Chapter 563: Suddenly Like a Distant Traveler
Chen Ping'an left the ferry midway and headed for the Qinghao Country, which could be considered a remote corner of the Beiju Continent.
For the thousand-mile journey, Chen Ping'an picked wild mountain paths, traveling day and night, his figure as fast as thunder.
Soon he found that prefectural city. Just as he walked into the not-so-wide Dongxian Street, a house's gate opened, and a tall man in a Confucian robe walked out, smiling as he waved.
Chen Ping'an looked up, somewhat dazed.
He collected his thoughts and walked quickly.
Li Xisheng descended the steps, and Chen Ping'an bowed with clasped hands: "Greetings, Mr. Li."
Li Xisheng smiled and returned the bow.
The youth Cui Ci stood inside the gate, watching the two fellow townsmen reunite after a long separation. Especially when he saw the smile on Mr. Li's face, Cui Ci felt happy too.
Ever since arriving in the Beiju Continent, Mr. Li would always frown while thinking, and even when his brows were relaxed, it seemed there were countless matters waiting for him to ponder. Not like this moment, when his teacher seemed to have nothing on his mind, just feeling joyful.
Li Xisheng led Chen Ping'an into the residence, turning his head to say: "I almost wouldn't have recognized you."
Chen Ping'an chuckled: "I imagine when I next see Little Baoping at the academy, I'll feel the same way."
They reached Li Xisheng's study. The room was small, with few books and no superfluous scholar's implements, calligraphy, paintings, or antiques.
Li Xisheng told Cui Ci to go read on his own.
Li Xisheng moved the chair from behind the desk and sat facing Chen Ping'an, who had just taken off his bamboo hat and chest.
Li Xisheng nodded: "Very good. Your heart is more settled now."
Chen Ping'an scratched his head.
Li Xisheng smiled gently: "There are some things that weren't appropriate to discuss before, but now I should tell you."
Chen Ping'an, who was already sitting properly, became even more formal. "Please speak, Mr. Li."
Li Xisheng said, "As for me, I've never really understood myself."
Chen Ping'an hesitated a moment, then said, "Same here."
Li Xisheng shook his head with a smile. "Not the same at all."
Li Xisheng continued, "Do you remember when I wanted to give you a peach-wood talisman back then?"
Chen Ping'an nodded lightly.
Li Xisheng said, "Before that, I had a fight with the sword cultivator Cao Jun in Niping Lane, right?"
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Mr. Li really frustrated Cao Jun."
Li Xisheng said slowly, "In Lizhu Cave Heaven, it was hard for qi practitioners to cultivate, but I broke through realms quickly—so fast that even Ma Kuxuan of Xinghua Lane, after leaving Lizhu Cave Heaven, couldn't compare."
Chen Ping'an said nothing, waiting quietly for what came next.
Li Xisheng revealed the heavenly secret in a manner that was startling: "It was only after repeated deductions afterward that I figured out the reason. The fortune that originally belonged to you—or rather, the opportunity on the Great Path—fell upon me. Like you, I've always felt that everything in the world is about equilibrium. Something gained, something lost. Every 'one,' big or small, never vanishes or increases without reason—not even slightly."
Chen Ping'an was about to speak, but Li Xisheng waved his hand. "Let me finish first."
Li Xisheng said, "You and I think about things similarly, and we act similarly. Once we know, we have to do something to put our minds at ease. Although I didn't know beforehand that I had taken your karmic fate, once my realm rose and my skill at Go gradually advanced, I traced it back step by step and deduced a clear result. Once I knew, I naturally couldn't accept it calmly. Even though I still don't know the origins of that peach-wood talisman, no matter how I calculate, I can't figure it out, I am very clear that for me, the peach-wood talisman must be very important. Precisely because it was important, I wanted to give it to you back then as a kind of exchange on the level of the mind—subtract from me, add to you, restoring balance between us. During that time, it wasn't that I, Li Xisheng, was at a higher realm than you, or that the peach-wood talisman was too precious, so it wasn't an equal exchange, and I should have given you something else. That wouldn't have been right. I obtained your fundamental essence of the Great Path, so I should return my own fundamental essence of the Great Path to you—that is true 'one for one.' But you were unwilling to accept it then, so I had to take a step back. That's why I told the senior Li Er of Lion's Peak: whether it's giving the talisman or drawing talismans for the bamboo building, if you come to see me, Li Xisheng, out of gratitude, it will only trouble us both, making a tangled mess even worse. It would be better not to meet at all."
Chen Ping'an's expression was calm as he nodded lightly.
Li Xisheng laughed. "As for that copy of 'True Trace of the Dan Scripture' and some talisman papers, those are not included. I only gave them to you as Li Baoping's elder brother, thanking you for protecting her along the way."
Chen Ping'an still nodded.
Li Xisheng suddenly looked somewhat despondent. He said softly, "Chen Ping'an, aren't you curious why my younger brother is named Li Baozhen, and Little Baoping also has the character 'bao' in her name, but I alone am different?"
The three children of the Li family on Fulu Street: Li Xisheng, Li Baozhen, Li Baoping.
Chen Ping'an shook his head. "I've never thought about it."
The little girl in the red cotton-padded jacket used to tell everything to her little master back then, and Chen Ping'an had heard that her mother seemed more partial to Li Baozhen and wasn't as close to the eldest son, Li Xisheng. Regarding these family matters of Little Baoping, Chen Ping'an, as he said, would listen but never delve deeper.
Li Xisheng stood up, walked to the window, and gazed into the distance.
Every Spring Festival, the Li family had an unwritten custom. The mother of the three siblings would have the maids and servants say idioms or verses containing the character "li" (plum). For example, the auspicious "peaches and plums do not speak, yet a path is formed beneath them," the moving "the peach tree is young and elegant," the likable "adjusting one's hat under a plum tree." Even if a child accidentally said the not-so-commendatory "common peaches and plums," the mother wouldn't get angry and would still give New Year's money. But when she heard "give a peach, return a plum," her smile would diminish. And when she heard the phrase "peach replaces plum," that normally affable woman, kind to all servants, for the first time could barely hide her anger.
At that time, Li Xisheng was still a youth. He happened to be standing at the corner of the covered corridor not far away, witnessing that scene and hearing those words.
He didn't understand then. He kept the curiosity buried deep in his heart. At first, he didn't think it was a big deal, but he felt a vague unease.
From ancient times, in poems and idioms, peaches and plums always appeared together.
Li Xisheng turned his head and said softly, "Across the street, there lived a family named Chen. There was a Confucian student a few years older than Li Baozhen, named Chen Baozhou. If you were to see him, you would understand why it was specifically I, Li Xisheng, who inherited your fortune."
Actually, there was no need to go see him.
As soon as Li Xisheng said this, Chen Ping'an understood everything.
Li Xisheng suddenly laughed. "I'm fine."
On Dongxian Street in the Beiju Continent: Chen Xisheng.
In Lizhu Cave Heaven on the Bottle Gourd Continent: Li Baozhou.
That's how it should have been.
This also explained why a scholar tree, signifying the birth of a sage, grew on the ancestral graves of the Chen family deep in the mountains.
Because this Mr. Li should have been surnamed Chen.
Li Xisheng sighed softly. "There are still many things I can't figure out. It's like on the path of life—mountains and rivers, mists and barriers, countless passes. Only when one's cultivation is a little higher can one cross one."
Chen Ping'an stood up and said, "Mr. Li should be sad, but it seems you don't need to be that sad."
Li Xisheng smiled, his eyes clear and bright. "These words are truly comforting."
Chen Ping'an smiled as well.
Then Li Xisheng suggested they play Go.
They played casually and chatted casually.
Chen Ping'an was slow at Go. During the endgame, after each move, he would say a sentence or two.
"Before coming to the Beiju Continent, I was actually quite afraid. I heard there were many sword cultivators here, both on the mountains and off, who acted without restraint. I thought coming here would ease my mind, but I learned that if one's heart doesn't get through, even if one travels freely on the wind, both feet are still stuck in the mud."
"I was also afraid of going from one extreme to another. So I took the alias 'Chen Haoren'—not for fun, but to remind myself. During this training journey, I couldn't truly act without restraint or drift with the current."
"Probably deep down, I've always secretly thought: if only I could be a truly good person, that would be wonderful."
Li Xisheng spoke little. Upon hearing this, he said, "Admitting that you have selfish thoughts in your heart, yet always doing good deeds. Chen Ping'an, do you know what that is?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head.
Li Xisheng picked up a Go stone and placed it lightly on the board. "That is what our Confucian sages have always yearned for: 'be cautious in solitude' and 'restrain oneself and restore the rites.'"
Chen Ping'an shook his head. He didn't see it that way.
Li Xisheng didn't say more. He just looked at the board. "But you're a terrible Go player. Truly terrible."
Chen Ping'an said, "I really have no talent for Go."
Li Xisheng laughed. "Is that really so?"
Chen Ping'an nodded. "Because I have no vision in Go. I can't bear to part with a single point or a single moment."
Li Xisheng said, "All people are playing their own Go games within the world. Smart people who treat everything and everyone as Go pieces are numerous. You, Chen Ping'an, are not the only one."
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Mr. Li's words are very comforting."
Li Xisheng said, "Those were my sincere words. Yours were flattery. The difference is clear."
Chen Ping'an shook his head. "Our Luopo Mountain, when traveling the world, has the character 'sincerity' carved on everyone's forehead!"
Li Xisheng raised his clasped hands in a salute. "Honored to meet you, honored to meet you."
But then Chen Ping'an's smile turned forced.
Li Xisheng sighed inwardly.
He must have thought of the bamboo building on Luopo Mountain.
Man lives between heaven and earth, suddenly like a distant traveler.
---
The ferry sailed from north to south, passing through the Great Seal Dynasty, the Golden Door Country, and the Orchid Chamber Country, until it reached the Fushui Ferry of the Chunlu Garden.
It was already autumn. Chen Ping'an had missed another year's Spring Farewell Banquet of the Chunlu Garden. The Fushui Ferry was much quieter than last time.
The liveliness of the Chunlu Garden was all in spring.
Chen Ping'an walked off the ferry. His attire wasn't much different from when he left last year, except instead of carrying a sword case, he had a bamboo chest on his back. He still wore a green robe, a bamboo hat, and a traveling staff.
Chen Ping'an headed straight for the Old Locust Street. The street was even livelier than the ferry dock, bustling with people. When he saw the small shop with the signboard inscribed "Ant," Chen Ping'an smiled knowingly. The two characters on the signboard were indeed well written. He took off his bamboo hat and stepped over the threshold. The shop had no customers at the moment, which made Chen Ping'an a little worried. He saw the acting shopkeeper, who had already looked up with a smiling face—the young cultivator from the Zhaoye Thatched Cottage. Recognizing his new boss, the young man's smile became even more sincere. He quickly came around the counter, bowed with clasped hands, and said, "Wang Tingfang greets the sword immortal boss."
Regarding the form of address, Wang Tingfang had pondered for half a day. But he hadn't expected to meet this young sword immortal surnamed Chen again so soon. After all, once mountain cultivators go on a distant journey, they often vanish without a trace for decades.
Chen Ping'an returned the clasped-hands salute. "Manager Wang has worked hard."
Wang Tingfang asked softly, "Should I go get the account books now?"
When doing business, talking about the trade is more practical than any polite small talk.
Chen Ping'an nodded. They walked together behind the counter. Chen Ping'an took off his bamboo chest and placed his bamboo hat on top of his traveling staff.
Wang Tingfang took out two account books. Seeing this, Chen Ping'an's minor worries dissipated. If business were truly bad, would there be two books to show?
Chen Ping'an had already looked over the various items on the display shelves in the shop, so he had a clear idea. He then began to check the accounts. When he saw a certain entry, he exclaimed in surprise, "Someone actually paid such a sky-high price for that pair of magic-treasure-grade golden crowns?"
Checking the date of sale, Chen Ping'an's expression turned odd. "Was it a young woman with an accent from the Wuling Country, accompanied by a sword-bearing bodyguard?"
Wang Tingfang was shocked. "The boss can figure that out?"
Chen Ping'an was a bit helpless. He didn't reveal the identities of Sui Jingcheng and Rong Chang, the Nascent Soul sword cultivator of Fuping Sword Lake. He shook his head and sighed. "Those people really don't treat money as money. I sold them too cheaply."
Wang Tingfang was somewhat alarmed.
Chen Ping'an leaned on the counter, slowly flipping through the account book, and laughed. "Manager Wang did the best on this deal. I just happen to know those customers, so I'm talking nonsense. I wouldn't really rip off acquaintances like that. If I had been personally selling in the shop, I definitely couldn't have gotten Manager Wang's price."
As he carefully examined the book, he chatted with Wang Tingfang about the recent situation of the Chunlu Garden and the business of the Zhaoye Thatched Cottage.
Wang Tingfang smiled. "It was just a lucky coincidence, thanks to the boss's incredible face, that we sold the golden crowns, the treasures of the shop. The accounts look good only because of that. It has little to do with me. I humbly beg the boss not to tell my master the truth. Otherwise, I'll definitely get kicked out of the Ant Shop. My master pays extreme attention to the business here. Every season, he reviews the profits and losses and summons me to report."
Chen Ping'an nodded. "I brought some Small Xuanbi tea cakes from the Caique Manor this time. I'll personally visit Senior Tang to express my gratitude. The shop's management is much better than I imagined. If Manager Wang isn't worried about me putting my foot in my mouth in front of Senior Tang, I'll definitely put in a good word for you."
Wang Tingfang stepped back two paces and bowed in thanks. "The sword immortal boss's kindness is as heavy as a mountain. I can only strive to earn even more money for the Ant Shop."
Chen Ping'an closed the first account book and didn't even bother flipping through the second. Since Wang Tingfang had mentioned that the Zhaoye Thatched Cottage would review it, Chen Ping'an reciprocated the courtesy. If he scrutinized any further, it would be disrespectful to both Wang Tingfang and the Zhaoye Thatched Cottage.
He gently pushed the two books back to Wang Tingfang and said with a smile, "The accounts have no errors, and the records are clear. I have no concerns. Also, Manager Wang, you don't need to be too strict about the shop's annual surplus. The accounts don't need to look that good. After I leave the Chunlu Garden this time, I'll probably be an absentee boss for many years. I'll trouble Manager Wang to manage things."
Wang Tingfang smiled and assented. He put away the account books, carefully locking them in a drawer.
Chen Ping'an turned and pulled two items from his bamboo chest. One was a jade bracelet with the aura of "fire in water," engraved with a palindrome poem. The other was a bronze ancient mirror, undoubtedly an evil-repelling mirror, bearing the most valuable inscription: "Crafted by the Gong Family." Along with the tree-burl pot and the fasting tablet, these four items had been given to him by the martial artist Huang Shi. Looking back on that treasure-hunting journey, Chen Ping'an thought they had parted ways without a good parting—hardly a friendly separation—but at least it was truly a parting.
The tree-burl pot's grade wasn't very high, but after Old True Man Huan Yun examined it, he explicitly stated that this old item could help qi practitioners absorb the spiritual energy of wood-attribute spiritual treasures. For Chen Ping'an, who was currently refining a third wood-type natal object, this was exactly what he needed—something money couldn't easily buy. During his southward journey, Chen Ping'an used the Fire Dragon True Man's Three Mountains Method to refine it into a supplementary treasure for the key acupoint of his wooden house, placing it inside.
As for the fasting tablet, Chen Ping'an also planned to refine it into his wooden house. However, refining took a great deal of time. Besides the daily, unwavering six-hour refinement of the green bricks' water fortune, successfully refining the tree-burl pot was already a testament to his diligence in cultivation. Every time he boarded a ferry, Chen Ping'an spent almost all his free time refining artifacts.
Chen Ping'an placed the jade bracelet and ancient mirror on the table and roughly explained their origins. He smiled and said, "Since we've already sold the two golden crowns, the Ant Shop has lost its treasures-in-residence. Manager Wang, take these two to fill the gap. But they are not for sale. You can set an outrageous price on them anyway. Just display them to attract land immortal customers. The shop may be small, but it should have premium goods."
Wang Tingfang smiled and nodded in agreement. He carefully put away the two items and said, "Then I'll buy two best-quality matching wooden boxes from the Chunlu Garden. Otherwise, these treasures won't be treated properly."
Chen Ping'an laughed. "For such expenses, Manager Wang doesn't need to consult me in the future. I trust the Zhaoye Thatched Cottage's business acumen, and I trust Manager Wang's character."
Wang Tingfang bowed in thanks again.
Chen Ping'an left the Ant Shop and went to see the young assistant who had helped carve the forty-eight Yuying Cliff pebbles. The assistant was extremely grateful, but Chen Ping'an didn't say much. He just chatted with him for a while, then went to look at the old locust tree. He stood there for a long time. After that, he took the talisman boat gifted by Huan Yun and visited the Zhaoye Thatched Cottage and the elderly woman who was the master of Song Lanqiao, the ferry manager of the Chunlu Garden. The gifts for both visits were the Small Xuanbi tea gifted by Wu Qun, the law-enforcing patriarch of the Caique Manor.
The elderly woman was especially happy. Her disciple Song Lanqiao's status in the Chunlu Garden had risen like the tide. All because of this young foreign sword immortal. And the fact that this young man had taken the initiative to visit her twice gave her great face. The first time, she hadn't returned the courtesy. This time, she still didn't. It wasn't because she was stingy, but because the young sword immortal, who always treated her as a junior, had said a clever phrase: "No more than three times; save them all up." This made the old woman laugh heartily. She personally escorted him all the way down the mountain. When she returned to the mountain, the old woman, who held a seat in the Chunlu Garden's ancestral hall, thought it over and decided that besides fostering closer ties with the Zhaoye Thatched Cottage, which she had previously had a lukewarm relationship with, she would also instruct her disciple Song Lanqiao to take better care of the Ant Shop's business in the future. No more need for concealment or worrying about obvious traces. She would make her stance clear: it was her, the master, who demanded it. If anyone dared to gossip, the two of them—master and disciple with two golden cores—would show them they weren't to be trifled with.
At the Pianran Peak of the Taihui Sword Sect, he was supposed to have delivered a jar of Small Xuanbi to fulfill his promise. But at the time, Chen Ping'an didn't dare add fuel to the fire. When Xu Xingji had sincerely visited last time, Liu Jinglong drank his fill. But after drinking wine, would he also drink tea? Chen Ping'an's conscience wouldn't allow it. So he decided to send it to Liu Jinglong from the Chunlu Garden instead. Whether he wanted it or not.
Earlier, when he visited the Zhaoye Thatched Cottage, Senior Tang's daughter Tang Qingqing wasn't on the mountain. She had gone to Tiechong Manor in the Grand View Dynasty to see her lover. From what Senior Tang said, the two were about to become a mountain dao couple. After that, the Zhaoye Thatched Cottage of the Chunlu Garden and Tiechong Manor would become in-laws. Senior Tang invited Sword Immortal Chen to the wedding feast, but Chen Ping'an politely declined with an excuse, and Senior Tang didn't insist.
Chen Ping'an really didn't like Tiechong Manor. In fact, he had made mortal enemies of them. On the ferry, he had personally killed that Liao-surnamed Golden Body martial artist from their military background. However, instead of holding him accountable, the Wei family of Tiechong Manor had acted with extreme deference and respect. Chen Ping'an understood their forbearance, so he tried to keep matters on a "well water does not intrude upon river water" basis. As for becoming friends through a fight or letting bygones be bygones, forget it.
As for Liu Zhimao, the River-Cutting True Lord of the Letter-Script Lake, Chen Ping'an had drunk with him several times and even become a temporary ally, doing business together. That was what Chen Ping'an meant by the complexity of the world—one had to adapt even if it was uncomfortable.
When he reunited with He Xiaoliang on the west coast of the Beiju Continent, amidst their seemingly casual conversation, Chen Ping'an had said that if the Mountain-Moving Ape of Zhengyang Mountain had demanded he kowtow to save Liu Xianyang from disaster, he, Chen Ping'an, not only would have knelt and kowtowed, but he could have even made a flower pop out from the kowtowing. It was the same principle—not a joke.
But later, when Liu Zhimao broke through to the upper five realms, the Luopo Mountain still didn't send congratulations.
On the path of life, bowing to others can be divided into two types: one is being forced by circumstances, living under someone's thumb; the other is the relentless pursuit of maximum benefit.
The former makes one depressed and unable to speak; the latter makes one happily immerse oneself in it.
Chen Ping'an took the talisman boat to Yuying Cliff, where Liu Zhiqing of the Golden Crow Palace had once prepared tea. Now, like the Ant Shop, it was his own territory.
There, Chen Ping'an found a familiar face in the pavilion: the owner of the Chunlu Garden, Nascent Soul Ancestor Tan Ling.
Chen Ping'an put away the talisman boat and walked quickly toward the pavilion.
Tan Ling descended the pavilion steps and smiled. "When I learned that Sword Immortal Chen was gracing the Chunlu Garden, I happened to have nothing pressing, so I took the liberty of coming without being invited."
Chen Ping'an and Tan Ling entered the pavilion together and sat facing each other. He smiled and said, "Madam Tan, you honor me too much."
Tan Ling smiled and handed over a collection book newly printed by the Chunlu Garden at the end of the previous winter. "This is the most recent edition of 'Winter Dew, Spring Presence.' The feedback from the mountain gate indicates that most popular piece was the one about Sword Immortal Chen and Sword Immortal Liu drinking tea and discussing the Dao at Yuying Cliff."
Chen Ping'an took the booklet and flipped to his own article. The wording was elegant and the content appropriate. He planned to show it to his first disciple later.
Chen Ping'an put it into his sleeve and gazed at the white, lustrous cliff and the deep ravine. He said softly, "Missing the Spring Farewell Banquet twice is truly a pity. After this departure, I don't know when I'll be able to return to the Chunlu Garden."
Tan Ling was actually a bit curious. Why did this young sword immortal value the Chunlu Garden so highly?
During their previous meeting, Tan Ling had been merely polite but somewhat distant. For her and the Chunlu Garden, no extra business was necessary; stability was paramount.
But not long after this young green-robed sword immortal left the Chunlu Garden, in the nearby area to the north, around the Lotus Country, there was the magnificent feat of Liu Jinglong of the Taihui Sword Sect and another sword immortal jointly performing a sword sacrifice on a mountain peak. That was a golden sword light that shot straight into the sky, tearing through the night. Coupled with the earlier incident of a golden light splitting the thunderclouds at the Golden Crow Palace, Tan Ling began to have some conjectures.
A sword cultivator acquainted with Liu Zhiqing, the little master of the Golden Crow Palace—Tan Ling could meet him once and exchange a few words.
But someone who, besides being close friends with the Golden Core sword cultivator Liu Zhiqing, also had the qualification to travel and perform sword sacrifices with Liu Jinglong, a Jade Perfection sword immortal of the Taihui Sword Sect—if Tan Ling hadn't minded throwing away a bit more face, she should have been waiting outside the Ant Shop on Old Locust Street in person.
It wasn't that Tan Ling couldn't afford to lose that face. Rather, she was afraid that showing herself twice with such a drastic change in attitude would appear too forced, making this young sword immortal disdain her and look down on the entire Chunlu Garden.
Inside the pavilion, the conversation remained polite.
But those words from the young sword immortal earlier had already made Tan Ling feel that the visit was not in vain.
After exchanging some pleasantries, Tan Ling took her leave. Chen Ping'an saw her off at the bottom of the pavilion steps, watching as the female Nascent Soul cultivator departed on the wind.
Chen Ping'an wrote three secret letters and made a trip to the Sword House of the Chunlu Garden, sending them to the Taihui Sword Sect, the Cloud City, and the Golden Crow Palace.
In addition to the letter to Liu Jinglong, there was, of course, the jar of Small Xuanbi.
In the letter, he discussed the two matters of buying imitation swords from Hate Sword Mountain and purchasing treasures from Sanlang Temple. He had one hundred Grain Rain coins. After Liu Jinglong accepted the three sword challenges, he could decide for himself. At a minimum, he should buy one sword immortal imitation sword and one treasure armor from Sanlang Temple. If that wasn't enough, he could advance the funds himself. If there was a surplus, he could buy another imitation sword from Hate Sword Mountain and try to pick up some miscellaneous treasures from Sanlang Temple at will. The letter left no room for ambiguity: he wanted Liu Jinglong to display the bearing of an upper-five-realm sword immortal. When bargaining, if the other party wasn't cooperative, he could shamelessly repeat "I, the Taihui Sword Sect" and "I, Liu Jinglong" as many times as necessary.
At the end of the letter, he wished Liu Jinglong success in accepting the three sword challenges from Li Cai, Dong Zhu, and Bai Shang.
In the letter to Xu Xingji at Cloud City, he said he had already met that "Mr. Liu." That last drinking session hadn't been fully satisfying, mainly because the three major battles were imminent and Liu Jinglong needed to cultivate his mind. But Mr. Liu highly approved of Xu Xingji's wine quality. So once Mr. Liu succeeded in the three challenges, Xu Xingji should not be shy or embarrassed. He could absolutely make another trip to the Taihui Sword Sect. This time, Mr. Liu might be able to drink freely. Also, he should pass a message to that youth named Baishou: when Baishou later descended the mountain for training, he could make a trip to the Luopo Mountain on the Bottle Gourd Continent. At the end of the letter, he told Xu Xingji that if he had a reply, he could send it to the Pima Sect at Skeleton Beach, addressed to the direct disciple of the Muyi Mountain Ancestral Hall, Pang Lanxi, to be forwarded to Chen Haoren.
The last letter was sent to the Rongzhu Peak of the Golden Crow Palace. The recipient was naturally the former owner of Yuying Cliff, Liu Zhiqing.
The letter contained only two lines: "Cultivating the mind is not easy. Let us encourage each other."
"Once I return to Skeleton Beach, I will definitely ask Old Mr. Pang to seek out a masterpiece of the Goddess Painting for you."
Returning to Yuying Cliff, Chen Ping'an sat alone in the pavilion, pondering for a long time.
The ferry running between the Chunlu Garden and Skeleton Beach wouldn't arrive at Fushui Ferry for another two days.
It felt like there was a mountain of things to do, yet at the same time, nothing at all.
So Chen Ping'an left the pavilion, rolled up his sleeves and pant legs, and went down to the stream below the deep pool to search for stones.
---
Song Lanqiao, the Golden Core old cultivator of the Chunlu Garden, was on edge.
Because on his own ferry, which had set off back from Skeleton Beach, there was a very frightening passenger.
It was a young man in white, handsome as jade, who wanted to go to the Chunlu Garden.
Earlier, at the boundary where Skeleton Beach and the Ghost Valley connected two realms—large and small—there had been an earth-shattering commotion. Because it happened suddenly and ended quickly, Song Lanqiao hadn't witnessed it personally. But the thing that registered cultivators of a certain status were best at was gathering intelligence and looking for traces. After that handsome youth holding a green bamboo staff boarded the ship, Song Lanqiao's first action was to send a sword-transmission message to the Chunlu Garden ancestral hall: they must handle this with care. This person had a strange temperament. The first thing he did upon arriving at Skeleton Beach was tear open the sky canopy of Ghost Valley and smash magic treasures onto the head of Gao Cheng, the Jade Perfection stage spirit of the Jingguan City!
Gao Cheng, stationed at Jingguan City, was equivalent in cultivation to the Immortal realm. Yet he did not pursue this "youth" who had come to cause trouble.
If the Chunlu Garden suffered an undeserved calamity, what could they do?
During the ferry's voyage to the Chunlu Garden, the white-clothed youth quietly slipped off the ship once, going to the mortal realm around the Cangjun Lake area. But he quickly pursued the ferry on the wind, returning in the dead of night with a dog-paddle swimming posture. If Song Lanqiao, restless and uneasy, hadn't been keeping his eyes peeled on his own ferry all these days, he wouldn't have been able to imagine that someone so divinely capable could come and go on a ferry protected by the Chunlu Garden's secret prohibitions as if entering an unguarded territory.
Song Lanqiao grew more terrified by the day.
And that youth seemed very idle. He often left his room and wandered back and forth on the deck every day.
As they neared the Chunlu Garden, the handsome youth with the vermilion mole between his eyebrows grew impatient, as if annoyed by the ferry's slow speed. Yet for some reason, he stubbornly stayed on the ship, not taking off on the wind.
One day, the youth took the initiative to find Song Lanqiao, knocked on his door, and asked bluntly, "How is business at that Ant Shop on your Old Locust Street these days?"
Song Lanqiao, who hadn't even noticed the youth's approach, asked cautiously, "Is senior... friends with that Sword Immortal Chen?"
The youth stared wide-eyed and said angrily, "Bullshit! How could we be friends?!"
Song Lanqiao's expression changed slightly, and his mind churned. Was this person an enemy of that young sword immortal? Was the Chunlu Garden being implicated? What should he do?
The youth sneered, "What, you know him?"
After a fierce inner struggle, Song Lanqiao gritted his teeth and said with a bitter face, "I do indeed know Sword Immortal Chen, and fairly well. When Sword Immortal Chen first came to the Chunlu Garden, he took my ferry."
Unexpectedly, the youth heavily slapped the old Golden Core cultivator on the shoulder, his face beaming. "Good lad, you've taken the wide path!"
Song Lanqiao staggered from the slap—the force was really heavy. The old Golden Core cultivator was momentarily bewildered.
The youth's smile didn't fade. He invited Song Lanqiao to sit and drink tea. Uneasy, Song Lanqiao sat down, accepted the teacup, and was a bit intimidated.
Without realizing it, he had forgotten that this was actually his own domain.
The youth himself didn't drink tea. He just placed his green bamboo traveling staff horizontally on the table, folded his hands on top, and smiled. "Since you're an acquaintance of my master's, that makes you a friend of mine, Cui Dongshan."
Song Lanqiao grew even more confused. The upper-five-realm cultivators of the Bottle Gourd Continent could be counted on one hand.
Among those upper-five-realm cultivators, there was no one by the name of Cui Dongshan. There was a Cui, though—Cui Chan, the National Teacher of the Great Li Dynasty, a name very famous even among the peak cultivators of the Beiju Continent.
And how could this "youth" in front of him be the student of that young sword immortal?
It wasn't that Song Lanqiao looked down on that young sojourner, but the situation was absolutely unreasonable.
Cui Dongshan laughed. "My master is most nostalgic. Before returning to Muyi Mountain, he will definitely make a stop at your Chunlu Garden."
Mainly because there was an old locust tree there.
That was why Cui Dongshan was so certain.
Song Lanqiao couldn't help asking, "Sword Immortal Chen is senior's master?"
Cui Dongshan squinted. "Jealous? Can you be jealous? My master selects his disciples meticulously—out of ten thousand, he picks not even one."
Song Lanqiao was on the verge of breaking down.
What was this all about?
That young sword immortal, who had established some karmic ties with the Chunlu Garden, had been flawless in his interactions, speech, and mannerisms—proper and polite, like a spring breeze when reflected upon. How could he have such a bizarre student?
Cui Dongshan suddenly smiled slyly. "Lanqiao, is it that you don't believe I am my master's disciple, or that you don't believe my master has a disciple like me?"
Song Lanqiao was already bristling. The two statements seemed similar but were actually very different in implication. The answer had to be chosen with extreme care. In truth, he had limited choices: either speak well of the person in front of him, or be insane enough to speak well of that young sword immortal, which would inevitably belittle this eccentric person who was bold, rich in treasures, and highly cultivated.
Song Lanqiao quickly weighed the pros and cons and decided the safest course was to be honest and seek stability. He said slowly, "I simply find it hard to believe that the young Sword Immortal Chen could have a student like you, senior."
Cui Dongshan shook his head and clucked his tongue. "Pity, pity. You've narrowed your path again."
Song Lanqiao grumbled inwardly, "I've met a weird senior like you with unfathomable intentions. If I haven't completely blocked my path, then the Chunlu Garden should be burning incense to thank its ancestors."
Cui Dongshan said with a grin, "When we get back to the Chunlu Garden, you really should burn some high-quality incense for your ancestral masters."
Song Lanqiao's heart tightened instantly.
Cui Dongshan laughed. "Do no wrong, fear no knock at the door. I'm not a ghost, and you've done nothing wrong—what are you afraid of?"
Song Lanqiao said bitterly, "Senior is joking."
Cui Dongshan nodded. "I was speaking with a smile, so your remark, Lanqiao, had a double meaning. Very scholarly. You've studied, haven't you?"
Song Lanqiao was speechless.
Cui Dongshan picked up his traveling staff and stood up. "Then I'll go ahead first and try my luck, see if my master is already in the Chunlu Garden. You'll have less to worry about too, Lanqiao."
Song Lanqiao felt that whatever he said would be wrong, so he simply shut his mouth and silently saw off the senior as he left the room.
The handsome youth in white with the green bamboo staff crossed the threshold and strode down the corridor, raising a hand. "No need to see me off."
Song Lanqiao stood frozen in place, drenched in sweat, completely unaware.
Cui Dongshan walked to the bow of the ship and launched himself into the air. The entire ferry sank by several dozen zhang. That figure turned into a rainbow and sped into the distance—a snow-white silhouette, with a thunderous momentum.
---
Chen Ping'an was bent over in the stream, picking up pebbles. He chose and sorted them, placing them all into the pouch formed by the hem of his rolled-up green robe, holding it with one hand. Suddenly, he stood up and turned to look.
He saw Cui Dongshan.
Chen Ping'an was stunned for a long time. Then he asked, "Senior Cui has left?"
Cui Dongshan hummed in affirmation and lowered his head.
Chen Ping'an said, "I'm fine. How about you?"
Cui Dongshan raised his head. "Master, I'm not fine."
Chen Ping'an let the pebbles fall into the stream. He walked toward the bank. Without realizing it, the master was now half a head taller than his student.
Chen Ping'an reached out and pressed Cui Dongshan's shoulder. "Then we'll go home together."