Chapter 579: The One Who is Most Reasonable Has Arrived

Chapter 579: The One Who is Most Reasonable Has Arrived

After that foreign sword immortal spoke, Yao Chongdao, as the head of the Yao clan, found himself caught between a rock and a hard place.

As expected from someone named Zuo You, his words and actions easily put people in a difficult position. A hundred years ago, those innate sword embryos from the Haoran World whose sword hearts had shattered must have best understood Yao Chongdao's current predicament. For example, at the time he drew his sword, Cao Jun, the genius of Southern Bodhisattva Continent, whose sword heart had once been like a lotus-filled pond, faced no difficulty whatsoever. Yet his fate was extremely tragic—left with only a lake of withered lotuses, he fell from grace and became a laughingstock throughout Southern Bodhisattva Continent. In the end, he could only quietly depart for Bottle Gourd Continent, wasting a hundred years of time to this day without breaking through to the Jade Pu realm. It must be remembered that Cao Jun was once acknowledged as a once-in-a-century sword prodigy from Southern Bodhisattva Continent.

Other sword immortals elsewhere had already detected the situation here, each wearing a smile, ready to watch the show. Those fond of drinking had already uncorked their wine flasks.

After all, they weren't sword cultivators spectating from the street below. The ones stationed on the city wall were battle-hardened sword immortals, so naturally they wouldn't shout or whistle.

Of course, it was also because they were afraid that if Zuo You became displeased, he might call on them to join in a group fight.

Zuo You's swordsmanship was too high, his sword energy too fierce, and he was rather unreasonable—the type least afraid of one person taking on a crowd.

Yao Chongdao's expression was extremely ugly.

As the head of the Yao clan, the pent-up anger and frustration in his heart had been accumulating for many years.

Just as Yao Chongdao was about to call Zuo You to the southern section of the city wall for a fight, Chen Ping'an reluctantly stepped in as a mediator, putting on a thick skin to smooth things over. Gently setting down Ning Yao, he addressed her as "Old Mr. Yao," then asked Ning Yao to accompany her elder and chat for a while, saying he would go meet Senior Zuo himself.

Ning Yao took her maternal grandfather for a stroll.

Without that rash and unruly young man around, leaving only his granddaughter beside him, Yao Chongdao's expression improved considerably.

Toward his daughter and son-in-law, the old man might have mixed feelings—sorrow, regret, resentment, anger, melancholy—difficult to truly articulate. But toward his granddaughter from the next generation, the old man felt only pride and guilt.

On the opposite city wall, Chen Ping'an stopped ten paces away from a middle-aged sword immortal who had his back to him. He couldn't get any closer. Almost all the acupoints within his personal small world were overflowing with sword energy, as if constantly at odds with the great world outside.

For ordinary sword cultivators and qi refiners from the various schools and sects, it was already no small feat to fill a few key acupoints where crucial lifebound objects were stored with spiritual energy, and then slightly expand their territory.

Upon seeing Zuo You, Chen Ping'an cupped his fists and said, "Greetings, Senior Zuo."

Zuo You remained unmoved.

Chen Ping'an then took a slight detour, leapt onto the wall, turned around to face Zuo You, and sat cross-legged.

Countless strands of sword energy crisscrossed, tearing through the void. This meant that each strand contained sword intent so pure that it had reached the legendary state of utmost refinement, capable of recklessly breaking open small worlds. In other words, at a place like the border between Skeleton Beach and Ghost Domain Valley, Zuo You wouldn't even need to draw his sword or even control his sword energy—he could walk through like a vacant space, the small world's gate opening on its own.

Seeing that Zuo You was unwilling to speak, Chen Ping'an knew he couldn't just leave—that would be too discourteous. With nothing better to do, he calmed his mind and gazed at the flow of sword energy, hoping to discern some "rules."

After about half an incense stick's time, Chen Ping'an's eyes grew sore, and his mind stirred slightly, but his state of mind quickly settled like still water.

Just now, he had thought he saw a strand of sword energy that seemed about to escape, as if it was about to break free from Zuo You's control. The instant terror was like an immortal holding a mountain and about to smash it into Chen Ping'an's heart-lake, making his heart pound with fear.

Zuo You still hadn't opened his eyes, but he finally spoke: "Do you have business with me?"

Chen Ping'an asked, "Where is Old Master Literary Sage now? If I have the chance to go to the Central Earth Divine Continent in the future, how should I find him?"

Zuo You's expression softened slightly, and he said flatly, "My master has already left Sui Mountain to open up an ancient land that Confucian sages of successive generations have long been unable to breach. A senior from the Central Earth is clearing the path with a celestial sword, while my master is responsible for consolidating the path. Neither can be absent."

Chen Ping'an nodded. "Thank you, Senior Zuo, for clarifying my doubts."

Zuo You asked, "How is your studies going?"

Chen Ping'an replied, "I have not slackened in reading, and I constantly examine my conscience."

Zuo You said, "The results leave much to be desired."

Chen Ping'an said, "Reading is a long-term endeavor. If I rush to be fast and cover a lot, given my mediocre talent, I would inevitably be shallow. It's better to go slowly but steadily, seeking depth."

Zuo You remained silent.

On the opposite wall, Yao Chongdao felt a bit put out. He said helplessly, "There's nothing interesting over there. With so many realms separating them, a fight is out of the question."

Ning Yao seemed to want to say something but held back.

On the Sword Qi Great Wall, very few knew about the connection between Chen Ping'an and Zuo You. Ning Yao hadn't even mentioned a word to Granny Bai or Grandfather Nalan.

That was the most interesting part: if Chen Ping'an had no connection to Zuo You, with Zuo You's temperament, he probably wouldn't have even bothered to open his eyes, let alone speak up for Chen Ping'an.

So at this moment, Yao Chongdao was also completely baffled, not understanding why Zuo You, a sword cultivator who cared about nothing beyond the sword, would have gone against him earlier for the sake of an outsider. The family affairs of the Yao and Ning clans—was it really any of Zuo You's business? If not for that young man named Chen butting in and mediating unnecessarily, he, Yao Chongdao, would right now be on the vast battlefield south of the wall, personally experiencing whether Zuo You's swordsmanship was really that formidable.

As for winning or losing, that didn't matter.

Either way, it would be a loss.

Although Yao Chongdao was a great sword immortal of the Immortal realm, he was advanced in years, with no hope of breaking through. Centuries of continuous warfare had left him with deep-seated ailments. Yao Chongdao himself admitted that he, as a great sword immortal, was increasingly living up to the name. Every time he saw those young talents from various surnames, all mere Earth Immortals or Jade Pu realm juniors bursting with vitality, Yao Chongdao often felt both gratified and sorrowful. Only when he caught a distant glimpse of his granddaughter, the undisputed leader among that group of young prodigies—a girl who had earned the nickname "Bitter Melon Face" from A Liang—would the old man show a hint of a smile.

Once, a man who had drunk too much said that whenever he saw Yao old man's bitter melon face, as if carved with the four words "Pay Your Debts," he would have a sudden conscience and remember the wine money he had owed for years.

After that, not a single tavern or wine shop under the Yao name would sell that fellow half a jug of wine, and the debts he owed were never collected.

Yao Chongdao asked casually, "From the looks of it, they've met before?"

Ning Yao could only say one thing: "When Chen Ping'an first came to the Sword Qi Great Wall, the transcontinental ferry encountered a roadblock at Dragon Trench. It was Zuo You who cleaved a path with his sword."

The Sword Qi Great Wall had heard something about that incident, but most of the information was incomplete. For one thing, Daoxuan Mountain was tight-lipped about it. After the incident at Dragon Trench, Zuo You and the Great Heavenly Lord, the Daoxuan Mountain direct disciple of Number Two, had fought a thrilling battle at sea. Moreover, Zuo You never seemed to need a reason to draw his sword.

The old man and Ning Yao, in truth, didn't meet often, and they chatted even less.

So the situation between them wasn't much better than that between Zuo You and Chen Ping'an.

Chen Ping'an said, "Senior Zuo, you slew those dragons at the place where they gathered. I have always remembered that life-saving favor over the years."

Zuo You said flatly, "If you trace it back to the source, it has nothing to do with you."

Chen Ping'an smiled. "I know that I am not considered a junior in Senior Zuo's eyes."

Zuo You said, "Don't dwell on it. The people, events, and sights that catch my eye can be counted on one hand."

Chen Ping'an continued, "And I never thought of acknowledging Senior Zuo as my senior brother."

Zuo You smiled faintly, opened his eyes, and gazed into the distance. "Oh?"

Chen Ping'an's expression was calm. He shifted, turning to sit cross-legged facing the distance. "It's not that I was ignorant when I was younger, or brash now that I'm older. These are just my honest thoughts."

Zuo You still didn't get angry. Instead, he said something completely off-topic: "In this life, besides determining whether the world is vast and high or small as a mustard seed, the primary task is to prove the reality of one's self."

Chen Ping'an said slowly, "Then let me speak a few more words from the heart. They may be utterly unreasonable, but I must say them. Senior Zuo, in your life, you have balanced study and sword practice, eventually reaping the rewards of long accumulation, with ups and downs, and a splendid journey. First, you made countless innate sword embryos bow their heads; then you went overseas to seek immortals, alone with your sword, challenging the Northern Julu Continent; and finally, you challenged Parasol Leaf Continent, slaying Du Mao and preventing his ascension. You have done so many things. Why have you alone never gone to Bottle Gourd Continent? How Mr. Qi thinks is Mr. Qi's affair. What a senior brother should do is what a senior brother ought to do."

Zuo You remained silent.

Chen Ping'an stood up. "This is the only thing I wanted to say when I arrived at the Sword Qi Great Wall and heard that Senior Zuo was also here."

He was about to take his leave.

But Zuo You said, "When speaking to a senior, don't stand so tall."

Chen Ping'an had to swallow his farewell words and obediently sit back down in his original spot.

To be honest, on this trip to the city wall, Chen Ping'an had mentally prepared himself to get a beating. At worst, he'd lie in the Ning residence for a month or so.

They sat in silence.

Chen Ping'an asked, "Does Senior Zuo have something to say?"

Zuo You shook his head. "I'm too lazy to reason. It's not my strong suit, so I'm hesitating over how much force to put into my sword. You're too low in realm, which makes it troublesome."

Chen Ping'an didn't think Zuo You was joking, so he said, "Old Master Literary Sage loves drinking and traveling. Has he never been to the Sword Qi Great Wall? The wine here is actually not bad."

Zuo You seemed, for the first time, somewhat aggrieved. "Get lost!"

When a senior gave the order, the junior obeyed. Chen Ping'an immediately got up, called out to Ning Yao, summoned his talisman boat, and hovered it outside the wall.

Yao Chongdao nodded at Ning Yao. She rode the wind into the talisman boat, and together with the feigning-calm Chen Ping'an, they returned to the distant city still brightly lit in the night.

Zuo You glanced at the young man in green robes on the talisman boat, especially the white jade hairpin that was so familiar to him.

Zuo You closed his eyes again and continued sharpening his sword intent.

Tattling to Master.

One accusation would hit the mark, and it would be justified.

Back when everyone was still young, among the fellow disciples, who was best at that kind of thing?

Yao Chongdao approached Zuo You, gazed at the small talisman boat and the large city, and asked, "Zuo You, do you think highly of that young man?"

Zuo You said flatly, "I have a rather poor impression of the Yao clan, so don't waste my time with nonsense just because you're older."

Yao Chongdao was so angry he almost blew his top. Did Zuo You really think he was a clay Buddha without a temper?

Fight then. Who was afraid of whom?

Could Zuo You really kill him?

Then the old great sword immortal walked out of his thatched hut, stood at the door, looked up, and said softly, "A rare guest."

Chen Qingdu soon walked back into the hut. Since the visitor was a guest, not an enemy, there was no need to worry. Chen Qingdu merely stamped his foot, and immediately set up a restriction, isolating the entire city wall of the Sword Qi Great Wall into a small world, so as not to attract any more unnecessary prying eyes.

Besides Chen Qingdu, who had been the first to detect the faint traces, a few seated sages and the Hidden Officer also realized something was wrong.

No one could pass through the heavenly curtain restrictions of two great worlds so silently, bypassing the Daoxuan Mountain gate, and arrive at the Sword Qi Great Wall.

Not even the Great Heavenly Lord stationed at Daoxuan Mountain could do it.

Even the Confucian sages responsible for guarding the continental boundaries of Haoran World, holding their jade tablets, couldn't do it either.

Many of the sword immortals stationed on the wall hadn't even realized someone had infiltrated. Outside the Sword Qi Great Wall, no one was aware at all.

By the time anomalies appeared on the wall and anyone tried to investigate, it would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.

Moreover, no one dared to act recklessly, so the various sword immortals continued their cultivation undisturbed.

Zuo You was stunned for a moment, then started to stand up.

But he was slapped on the head: "So this is how you talk to a senior? Where are your manners?"

Zuo You hesitated, but still tried to rise. Since his master had arrived, he should stand and bow. Then he was slapped again: "Won't listen, eh? Want to talk back? Haven't been beaten for three days, so you want to tear off the roof tiles?"

Zuo You could only hover in a halfway position—neither fully standing nor sitting—and said to Yao Chongdao, "This junior has been rude. I apologize, Senior Yao."

Then Yao Chongdao saw an old scholar in tattered robes. He reached out to help the flustered Zuo You up while grinning broadly at Yao Chongdao. "Clan Head Yao, Great Sword Immortal Yao, I presume? A pleasure, a pleasure. You raised an excellent daughter, who helped you find an excellent son-in-law. And from that excellent daughter and excellent son-in-law came an excellent granddaughter. Then that excellent granddaughter helped find the best grandson-in-law. Great Sword Immortal Yao, you are truly blessed. I am so envious I could die. As for me, I've only managed to teach a few disciples, and they're just passable."

Zuo You finally could stand properly. He took a step back and made a deep bow. "Master!"

The astonishing sword energy surrounding Zuo You had no effect on the vaguely ethereal old scholar in blue robes.

Yao Chongdao looked incredulous. He ventured, "Is this... Master Literary Sage?"

The old scholar looked embarrassed. "What Literary Sage? That title is long gone. I'm still young, hardly worthy of being called Master. It's just luck that I had some modest moments of glory in the past. Let's not talk about that now. I am younger than Clan Head Yao, so calling me 'old brother' is fine."

Yao Chongdao was a bit stunned.

He didn't quite know how to deal with this famously renowned Confucian literary sage.

The Confucian red tape of the Haoran World was precisely what the sword cultivators of the Sword Qi Great Wall most despised.

The old scholar looked around anxiously and said hastily, "I came in a hurry, so I must leave quickly. Old Great Sword Immortal, shall we have a chat?"

Chen Qingdu sat inside the thatched hut and nodded with a smile. "By all means."

A Confucian sage stationed at the Sword Qi Great Wall voluntarily appeared, bowed, and said, "Greetings, Literary Sage."

The sages of the three religions stationed here rotated, and the length of their stays was not fixed.

This Confucian sage had once been a great Buddhist disciple renowned throughout the world. After arriving at the Sword Qi Great Wall, he had mastered the knowledge and divine abilities of both religions, with extremely high spells and techniques. He was someone even the Hidden Officer preferred not to provoke.

The old scholar sighed. "So you lost a debate. It was because your studies weren't deep enough, not because the Buddhist teachings are flawed. I advised you against it back then. Why did you have to defect to our Confucian school? Now look at the trouble you're in. Did you really think one person could digest the fundamental knowledge of two religions? If it were that easy, what would there be to argue about? It's because even the Lord Laozi and the Buddha weren't skilled enough at mediating, isn't it? Besides, you're not good at debating, but you're excellent at fighting. What a pity. Truly a pity."

Such words, falling on the ears of Confucian disciples at the Temple and Academies, might be seen as heresy, as straying from the path, or at least as favoring outsiders.

The Confucian sage who had changed allegiance after losing the debate smiled and said, "Boundless time is where freedom lies."

This single phrase actually caused the heavens of the Sword Qi Great Wall to change color, but the anomaly was quickly dispersed by the sword energy on the wall.

The old scholar shook his head and sighed. In a flash, he appeared near the thatched hut. Chen Qingdu gestured for him to sit. "Please, Literary Sage, be seated."

The old scholar composed himself. "The Temple needs to borrow three of your people."

Chen Qingdu asked, "Why did they send you? Why not the Ritual Sage or the Sub-Sage, who have a more rightful claim? Or the Deputy Leader of the Central Earth Temple?"

The old scholar chuckled. "I have a thicker face. If they came, they'd leave with their tails between their legs."

Chen Qingdu shook his head. "No deal."

The old scholar muttered, "Well, that's not very friendly."

—

Zuo You arrived outside the thatched hut.

Before long, the old scholar walked out of the hut with a look of chagrin. "Hard to talk to, but no matter how hard, we still have to talk."

Zuo You asked, "Master, when will you leave this place?"

The old scholar scratched his head. "I have to try again. If there's really no room for negotiation, I have no choice. I'll have to leave. It can't be helped. In this life, I'm destined to toil and take the blame."

Zuo You asked, "Won't you meet Chen Ping'an?"

The old scholar said angrily, "Mind your own business!"

Zuo You said nothing more.

After all, he was the founding patriarch of the Literary Sage lineage.

The old scholar seemed a bit guilty. He patted Zuo You on the shoulder. "Zuo You, your master and that scholar you respect so much have finally opened up a path together. It's a vast territory, comparable to the Fifth World. Lots of everything, just not many people. And it won't get crowded for a long time. Doesn't that suit you? Don't you want to go check it out?"

Zuo You shook his head. "Master, there aren't many people here either. And this place is better than that brand-new world. Because here, as time goes on, there will be fewer and fewer people. They won't come flooding in."

The old scholar whined, "As a master, I've had such a hard time. None of my students or disciples listen."

Zuo You said softly, "Isn't there still Chen Ping'an?"

The old scholar said earnestly, "Zuo You, if you keep poking at my heart like this, that's just not right."

Zuo You asked in confusion, "Why isn't it appropriate for Master to meet Chen Ping'an?"

The old scholar smiled and frowned simultaneously, his expression strange. "I heard that your little junior brother has just established an ancestral hall on his hometown mountain, hung a portrait of me in the center, at the highest place. Actually, it's quite inappropriate. He could have hung it secretly in his study. I'm not someone fussy about such trivial matters. Look at how the Temple expelled me back then—did I care? Not in the slightest. The vain glories and profits of the world are as meaningless as salted peanuts to go with wine. One bite at a time."

Zuo You said, "Master, would you mind wiping that smile off your face?"

The old scholar said "Oh" and noticed that old man Yao was no longer on the city wall. He rubbed his face, jumped up, and slapped Zuo You on the head. "You criticize others for talking nonsense, but you're just as bad. Among my disciples, you're the most dense."

Zuo You said helplessly, "After all, they are Ning Yao's elders. It's hard for this disciple to act freely."

The old scholar said in confusion, "I didn't say you were wrong to hold back. You don't move your hands or feet, but you have so much sword energy. Sometimes if you can't control even a tiny bit, and it heads toward old Yao, and he yells a bit, then the two of you can spar and learn from each other, benefiting your sword paths. After beating old Yao, you can then raise your voice and flatter him a bit. Perfect, isn't it? Can't you figure that out?"

Zuo You nodded. "This disciple is slow-witted. Master is right."

The old scholar turned and ran toward the thatched hut. "I just thought of something. Let me go bargain some more."

Zuo You walked to the edge of the city wall.

A moment later, the old scholar came out sighing, and stood beside Zuo You.

Zuo You asked, "Master, do you think we are standing on a speck of dust, and walking to another speck of dust is already the limit for cultivators?"

The old scholar smiled. "Trees greet each other in the wind. Mountains stand silently for millennia. Rivers, as they grow, eventually merge. All things observe in silence and find contentment."

Zuo You pondered for a moment. "I beg you, Master, to speak more simply."

The old scholar said, "I don't know the answer to your question, so I just made something up."

Zuo You had nothing to say.

The old scholar sighed. "Immortals sit atop mountains; the roads of the human world are muddy."

Zuo You said, "Master is reprimanding the student."

The old scholar shook his head and said solemnly, "I am demanding too much of sages and heroes."

Then Zuo You accompanied his master, watching the scenery through the night, saying nothing more.

At dawn, the old scholar turned and walked toward the thatched hut. "If I can't convince Chen Qingdu this time, I'll just roll around and throw a tantrum."

Zuo You waited quietly for the result. At noon, the old scholar left the hut, stroking his beard and walking silently, lost in thought.

Zuo You said in a low voice, "Chen Ping'an wants to propose to the Ning family. The old great sword immortal has agreed to be the matchmaker."

The old scholar was stunned, then immediately beat his chest and stamped his feet. "That old bastard Chen Qingdu! Shameless! What business is it of his? Did I, as his master, die? Fine, even if I'm half-dead..."

With a crash.

The old scholar's already blurry figure turned into a puff of illusion and vanished, disappearing without a trace, as if he had suddenly disappeared from this world.

Zuo You narrowed his eyes, grasped his sword hilt, and faced the thatched hut.

But in an instant, there was a faint tremor in the air. The old scholar appeared again, standing somewhat unsteadily, looking travel-worn and weary. He extended a hand and patted Zuo You's arm that was gripping the sword.

Zuo You still didn't let go of his sword hilt.

The old scholar laughed. "Alright, it's no big deal."

Chen Qingdu appeared at the door of the hut and asked with a smile, "Are you planning to just stay here and never leave?"

The old scholar sighed. "Even if I wanted to stay, I couldn't manage it. Once I've had a drink, I'll pack up and get lost immediately."

This was the suppression of heaven and earth.

Back then, when Lu Chen went from the Green Underworld to the Haoran World, and then to the Li Zhu Cave Heaven, it wasn't easy either. He was suppressed by the Dao at every turn.

Chen Qingdu reminded him with a smile, "We don't have any bedding for you here, Literary Sage. I advise you against pilfering."

The old scholar suddenly understood. "Right, that works too."

—

On the days without battle, the Sword Qi Great Wall was actually quite peaceful. There were bustling carriages and horses outside the grand mansions, and the crow of roosters and bark of dogs in the narrow alleys.

But there were no civil or martial temples or city god pavilions here, no custom of posting door gods or Spring Festival couplets, and no tradition of visiting graves or offering sacrifices to ancestors.

And that notoriously dilapidated street was being repaired and repaved. Craftsmen were busy at work. The biggest culprit sat on a bench outside a sundry shop, basking in the sun.

Ning Yao was chatting with Diezhang. Business was slow, very average.

Chen Ping'an noticed that Diezhang didn't seem anxious at all, but he was a little worried.

However, they had only met a few times, so Chen Ping'an didn't feel comfortable speaking up easily. When it came to the women around the woman he loved, one had to be especially careful with boundaries.

A little kid crept closer, rubbed his nose with his fist, gathered his courage, and asked, "Your name is Chen Ping'an, right?"

Chen Ping'an asked with a smile, "What's up? Want to fight?"

The kid stepped back in fright but still didn't leave. "Will you teach boxing? I can pay you."

Chen Ping'an shook his head. "No."

The kid persisted, "If you think the money is too little, I can run a tab. Once I learn boxing and kill some demons to earn money, I'll pay you back bit by bit. Anyway, you're really skilled and have big fists, so I wouldn't dare to dodge the debt."

Chen Ping'an sat with his hands in his sleeves, shoulders relaxed, and asked lazily, "Why learn boxing? Shouldn't you be practicing the sword?"

The kid said dejectedly, "I'm not an innate sword embryo. I won't get far with the sword, and no one wants to teach me. Even Sister Diezhang thinks I lack talent and says I should become a bricklayer. I've been watching her shop for free for months."

Chen Ping'an chuckled. "Learning martial arts and boxing is pretty much like practicing the sword. It costs a lot and requires talent. You'd better just be a bricklayer."

The kid crouched there, apparently expecting this outcome. He sized up the blue-robed young man from the Haoran World. Since you're so blunt, don't blame me for being rude. He said, "You're not that good-looking either. Why does Sister Ning like you?"

Chen Ping'an found it amusing. "Does liking someone depend only on looks?"

The kid countered, "What else?"

Chen Ping'an laughed. "I'm not bad-looking, am I?"

The kid crouched there, shook his head, and sighed.

Chen Ping'an felt a little wounded. He wasn't as handsome as Chen Sanqiu or Pang Yuanji, but he certainly wasn't "ugly." He rubbed the stubble on his chin with his palm. It must be because he hadn't shaved.

With this bold kid leading the way, a noisy group of children of similar age soon gathered around, along with some older youths and girls farther off.

They stared at the out-of-towner who had fought four battles in a row. Their eyes, big and small, were filled with curiosity.

When it was spring with willow trees in the Haoran World, here at the Sword Qi Great Wall, it was the bleak season of autumn wind.

A single gate separated different worlds, different seasons, and completely different customs.

At the Sword Qi Great Wall, surviving wasn't hard—not even for the weakest children.

But living well here was extremely difficult.

So anyone who could regularly drink wine, even on credit, was definitely no ordinary person.

Of course, descendants of the major clans not only had ample food and clothing but also lived lives of luxury rivaling kings and nobles. It was simple: their ancestors—sword immortals and sword cultivators—had earned such wealth with their lives. Moreover, they had to take the field themselves. Those who could walk down from the city wall alive were entitled to enjoy their fortune.

Perhaps because they felt Chen Ping'an was easy to talk to, soon a large crowd had gathered around his little bench, chattering noisily.

Outsiders who made it through Daoxuan Mountain into the city usually stayed in the areas dominated by the large and powerful clans, and didn't like coming here.

When Chen Ping'an first arrived at the Sword Qi Great Wall, he had talked with Ning Yao about many aspects of the city and its people. He knew that the local youth had various attitudes toward the Haoran World, which was only a stone's throw away yet worlds apart. Some swore they would go there to eat a bowl of authentic yangchun noodles; others had heard that there were many beautiful girls in the Haoran World—just ordinary girls, delicate, with willow-waists, swaying gently, without a trace of sword energy on them. They also wanted to know how the scholars there lived like immortals.

Now, Chen Ping'an was bombarded with all sorts of questions. He answered some and pretended not to hear others.

A child who had never been to the south side of the city wall asked if his homeland really had countless green mountains so lush, especially after rain, when you could take a deep breath and smell the fragrance of flowers and grass.

A slightly older youth asked Chen Ping'an about mountain gods and water spirits getting married, city god officials judging cases at night, and exactly what mountain spirits and water ghosts were like.

Someone else quickly pulled out a handful of wrinkled, tatty comic books, treated like treasures, and asked if what was drawn and written in them was real. Did mandarin ducks really hide under lotus leaves to escape the rain? In those big houses, did they really have to set up nets under the eaves to keep birds from nesting and dropping droppings? And what about the courtyards where the four waters gathered? In winter, when it rained or snowed, did people really not freeze? And the wine there—could you drink it for free like picking up pebbles on the roadside? Was paying for wine here actually unreasonable? And those brothels and pleasure quarters—what were they exactly? What kind of wine was "flower wine"? And the plowing and transplanting of rice seedlings—how was that done? Why did everyone who died have to have a place to live? Weren't they afraid the living would have nowhere to settle? Was the Haoran World really that big?

Finally, a youth complained, "You don't know much, do you? Ask three questions and only answer one. And you're supposed to be from the Haoran World."

Chen Ping'an subtly twisted his wrist, took out his sword-nurturing gourd, took a sip of wine, and waved them off. "Scatter, scatter. Don't bother your Sister Diezhang's business."

The kid who had first spoken to him was still crouched by the bench. "The shop isn't doing any business anyway. Let's chat a bit more."

Chen Ping'an smiled. "I've been chatting with you kids for ages, and I haven't earned a single copper coin."

There were groans of complaint, and the crowd dispersed like birds and beasts.

The kid ran far away, then turned around and shouted, "Sister Ning, this guy is super stingy and petty! Why would you like him?"

Chen Ping'an made as if to stand up, and the kid bolted, disappearing around a corner of the alley. Then he poked his head back out and yelled even louder, "Sister Ning, I'm not lying! Just now, Chen Ping'an secretly told me that he thinks Sister Diezhang is pretty good-looking! Don't like this kind of two-timer!"

In the shop, Ning Yao leaned against the counter and exchanged a smile with Diezhang.

Chen Ping'an sat back on the bench and flipped the kid off down the alley.

After the uproar subsided, the sunlight was warm and everything was quiet. Chen Ping'an drank his wine, a little unaccustomed to the peace.

Suddenly, Chen Ping'an stood up.

An old scholar had appeared beside him without him noticing.

The old scholar reached out and patted the young man's shoulder. "You've grown up. It's been hard."