln, I was already doing all this. It became habit. Even as an apprentice, I continued. And so, up to today, standing on this Floating Water Island in North Upanishad Continent, I can't help but wonder: Chen Ping'an, what kind of person are you? Are you truly a good person? Earlier, at a City God temple, I observed a night trial. The City God said, 'Deliberate good deeds, though good, are not rewarded.' That made me very uneasy. At the Water-Land rite and the Grand Cosmic Offering on Letter Bamboo Lake, and more recently the Golden Register Daoist rite at the Dragon Palace Cave Heaven, Li Yuan spoke of 'celestial resonance and spiritual communication.' I heard it, and I felt even more uneasy."
Fire Dragon Real Man patiently listened to the young man's rambling and then asked, "Chen Ping'an, is there anyone or anything you consider absolute and unquestionable?"
Chen Ping'an nodded. "Of course. For example, my parents were good people. In this life, I will only love Ning Yao. I want Master Qi to see more of the world's landscapes. I want to become a swordsman like A Liang! I've met many truly good people. I don't want my cultivation to be only my own concern. I hope that when I see injustices that others dare not speak of, I can throw punches and draw swords without hesitation, knowing I am right. I hope that principles are principles—not something to be used when convenient and shelved when useless. I hope that all the weak in the world can speak their anger, and the strong are willing to respect others."
Chen Ping'an paused, then said slowly, "I also hope that all the Chen Ping'ans who grew up in Mud Vase Alley can be truly good people without having to scheme so much."
Fire Dragon Real Man asked, "Then finally, I ask you: Has your true nature become clear? Who is Chen Ping'an of Mud Vase Alley?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head. "It seems there is no answer."
The old Real Man chuckled. "Then do you still need to think? If you keep thinking, when will it end?"
It was the same old question.
Going around and around, like the Real Man walking a full circle around Floating Water Island and coming back.
But don't underestimate that circle.
Daoism values returning to simplicity.
Seeking the truth.
Chen Ping'an tucked his hands into his sleeves and stared into the distance. After a long silence, he smiled and spoke words that were both an answer and not an answer.
After hearing it, Fire Dragon Real Man nodded. He didn't think the young man was brushing him off. Someone as clever as Chen Ping'an could easily deceive others. Deceiving himself was the hard part.
So the old Real Man felt a little emotional. He thought, "Sure enough, Literary Sage Old Master's ability to choose disciples is as good as my own."
Fire Dragon Real Man asked, "As for your third life-bound object, do you have any ideas yet?"
Chen Ping'an nodded. "Yes."
Fire Dragon Real Man asked, "Do you need a hand from this poor Daoist?"
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Yes."
Fire Dragon Real Man nodded. "Easily said."
Clean and decisive—a Q&A without any fuss.
The old Real Man patted the young man's shoulder. "Go on. Catch up with Shanfeng. I'll enjoy the view here a little longer."
Chen Ping'an took his leave and went.
The old Real Man stood still.
Fire Dragon Real Man sighed softly.
He recalled Chen Ping'an's earlier reply.
What a line: "I have wrestled with myself for long, and I would rather be myself."