Chapter 556: What Moves One Most on the Mountain
Yuan Lai actually preferred reading to practicing martial arts. It wasn't that he couldn't endure hardship or pain, but simply that he wasn't as obsessed with the martial way as his sister.
Following their master Lu Baixiang, they once again arrived at this dilapidated mountain. He and his sister still hadn't managed to have their names recorded in the ancestral hall registers, because that young mountain master was away from the mountain again. Yuan Lai didn't think much of it, but his sister Yuan Bao was actually quite indignant, always feeling that their master had been slighted. Yuan Lai spent his days practicing punches and walking the stance drills, sparring with his sister in techniques, and whenever he had free time, he would read books. Yuan Bao wasn't happy about this. She had found Yuan Lai privately and given him a lecture about how since they had found such a master, they absolutely had to cherish their good fortune. Yuan Lai listened and took it to heart, but he still wanted to state his own reasoning. However, looking at his sister's stern face and the wooden staff she was gripping tightly, he didn't dare speak.
That wooden staff was their father's only remaining possession—he had been an escort guard. In Yuan Bao's eyes, this was the heirloom of the Yuan family, rightfully meant to be passed to Yuan Lai. But she felt that Yuan Lai was too soft, had no bloodthirstiness since childhood, and wasn't worthy of holding that wooden staff.
Yuan Bao, of course, preferred a real sect that was both lively and strict in its rules. This place had once been the lair of a rogue martial arts sect from the Zhu Ying dynasty. Their master had first gathered a band of border bandits and horse thieves, and later, many unusual individuals who had changed their names drifted in. Some old men were full of scholarly refinement, able to leisurely enjoy coarse food and inferior wine. Some young disciples in plain clothes would frown at rich meals, hesitating for a long time before they would pick up their chopsticks. Some silent, taciturn men would weep at the sight of a saber.
Yuan Lai liked the Fallen Mountain.
Because on Fallen Mountain, there was a girl named Cen Yuanji.
Like his sister Yuan Bao, she trained diligently in boxing, but she was prettier than his sister, and also gentle.
He knew that Cen Yuanji would walk the steps of Fallen Mountain twice every day, morning and evening, so he would time it right, going early to stroll around the mountain god shrine at the peak, then sitting on the steps to read.
Tonight, under the moonlight, Yuan Lai was sitting at the top of the steps reading. In about half an hour, that girl Cen would be climbing to the peak while practicing her punches. She usually rested for about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense before heading back down. Occasionally, Cen would ask him what he was reading. Yuan Lai would then recite the well-prepared speech he had in mind, telling her the book's title, where he bought it, and what it was about. Cen Yuanji was never annoyed. When she listened to him speak, she would focus on him with rapt attention. Those eyes of hers—Yuan Lai would glance at them and not dare to look again, yet he couldn't help but take another look.
Cen Yuanji's eyes were the bright moon.
There was only one bright moon in the world, and anyone who looked up could see it. It wasn't rare.
But the moonlight reflected in Cen Yuanji's eyes could only be seen by Yuan Lai alone, when he gently looked upon her.
Tonight, for some unknown reason, there was another elder sister beside Cen Yuanji. Together, they were practicing the basic entry-level stance drills and climbing the mountain together.
Yuan Lai felt a bit embarrassed, restless and uncomfortable, worried that the outspoken elder sister would scold him in front of Cen Yuanji for not attending to his proper duties. If that happened, would Cen Yuanji still be willing to ask him what he was reading in the future?
Yuan Bao and Cen Yuanji reached the mountain peak together, stopped their boxing stances, and the two girls, each with their own charms, chatted and laughed. But if one were to be particular, Cen Yuanji was still more beautiful.
Yuan Bao and Cen Yuanji had privately sparred before, each winning and losing. Neither had been training in boxing for long, so they had made an agreement that in the future, they would both break through to the legendary Golden Body Realm together.
Yuan Lai sat not far away, neither able to read nor willing to leave. His face was slightly flushed. He only dared to prick up his ears, listening to Cen Yuanji's crisp and pleasant voice, which was enough to satisfy him.
The two young maidens sat side by side. Yuan Bao spoke of their master's profound martial arts, his astonishing talent, and his mastery of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.
Cen Yuanji then talked about all the good things about Old Mister Zhu—his kindness, his amiable nature, and how he could cook a whole table of delicious dishes.
Yuan Lai looked down and saw three little girls. The leader, who was relatively the tallest, was a very strange girl named Pei Qian, exceptionally rambunctious. In front of her master and the senior Zhu Lian, she never held back her words and was extremely bold. Later, Yuan Lai asked his master and learned that this Pei Qian was the founding disciple of that young mountain master and had left their hometown with the master and the other three, traveling a very long way from Tongye Prefecture to arrive at Fallen Mountain in Bottle Gourd Prefecture.
There was also that little girl in a pink dress who could always produce a handful of melon seeds. Fallen Mountain didn't yet have a proper ancestral hall building, but it already had its own registry. In the registry, her name was Chen Ruchu, but she also said she could be called Nuan Shu. She carefully explained that it came from the phrase "Nuan lv qian cui, you gu xuan he, huang li pian pian, zha qian fang shu" — "Warm rhythms subtly urge, secluded valleys are warm and harmonious, orioles flutter lightly, suddenly moving to fragrant trees." She took the first and last characters of this line to form her name. Additionally, there was that little girl in black clothes carrying a walking staff. She was a bit simple and naive. The first time they met, she asked him if he had heard of the Mute Lake in Northern Juzhou and if he knew there was a big water monster in that lake.
When Cen Yuanji saw Pei Qian, she felt a bit intimidated.
Yuan Bao wasn't too keen on interacting with this little faction on Fallen Mountain. Chen Ruchu was fine, a very well-behaved child. But the other two, Yuan Bao really couldn't like them. She always felt they were like children whose heads had been caught in a door panel, always doing things that made no sense. Fallen Mountain plus Riding Dragon Lane didn't have many people, yet there were already three factions. The great steward Zhu Lian, the Great Li Northern Peak True Deity Wei Bo, and the gatekeeper Zheng Dafeng formed one faction. After spending time with them, Yuan Bao felt that these three were all extraordinary.
Pei Qian and the other children barely counted as a small faction.
The manager of the New Year's Money Shop on Riding Dragon Lane, Shi Rou, seemed quite close to the trio from the Herb Shop.
That Chen Lingjun, who liked to wear green clothes, preferred to be alone and didn't belong to any faction.
Yuan Bao had asked Cen Yuanji about that young mountain master. Cen Yuanji couldn't say much either, only that he wasn't a bad person, didn't put on airs as a mountain master, liked to be a hands-off boss, was away traveling most of the year, and only knew to let Old Mister Zhu manage all the big and small affairs, toiling away.
Pei Qian also couldn't find common ground to talk with Yuan Bao and Yuan Lai, the siblings. She took Chen Ruchu and Zhou Mili to play outside the mountain god shrine. If not for outsiders like Yuan Bao and Cen Yuanji being present, the "Golden Head Mountain God" Song Yuzhang, as he was sarcastically called by his fellow mountain and river deities, would also show up and listen to Pei Qian tell interesting stories about mountains and rivers that she had heard from the old cook and Pi Yun Mountain. Song Yuzhang would also chat about trivial matters from when he was alive and serving as the Dragon Kiln Supervisor. Pei Qian loved hearing those little details.
A bit further away from Yuan Bao and the other two, Zhou Mili suddenly stood on tiptoe and whispered in Pei Qian's ear, "I think that girl named Yuan Bao is a bit silly."
Pei Qian widened her eyes and said, "As the Right Protector of Fallen Mountain, how can you gossip about others behind their backs?!"
Zhou Mili looked disheartened.
Pei Qian grinned and said, "Whether she's silly or not, do I need you to tell me? As long as we know it in our hearts, that's enough."
Zhou Mili's face broke into a smile.
Pei Qian reached out and patted Zhou Mili's little head. She bent slightly, her gaze kind, and asked, "You eat so many grains of rice every day, bowl after bowl, why aren't you growing taller?"
Zhou Mili stood on tiptoe and puffed out her chest.
Pei Qian gently pressed Zhou Mili back down and comforted her, "Ambition doesn't depend on height."
Zhou Mili laughed heartily.
Pei Qian reached out with both hands, grabbed Zhou Mili's cheeks, and with a smack, closed the mouth of the big water monster from Mute Lake. She reminded her, "Mili, now that you're the Right Protector of our Fallen Mountain, everyone from the mountain god Lord Song up there to Zheng Dafeng at the foot, and even the two big shops on Riding Dragon Lane, all know about your position. You've gained quite a reputation. The higher the position, the more you need to reflect on yourself every day. You can't let your little tail stick up, and you can't bring shame to my master. Got it?"
Chen Ruchu looked toward the gray, hazy mountain to the north. It also belonged to their sect and was enormous. Currently, the Turtle Fish's Back had been leased to the Pearl Hairpin Island of the Book-Scallop Sea.
Chen Ruchu said softly, "It seems Master Zhu will be away for a long time this time."
Pei Qian nodded. "He has to go to many places. I've heard the farthest is the Old Dragon City at the southernmost tip of our Bottle Gourd Prefecture."
Pei Qian pulled a money pouch from her sleeve and said, "I told you about that Aunt Gui who gave me this money pouch. She's a senior immortal from Old Dragon City. She has a particularly beautiful smile."
Zhou Mili asked, "Can I take a look?"
Pei Qian handed it over. "Don't mess around inside. Everything in here is priceless treasure."
Zhou Mili took the money pouch. "It's really heavy."
Pei Qian twitched the corner of her mouth and snorted, "This is what you call assets!"
Pei Qian jumped up onto the railing at the mountain peak and imitated her master, slowly throwing punches, fluid as flowing clouds and water.
Each time she suddenly paused and flicked her sleeve, it sounded like muffled thunder.
A slight stamp of her foot made the entire railing shake and the dust immediately scatter.
Unfortunately, the three people on the stone steps had already gone down the mountain.
A group was on the Niujiao Mountain immortal ferry, having just left the territory of the former Great Li empire, heading toward the central region of Bottle Gourd Prefecture.
Nowadays, the entire Bottle Gourd Prefecture actually belonged to the Song family.
Liu Zhongrun had covered her face with a woman's skin mask handed to her by Zhu Lian. It was of average looks. She sat in front of the dressing table in the room, gently stroking her temple with her finger, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
But thinking of this treasure hunt, she was still uneasy. After all, the Water Hall and the Dragon Boat—as a former princess who ruled behind the curtain in her lost kingdom—finding them would be easy. The real trouble was how to bring them back to Dragon Spring Commandery. However, since Zhu Lian had said that the wise hermit had his own clever plans, Liu Zhongrun would just take it step by step and trust that the bookkeeper of Green Gorge Island, since he was willing to entrust the power of Fallen Mountain to this man, was not the type to be a boastful braggart.
In Lu Baixiang's room, Zhu Lian sat cross-legged. On the table were a jug of wine, a porcelain cup, and a plate of soybeans. He sipped slowly.
Lu Baixiang sat opposite him, not intending to drink.
Cui Dongshan's reply letter had mentioned Wei Xian, saying that this fellow had started as a camp-following cultivator, assisting a substantive military officer named Cao Jun, and had accumulated considerable military merit. He had already received a martial honorary title from the Great Li court, and if he later transferred to a civil official position, he would have a stepping stone.
The four members of the Lotus Flower Blessed Land scroll now each had their own paths under their feet.
Wei Xian joined the army, Sui Youbian cultivated at the Jade Gui Sect in Tongye Prefecture, becoming a Daoist cultivator. Lu Baixiang established a sect in the martial world. Only Zhu Lian remained on Fallen Mountain.
Previously, when Lu Baixiang received a secret letter from Zhu Lian, he immediately prepared three mountain treasures and a chest of immortal money. These were the ransom payments from several groups of refugees from the fallen Zhu Ying dynasty. But when Chen Ping'an's letter arrived at Fallen Mountain from the Dragon Palace Cave Heaven, Zhu Lian not only refused to accept Lu Baixiang's hard-earned savings but instead gave Lu Baixiang ten Grain Rain coins. However, he also instructed Lu Baixiang that when creating his sect, it was fine to gather various forces, but it was best not to get involved in the restoration attempts of those remaining old-timers and young heirs. The Great Li Iron Cavalry's next move would certainly target these remnants who sought to revive a dead cause. Chen Ping'an's letter only offered suggestions, not orders on how Lu Baixiang should act.
Lu Baixiang was present when they discussed the treasure hunt with Liu Zhongrun, but Zhu Lian was the one pulling the strings.
Zhu Lian aimed to achieve three things at once.
To help Fallen Mountain determine whether Liu Zhongrun and Pearl Hairpin Island were worth becoming long-term allies.
To have Pearl Hairpin Island owe Fallen Mountain a considerable favor.
To have Liu Zhongrun owe Chen Ping'an, the young mountain master, a ten percent share.
Of course, neither Fallen Mountain nor Chen Ping'an and Zhu Lian would be greedy about these favors. If Liu Zhongrun and Pearl Hairpin Island showed their gratitude in the future, Fallen Mountain would find ways to return the favor in other matters.
It was believed that Liu Zhongrun still wasn't quite aware that whether the direct disciples of Pearl Hairpin Island could continue to cultivate on Turtle Fish's Back depended on her single thought.
If she were blinded by greed and insisted on taking risks after learning of the hidden dangers of the treasure hunt, then the situation wouldn't be what it is now.
Lu Baixiang asked with a smile, "If Liu Zhongrun made the wrong choice, you, Zhu Lian, would have done something superfluous, wouldn't that be asking for trouble? If your test showed that Liu Zhongrun isn't a suitable ally, then those Water Hall and Dragon Boat, which should have been Fallen Mountain's for the taking, would you still take them or not? If you don't take them, you'll have lost a fifty percent share for nothing. If you do take them, you'll have to deepen your relationship with Liu Zhongrun and Pearl Hairpin Island, and Fallen Mountain will have endless troubles."
Zhu Lian picked up a few golden, crispy soybeans, tossed them into his mouth, and crunched them loudly. He said with a grin, "If? But there is no such 'if' now, is there?"
Lu Baixiang shook his head, clearly not approving of Zhu Lian's method.
If he were the one managing this matter, after Cui Dongshan's letter arrived at Fallen Mountain, the outcome would have been decided. At least one of the Water Hall or Dragon Boat would have been cleanly transported to Fallen Mountain. As for other matters, Liu Zhongrun and the Pearl Hairpin Island cultivators' right or wrong in the future would be trivial. Because Lu Baixiang firmly believed that Fallen Mountain's rapid development would soon make all Pearl Hairpin Island cultivators look up to it in awe, not daring to make mistakes. Even if they committed what they thought were huge errors, they would only be small mistakes that he, Lu Baixiang, could easily smooth over.
Zhu Lian raised his cup and took a sip of wine, slurping it with a look of utter bliss. He picked up a soybean, squinted, and said, "Go on and be your demonic sect leader in peace. Don't worry yourself over these petty soybean matters for my sake."
Lu Baixiang asked with a smile, "Why didn't you tell Chen Ping'an directly that Pei Qian voluntarily went to the bamboo building to practice boxing? Since you thought it was a big deal, why did you allow Old Senior Cui to torment Pei Qian's mind like that? Aren't you afraid that going too far would lead to the opposite result, causing Pei Qian's martial arts path to hit a dead end early on?"
Zhu Lian set down the cup he had raised halfway and said seriously, "When Cui Cheng throws a punch, is it just to temper a martial artist's physique? If the punch doesn't land on Pei Qian's heart, what's the point?"
Zhu Lian sneered, "A martial arts prodigy like that Pei girl—who can't teach her? Who can't teach her well? I, Zhu Lian, can. You, Lu Baixiang, can. Even Cen Yuanji could probably teach her. As long as Pei Qian wants to practice boxing, she'll learn quickly, so quickly that her teacher wouldn't believe it. But if you're asking who can teach her to become the best in the world? You and I can't. Even the young master can't!"
Zhu Lian gently raised his arm and clenched his fist. "This punch must strike down both her physical body and her mental state until only a single thread of life remains, and everything else dies. She must accept her fate and admit defeat, but she must still be able to stand up using that last breath. Even if she loses, she must take another punch, and in doing so, she will have defeated herself. Pei Qian herself doesn't understand this principle. It was my young master's words and deeds that taught her, from things beyond books. It landed solidly in her heart, bloomed, and bore fruit. Cui Cheng happens to understand this well and can do it. Can you, Lu Baixiang, do it? To put it bluntly, Pei Qian doesn't think you're qualified to teach her boxing. That girl will just play dumb, smile, and ask, 'Who are you? What's your realm? Are you a Martial Artist of the eleventh realm? If you are, why don't you go punch open the sky? Why are you showing off in front of me, Pei Qian?'"
At the end, Zhu Lian laughed to himself and drained his cup.
Lu Baixiang nodded with a smile.
That was an extremely clever and perceptive little girl.
Zhu Lian laughed again. "You think she knows what realm Cui Cheng is in? Pei Qian doesn't know shit. She only knows one thing: that her master's punches were forged by that old man Cui Cheng, one punch at a time. So, of all the people in the world who could teach her boxing, other than her master, who is the ultimate authority, only that old man in the second-floor building is somewhat qualified. Anyone else, no matter what realm they are, it won't do in Pei Qian's eyes."
Zhu Lian extended a finger and casually drew a circle on the table. "Inside this circle, Pei Qian's words and actions have no taboos."
Lu Baixiang asked, "What if one day Pei Qian's martial arts realm surpasses her master's? Would she still be able to control her temperament?"
Zhu Lian snorted contemptuously. "My young master figured this out hundreds of years ago. Do you, an outsider, need to worry about it? Do you think it's like teaching those siblings boxing—so effortless? Toss out a few stances and techniques, let them practice, and if you're in a good mood, feed them a few punches and be done with it? Lu Baixiang, it's not that I look down on you, but if things keep going like this, if Yuan Bao and Yuan Lai ever manage to box themselves to death, you, as their master, should be burning incense to thank the heavens."
Lu Baixiang was unfazed.
Zhu Lian shook his head. "Those two poor kids are unlucky to have a teacher who never considered martial arts as his lifelong pursuit. When the teacher himself isn't pure, how can the disciples seek a pure fist intent?"
Lu Baixiang asked with a smile, "If the day ever comes when these siblings need to seek life in death, could you do me a favor and lend a hand?"
Zhu Lian chuckled. "It's too early to say how Yuan Bao will turn out. But if Yuan Lai wants to break through a major bottleneck, I do have a clever plan."
Lu Baixiang said, "Those three mountain treasures, I'll give them to you as a personal gift. Whatever you do with them, Zhu Lian—whether you add them to Fallen Mountain's household or keep them for yourself—I don't care."
Zhu Lian took a sip of wine. "Is that settled?"
Lu Baixiang nodded.
Zhu Lian then gave his answer. "In the future, have Pei Qian beat Cen Yuanji half to death in front of Yuan Lai. Isn't that it?"
Lu Baixiang laughed heartily.
Zhu Lian pushed the plate of remaining soybeans toward Lu Baixiang. "I always feel guilty making money off my own people. Fortunately, Sect Leader Lu is generous and gives me a chance to rob Peter to pay Paul. I'll take one of those treasures out later and give it to Chen Lingjun. This past year, it's been a handful of Snow Flower coins today, a piece of Lesser Heat coin tomorrow. He's almost gambled himself clean from playing chess."
Lu Baixiang recalled that little boy in green clothes who strutted around every day and said with a smile, "More concerned about saving face than comfort."
But Zhu Lian said, "Wanting to keep some face is a good thing."
Lu Baixiang looked at this fellow with a meaningful expression.
Zhu Lian said matter-of-factly, "It's Great Mountain God Wei who has no shame. What does that have to do with me?"
Lu Baixiang smiled and reached out to pick up a soybean.
Zhu Lian suddenly changed his tune. "That's not fair of me to say. If we're really being particular, Brother Dafeng has the thickest skin. Brother Wei and I are actually quite thin-skinned. We're ashamed every day."
A white-robed deity with gold rings in his ears appeared behind Zhu Lian, a charming smile on his face. He placed a hand on Zhu Lian's shoulder and lightly set down a landscape painting on the table, about the size of a calligraphy practice sheet. In the painting, a stooped man sat on a small stool at a mountain gate, basking in the sun and picking his toes. He raised his middle finger at Zhu Lian. Zhu Lian let out an "Aiyowei," leaned forward onto the table, quickly raised his wine jug, and said with an ingratiating smile, "Brother Dafeng is here too! A day apart feels like three autumns. Your little brother has missed you terribly. Come, come, let's take this opportunity to have a good drink together."
Zheng Dafeng kept his middle finger up, as if he had said, "Get lost."
Zhu Lian pretended not to see or hear and turned to complain to Wei Bo, "Why didn't you use your divine powers to send Brother Dafeng a jug of wine?"
Wei Bo flicked his sleeve, and a jug of wine flew from Fallen Mountain to land on Zheng Dafeng's head. Zheng Dafeng caught it with one hand.
Zhu Lian held the painting in one hand and the wine jug in the other as he stood up and walked away. He drank as he walked, reminiscing with Zheng Dafeng. The two brothers, separated by thousands of miles of mountains and rivers, each took a drink.
Lu Baixiang smiled and gestured for the mountain god to sit down.
Wei Bo didn't leave, but he didn't sit either. He placed a hand on the armrest of the chair and said, "A close neighbor is better than a distant relative. I need to visit the Central Peak Mountain Lord. We're going the same way."
Lu Baixiang asked doubtfully, "Doesn't that violate the rules of mountains and rivers?"
Generally speaking, the true mountain lord deities of the Five Peaks in a secular dynasty wouldn't casually meet up.
Wei Bo smiled. "There have been three nighttime roaming banquets. The borderlands of the Central Peak Mountain Lord's domain and my Northern Peak territory overlap a lot. It's proper for me to attend at least one. Since the other party is busy, I'll just visit in person. Also, Wu Yuan, the former local magistrate of Dragon Spring Commandery, is now serving as a commandery governor near the foot of the Central Peak. I can go and catch up. There's also a Mr. Xu from the Mohist school, who is now neighboring the Central Peak Mountain Lord. I'm an old acquaintance of Mr. Xu from the previous night banquet. Mr. Xu sent someone to give a gift to Pi Yun Mountain, so I should go thank him in person."
Lu Baixiang nodded. That reasoning made sense.
The Great Li Iron Cavalry had marched south, destroying countless vassal dynasties and prohibiting thousands of large and small illicit shrines across the land, smashing innumerable divine statues.
And Wei Bo, the Northern Peak Deity, was the only true mountain lord deity who had received over a hundred Gold Essence Coins as a gift from the Great Li Ministry of Revenue.
The other four new mountain lords of Bottle Gourd Prefecture had not yet received this honor.
In his own room, Zhu Lian and Zheng Dafeng each drank their wine. Even though the ferry was still within the Northern Peak territory, this landscape painting created by Wei Bo couldn't last much longer.
Zhu Lian asked, "Something on your mind?"
Zheng Dafeng nodded. "Old Man Cui suddenly wants to take Pei Qian on a trip to the Lotus Flower Blessed Land. I didn't say no, but I didn't agree immediately either. I just said that Wei Bo wasn't on Pi Yun Mountain right now, and even with that Tongye Parasol, they couldn't get in."
Zhu Lian thought for a moment and said seriously, "The later you agree, the better. You have to stall until the young master returns to Fallen Mountain. If they go through with this, that old man's last bit of spirit will be completely exhausted."
Zheng Dafeng scratched his head and sighed. "Does he have to see Chen Ping'an one last time? I feel like it would just add to the sorrow of parting. Old Master Cui deliberately chose this time to speak up, and he has his own wishes in it."
Zhu Lian said helplessly, "It's better to meet one last time."
Zheng Dafeng asked, "What about that little 'loss-maker'?"
Zhu Lian shook his head. "Don't mention a word of it."
Zheng Dafeng sat on his small stool, looking at the mountain gate not far away. Spring was warm and the sun was gentle. He drank his wine, savoring the special flavor.
What moves one most on the mountain? In February, apricot blossoms bloom one after another.
Limping all the way to the summit, he gazed east at the small town and north at the commandery city. There were also sparse lights from the third watch accompanying the moonlight.
Zheng Dafeng liked to pass his days in such simple, unadorned ways, day after day.
And he looked forward to Fallen Mountain in the future, with more people living there.
If there were more graceful women, that would be even better, of course.
Zhu Lian laughed. "Keep a close eye on things up on the mountain."
Zheng Dafeng raised his wine jug and pointed toward the mountain gate. "Isn't that what I'm doing? If even a female fly sneaks up the mountain, you can call me Zheng Dafeng a slacker!"
In the immortal cave dwelling of Lion Peak.
Chen Ping'an was lying in a small boat, covered in blood and barely alive. Li Er punted the boat back to the dock. "Your punches are fast enough, but you're lacking in power. I guess it's because you used to focus too much on finishing things in one punch. Fights between martial artists sound exciting, but they're not that simple. Don't always think you can decide life and death in two or three punches. Once things get bogged down, you'll be on a downhill slope the whole time. How can that work?"
Chen Ping'an nodded slightly to show he understood.
In fact, after the first round of feeding punches, Li Er had noticed the flaw in Chen Ping'an's fist intent. In the second round, he let Chen Ping'an throw a hundred punches first without retaliating, then threw just one punch himself, not too hard. The only requirement was that Chen Ping'an must not fall down. After that, Chen Ping'an's pure true qi could not drop, and in the next hundred punches, his fist intent could not diminish too much. If Li Er deliberately revealed a flaw and Chen Ping'an couldn't muster his strength to follow it up with a swift punch, then Li Er would not hold back. That single punch, if it landed, would make even a Far Traveling Realm martial artist wish they were dead.
Today was the third round of feeding punches. Li Er changed tactics again. They each threw punches, Chen Ping'an at full strength, Li Er at half force. When he stopped his punch, he asked Chen Ping'an how many times he had died.
After Chen Ping'an gave the exact answer, Li Er nodded and said it was correct, then rewarded him with a Tenth Realm punch that sent him flying from one end of the mirror surface to the other. He said, "In a life-or-death battle, if you can't forget about life and death, and instead try to remember all these useless things, you're just asking for death." Fortunately, this punch, like the last one, only hit Chen Ping'an on the shoulder. Soaking in the medicinal bath, regrowing flesh from white bones was nothing compared to the pain of mending crushed bones. During this time, a pure martial artist had to be able to steady their mind and deliberately amplify their perception to deeply feel the growth of bones, flesh, and tendons. Only then could they be considered to have a slight mastery of the basics.
A crude thatched hut had been built at the dock, and Chen Ping'an was now recovering there.
Li Er felt that he was still holding back with his feeding punches. He didn't want to hit Chen Ping'an so hard that it would take days to recover. Every day, even after Chen Ping'an was healed, he was left with some "leftover" pain. In the next round of feeding punches, the injuries were added on top of old ones. Li Er demanded that each time Chen Ping'an maintain his fist intent. This was equivalent to forcing him to use a gradually damaged martial artist's physique to maintain his peak fist intent without any decline.
Li Er didn't say what would happen if he couldn't do it.
But Chen Ping'an managed it anyway.
There aren't that many complicated things in the world.
As for whether such feeding punches would work for others, Li Er never bothered to think about such questions.
Firstly, he didn't feel like teaching. Secondly, if he threw the same punch at someone else, Chen Ping'an could take it without much issue and wouldn't delay the next round of feeding punches. An ordinary person would just die, so why bother teaching?
Li Er didn't praise Chen Ping'an for doing well or poorly.
In the end, however many punches he could take was Chen Ping'an's own ability.
Li Er punted the boat to the dock, and Chen Ping'an struggled to his feet.
Li Er said that the feeding punches were over for now. Haste makes waste, so there was no need to seek more and heavier punches. They would resume in a few days.
Besides, he had to go down the mountain to check on the shop.
Chen Ping'an asked if he could go down to the foot of the mountain to stay for a day or two after he recovered.
Li Er smiled and said, "What's there to say yes or no to? Consider it your own home."
Li Er went down the mountain first.
Chen Ping'an crouched by the dock, enduring pain that was not only from the physical injuries but also from the turmoil in his soul. He gently slapped the bow of the boat, and the small boat abruptly sank into the water, then burst out to the surface with a bang. In that one dip and rise, the blood in the boat was washed clean.
Only then did he head to the thatched hut. He still had to fetch water and boil it. Every step was an ordeal.
Early the next morning, Chen Ping'an changed into clean clothes and also went down Lion Peak.
The fabric shop had just opened. Chen Ping'an went to have breakfast and then helped Auntie Liu attract customers.
The woman was amazed. She had learned quite a few business tricks from a younger generation.
Some of the neighbors who had previously quarreled with her and had fallen out now even gave her a bit of a smile when they saw her on the road.
The woman was both pleased and worried.
Such a fine young man, why couldn't he be her son-in-law?
So when Li Liu arrived late at home, she saw that young man enthusiastically selling cloth to customers.
Li Liu paused for a moment.
As she stepped over the threshold, her mother secretly reached out two fingers and gently pinched her slender waist. She didn't have the heart to use much force, after all, it was her daughter, not her husband. The woman complained, "You useless thing."
Li Liu squinted her eyes with a smile, appearing soft and delicate. At home, she was always the docile older sister of Li Huai.
With Chen Ping'an helping to attract business and Li Liu minding the shop, the woman felt comfortable going to the backyard kitchen to cook. Li Er sat on a small stool, blowing on the fire with a bamboo tube.
When the shop temporarily had no customers, Chen Ping'an walked to the counter and said softly to Li Liu, who was standing behind it doing calculations on an abacus, "It seems Auntie Liu has misunderstood. I'm sorry about that. But Uncle Li has already helped clarify things."
Li Liu looked up and smiled. "It's fine."
Chen Ping'an breathed a sigh of relief.
He hesitated for a moment, lowered his voice, and asked with a smile, "Can I ask you something?"
Li Liu lightly tapped on the abacus, checking the account book that seemed like a ghost's scrawl in her mother's hand, looking over the shop's income and expenses for this period. She looked up and smiled. "I don't like either Lin Shouyi or Dong Shuijing."
Chen Ping'an was a bit surprised. He had thought Li Liu would like at least one of the two.
But liking or not liking someone had no logic to it.
Li Liu asked with a smile, "Is the reason you didn't stay on Lion Peak because this ordinary town, where no one knows you, feels more like your childhood home? And you felt that your current hometown town has become very unfamiliar?"
Chen Ping'an leaned against the counter, looking at the street outside, and nodded.
Li Liu said no more.
After a moment of silence, she closed the account book and said with a smile, "We've made an extra three taels of silver."
Chen Ping'an still leaned against the counter, his hands tucked into his sleeves, and said with a slight smile, "I have more talent for business than for making porcelain."
Li Liu asked, "Have you heard about the change in the Qingliang Sect?"
Chen Ping'an nodded. "I saw it in the gazette on the way to Lion Peak by ferry."
After dinner, Chen Ping'an said his goodbyes and went up the mountain, choosing not to stay overnight in Li Huai's room.
The woman let out a long sigh. Seeing that Li Liu made no move, she poked her daughter on the forehead with her finger. "What are you spacing out for? See him off a ways."
Li Liu looked at Li Er.
Li Er sat like a mountain.
The woman moaned, muttering that it was hopeless, a forced melon wasn't sweet.
Li Liu smiled radiantly. Li Er grinned.
The woman glared at Li Liu. "Li Huai takes after me, you take after your father."
Chen Ping'an reached the top of Lion Peak, passed through the mountain and river prohibitions, and arrived at the thatched hut. He sat in meditation for a moment with his eyes closed, then got up and walked to the dock. He punted the boat alone to the mirror surface of the lake, left his boots in the boat, rolled up his sleeves and pant legs, and began to practice boxing by the peak on the water surface, following the example of Zhang Shanfeng.