Chapter 719: I Am Dongshan

Chapter 719: I Am Dongshan

Cui Dongshan finished his bold proclamation and nodded lightly. Very good, very sensible. Since no one refuted him, he would take it as the three worlds agreeing to this matter.

Zhou Mili hugged the golden carrying pole and the mountain-walking staff, clapping her hands briskly like the golden signboard of the Right Protector of Luopo Mountain.

Cui Dongshan followed the six green bricks laid out on the ground and performed a set of "Wang Ba Fist"—fierce and imposing, not from fist aura but from his sleeves slapping against each other with a crackling sound.

Cui Dongshan landed on both feet, facing the bamboo building with his back to Xiaomili. Suddenly he twisted his waist and turned around, thrusting out a fist. Seeing Xiaomili looking confused, he had to shout a reminder: "Take my fist! The most invincible, heaven-and-earth-defying!"

Xiaomili hurriedly spun around in place several times before sincerely praising, "Good fist!"

Cui Dongshan flicked his sleeves and said with a regretful expression, "Never thought that after mastering peerless fist techniques, I still can't knock down the Right Protector. Oh well, let's call it a draw and fight again next time."

Xiaomili scratched her face. She hadn't even thrown a punch yet; it wasn't satisfying.

Cui Dongshan swaggered over to the stone table. Xiaomili quickly placed the two treasured artifacts on the table, then rummaged through her sleeves and pulled out several handfuls of melon seeds, piling them in front of the big white goose. She had been saving them for a long time, waiting for this moment.

Cui Dongshan started cracking melon seeds and asked casually, "Xiaomili, has anyone been bullying you? Even if you're the big water monster of Yaba Lake, if you suffer even a melon-seed-sized grievance, you must tell your little senior brother. I may not have many skills, but I'm top-notch at cursing people out and blocking their gates."

Zhou Mili crossed her arms, hunching her shoulders higher and higher, almost raising them above her little head. She snorted with a laugh, "Big White Goose, you've been away from home too long, haven't you? Your brain isn't so sharp now. I'm the one doing the bullying!"

So all of you, stop being so fond of traveling far away. If you go out and get bullied, I won't be able to look after you.

Cui Dongshan hunched over, cracking melon seeds, his mouth never idle. "Xiaomili, in the future, there will be more and more people on the mountain. Even if no one travels far, everyone's affairs on the mountain will increase. There might not be as much time to chat with you. Will you be sad? Will you be angry?"

Xiaomili laughed heartily, "Big White Goose is talking nonsense again. When I was a big water monster in Yaba Lake, for so many years, no one talked to me all year round. Was I sad?"

Cui Dongshan suddenly understood, then said, "But those passersby weren't your friends. If friends stop paying attention to you, it feels different."

Xiaomili furrowed her sparse, faintly yellow little brows and thought hard for a long time, counting her good friends one by one. Finally, she asked tentatively, "Could they spare one sentence a year to talk to me?"

Cui Dongshan stopped cracking melon seeds and smiled gently. "They definitely can."

Xiaomili said quietly, "Two sentences wouldn't be too much."

Cui Dongshan asked with a smile, "When will you take me to play at Red Candle Town and Jade Liquid River?"

Xiaomili blinked her eyes. "Let's wait until the good mountain lord comes home."

As long as she was squatting inside the good mountain lord's bamboo box, the little girl in black had the courage of two grains of rice.

As long as she knew the good mountain lord was on his way home, she dared to go down the mountain alone to meet him at Red Candle Town.

Cui Dongshan nodded. "No problem."

Furious, absolutely furious. I'll deal with it later; don't want to scare Xiaomili.

Since the old cook had already returned to Luopo Mountain to help sort things out, Cui Dongshan was relatively at ease. What he could do was essentially idle around, checking for omissions. Besides Shi Rou's situation, where Longevity Fellow Daoist helped with a minor conclusion, the two little scoundrels Hongxia and Yunzi also needed to be knocked into shape and given some pointers. And even more so, that newly arrived Fox Kingdom ruler, Pei Xiang. The old cook had always been tender-hearted toward beauties, a bit too soft and merciful. Actually, it worked out well—the good old cook would play the good guy, and he, Cui Dongshan, would play the villain.

Cui Dongshan had long told his teacher that on a single mountain peak, even if the same thing was ultimately accomplished, there had to be multiple hearts and minds, so that certain people could see clearly and remember firmly, and truly remember and think well of it.

Among these, a relatively important matter was his proposal that Longevity Fellow Daoist temporarily serve as the Chief Disciplinary Ancestor of Luopo Mountain.

In fact, according to the usual rituals and systems of immortal mountain sects, this already constituted an overstepping of authority on Cui Dongshan's part. It wasn't just audacious; it was a one-man challenge to the entire Ancestral Hall. It wouldn't just be settling accounts after the autumn harvest and giving him small shoes to wear—they'd simply chop off both his feet and throw him out to feed the Left Protector of Qilong Lane.

So this trip to Luopo Mountain wasn't just a casual stroll for Cui Dongshan.

Chen Nuanshu came trotting over, the bundles of keys hanging from her waist chatting softly among themselves.

The little girl in the pink skirt curtsied to Cui Dongshan and sat quietly at the stone table.

Chen Nuanshu indeed wouldn't get involved in major affairs, but she knew all the little things on Luopo Mountain.

Cui Dongshan told Chen Nuanshu about Chen Lingjun's river-ascension situation in Beiju Continent. It wasn't that he was slacking off; he had encountered a rather unexpected incident.

Chen Lingjun had gotten chummy with a new friend, putting righteousness first and willing to take a knife for him. As a result, for that sworn brother with whom he had genuinely cut chicken heads and burned yellow paper, the two brothers truly shared weal and woe—both were detained by a mountain at the westernmost edge of the Ji River, Infant Mountain's Thunder God Residence.

The Dragon Palace Cave Heaven in the central part of the Ji River sent two letters pleading for Chen Lingjun's release, but the Thunder God Residence still wouldn't let him go. They were genuinely furious. The sect's losses weren't great, but the loss of face was immense. Who would gouge out most of the characters from the golden plaque at the Thunder God Residence's mountain gate?!

Damn it, even if you're mentally ill, you should have some sense, right?! If you were going to steal it, just take the whole plaque! Then it could be recovered intact and re-hung. But those two fellows only chiseled off the two golden characters "God Residence"...

When they finally caught the culprit, his reason was: "If I chiseled off all three characters, I was afraid you'd beat me to death. Leaving one character behind, even when walking the martial world, you leave a line of leeway for future encounters."

As a result, the two secret letters from the Dragon Palace Cave Heaven gave the Thunder God Residence tremendous face, but Infant Mountain still didn't release him. However, great immortals on the mountain rarely act too harshly. They respectfully replied to both letters, using tactful wording, saying that as long as that honored guest of the Nanxun Water Palace and good friend of the Dragon Pavilion Marquis gave a simple apology, the Thunder God Residence would release him. Not only release him, but also see him off respectfully at the border.

The crux of the problem was that this fellow with powerful backing had been putting on a rogue attitude: "You can beat me, even half to death, but don't even think about an apology. Admitting fault? Not happening!"

Chen Nuanshu looked worried and asked, "Did Chen Lingjun throw a tantrum and do something wrong?"

"For once, he didn't do anything wrong. That kid in Beiju Continent, he wasn't just keeping his head down; he practically crawled on the ground, being careful during his travels, hoping no one would notice him."

Cui Dongshan waved his hand and laughed. "It was the Thunder God Residence of Infant Mountain that mismanaged things and was in the wrong first. It wasn't a big mistake—a small grudge from the martial world below the mountain. They killed one person by mistake, wounded a few, and settled it with some immortal money. Chen Lingjun happened to witness it, but he couldn't save anyone. His 'friend' couldn't hold back and struck first. Anyway, there was a chaotic brawl. Chen Lingjun's new friend got thoroughly humiliated, and the culprits escaped. Chen Lingjun couldn't swallow that. As for the immortals on Infant Mountain, they cared a lot about face and didn't think that mistake was a mistake. Plus, Chen Lingjun was an outsider, so by the usual rules of the mountain, it was an even greater mistake. Chen Lingjun wasn't stupid enough to storm the mountain gate. The first time, he couldn't get through with reason. The second time, he was shut out. Finally, he and his friend came up with that scheme."

At this point, Cui Dongshan burst into laughter. "As expected of someone who's been on Luopo Mountain—he does things that are deeply satisfying."

Chen Nuanshu said, "As long as it's a false alarm, that's fine."

Cui Dongshan nodded. "The two friends who sent the letters have notable backgrounds, so we can rest easy. Chen Lingjun is eating and drinking well in the Thunder God Residence, and he has a friend in the cell to chat with. Happy as can be. When Hongxia ascends the river, she only has a few river gods to clear the way. But our Master Chen Lingjun, when he ascends the river, has great lords of the major rivers escorting him!"

After all, the two who sent the letters, in today's Beiju Continent, even the sect leaders had to show them respect.

Shen Lin, from the Nanxun Water Palace, now held a divine position unseen for thousands of years—the Ji River Lingyuan Duke.

The other was slightly lower in rank, a former major river official Li Yuan, now the Ji River Dragon Pavilion Marquis. In terms of official rank, the Lingyuan Duke was higher, but their jurisdictions were roughly east and west, each managing their own.

Zhou Mili listened intently and sighed in admiration, "Chen Lingjun is really something! He's popular outside. I don't know any major river friends like that."

But she wondered if Chen Lingjun had mentioned, just a little, that he had a good friend back home—the big water monster of Yaba Lake—who was pretty fierce when traveling the martial world.

However, Xiaomili scratched her head, thinking that Chen Lingjun probably wouldn't want to talk about that. Even if he didn't, it was fine. What if his new friend didn't like hearing it? That would make Chen Lingjun lose face.

Cui Dongshan said with a sly grin, "Right, right, Xiaomili only knows big oafs like Jun Qian and table-sized sword immortals like that."

Xiaomili chuckled, "And Yu Mi, Liu Sleepy, and Sister Hongxia too."

Chen Nuanshu suppressed a smile and said, "Xiaomili helped Mr. Zuo move a chair to the door of the Ancestral Hall on Jise Peak. After Mr. Zuo stood up and planned to move it back himself, Xiaomili got fierce and shouted, 'I won't allow it!' Poor Mr. Zuo was put in a tough spot."

Xiaomili covered her mouth with her hands and laughed, shaking her head and swinging her feet while sitting on the stool. "Not fierce at all, not loud at all. Sister Nuanshu, don't talk nonsense."

Chen Nuanshu found it so amusing that she couldn't help praising Xiaomili again. "Mr. Cui, you don't know. At that moment, Xiaomili lifted her head, and her silence spoke volumes. It was like she was telling Mr. Zuo, 'I'll move this chair. That's my final word. Nobody's opinion matters!'" (Note 1)

Xiaomili waved her hands frantically. "No, no, that's not what I meant! Sister Nuanshu is making things up!"

Cui Dongshan suddenly leaned back, his face full of shock. "Xiaomili, you're really something! Do you know that the table-sized sword immortal is very fierce to everyone except his teacher? Even your good mountain lord never gets a kind word from him. On the Sword Qi Great Wall, where the big water monster of Yaba Lake is famous far and wide, that Sword Immortal Zhuo casually sends out a sword strike at the city wall, like cutting through melons and vegetables, killing countless great demons. Even the native sword immortals of the Sword Qi Great Wall are afraid to argue with him and try to avoid him. How did you, Xiaomili, get the guts to defy heaven like that?"

Xiaomili sat up straight, frowned, thought for a long time, then nodded to herself. "I can agree next time."

Nuanshu cracked melon seeds slowly, so she pushed some of her own seeds toward the big white goose and Xiaomili.

Cui Dongshan chatted with the two little girls while simultaneously mulling over small matters in his mind.

Worldly affairs, no matter how important, were all small matters as long as the threads were in my hands.

Regarding the sealing of the Lingyuan Duke and Dragon Pavilion Marquis of the major rivers, the Confucian Temple in the Central Plains had not yet spoken, as if they were merely tacitly accepting it.

Sealing the major rivers was something that hadn't happened in Haoran Heaven for three thousand years.

Ordinary secular dynastic emperors or kings of a single continent had no right to interfere in this matter. It was a fool's dream. Only the Confucian Temple could do it.

But the three parties that divided the Dragon Palace Cave Heaven—the Great Source Dynasty's Chongxuan Office, the Floating Sword Lake, and the Water Dragon Sect—all unanimously pushed hard for this matter, contributing money, effort, and personnel. They even built the two magnificent temples. Of course—the Lingyuan Duke and the Dragon Pavilion Marquis could be considered half their own people. Even if their previous relations were ordinary, the water transport couldn't be faked. Not only could it gather the water transport of an entire continent into the river, but it could also draw water transport from the sea. Especially the latter—such blessings and fortunes that even mountain cultivators' heaven-reaching methods couldn't seize. Who wouldn't want to take a share and bask in the glory of those two ducal and marquis temples?

Zhou Mi, the mountain master of the Beiju Continent academy, not only did not oppose this, but even wrote two letters to the Central Plains Divine Continent—one to the Confucian Temple and one to his own teacher. He probably wanted to persuade the Confucian Temple to recognize this matter and have a vice-chief of the Confucian Temple or a grand sacrifice of the academy come to perform the sealing. Even a sage accompanying the Confucian Temple sacrifices wouldn't be enough.

But Cui Dongshan couldn't see the content of the letters, so of course he didn't know the specifics. He could only guess based on Zhou Mi's temperament and the situation on the continent.

In fact, whether it was linking Beiju Continent and Bottle Gourd Continent or sealing the Ji River and the Qi Ferry as two major rivers, it was all Bottle Gourd Continent forcing the Confucian Temple in the Central Plains to tacitly accept it. If they didn't acknowledge it, what could they do?

The Qi Ferry on our Bottle Gourd Continent was handled by that old man from Letter Lake for the sealing ceremony.

The old monk of chicken soup and Mr. Fan of the Merchant family observed from the side.

And this was just on the surface. Privately, there was Li Liu, who had secretly returned to Bottle Gourd Continent, and Ruan Xiu, who faced Li Liu across the water.

Yang's Medicine Shop's Qingtong Heavenly Lord asked Ruan Xiu to bring a plaque and Li Liu to bring a couplet as the ridgepole gifts for the major river temple.

"Qi River Duke Temple."

Like a spring breeze, a gentleman carries on the past and opens up the future, unafraid to stand for the principles of heaven and earth.

With a calm heart and contented mind, a sage governs the world and benefits the people, writing to convey the Way and usher in eternal peace.

The plaque and couplet were both composed of assembled characters, as if personally written by the Qi River Duke himself.

Inside the great river temple, an empty plaque was still hanging, as if waiting for someone to write words on it.

It might write "Welcome Spring to the World." It might write "My Heart Is Bright." Who knows now?

Cui Dongshan lay face down in the pile of melon seed shells on the table, feeling bored. Why hasn't Sword Immortal Mi come to reminisce yet? We're old friends reunited! I'm very busy; we need to cherish the time, you know?

So what if he's a Jade Pure sword immortal? Can he look down on a worthless friend who's only one realm higher than him?

Mi Yu, dressed in a blue robe, walked to the cliff edge. His smile seemed a bit forced.

Mi Yu was truly afraid of that Left Sword Immortal. More precisely, he felt both awe and reverence. As for the white-clad youth in front of him—"handsome when not speaking, but brain-damaged when he opens his mouth"—he annoyed Mi Yu. Genuinely annoyed.

Back then, on the city wall of his hometown, I was lying drunk on the clouds, not bothering anyone, right? And this guy just passed by and dug a pit for me, causing Zuo You to draw his sword against a native sword cultivator for the first time. I, Mi Yu, got half the first prize, since Zuo You didn't actually draw his sword against me. He looked down on a Jade Pure flower vase, so what? Great Sword Immortal Yue Qing was "lucky" and got the other half.

So when Mi Yu first discovered that Cui Dongshan had come up the mountain, he went to the empty old mountain god shrine at the peak. But then Cui Dongshan turned out to be really chatty, and avoiding him felt awkward and too deliberate. Besides, later on, when Luopo Mountain starts the Flower in the Mirror, Moon on Water show to earn immortal money from fairy sisters, Mi Yu also wanted to rope this guy in. Besides, they had fought and become friends; now they were family. But Mi Yu felt he should be careful. A smart guy like Lin Junbi was ruined by Cui Dongshan just from playing a few games of Go. Mi Yu, a terrible Go player, had to be cautious.

Chen Nuanshu tugged at Zhou Mili's sleeve. Xiaomili had a flash of inspiration, said goodbye, and accompanied Sister Nuanshu to clean the bamboo building. If even a single speck of dust was on the desk, it would count as both of them slacking off.

Cui Dongshan gestured for Sword Immortal Mi to sit down, grinning, "Sword Immortal Mi, I've long admired your name."

Mi Yu reluctantly sat down, facing the white-clad youth, preferring to keep some distance between them.

Cui Dongshan said seriously, "I am Dongshan."

Mi Yu replied irritably, "We know each other already."

Even a clay Bodhisattva has three parts of temper. I may not be a sword immortal, but at least I'm a sword cultivator. Every sword cultivator under heaven has some temper.

"Then should we, brothers, properly get to know each other?"

Cui Dongshan said with a mental voice and a smile: "Your natal flying sword is 'Rosy Sky Full.' Before entering the upper five realms, in the lower five realms, you sneaked out of the city to fight six times. In the middle five realms, especially as a Nascent Soul sword cultivator, you were the most ruthless. Your battle achievements ranked second among sword cultivators of the same realm. You were the most willing to risk life and death, because the enemy demons here wouldn't be too high in realm. Even in desperate situations, your elder brother Mi Hu could save you, and both brothers would survive. After reaching the Jade Pure realm, Mi Yu's fighting style suddenly changed drastically—timid and cowardly, becoming a joke in your hometown. The truth is, Mi Yu, once you fall into a deathly situation, you'll only cause your brother to die first. Even if Mi Hu dies later than you, he'd likely die quickly in the next big battle, or become like sword immortals Tao Wen and Zhou Cheng, suffering all their lives, living worse than death."

Mi Yu clenched his fists under the table, his face ashen.

Cui Dongshan propped his cheek with one hand and fiddled with melon seeds with the other. "This wasn't told to me by my teacher."

Mi Yu sneered, "The Hidden Official definitely wouldn't be so bored!"

Cui Dongshan shook his head, switching to the other hand to support his cheek. "Right, I'm the boring one, pouring wine into others' heart wounds."

Mi Yu said, "If you don't like me, just say it straight!"

Cui Dongshan shook his head. "On the contrary, I dare not say that Mi Yu, in my heart, counts as some wronged hero. But I daresay the sword cultivator Mi Yu is truly a real person."

Mi Yu was very lazy, but in some matters, he was very serious.

So even with this explanation from Cui Dongshan, Mi Yu was still furious. He couldn't fight—and might not even win anyway—and he couldn't out-argue him either.

Plus, their positions now were completely different from back then, making Mi Yu even more stifled.

Cui Dongshan smiled. "An awkward situation: Mi Hu has too good a talent. Compared to his younger brother, the elder brother started practicing the sword earlier and reached higher realms. So when exactly will Mi Yu truly stretch his limbs and draw his sword to kill great demons?"

Cui Dongshan shook his head. "No chance now. Your realm is still low, and the Jade Pure bottleneck isn't easy to break. As the only remaining incense left, you can't die. Otherwise, how can you, together with your brother's share, earn enough to break even before dying? It's truly stifling. If I were Sword Immortal Mi, with my broad-minded cultivation heart, I might be even more stifled."

Cui Weiyan once said to Cui Dongshan on the Sword Qi Great Wall: "Why should I die here?"

Cui Dongshan agreed.

As for Mi Yu, Cui Dongshan actually agreed with him even more. Regarding the conflict on the city wall back then, Mi Yu had a loose mouth, and he, Cui Dongshan, merely fanned the flames on small matters and went with the flow on big ones. Besides, so what if someone says a few angry words? A true man distinguishes between gratitude and grudges. Yue Qing, who died on the battlefield, was like that, and Mi Yu, who survived, is the same.

Mi Yu, for the first time, flew into a rage. He stared fixedly at the unbridled youth, his eyes reddening, and said in a low voice, "Cui Dongshan, that's enough!"

Cui Dongshan raised his hands. "Alright, alright. Can't stand a few harsh words from your own family? When the Bottle Gourd Continent is peaceful later, and outsiders use this to mock you, Mi Yu, and incidentally mock the whole of Luopo Mountain for taking in scraps, won't Sword Immortal Mi have to repeat the old trick every day, sneaking down the mountain to stomp people into piles of heads, dulling your sword edge?"

Mi Yu's sharp sword aura instantly shredded a large patch of passing clouds outside the cliff.

Mi Yu had also forgotten to speak with his mind.

Cui Dongshan squinted, raised a finger to his lips, and said, "Don't scare Nuanshu and Xiaomili. Otherwise, I'll beat you half to death."

Mi Yu's sword aura—Cui Dongshan only blocked half of it. The clouds outside the cliff shattered, but not a trace of sword aura reached the direction of the bamboo building.

Mi Yu took a deep breath and immediately withdrew his sword aura, barely suppressing his rage. Despite his gloomy expression, he quickly turned his head and saw the two little girls lying side by side on the railing on the second floor. Mi Yu forced a smile, waved, and said hoarsely, "Just playing around. Go about your business."

Cui Dongshan said, "If there's a great injustice in the heart, there will be an unbreakable knot. You, Mi Yu, only have this one knot. I can completely understand. If you were just an ordinary friend, I wouldn't mention a single word. Every time we meet, we'd laugh and chat—you cracking seeds, me drinking wine—how harmonious. But."

Cui Dongshan smiled. "But you see, I'm never afraid of the one in ten thousand. I can always kill that one in ten thousand. For example, if, by some chance, your heart knot becomes greater than Luopo Mountain, I will kill that matter in advance."

"A beautiful saying, if whispered in someone's ear a thousand times, becomes unbearably vulgar and repulsive."

"Similarly, a huge, unresolved heart knot, if someone repeats it a few times beside you, may inevitably loosen a bit."

Cui Dongshan spoke three sentences in succession.

Mi Yu actually understood Cui Dongshan's intention after the first sentence. So he no longer had that much "unresolved resentment." The second sentence sounded reasonable. But the third sentence made Mi Yu furious again. He couldn't help but lower his voice and curse, "Go to hell with your 'similarly'! I'm not as narrow-minded as you think!"

Cui Dongshan grinned. "Really?"

Mi Yu sighed. "I'll pay attention to that 'one in ten thousand.'"

Cui Dongshan nodded. "A student worth teaching."

Mi Yu glanced sideways at the white-clad youth. "Are you always this good at disgusting people?"

After asking that question, Mi Yu immediately answered himself: "As expected of the Hidden Official's student—you didn't learn the good stuff, only the bad."

Cui Dongshan corrected, "Not just any student—I'm my teacher's proud disciple!"

Taking advantage of the eldest senior sister, who loves keeping accounts, being temporarily away from home, the little senior brother had to make up for it today.

Mi Yu hesitated as if to speak.

Cui Dongshan wiped the table with his sleeve, sweeping the melon seed shells off the cliff, as if foreseeing the future. "No need to deliberately befriend me. Even small talk is unnecessary. We're family. Even between blood brothers, there's mutual dislike, let alone between you and me. You're willing to trust your Hidden Official, and I solve problems for my teacher. The general direction is the same, so don't hope for more. A forcibly twisted melon, even dipped in honey syrup, turns bitter in the end. Bitter after sweet is the most troublesome."

Mi Yu nodded. "That's a good principle."

Maybe he could copy and adapt it, to tell the female sword immortals and chivalrous women.

Cui Dongshan leaned against the stone table, gazing at the cliff beyond, and smiled. "In the future, when Luopo Mountain starts the Flower in the Mirror, Sword Immortal Mi can freely explain this principle to the ladies. I'll only applaud loudly and cheer from the sidelines, as if hearing such wise words for the first time."

Mi Yu sighed. "Troublesome."

Cui Dongshan said calmly, "Burning pages without rest—how could it just be troublesome?"

Mi Yu raised both hands and said with a mournful face, "Cui Dongshan, Immortal Cui, Grandpa Cui, I'm afraid of you, okay? From now on, whenever you come to Luopo Mountain, I'll stay far away from you and won't bother you."

Cui Dongshan raised his hand, moving only his palm while keeping his wrist still, and waved it lightly, grinning. "Sword Immortal Mi, don't be like that. I only have Cai Jingshen as a 'good grandson' for now. More would also bother me."

On the second floor of the bamboo building, Chen Nuanshu breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed the two had reconciled.

Xiaomili also finally relaxed her tightly furrowed little brows. Good, good. Yu Mi didn't start a fight with the big white goose. That would have been hard to break up.

Xiaomili's feet touched the ground, and she asked softly, "Sister Nuanshu, why were they arguing?"

Chen Nuanshu rubbed Xiaomili's head and said gently, "Mr. Cui and Mr. Mi are both adults. They all have their own big and small worries. It's better to talk about them than not. You can't always keep things bottled up inside."

Xiaomili nodded vigorously, then her eyes lit up. She coughed and asked, "Sister Nuanshu, let me ask you a really hard riddle! The good mountain lord didn't teach me this—I thought of it myself!"

Chen Nuanshu was a bit curious and nodded. "Go ahead."

Xiaomili clutched her stomach and laughed. Oh dear, too funny! The little girl in black had to squat on the ground so her belly wouldn't hurt. Apparently, the riddle had already made her laugh herself silly.

Nuanshu crouched down and waited for Xiaomili to finish laughing before asking what the riddle was.

Zhou Mili sat on the ground, about to speak, but couldn't help clutching her stomach again.

Nuanshu said helplessly, "Then I'll get back to work."

Xiaomili took a deep breath and quickly said, "What is something that's good when kept in, but bad when let out?!"

Then the little girl rolled on the ground laughing.

Nuanshu rubbed her head. She knew the answer but said she needed to think first.

In previous years, when Pei Qian practiced fist techniques, she occasionally got two days off and didn't need to go to the second floor.

That was the only time Zhou Mili didn't go to be Pei Qian's doorkeeper early in the morning. Pei Qian found it very strange and ran to check on the slacking Right Protector of Luopo Mountain. Nuanshu opened the door, and they found Xiaomili's bed with the blanket propped up by her head and hands, like a small hill, with the corners rolled up tightly. Pei Qian asked what the Right Protector was doing, and Xiaomili said in a muffled voice, "Open the door first." Pei Qian yanked the blanket open, and the stench drove both her and Nuanshu out of the room. Only Xiaomili, who had long covered her nose, rolled on the bed laughing.

At the cliffside stone table, both were silent.

Cui Dongshan suddenly said, "If you had acted on impulse and smashed the Jade Liquid River Water God Temple with one sword, there would be no Yu Mi on Luopo Mountain today."

Mi Yu shook his head. "I'm not an idiot. The Hidden Official always talks about 'when in Rome, do as the Romans do.' I know the stakes."

Cui Dongshan turned his head.

Mi Yu said, "Fine. I'm an idiot."

Cui Dongshan stood up, walked around half the stone table, and gently patted Mi Yu on the shoulder. "Mi Yu, thank you."

Mi Yu asked, "What for?"

Cui Dongshan didn't give an answer. The white-clad youth clasped his hands in his sleeves, his whole body like a white cloud, gazing at the leisurely clouds beyond the cliff.

In the past, the white-clad youth—the young Cui Chan back then—once traveled with the old scholar through the White Paper Blessed Land. That land was occupied by literati who constantly expanded it. The White Paper Blessed Land could be called the strangest top-grade blessed land in Haoran Heaven. The size of the world wasn't fixed; every literatus could pick up a brush to write people and events. As long as nothing was deleted in the end, they could help the blessed land's landscape expand continuously.

At that time, Cui Chan had read "several great books" within the blessed land. Some were about immortals on the mountains, others about martial arts sects in the martial world. He didn't approve of any of them, saying that those mountain immortals and martial arts sects all had some flaws. The changes in people's hearts weren't great. It seemed that after going up the mountain or joining a martial arts sect, as time passed, they never truly came alive. Any twists in people's hearts, even if slightly turned, were too stiff. The growth paths of those "little heaven lords" were still rich in mental journey, but all the people around them—if good, always good; in dealing with others, always harmonious; if clever, always clever; if pedantic, pedantic in everything. Such mountain sects and martial arts sects couldn't withstand scrutiny of the heart. No matter how large, they were empty frameworks, just many people. Step out of the White Paper Blessed Land, and they'd collapse at a gust of wind.

"I won't say all of the White Paper Blessed Land, just most cases. To clarify principles under heaven, you have to talk about proportions."

"The friends and righteous people around that person—can't they make mistakes? The immortals on the mountains—can't they accidentally kill the wrong person? Each one is more perfect than the moral sages of Haoran Heaven."

"The people around that person—just because they are friends of friends, they become lifelong friends? And the enemies of that person—why are they all great villains and evildoers, rarely living vividly? Why can't they earn respect elsewhere? Why would mountain immortals only accompany forests, springs, white clouds, and green pines? When they go down the mountain, if the common folk don't recognize immortal money in their pockets and they ask for a jug of cheap wine, are they no longer immortals?"

"Could it be that the entire, famed White Paper Blessed Land exists only for those few hundred little heaven lords?! What a great Way!"

At that time, the founding patriarch of the literati just stroked his beard and smiled.

But the middle-aged patriarchs and the few young geniuses recognized as "masterful with the brush and bursting with talent" wore unpleasant expressions at being exposed by an outsider. They almost said, "If you're so good, why don't you write something?"

Otherwise, according to the young Cui Chan's temperament, he would have indeed said, "Let me show you." He'd teach them what "an ordinary person's accumulated brilliance and sudden inspiration is nothing but my Cui Chan's casual words that are naturally ancient and new."

Fortunately, the old scholar quickly smoothed things over. First, he scolded his own disciple: "What do you know? You only get shallow knowledge from paper! These great works, freely written, often tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of words, aren't as simple as your occasional poems and lyrics!" Then he gave a big boost to those young talents, praising them effusively, and offered some small pointers—minor flaws that didn't mar the excellence.

The praise and patching of flaws from the Sage of Wen—how could it not outweigh the casual nonsense of a young disciple? Those literati masters didn't bother to argue with Cui Chan anymore.

Apart from being the Sage of Wen's first disciple, he was just an obscure nobody. What did he know?

But Cui Chan didn't know when to stop. The young man, who hadn't yet shown his brilliance, even spoke even more rebellious and face-slapping words: "I always feel that language itself is a cage. The written words of the world are the life-and-death enemy of the literati. Because the boundaries of language constructed by words are the invisible boundaries of our thoughts. If you don't transcend this, you can't prove the Great Way."

At that time, only the founding patriarch nodded slightly, looking at the young Cui Chan with considerable approval. The old scholar grinned so wide it looked like half a winnowing basket, but he was decent enough not to say anything.

The patriarch glanced sideways—well, then he stopped nodding.

Later, Cui Chan's reputation rose, living up to his title as the Sage of Wen's first disciple. Later, Cui Chan shook the world, producing the "Colorful Cloud Game," which was only one of the "Three Brocade Matters." Finally, his reputation turned infamous.

Haoran Heaven knew all this, but most had forgotten one thing: In the old days, within the Wen Sage's lineage, Cui Chan often taught on behalf of his teacher.

Cui Dongshan stared blankly at the southern part of Bottle Gourd Continent.

That man was always Cui Chan. No matter whether he was still the Sage of Wen's first disciple, he was the "Brocade Tiger" Cui Chan of the "Three Brocade Matters of Haoran Heaven," the Grand Li state preceptor who refused to just add icing on the cake for the world.

I am not.

Cui Dongshan snickered, muttering, "I am just Cui Dongshan now. Innocent and naive young Dongshan."

Tomorrow forever belongs to youth. (Note 2)

Youth comes every year, and I am always among them.

In fact, Cui Dongshan had thought about wanting not to be among them. Back then, Cui Chan didn't agree, and he gave Cui Dongshan a reason he couldn't refuse.

That was how Cui Chan was. When he seriously schemed, he always included himself in the calculation.

Mi Yu didn't ask for trouble. He just sat quietly, not initiating conversation with the white-clad youth.

Cui Dongshan let out a soft breath, gently pushing a large cloud far away.

An immortal's exhale gathers and disperses clouds.

Then he turned and shouted to the little girl in black on the second floor: "Xiaomili, I'm going down the mountain for a bit. First, tell the old cook to prepare a big table of delicious food."

Xiaomili quickly asked, "How delicious?"

Cui Dongshan imitated Xiaomili, crossing his arms and furrowing his brows.

Xiaomili waved her hand. "So grown up, yet so childish. Go on, go on. Remember to come back early. If you're late, remember to go through the mountain gate. I'll wait for you there."

Cui Dongshan nodded, walking backward. Then he leaned back and fell off the cliff. After disappearing from view, he suddenly shot up, spinning in circles as he flew—such was the immortal's wind-riding journey...

Zhou Mili sighed. The big white goose was really childish.

Mi Yu squinted and looked seriously. Good grief, it seemed he was heading straight for the Jade Liquid River Water God Temple? Then Mi Yu sighed heavily, furious. Damn it, you could have taken me with you!

Cui Dongshan did go to Jade Liquid River, but not to the Water God Temple. He used a concealment spell to hide his form, arrived above the river, then dove straight down like a falling tree, plunging into the water. He swam all the way to the Water God's mansion gate.

Finally, he curled his fingers, mimicked knocking, and shouted, "Water Goddess, open up! It's me, Dongshan!"

The two gatekeeper spirits of the Water God's mansion looked at each other in bewilderment. Not only did they have no idea who this guy was, but he had also silently bypassed the mountain-and-water restriction outside that even earth immortals found hard to break. And the mansion gate wasn't even closed—so what exactly was this "Dongshan" knocking at?

---

At the herbal shop on Qilong Lane, the blind old Daoist had worn more smiles on his face in recent years. To put it mildly, he sometimes woke up laughing in his dreams. Even toward his two disciples, Jia Sheng had reduced his scoldings. Beatings are affection, scoldings are love—a teacher who doesn't beat or scold isn't a real teacher. Jia Sheng felt that his luck had finally turned. Now he could live the immortal life an immortal should have.

But the old man also secretly warned himself: even in an immortal life, remember the principle of living under someone else's roof. Some rules that worked well for him needed to be put on hold.

For example, when in a bad mood, kicking Zhao Denggao, that little bastard of dubious origin, was fine. But the heavy-handed punishments he used to take for granted—those were out.

As for Tian Jiuer, that girl, he couldn't even scold her anymore. After all, the young mountain lord's first disciple would call her "Sister Jiu'er" every time he came to Qilong Lane.

Today the weather was nice, but the herbal shop's business was still mediocre. It would have to do. Aside from the earliest mountain artifacts left in the shop, the rest were leftovers from the Oxhorn Mountain "Bundle of Worries" peddler, or items a girl named Ma Duyi had placed here on consignment. That girl, even though I'm blind, I've traveled mountains and rivers for so many years exorcising demons and upholding the Way—I immediately saw her ghostly nature. I pretended to be blind... Well, I am blind. I'm just pretending not to know.

The old Daoist clasped his hands behind his back and ambled over to the New Year's Shop next door. Unfortunately, that fellow Lingchun was temporarily away.

As an old immortal of the Dragon Gate realm, operating supreme divine abilities, "opening my heavenly eye," I could still make out the general appearance and figure of that Lingchun girl.

Shi Rou stood behind the counter, not even bothering to glance at Jia Sheng.

This sly old Daoist—what else could he do? Before he went to Yellow Lake Mountain to build a thatched hut and cultivate, before he stumbled into a breakthrough like a blind cat catching a dead mouse, he'd come here idly rambling about nothing, flipping through old history about his ancestors' glory. After the Dragon Gate realm fell into his lap from heaven, he immediately changed his tune. He no longer called her "Manager Shi" or said "Manager Shi, we brothers need to look out for each other." Now it was all "Brother Shi," while showing off the wonders of his Dragon Gate realm. "Indescribable, indescribable"—if it's indescribable, why don't you just shut up?

If Shi Rou hadn't felt sorry for Jiu'er and Denggao—they were truly pitiable—and didn't want to make things awkward for them, she would have slammed the abacus and cursed him out, then chased him away with a broom.

The old Daoist leaned against the shop door, holding a jade-bamboo folding fan, and said with a chuckle, "Brother Shi, why isn't Miss Lingchun in the shop today?"

Shi Rou ignored him.

The old Daoist snapped open the fan, waving it to create a breeze. After a moment of silence, the fan rustling, he suddenly said with realization, "Brother Shi, look at me—made a little joke. I've been so long in the martial world below the mountain, busy exorcising demons, I almost forgot that I'm now beyond the mortal world's hot and cold."

Shi Rou just gave a cold laugh.

The old Daoist's expression relaxed. He snapped the fan shut again. No wonder Brother Shi was so uncomfortable. After all, they were both nominal venerators of Luopo Mountain, but the gap in realm was there.

Jia Sheng paced slowly, commenting on the aromas of various pastries. He picked up a piece, knowing Brother Shi was about to speak. Indeed, Brother Shi could only hold onto his identity as the shopkeeper now. Sure enough, Shi Rou said, "I'll put it on the account. Settle at the end of the month."

Jia Sheng laughed. "Brother Shi can even charge double. After all, this pastry—selling tens or hundreds of catties—might not match a single item from my shop."

Shi Rou lowered her head to flip through the ledger. "No need."

Jia Sheng smiled inwardly. Brother Shi was too thin-skinned, still treating me like an outsider. Even if I became an old immortal of the Dragon Gate realm, am I not still Brother Jia from the shop next door?

Jia Sheng stayed in the New Year's Shop for about half an hour, but still didn't see that Lingchun girl. Then he tucked the fan into the back of his collar, clasped his hands behind his back, and slowly strolled back to his shop.

As soon as he arrived, he "saw" a white-clad youth sitting idly on the counter. Jia Sheng didn't pause. The old Daoist smoothly shifted the fan from his collar to his waist, quick-stepped forward, bowed with a Daoist salute, and exclaimed in surprise, "Immortal Master Cui!"

Cui Dongshan ignored him. He just told Jiu'er, who was watching the shop, to go to the next-door shop and eat some pastries, charging it to Manager Shi's account. No need to be polite, or he, Cui Dongshan, would get angry with Manager Shi.

As for Tian Jiuer's senior brother, Zhao Denggao, he had gone to the Dragon Spring Sword Sect to find Ruan Qiong's senior disciple, Dong Gu. The two got along well, and Zhao Denggao often went to him for advice on cultivation. Their usually harsh master, Jia Sheng, was surprisingly more enthusiastic about this matter than his disciple, as if the one truly cultivating were Jia Sheng himself. Privately, he kept urging Zhao Denggao: "Don't be thin-skinned, boy. Go visit often. That Immortal Dong is a land immortal. Even if you're stupid, you can still absorb some immortal aura. As for the shop's business, your junior sister can handle it alone."

As soon as Tian Jiuer left the shop, Cui Dongshan remained seated on the counter, looking at the gaunt old man in an extremely wide Daoist robe. He clicked his tongue. "What an old immortal of the Dragon Gate realm. With a body weighing ninety catties, nearly half of that must be due to that immortal robe you're wearing, right? Old Immortal Jia, you're not wearing a Daoist robe—you're wearing a pile of immortal money! Oh my, this robe is so wide, the sleeves almost touch the ground. What's this? Is the old immortal going to sweep Qilong Lane?"

Jia Sheng's forehead was covered in sweat. He said with a dry laugh, "Immortal Master Cui is joking, joking."

The old Daoist wasn't stupid. These years, in the town shop or when visiting the province city or the mountains, as long as he heard a rumor—true or false—he would turn it over and over, break it down, and think about it more. Good things he considered on the small side, bad things on the enormous side. Cautious and cautious, pondering and pondering—that was his foundation for navigating the martial world without capsizing.

As for Mr. Cui's sarcastic remarks, good, very good—like a cool breeze on a summer day, making him feel cool and comfortable.

Jia Sheng didn't feel the slightest embarrassment. Losing a bit of face? I don't even bother picking it up off the ground. Bending down isn't hard!

Spending a little money on a few pieces of pastry from the next shop could make up for it. But unexpectedly, that Lingchun girl chose this moment to appear at the entrance of his herbal shop, one shoulder leaning against the doorframe, hands clasped in her sleeves, smiling.

Disaster, disaster.

But as long as this Jia Sheng was just the old Daoist Jia Sheng, Cui Dongshan couldn't be bothered to waste more words. He tapped the counter lightly with his finger and got straight to the point. "Do you know how coveted the nominal venerators of Luopo Mountain are now?"

The old Daoist certainly knew. Back when Luopo Mountain's Ancestral Hall was built, even the Grand Mountain Lord Wei came to observe!

Besides, the matter between the young mountain lord and Miss Ruan—even if I'm truly blind, I'm not blind to that. I know it perfectly well!

Cui Dongshan, who had just visited the Jade Liquid River Water God Mansion, said slowly, "You've taken a good disciple. Hoarding your treasure and being stingy with it is already not very generous, not very fitting for a Luopo Mountain venerable."

Cui Dongshan suddenly slapped the counter, making the old Daoist instantly shrink his neck, bowing even lower.

Cui Dongshan jumped off the counter, circling around the trembling old Daoist, cursing, "Waste of heavenly resources! Too selfish! That's just not being a good person! Now that you're a Dragon Gate old immortal, you're tired of living? The Old Birthday Star eating arsenic? How many catties do you want to take? Give me a straight answer! Damn it, if I'm short by even half a tael, I'm as petty as you!"

Jia Sheng slightly raised his head, uneasy, his old face full of grievance. He said tremblingly, "Immortal Master Cui, I understand your meaning, but I have unspeakable bitterness in my heart. Today, meeting Immortal Master Cui, I'll throw all my face away and dare to speak to you about the difficult scripture of our master and two disciples."

Speaking of the bitter parts, the old man rubbed his eyes, but didn't stop talking. "My Jiu'er's physique is indeed suited to heavenly principles. It's not that I'm reluctant to part with this little 'heavenly treasure'! As a nominal venerable, I'm not someone who goes against my conscience. I'm so grateful to Luopo Mountain and the mountain lord that I only regret not setting up a memorial tablet at home and burning incense every day. It's by our mountain lord's great blessing that I, the old Daoist, broke through to a mere Dragon Gate realm on Yellow Lake Mountain. I should do some real good for Luopo Mountain. But I traveled in my youth, killing demons and suppressing monsters, and I have a hard heart. However, my meager cultivation and poor skills make me a joke in front of Immortal Master Cui. I know the benefits of my disciple Jiu'er's blood, but I'm afraid that doing so might harm harmony. If the mountain lord finds out later, he might blame me instead. If not, I would have had Jiu'er do this long ago! Even if she's unwilling in her heart and short-sighted, not knowing to be grateful to Luopo Mountain, as her master who teaches the Way, I would not only make her regularly provide some catties of talisman spring, but also teach her the principles of dealing with people! No matter how much I cherish my two disciples, I'm willing to use the rod to produce filial sons!"

Jia Sheng was, of course, talking nonsense—pure fabrication. Not only was he putting a halo on his own head, but he was also splashing mud on his disciple Tian Jiuer.

The Dragon Gate "old immortal" Jia Sheng had only one truth: he was afraid that the Luopo Mountain mountain lord, Chen Ping'an, would think this act harmed harmony, making Jia Sheng's favor backfire. That would be a huge losing deal.

Jia Sheng was blind in the eyes but not in the heart. He knew that Luopo Mountain's bottom line was to have a bit of conscience and be a decent person.

Other tricks and cleverness wouldn't cost him this immortal rice bowl as a nominal venerator of Luopo Mountain.

In fact, even now, the shrewd old Daoist still couldn't quite figure out how that young mountain lord had opened his dharma eye and chosen their master and three disciples, allowing them, who were used to roughing it outdoors, to eat from Luopo Mountain's bowl.

Cui Dongshan tugged at the old Daoist's Daoist robe sleeve and took the jade-bamboo folding fan used for showing off. He gently opened it, walking in circles while fanning a breeze.

Immortal Master Cui didn't speak. The old Daoist had exhausted his "words from the heart" and truly had no more spirit or wits to add.

Cui Dongshan said, "From today on, regularly and quantitatively have Jiu'er accumulate talisman spring. It will be very useful later. Just remember not to harm Jiu'er's Great Way in the slightest."

The old Daoist nodded like a chick pecking rice and clasped his fists. "I will respectfully follow Immortal Master Cui's decree. I will both help Mr. Cui accumulate talisman spring and keep Jiu'er in mind. How could I bear to harm her? She's like my own daughter."

This Jia Sheng was vague in cultivation, but his speech was absolutely clear.

In fact, it was precisely because Jia Sheng was too shrewd that some of his not-so-clever choices kept him in Luopo Mountain's good graces.

His two disciples, having him as a master, were truly miserable—cursed and beaten at will, with no harsh words left unsaid. When beating his disciples, he was no less fierce than when killing demons for money. But there were some things that Jia Sheng did that were very un-immortal-like. For example, taking a disciple of spirit origin under his wing and helping to conceal her identity. Or not selling Tian Jiuer to a registered immortal from talisman sects.

The old Daoist's disciple, Tian Jiuer, had a unique talent. Her blood was a "talisman spring" naturally suited for cultivators drawing talismans.

In the past, whether Jia Sheng was earning money or pretending to be a Daoist master swindling rich people's purses, he would use talisman spring for drawing thunder talismans in his palm.

But the gold and silver earned through real skill or trickery was a world apart from the huge sum he could get by selling Tian Jiuer.

Cui Dongshan nodded. "That's settled then. I won't disturb the old immortal's cultivation."

Cui Dongshan threw the fan back to the old Daoist.

Jia Sheng quickly caught it with both hands, as if it were a treasure.

Cui Dongshan walked toward the Longevity fellow Daoist at the door, then suddenly turned his head: "One catty of talisman spring, one Summer Solstice coin. Consider it bought by me personally from Miss Jiu'er. Nothing to do with Luopo Mountain."

Jia Sheng immediately said, "That's too much. Two catties of talisman spring for half a Summer Solstice coin is already usurious profit for our herbal shop."

Cui Dongshan smiled. "Oh? How is it usurious?"

Jia Sheng immediately straightened his back. Heaven be praised, he actually showed a bit of an immortal's demeanor—an old immortal's style. He said, "All immortal money belongs to Jiu'er. As her master, I've taught her too little and already feel ashamed. If Jiu'er can use this immortal money to walk on her own without her useless master's help, and take a few steps forward, that would be a great virtue, a great virtue!"

Cui Dongshan pointed at the old Daoist. "Damn it, from now on, all the young recruits of Luopo Mountain must first come here to learn how to talk from you!"

Cui Dongshan flicked his fingers several times. Each time, a Grain Rain coin chimed. Finally, several Grain Rain coins floated slowly toward the old Daoist. "Reward for you. Don't worry, take it. You're a nominal venerable of Luopo Mountain, but you go around in rags all day. Won't outsiders laugh at Luopo Mountain for being too poor?"

Jia Sheng immediately understood.

He could change his robe. And he should wander around outside less.

Cui Dongshan said to the Longevity fellow Daoist, "Sister Lingchun, want to take a walk?"

Longevity smiled and nodded. She did have a few small questions in her mind. They weren't suitable to ask before, but now that Cui Dongshan had come to her, she didn't need to be too polite.

The two walked up the steps along Qilong Lane, passing several large houses that were now part of Longevity's property.

Too much money and nowhere to spend it—otherwise, Longevity would have changed her appearance and secretly bought a few western mountain peaks to use as courtyards.

Cui Dongshan stopped at the edge of a drying ground, looked down, and smiled. "Longevity, Chief Disciplinarian, ask and I shall answer."

Longevity didn't take the title of Chief Disciplinary Ancestor too seriously. She asked, "Are you wearing this uncommon outer skin so that one day you can find an opportunity to eat that Zhuo Gui from Mud Vase Alley... Wang Zhu?"

Cui Dongshan hummed in affirmation.

But that was the worst outcome.

Now, it was the best outcome.

Cui Dongshan was "naturally" very skilled at dealing with dragon-kind. The old dragon of Huangting Kingdom, now vice-mountain master of Linyu Academy on Piyun Mountain, had learned that lesson early on.

But what Cui Dongshan truly wanted to "suppress" from the very beginning was the final true dragon "Li Zhu" of Lizhu Cave Heaven.

If it couldn't be uplifted, wouldn't become material. Then let me, Cui Dongshan, do it myself.

If the situation went wrong, Cui Dongshan would go all out—not only that Wang Zhu, but also the other five little ones, plus that old dragon of Huangting Kingdom and his two worthless children, plus Hongxia of Yellow Lake Mountain, Li Jin of Red Candle Town... plus some leftover opportunities and remnants in the ancient Shu region—I'll devour them all!

Longevity said, "Now it's become a burden instead. Reaching the Flying Ascension realm will be very difficult. Old Mr. Yang absolutely won't open the Ascension Platform just for you."

Cui Dongshan shook his head. "In worldly calculations, one avoids perfection."

Longevity nodded. "I was overthinking."

Cui Dongshan clasped his hands behind his head and began walking again, taking his designated Chief Disciplinarian of Luopo Mountain for a stroll.

Longevity thought about the herbal shop and the talisman spring, and laughed. "Not earning through labor is indeed a bad habit. After a long time, it becomes as light as clouds and wind."

Cui Dongshan said, "If you don't pay, you won't cherish it. The more you pay, the more you care. It has nothing to do with being a good person or a bad person. The same jug of wine, whether it goes up or down in price for whatever reason, tastes different. The speed of drinking is different."

Cui Dongshan turned and smiled. "Longevity, tell me the story of how you and my teacher met. Just tell me what you can."

Longevity narrated slowly.

Actually, there was nothing she couldn't say.

Except for any mention of her old master, the Executioner, and the process of the Hidden Officer sewing clothes, she didn't hide much else.

For example, the existence of the Sewing Man's "wick," the acceptance of the old deaf man's disciples, and those demons locked in the prison—their origins and how they interacted and fought with the Hidden Officer.

And the relic on Cui Dongshan's body was, in a sense, the Sewing Man's top favorite.

As for the skin of certain cultivators, it had nothing to do with realm level—it was naturally suitable for making talisman paper. The Sewing Man was best at this. The "talisman beauties" made from fox skins by the Qingfeng City Fox Kingdom barely touched on this.

The Sewing Man would select cultivators, kill them, skin them, and store the talisman paper. Either draw talismans himself or sell them at high prices to demonic cultivators.

So the Sewing Man was listed alongside the Southern Sea Lone Rider and the Flower Thief as one of the top ten heretical cultivators, worthy of death by all—and for good reason.

After listening, Cui Dongshan said slowly, "The Sewing Man and the Executioner have somewhat similar paths. The Southern Sea Lone Rider steals water transport from the world. The Passerby triggers the passage of ghost soldiers. The Corpse Maiden cultivates the Colored Refining Art and builds the Boundless Tent. The Flower Thief, wanted dead by the Baihua Blessed Land at a high price. The Plague God, destined for a lifetime of misfortune. The Debt Collector, from the Yin-Yang lineage but most hated by Yin-Yang cultivators. The Ferry Master, who helps people through life's difficulties but charges the price of three lifetimes of fate... I've met all of them, except the Poison Immortal, whom I haven't dealt with yet. I've even met the 'Mirror Seller,' the rarest of the 'Ten Bandit Candidates,' and the most famous one, in the Changjuan Cave Heaven. I even chatted with him a few words."

Cui Dongshan's expression was calm as he narrated some old stories to Longevity. "I once rode the wind over the sea with the Southern Sea Lone Rider. I once stood on a horse beside the Passerby. I once lay drunk in the Boundless Tent and discussed sage principles with the Corpse Maiden until dawn. I once presented a poem to the Flower Thief. I once heard the sobs of a young Plague God. I once haggled over accounts with the Debt Collector. I once asked the Ferry Master what to do if the passenger had no next life. I once asked the Mirror Seller if he could really refine the bright moon into a makeup mirror, and who would I see when I looked up."

At this point, Cui Dongshan suddenly smiled, his eyes brightening. He looked up and said, "I also once, with A Liang in the Bamboo Sea Cave Heaven, stole the hair of the Azure Spirit Mountain Mistress. A Liang swore to me that it was the best material in the world for refining 'Lovesickness' and 'Sword of Wisdom.' Later, our whereabouts were exposed. That bastard A Liang didn't say a word; he just turned and ran, but he cast a binding spell on me, leaving me alone to face the furious Azure Spirit Mountain Mistress."

"I also traveled with my junior brother Zuo You to Changjuan Cave Heaven. Before that, we visited Manzhang Blessed Land and Qingxia Cave Heaven, and only then took a detour to Changjuan Cave Heaven, because the stubborn Zuo You was least interested in that place. So Zuo You cost me the chance to visit Baihua Blessed Land to this day. Changjuan Cave Heaven—that's the place most cherished by Daoist couples about to become immortal companions! At the time, the fairy maiden accompanying us two brothers was about to cry. How could she not trick Zuo You into going there?"

"Because inside, there's a city called West Capital. They say that for lovers under heaven, even those suffering unrequited love, coming here to burn incense and make wishes is most efficacious—not only is there hope of becoming a couple, but they can also grow old together. I remember the temple maiden was a very beautiful woman. She held a peach-blossom silk fan, inscribed with a bright moon and a poem on bamboo branches. Her name was Chen Xi. Her waist was graceful, her figure charming. It is said that when Bai Ye was still a poet immortal, not yet a sword immortal, he traveled to Changjuan Cave Heaven with his friend Jun Qian. Unable to refuse her hospitality, he personally inscribed the fan. In fact, back then, Bai Ye and his friend Liu Shiliu had no money on them and couldn't enter Changjuan Cave Heaven. So Bai Ye had to write poems and sell writings to earn passage money. That's why later at the entrance of Changjuan Cave Heaven, there's a cliff inscription: 'A million hearts share the same moon.' That was written by my junior brother Jun Qian! Who would guess that now? When we were leaving Changjuan Cave Heaven, the fairy maiden quietly asked Zuo You, 'That temple maiden isn't that good-looking, right?' Zuo You said, 'She's quite good-looking.' Behind Zuo You, at the cave heaven entrance, a girl smiled beautifully like a curved moon. Beside Zuo You, another girl wasn't so happy. Then Zuo You said, 'But what does her good looks have to do with me?' And the two girls' moods swapped."

"After the fairy maiden left, I laughed and cursed my junior brother: 'Are you an idiot? Please, get a clue!' My junior brother laughed back and said, 'Big brother, do you think I'm stupid? Don't I know that the fairy maiden who likes you was testing the waters? She saw the temple maiden was pretty and worried you might change your mind, so she felt uncomfortable. Such shallow girlish thoughts—your little brother can still understand!' I gave him two thumbs up. At that time, my junior brother Zuo You had a brilliant smile."

Longevity found "chatting" with this Cui Dongshan quite interesting.

Fortunately, he wasn't an enemy.

The more experiences someone has, the more stories they accumulate, the more ruthless they can be when they want to.

The two walked past Mud Vase Alley. When they passed the old school, Longevity stopped and asked, "What about it?"

But Cui Dongshan didn't stop. In fact, he quickened his pace, though his wide sleeves remained hanging low. "Can't say. Nothing to say."

Longevity followed the white-clad youth's steps, switching to a lighter topic. "What did you do when you visited the Jade Liquid River Water God Mansion earlier?"

Cui Dongshan said, "Nothing much. Just grabbed the Water Goddess's blue hair and spun her around a few times."

Longevity teased, "Can you act like a human being?"

Cui Dongshan said, "It's very hard. Believe me."

Longevity sighed. "It's hard not to believe Mr. Cui."

Cui Dongshan laughed. "As for that pair of fugitive master and servant from the Zhuying Dynasty, and the Yunzi at Qingni Slope, I won't bother being the villain. Traveling isn't tiring, but chatting with people is the most exhausting. So, I'll trouble Disciplinarian Longevity to be the villain. Since you said it yourself, not earning through labor is a bad habit. But note one thing: don't add unnecessary embellishment regarding that girl who goes by the alias Shi Qiu. The entire Luopo Mountain should pretend she doesn't exist—that's the way for her to feel at ease. Privately, you need to protect her a bit more. As for the measure and discretion, Disciplinarian Longevity, you'll have to handle it yourself. If the teacher blames me, he'll reason with you, at most scold you a few times in anger. When it's my turn, the teacher probably won't bother reasoning anymore—he'll just hit me."

Longevity nodded. "Okay."

The Yunzi at Qingni Slope on Huimeng Mountain was currently at the Dragon Gate realm. Its true form was a black serpent from the Qi Dun Mountain, but it wasn't a true mountain-and-marsh spirit. Instead, it was transformed from one of the black go stones used by two chess-playing immortals in ancient times. Its belly bore a golden line, already showing the rudiments of dragon scales. Compared to the water serpent Hongxia, because of that ancient chess game, the black stone had landed on the board with intense killing intent, making the later "Yunzi" more innately cruel and unruly than ordinary mountain-and-marsh serpents and pythons.

Finally, Cui Dongshan took Longevity to the shop by the Longxu River.

Liu Xianyang stood up, hands on his hips, and laughed loudly. "Brother Dongshan!"

Cui Dongshan swaggered in. "Brother Xianyang!"

Liu Xianyang raised his palm high. Cui Dongshan jumped up to slap it, but Liu Xianyang caught his hand, asking with his eyes about this Sister Lingchun. Hmm?

Cui Dongshan replied with his eyes: Not this one. Find another girl.

Liu Xianyang sighed, then cupped his fists to Longevity. "Greetings, Miss Lingchun."

Longevity smiled and nodded, thinking it was better to keep some distance and formality with this guy. So she returned the fist salute. "Greetings, Mr. Liu."

In her heart, she had already decided: to this shop, she would come less often even if there were business. She would never come if there was none.

So Longevity took her leave to handle the business at Qingni Slope, Huimeng Mountain.

Liu Xianyang and Cui Dongshan sat on small bamboo chairs. Liu Xianyang muttered quietly, "Brother, take it easy. Under your butt is a chair that our Grand Li Empress Dowager once sat on. Precious stuff. If you break it—brothers settle accounts clearly—can you afford it?"

Cui Dongshan raised an eyebrow, looked at Liu Xianyang's bamboo chair, and smiled without speaking.

Liu Xianyang laughed heartily. "What are you thinking, brother? That's not classy, is it? That chair was already secretly hidden away by my master."

Cui Dongshan sucked in a cold breath.

Incredible! As expected of Brother Xianyang!

If that old stick-in-the-mud Ruan Qiong heard this, wouldn't he beat Liu Xianyang to death?

Cui Dongshan chatted with Liu Xianyang, basically the same sort of nonsense Chen Lingjun spoke when drunk.

Finally, Cui Dongshan said, "Xianyang, Xianyang, what a good name. 'Heart like flowers and trees, blooming toward the sun.'"

Liu Xianyang laughed. "If you hadn't said that, I wouldn't have noticed. I only remember that Old Yao said in his early years that 'yangxian clay' was a good clay for making porcelain, but it was hard to find. Back then, Chen Ping'an followed Old Yao into the mountains to find that clay and suffered a lot."

Cui Dongshan suddenly grinned slyly. "Bai Ye and Jun Qian are friends, both connected to you. So what about Xianyang and Sheyue?"

Liu Xianyang laughed heartily. "Overreaching, I'm overreaching."

From his attitude and tone, it seemed there was already a spark between him and that Sheyue girl, one of the Ten Young Masters.

Liu Xianyang suddenly asked, "How does that Sheyue girl look?"

Cui Dongshan answered indirectly, "This girl is very strange. She comes from the Barren Wilderness Heaven, but on Tongye Continent, she almost never kills people—only looks for someone."

Liu Xianyang slapped his knee. "Good girl. Truly a devoted girl! Isn't her Brother Xianyang right here? Why search?"

He quickly turned and handed over a handful of melon seeds. "Brother Cui, have some seeds."

Cui Dongshan took the seeds, and Liu Xianyang grabbed some back. "At least leave some for your little brother."

Cui Dongshan cracked seeds, bent over, looking into the distance, and asked casually, "Do you believe in fate? Are you afraid of the red thread?"

Liu Xianyang also cracked seeds, laughing. "I only look at whether the girl is good."

Cui Dongshan smiled. "Did you miss a word?"

Liu Xianyang nodded. "Say one word as two, save some effort."

"I only look at whether the girl is good-looking."

Cui Dongshan slapped his knee. "Brother Xianyang, I'm not just praising you—you're terrifyingly witty!"

Liu Xianyang said shyly, "Say 'lovely' instead. 'Lovely' is better. A good omen for finding a good wife."

Cui Dongshan finished his seeds and said he was going home to eat.

Liu Xianyang waved his hand, indicating he wouldn't come along to freeload.

Cui Dongshan stood up and took a few steps.

Liu Xianyang suddenly asked, "Is the person Sheyue is looking for the sword cultivator Liu Cai?"

Cui Dongshan slowly turned his head. "Yes and no. Hard to say clearly."

Liu Xianyang asked again, "How far is he from me? Can Mr. Cui let me see Liu Cai from afar?"

Cui Dongshan shook his head. "Don't get involved."

Liu Xianyang pressed, "Is it that I simply can't get involved at all now, or that getting involved would just cost me a lot?"

Cui Dongshan laughed. "Both. The first more than the second, so don't overthink it."

Liu Xianyang let out an "oh" and said no more.

Cui Dongshan didn't fly back to Luopo Mountain. Instead, he walked on foot, finally sitting on that stone arch bridge.

Under the bridge, the old sword strip no longer hung.

Cui Dongshan frowned deeply, his hands clasped in his sleeves.

The person Sheyue was looking for was indeed Liu Cai.

A person who was now far away from his teacher, yet seemed right before his eyes.

Someone Cui Dongshan had been wary of early on, just in case. Not because he found that person strange then, but because that person's teacher was too strange.

So whenever he had a chance, Cui Dongshan would discreetly ask about some old matters from his travels on Tongye Continent.

Plus, his teacher was relatively willing to talk a few more words about that friend he had met by chance on his travels, so Cui Dongshan naturally learned more.

So now Cui Dongshan roughly understood that back then, before his teacher entered the Lotus Flower Blessed Land, he had already met the future Liu Cai.

Not only had he met him, but he was right before his eyes, within arm's reach!

And they were sincere, close friends. That person even genuinely hoped his teacher would become a pillar of the world in the chaotic times.

Even just thinking about it, even as an outsider, even after so many years, even though he was half of Cui Chan—Cui Dongshan still felt a chill down his spine, a shudder of horror!

Back then.

His teacher roughly said, "You need to leave a little, not seek perfection and take everything."

That person laughed. "Chen Ping'an, you're actually avoiding that 'one.'"

First let you avoid the one. Became that one.

When you become the one, then use the one to kill the one.

Teacher Chen Ping'an and that former Liu Cai from future times—they were actually facing each other, talking about this matter.

This was true calculation.

Back then, in Lizhu Cave Heaven, that candied hawthorn—Zou Zi wasn't enough?! Is there no end?!

Cui Dongshan slapped the stone arch bridge, but suddenly pulled his strength, turning the slap into a gentle sweep of his palm and sleeve across the bridge surface.

Cui Dongshan spoke with his mind: "Old Saint, come to repay a debt! Most of my teacher's fortune is on you. Since my teacher didn't accept your peach talisman, you should..."

In fact, Cui Dongshan was ready to roll around and act shameless.

This reasoning couldn't be put that way, but he had to say it.

That old turtle Cui Chan knew about this matter, extrapolated more, evolved further—that old turtle insisted it was fine to kill, let Liu Cai try.

How could Cui Dongshan be willing? Many things, if only about one-on-one fights, weren't difficult at all. The problem was that Zou Zi had set up such an elaborate trap—it would involve far more than the conscience game at Letter Lake!

The Old Saint appeared with a smile, sitting down beside Cui Dongshan, and nodded lightly. "I can go discuss the Way with Zou Zi, no problem. But it won't be for Chen Ping'an. Besides, do you think so little of Chen Ping'an? A student who doesn't trust his teacher—that's not quite appropriate."

Cui Dongshan said weakly, "I'm in the midst of it, so of course I can't be as calm as you."

The Old Saint placed his hands gently on his knees, gazing into the distance. "Then have you considered that Chen Ping'an might have already guessed who Liu Cai is? Of course, he's only making a one-in-ten-thousand guess."

Cui Dongshan shook his head. "My teacher isn't sick in the head."

He harbored a small scheme in his heart.

He planned to ask the Old Saint for a great auspicious saying—one that could become reality as soon as it was spoken.

In the past, the Brocade Tiger Cui Chan only taught on behalf of his teacher.

But the former Big Brother of the Jade Capital Dao—that was someone who took disciples on behalf of his teacher.

However, the Old Saint didn't let Cui Dongshan succeed. He just smiled and said, "Whether he has this heart or not, and whether he can achieve the one—that 'one' is so easy to avoid, and so easy to kill? Even my master doesn't think it's certain. So I think we can just watch from the sidelines. If something really happens, then we'll act."

The Old Saint waved his hand, throwing the golden crossing crucian carp and the golden little crab into the water. But just as they were about to splash into the river, they suddenly appeared in the distant great river.

The Old Saint smiled slightly. "Go, transform into dragons."

Cui Dongshan looked at the water pitifully.

The Old Saint said calmly, "A traveler returning home in the snow and wind."

Cui Dongshan pretended not to hear, unmoved.

When the Old Saint's figure faded away, heading to the great river.

Cui Dongshan stood up expressionlessly, flew back to Luopo Mountain on the wind, and saw Xiaomili waiting at the gate. Cui Dongshan's sleeves flapped wildly.

No matter how many more years he had to wait, there would eventually be a traveler returning home in the snow and wind.

To hell with Zou Zi and his "one" and all that! I am Cui Dongshan! I'm Dongshan!