Chapter 680: Dissolving the Contract
Shuangjiang stood on the steps, watching the young man staggering downward, pounding heavily on his chest.
With each punch Chen Ping'an delivered to his chest, golden light overflowed from his heart, as if a blacksmith were swinging a hammer to forge a sword embryo. Every strike sent sparks flying, disrupting the flow of the river of time, causing the light around Chen Ping'an to warp and flicker between brightness and darkness.
Because Chen Ping'an was at a higher position, descending step by step, even though his eyes were lowered, Shuangjiang, standing on the lower steps, could still clearly see those golden eyes that were different from ordinary people.
Chen Ping'an staggered forward. The commotion around his heart was truly immense. After refining the remains of that god's heart, it was like moving an entire molten furnace and placing it inside his ventricle.
The characters that Nianxin had peeled off from the Golden Register Jade Slips, even though they were of extremely high rank and each character contained the true meaning of Daoist law, after Chen Ping'an's punches, several characters were instantly melted by the golden light and dissipated into the air.
Shuangjiang asked, "This shouldn't have been refined so quickly. Are you hiding some other secret?"
Chen Ping'an remained silent, unwilling to speak—in fact, unable to speak. He just kept pounding his chest, desperately trying to suppress the drumming sound from his heart chamber.
Shuangjiang turned sideways to make way and walked alongside Chen Ping'an, always looking at his profile, employing divine abilities to carefully examine the internal atmosphere of Chen Ping'an's microcosm of the human body.
Chen Ping'an stopped, covered his mouth with both hands, and vomited a mouthful of golden blood. He tilted his head back slightly, swallowed all the blood, and continued forward, once again pounding his chest.
Shuangjiang felt an itch in his heart—strange, too strange. Even if Chen Ping'an used those two dragon-eye fire seeds as refining catalysts, supplemented by martial fortune to keep the god's remains from rejecting Chen Ping'an's body and soul too strongly, it still shouldn't have gone so smoothly. According to Shuangjiang's prediction, Chen Ping'an probably couldn't have even walked out of that small door even if Nianxin had unraveled all thirty-six thousand strands of warp and weft.
This was like a gifted scholarly seedling flipping through a book of sage sayings. For a short while, they might understand the subtle and profound words of the sages but could not truly grasp the deep and essential principles.
There were only two possibilities. One was that Chen Qingdu had secretly intervened, manifesting the Great Dao, not hesitating to draw upon the entire Sword Qi Great Wall, personally helping Chen Ping'an refine the object.
The other was that Chen Ping'an was the reincarnation of some god closely related to this god's remains, half inheriting and half refining.
But Shuangjiang felt both possibilities were extremely unlikely. Chen Qingdu was not the type to casually grant favors. If Chen Ping'an were a reincarnated ancient god, his Longevity Bridge being broken in his early years would have left some traces. Shuangjiang had traveled through it many times and should have noticed something.
Chen Ping'an's eyes gradually returned to normal, the golden light slowly fading. The commotion around his heart also grew quieter and quieter.
His punches grew lighter, his steps steadier, his mind calmer.
The entire prison also quieted down.
Chen Ping'an turned and climbed higher, the white-haired boy had no choice but to follow.
This time, as Chen Ping'an passed by the various cells, the five great demons of the upper five realms and the five sword cultivators of the Nascent Soul stage from the demon race all appeared one by one, but none of them spoke.
They looked at that young man as humans would look at a demon.
Chen Ping'an arrived at the entrance of the prison and sat at the top of the steps. This realm had a pattern of light in the sky and darkness on the ground, day above and night below. Outside the prison, it had always been daytime.
Shuangjiang couldn't help but ask again, "Hidden Officer Ancestor, really can't say? If you say it, that counts as a transaction. I'll owe you three Snow Flower coins."
Earlier, the two of them had "crunched the numbers" and established rules for their transactions. One Snow Flower coin equaled one Earth Immortal cultivator. One Minor Heat coin could buy the life of a Jade Pu stage cultivator. Once he saved up enough for one Grain Rain coin, Chen Ping'an could go plead with Chen Qingdu to spare the life of this extradimensional demon. Shuangjiang had already prepared—the dusky green snake, Daoist formulas, dharma treasures, everything imaginable, all available. Within this prison, he had actually accumulated some assets, but before, he only acted based on fate. Soon, he would be desperately bargain-hunting. If he was truly backed into a corner, he intended to snatch everything under the Criminal Officer's command—the Pounding-Clothes Woman, the Washing-Silk Girl, the Grape Trellis, the Twelve Flower-God Cups, plus Du Shanyin's Bookworm Immortal Book and that sword embryo—all of it, to exchange for coins with the Hidden Officer Ancestor!
One thing was very good about the young Hidden Officer, which made Shuangjiang feel much more at ease: once Chen Ping'an made a deal with someone sincerely, he never went back on his word. It was more reliable than any damn oath.
Shuangjiang suddenly laughed to himself and said, "'Words must be kept, actions must be resolute—that is the obstinate petty man.'"
Chen Ping'an smiled knowingly, not minding the extradimensional demon's roundabout insult, and only said, "You know I used to run a tavern on the Sword Qi Great Wall. Sword immortals drinking, no credit. And only three Snow Flower coins? This deal won't work—too much of a loss for me."
Shuangjiang turned his back, furtively pulled out a piece of embroidered silk like a boudoir item, gently spread it on the ground, and with two fingers pinched out a long-cherished beloved object.
On the embroidered silk, ripples trembled. Shuangjiang pinched out an extremely long narrow saber. He shifted from pinching the handle to holding the saber with both hands, the tip of the scabbard resting on the silk.
It was even taller than the childlike extradimensional demon.
Shuangjiang put away the embroidered silk, stood up, stood on tiptoe, and pushed the blade out of the scabbard by an inch. Instantly, light burst forth, multicolored, as resplendent as rosy clouds.
The hilt was wrapped in dense golden threads. The narrow saber's circular guard was exquisitely beautiful. Outside the ring was a string of golden ancient seal-script inscriptions: "Light flows like the plain moon, clear sky mirrors water, eternal and ever stable, brightening this heart and soul." The final two characters were "Zhan Kan."
After pushing the blade back into the scabbard, Shuangjiang offered the saber with both hands. "What do you think? I use this blade to trade with the Hidden Officer Ancestor for that answer."
Chen Ping'an extended his hand with a smile. "Deal."
Shuangjiang unhesitatingly handed the narrow saber to Chen Ping'an.
Chen Ping'an placed the saber horizontally on his knee. It was extremely heavy. With one hand on the saber and the other with two fingers together, he pressed against the hilt and slowly pushed the blade out of the scabbard. He stared at it intently, but quickly pushed it back, recalling the not-unfamiliar words "Zhan Kan," and asked doubtfully, "Is this the execution implement from the ancient Dragon-Slaying Platform?"
Shuangjiang crouched beside him, nodding. "Exactly! But before it was lost, its quality was somewhat damaged. I reckon it's chopped off quite a few heads of evil dragons and vicious flood dragons, so the killing intent is a bit heavy. Anyway, the Hidden Officer Ancestor doesn't fear this. I'll give a precious blade to a hero! To be honest, this item wasn't the best on the Dragon-Slaying Platform. But if it appeared in the Haoran world now, it could still cause upper-five-realm military cultivators to fight to the death over it."
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Give?"
Shuangjiang immediately slapped himself across the face and changed his words. "Sell!"
Chen Ping'an pressed both hands on the blade body and said softly, "The answer is that I don't know either. I'm really not lying to you."
Shuangjiang looked as if struck by lightning.
Chen Ping'an lifted the narrow saber an inch. "In business, I've always treated both young and old fairly. Since I feel unworthy of taking it, I'll return it to you."
Silence between them.
You bastard—at least actually give the saber back to me!
It turned out Chen Ping'an had only lifted the saber a little and then stopped. Shuangjiang certainly couldn't snatch it away. The key was that judging by the Hidden Officer Ancestor's posture, his fingers were clenched tight, and he didn't seem likely to let go. Shuangjiang wasn't about to be polite either, because once he acted polite, the other party would definitely not be polite.
Chen Ping'an tossed the narrow saber back to the extradimensional demon. "Consider this a thanks for leaving that inch-sized object for me at the door."
Otherwise, he would have had to go to that pavilion building naked and run into Nianxin along the way.
Shuangjiang held the saber and asked, "Just something that trivial? Worth swapping a good blade you already had in hand?"
Chen Ping'an extended his hand and laughed. "One Minor Heat coin. Good omen for an opening—auspicious start."
Shuangjiang handed over the narrow saber, overjoyed.
Chen Ping'an stood up, wore the saber on his left waist, and walked slowly without returning to the prison.
Shuangjiang asked, "First break through to the Traveler Realm, then refine your lifebound object, and then temper your martial fortune—you planned all that earlier, didn't you? That's why you weren't so anxious about the garment-sewing matter?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head. "Actually, I didn't think that much. With you beside me, I've been deliberately restraining my thoughts."
Shuangjiang dropped to both knees, prostrated himself on the ground, beat his fists against the earth—all in one fluid motion—and wailed, "What terrible karma have I created?"
Chen Ping'an didn't find it amusing; instead, he felt deeply worried.
Extradimensional demons acted purely on whim, utterly free.
A streak of sword light arrived in an instant, hovering not far ahead of Chen Ping'an, then sped off toward that stream and thatched hut.
The Criminal Officer had taken the initiative to invite him for a visit?
For the first time, Chen Ping'an used the eighth realm of martial arts to soar on the wind for a distant journey.
Shuangjiang whispered by Chen Ping'an's side, "That sword embryo the Criminal Officer blinded Du Shanyin with could also fetch one Minor Heat coin."
Whether it was the sword embryo the Criminal Officer had refined or the narrow saber Chen Ping'an had just obtained, both were priceless immortal treasures. But in his and the extradimensional demon's transactions, the accounting was different. Within the prison, opportunities and treasures were everywhere. The Flying Ascension realm life of Shuangjiang was worth even more. Chen Ping'an had once heard that there was a very secret demonic sect in the Central Earth Divine Continent that only accepted the most precious thing in a person's heart as payment—it could be a beloved woman, or even some insistence, some principle. For someone who valued their life most, they had to trade their own life for it.
Chen Ping'an drifted down lightly to the side of the grape trellis. The sword immortal who was the Criminal Officer, still with his true face concealed, stood amidst the lush greenery and said, "We are about to leave this place. Just informing the Hidden Officer. Of the two women manifested from the ancestor coins, you may choose one to keep by your side."
Chen Ping'an said, "No merit, no reward."
The Criminal Officer replied, "Having lived here for so long, it's inevitably dull. The Hidden Officer practiced his fists and sword and refined objects—I watched a few good shows, so I should show some appreciation. Beyond that, the most important thing is that they feel close to you and are both willing to serve the Hidden Officer. However, Du Shanyin will need one of them to assist him in his future cultivation, otherwise, you could have taken both."
At the stone table, the Pounding-Clothes Woman and the Washing-Silk Girl seemed reluctant to part, but when they looked at the young Hidden Officer, they smiled sweetly, their bright eyes shimmering.
Hearing this, Chen Ping'an suddenly understood. He finally realized why this sword immortal Criminal Officer, shrouded in clouds and mist, had inexplicably taken a disliking to him.
Money.
In the Haoran world, the vast majority of cultivators, when looking at any Cave Heaven or Blessed Land, saw only immortal coins. Especially those from Blessed Lands who didn't know there were other worlds beyond the sky—in the eyes of exiled immortals, they were worth the least.
Chen Ping'an couldn't be bothered to explain. He shook his head and said, "Criminal Officer, you should keep them by your side."
The Criminal Officer was even more straightforward. Using the divine ability of "world in a sleeve," he packed up the thatched hut, stream, grape trellis, flower-god cups, and the white jade table and stone stools, then flew off on his sword. Du Shanyin and the Washing-Silk Girl followed behind.
But he left the Pounding-Clothes Woman behind. She curtsied toward Chen Ping'an, graceful and elegant in every gesture.
Chen Ping'an didn't stand on ceremony either. He couldn't just grab the woman and throw her back at the Criminal Officer, so he cupped his hands in salute and then glanced toward where the white jade table had been, muttering softly, "Didn't even leave a stool."
No chance to scavenge.
Accepting gifts from others inevitably meant owing favors. But a pack-rat practicing bargain-hunting was earning money by risking his life, relying on his own skill.
The woman who had manifested from the Gold Essence Bronze Coin heard this and smiled even more charmingly, speaking softly, "Your servant's humble name is Changming. If your master dislikes this name, feel free to choose another for your servant. Your servant would be honored."
Chen Ping'an turned around, waved his hand, and smiled to the woman, "Daoist Changming, from now on, let's treat each other as equals. To be honest, I do have a place in the Bottle Gourd Continent called the Lotus Root Blessed Land. It would be suitable for Daoist Changming to live and cultivate there long-term. But after you leave the Sword Qi Great Wall, wherever you wish to go, whether to the Lotus Root Blessed Land or not, is entirely up to your own will."
The woman blinked. She raised one hand, and all around, scattered remains of gods—huge, decaying bodies—kept cracking and crumbling into pieces. Then golden sand particles formed continuous streams, gathering around the Pounding-Clothes Woman like a golden mountain, about the size of the Ning Manor's Dragon-Slaying Cliff.
Shuangjiang quietly reminded, "This golden mountain, in the Azure Firmament Heaven, would be enough to refine the golden bodies of three or four River Deities or Water Officials. In the Hidden Officer Ancestor's so-called Blessed Land, which is only a mid-grade Blessed Land, there would be even more divine thrones and godly positions."
Chen Ping'an tried hard to suppress a smile but couldn't hold it in and cupped his hands again, saying, "Alright, I earnestly beg Daoist Changming to visit Bottle Gourd Continent and at least serve as a loosely bound honorary offering attendee."
The golden sand that had been polished from the gods' remains by the river of time slowly adhered to the woman's clothes, showing no sign of abnormality.
Chen Ping'an deeply agreed. Don't flaunt wealth—that's how it should be. Truly a kindred spirit. That white-haired kid swaggering around everywhere showing off couldn't compare.
She asked curiously, "Hidden Officer Master, aren't you returning to your homeland?"
Chen Ping'an smiled faintly. "We'll see."
She didn't ask further.
She still seemed to regard herself as a maidservant.
Later, Chen Ping'an strolled alone, but before parting, she pressed a finger against her forehead and extracted a Gold Essence Bronze Coin, handing it to Chen Ping'an.
Shuangjiang dragged the woman off to scavenge treasures. After some discussion, Shuangjiang originally intended to keep everything he found for himself, and for whatever she found, they'd split it ninety-ten. But unexpectedly, that woman with a pitiful cultivation realm, who knows who gave her the gall, actually demanded a fifty-fifty split. However, her cultivation level was negligible, but she was an ancestor coin of the Gold Essence Bronze Coin. Even if Shuangjiang killed her manifested dharma apparition, she would re-emerge from the Gold Essence Bronze Coin that Chen Ping'an had pocketed. Then she would complain and whisper sweet words in his ear—Shuangjiang figured he couldn't handle that. Given Chen Ping'an's temper, he was fussy about small matters like this, and nine times out of ten, he would directly ask Chen Qingdu to cut Shuangjiang down with a single sword strike. So Shuangjiang had to reason with her nicely. Finally, after much difficulty, they settled on a sixty-forty split, with Shuangjiang making a slight profit. He felt it was more exhausting than pestering Old Deaf for eighty years. But she still wasn't satisfied. She murmured plaintively, "This servant is truly useless, causing the master to lose a full ten percent of the gain."
Shuangjiang almost knelt and kowtowed to this lady.
Chen Ping'an arrived above a sea of clouds that naturally bred water transport raindrops. He lay down on the clouds, hands folded over his belly, closed his eyes, and rested.
His mustard-seed mind roamed the four directions.
Eventually, within his own microcosm, Chen Ping'an came to the shore of his Heart Lake. With a slight stirring of his mind, a very stable arched bridge appeared.
His true body was already fast asleep on the clouds.
Chen Ping'an's mind stood at one end of this Longevity Bridge. If he crossed the bridge, if he walked to the other end, then in heaven and earth, there would probably be a new Cave Dwelling realm Qi refiner.
The golden figure riding the fire dragon came to Chen Ping'an's mind, crossed its arms over its chest, and lifted its head.
The fire dragon beneath him had grown sturdy after tempering martial fortune. If before it was as slender as a chopstick, now it was as thick as an arm, emanating an imposing aura.
Chen Ping'an said softly, "Don't curse."
The golden figure sneered, "Aren't you always cursing yourself? Curse so much it annoys me, and I can't help but hear it."
Chen Ping'an said, "They say human strength always has its limits. The key is that I've always believed that, so there's no point in cursing, right?"
The golden figure said, "You're afraid you can't leave. You're afraid of becoming a second Chen Qingdu, yet without Chen Qingdu's skill. You fear parting without reunion. For the first time in your life, you're afraid that all your efforts will yield nothing in return."
Chen Ping'an bounced a few times, punched his palm, and did a set of turtle punches. Finally, he cupped some breath in his palm and looked at the bridge. "Everyone's like that. Nothing to be ashamed of."
The golden figure was silent for a moment, then expressed comfort with a string of insults.
Hearing the long-unfamiliar hometown town dialect, Chen Ping'an immediately cheered up. His eyes became clear like the streams of his hometown. A little sorrow was like a small fish flicking its tail and diving into the waterweeds, no longer showing itself.
Finally, Chen Ping'an withdrew his mind from the microcosm, stood up from the sea of clouds, and flew on the wind toward the prison entrance.
Crossing the bridge wasn't an urgent matter. He would wait until he had fully refined and completely integrated the martial fortunes of the Sword Qi Great Wall and the Barren Wilderness world into his personal landscape.
When the time came, his Cave Dwelling realm wasn't going anywhere.
When his cave dwelling opened, connecting the small world with the greater world, the prison's dense sword-qi-laden abundant spirit Qi would flood like a mighty river into all the key Qi mansions.
But the pain of flesh and soul might be regarded by ordinary lower-five-realm Qi refiners as a terrifying ordeal, a life-or-death threshold difficult to cross. But for Chen Ping'an, it was really nothing.
This time, as Chen Ping'an passed the cells, the great demon Yunqing showed up again, a smile on his face. "Before, martial fortune was on your side; now you've refined the god's remains treasure. I have to congratulate the Hidden Officer again. When you break through to the Cave Dwelling realm, I'll need to congratulate you once more. Quite busy. Fortunately, I'm not in the Barren Wilderness world, or I'd have to give three separate congratulatory gifts."
Chen Ping'an stopped and smiled. "In the Haoran world, the personal arrival of a mountain-top deity from the upper five realms is the best door-opening gift."
Yunqing looked at that narrow saber and praised, "Good blade."
Chen Ping'an pressed his palm against the hilt. "Hefty enough. Indeed, a good blade."
Yunqing sighed, "It seems I won't have many chances to speak with the Hidden Officer."
Chen Ping'an said solemnly, "It's a great pity that I didn't meet Senior Yunqing in the Haoran world."
Yunqing smiled. "And it's a pity I can't invite the Hidden Officer for fine wine in the Barren Wilderness world. My old mountain peak had magnificent scenery."
The white-haired child returned laden with treasures, followed by the woman Changming.
With her around, gathering this golden sand was easy. What required more effort from Shuangjiang were the remnants left by ancient great demons—scattered bits and pieces, quite exhausting. Heavenly treasures were mostly spiritual and wouldn't stay put like the god remains and demon bones. Even though Shuangjiang searched with all his might, it was very troublesome. Fortunately, that woman, true to being an ancestor coin, had incredible luck. The final harvest far exceeded expectations. Later, gaining experience, Shuangjiang deliberately kept his distance from her. When she stumbled upon an opportunity and called him over, he would pounce and diligently capture those heavenly materials and earthly treasures that darted about like sword immortals' flying swords.
They agreed: today they only dug in one direction; each day they would go to a new direction. Within at most ten days, they could make a rough sweep. The next ten days, they would thoroughly check for any omissions.
It was the woman's first time entering this prison, so she was inevitably curious.
The great demon Qingqiu saw the woman beside Chen Ping'an—gentle, quiet, and lovely, truly extraordinary. He clicked his tongue, "The Hidden Officer has good fortune with women, but his taste is a bit strong. First, a woman with her skin peeled off; now he's swapped for an essence creature with no real flesh or blood. What's up with you, Hidden Officer? Isn't there a seven-tailed fox demon locked up in this prison? If I remember correctly, there are still a few other female cultivators. Not enough for you?"
Chen Ping'an smiled. "You're about to die. Can't you say something nice?"
The great demon whose true form was a catfish jeered, "With just you? And that broken blade? Stretch your neck out and let you chop—can you even cut through?"
Chen Ping'an pushed the blade out of the scabbard an inch. "Want to try?"
The great demon Qingqiu vanished into the mist instantly.
Shuangjiang held his belly and laughed.
The woman Changming took her leave. The prison was too polluted with miasma and killing intent; she didn't want to continue sightseeing.
Arriving at Nianxin's side, Chen Ping'an waited until she had pulled out a weft thread, then said, "Lend me your dharma blade."
Nianxin handed the dharma blade straight to Chen Ping'an.
After taking it, Chen Ping'an smiled. "In my hometown, when handing someone scissors or a cleaver, you point the tip toward yourself."
Nianxin ignored this and asked, "Decided?"
Chen Ping'an nodded. First, he took out the cyan talisman paper that bore the words from the Golden Register Jade Slips. Because the characters were too many and too heavy, the paper bulged unevenly.
Chen Ping'an spread the talisman paper flat in one hand, and with the other hand holding the short blade, he stabbed it into his heart. Drops of heart essence blood—which Qi refiners treated as true essence—fell from the blade tip onto the talisman paper. Then, using the Water Refining Formula from the Biyou Prefecture Water God Temple, he controlled the blood droplets like writing scriptures in small regular script, stroke by stroke, neatly and properly, full of spirit and intent, finally "writing" a dissolution contract. The content was concise, the meaning simple yet precisely worded.
Especially when he signed his name at the end, he separated a bit of his lifebound soul light from each of his three hun and seven po and infused them into the name "Chen Ping'an."
Chen Ping'an handed the dharma blade back to Nianxin.
Nianxin took the blade and frowned. "I shouldn't have told you about this."
Earlier, when she first saw this young Hidden Officer, she was very puzzled why he was so entangled with flood dragon-kind. Later, she put in some effort, and combined with a chat with the extradimensional demon, she uncovered a shocking secret. On Chen Ping'an's body, there was a deeply hidden contract. Both parties were equal, not master and servant, but their lives were interdependent. The effect was similar to the contract ordinary mountain cultivators made when becoming immortal couples. Of course, Chen Ping'an's contract involved no romantic feelings, and the party who wrote it had almost all the advantages—hardly any restrictions.
Chen Ping'an's face was deathly pale, but he seemed relieved, as if a great burden of karma had been lifted.
For himself, seeking peace of mind. And for his student, so he could fully exert himself in the Bottle Gourd Continent.
Shuangjiang crouched beside him, lamenting, "The Hidden Officer Ancestor took a huge loss on this transaction. Shouldn't have been so generous. If it were me, I would have squeezed them dry."
Chen Ping'an handed the talisman paper to the extradimensional demon. "It's just that I found out too late. I should have done this long ago. Shuangjiang, give this to Old Deaf. After he leaves the prison, have him pass it to Wei Jin of the Wind Snow Temple, and ask him to deliver it to Bottle Gourd Continent, only to someone named Cui Dongshan."
Shuangjiang snickered, "Better let Nianxin give it to Old Deaf. Those two just found out they're related."
Chen Ping'an twitched the corner of his mouth, maintaining his posture.
He knew this extradimensional demon had long recognized the origin of this cyan talisman paper, rich in treasure radiance.
Shuangjiang raised both hands. "Don't test me. I'd rather die than touch that talisman paper. One wrong move and I'll be schemed against by you again, losing a hundred years of cultivation."
When the extradimensional demon didn't call him "Grandpa Hidden Officer" or "Hidden Officer Ancestor," that was usually when he was telling the truth.
Only then did Chen Ping'an hand the talisman paper to Nianxin.
Nianxin flashed away, went to give it to Old Deaf, and returned in an instant. She said, "It's good you went early. Old Deaf was just about to leave the prison."
Some words, Nianxin thought about but didn't say. She had originally wanted to urge Chen Ping'an to hurry up with the demon-killing and garment-sewing matter. But the words remained unspoken.
Chen Ping'an nodded, then went to that pavilion building. He sat alone, hugging his knees.
Shuangjiang stood on the distant steps, looking at that building and that person.
This place was the manifestation of the young man's mind.
So Chen Qingdu could go to the pavilion. Even Nianxin, if she wished, could go there, because deep in Chen Ping'an's heart, he accepted this demonic path figure. But he, this extradimensional demon, was absolutely not allowed.
A single pavilion beneath the round sky and square earth.
Where he stood were the small and large principles that Chen Ping'an genuinely endorsed.
The four pillars of the pavilion were the four fundamental veins that Chen Ping'an had gradually internalized during his life's distant journey.
The roof symbolized the great sword immortal that Chen Ping'an longed for with all his heart.
A young man looked at life; the people he saw were temporary guests in a pavilion, destined to part from him sooner or later—some said goodbye, some never spoke.
He stayed in place, like that pavilion, willing to do small things to shelter others from wind and rain.
Shuangjiang shouted loudly, "Hidden Officer Ancestor, does your beloved girl know about this contract?"
Chen Ping'an snapped back to reality and pretended to be calm. "That contract, none of my damn business."
Shuangjiang jumped high and gave a thumbs up. "Hidden Officer Ancestor, you sure sound righteous while talking bullshit. Very scholarly!"