Chapter 638: Those Who Take the Place of the Great Craftsman Cut Themselves

Chapter 638: Those Who Take the Place of the Great Craftsman Cut Themselves

Chen Ping'an explained the matter of "overwhelming suppression" to the sword cultivators of the Hidden Officer lineage. The sword cultivators all understood the reasoning, but Chen Ping'an gave an example that even the Worry Seed Sword Immortal found thought-provoking.

In the Green Imperial Heaven, the Third Teachings Master of the Jade Capital, Lu Chen, had once visited the young Hidden Officer's hometown. Within the Pearly Bead Cave Heaven, he concealed his identity, set up a fortune-telling stall, and stayed for over a decade. Suppressed by the Great Dao of the Haoran Heaven, he remained at the Flying Ascension realm the entire time.

Wang Xinshui complained a little that the Hidden Officer hadn't told such an astonishing story sooner. If he had, his admiration for the Hidden Officer would have long since reached the Flying Ascension realm, instead of being stuck at the bottleneck of the Nascent Soul stage.

Among the newest six-person faction most aligned with the young Hidden Officer, Guo Zhujiu had the highest realm—so lofty it was unattainable. Thus she had the authority to evaluate everyone based on their enlightenment and achievements. Even Guo Zhujiu found some of Gu Jianlong's fair remarks refreshing and surprising, so his realm was not low, having reached the Immortal realm, second only to her. Xuan Shen, because of playing chess, had acquired a trump card, like a scion of a great clan obtaining a secret, supreme technique that led directly to the Upper Five Realms. He had achieved the Jade Pu realm, and his Great Dao was promising. Cao Gun had come to this mountain to learn the Dao too late and was not diligent enough, only at the Golden Core realm. Wang Xinshui was at the Nascent Soul bottleneck. As for that Sword Immortal Mi Yu, his talent was poor, his sincerity lacking, and he wasn't even a Land Immortal.

Today, Chen Ping'an went out for another walk. Guo Zhujiu, having finished her immediate tasks, moved the little snowman's position on the table, patted its head, then slung on her small bamboo box and dashed out.

Under her watchful and encouraging gaze—which she beautified by calling it "Little Guo Zhujiu's stare"—if the snowman looked at someone, it was care and encouragement; if the snowman pointed its bamboo branch, it was urging. Whoever dared to slack off, the bamboo branch would turn into a flying sword, and they'd better watch their dog head.

The master was still walking slowly today. Guo Zhujiu caught up after just a few steps.

Guo Zhujiu asked, "Master, why have you been walking so slowly lately? Are you cultivating?"

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Yes, I am cultivating the mind."

Guo Zhujiu circled around him, always facing her master. "This great art of heaven-reaching knowledge—don't I need to learn it? I wouldn't be able to learn it even if I tried, right?"

Chen Ping'an said, "Anyone can learn it, but there's no need to."

The little girl was both happy and troubled.

In a secluded courtyard, Chen Ping'an took out one Talisman of the Horizontal River Water Charm and one Talisman of the Clumped Earth Charm. "I'll draw you a map of the situation in the Haoran Heaven."

For each continent that rose up on the ground, he briefly explained some local customs, some from his own experience, others from books or hearsay.

The Southeast Tongye Continent, where the Guan Dao Temple was located; the East Treasure Vase Continent, his master's homeland; the North Julu Continent, where most sword cultivators traveled to Sword Qi Great Wall; the Snowy Continent, where snow money was produced; the Northwest Floating Cloud Continent, where Buddhism flourished; the West Golden Armor Continent, with its ancient battlefield ruins; the Southwest Swaying Continent, now in turmoil; the South Bodhi Continent, where the Pure Confucian Chen clan resided.

Lin Junbi's homeland, the Central Earth Divine Continent.

Guo Zhujiu crouched in the corridor, looking at the map, and sighed, "The sky is round and the earth is square. Why isn't it a round sky and a round earth? Then if Master was in his homeland Treasure Vase Continent, going to travel to the Golden Armor Continent would be much closer. Where would he need to take such a long detour?"

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Because all the heavens, as well as all the cave heavens and blessed lands, are new territories formed after fragmentation. If they were all found, plus the fifth heaven newly discovered by the Confucian sages, and pieced together, perhaps it would be a great round sky and a small round earth, like circles within circles, a moon within a moon."

During their study tour to the Sui Cliff Mountain Academy, little Bao Ping had once asked this same question, but back then it was answered by the nearly omniscient Cui Dongshan.

Then Cui Dongshan had taken out a water bowl, a freshly plucked green branch, and a random stone he'd picked up. Cui Dongshan pretended to be mysterious and asked everyone what they thought about heaven and earth.

Unfortunately, at that time, the rice was cooked and the braised fish was fragrant, so no one paid him any attention.

Cui Dongshan then threw away the stone, tucked the branch slantwise into the back of his collar, poured out the water from the bowl, and begged Chen Ping'an for a bowl of rice.

Chen Ping'an said he needed to go find Pang Yuanji, who was probably hiding somewhere daydreaming. Guo Zhujiu jumped up, shouted "Orders received!" and dashed away.

When Guo Zhujiu returned to the main hall, the atmosphere was still somewhat heavy and tense.

When the master was around, it was okay.

But whenever the master wasn't there, it became even more suffocating.

Guo Zhujiu took off her bamboo box and set it by her feet.

After that incident, Lin Junbi had asked the Hidden Officer whether they could announce to all sword cultivators at Sword Qi Great Wall that the Flying Ascension realm great demon Border was killed outside Inverted Mountain.

Otherwise, over time, people's hearts would surge and churn. If it were like a flood bursting a dam, it could easily affect the entire war situation.

Chen Ping'an only said there was no need, they could wait a little longer.

The widespread discussion targeted only him, the Hidden Officer, not all sword cultivators of the Hidden Officer lineage. So for now, it didn't matter much.

---

Pang Yuanji sat on the railing of a corridor, silent and lost in thought.

His mind was heavy, with nothing to say.

Hearing footsteps, Pang Yuanji turned his head and nodded, acknowledging the visitor.

But he waited a long time before the guy finally sat down beside him.

It seemed that every time Chen Ping'an left the main hall recently, he just went for a walk, moving at the same pace—slow.

Chen Ping'an sat beside him and handed over a jug of wine. "It's immortal-brewed wine from the Spring Pennant Studio. Very expensive. Its taste isn't any worse than the Bamboo Sea Cave Heaven wine."

Pang Yuanji shook his head. "Forget it. I haven't drunk in a long time."

Chen Ping'an looked at this scruffy man and said, "Say something that will ease your heart. Don't worry about anything. I know you have resentment toward me, but you just feel it's unjustified, so you hold it in. There's really no need. Are you like a wine vat, storing up sad things, hoping to brew fine wine out of them?"

Pang Yuanji said, "You've probably explored every nook and cranny of the Summer Retreat Palace and the Winter Refuge Palace, haven't you?"

Chen Ping'an nodded. "Naturally. Unfortunately, there are no hidden mechanisms, no unexpected fortune."

Pang Yuanji said softly, "But you definitely won't have the feeling I have. It's not that I feel this way only now; I noticed it not long after I entered the old Hidden Officer lineage."

"What feeling? Tell me."

Chen Ping'an unsealed the clay jar, took a sip, and said, "I'll just drink and listen to your complaints. No need for reasoning. Sometimes, venting emotions is itself a kind of reason."

Pang Yuanji looked dazed and murmured, "In both residences, is there a single superfluous item? Any scattered decorative object at all? Nothing. When my master left Sword Qi Great Wall, the 'Hidden Officer' jade token was left behind, all the secret archives were left behind, and I was left alone here. My only feeling was that it seemed as if my master had never truly lived in this Summer Retreat Palace. Lately, I keep thinking, when my master was alone, what did she think about? What did she do? Did she ever have times of heartbreak and disappointment that she couldn't share with anyone? Everyone thinks my master should always be invincible, killing demons one after another. I never felt that way."

Speaking here, Pang Yuanji glanced at the city wall. Speaking of his master Xiao Xun, he couldn't help but think of that senior great sword immortal.

The two Hidden Officer palaces were so desolate. Then the great elder's single thatched hut must have been even more so.

It seemed that very few people on Sword Qi Great Wall had ever deeply pondered what the great elder thought about, what his feelings were.

Chen Ping'an looked around and nodded. "Now that you mention it, I realize the house is indeed empty. That shows your master Xiao Xun was very remarkable. Only a person with an extremely strong and self-centered inner world would be completely unconcerned with external possessions. You can't do that. Neither can I, of course."

In fact, Chen Ping'an had an earlier and deeper sense of an unfamiliar environment than he did of any specific person.

But that's not how to continue this conversation.

Pang Yuanji's eyes reddened. He looked up, took a deep breath, and smiled bitterly. "I thought you would curse my master out, or at least chew me out fiercely."

After all, on the battlefield, his master Pang Yuanji's teacher had nearly punched to death this young Hidden Officer's senior brother, Zuo You.

And she had done it by sneak attacking in the most dishonorable way.

Self-mockery at one's most painful point is a subconscious form of self-protection.

Chen Ping'an shook his head, drinking the wine. "If I wanted to preach lofty principles, I could fill several baskets. It wouldn't be wrong to curse you and your teacher profusely. But that's meaningless. You have to allow others to have selfishness; otherwise, in the end, your own heart grows weary. Why bother?"

Chen Ping'an continued, "Putting aside Xiao Xun's final betrayal, how much she did for Sword Qi Great Wall—you know, and I know. As for why she betrayed, perhaps I understand better than you do, because I'm an outsider. But now and in the future, many sword immortals and sword cultivators of Sword Qi Great Wall will choose to forget. Some do it deliberately, some unintentionally, and a very few understand but refuse to accept it. So I guess that's what makes you most frustrated?"

Pang Yuanji was silent.

Chen Ping'an took a big gulp of wine and laughed. "Indeed, that self-interested Pang Yuanji is still doing the work of the new Hidden Officer lineage, not a bit worse than anyone else. In terms of deeds, you haven't owed Sword Qi Great Wall anything. In terms of heart, you haven't betrayed your master-disciple bond. What more could you want from Pang Yuanji to consider it well done?"

So Chen Ping'an didn't think Pang Yuanji's cultivation path had hit a dead end due to an unstable sword heart, like a ghost blocking the road.

Pang Yuanji smiled bitterly. "Even hearing you say that, I don't feel any better."

Chen Ping'an said, "Let me ask you one last question. You don't have to answer."

Pang Yuanji didn't even want to hear the question; it would surely be heart-wrenching and unpleasant.

Chen Ping'an asked, "If, right after Xiao Xun threw that punch, you could have killed her instantly—what would Pang Yuanji have done?"

Pang Yuanji instinctively imitated his teacher's habit of clasping his sleeves, shoulders and spirit slumped. He didn't answer.

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Anyway, it's uncomfortable either way, so I might as well make you feel even worse."

Pang Yuanji wanted to say, "You've asked, now you can go about your business, Hidden Officer."

But then the man said, "How about I ask you one more question?"

Pang Yuanji asked, "If I don't give an answer, will you keep asking?"

Chen Ping'an drank the wine and asked his own question, "After hearing that Lin Junbi's senior brother Border was actually a Flying Ascension realm great demon, deep down, did you feel a little bit better? And then, because you consider Lin Junbi a friend, and you found yourself thinking that way, did you feel even worse?"

Pang Yuanji's face was full of bitterness.

Chen Ping'an patted Pang Yuanji on the shoulder. "You just have to endure it. There's no escape. You can close the door and not see people, but how can you avoid meeting your own conscience?"

Who doesn't have a few principles on their lips? The easiest thing in the world is to deceive oneself.

Chen Ping'an didn't press further. He took a big sip of wine and prepared to leave Pang Yuanji alone to his solitude.

Pang Yuanji turned his head and asked, "Chen Ping'an, I get the feeling you're somewhat gloating?"

Chen Ping'an said in surprise, "You can tell that? I have no other skills, but hiding my private thoughts—my skill is extremely profound. Brother Pang, you have good eyesight."

Pang Yuanji asked doubtfully, "Really?"

Chen Ping'an said impatiently, "What's true or false about it? In matters like this, we're brothers in misery. Otherwise, why do you think I came to drink with you? If you're not feeling good, then I feel good."

Pang Yuanji sighed, listless. "I beg you, get lost."

Chen Ping'an jumped down from the railing and laughed. "Talking to the Hidden Officer like that—this is once only, never again, you hear? Taking advantage of an honest man's good nature is not allowed."

Pang Yuanji suddenly said, "Chen Ping'an, I'm not going down to the city wall to fight."

Chen Ping'an turned around in the corridor and said with a smile, "As long as you're not afraid of more cursing and slander from outside, then on my side, you never need to worry. The new Hidden Officer lineage has no rule requiring sword cultivators to go out of the city to kill demons."

Pang Yuanji's face was full of sorrow. "Indeed, we are brothers in misery."

Chen Ping'an smiled. "When you can learn from Lin Junbi, bearing your own burden and finding joy in hardship, then you will have achieved success in cultivating the mind."

Pang Yuanji stayed behind, dazed.

The exchange of sword strikes between the Barren Wilderness Heaven and Sword Qi Great Wall continued.

But during this time, the Barren Wilderness Heaven did something beyond sword strikes. The peak great demon Yang Zhi, that emperor-crowned woman in dragon robes, returned to the battlefield, hovering high in the air. In her hand she held a half-dead person—a sword immortal who had been blocking a northern army in the heartland of the Barren Wilderness Heaven. Yang Zhi and the equally senior Huang Luan each had their spoils, but while Huang Luan had intercepted and killed two sword immortals, whose bones and souls had vanished, Yang Zhi had captured one alive.

That day on the battlefield, Yang Zhi held the dying sword immortal's head in her five fingers. Not far from the two torrents of sword energy, she first revealed this sword immortal's background, lineage, and everything he had done in the Barren Wilderness Heaven. Then, in full view of everyone, Yang Zhi stripped the flesh from the sword immortal's body, a process extremely slow. First the flesh, then the bones, then she scraped out a golden core and ground it down inch by inch, then strangled the nascent soul bit by bit. Finally, she extracted and scattered the sword immortal's soul piece by piece.

After Yang Zhi appeared.

The Hidden Officer lineage's flying sword sent a message to all parts of Sword Qi Great Wall—and it was the flying sword carved with "Hidden Officer."

No sword immortal or sword cultivator was permitted to initiate a sword strike against Yang Zhi.

Later, several great sword immortals privately flew a sword message to the Summer Retreat Palace, asking if they could still maintain the sword formation but be allowed to jointly interrupt Yang Zhi's actions.

The Hidden Officer lineage's flying sword replied: still not permitted for great sword immortals to act privately; beware that peak great demons including Huang Luan were waiting to ambush. This was an even more obvious ambush, potentially more lethal than the previous one where great demons were hidden among the five mountains. Yang Zhi's position was too deliberate—slightly behind. That slight backward position could be used to claim the lives of one or two great sword immortals from Sword Qi Great Wall.

Once the battle spread and the top combatants from both sides entered the fray, regardless of how many casualties each side suffered, it would rapidly accelerate the progress of the war.

Nalan Shaowei, Yue Qing, Yao Lianyun, and others all held back from drawing their swords, but the bitterness in their hearts was certainly no less.

Even Yue Qing cursed.

Yao Lianyun's face was even darker.

Before this, the Yao family head had been refreshed every day, drawing his sword with great relish, full of spirit.

The biggest problem was that the sword immortals were obeying the Hidden Officer lineage's orders.

But a group of young sword cultivators, overwhelmed with grief and anger, drew their swords before the sword immortals did. In an instant, dozens of flying swords struck at the great demon Yang Zhi.

If not for the immediate intervention of several great sword immortals, perhaps more than a hundred natal flying swords would have flown toward that great demon simultaneously. Once that happened, even more flying swords would have followed, and the entire sword formation might have split.

And Yang Zhi's response was even more surprising. After those great sword immortals blocked the subsequent sword strikes, instead of destroying any of the approaching flying swords, she casually took control of those city wall sword cultivators' flying swords that had lost their masters, brought them close to the dying sword immortal—as if deliberately letting this dying sword immortal and those young sword cultivators see each other—then she threw the thirty-nine flying swords back to the city wall one by one, allowing them to return safely to the sword formation.

Finally, Yang Zhi shattered the remaining soul of the sword immortal in her hand and laughed loudly, "What a Sword Qi Great Wall! What a mighty sword immortal! Everyone refuses to save him! But a group of young sword cultivators, willing to risk their lives, draw their swords to rescue him. I understand the former's fear; I respect the latter's stupidity!"

After that, the hearts of the people on Sword Qi Great Wall became even more complicated than when the former Hidden Officer Xiao Xun had betrayed Sword Qi Great Wall and seriously wounded Zuo You with a punch.

The Hidden Officer lineage's command and dispatch from the city wall, which had been increasingly smooth, gradually showed signs of slight stalling here and there.

A heartfelt and bitter saying spread privately on Sword Qi Great Wall:

"There's no need for you, the Hidden Officer, to take risks. No need for you to die. So why didn't you save him? We sword cultivators willing to die—why won't you permit it?"

Then more sayings evolved.

"Today, that sword immortal risked his life and Dao to strike at the enemy in the heartland of the Barren Wilderness Heaven, yet he was not saved. In the future, when the Barren Wilderness Heaven swarms the city like ants, as long as there's a possibility of a trap, which sword cultivator will the Hidden Officer save?"

"Even that great demon respected someone who went to die by the sword. Yet our own people are so cold-hearted, scheming and calculating at every turn. Is such a Hidden Officer truly beneficial to Sword Qi Great Wall? Can he compare to the former Hidden Officer's deeds? At least before her betrayal, she dared to charge into battle herself, killing countless demons in great battles!"

Once these sayings surfaced, it meant there were undoubtedly more thoughts and ideas hidden deep in people's hearts.

Chen Ping'an walked back outside the main hall. Just then, Song Gaoyuan, Cao Gun, and Xuan Shen returned from the city wall, having sheathed their swords. Next would be Luo Zhenyi, Xu Ning, and Chang Taiqing—three native sword cultivators—going to the city wall to draw their swords.

Song Gaoyuan and Cao Gun both looked gloomy.

Xuan Shen, who was relatively the youngest, was the most open-minded among them. He even managed a smile and said, "Hidden Officer, I suggest that Luo Zhenyi and the other two not go to the city wall for now. First, they'll be isolated. In many cases, other sword cultivators will compete for the battlefield, so our sword strikes have almost no effect. Besides, although those people didn't say anything bad about us three, their words about the Hidden Officer are not good, and they don't show any need for restraint."

The first two groups of Hidden Officer lineage sword cultivators who went to the city wall to kill demons mostly returned wounded. But this time, Xuan Shen's group returned safe and sound, without a scratch.

Luo Zhenyi and the other two stood by the door, their eyes questioning the young Hidden Officer.

Whether to go or not was decided by the Hidden Officer.

Chen Ping'an turned his head and said, "You should still go."

Luo Zhenyi nodded and left with the other two sword cultivators on their flying swords.

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Hard work."

Cao Gun was dejected. "We didn't work hard at all."

Chen Ping'an consoled him, "That's what truly counts as hard work."

Cao Gun forced a smile but seemed to want to say something more.

They all returned to the main hall and took their seats.

Lin Junbi said helplessly, "We can't explain everything to everyone. Now, the ferries from the eight continents of the Haoran Heaven are doing business with us very differently. We have hope of prolonging this war and making the Barren Wilderness Heaven spend more of its resources. Even those peak great demons will feel each loss. We've been deducing for so long, and for the first time we see a glimmer of hope for victory. How can we let Yang Zhi's cheap tricks ruin everything?"

Xuan Shen said gloomily, "There is always the Master Killer who kills. Those who take the place of the Master Killer are called 'those who take the place of the great craftsman.'"

Cao Gun nodded and echoed, "Those who take the place of the great craftsman seldom avoid harming their own hands."

Lin Junbi smiled bitterly. "You're misusing the sage's words, and they're not exactly comforting."

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Leaving aside the sage's original meaning, applied here and now, it has a unique flavor."

The rarely talkative Worry Seed Sword Immortal also had some insight. "The visible facts are facts, but they are not the truth. That's what makes reasoning most difficult."

Most arguments that never end are not because one side is utterly unreasonable and the other completely justified, but because each side has its own reason, differing in degree and rightness.

Lin Junbi asked, "Can this situation be resolved?"

Chen Ping'an nodded. "Of course."

"How?"

"First, recognize that it is unsolvable."

Everyone was stunned.

Only Lin Junbi seemed to understand something.

After Pang Yuanji returned and sat down.

Chen Ping'an spoke to three people with his mind-voice: the Worry Seed Sword Immortal, Lin Junbi, and Pang Yuanji.

The Worry Seed Sword Immortal directly refused.

Pang Yuanji was depressed and too lazy to say a word.

Lin Junbi asked, "Hidden Officer, you were the one who uncovered that Flying Ascension realm great demon. Why do you want to share this enormous merit among the three of us?"

Chen Ping'an smiled faintly. "To break the deadlock. If the merit belongs to me alone, who would believe it now? And even if they believed, so what? Also, when the young sword cultivators of Sword Qi Great Wall have hit rock bottom—for instance, when they come in droves to shout outside the Summer Retreat Palace—then you, Worry Seed Sword Immortal, the highest realm, will ascend the city wall, bring out that great demon's head, and return the courtesy to the Barren Wilderness Heaven."

Pang Yuanji said, "I should have accepted that wine and gotten drunk outside."

Guo Zhujiu didn't know what her master was whispering about with someone.

Probably discussing something.

Guo Zhujiu finally looked down at the two items of storage treasure on the table that she was in charge of, both gifts from the landscape cave in the Swaying Continent.

The ancient inkstone storage treasure was a Kui-dragon patterned, insect-eaten inkstone, engraved with a collector's seal: "Clouds hanging, water standing; affinity with words."

As for the glowing circular fan, the words on it were rather elegant: "Golden ripples, jade clusters. Old and silly, dreaming of a moon palace, cutting down the cinnamon tree, people say, more clear light. This night is the most reunion, a million lamps in the firelight."

Her master had secretly told her that if she accumulated some battle merits, these two treasures would be kept by the master-disciple pair themselves.

Dong bude suddenly looked up and said, "Green Duan, I had my eye on that storage treasure fan long ago!"

Guo Zhujiu asked, "If it had been worn against Chen Sanqiu's chest, Sister Dong, would you still want it?"

Dong bude sneered. "For Chen Sanqiu to even see the face of this fan, you'd have to smash through the walls of the Summer Retreat Palace first to clear the way."

Guo Zhujiu slapped her forehead, crowing smugly, "My Iron Head technique is incredible, even my master can't compare!"

Chen Ping'an laughed. "I don't want to compete. Remember, this is not a secret art from our sect; it's something you figured out yourself."

Guo Zhujiu nodded. "The Big Sister's Crazy Demon Sword Technique, plus my unique skill—in the future we can both spread them far and wide!"

Chen Ping'an waved his hand and continued staring at the scroll on the ground.

Guo Zhujiu patted the little snowman's small head. It was getting smaller and smaller.

Chen Ping'an suddenly asked, "Should Lu Zhi be returning to Inverted Mountain soon?"

Lin Junbi nodded. "Barring surprises, she should return today with Shao Yunyan."

Chen Ping'an stood up. "Worry Seed, come with me to Inverted Mountain."

---

Spring Pennant Studio.

Mi Yu was meticulous and focused on reviewing accounts and auditing books.

This was not Mi Yu's forte. To be blunt, if the account books had passed through the hands of Yan Ming and Nalan Caihuan, and they truly wanted to embezzle, the only way Mi Yu could find discrepancies was if the young Hidden Officer had already reviewed them and told Mi Yu to memorize the details. So Nalan Caihuan and Yan Ming actually cooperated while also checking each other. Mi Yu was just a nail the young Hidden Officer had placed in Spring Pennant Studio, making a show of it. Nalan Caihuan regarded Mi Yu as no more than the second Sword Immortal Gao Kui, who deliberately drank Bamboo Sea Cave Heaven wine—someone connected to the young Hidden Officer who had no good intentions toward her.

But Mi Yu often encountered difficult problems and would ask Yan Ming for key tricks.

Yan Ming's impression of Mi Yu was extremely poor. He only answered when necessary, and never with a friendly expression.

On Sword Qi Great Wall, anyone with any ambition, regardless of whether they were sword immortals or their age, had a poor impression of this Mi Sword Immortal, who liked to get drunk and lie in the clouds.

Mi Yu asked three times, and it seemed he would ask thirty more times later.

This made Nalan Caihuan feel that this Mi Yu was becoming somewhat unfamiliar.

Nalan Caihuan didn't bother hiding her feelings from Mi Yu and asked directly, "Mi Yu, have you lost your mind?"

Mi Yu replied, "It's not like it's just one day or two."

Nalan Caihuan said without any polite words, "Mi Yu, you really aren't suited for accounting. Don't waste Patriarch Yan's time on important matters. As for hospitality, even if Shao Yunyan isn't at Inverted Mountain now, he's still an outsider sword immortal. If we don't have someone from our side appearing early, having only one sword immortal from Spring Pennant Studio is not appropriate. That disgusting remark you casually made earlier—there's actually a bit of truth in it."

Mi Yu asked curiously, "Which remark?"

Yan Ming said, "Thunder begins with flashing lightning; an army's might comes first from its intimidating noise."

Mi Yu laughed loudly. "So that's it."

This saying came from an inscription on a fan from Yan's Pavilion. Mi Yu had picked it up casually, mainly because the other side of the fan read: "The sweet scent arrives before the beauty; the heart moves before the person rises." Mi Yu fell in love with it at first sight. One side of the fan had serious words, the other side graceful phrasing, which Mi Yu felt was tailor-made for him. Unfortunately, some young lady had gotten to it first. Fortunately, Yan's Pavilion also sold printed booklets with fan inscriptions, at not a low price.

There was also an outsider in the room, keeping his eyes downcast and his mind focused.

Wei Wenlong, the direct disciple of Spring Pennant Studio's Shao Yunyan, a math prodigy.

Compared to the three outsiders in the room, Wei Wenlong was very restrained.

Only when he was alone in the accounting room, facing those account books that outsiders found tedious, did he feel in his element.

In short, Wei Wenlong was not good at dealing with people. His only friends in life were numbers and immortal money.

Matters of finance and logistics have long been considered a lowly profession. Officials in the Ministry of Revenue were even mocked as "muddy officials." The same held true in both the mortal and immortal worlds. For instance, the managers of the eight continental ferries—which one wasn't a pitiable person with no hope for the Great Dao, stuck at some bottleneck?

Moreover, Wei Wenlong was only a Golden Core cultivator. Facing two well-known Nascent Soul sword cultivator patriarchs in the room, and a Mi Sword Immortal who seemed to be below the fifth realm from their conversation, he hardly dared to breathe loud.

Cultivators born and raised on Inverted Mountain were not unfamiliar with Sword Qi Great Wall, but they weren't familiar either.

In fact, they were less so than the outsiders who deliberately traveled to Inverted Mountain, who often aimed to go to Sword Qi Great Wall.

Many people like Wei Wenlong, natives of Inverted Mountain, had never been to Sword Qi Great Wall in their entire lives.

What Wei Wenlong feared most was the famous Sword Immortal Mi Yu.

A libertine, fickle at heart.

Even less so a sword immortal.

Mi Yu felt that Nalan Caihuan's words made sense, so he humbly accepted the advice and got up to leave the room.

Before leaving, Mi Yu's expression was kind, his words sincere, as he said to Wei Wenlong, "Wenlong, you're a promising talent highly regarded by our Hidden Officer. Don't sell yourself short. Do your work well, and your Great Dao is promising. From now on, we're friends."

Wei Wenlong quickly stood up, but he was so nervous and timid that he couldn't even get a word out. Mi Yu found the young man even more agreeable. He told Wei Wenlong to sit down and work, no need for such formality.

Mi Yu walked to the empty main hall. The seats that once belonged to several female ferry owners he glanced at a few extra times.

Finally, Mi Yu sat in his own chair and took out a jade token he planned to give away. This matter was somewhat strange.

This plain jade token, engraved with the number ninety-nine, the Hidden Officer had specifically instructed before leaving that Mi Yu should give it to the Osmanthus Island ferry of the Old Dragon City Fan family.

Not even to the South Winnow ferry master Jiang Gaotai of the Snowy Continent, nor to Sword Immortal Shao's request.

In fact, that young manager from the Ding family ferry had secretly found the Hidden Officer and offered a "fair" price that even Mi Yu found surprising.

But the Ding family also sincerely hoped that the Hidden Officer would take care of the future accounting matters to avoid the Ding family ferry becoming a target of resentment.

The young Hidden Officer smiled and agreed, saying that Spring Pennant Studio would definitely repay the favor.

Later, when Mi Yu asked about it, the Hidden Officer only said that every family has its hard-to-read scriptures. The Ding family of Old Dragon City had no choice.

Since the Ding family had no female ferry owner, Mi Yu didn't bother thinking about it.

But regarding the Fan family's intercontinental ferry, Mi Yu knew quite a bit. It couldn't be helped—Osmanthus Island had a Lady Gui who was remarkable, not just in appearance.

Mi Yu was not that vulgar sort; he understood that a woman's beauty came in a thousand varieties.

Those who only looked at a face, chest, rear, and long legs, unaware of the myriad goodness of women, were beneath notice, not his kindred spirit.

The Old Dragon City Fan family was quite inconspicuous among the clans and families that ran intercontinental ferry businesses.

In fact, aside from the Fu family having a bit of face, the ferries of the other major surnames were insignificant when they docked at Inverted Mountain.

Just like the Ding family ferry owner who had attended the previous meeting at Spring Pennant Studio—even worse than the "Rainbow Dress" ferry owner Liu Shen.

Any charming woman would move Mi Yu's heart, and he would never fail to appreciate a beauty.

Mi Yu quickly remembered that on Osmanthus Island there was a young woman named Golden Millet, who was also very beautiful.

Of course, Mi Yu had never met her.

And Mi Yu would never go to any lengths to see Golden Millet. Not before, and definitely not now.

The previous gathering at Spring Pennant Studio, where so many ferries had gathered, actually had a hidden significance.

Wu Qiu, Bai Xi, those old foxes, plus the Rain Dragon Sect, which had a private estate at Inverted Mountain called the Water Crystal Palace, and the Plum Garden—they had all contributed.

But the Hidden Officer had never mentioned this from beginning to end, and hadn't even planned to settle scores later.

It was only a trivial matter.

This time, only twelve ferry owners had been invited to Spring Pennant Studio for a meeting tonight.

Most of the owners who had docked early at Inverted Mountain had intentionally or unintentionally chosen to stay longer, neither rushing to unload nor to leave, waiting for the invitation from Spring Pennant Studio.

Apart from the closest South Bodhi Continent, the other ferries probably hadn't returned to their respective continents yet, still on their way back.

From the Treasure Vase Continent, besides the Fan family's Osmanthus Island, there was also a Hou family ferry, "Smoke Spirit."

Probably having received flying sword messages from the Fu or Ding families, these two intercontinental ferries, just two days apart, had rushed to Inverted Mountain one after another.

The various ferries from the eight continents had varying degrees of private connections with the Yan family, the Nalan clan, or broad-ranging sword immortals like Sun Juyuan. The reason was simple: on Sword Qi Great Wall, sword immortals or scions from great clans and wealthy families had many peculiar demands—paying high prices for antiques and curios, let alone mountain delicacies whose prices had multiplied over a hundred times, reaching nearly a hundred kinds. The Hou family's "Smoke Spirit" ferry, apart from supplies, also provided exotic incense and had sixteen kinds of immortality-pendant sachets woven by immortal clans, sold to a fixed group of buyers on Sword Qi Great Wall.

Regarding this matter, the Hidden Officer lineage had significant disputes. Lin Junbi and the Worry Seed Sword Immortal, for once, stood on the same side, proposing to cut off all such supply channels. From now on, Sword Qi Great Wall would no longer accept any useless items.

But in the end, the Hidden Officer lineage chose a compromise—they reduced such business exchanges but did not completely sever them.

The Osmanthus Island, still docked at the Catch-and-Release Pavilion ferry terminal, received the invitation from Spring Pennant Studio. After the Hou family ferry manager rushed over, they exchanged information.

Now, the manager of Osmanthus Island was the Fan family's honored guest, Ma Zhi.

A Golden Core sword cultivator, his natal flying sword "Cool Shade."

The Gui Vein small courtyard on Osmanthus Island was registered under an outsider's name and had not been opened to the public for years.

Ma Zhi had once pointed out sword techniques for an outsider youth in that courtyard.

In Lady Gui's elegant courtyard, her disciple Golden Millet was responsible for brewing tea and entertaining guests.

Ma Zhi and the Hou family ferry owner were discussing how to prepare gifts. They had heard that the Ganoderma Studio had lost over a hundred immortal treasures overnight. Now what remained were either frivolous spirit tools whose gifts were too light to carry weight, or rare magical treasures too costly and intimidating.

The ferry owner Hou Peng was very worried about this. Although the Hou family was doing excellent business in the vast area north of Old Dragon City and south of Guanhu Academy, their funds beyond the books—the Grain Rain coins—were actually quite limited. If the Hou family had known about this before leaving Old Dragon City, preparing a heavy gift before entering Spring Pennant Studio wouldn't have been too troublesome; they could still afford a few Grain Rain coins. But Hou Peng and Osmanthus Island had only received flying sword messages halfway. Hou Peng would have to pay out of his own pocket—now that was a headache. Too little, and the gift wouldn't be substantial enough. Comparing with others, they'd be looked down upon by Spring Pennant Studio, and afterward, the Fan ancestral hall would surely criticize. But if he spent too many Grain Rain coins to pass the Spring Pennant Studio hurdle, then the family would have other gossip.

That's how it was for those who actually did the work: the more they did, the more mistakes they made. Those who stayed home enjoying leisure all year round had nothing better to do than wag their tongues.

Ma Zhi wasn't much better off. The Fan family was currently in a tumultuous period. Precisely because the old sword cultivator had a close relationship with the future head of the family, Fan Er, he was also affected.

Now every move he made was closely watched by the old men in the Fan ancestral hall.

The eldest miss, Fan Junmao, had not been seen for a long time. The Fan family announced she had gone on a long journey alone.

Ma Zhi had some guesses but dared not discuss them with anyone.

Fan Er, who had gone from a youth to a young man, was gradually getting involved in family business matters. Ma Zhi naturally belonged to Fan Er's faction. Otherwise, Ma Zhi wouldn't have been appointed ferry manager, even if Lady Gui had proposed and recommended him—the Fan ancestral hall probably wouldn't have approved. Although Osmanthus Island had long been under Fan Er's name, the Fan family now had no small amount of criticism for this inexperienced second young master. When he had lent such a large sum of Grain Rain coins to the Fallen Mountain of the Great Li Dragon Spring, the discussions in the ancestral hall had been fierce. Many Fan elders thought Fan Er was still too immature and too impulsive. Even if he was the future head, he should not have full control of the Osmanthus Island ferry. An experienced Fan elder should help manage it for a few years before entrusting it to Fan Er.

If not for the Sun family joining in to throw money into the fire, and Fan Er using a large sum of his own private funds registered under his name, this matter would never have passed.

Lady Gui simply drank tea, her demeanor calm and refined, without saying a word.

The two parties roughly agreed on how to prepare gifts and how to act once inside Spring Pennant Studio. Generally, they followed the examples of the Fu and Ding families before them: speak less, observe more; being taciturn meant no mistakes.

Hou Peng put down his teacup, a strange expression on his face.

Ma Zhi had finished discussing business and no longer drank the tea. He helped himself to a pot of small osmanthus brew.

Hou Peng asked softly, "Is the new Hidden Officer named Chen Ping'an?"

Ma Zhi's face stiffened, but he couldn't help laughing loudly. "Brother Hou Peng, what are you thinking?!"

Golden Millet was baffled.

Lady Gui explained softly, "The new Hidden Officer of Sword Qi Great Wall is a very young sword immortal named Chen Ping'an."

Hou Peng added, "He speaks the Great Elegance of the Haoran Heaven fluently."

Golden Millet couldn't help but smile secretly, just like Ma Zhi, though not as loudly.

It couldn't be helped—she and Senior Ma Zhi were too familiar with that other Chen Ping'an.

The Chen Ping'an from the Great Li dynasty had once lived in the Gui Vein small courtyard, not far from here.

Golden Millet didn't think it was a big deal.

The ferry owner Hou Peng's idea was just too far-fetched.

Two people with the same name, both called Chen Ping'an. That was all.

How could they be the same person?

Possible?

In Golden Millet's memory, he was just a passenger who paid to have a painting made by Osmanthus Island's master painter during his travels.

He was an outsider youth, neatly dressed but unable to hide the shabbiness about him.

It seemed he had carried a sword on his back back then? But he was a pure martial artist of low realm.

Finally, at her master's instruction, Golden Millet had accompanied the youth to visit various scenic spots on Inverted Mountain.

Reserved, stiff, boring.

That was all he was.

She vaguely remembered that he had dark skin, was not tall and was thin, his voice not loud. He liked to look around, but when talking to people, his eyes were clear, not shifting. He looked at the other person and seemed always to be listening attentively.

Hou Peng said, "Since even that old man Ding returned safely to Old Dragon City, I must have overthought it."

Ma Zhi smiled and nodded. This matter wasn't something to discuss further; each should just keep it in mind.

The mountains don't turn, but the waters do.

A leaf of duckweed drifts to the sea—where in life is there no meeting?

Meeting is fate, but fate can be good or bad.

If by the smallest chance it was that one-in-a-million possibility...

Then Osmanthus Island would have a good fortune falling from the sky.

As for the Fu family and other major Old Dragon City surnames—well, that was another story.

The Dust Medicine Shop, martial arts master Zheng Dafeng, had made an appointment with the Fu family on the Dragon Ascension Terrace. The city lord Fu Qi, who had even used a half-immortal weapon, had later set up an interception with Zheng Dafeng. Except for the Fan and Sun families, the other major Old Dragon City surnames had all been involved, helping the Fu family intercept the Dust Medicine Shop group.

Among them, the Ding family had also been implicated with the once-arrogant Tongye Sect.

The Tongye Continent's largest immortal sect, once ascendant, was reportedly having a hard time now—bad luck coming in waves, one disaster after another. Their situation was truly bleak. The Ding family had also suffered collateral damage, losing out for nothing. Many business shares had been mysteriously carved up, though the other families hadn't been too excessive, so the Ding family could endure. Still, overall, the Ding family was following the Fu family and making big money. But it was a foregone conclusion that the Ding name would end up at the bottom of Old Dragon City's hierarchy.

So the Ding family was bound to be extremely enthusiastic about their intercontinental ferry, desperately hoping to break the deadlock, to build a connection with Spring Pennant Studio.

Ma Zhi and Hou Peng were both seasoned veterans, so they could easily imagine that the Ding family would offer a very low price, sacrificing one ferry's profit margin, ensuring no loss, to form a deeper bond of goodwill with Sword Qi Great Wall than their peers.

Then Ma Zhi and Hou Peng left Osmanthus Island together. They were going to sit with a few familiar ferry managers first, then go to Spring Pennant Studio at the appointed time, bearing heavy gifts.

In the Osmanthus Island courtyard, only master and disciple remained. With no outsiders present, Golden Millet complained to her master about the short-sightedness of the Fan elders.

Lady Gui smiled. "The Fan family is where it is today because those seemingly stubborn old men—let's not count a few who've been lying around enjoying themselves since they were young—the rest have contributed greatly, with major merits. You think they're short-sighted only because you're biased in favor of Sun Jiashu, who joined the Fan family in lending money to Fallen Mountain."

Golden Millet was a little embarrassed.

Lady Gui said seriously, "When looking at people, you can have personal likes and dislikes. But when looking at worldly affairs, you must not mix too much personal emotion. This is the basic responsibility of a cultivator in training the mind. Even if you're not a cultivator, it should be even more so."

"If you, a Fan family member, marry Sun Jiashu and enter the Sun family, if you keep silent about everything and just focus on cultivation without meddling in household affairs, that would be fine. But if you're not careful, you could cause enmity between the Fan and Sun families."

Her master rarely spoke so sternly, so Golden Millet dared not be disrespectful and took it to heart.

After sitting quietly for a moment, Lady Gui told Golden Millet she didn't need to accompany her. If she wanted to browse the shops at Deer Antler Cliff on Inverted Mountain, her master would not stop her.

Golden Millet had no interest. The situation on Inverted Mountain was now so murky that even Osmanthus Island was caught up in it, and she had lost that desire.

So she left the courtyard to cultivate.

Not long after Golden Millet left, there was a knock at the door.

Lady Gui stood up and said with a smile, "Please come in, Master Chen."

A young man peeled off the mask of a dull-faced man from his face, cupped his fists and smiled, "Lady Gui, sorry for disturbing."

Lady Gui's smile was warm. She teased, "A rare guest, an honored guest."

After sitting down, Chen Ping'an said apologetically, "Lady Gui, don't overthink it. I just came here to beg for a pot of small osmanthus brew."

Lady Gui took out a pot of small osmanthus brew and handed it to the young man. She asked with a smile, "Since you put it that way, Hidden Officer, does that mean you're beginning to take notice of the Plum Garden?"

Chen Ping'an didn't say anything.

Lady Gui asked again, "Not worried that I'm in cahoots with that Drunken Blush Lady?"

Chen Ping'an shook his head. "Of course not."

Then Lady Gui didn't ask about the fate of the Plum Garden.

Chen Ping'an said he came to drink, but he didn't really drink much of the osmanthus brew. Instead, he asked, "Does Miss Golden Millet still like Sun Jiashu and dislike Fan Er?"

Lady Gui nodded.

Then Chen Ping'an just sat for a while. Lady Gui only talked about Fan Er's recent situation.

The two seemed to have nothing more to say apart from Fan Er.

A reunion after a long time, with few words—quite different from when they first met, when the sword-carrying youth and Lady Gui had gotten along so well.

And Lady Gui could naturally see that the young Hidden Officer was weighed down by worries; his current situation was clearly not easy.

Chen Ping'an finished the small pot of osmanthus brew and prepared to return to Spring Pennant Studio on Inverted Mountain, but he wouldn't appear there.

The real reason for this visit, aside from so-called "clearing his mind," was more importantly to ask Osmanthus Island to help deliver two secret letters to Cui Dongshan and the vassal king Song Jixin.

Lady Gui accepted the two secret letters.

Chen Ping'an thanked her and was about to take his leave when a familiar person ran to the courtyard gate.

It was the osmanthus young lady from the Gui Vein courtyard in years past—Golden Millet.

Chen Ping'an stood up to greet her, smiling. "Miss Golden Millet."

Golden Millet paused, surprised to see this guy sneaking onto Osmanthus Island. She also smiled. "Chen Ping'an, what are you doing here?"

Then Golden Millet quickly corrected herself. "Master Chen."

Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "Calling me by name is fine."

Golden Millet nodded and sat beside Lady Gui. She asked softly, "Aren't you practicing boxing on Sword Qi Great Wall? How come you have time to come drink here? I heard that the two main gates of Inverted Mountain are strictly guarded now, like guarding against thieves."

Golden Millet hesitated, then asked softly, "Is it because you share the same name as that Hidden Officer, and it's a bit depressing, so you came here to drink alone?"

Chen Ping'an held back a laugh and nodded. "Yeah."

Lady Gui also smiled knowingly.

Golden Millet said regretfully, "I secretly hoped you might be that legendary Hidden Officer, a great sword immortal of Sword Qi Great Wall."

Chen Ping'an said, "If by some chance I really were that Hidden Officer, I reckon Miss Golden Millet would also be depressed enough to want a drink."

Golden Millet smiled and turned to Lady Gui. "Master, Master Chen speaks much more elegantly now than before."

Lady Gui asked with a smile, "What did you come back for?"

Golden Millet said softly, "I still want to go browse the shops at Deer Antler Cliff."

Lady Gui looked at Chen Ping'an.

The young man nodded vigorously.

Lady Gui nodded but said, "Perfect timing. You and Master Chen are going the same way; you can go together to the Catch-and-Release Pavilion."

Golden Millet quickly said, "No need, no need. I know Inverted Mountain better than Master Chen does."

She liked Sun Jiashu, not Fan Er. And Chen Ping'an was a good friend of Fan Er's, and now a business partner with Sun Jiashu.

So she felt she'd better not have anything to do with Chen Ping'an.

Lady Gui didn't press them further. She let Golden Millet leave alone, and her smile grew a bit.

Chen Ping'an waited a moment, then also stood up to take his leave.

Lady Gui saw him to the door and suddenly said, "Be careful of the Zheng Yang Mountain—they're the best at hiding their abilities."

Chen Ping'an casually glanced in the direction of the Treasure Vase Continent and nodded. "I will."

At the same time, he silently added to himself: Future Zheng Yang Mountain will kneel on the ground and beg me not to be so careful.

Lady Gui asked, "So you're finally a sword cultivator?"

Chen Ping'an said using mind-voice, "Two natal flying swords. When I reveal my identity as a sword cultivator later, I'll tell everyone that one is named 'Firewood Cutting' and the other 'Account Book.'"

Lady Gui was silent for a moment, then said against her conscience, "Good names."

As for what the innate powers of Chen Ping'an's two flying swords were, she was completely out of curiosity.

Chen Ping'an scratched his head. "As for the real names of the flying swords, one is called 'Caged Sparrow,' which I originally thought of naming 'Mid-Autumn,' but that might conflict with the Fifteenth flying sword. As for the other, I'm still torn between 'Moon in the Sky' or 'Moon at the Bottom of the Well.'"

Naming things—he was too good at it, and that wasn't always a good thing.

Lady Gui laughed. "Finally they sound like proper flying sword names."

Chen Ping'an quietly left Osmanthus Island. At the Catch-and-Release Pavilion, he first met with the Worry Seed Sword Immortal.

The two went together to the Plum Garden.

They were going to meet that Drunken Blush Lady, who was physically in her homeland but longed for a foreign land.

In addition to the Worry Seed Sword Immortal, there was also Lu Zhi, who had been to the landscape cave in the Swaying Continent.

When reasoning with a woman, you still need a woman.