Chapter 610: Zuo You Teaches Sword Techniques

Chapter 610: Zuo You Teaches Sword Techniques

Chen Ping'an was summoned once again by the Old Sword Immortal.

On the city wall, among the elders of the Literary Saint lineage, only one was present: Zuo You. He was not a congenital sword embryo, had started practicing the sword later than most, yet had ultimately become the greatest swordsman in the Haoran World.

Pei Qian, a peak fourth-tier martial artist, had been fed punches many times by the ninth-tier martial artist Bai Lianshuang at the Ning Estate. Her bottleneck had loosened. When Cui Dongshan had been pulled aside by Chen Ping'an for a private conversation earlier, beyond the matter of the booklet, there was also the issue of Pei Qian's breakthrough. Should they follow Chen Ping'an's established plan—let her witness the magnificent scenery of the Sword Qi Great Wall, consider this trip a study tour complete, and swiftly leave the Sword Qi Great Wall to return to Daoxuan Mountain—or make slight adjustments, allowing Pei Qian to stay with Zhong Xiansheng at the Sword Qi Great Wall a little longer to further temper her martial physique? Chen Ping'an actually leaned toward the former, because he had no idea when the next great war would begin. However, Cui Dongshan suggested they wait until Pei Qian had advanced to the fifth-tier martial realm before departing. Moreover, Zhong Fuzi's mind was open and his martial talent excellent. Every extra day at the Sword Qi Great Wall brought almost visibly tangible martial gains. Therefore, as long as their group didn't stay beyond half a year, it should be fine.

Still, Chen Ping'an couldn't help but worry. But with Cui Dongshan by his side, worry remained just worry.

Cao Qinglang, a bottleneck cultivator at the Cave Dwelling realm, was not a sword cultivator either. In fact, whether in terms of background, path of study, or scholarly tradition, he was somewhat similar to Zuo You—neither rushed nor impatient in cultivating his body, mind, and Dao.

Guo Zhujiu, the only daughter of Sword Immortal Guo Jia, was a Sword Qi Pavilion realm sword cultivator with exceptional talent. Back then, if not for her family grounding her at home, she would have been the one to guard the first gate, facing off against Lin Junbi, who was skilled at concealing his true strength. Yet, despite being an outstanding congenital sword embryo who had taken a master, she was determined to learn boxing—a peerless boxing technique that would make thunder roar from the sky at the first strike.

Zuo You said, "Pei Qian, do you know where the flaw lies in the sword technique you created yourself?"

Pei Qian looked crestfallen. How could she have imagined that her Senior Uncle Master would fixate on her set of "mad sword techniques"? It was just for fun; it really wasn't worth discussing.

Where were the flaws? Her sword technique didn't even have any merits. What did Senior Uncle Master want her to say? She just liked to crack sunflower seeds and boast, and at the Sword Qi Great Wall, she hadn't even dared to use it a few times. How could Senior Uncle Master take it seriously?

Guo Zhujiu leaned back and glanced at the back of Pei Qian's head. This short-statured Senior Sister had surprisingly little guts—she froze in front of the Old Sword Immortal and dared not speak in front of the Senior Uncle Master. For now, as the half-closed-door disciple of their master, Guo Zhujiu felt she needed to take on more responsibility in terms of courage and boldness. At least she had to make up for Senior Sister's share.

Zuo You didn't mind Pei Qian's hesitation. "Has anyone ever told you that your sword technique is too muddled and chaotic? Also, you can unleash it but can't rein it in?"

Pei Qian forced herself to speak softly, "No, Senior Uncle Master. No one has ever commented on whether this sword technique of mine is good or bad."

Having said that, her voice dropped even lower. "Only that swing-riding sword immortal, Sister Zhou, said some things I didn't understand. She gave me a gift as soon as we met—I couldn't stop her. After my master found out, he told me that before leaving the Sword Qi Great Wall, I must sincerely thank Sword Immortal Zhou once and promise her that I would learn that sword intent. I can't guarantee how well I'll learn it, but I'll study it with my heart."

Zuo You wasn't particularly interested in the golden-thread-entwined sword intent that the female Sword Immortal Zhou Cheng had condensed into a tangible form. Since Chen Ping'an had already taught Pei Qian the proper etiquette, he didn't say more. Instead, he commented, "Your master has praised your sword technique highly in front of me, more than once. He said that among his disciples and students, he dares to claim that 'when it comes to sword techniques, Pei Qian most resembles the Senior Brother.' So I, as the Senior Uncle Master, have been very curious."

Pei Qian hung her head, feeling she had disappointed her master's high hopes. "I've let Senior Uncle Master down."

Zuo You chuckled. "It's also fortunate that no one dared to say such nonsense to you. 'Too muddled'? 'Can't rein it in'? Otherwise, as the Senior Uncle Master, I would have to speak up for you."

Zuo You pointed into the distance. "Pei Qian."

Pei Qian looked up, following where her Senior Uncle Master pointed.

Cao Qinglang and Guo Zhujiu also gazed into the distance but couldn't see clearly. Relatively speaking, Guo Zhujiu could see more—not only because her cultivation realm was higher than Cao Qinglang's, but also because she was a sword cultivator.

Sometimes, being a congenital sword cultivator really did give one the right to look down on the Qi refiners of the world.

Unfortunately, this was the Sword Qi Great Wall. If it were the Haoran World, where sword cultivators were rare, a talent as stunning as Guo Zhujiu—a congenital sword embryo—would unquestionably be a direct-line disciple of any sect's Patriarch Hall, a pillar talent for whom an entire sect would willingly expend countless heavenly treasures and resources to cultivate.

Yet Pei Qian, who wasn't even a Qi refiner, saw things even more clearly than the sword cultivator Guo Zhujiu. Beyond the city wall, in the space between heaven and earth, countless strands and wisps of chaotic sword qi suddenly appeared out of nowhere, drifting and twisting erratically, with no pattern at all. In fact, ten out of six strands were fighting each other. It was as if the Senior Uncle Master had spotted a great demon from the Barren Wild World passing by, treated it like a fish swimming in water, and casually threw out a massive fishing net that covered the sky. But the net itself was very crude, making Pei Qian find it hard to comprehend.

To accommodate Pei Qian's eyesight, Zuo You went out of his way to raise a hand and lightly form a sword seal. In the distant sky, thousands of strands of sword qi condensed into a ball the size of a fist.

Zuo You said, "If this little thing hits a Nascent Soul cultivator, it's enough to scatter both soul and spirit. With your sword technique, you should currently be pursuing this state. It's not that your intent is too messy; rather, it's not messy enough—far from it. As long as you have enough sword qi—so much that it's unreasonable—that's sufficient. Ordinary sword cultivators shouldn't think this way, and I wouldn't give such guidance to anyone else. It varies from person to person. Telling Pei Qian about this sword technique is just right. When fighting an enemy to the death, it's not a debate about reason—why play by the rules? If you want someone dead, just crush them with overwhelming force. With enough sword qi, if the opponent wants to draw their sword? That depends on whether your sword qi allows it!"

Zuo You split his fingers, cleaving the snow-white ball of condensed qi into two. From the thin line of division, a brilliant light burst forth, eventually exploding like a spring thunderclap. Smoke and dust scattered, and the gale roared violently. Countless "innocent" strands of sword qi were churned up, then over time, day after day, year after year, they would re-condense. With luck, they might be drawn to the residual will of some ancient sword immortal and be nurtured, eventually giving birth to a pure sword intent akin to that of Sword Immortal Zhou Cheng—a rebirth, as it were. A sword immortal may die for a thousand years, but only the intent can live again.

Zuo You continued slowly, "This is the next stage you should pursue after your sword qi has reached a certain level. Even if I have ten thousand catties of strength, if I can kill a man with a single hair's breadth of force, then that is how I kill."

Pei Qian asked cautiously, "Senior Uncle Master, can I choose not to kill people?"

Zuo You replied, "If someone must not be killed, no matter how high your sword technique, that is not a reason for you to draw your sword. If someone can be killed or not killed, it's up to you. But remember: do not fail to kill those who deserve death. Don't think that because your realm is high, you are bullying the weak, and thus you should let things go with a lighthearted smile and a wave of the hand. That is absolutely not the case. The weak around you, in other parts of the Haoran World, are first-rate absolute powerhouses. The harm that powerhouses inflict on the world is far greater than that of ordinary people. After you have traveled more on the rivers and lakes and seen more mountain people, you will understand. When such people throw themselves onto the tip of your sword, if your reasoning is sound enough and your sword technique is high enough, don't hesitate."

Pei Qian seemed about to speak but held back.

Zuo You said, "For the Literary Saint lineage, merely discussing sword techniques is insufficient. Having a clear conscience is far from enough. Even if you are the greatest swordsman in the world, what does that amount to?"

Zuo You turned his head and called out, "Cao Qinglang."

Cao Qinglang immediately understood and said, "Senior Uncle Master seems to be talking about sword techniques, but it actually aligns with reason. The interweaving of thoughts is either a battle, scattering in all directions, or like Senior Uncle Master's final ball of sword qi—mutually reinforcing, gathering those of similar paths. This is like the formation of a person's foundational learning. The pursuit of scholarship is to wrestle with the books of sages and the principles of sages, but even more so to wrestle with one's own heart, to wrestle with the world and heaven and earth. Only those who ultimately prevail are those who stand tall, sword propping up heaven and earth, continuing the legacy of lost knowledge."

Zuo You was very pleased and nodded. "Indeed, you are most like me, so I don't need to say much to you. Do you understand?"

Cao Qinglang smiled and nodded.

Zuo You turned to Pei Qian and asked, "Does what I'm saying as Senior Uncle Master mean you should listen less to those sword principles I mentioned earlier?"

Pei Qian recalled her master's teaching: treat others with sincerity. So she mustered her courage and said, "Vinegary remarks are vinegary remarks; learning the sword is learning the sword. They don't conflict at all."

Zuo You nodded. "Very good. That's how it should be. Being from the same school is certainly a matter of fate, but it doesn't mean you all have to become the same person, think the same way, or even that students must be like the teacher, disciples like the master. Keep the big rules, and beyond that, your words and actions are free."

Zuo You turned to look at Guo Zhujiu. The boldest one here was probably this little girl. At this point, she was listening to their conversation and had probably remembered everything, but her mind and gaze were mostly drifting toward her "master." She was eavesdropping on the conversation between her master and the Old Sword Immortal. Naturally, she couldn't hear a thing, but that didn't stop her from trying.

Sensing Senior Uncle Master's gaze, Guo Zhujiu immediately sat up straight, adopting a posture of solemn readiness. "Every word from Senior Uncle Master weighs ten thousand jun. I must receive them well."

Pei Qian sighed inwardly. This little girl really had no respect for her elders and was utterly fearless.

Zuo You said, "Guo Zhujiu, do you know what it means to have learned boxing, acknowledged Chen Ping'an as your master, and registered on the Desolate Mountain sect registry of the Haoran World?"

Guo Zhujiu declared loudly, "Senior Uncle Master! I don't know!"

She said it with full confidence.

Zuo You felt she was actually quite like himself back in the day. Good.

But at this moment, in this position, Zuo You finally realized that his own master probably hadn't found him too troubling to deal with.

Even Zuo You found it a bit of a headache. Never mind, let Chen Ping'an worry about it himself.

But since the little girl had called him Senior Uncle Master, he couldn't let it go for nothing. Zuo You turned to look at Cui Dongshan.

Cui Dongshan scurried up to the city wall. "Senior Uncle Master, what instructions do you have?"

Zuo You said, "On behalf of your master, just casually take out a few magic treasures and give them to Guo Zhujiu. Don't give her anything too shabby."

Guo Zhujiu turned around surreptitiously. With one hand, she extended two fingers, and with the other, three fingers. Whether she was implying a choice between two options or adding them up to five gifts, heaven knew what she was thinking or why.

Cui Dongshan flipped his wrist, revealing a multi-treasure string gleaming with colorful light—a top-tier treasure of the world. He tossed it to Guo Zhujiu.

Guo Zhujiu caught the string, surprised. "You're really giving this away? I was just casually making an outrageous demand. I was planning to haggle with Little Senior Brother over the price."

Even as she said this, her action of putting the string on her wrist was smooth and effortless, with no hesitation.

Cui Dongshan laughed. "It's called the Five Treasures String. It's made from melted Gold Essence Copper Coins, Mountain Cloud Roots, Jadeite Pearls imbued with Water Fortune essence, Thunder-Struck Peach Wood cores, and a Lion Insect refined by the Five Thunder True Method. It was a beloved possession of some Farmer Immortal from the Haoran World. I've been waiting for Little Junior Sister to ask for it, and I was about to die from anxiety."

Guo Zhujiu sent a secret voice message: "Later, when we leave the city wall and Senior Uncle Master can't see us, I'll give this back to you. I just wanted to wear it for a while."

Cui Dongshan replied with a grin, "No need. Little Senior Brother is just using someone else's generosity. Keep it safe. Later, I'll tell some old bastard that I lost it. A perfectly seamless excuse. I get to show off once, Little Junior Sister gets the benefit, and some old bastard gets to weep tears of pain. Three birds with one stone."

Guo Zhujiu was baffled. She shook her wrist, and the light shimmered. It was also a bit heavy.

The gift was too precious. She would have to ask her master before deciding whether to keep it.

Cui Dongshan actually had quite a few treasures stashed away.

But when Cui Dongshan first arrived at the Sword Qi Great Wall, he had told the female Daoist from the Master's Sword Chamber that he was a pauper and had borrowed a flowery continent treasure ship from someone—that wasn't incorrect either.

Since his soul had split in two, and the mortal shell belonged to him, those close-at-hand treasures and belongings should, in principle, be returned to Cui Can.

Finally, Zuo You spoke to Pei Qian, Cao Qinglang, and Guo Zhujiu separately: "You can practice sword techniques often, but don't easily grasp a real sword. On this point, you should indeed learn from your master. If you don't even know what something is, how can you practice it into something worthwhile?"

"The faster those around you move, the less you should be anxious for them."

"I will talk to your father once."

Chen Ping'an summoned his talisman boat, "gifted" by Old True Lord Huan Yun, and led the three back to the Ning Estate within the city. But before that, the boat first soared beyond the southern city wall to view the large characters carved there. One horizontal stroke was like the great path of the mortal world, one vertical stroke like a hanging waterfall, one dot like a divine cave dwelling where cultivators trained.

Cui Dongshan said he wanted to explore on his own.

Eventually, Cui Dongshan found that monk.

Cui Dongshan sat cross-legged and said, "I need to express gratitude twice. Once for myself, and once for Bottle Gourd Continent."

The monk nodded. "When a human heart sits alone facing the light, every word becomes a lion's roar."

Cui Dongshan didn't want to dwell on his own matters. He turned earnestly to ask, "My grandfather, in his final days at the Heart-Resembling Temple in Lotus Flower Blessed Land, wanted to ask the abbot something—should be about Buddhist teachings. But for some reason, he gave up. Can you enlighten me?"

The monk said, "That benefactor Cui probably wanted to ask whether such coincidences were preordained and whether everything was settled. However, when the words reached his lips, the thought rose and then fell—he truly let it go. Benefactor Cui let it go. Why can't you let it go? Today's Cui Dongshan cannot let it go. Yesterday's Benefactor Cui—did he truly let it go?"

Cui Dongshan frowned. "Heaven and earth are but one; increase and decrease are fixed. The River of Time is but one; it flows and never returns. If my grandfather let it go, then he let it go. How can my inability to let it go make him not have let it go?"

The monk laughed heartily, chanted a Buddhist cry, then composed himself and said, "The Buddhist Dharma is boundless. Is it truly only about before and after? Can it not accommodate something that is not let go? What does it matter whether you let go or not?"

Cui Dongshan shook his head. "Don't play word games with me. Whether it's the School of Names or Buddhist logic (Hetu-vidya), I have studied them deeply."

The monk pressed his palms together, looked up at the sky dome, then withdrew his gaze to look ahead at the vast earth. His right hand rested on his right knee, fingertips lightly touching the ground. He then raised his other hand, touching the thumb and forefinger together, while the other fingers naturally spread out like an opening lotus.

Cui Dongshan sighed, pressed his palms together, nodded in acknowledgment, and rose to leave.

The monk's expression was serene. He lifted the hand that had touched the ground, turned his palm outward, fingers pointing downward, and smiled. "Once again, I see the mortal sea of suffering giving birth to a lotus flower."

Cui Dongshan leaped down from the southern city wall, crossed the extremely wide horse lane, and went to the northern city wall. He stepped out, plummeting straight down, kicking up a cloud of dust at the base of the wall. Then, from the yellow sand, a white-robed figure emerged without a speck of dust. He started sprinting, bounding and hopping, occasionally swimming through the air. So, if anyone had any reason to think Cui Dongshan had a screw loose, Zhu Mei had ample evidence: no one else would paddle a talisman boat like a pole boat, and no one else would walk through the city streets, carrying a lightweight walking staff with a little girl in a quiet corner, pretending to be burdened and staggering.

Cui Dongshan didn't go straight to the Ning Estate. Instead, he sneakily climbed over a wall and snuck into a luxurious mansion.

He found a sword immortal sitting on a corridor, holding a cup and drinking wine. Cui Dongshan crouched on the railing, staring intently at the wine cup.

Sword Immortal Sun Juyuan laughed. "State Preceptor, everything else is negotiable, but this object really can't be given to you."

Cui Dongshan complained, "Sword Immortal, you're so stingy."

Sun Juyuan smiled wryly. "I simply cannot believe that the State Preceptor is the State Preceptor."

Cui Dongshan curled his lip. "And doesn't the Sword Qi Great Wall think you're a spy? But in truth, you're just a gambler who helps others run the gambling table, earning money and then scattering it?"

Sun Juyuan said doubtfully, "Learning from A Liang—many people want to, but no one does it well. How does that storyteller sense of proportion come about? How many eventually end up as a huge joke? After all, everything A Liang does has a big premise: his sword technique and sword intent. How can outsiders learn that? In that century, how did A Liang, the swordsman of the Haoran World, become A Liang of the Sword Qi Great Wall? I believe you and I both know the answer."

Cui Dongshan said, "I have a junior apprentice brother named Mao Xiaodong. He's not good at scholarly pursuits, but he's excellent at teaching. My master learns everything quickly and well. Everything within sight can be used as heavenly treasures for cultivation."

Sun Juyuan waved his hand. "Don't say that. I really can't get used to it. First it's 'Junior Apprentice Brother Mao Xiaodong,' then 'Master Second Boss'—I almost dare not drink my wine."

Cui Dongshan raised his chin, clearly not giving up. "If you don't drink wine, what use is the cup? Give it to me."

Sun Juyuan looked at the unruly young man crouching on the railing. He felt like his head was twice its size. He imitated the Bitter Summer Sword Immortal and put on a grimace.

Cui Dongshan jumped down from the railing. "Everyone is filled with resentment, yet they can't do anything about an Old Sword Immortal. How to alleviate sorrow? Probably only by drinking. Getting drunk and waiting for death is better than being clear-headed and having to die."

Sun Juyuan didn't hide his thoughts. "What you think and what you do are two different things. A Liang once told me this principle. One explained it clearly, and the other understood. Otherwise, back then, the sword cultivator who would have been killed by the Old Sword Immortal with one sword strike would not have been the widely watched Dong Guanpu, but the dispensable Sun Juyuan."

Cui Dongshan sat on the corridor, leaning against the railing. "The romantic sword immortal couple of the Ning Estate died in battle. Dong Guanpu of the Dong family was killed by his own side. When my master first arrived at the Sword Qi Great Wall, that was the state of affairs. The Ning Estate declined, while the Dong family remains glorious to this day. No one dares to say a word. Who do you think is the most saddened?"

Sun Juyuan said, "Naturally, it's the Old Sword Immortal."

Cui Dongshan tucked his hands into his sleeves. "It's most troublesome when everyone has their own reasons."

Sun Juyuan laughed. "State Preceptor, you didn't come today just to vent your frustrations with me, did you? Between you and me, it's just business—fair prices, a transaction. Some things have been tangled for too many years. Even a great sword immortal wouldn't have the energy to sort them out. The answer is nothing more than 'What else can be done? Let it be.' Besides, going out of the city to kill demons becomes a habit. After killing for a long time, it becomes a matter of course. For someone like me, Sun Juyuan, I'm afraid of death, right? But if I truly stood on the city wall and went south, I would still kill with abandon."

Cui Dongshan said, "In the past, it was usually a hundred years between great battles. Not to mention the brutal slaughter after the Battle of Thirteen. In just ten years, the Barren Wild World has attacked the city twice more, but both times on a small scale—just using war to nurture war, to integrate various forces and drill troops. Are you afraid? Once half the fighting force of the Barren Wild World, or even the entire Barren Wild World, truly assembles, the Sword Qi Great Wall has only this many people, this many flying swords. Are you afraid?"

Sun Juyuan said, "That's exactly the reason we complain but ultimately don't do much. Anyway, we have the Old Sword Immortal standing guard on the city wall."

Cui Dongshan asked, "What if the vanished ten-thousand-year-old master of the Barren Wild World reappears? Someone can fight Chen Qingdu one-on-one, arm-wrestle him? What will you sword immortals do then? Will you still have the spirit to descend from the city wall?"

Sun Juyuan fell silent.

Cui Dongshan extended his hand and smiled. "Want to bet on it? If my words come true—a crow's mouth—then this wine cup is mine. You won't use it anyway, and perhaps you'll need this bit of connection to beg for a chance. If it doesn't happen, I'll definitely return it to you in the future. Sword immortals live long lives; you're not afraid to wait."

Sun Juyuan tossed the cup to Cui Dongshan. "Whether you win or lose, I'm giving it to you. A Liang once said that no gambler at the Sword Qi Great Wall can win, especially the sword immortals. Better to leave it to the Haoran World behind you than to lose it to those beasts of the Barren Wild World. It's the lesser of two evils—both disgusting, but disgust yourself a little less, and that's a win."

Cui Dongshan caught the cup with a smile. "'But'?"

Sun Juyuan nodded and stood up. "There is indeed a 'but': 'Before you cross the city wall, did I give my permission?'"

Cui Dongshan nodded. "I almost couldn't resist returning the cup to you and kneeling to pledge brotherhood, cutting a chicken's head and burning yellow paper."

Sun Juyuan laughed. "When the State Preceptor says such things, it really spoils the mood. This rare display of heroic spirit I just showed is about to be undone."

Cui Dongshan said, "Sword Immortal Sun, if you keep being so sentimental, I'll have to deal with you using the sect style of Desolate Mountain!"

Sun Juyuan suddenly became serious. "You are not the Embroidery Tiger. You are not the State Preceptor."

Cui Dongshan twisted coyly. "I am Dongshan."

Sun Juyuan twitched the corner of his mouth. Finally, he couldn't help but retort, "Then I am Xihe."

The white-robed figure vaulted over the wall and, while falling to the other side, muttered to himself, "Insolence, too much insolence. The sword immortals of the Sword Qi Great Wall bully everyone. Their words are sharp and wound the heart..."

— —

Lin Junbi hadn't been going to the city wall to practice sword techniques lately. He only played go games alone.

The proud sons of the Shaoyuan Dynasty, including Yan Lü, who rested at the Sun Estate after each outing, didn't dare disturb Lin Junbi while he was mending his state of mind.

Only Yan Lü had gone to see Lin Junbi, who looked dispirited. But upon seeing Yan Lü, Lin Junbi seemed to have more warmth than before. He stopped playing go and chatted with Yan Lü for a long time.

Yan Lü had made up his mind that he truly should form an alliance with Lin Junbi, not because of his family's secret instructions. Thus, along the way, Yan Lü had always harbored some resentment, though he hid it deep down. After all, to Yan Lü, Lin Junbi had been an obstacle he couldn't bypass. When Yan Lü's realm was high enough, especially if he could one day take charge of some family affairs, the now-dominant Lin Junbi in the Shaoyuan Dynasty would greatly hinder his rise. But now, Yan Lü had changed his perspective. He decided to accept his fate, sincerely assist Lin Junbi, and believe that with Lin Junbi's vision, he would know that Yan Lü would be a very capable right-hand man.

Yan Lü hoped to ally with Lin Junbi because Lin Junbi's existence meant Yan Lü would lose certain potential benefits. He could make up for that from others—maybe even gain more.

With his mental block gone, Yan Lü became much more decisive, speaking to Lin Junbi without reservation.

A Lin Junbi who didn't discuss how badly his Dao heart was damaged—at least no longer "flawless"—actually made Yan Lü feel more at ease.

Lin Junbi had long seen through Yan Lü's nature, so Yan Lü's change in mindset wasn't unexpected. There would be no problem in cooperating with Yan Lü.

In the future, Yan Lü wouldn't be an insignificant figure in the Shaoyuan Dynasty.

Today, Lin Junbi's senior apprentice brother, Bian Jing, rarely showed up. They played a game of go.

Bian Jing smiled. "Haven't you been disgusted enough by people like Yan Lü?"

Lin Junbi shook his head. "On the contrary, I can use these people."

Bian Jing shook his head as well, holding a go stone over the board. "I find it quite nauseating. Some words, if spoken with genuine conviction, are actually not bad—it's just a matter of different positions or depth of learning that produce different words. Even if the reasoning is flawed, it's secondary, like with Jiang Guancheng. Others simply don't speak at all, like Jin Zhenmeng, and that's fine. But the rest—most of them are lying through their teeth. Isn't that not good? Now, how is our reputation at the Sword Qi Great Wall? Are these people unaware? Who will remember who they are? In the end, it's only you, Lin Junbi, who came to the Sword Qi Great Wall and suffered setbacks at every turn. You ruined the State Preceptor's plans, one after another."

"Regarding my master, when I return to my hometown, I will confess and accept punishment."

Lin Junbi waited calmly for Bian Jing to place his stone, then smiled. "Huddling together for warmth is human nature. Among crowds, the morally superior ones end up alone."

One of the Shaoyuan Dynasty's hidden goals was precisely Yu Juanfu.

Lin Junbi was actually puzzled by this and felt it was inappropriate, because Yu Juanfu's fiancé was Huai Qian. No matter how proud and arrogant Lin Junbi was, he knew that for now, he absolutely couldn't compare with that Huai Qian in terms of cultivation, family background, intelligence, connections with elders, or immortal opportunities—in every aspect. But his master didn't elaborate, so Lin Junbi could only take it step by step. His master only made two grave remarks: "Yu Juanfu, spoiled by Zhou Shenzhi, after returning to the Yu family to reclaim her identity, will be equivalent to half the national strength of the Shaoyuan Dynasty."

"The stone lions at the gates of noble mansions aren't clean either. In the eyes of common people, can there be a single clean brick in the Golden Throne Hall?"

As for cultivation, the State Preceptor wasn't worried about Lin Junbi. He just threw out a series of questions to test his proud disciple: "What is it to regard emperors and rulers as moral sages? How should one measure a king's gains and losses? How should emperors and ministers view the welfare of the people to be without shame?"

Bian Jing said, "It seems you're not too troubled?"

Lin Junbi smiled. "If even senior apprentice brother could see I'm in big trouble, would I still be salvageable?"

Bian Jing placed his stone and said, "Do you know why you keep losing?"

Lin Junbi nodded. "I know."

Bian Jing nodded. "Then I won't say more."

But Lin Junbi dared to assert that the answer in Senior Apprentice Brother Bian Jing's heart was definitely not the same as his own.

The two continued playing go.

Each harbored their own thoughts.

— —

At the Ning Estate's training ground, the Senior Sister and Junior Sister were engaged in a "literary contest."

It was very genteel.

Pei Qian, a pure martial artist, performed her mad sword technique, while Guo Zhujiu, a sword cultivator, practiced boxing. Each did their own thing; they didn't fight.

Chen Ping'an left the residence, intending to wait for Cui Dongshan's return.

When Chen Ping'an approached the training ground, the two girls immediately stopped their boxing and swordplay.

Pei Qian praised, "Little Junior Sister, your boxing hides sword techniques—such handsome swordwork. It's not in vain that you've diligently practiced sword techniques for so many years!"

Guo Zhujiu complimented, "Senior Sister's sword technique conceals boxing intent—your boxing methods are invincible. Truly worthy of being the Senior Sister who has followed our master the longest!"

Pei Qian nodded. "Little Junior Sister is amazing. At this rate of boxing practice, you'll definitely be able to shatter a few bricks with one punch."

Guo Zhujiu agreed. "Senior Sister is extraordinary. After a few years of practicing the sword like this, traveling through mountains and rivers, cutting down everything in sight, not a blade of grass will remain."

Truly, siblings from the same sect love each other dearly, in perfect harmony.

Chen Ping'an pretended not to see or hear as he walked past the training ground toward the Ning Estate's main gate.

As soon as Chen Ping'an was gone.

Pei Qian raised her walking staff high.

Guo Zhujiu shook the multi-treasure string on her wrist.

Pei Qian chuckled. "I still have a little bamboo case, you know."

Then Pei Qian deliberately paused before adding, "I'm not making this up—you've seen it yourself."

Guo Zhujiu giggled. "I don't have a little bamboo case!"

She also paused for effect, then said, "Do you have what I don't have? You don't, do you? So, do you want to have it?"

Pei Qian was caught off guard.

She thought this little girl was a bit silly.

Guo Zhujiu thought this little girl was a bit naive.

Chen Ping'an, who had already walked far away, secretly looked back and smiled. If possible, Desolate Mountain would be very lively in the future.

So when he met Cui Dongshan at the gate, Chen Ping'an reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling the white-robed youth inside the gate while walking. "In the future, when you go with Master to the Jade Capital in the Azure Underworld, don't speak? Master will take that as your agreement. It's settled. Shut your mouth. Very good."