Chapter 570: Little Senior Uncle Is the Most Composed

Chapter 570: Little Senior Uncle Is the Most Composed

At the prow of the dragon boat stood a tall figure and a small one.

The tall one wore a blue robe and carried a sword on his back.

The small one had a sword and a saber crossed at the waist, a walking staff, a bamboo box, and a little bamboo hat.

Having many possessions was a small worry that came with great happiness.

Liu Chongrun stood atop the dragon boat's pavilion, looking down at the main deck of the ferry. Piloting the dragon boat required manpower, so she had negotiated a new business deal with Fallen Mountain. Liu Chongrun had found a few direct disciples from the ancestral hall who had moved with her to Ao Yubei to cultivate, and taught them the method for operating the dragon boat. It wasn't a long-term solution, but it would allow the Zhucha Island cultivators to integrate more quickly into the mountains of Li Zhu Blessed Land.

This was a choice Liu Chongrun had made after careful thought while strolling in the courtyard that night.

Liu Chongrun had completely figured it out. Rather than letting her own awkward mindset drag the Zhucha Island cultivators into an embarrassing position, it was better to learn from Zhu Lian, the head steward of Fallen Mountain, and just be a bit shameless.

Chen Ping'an was chatting with Pei Qian about his travels through Northern Juque Continent. He mentioned a cultivation genius there known only by name, never seen, named Lin Su. He was ranked first among the ten young talents of Northern Juque Continent. It was said that if he made a move, it meant he had already won.

After hearing this, Pei Qian thought the guy had some tricks. What a pity that during her master's long journey through Northern Juque Continent, that fellow hadn't been fortunate enough to meet her master. It must be one of the great regrets of Lin Su's life. He was probably already twisting with regret by now. But it wasn't Lin Su's fault for lacking discernment—after all, not everyone who wanted to could meet her master.

Chen Ping'an naturally had no idea what was going on in Pei Qian's muddled little head.

He wasn't too unfamiliar with the ten young talents of Northern Juque Continent. Among them, Qi Jinglong was a friend—the best kind.

In Ghost Valley, at Baogui Mountain, he had met Yang Ningzhen, who had concealed her identity. And he had even dealt with the "scholar" Yang Ningxing, engaging in a journey full of scheming and mutual calculation.

Through mirror flowers and water moon, he had watched a life-and-death battle between the rogue cultivator Huang Xi and the martial artist Embroiderer at Shiliang Mountain on Cloud City.

Chen Ping'an suddenly said, "When I first brought you out of Lotus Flower Paradise, I didn't like you. It wasn't entirely your fault—there was also a part of me that didn't like myself back then. I need to make that clear to you."

Pei Qian grinned. "I didn't like myself back then either."

Chen Ping'an asked, "Do you remember our first meeting?"

Pei Qian felt a bit guilty and said softly, "Master, when I was in the capital of Nanyuan Kingdom, I found that little girl who used to bring me food. I thanked her sincerely and apologized. I also specially instructed Cao Qinglang that if that little girl's family ever ran into trouble in the future, he should help them—though if she or her family did something wrong, he shouldn't get involved. So, Master can't go digging up old scores."

Chen Ping'an reached out and placed a hand on Pei Qian's head. "All the old affairs that can be brought up again are truly unknotted. You did many things wrong back then, but you did well afterward. Your master is gratified. But mistakes that still have a chance to be turned over—like those small bamboo slips—should also be taken out often to bask in the sun and look at the moon, to help you reflect."

Chen Ping'an looked into the distance beyond the ferry. It was deep winter, and it looked like snow would fall.

Chen Ping'an sighed. "Daoism advocates nature, yet it still has this saying: 'If you do not cultivate the human way, it is difficult to approach the Heavenly Way.'"

Pei Qian's expression turned serious. She said with exaggerated solemnity, "Master, every word you speak is golden. It makes me want to learn from you and make a set of carving knives and bamboo slips, just to record your teachings."

Chen Ping'an grabbed Pei Qian by the ear and laughed angrily. "All the flattery on Fallen Mountain—Cui Dongshan, Zhu Lian, Chen Lingjun—combined, none of them compare to you!"

Pei Qian rose on tiptoe, tilting her head and yelping.

From the top floor, Liu Chongrun watched this scene and found it both amusing and exasperating.

Chen Ping'an leaned on the railing.

Cui Dongshan, when with him, liked to talk about the Cliff Academy.

At this season, Li Baoping must still be wearing that red cotton-padded jacket. She had always been the strangest student at the Great Sui Cliff Academy—perhaps without equal before. In the past, her strangeness lay in liking to skip class, asking questions, copying books as if copying a mountain, walking alone, and coming and going like the wind. Now, her strangeness was that Li Baoping had become quiet, taciturn, and no longer asked questions. She just read. She still liked to skip class and wander the streets and alleys of the Great Sui capital alone. The most famous incident was when a lecturer at the academy claimed illness and asked Li Baoping to teach in his place. After twenty days, the old master returned to his classroom only to find that his authority wasn't enough for the students. The look in their eyes made him somewhat hurt, and when he looked at Li Baoping, who sat in the corner, he felt a bit proud.

Chen Ping'an had been a bit worried at the time.

But Cui Dongshan had laughed heartily, saying that Little Baoping was perfectly fine teaching and lecturing without any novelty or overstepping of rules.

Lin Shouyi was a true uncut jade for cultivation. Relying solely on the "Cloud Rumbling Writings," he made a thousand miles of progress each day on his path. At the academy, he encountered an enlightened teacher who imparted everything without reservation, though the two didn't have a formal master-disciple relationship. It was said that Lin Shouyi now had considerable fame both in the Great Sui mountains and in officialdom. In fact, a senior official from the Ministry of Justice's Sticky Pole Office, which specialized in finding cultivation seeds for the Great Li court, had personally contacted Lin Shouyi's father. But the father had declined, saying he might as well never have had such a son.

Yu Lu had been tempering his Golden Body Realm over the years.

He had broken through realms too quickly before, and having always drifted somewhat with the current, he had finally acquired some spirit connected to the word "ambition."

He liked fishing and had a creel, but he always released the fish. Clearly, his joy lay only in the process of fishing, not in the size of the catch.

Xie Xie had been guarding the house that Cui Dongshan had left behind, focusing on cultivation. After all the binding dragon nails were removed, his progress on the path of cultivation was fierce and rapid. But he concealed it well, living in seclusion, and the academy's vice-headmaster, Mao Xiaodong, helped cover for him.

Li Huai, along with his two good friends Liu Guan and Ma Lian, had been studying over the years and had caused no small amount of trouble. Usually, Liu Guan would take the blame, and Ma Lian would help clean up the mess. It wasn't that Li Huai didn't want to help, but after he had messed things up a few times, Liu Guan and Ma Lian would rather die than let Li Huai play the hero.

When it came to seeking knowledge and understanding, Li Baoping was undoubtedly the best.

As for cultivation alone, Xie Xie was actually the farthest ahead.

But the one who could be said to balance cultivation and study was Lin Shouyi.

Taking everything easy, cultivating the heart and nature, never treating anything as a big deal—that had always been Yu Lu's forte. Now, Yu Lu was slowly warming up his fist intent, progressing step by step, building the foundation for his Golden Body Realm.

As for Li Huai.

Cui Dongshan said that wherever this kid went, dogshit happened. Besides getting that spiritual white deer back then, he hadn't been idle over the years. But Li Huai himself was blessed without knowing it. He had gradually accumulated possessions—either antique treasures he bought as bargains, or "junk" that Ma Lian casually gave him when he visited. His bamboo box was full of treasures, all left to collect dust, a complete waste of heaven's gifts.

Pei Qian asked curiously, "Master, why aren't you wearing your wine gourd?"

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Life is a jug of muddy wine. When I think of some people and events, I am drinking."

Pei Qian struggled to hold back her words.

Chen Ping'an laughed. "Say what you want."

Only then did Pei Qian spill it all out like beans from a bamboo tube, speaking quickly: "Master is feeling sorry for the money spent on wine, isn't he? Look, Master, I have money here—copper coins, bits of silver, little gold ingots, quite a few snowflakes money, and even a Summer Coin! I have all kinds! Master, take it all!"

Chen Ping'an turned his head and looked at Pei Qian, who was holding up her money pouch high. He smiled, pressed down on that little head, and shook it. "Keep it to spend yourself. It's not like your master really has no money."

Pei Qian sighed mournfully, put away the money pouch that Aunt Gui had given her, carefully tucked it into her sleeve, and accompanied her master in gazing at the sea of clouds. Such big cotton candy.

When the master and disciple arrived at the Great Sui capital, the snow lay thick on the streets and alleys.

Pei Qian deliberately chose patches of snow that hadn't been cleared from the roadside and stepped into them, making crunchy sounds, leaving footprints with each step.

The old gatekeeper of the Cliff Academy recognized Chen Ping'an. He smiled and said, "Chen Ping'an, a few years gone—what places have you been to?"

Chen Ping'an bowed. Pei Qian quickly shifted her bamboo box and followed suit, then took out her lineage certificate from her sleeve and handed it over. The old man took it and looked, then laughed. "Good heavens—last time it was Tongye Continent, this time it's Northern Juque Continent. Next time, what will it be? The Middle Earth Continent?"

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Without the chance to settle down and read, I can only rely on travel."

The old man nodded, then turned to look at Pei Qian. "Little girl, how come you're not so charcoal-black anymore? And you've grown taller. Is it because you've been studying at a village school?"

Pei Qian beamed and nodded vigorously. "Old sir, your learning is truly profound, and your judgment is spot-on. Headmaster Mao should really have you teach at the school. Then the Cliff Academy would be something else—before you know it, you'd have sages popping up one day and noblemen the next!"

The old man laughed heartily and asked, "Did you learn this from Chen Ping'an?"

Pei Qian was speechless. This question was hard to handle.

Chen Ping'an smiled and gave Pei Qian a rap on the head.

Pei Qian decided that in the future, when she came to the Cliff Academy, she should talk less with this old gatekeeper.

They entered the academy, familiar with the way. They first stopped at the guest quarters. Chen Ping'an had brought few things, so there was nothing to put in the room. Pei Qian couldn't bear to leave any of her belongings behind. The bamboo box was for the Cliff Academy to see; the walking staff was for Baoping sister to see; and the sword and saber at her waist were, of course, for the three little lackeys in the martial world to marvel at. Not a single one could be missing.

Chen Ping'an told Pei Qian to go to Li Baoping's study first, while he went to see Mao Xiaodong.

The tall old man, who wore a ruler at his waist, stood at the door and laughed. "You've already reached the Golden Body Realm?"

Chen Ping'an nodded. "I broke through the sixth-realm bottleneck at Lion Peak in Northern Juque Continent."

Mao Xiaodong looked a bit gleeful. "Li Huai's father didn't put in a small effort, did he?"

Chen Ping'an smiled wryly. "Not too bad."

They went into the study and sat down. Mao Xiaodong got straight to the point. "What books have you read over the years? I want to test you, to see if you've been focusing on cultivation while neglecting the learning of self-cultivation."

Chen Ping'an first took out a stack of books from his object of near reach and placed them on his knees, then recited a long list of titles. Some of the books he had just taken out were exactly the ones Cui Dongshan had borrowed from the Cliff Academy. Having finished reading them, he naturally had to return them. But on Fallen Mountain, he had bought two copies of each title—one to keep as a treasure, and one that Chen Ping'an would mark with notes and annotations, which he left on the desk in the first floor of the bamboo building.

Mao Xiaodong frowned. "So miscellaneous?"

Chen Ping'an nodded. "The heart gate is hard to pass. Sometimes, the skills that had always worked without fail before seemed unable to get through. In the end, I realized it wasn't that the learning I relied on was wrong or insufficient, but that I had learned it too shallowly."

Mao Xiaodong slowly relaxed his brow. "Very good. Then I don't need to test you."

Chen Ping'an asked about the recent studies of Li Baoping and the others. Mao Xiaodong gave a concise summary. Chen Ping'an could tell that overall, he was satisfied. But he also detected some small complaints, like those of an elder toward a younger family member, and some implied meanings. For example, Li Baoping's personality needed to change—she was too withdrawn, not as cute as she had been when she was little. Lin Shouyi's cultivation was too smooth—he was afraid that one day he might just abandon his books and become an immortal in the mountains. Yu Lu had thoroughly read the sages' writings of Confucianism, but deep down, he admired and endorsed Legalism more—not that there was anything wrong with that. Xie Xie had never sought anything from learning, which was not good—she was too focused on cultivation and breaking through bottlenecks, practicing almost day and night without rest, even in the classroom, her mind still on cultivation, as if she wanted to make up for the time she thought she had wasted in previous years. Haste makes waste, and it was easy to accumulate many hidden problems. Seeking speed in cultivation today would become the root of stagnation in future years.

As for Li Huai, he was actually the one Mao Xiaodong felt most at ease with. He said this kid was doing well.

Chen Ping'an reached out and gently placed his hand on the books, and said frankly, "Mao sir, your teaching has the style of the old Master Wen Sheng."

Mao Xiaodong waved his hand and sighed, "I'm more than a hundred thousand miles short."

Chen Ping'an smiled, picked up the books, and stood up to leave. Mao Xiaodong stood but didn't take the books. "Take them. At the academy's library, I'll buy new copies with my own money to replace them. Consider these books as my gift to commemorate the establishment of Fallen Mountain's ancestral hall."

Chen Ping'an didn't refuse and put them into his object of near reach.

After Chen Ping'an left, Mao Xiaodong tugged at the corner of his mouth to keep from smiling too much.

In this cold winter, some words were quite heartwarming.

Chen Ping'an walked along until he reached Li Baoping's study. There he saw Pei Qian looking up and chattering excitedly to Li Baoping.

The girl without the word "little" now wore a red cotton-padded jacket that would have made most women look very rustic. On her, it had no vulgarity at all.

She was tall and slender, with a pointed chin and a calm expression. But the smile on her face was still familiar. Her still-beautiful eyes seemed to not only speak but also hide things.

When she saw Chen Ping'an, Li Baoping walked quickly over, seeming to want to say something but hesitating.

Chen Ping'an felt a pang of sadness. He smiled and said, "Why don't you call me 'Little Senior Uncle' anymore?"

That chubby-faced, big-eyed little girl from back then—how had she grown up so fast all at once?

Li Baoping suddenly smiled and called out loudly, "Little Senior Uncle!"

She had finally turned back into that little girl from long ago.

Chen Ping'an said, "There are some things you don't need to think too much about. Don't worry that you'll cause trouble for your Little Senior Uncle. There is no trouble."

Li Baoping's face lit up.

Chen Ping'an suggested they go sit at the guest quarters. Pei Qian was puzzled—why go far when Baoping sister's study was right there?

But Li Baoping didn't say anything. She interlaced her fingers behind her back and walked backward in front of Chen Ping'an, asking, "Little Senior Uncle, do you know how many days it's been since we last saw each other?"

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Quite a few years."

Pei Qian loudly reported an exact number.

This was what she was best at.

Memorizing texts, recognizing roads, remembering things.

When they reached the guest quarters, Pei Qian said she would go fetch Li Huai. Chen Ping'an smiled and nodded, but told her to bring Li Huai directly to Xie Xie's place—there was more room there.

Pei Qian sped off like the wind, carrying the news.

Li Baoping asked softly, "Little Senior Uncle, do you have any wine?"

Chen Ping'an was startled. "You want to drink?"

Li Baoping narrowed her eyes and smiled, nodding lightly. "I sneak a little sometimes, just a bit."

Chen Ping'an hesitated for a moment, then took out a jug of glutinous rice wine made by Dong Shuijing's place. He poured two small bowls. "There's no problem with drinking, but you must drink very little."

Li Baoping lifted her bowl and took a sip. "It tastes like home."

Chen Ping'an drank his wine in small sips and told Li Baoping about seeing her elder brother in Qinghao Kingdom in Northern Juque Continent.

After hearing this, Li Baoping cupped her white bowl with both hands and nodded. "Writing letters to my brother is such a hassle. If I write a letter, I first need to send it from the academy to home, then have Grandfather send it across continents to a certain mountain sect, and from there to the Dongxian Street in Qinghao Kingdom."

Chen Ping'an asked, "Is studying at the academy not making you happy?"

Li Baoping shook her head, looking bewildered. "I'm not unhappy. Little Senior Uncle, did Headmaster Mao say something?"

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Headmaster Mao thinks you don't talk much at the academy. He's a bit worried."

Li Baoping looked puzzled. "Since I was little, I've always played by myself—it's not like I just became like this at the academy. I just don't find much to talk about, so I don't."

Catching crabs alone in the water, running alone through the streets and alleys to look at door gods, playing hopscotch alone on the bluestone slabs of Fortune Street, waiting alone for the peach blossoms to bloom on Peach Leaf Lane, picking porcelain shards alone at Old Porcelain Mountain—it had always been like this.

Chen Ping'an suppressed a laugh. It really seemed that way.

Li Baoping laughed too. "What is Little Senior Uncle laughing at?"

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Nothing. Just remembering the first time we met. You were so small, sweating profusely, carrying an old locust tree branch and running like the wind. Thinking about it now, I still find it admirable."

Li Baoping was unusually embarrassed. She raised her wine bowl to cover half her face and eyes, but it couldn't hide her smile.

Chen Ping'an laughed. "Let's go—head to Xie Xie's place."

They walked side by side, with Li Baoping doing all the asking and Chen Ping'an answering each question.

Midway, they met Pei Qian and the others. Besides the overjoyed Li Huai, Lin Shouyi and Yu Lu were also there.

Xie Xie sensed the commotion outside and opened the door. Seeing the boisterous group, he also wore a faint smile.

In the house that Cui Dongshan had left to him, except for Lin Shouyi, who occasionally came to cultivate, there were almost never any guests.

Pei Qian and Li Huai, who had strapped on his bamboo box, sat down in the courtyard and immediately began their battle of wits.

Chen Ping'an stood chatting with Lin Shouyi and Yu Lu, while Li Baoping and Xie Xie sat on the steps.

Finally, Chen Ping'an lightly clapped his hands. Everyone looked at him. Chen Ping'an said, "There's something I must tell you all. I already have my own ancestral hall on Fallen Mountain. The reason I didn't invite you to the inauguration ceremony isn't that I didn't want to, but that it wasn't suitable for now. You can come to Fallen Mountain as guests anytime. Besides Fallen Mountain, there are many unused peaks. If any of you find one you like, just pick it. I can help you build reading houses there. For any other requests, just tell Pei Qian directly—don't be polite."

Li Baoping had already learned of this from Pei Qian, so she wasn't surprised.

Xie Xie was the one most deeply shaken.

He had once been a direct disciple of the ancestral hall of the most outstanding mountain sect in the Lu Dynasty, so he knew very well what it meant for an ancestral hall to appear in the world.

Yu Lu offered his congratulations.

Lin Shouyi also smiled and gave his best wishes.

Chen Ping'an said to Lin Shouyi and Xie Xie, with a smile, "You two have already become immortals who cultivate in the mountains. The spiritual energy on the peaks near Longquan Commandery is still very abundant. So don't be shy—taking a free peak is an extra place for cultivation. Don't refuse it."

Then Chen Ping'an said to Yu Lu, "Fallen Mountain has many martial artists. Yu Lu, you can find a man named Zhu Lian. He's now at the Distant Touring Realm. You two can spar, let him feed you some punches. Zhu Lian has good control."

When he said this, Chen Ping'an's eyes were sincere.

Yu Lu neither agreed nor refused. He said, "I feel a chill down my back."

Li Huai was busy "dueling" with Pei Qian on the table using their many "generals" and pieces. Hearing this, he yelled, "Chen Ping'an! Such a big matter—not telling Baoping and the others is one thing, but you kept it from me too? Aren't we sworn brothers who cut a chicken head and burned yellow paper? Do you look down on me, Li Huai? Tell me, does Fallen Mountain lack a Chief Guest Elder? If it does, the answer is right in front of you! If you miss this opportunity, you'll have to wait until tomorrow to invite me out of retirement."

Chen Ping'an smiled faintly. "Go cool off somewhere."

Li Huai looked at the dense array of objects he and Pei Qian had set up on the table, and his face took on the pitiful expression of someone who had suffered the greatest loss. "Life is unlivable. It's cold and freezing, and my heart is even colder... I couldn't become your brother-in-law, and now I can't even be a sworn brother. Life has no flavor. Even if I, Li Huai, commanded the greatest number of troops in the world, with fierce generals like clouds, what meaning would it have? No meaning at all..."

Pei Qian slammed the table, making all the objects on the stone table jump. She shouted, "Li Huai! When did you cut a chicken head and burn yellow paper with my master? How do the seniority ranks work?!"

Li Huai shrank his neck. "Just joking around. When I was little, I played grassfighting with Chen Ping'an, and I counted it as cutting a chicken head. It doesn't count."

Witnessing this, Yu Lu was somewhat surprised.

He couldn't help but take a few more looks at Pei Qian.

Yu Lu found it incredible. When they first met, that little charcoal-black girl hadn't even started practicing martial arts yet, right?

And now, just a few years later?

At the house, there was a go game that Cui Dongshan had left. Chen Ping'an then decided to humiliate himself by insisting on playing a game with Yu Lu. Li Baoping and Pei Qian sat on either side of Chen Ping'an, while Lin Shouyi and Xie Xie had no choice but to sit on Yu Lu's side. Li Huai was furious—how had he become the extra person? He sat on one side of the board and started to take off his boots, but Xie Xie shot him a glance. Li Huai reached out and touched the green bamboo floor, saying he just didn't want to dirty her house.

There was no such thing as the refined practice of watching without speaking.

In the end, it became Yu Lu, Xie Xie, and Lin Shouyi, pooling their efforts against Li Baoping alone. Since the three were all decent players, the game wasn't slow.

Li Baoping always placed her stones like lightning, only glancing at the overall situation.

Pei Qian felt sure her side would win. With just the momentum of a grandmaster, Baoping sister had already defeated those three!

But in the end, Yu Lu's trio won. Because Li Baoping played too quickly, the opponent won cleanly and decisively, and she lost without any dragging.

Pei Qian slapped her fist into her palm, then consoled Baoping sister not to lose heart.

Chen Ping'an had roughly seen through some of the logic.

Li Baoping smiled. "Little Senior Uncle, I'm sorry."

Chen Ping'an shook his head. "In a few years, even if we wanted to lose, it would be hard."

Li Baoping nodded vigorously.

Lin Shouyi and Xie Xie exchanged glances, both a bit resigned, because what Chen Ping'an had said was absolutely true.

But then Yu Lu said with a sly smile, "Want to win back? That depends on whether we three are willing to play with you anymore."

Yu Lu reached out and covered the go bowl, looked at Lin Shouyi and Xie Xie beside him, and said, "That's it. From today, the three of us officially seal our go boards. Against Chen Ping'an, Li Baoping, and Pei Qian, we will maintain a perfect record."

Lin Shouyi nodded. "Agreed."

Xie Xie smiled. "Seconded."

Pei Qian became anxious.

Li Huai spoke even faster than Pei Qian, stepping in chivalrously: "How can you three be so shameless? Huh? Did you learn it from A Liang? Even if you did, did you get my permission? Do you have any idea what my relationship with A Liang is? How much did I guide A Liang in matters of speaking, writing, and eating? Don't you three have any idea?!"

Pei Qian felt a bit comforted and looked at Li Huai with a benevolent expression. "I'll credit you for making up for your earlier mistake. Otherwise, I'd have to strip you of your illustrious status, and then you wouldn't be able to hold your head up in front of Liu Guan and Ma Lian."

Li Huai looked confused. "But the martial arts alliance leader is Li Baoping. Your rank isn't that much higher than mine. On what basis?"

Pei Qian crossed her arms and sneered, "Li Huai, with a head that doesn't open up like yours, how can you ever hope to travel the martial world with me? You'd be a drag. What kind of relationship do I have with Baoping sister? Can a mere branch leader like you compare?"

Li Baoping was gathering the go stones. She had played quickly, but now her movements were slow. She smiled and said, "Before I came here, I abdicated. I made Pei Qian the new martial arts alliance leader."

Pei Qian raised an eyebrow and looked sideways at the thunderstruck Li Huai, sneering, "Oho, dumbstruck, aren't you? Now you're in a fix."

Li Huai didn't treat this as a joke. Traveling the martial world had always been a major matter for him. So he said frantically, "Li Baoping! How can you be so reckless—resigning just like that? And if you were going to resign, why would you just hand it over to Pei Qian? Talk about seniority—who's older? It's me, right? We've known each other for how many years! Talk about loyalty and righteousness—that's still me! When we traveled far those two times, I endured wind and exposure without a single complaint!"

Li Baoping said, "Mm, 'a single complaint'—you didn't have that. What you had were complaint after complaint, piling up a whole basketful of grievances."

Having his little sly trick exposed, Li Huai had to change tactics. He put on a pitiful look and said, "If you two keep ganging up to bully an honest man, then I'll just have to take Liu Guan and Ma Lian and leave the gang to start our own mountain!"

Pei Qian snorted. "Oh, give it a rest. With that blockhead Liu Guan and that bookworm Ma Lian, without me, Pei Qian, planning the strategy, would you make a name for yourself traveling the martial world? Every family has its rules, every gang has its laws. Let me be upfront: leaving the gang is easy, but begging to rejoin later will be harder than climbing to heaven! Who am I? I'm an assassin who successfully assassinated a big white goose! I have no feelings, I value rules most, I'm impartial..."

Probably feeling that if she kept going, she'd get another rap on the head, Pei Qian immediately shut up and stopped. She'd let it slide for now—she could beat up Li Huai in private later anyway. That guy was far inferior to Zhou Mili. Little Milly actually wasn't too fond of showing off.

Lin Shouyi got up, walked to the end of the corridor, and sat down cross-legged, beginning to meditate quietly.

Xie Xie sat at the other end. Both were long accustomed to this and acted with perfect tacit understanding.

Li Baoping suggested going outside the academy to eat good food in the capital's alleys.

Li Huai and Yu Lu both followed along.

In the end, Pei Qian was the one who footed the bill.

Li Baoping grinned and pinched Pei Qian's cheek. Pei Qian smiled so wide she couldn't close her mouth.

Back at the academy, Pei Qian would sleep at Li Baoping's place that night, and they would whisper secrets.

Li Huai needed to hurry and find Liu Guan and Ma Lian to discuss important matters, or his status in the martial arts world would be in jeopardy.

Chen Ping'an and Yu Lu went fishing by the lake.

Neither spoke.

The catch was plentiful.

What a pity it wasn't during their travels back then, when the fish soup they made could leave them stuffed.

When they put away their rods, Yu Lu asked, "You're in the Golden Body Realm now?"

Chen Ping'an crouched by the shore, opened the creel, and released all the lake fish inside. He looked up with a smile. "Does that sound a bit defiant?"

Yu Lu nodded, then smiled. "Want to spar?"

Chen Ping'an asked, "Not afraid it'll interfere with your studies?"

Yu Lu was momentarily speechless at that remark. He put away his rod and creel and led Chen Ping'an to Xie Xie's house.

In the corridor, Xie Xie was still sitting with his breath settled, in a state of forgetfulness.

Lin Shouyi had already left.

When he heard the knock, Xie Xie sighed helplessly, got up, and opened the door. After hearing the two's intention, he couldn't help but laugh. "Can I watch?"

Yu Lu stood in the courtyard and said with a smile, "As you wish."

Chen Ping'an said nothing. He just asked Yu Lu to wait a moment, then crouched down, rolled up his trouser legs, revealing a pair of cloth shoes sewn by Pei Qian herself. The needlework wasn't great, but they were thick and warm, and Chen Ping'an found them very comfortable.

After standing up, Chen Ping'an lightly rolled up his sleeves, a trace of a smile on his face. He looked at Yu Lu, then placed one hand behind his back and extended the other with an open palm. "Please."

Yu Lu suddenly said, "I give up. I admit defeat."

Xie Xie wasn't surprised at all. This was something Yu Lu would do, and he could do it without the slightest awkwardness. No one else had Yu Lu's temperament—or rather, face.

Chen Ping'an tried to persuade him: "Come on, it's just a warm-up. A friendly spar between peers—winning or losing is normal."

Yu Lu smiled and said, "I want to maintain an undefeated record against you. As for sparring, I can save that for Senior Zhu Lian of Fallen Mountain."

Chen Ping'an laughed in exasperation. "Are you afraid I'll knock you down with one punch?"

Yu Lu turned his head to look at Xie Xie.

Xie Xie smiled and said, "The world is silent, not a sound heard."

Yu Lu gave him a thumbs-up. "You're way more decent than some people."

After the two who hadn't fought left the courtyard, Xie Xie lay down in the corridor, closed his eyes, and thought that a bit of liveliness here wasn't bad.

Leaving the house, the two walked together toward Yu Lu's study. Chen Ping'an said, "Practicing boxing without any meaning won't work at all, but relying solely on meaning won't work either."

Yu Lu said, "I'll find an excuse to stay at Fallen Mountain for a while."

Chen Ping'an said no more.

Gatherings had to scatter.

Chen Ping'an and Pei Qian had a snowball fight with Li Baoping and Li Huai, and together they built some snowmen, then left the academy.

Li Baoping stood at the academy gate, watching them leave.

Chen Ping'an walked backward, waving goodbye.

Li Baoping waved gently.

Pei Qian waved both hands vigorously.

When the two figures disappeared around a corner, Li Baoping immediately began running up the mountain.

The old gatekeeper felt a bit emotional. He hadn't seen that girl run like this in many years. Seeing it again now, he felt a wave of nostalgia.

Li Baoping reached the summit of the academy's mountain, climbed a tree, and stood on the most familiar branch, staring in silence.

Chen Ping'an went to a shop that dealt in jade goods. The owner was still the same one. Back then, Chen Ping'an had bought a farewell gift for Li Baoping here, and the owner had given him a carving knife. Now, the owner didn't recognize Chen Ping'an.

Chen Ping'an selected a plain jade seal, intending to carve seal script on it himself.

Pei Qian wanted to buy one with her own money and have her master carve characters for her, so she could have a personal seal in the future.

Chen Ping'an bought an extra one instead. He didn't want Pei Qian to spend her money. His first disciple had such a small money pouch—as her master, he couldn't bear to see her spend it.

Leaving the shop, standing on the street, Chen Ping'an turned his head to look at the summit of East Hua Mountain in the academy. There was a big tree there. At this moment, there should still be a girl in a red cotton jacket, whose bamboo box no longer fit her.

Li Baoping sat on a branch, gently swinging her legs. They had just parted, but she was already looking forward to their next reunion.

She wasn't sad. On the contrary, she was full of anticipation.

Her Little Senior Uncle was the most composed.

She should be the same. Just a little less than her Little Senior Uncle—the second most composed.

Chen Ping'an withdrew his gaze. Pei Qian chattered beside him, telling interesting stories she had heard from Baoping sister and Li Huai.

Chen Ping'an listened to her prattle with a smile.

Together, they boarded the dragon boat and returned to the Oxhorn Mountain ferry crossing.

Chen Ping'an timed it carefully: he made a round trip between Fallen Mountain and Oxhorn Mountain, packed his belongings, and then boarded the Pima Sect's cross-continent ferry heading south again, beginning his southward journey.

On the ferry were the Pima Sect's finance manager, the Nascent Soul cultivator Wei Yusong, and the moneyman of Spring Dew Garden, Tang Xi of the Sunshade Night Herb Hall.

Wei Zhe also appeared.

Fallen Mountain, Cloud Draped Mountain, Pima Sect, Spring Dew Garden.

The framework for the cooperation among the four parties had already been set. On this southward journey, they would refine the details of their cross-continent business.

After they had talked enough, Wei Zhe left first, saying that for the remaining matters concerning his Cloud Draped Mountain, Chen Ping'an could make decisions on his behalf.

Then, at a cultivation ferry that was relatively close to Scroll Lake, Li Fuzhi, representing True Realm Sect, boarded the cross-continent ferry.

This was Chen Ping'an's second meeting of the trip, discussing matters concerning the Lotus Flower Blessed Land. Besides Li Fuzhi, Sun Jiashu of Old Dragon City and Fan Er would also participate. Both parties had lent a large sum of Rain Grain coins to Fallen Mountain without mentioning any dividend requirements.

To keep things relatively inconspicuous, Sun Jiashu and Fan Er quietly left Old Dragon City and boarded the cross-continent ferry at different ports before it entered Old Dragon City's territory.

When Chen Ping'an met Fan Er, the first thing he did was give him a piece of porcelain he had made himself. To this end, Chen Ping'an had made a special trip back to the dragon kiln in Longquan Commandery where he had once been an apprentice. This was the first time Chen Ping'an had returned to that dragon kiln.

When the cross-continent ferry landed at the port outside Old Dragon City, Chen Ping'an didn't go into the city. The Osmanthus Island ferry of the Fan family had not yet returned from Inverted Mountain, but the cross-continent ferry of the Sun family—the mountain-sea turtle captured by the Sun clan's ancestor—was about to depart. So Chen Ping'an got another free ride on a ferry.

Heading out to sea again on a new journey, with each passing day, he drew closer to the Sword Qi Great Wall.