Chapter 753: The Hardest Thing Is Nothing Today

Chapter 753: The Hardest Thing Is Nothing Today

Cui Dongshan and Jiang Shangzhen exchanged a glance.

One said, "Fellow Daoist Jiang, you are the local host; it should fall to you to handle the aftermath." The other retorted, "Fellow Daoist Cui, don't you try to shirk responsibility. This Yellow Crane Cliff has yet to have that unparalleled essay of yours carved into its face; it can't just vanish into thin air."

Once two Martial Artists at the Suppression stage fully cut loose and started exchanging blows, unwilling to relocate for a better venue, a single punch would send a pavilion tumbling into the river, a single kick would shatter a stretch of white jade railing. Whether even half of this Treasures Gathering Basin's Yellow Crane Cliff would remain was truly anyone’s guess.

Fortunately, Chen Ping'an said to Jiang Shangzhen, "Let's return to Cloud Basket Peak first."

Then Chen Ping'an clasped his hands again to the woman in yellow robes, "Junior Cao Mo will have to ask Senior for guidance on boxing principles another time."

Ye Yunyun felt as if the weight of heaven and earth had suddenly lightened. She returned the clasped-hand salute.

Jiang Shangzhen immediately bowed to the young Mountain Lord in apology. In truth, bringing Ye Yunyun from Old Lord Mountain to Yellow Crane Cliff today had already contained a bit of selfish intent on his part. If it really came down to Cloud Cavern's Eighteen Scenic Spots becoming seventeen, Jiang Shangzhen would have to pinch his nose and accept it; after all, the Blessed Land still had seven or eight backup scenic locations. But the Jiang clan disciples and attached guests responsible for Yellow Crane Cliff affairs would inevitably kick up a fuss back at the Jiang Ancestral Hall later.

Pei Qian also clasped her hands and said to Ye Yunyun, "Junior Zheng Qian offended you today. Whenever I have the chance in the future, I will visit Senior Ye at Cloud Herb Hall."

Ye Yunyun nodded.

Chen Ping'an led Pei Qian and Cui Dongshan away from Yellow Crane Cliff. Master and apprentice, teacher and student—without coincidences, there would be no story. The three of them had gathered in a foreign land.

The teacher seemed to be thinking about something, so Pei Qian followed silently without speaking. Cui Dongshan, meanwhile, was off to the side counting on his fingers, mumbling something to himself.

Chen Ping'an paused at the bottom of Yellow Crane Cliff, stopping at the riverbank ferry. Suddenly he said, "I've made up my mind. The subordinate sect of Falling Mountain will be located here in Parasol Leaf Continent. As for the exact location, I'll need to take a look at the Map of Mountains and Rivers at Old Lord Mountain."

Cui Dongshan raised his sleeve and waved his arm, shouting, "Master is wise, far-sighted, visionary, merits surpassing a thousand autumns..."

Falling Mountain was not only going to be elevated from a celestial mountain to a sect, but also establish a subordinate sect! This meant the master had made up his mind. Once he returned home, he would no longer deliberately conceal Falling Mountain's foundations. Not only that, but he would also take the opportunity to establish a subordinate sect in one fell swoop, giving the three eastern continents of the Haoran World—North Julu Continent, Vase Bottle Continent, and Parasol Leaf Continent—a huge shock.

Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "Enough of that. Give me a break."

Cui Dongshan's current behavior was quite similar to that Flying Ascension Realm extradimensional demon in the prison on the Sword Qi Great Wall.

Back then, in that faraway land, the young Hidden Official, who was also the young Mountain Lord, had once felt that the extradimensional demon Frostfall was quite similar to his student Cui Dongshan.

Perhaps that was the biggest difference between a distant traveler returning home or not.

Cui Dongshan immediately shut his mouth.

Falling Mountain was not even a proper sect yet; it had little renown even within Vase Bottle Continent. And this young Mountain Lord, who had not yet truly returned home, was already thinking about establishing a subordinate sect.

For any mountain in the Haoran World to become a sect-level entity was no easy matter. Establishing a subordinate sect after that was already as difficult as ascending to heaven. Choosing a location across continents was naturally even harder. First, it required the approval of the Confucian Temple in the Central Earth, which cost sect merits. Second, the difficulty lay in adapting to local customs and overcoming geographical incompatibilities. Why had Senior Xun from Jade Token Sect sent Jiang Shangzhen to relay that message to him? And why was Jiang Shangzhen the first sect leader of the True Mirror Sect at Letter Writing Lake?

Similarly, as a subordinate sect, the Hempen Garment Sect's foothold in the Bone Burial Beach of North Julu Continent had also gone through many hardships. They had to change locations several times, moving all the way south to the continent's southernmost tip. Only by confronting and fighting the Skull Viewing City in the Ghost Valley had they finally managed to gain a firm foothold. Although all of this was within the calculations of the Hempen Garment Sect's main sect, and they had been aiming for the Mural City's Goddess Painting from the start, the storms and vicissitudes of the Hempen Garment Sect's earlier stops, along with the hospitality of North Julu Continent cultivators, had indeed caused great suffering for the sect's older generation.

This was like many official children born into powerful families. When serving as local officials, they would encounter all sorts of obstacles. On the surface, everything was harmonious; but behind the scenes, resistance was heavy, and they were tripped up at every turn. Back in the history of Bead Trinket Cave Heaven, its first county magistrate, Wu Yuan, was a disciple of the national master and the son-in-law of a powerful clan. Wasn't he still squeezed out by the prominent families of Fortune Street and Peach Leaf Lane, ending up with a bruised and battered face? If an ordinary official from a cold clan with no backing had been in his position, he might not have suffered such humiliation. This involved too many matters of human sentiment, officialdom storms, and the arm-wrestling between the ten great clans and four major surnames with the Song Clan of Great Li. That was why Wu Yuan, suffering exclusion, had slow promotions and eventually left in dejection, transferred as a prefectural governor to the foot of Zhongyue Mountain in the old Scarlet Flame Dynasty. Afterwards, Yuan Zhengding and Cao Gengxin, descendants of the two Pillar State surnames, had a much smoother official career in Dragon Prefecture. This was another example of one generation planting trees for the next to enjoy the shade in officialdom.

Pei Qian was brimming with spirit. Whatever the master said was right.

As long as the master was by her side, she didn't have to worry about making mistakes, about whether her punches were right or wrong, or think about so many extraneous things.

With the master present, she felt very secure, afraid of nothing.

Subconsciously, Pei Qian reached out to grab the master's sleeve. But she immediately stopped and withdrew her hand.

Chen Ping'an asked, "For our Falling Mountain, if we assume there isn't a single Upper Five Realm cultivator, relying solely on the merits recorded by the Great Li Song Dynasty court and the two academies, Cliffside Academy and Lakeview Academy—would that be enough to be exceptionally promoted to sect status?"

Cui Dongshan hesitated.

Chen Ping'an added, "And the two of us are not counted."

If he couldn't open the sky with a single sword stroke to reach the Fifth Continent, then he would have to follow the rules and exchange merits for an official pass.

Since Zhao Yao could use this method to return to the Haoran World, then he, Chen Ping'an, could likewise go to that new world.

Whether he could accomplish it with a single sword strike was not important. If he could reunite with Senior Brother Zuo, Chen Ping'an would certainly, without a second word, just chat with his senior brother first, then shamelessly ask him to help open the way with his sword. If Senior Brother refused to draw his sword, then he would bring out his teacher.

"For a mountain or a celestial mansion to be promoted to a sect, having an Upper Five Realm cultivator is necessary. Moreover, they cannot be a mere guest elder or offering; they must be a direct-line disciple registered in the sect's own genealogy. This has been an iron law of the Haoran World since ancient times. However, with the current changes in the world's situation, especially the devastation of the four continents, there is room for negotiation. The Confucian Temple in the Central Earth, in order to stabilize the fortunes of the mountains and rivers as soon as possible, does make it possible for some former sect-candidate mountains to be 'exceptionally' promoted to sects, as the Master said."

Cui Dongshan raised his snow-white sleeve, extended his claw, and lightly scratched his chin. "However, the merits accumulated by Falling Mountain are still slightly insufficient on the surface, making it hard to convince the public. But if the three parties settle accounts clearly behind the scenes, it is actually sufficient. Quite sufficient."

"That's the result I want. Falling Mountain doesn't need to be too flashy for now. The future promotion to sect and the selection of the subordinate sect site need to proceed simultaneously. It's highly probable that when everything is ready for the site selection in Parasol Leaf Continent—ten years, at most ten years—then we will approach the Great Li Emperor and the academies of the two continents to make this request. It's not like Falling Mountain is a storyteller at the bottom of a bridge; we don't need to startle people every few days."

Chen Ping'an nodded lightly, then asked doubtfully, "As for what you mean by 'quite sufficient'—how so?"

Cui Dongshan began to count on his fingers. "Jade Pool Realm Mi Yu, Nascent Soul Realm Cui Wei—these two old Sword Immortals and Grand Sword Immortals of ours have contributed no small amount of battle merits. However, their previous identities were attached to Cloaked Cloud Mountain; they were inconspicuous. They are just waiting for the Master to return to Falling Mountain before making a decision. Master Zhong Qiu, on the Western March Mountain, has been killing enemies with his fists and also helping with strategic planning. Very good. He has also built up a considerable amount of friendly relations with the Snow Wind Temple and the Western March Mountain Lord for Falling Mountain. Although Sui Youbian has yet to break through to the Nascent Soul Sword Cultivator realm, she still has some achievements recorded on the Great Li merit roll. Once she acknowledges her ancestral lineage, that will be another batch of battle merits that can be attributed to Falling Mountain. Anyway, the third sect leader of True Mirror Sect is Liu Laocheng, an old friend of the Master's. He won't be too stingy about such trivial matters. As for Lu Baixiang and Wei Xian, there's no need to reveal their identities for now. As for the senior disciple, she is even more impressive. On the battlefields of Golden Armor Continent and Vase Bottle Continent, she has killed countless enemies, earning even greater battle merits than those two Sword Immortals. Wang Fusu, the oldest Suppression Stage martial artist in North Julu Continent, has his eyes on the senior disciple's martial arts aptitude. That shameless old barbarian tried to poach her from our Falling Mountain. He almost knelt down and begged the senior disciple to be his apprentice..."

Pei Qian gave a light cough.

Cui Dongshan immediately and obediently changed the subject. "Additionally, there's the Fellow Daoist Changming whom the Master abducted from the Sword Qi Great Wall. She also possesses a tremendous mountain-and-river merit. The Song Clan of Great Li is well aware of this."

Chen Ping'an corrected him, "It wasn't abduction. I sincerely invited her to be an offering of Falling Mountain."

Cui Dongshan whispered, "Master, currently, Fellow Daoist Changming is serving as the Law Keeper of Falling Mountain."

Chen Ping'an was taken aback. "Isn't Changming supposed to be holding down the accounts hall together with Wei Wenlong?"

Because, in Chen Ping'an's original plan, Changming, as the manifestation of the ancestral coin of the world's gold and copper coins, was most suitable to be the God of Wealth of a mountain, complementing Wei Wenlong's earthly reality with her metaphysical presence. And for any mountain master in the Haoran World to serve as a Law Keeper Ancestor who could command respect, two conditions were necessary: first, being very capable in combat, with sufficient magical power and strong fists to be qualified to play the villain; second, being willing to be a lonely minister without a mountain, to be that much-criticized 'solitary man.' In Chen Ping'an's impression, Changming always had a faint smile, was gentle and virtuous, and had an excellent temperament. Of course, he was worried that she would find it difficult to establish herself on Falling Mountain. The most important thing, deep down in Chen Ping'an's heart, was that he had an additional, most crucial requirement for the Law Keeper Ancestor of his ideal Falling Mountain: that person must have the courage and the daring to contradict him, to argue with him, to say 'no' to him, the often-absent Mountain Lord, on certain major matters, and to establish a few principles that would force him, even if he had to grit his teeth, to obediently admit his mistake to that person.

Therefore, the position of Law Keeper of Falling Mountain was the most critical position in Chen Ping'an's mind.

Originally, according to Chen Ping'an's initial plan, this responsibility was to be given to Master Zhong Qiu, who would be promoted from offering to mountain Law Keeper.

Although this disrupted his established arrangements, Chen Ping'an did not show the slightest expression. He just slowly thought it over and carefully weighed it.

Pei Qian suddenly said, "Master, regarding Changming becoming Law Keeper, I heard from the old cook that it was Xiao Shixiong's strong recommendation."

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Then what do you think of Changming's effectiveness as Law Keeper?"

Pei Qian nodded, honestly saying, "Master, to be fair, I just can't really see eye to eye with her anymore, but she should be a pretty good Law Keeper. Changming likes to stick to principles and doesn't play favorites. But she is reasonable, and she doesn't put on the appearance of arguing with people. She can hit the snake at its vital spot, and with one or two seemingly light, soft words, she can make people wary. Changming smiles at everyone she meets every day. At first, she seems very kind and amiable, but after looking at it for a while, it's actually quite creepy."

Chen Ping'an breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good."

Chen Ping'an narrowed his eyes. "Since it's going to be a sect, our Falling Mountain will eventually need an Upper Five Realm cultivator who can frequently appear in public. And he can't be an offering or a guest elder. That's a bit troublesome. If it really comes down to it, we'll just have to borrow someone from Cloaked Cloud Mountain."

Cui Dongshan grinned. "That works. We can have Mi Yu come over. Anyway, he initially felt that being an offering was too impersonal, and we've already laid the groundwork. For him to go from a guest elder of Cloaked Cloud Mountain to a direct-line member of Falling Mountain's Dao lineage is quite natural. Outsiders will habitually mistake it as the magnanimity of Great Mountain Lord Wei of Cloaked Cloud Mountain. Mi Yu has been at the Rainbow Sparrow Sect in North Julu Continent for many years, sending flying swords to Cloaked Cloud Mountain every few months asking if the Master has returned, if he's home. I reckon that if there's still no news from the Mountain Lord, Sword Immortal Mi will have to settle down and start a family there."

Chen Ping'an shook his head. "Better not to have a Sword Immortal. Too frightening."

Cui Dongshan whispered, "But Zenith Sun Mountain and Breeze City are already sects now. Zenith Sun Mountain even has a subordinate sect, right there in the Zhongyue region with the most sword cultivator embryos. They've been expanding vigorously over the years, doing quite well. The Xu Clan of Breeze City also hopes to establish a subordinate sect in the south. They're currently relying on their in-laws, the Pillar State Yuan Clan, to help them pull strings everywhere in the Great Li capital."

Chen Ping'an asked with a smile, "Has Zenith Sun Mountain finally produced an Upper Five Realm Sword Immortal? Is it that ancestor who once hid in seclusion to avoid Li Tuanjing's sword challenge?"

Cui Dongshan gave a thumbs up. "The Master's calculations are unfathomable!"

Chen Ping'an thought for a moment, then nodded. "In that case, our Falling Mountain will have to swallow our pride, puff ourselves up, and grit our teeth to push out a borrowed Jade Pool Realm Sword Immortal. Otherwise, Zenith Sun Mountain and Breeze City might easily get to thinking and lose sleep over it."

Chen Ping'an was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "After arriving at Vase Bottle Continent, on the way back home, remember to detour around Zenith Sun Mountain and Breeze City. Otherwise, I'm afraid I might not be able to resist paying a visit to their Ancestral Halls."

Cui Dongshan said, "The student will remember. On the way, I'll remind the Master to turn a blind eye."

Chen Ping'an finally said, "What I think now doesn't mean that's what we'll definitely do when we get home. Let's take it one step at a time. When we get to Clear Iris Peak, we'll discuss it together."

Cui Dongshan nodded gently.

Chen Ping'an recited a sentence silently in his heart.

Always within the Dharma, everywhere the Dharma is unobstructed.

Cui Dongshan raised his hand to cover his mouth and muttered softly, "Master, Senior Disciple just now wanted to grab your sleeve."

Pei Qian's face flushed red. "Big White Goose!"

Chen Ping'an was full of smiles. He raised his arm and shook his sleeve. "Just take it."

How could Pei Qian have the nerve? Flustered and exasperated, she struck Cui Dongshan's shoulder with her elbow. The Big White Goose immediately grunted, flew horizontally into the air, spun countless times in the air, tumbled another seven or eight times on the ground, and lay flat on his back.

Chen Ping'an asked, "Jiang Shangzhen's move?"

Cui Dongshan performed a carp leap and got up, nodding. "Cloud Herb Hall is one of the rare clear streams in Parasol Leaf Continent nowadays. Jiang Shangzhen probably wanted his Sister Ye to get acquainted with our Falling Mountain so that future interactions would be easier. After all, when the dust settles and we publicly announce our subordinate sect site, given Huang Yi Yun's aloof and proud temperament, she might not be willing to approach us on her own initiative. By the time we establish our sect here, Flagon Mountain will have probably broken off relations with Golden Summit Temple and White Dragon Cave by then. An alliance between Cloud Herb Hall and us would be perfectly timed. Jiang Shangzhen must have guessed the Master's intention, otherwise he wouldn't have gone to the extra trouble. Brother Zhou serving as an offering and exerting himself to the utmost—nothing more to say."

At the ferry, a ferryboat was still drifting in the middle of the river. Besides the three of them, there was no one else. This was thanks to Jiang Shangzhen's generous spending. Even now, many tourists on Cloud Basket Peak and Old Lord Mountain were still blocked at the entrance, unable to use Yellow Crane Cliff to reach other scenic spots. Unless they had the guts and ability to imitate Pei Qian and break through the mountain-and-water restrictions.

Actually, there was a Cloud Bridge over the river. Earlier, Cheng Chaolu and the others had used it to cross. If an ordinary cultivator looked down at the great river from Yellow Crane Cliff, they wouldn't see it clearly, so as not to obstruct the scenery.

Chen Ping'an stopped at the ferry, clearly intending to cross the river by boat.

Earlier, he and Pei Qian, master and disciple, had crossed the river one after another, creating quite a commotion. The river water surged, causing a small boat to bob up and down. The old poleman ferrying the boat muttered curses under his breath, probably complaining.

So Chen Ping'an wanted to apologize in person. This had nothing to do with who the old boatman ferrying people here for money was, what his realm was, or whether he was a reclusive master who liked to play the fisherman poet.

While waiting for the ferry to approach, Chen Ping'an said to Pei Qian, who was standing quietly beside him, "Before, I told you not to grow up in a hurry because I had all sorts of worries. But since you've already grown up and endured a lot of hardship, such growth is actually maturing. You don't need to think too much about it, because your master has walked this path himself. Besides, in your master's eyes, you will probably always be just a child."

Pei Qian hummed in acknowledgment, then whispered, "As long as the Master is here, everything is fine. I won't be afraid anymore."

Chen Ping'an turned around, raised his hand, and made two gestures. One indicated Pei Qian's height when they parted ways back then. The other was the height Chen Ping'an had imagined she would be when they reunited, still not reaching Pei Qian's current shoulder. He smiled. "Talking is one thing, but deep down, your master is actually quite disappointed. You've grown so fast in height. I always feel that I haven't taken good care of you. I'll have to make up for it in the future. By the way, you haven't slacked off on copying books over the years, have you?"

Pei Qian beamed. "No, I haven't."

Chen Ping'an thought for a moment. "As for suppressing your realm and feeding you punches, forget it. Your master hadn't broken through long ago when he took a solid punch and got injured quite badly. You saw that I didn't dare agree when Huang Yi Yun challenged me, didn't you?"

Pei Qian put on a pained expression on her face, but her eyes were holding back laughter.

Chen Ping'an extended his thumb and wiped away the tears at the corners of Pei Qian's eyes, which she hadn't even noticed. "Still like crying, just like when you were little."

Cui Dongshan said mournfully from the side, "Master, the student also has quite a few bitter tears. I could even scoop up a handful in my palm to reflect the bright moon."

"Scram."

"Coming right up!"

The ferryboat hadn't even properly docked. The old boatman held the ferry against the dock with his bamboo pole, keeping it at a distance. He said with a sour tone, "To cross the river by boat, it's one snow coin per person. Are the guests unwilling to part with this 'unjustified' expense?"

Chen Ping'an clasped his hands and said, "I apologize for my rude behavior earlier, old sir. My words weren't sincere enough, so I'll spend some money to make up for my offense."

Pei Qian followed her master in clasping her hands and apologizing, but she was far less articulate than her master, so she didn't speak.

The old boatman immediately broke into a smile, quickly released the bamboo pole, and the ferry gently bumped against the dock. "The Jiang clan's way of making money is too crooked. They have the Cloud Bridge over the river, yet they still have the nerve to let me ferry people by pole. If I weren't living under someone else's roof and bound by rules, I wouldn't make the guests pay to cross today."

Chen Ping'an gave him three snow coins. The old boatman put them in his sleeve, turned the boat around, and sidled up to the shore, standing at the bow of the small boat.

The three boarded. Chen Ping'an sat at the bow, Pei Qian sitting beside her master, hands lightly clenched on her knees. Cui Dongshan sat alone in the middle of the small boat, dangling one sleeve into the water, as if fishing with his sleeve.

The small boat slowly reached the middle of the river.

The old poleman suddenly turned his head and asked, "The guest looks like a learned scholar. May I take the liberty of asking, what is Chan meditation?"

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Asking what the Buddha-mind is, not knowing is precisely Chan meditation."

The old poleman savored this for a moment, then nodded appreciatively. "The Master is truly learned. This saying holds true meaning. I have been ferrying a boat here for many years and have asked many scholars, but none of them could give as good an answer as the Master."

To ask oneself this question is a stirring of the mind. To go from there to think about it is cultivation. To consciously not know is the mind settling. If one can keep asking oneself this question without cease, that is gradual cultivation, walking towards the Buddha to reach the Spirit Mountain. Ultimately, one realizes that the Spirit Mountain is not far away; one does not seek it externally.

Chen Ping'an added, "It's an answer I borrowed from the sages in the books."

Cui Dongshan quickly looked up and clarified, "No, no, no. There has never been such a saying in books. It is clearly the Master's own thought. Why must the Master be so modest?"

The old poleman nodded. "I believe it is an answer the Master came up with himself. This answer was long in your heart, only waiting for tonight's question."

Chen Ping'an said with a smile, "My name is Cao Mo. Old Senior, you can just call me by my name."

The old poleman shook his head. "In learning, there is no seniority; the one who understands is the teacher. The Master truly doesn't need to be so modest. However, the Master has a very good name! The most famous 'Cao Mo' in the world is the first of the Assassin Biographies. The key point is that he could lose first and then win, with plenty of resilience and staying power. Since the Master shares the same name as this man, I believe his future achievements will be nothing but high."

Chen Ping'an quickly said he wouldn't dare think such thoughts, and secretly glanced at Cui Dongshan. Cui Dongshan immediately returned a look, signaling his master not to overthink.

Chen Ping'an breathed a sigh of relief. He had almost mistakenly thought the old boatman might be that very Cao Mo. How embarrassing that would have been.

"Some resign from office and return to their homeland; others rush to the examination grounds under the stars. Life is a ceaseless hustle; why bother?"

The old poleman sighed to himself, then couldn't help but turn his head again and ask, "Does the Master know of the sixteen enjoyable things in life that Immortal Su said?"

Chen Ping'an nodded. "To take a boat with friends under a cliff on a moonlit night, with a gentle breeze blowing and the water surface rippleless—that is number one in Suzi's list of enjoyable things."

The old poleman pushed hard on his bamboo pole, giving the small boat a slightly faster speed in the water. "Immortal Su is bold and unconstrained. I, however, feel that none of the sixteen joys of fine times and beautiful scenery can compare with 'today having nothing to do.'"

Chen Ping'an said with a smile, "What the old gentleman says is very true. However, the Dao is in the tile and brick. Being busy is cultivation; resting is cultivating the mind. Each day brings its own progress. That said, if one can turn today's busyness into 'today having nothing to do,' then it becomes a case of 'the Dao-mind cultivating both inside and outside the Dao, I am a true man on earth.'"

The old poleman lightly poled and waded, ripples spreading everywhere, the small boat swaying. "The Master's words are truly wonderful. All Golden Elixir guests and terrestrial immortals should hear the Master's words. In the scorching heat of the human heart, they would obtain a dose of cooling powder."

Chen Ping'an clasped his hands and laughed. "The old gentleman overpraises me."

Pei Qian remained silent. She sat beside her master, a gentle breeze from the river caressing her face, the bright moon in the sky shimmering. Pei Qian listened to her master's conversation with the outsider. Her state of mind was peaceful, her spirit pure and clear. Her whole person gradually relaxed. Vase Bottle Continent, North Julu Continent, Bai'ai Continent, Central Earth Divine Continent, Golden Armor Continent, Parasol Leaf Continent. The young female martial artist, who had already traveled the mountains and rivers of six continents alone, closed her eyes slightly, seeming half-asleep, as if she could finally rest for a moment in peace. Her fist intent quietly merged with heaven and earth.

At the opposite ferry, Chen Ping'an and Pei Qian disembarked and went ashore. Cui Dongshan, however, said he hadn't had enough and wanted to take another round trip on the ferry, asking the master to wait for him.

So Chen Ping'an strolled along the riverbank with Pei Qian.

The old poleman took two snow coins with a chuckle. Cui Dongshan stood at one end of the boat, grinning cheekily. "Walking often by the riverside, be careful that money might burn your hand."

The old poleman seemed not to understand the white-robed youth's strange remark. He simply continued to pole the boat to earn money, heading towards the ferry at Yellow Crane Cliff.

Cui Dongshan hopped lightly and stood on the rail of the boat, hands behind his back, walking slowly. "Once high in fame above the stars, now sunk in miasma among the seas. The green ox alone visits the Jade Palace, yet leaves the Yellow Crane to guard the Golden Elixir."

The old poleman pretended not to hear.

Cui Dongshan laughed again. "Accustomed to riding wooden horses among the Northern Dipper stars, Dongshan comes instead to pole an iron boat on the water."

The old poleman glanced at the handsome youth and smiled. "The Star Lord pours fine wine, toasts each dragon with a cup."

Each had revealed the other's true origins, but both had held back, only speaking of part of their fundamental Dao.

Cui Dongshan had identified the true identity of the old boatman, who went by the alias Ni Yuanzan in Cloud Cavern Blessed Land. This man had a great connection to the Ocean Observing Dao Abbey of the Eastern Sea. He was an immortal Yellow Crane who had once traveled far to the Northern Dipper Stars and had finally remained in the human world, guarding a Golden Elixir.

The old boatman, in turn, had seen through the origin of Cui Dongshan's current body. It was once an old dragon from the ancient Shu Kingdom, capable of ascending to the starry river, and had once been fortunate enough to be toasted by the Northern Dipper Immortal Lord.

However, their words merely touched on their respective external forms, both very ancient, and could probably be considered half 'old friends and fellow Daoists' from the distant past.

Cui Dongshan sneered. "Do you know that there was a woman named Sui Youbian in Lotus Flower Blessed Land whose lifelong wish was 'to follow the master up the Terrace of Heaven and leisurely sweep fallen flowers for the immortals'? If she knew that her master, who possessed divine sword techniques, was only half a step away from becoming the first Flying Ascension cultivator of the Blessed Land, but now has to wear a ridiculous feathered robe and crane cloak, ferry a boat every day for a few snow coins, and call others 'Master'—would that break her heart? Do you also know that Sui Youbian has actually left the Blessed Land and even spent several years as a cultivator of the Divine Seal Peak of Jade Token Sect? Haven't the two of you met? Didn't the old abbey master leave you here to wait for her to form her Golden Elixir?"

The old boatman sighed. "Knowing is worse than not knowing."

This man, who was currently poling the boat, had left behind an immortal deed: 'Slaying Mosquitoes at the River and Huai.'

The mosquitoes he slew were not ordinary creatures, but a Jade Pool Realm demon beast that could stealthily devour the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. This almost undetectable celestial thief had once given Jiang Shangzhen a great headache. Just tracking it down had taken an immense effort. At that time, although Jiang Shangzhen had already broken through to the Jade Pool Realm, he had not yet earned the reputation of being able to 'kill an immortal with a single willow leaf.' He had tried twice but failed to kill that 'mosquito.' The difficulty was like an ordinary person standing on the bank trying to hit a mosquito in a mountain stream with a pebble.

And this old boatman, at that time, was neither higher in realm nor superior in swordsmanship to Jiang Shangzhen. He simply had a unique divine ability that, combined with his sword technique, happened to counter that elusive Jade Pool Realm demon.

But in the end, to accomplish the feat of slaying a mosquito on the river with a single sword stroke was still no ordinary accomplishment for a Jade Pool Realm Sword Immortal.

If this man were not from the Guan Dao Abbey of Lotus Flower Blessed Land, and if he were not the Confucian Master that Sui Youbian had never forgotten, Cui Dongshan wouldn't have bothered with him. He could hide his name, pole a boat for ten thousand years, and remain unknown for all he cared. But then, this man had deliberately used words to test his master. That, Cui Dongshan could not tolerate. Things like resigning from office to return home, the Biographies of Assassins—all of it was actually hidden innuendo and metaphorical sparring. The Master was magnanimous and could completely ignore it. Meeting is fate; parting amicably is fine. But how could a student tolerate an old boatman spouting nonsense over there?

The key point was that the Golden Elixir that the old abbey master had left for this man to 'guard' was no ordinary thing. It was hidden in the cliff walls of Yellow Crane Cliff—the legacy Golden Elixir of an ancient crane ancestor.

Cui Dongshan snorted. "The Northern Dipper stars are high; my master carries a knife at night. Be careful, or I might beat you half to death."

The old boatman, going by the alias Ni Yuanzan, laughed. "We have no enmity. That Confucian Master is not you; he wouldn't attack and injure people without reason."

Cui Dongshan extended a hand. "Let's stop beating around the bush. Hand over the Golden Elixir. I'll help you give it to that Golden Elixir guest disciple of yours who hasn't yet broken through to the Nascent Soul stage."

The old boatman smiled and shook his head. "The old abbey master gave the order: let me quietly wait for the destined person here. If Sui Youbian can meet me, I will naturally go with the flow and give the Golden Elixir. But since we were so close yet failed to reunite, she cannot be considered a destined person. At most, there is fate but no share. If there is fate but no share, it is even less appropriate to force it. Don't make things difficult for me. Even if we were to fight and you won, so what? If I don't give the Golden Elixir, can you really take it? You are merely an immortal—since when are your powers so vast, reaching the Flying Ascension stage? And what if you kill me?"

"On the Great Dao, high cultivation and strong fists merely mean more ways to spoil the scenery. You are far inferior to your master."

The old boatman lightly tapped the water with his bamboo pole and laughed heartily. "The mountain's hue is like a beauty's brow, the flower's color like her cheek. The empty mountain, no one, water flows, flowers bloom. White clouds, no one steps on them; flowers fall, no one sweeps them. This is the most natural."

On the shore, Chen Ping'an, upon hearing this, smiled. "Returning from gathering herbs on the spring mountain, the path of this journey is difficult. When the lotus does not fall, the prajna flower blooms of itself."

The old boatman laughed loudly, even tossing away the emerald bamboo pole, which was condensed from pure water luck, letting it drift away with the current. The reclusive master removed his illusion, revealing a feathered robe and crane cloak shimmering with precious light. He liked to speak of Buddhist terms, but underneath the crane cloak, he wore a yellow Daoist robe.

The middle-aged Daoist held a golden pill-like object in one hand, a white jade ruyi in the other. On his shoulder crouched a three-legged golden toad, its entire body golden.

Cui Dongshan, meanwhile, quietly slipped the emerald bamboo pole into his sleeve. This object was extraordinary; equivalent to a series of water elixirs condensed together, enough for Lotus Flower Blessed Land to gain an extra solidified river god with a golden body.

The Daoist put away the Golden Elixir, said a meaningful "see you when fate dictates" to Chen Ping'an, and then vanished in a flash, like an immortal shedding his mortal body. The crane cloak on him drifted down and fell onto the boat.

Cui Dongshan had no choice but to collect the feathered robe and crane cloak, which were equivalent to an immortal's discarded shell, and promised to keep it safe for a few centuries or millennia.

On the shore, Pei Qian whispered, "Master, did you see through the boatman's true identity at a glance?"

Chen Ping'an smiled. "No such thing. I boarded the ferry only to apologize. However, when we were heading to the viewing pavilion at Yellow Crane Cliff earlier, I just happened to glance at the river. The water was churning, the small boat rocking incessantly. The old senior's performance... wasn't exactly masterful. Perhaps a reclusive master like him disdains to put on an act deliberately. Otherwise, what's so hard about capsizing a boat and falling into the water?"

Pei Qian immediately sighed with admiration. "Sure enough, the master is more experienced in the world. A hundred times more experienced than me."

Chen Ping'an gave her a knock on the head.

On the Sword Qi Great Wall, after many years of thinking it over, he still felt that the atmosphere of Falling Mountain had been ruined by Pei Qian and Cui Dongshan.

On the river, Cui Dongshan lay prone on the bow of the small boat, shouting for the master and senior disciple to wait for him, paddling desperately with his two large sleeves.

---

On Yellow Crane Cliff, after Chen Ping'an and the others had left, Jiang Shangzhen turned to look at the fellow Daoists who had been watching the excitement without caring if it got bigger. He waved his hand. "Scatter, scatter. Everyone disperse."

As for the mirror-flower, water-moon events at the Snail Shell Immortal Residence on Yellow Crane Cliff, they had been sealed off by Cui Dongshan and Jiang Shangzhen just as Pei Qian crossed the river and landed on the cliff, causing many female immortals and cultivators to lament.

Jiang Shangzhen found that his words were ineffective, so he had to say to Ye Yunyun, "Sister Ye, how about you say something?"

Ye Yunyun clasped her hands in that direction.

The crowd that had come out to watch the excitement immediately scattered like a tide, birds and beasts fleeing. All the cultivators who had stepped out of the Snail Shell Dao Field's landscape gates quickly retreated back into their mansions.

Huang Yi Yun's face had to be respected. They dared not refuse.

Moreover, to be able to encounter Grandmaster Ye Yunyun in Cloud Cavern Blessed Land was in itself quite an exciting event for the day.

However, three people walked out from the Yellow Crane Cliff landscape formation, moving in the opposite direction from the dispersing crowd, heading towards the viewing pavilion.

They were Guo Bailei, the senior disciple of Parasol Leaf Continent's Martial Saint Wu Shu, a Golden Body Realm martial artist; a Far Wandering Realm martial artist from Cloud Herb Hall of Flagon Mountain; and a young female cultivator wearing a Dragon Girl Xiang skirt dharma robe. The first was Xue Huai, a direct disciple of Huang Yi Yun, an Eighth Realm martial artist. The second was a member of the Ye Clan of Flagon Mountain, whose ancestor was a brother of Ye Yunyun. The young female cultivator was named Ye Xuanji. The disciples of Cloud Herb Hall were often gifted in both magical arts and martial arts, but once they crossed one of the two major thresholds—Golden Body or Golden Elixir—they would thereafter choose only one, specializing in Dao cultivation or focusing on martial arts. The reason for this was that most of the stances and forms of Flagon Mountain's boxing style were related to several ancestral immortal formation diagrams of Flagon Mountain.

Hence, Flagon Mountain had always had the saying, "Stances come from diagrams, fists go into diagrams."

Nevertheless, the three, including Guo Bailei, walked slowly, not daring to hinder Huang Yi Yun's chat with her friend.

Even a clay Buddha would have some anger. "Is it because Cao Mo has just broken through to the Tenth Realm and hasn't fully suppressed his martial luck, resulting in an unstable realm? If that's the case, I can wait!"

Jiang Shangzhen smiled and didn't speak. He just led Ye Yunyun to the cliff edge. Jiang Shangzhen reached out and stroked the white jade railing, chuckling softly. "Actually, Cao Mo has refused your challenge to a fist fight three times now."

Ye Yunyun was puzzled. "Three times?"

Jiang Shangzhen patiently explained, "The first time, he said the atmosphere of Flagon Mountain's Cloud Herb Hall was good, which is why he wasn't willing to spar with you. To you, this might not seem like much of a reason at all. But this good friend of mine, he tends to think more than most. For example, at this juncture, if Ye Yunyun fights a martial artist from another region and wins, that would be fine; it would certainly boost the morale of the mountain and the continent a little. But if Huang Yi Yun, the second-ranked martial artist of the continent, were to lose, it would be like adding frost to snow for an already rotten swamp of morale. Especially for Flagon Mountain's Cloud Herb Hall, which has just formed the Peach Leaf Alliance. For Huang Yi Yun to lose to a martial artist from another land—does that seem right? How can the Flagon Mountain boxing style you pioneered be promoted? A Huang Yi Yun can sit on that chair of the Peach Leaf Alliance, say nothing, do nothing, but she absolutely cannot lose. Otherwise, just wait. The foundation that Cloud Herb Hall has painstakingly built up will scatter like a tree falling and the monkeys dispersing in a single night. The world outside will be filled with gossip and slander, flooding Flagon Mountain and Huang Yi Yun. No matter how high your boxing skills are, you won't be able to block the 'fist intent' of that turbulent and dangerous sentiment."

Ye Yunyun frowned. "From your tone, does it sound like I would lose?"

But she had to admit that she had indeed been too eager to say a word or two for Parasol Leaf Sect. That was why she had participated in the Peach Leaf Alliance before, yet didn't care about power falling into others' hands. She had let Golden Summit Temple and White Dragon Cave take charge of the situation, almost never raising any objections, only nodding. And today, she had been so eager to exchange blows with someone, wanting to prove to the Haoran World that the martial artists of Parasol Leaf Sect were more than just Martial Saint Wu Shu.

Jiang Shangzhen neither affirmed nor denied, continuing to speak as if to himself. "The second refusal was because, to Cao Mo, who is also a Suppression Stage martial artist, the sparring you value so highly is actually quite ordinary, really. Especially since both sides will obviously stop at the point of touch and won't fight to the death. Cao Mo has even less interest in that. This friend of mine has a very pure attitude towards sparring: there are only two types. One is to be fed punches by a grandmaster two realms above him. The other is to engage in life-and-death combat on the battlefield. The rest are of little benefit to his martial arts path, almost none at all."

Especially after experiencing the war on the Sword Qi Great Wall, the young Hidden Official, the not-so-young Mountain Lord, had few peers when it came to facing enemies.

Jiang Shangzhen leaned on the railing, a flask of moonlight-wine appearing in his hand. He held it with two fingers, gently shaking it. The aroma of the wine wafted. "The last time, he called himself a junior before you, which is why he said he wanted to 'consult your boxing principles.' That still wasn't a request for a fist fight. The first refusal was for your sake and Cloud Herb Hall's. The second refusal was for his own peace of mind. A pure martial artist learns boxing not only to be able to challenge others, but naturally also to be able to refuse when challenged. The third time was a reminder of 'three strikes.'"

Ye Yunyun frowned slightly. "Is he still a pure martial artist? How did he break through to the Suppression stage?"

Jiang Shangzhen smiled without answer. Yes or no, what did it matter? He was still a Suppression stage martial artist. And not just that—he had broken through to the Tenth Realm of martial arts while possessing martial luck.

Ye Yunyun sighed and said candidly, "Regardless, after hearing you say so much, this Cao Mo should be a person worth befriending."

A person for whom Jiang Shangzhen would go against his own inclinations to speak on his behalf was definitely not simple.

She had sought a fist fight, only to be repeatedly refused by Cao Mo, the master. And then she had to hear a harsh word from a junior like Zheng Qian. Of course, Ye Yunyun felt somewhat aggrieved.

As for that Zheng Qian, Ye Yunyun had naturally heard of her. She was an extremely brilliant young martial artist on the battlefields of both Golden Armor Continent and Vase Bottle Continent. She had challenged Cao Ci to four fist fights at the top of the Great Duan Dynasty's capital city and lost all four.

It sounded rather unimpressive—losing four in a row. But which martial artist in the world wouldn't take notice?

Although Cao Ci was easygoing, he wouldn't accept just anyone's challenge. Let alone agreeing to four consecutive challenges from the same person.

The reason was simple: Cao Ci already considered Zheng Qian as one who was "not far behind him on the martial path."

So Ye Yunyun couldn't help but ask curiously, "Isn't this Zheng Qian said to be of the Thunder God Temple lineage in Bai'ai Continent? How did she become Cao Mo's disciple?"

As for some peak-of-the-mountain rumors that Zheng Qian was actually Cao Ci's junior sister and the closed-door disciple of the Female Martial God Pei Bei—Ye Yunyun knew that wasn't true.

Jiang Shangzhen laughed. "Sister Ye will naturally find out later. My friend Cao Mo is a very interesting person. No rush. Take your time."

Ye Yunyun said, "You pulled so many strings to arrange this. Could it be that you're trying to leave Cao Mo with a bad impression?"

Jiang Shangzhen leaned against the railing, squinting and smiling. "It's not like I'm playing the matchmaker. Cao Mo won't mind."

Ye Yunyun said, "I'd appreciate it if Old Sect Leader Jiang would speak properly. Our relationship is actually quite ordinary, really."

Jiang Shangzhen laughed heartily. "Being able to have such a heart-to-heart talk with Sister Ye for so long—this 'ordinary' is most extraordinary."

The three people gradually approached. Jiang Shangzhen stopped his heartfelt conversation with Ye Yunyun, leaned back against the railing, and took a sip of wine.

Xue Huai respectfully clasped his hands. "Master."

This Eighth Realm martial artist was a refined and elegant old man, wearing a hooded headdress, with a drifting, ancient air about him.

If one didn't know their identities, one might mistake him for Huang Yi Yun's ancestor.

Ye Xuanji grabbed Ye Yunyun's arm, seeming to act spoiled, and said softly with a smile, "Ancestor Master."

Guo Bailei clasped his hands and smiled. "Greetings, Senior Ye."

Ye Yunyun nodded in acknowledgment to Guo Bailei, then lightly tapped Ye Xuanji's arm with two fingers, causing the young female cultivator to reluctantly release her arm.

Whether as the head of the Flagon Mountain Ye Clan or the ancestor of Cloud Herb Hall, Ye Yunyun was considered a serious and unsmiling elder.

That Guo Bailei, who looked like a handsome youth, was actually about twenty years old, with excellent martial arts aptitude. He was a Golden Body Realm martial artist at twenty-one, and had won the title of 'Strongest' twice in recent years.

This meant that Guo Bailei was a typical case of extensive accumulation leading to gradual release. Once he broke through to the Far Wandering Realm while possessing the 'Strongest' title again, it could be almost guaranteed that Guo Bailei would reach the Mountain Summit Realm before he was fifty.

A martial arts school with only a master and one disciple, yet one is a Suppression Stage Grandmaster and the other a young Mountain Summit—this was indeed shocking and awe-inspiring.

Wu Shu's eye for choosing disciples was truly admirable.

Ye Yunyun had received more than ten direct disciples. When the entire Flagon Mountain was taken into account, including the direct disciples, their disciples, and further disciples, there were several hundred martial artists. Yet, none of them had managed to break through to the Mountain Summit Realm. Even Xue Huai, who had the best talent and was extremely diligent in his boxing practice, would, barring unforeseen circumstances, never break through the 'overturning' bottleneck of the Far Wandering Realm, let alone reach the Mountain Summit to 'overturn the heavens' with his fist and go a step further to the Suppression stage.

Jiang Shangzhen lightly pushed his bottom against the railing, tossed the empty wine flask into the river, stood up straight, and said with a smile, "My name is Zhou Fei. Fei as in fat and thin. The kind of fat that fattens an entire continent. You probably can't tell, but Sister Ye and I are just like real siblings."

When Jiang Shangzhen introduced himself, he didn't even look at Xue Huai or Guo Bailei. He was staring directly at the young girl.

Xue Huai's expression was wooden.

Guo Bailei simply treated it as an innocent joke from a senior on the mountain.

Ye Xuanji couldn't understand why her Ancestor Master showed no sign of displeasure.

Flagon Mountain's Huang Yi Yun, due to her breathtaking beauty, had often punched to teach some mountain cultivators who didn't have eyes to remember.

Jiang Shangzhen's gaze lifted as he spotted someone else coming to join the fun. This person had no Daoist genealogy or legitimate lineage, but was wearing a Daoist robe of Golden Summit Temple. His realm was very low, but his stature was quite towering and outstanding.

This old cultivator performed a decent Daoist greeting to Ye Yunyun. "Lu Ying, Offering of Golden Summit Temple, paying respects to Mountain Lord Ye."

Ye Yunyun showed no reaction, pretending not to see or hear.

Lu Ying's reputation was not good. Having become a dragon-supporting minister of the mountain's monarch, View Master Du, he swelled up with success and didn't care much about propriety.

Being snubbed by Huang Yi Yun, Lu Ying showed no sign of concern. His Dao-mind was unruffled. This was to be expected; there was no need to dwell on it.

In the mortal world, the same grain nurtures a hundred kinds of people. On the mountain, a single Dao tree blossoms with various flowers. Whether one can befriend another cannot be forced.

Lu Ying, the chief offering of Golden Summit Temple and a Nascent Soul cultivator, was of a similar style to the chief offering of Little Dragon Fall. He had first been a wild mountain cultivator, roaming for many years in freedom and happiness. Sect-level immortal families were beyond his reach—he had the realm but a terrible reputation. Immortal schools that were not sects he looked down upon. He couldn't get a high position and wouldn't settle for a low one. To establish his own sect required a deeper foundation, and he was infamous. Which wild cultivator didn't carry a few mountain grudges and murder cases, or hadn't done a few absolutely unspeakable things? For instance, Lu Ying had an extremely poor relationship with the Daoists of Peace Mountain. Having just broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm, Lu Ying deliberately bypassed sect territories and, in a relatively remote dynasty in the foothills, acted like an old immortal who could summon wind and rain and move mountains. He was almost killed by the female Daoist Huang Ting, who had come down from her mountain to travel the martial world. At that time, Lu Ying had been well-intentioned, aiming to become Dao companions with that beautiful woman. That little girl had truly been something—she started fighting at the slightest disagreement. And throughout the fight, she never announced her name. At that time, Huang Ting was only at the Golden Elixir Realm and used magical techniques to fight. The outcome of their battle wasn't clear-cut. It was only at the very end that Lu Ying learned that the woman was actually a sword cultivator. Since when were there official cultivators who disliked showing off their status like that?

In the end, Lu Ying narrowly escaped the great disaster of the continent sinking. Seeing that Du Hanling of Golden Summit Temple was a local hero destined to rise, Lu Ying decisively defected to Golden Summit Temple. Du Hanling also didn't skimp on the cost, allowing Lu Ying to snag a very heavy position as chief offering. Lu Ying then devoted himself wholeheartedly to traveling around for Golden Summit Temple. Lu Ying had a good relationship with Yin Miaofeng, whose Dao name was 'Bao Zhen Dao Ren.' His main reason was that Lu Ying favored Yin Miaofeng's direct disciple, Shao Yuanran, and always felt that this young Golden Elixir cultivator was highly likely to be the next View Master of Golden Summit Temple.

Ye Xuanji was whispering with her own Ancestor Master when she suddenly got a big scare.

It turned out that Zhou Fei suddenly pointed at Lu Ying and roared angrily, "You lecher! Where are you piggy eyes looking at my Sister Ye? Despicable, disgusting, nauseating!"

Not only did Jiang Shangzhen slander the man with blood, but he also put on a show by moving in front of Ye Yunyun, as if stepping forward to block Lu Ying's gaze.

Lu Ying remained silent. He didn't explain much to Huang Yi Yun, nor did he get angry at the guy with the hole in his head. The old Nascent Soul Immortal of the Dao sect was immortal and transcendent, with excellent self-cultivation.

Guo Bailei frowned slightly.

Although the handsome youth had an extremely average impression of Lu Ying, who had been trying hard to befriend him, this Zhou Fei's utter nonsense and troublemaking was even more annoying.

Sometimes, just a word or two from a mountain cultivator could kill people.

Jiang Shangzhen glanced at the youth. "Young hero, you are still too young. You don't know the shifty eyes and dirty thoughts of some old men."

Ye Xuanji blinked. This 'Zhou Fei' with the strange name could speak so freely in front of Ancestor Master? Truly impressive.

But if Zhou Fei called Lu Ying an 'old man,' then what about Zhou Fei himself? Wasn't he of the same mind? How else could he speak from such experience?

Jiang Shangzhen seemed to read her mind and immediately smiled at the young girl. "When I, Zhou Fei, look at women, I never hide it. If they're ugly, I don't look. If they're pretty, I look more. My gaze is honest, my mind open and aboveboard. Very different from this lecherous bastard, who can undress a woman with just his eyes! Miss Ye, you don't know how nasty this lowlife's gaze was just now. If it were just a case of 'looking at mountains, preferring uneven peaks' that would be one thing, but this guy has strange hobbies. His gaze went straight down, like a waterfall. In the end, it lingered more than a few moments on Sister Ye's feet!"

Ye Xuanji was speechless.

Zhou Fei, you could even tell that. Aren't you the same kind of person?

Ye Yunyun remained aloof from the situation. She knew exactly what kind of person Jiang Shangzhen was.

Lu Ying finally stopped being a shrinking turtle. He said with a smile, "This Fellow Daoist Zhou, stop joking. Meeting on the mountain is a Dao destiny. We should cherish it."

If he were still a wild mountain cultivator, he wouldn't care about anyone's words. The mountain world was big, and the secular world was small. He would just have to not run into Lu Ying in private. But now that he was the chief offering of Golden Summit Temple, he had to maintain some face as an immortal master. After all, when Lu Ying went out now, he largely represented the reputation of Golden Summit Temple.

Ye Yunyun ignored Jiang Shangzhen's troublemaking and didn't want the group to be led by Jiang Shangzhen into a ditch. She slapped Jiang Shangzhen's shoulder with the back of her hand and asked Guo Bailei, "When is your master returning to Parasol Leaf Continent?"

Lu Ying might be frivolous, but he didn't have the guts. A Nascent Soul cultivator openly coveting the beauty of a Suppression Stage martial artist would be suicide.

From his appearance to his greeting, Lu Ying had been perfectly proper. Ye Yunyun knew that Jiang Shangzhen was just making conversation, deliberately smearing Lu Ying and Golden Summit Temple.

Guo Bailei replied, "I received a flying sword message from Sword Immortal Xu Jun of Qu Shan Ferry earlier. My master is currently visiting the Liu Clan of Bai'ai Continent. The letter didn't specify when he will return home."

Going to the Old Yu Province's Qu Shan Ferry at the southernmost point, traveling through the Cloud Cavern Blessed Land of Jade Token Sect, plus the Mijing City of the Central Great Spring Dynasty, and the Golden Summit Temple in the north.

These were almost the three must-visit locations for Parasol Leaf Continent cultivators nowadays.

Ye Yunyun nodded and smiled. "When your master returns to Parasol Leaf Continent, both of you can come to Cloud Herb Hall as guests."

Guo Bailei smiled brightly and clasped his hands. "We will. On this journey down the mountain, Senior Xue has already given me a lot of guidance. I will then take the liberty of asking the Mountain Lord to guide me."

The youth had a handsome face, not extremely beautiful, but when he smiled, he exuded extraordinary confidence.

Such a youth was hard for elders not to like.

Jiang Shangzhen lowered his voice and said, "Sister Ye, Young Hero Guo's gaze at you is also a bit strange. It's not exactly lustful, just a kind of admiration between men and women. After all, the love of beauty is universal. Sister Ye doesn't need to be angry. If I were him, I would also consider you a celestial fairy only to be viewed from afar, not profaned. I would only dare to steal glances and like secretly."

The handsome youth's face flushed. He instinctively clenched his fists and said in a deep voice, "Senior Zhou, I respect you as a senior on the mountain, but I beg you to stop this reckless talk. Otherwise, don't blame me for knowing I will surely lose, but still challenging you to a fist fight!"

Jiang Shangzhen sidled behind Ye Yunyun, stuck his head out, and said, "Come on, you good lad. Young and hot-tempered! Come on, let's see you challenge me!"

Where had the youth ever met a mountain cultivator who could throw away his own face and not pick it up—a grown man hiding behind Senior Ye? Guo Bailei hesitated for a moment.

Because instinct told him that if he challenged to a fight, he would lose. Even if he won the fight, he would lose even more.

Lu Ying was happy to stand idly by, having nothing to do. He sneered inwardly.

Good heavens! What boldness! Offending him meant offending Golden Summit Temple. And still not satisfied? He still dared to provoke the senior disciple of Martial Saint Wu Shu? Didn't he know what kind of temper Wu Shu had? As a pure martial artist, Wu Shu's swordsmanship was superb, like a sword immortal's flying sword. He was especially proficient in spear techniques, which was his foundation for standing at the pinnacle of the martial path.

Wu Shu had painstakingly collected over three hundred types of spear techniques from the Haoran World, forged them into one furnace, and created six styles, unparalleled under heaven. When Wu Shu sparred with others, he was extremely heavy-handed. Previously, that Parasol Leaf Continent's Tenth Realm Grandmaster had died from serious injuries after Wu Shu fought him. Moreover, Wu Shu had fought across the continent, undefeated by any martial artist. He traveled to the Central Earth Divine Continent, and there were rumors on the mountain that Huang Yi Yun of Flagon Mountain had lost her mind. After obtaining an ancient relic, an immortal's wall-gazing diagram, she resolutely turned to cultivate immortal techniques. She was said to be learning from Dao cultivators to close her life-and-death seclusion, either becoming a Flying Ascension Immortal or dying of old age in the immortal mansion cavern. This left the continent without a single Tenth Realm Grandmaster to guard its mountains and rivers.

So this guy right here...

You really think you're Jiang Shangzhen, huh?!

This person was probably a 'crossing dragon' from another continent, just like Sword Immortal Xu Jun. His realm certainly wouldn't be low, and his master's backing was definitely greater. Otherwise, he wouldn't be qualified to speak so freely in front of Huang Yi Yun.

Thinking of this, Lu Ying actually got angry.

Damn it all, these official immortal masters were truly a bunch of bastards. Relying on their ancestral masters, who were like thousand-year-old tortoises and ten-thousand-year-old turtles on the mountain, they came down the mountain and enjoyed their power as if it were their birthright. Take for example Ma Linshi of White Dragon Cave, nicknamed Linzi, and You Qi, the direct grandson of White Dragon Cave's Law Keeper Ancestor, a Dragon Gate Realm cultivator. These immortal descendants among the official cultivators—which one wasn't exceptionally arrogant and looked down on everyone? They were all the same. Ye Xuanji of Cloud Herb Hall was a rare exception, a delicate and charming girl. Unfortunately, she was from Flagon Mountain and had a Far Wandering Realm cultivator, Xue Huai, by her side. Lu Ying didn't dare to touch her, or else he would have made her taste some of the joy of a divine immortal turning clouds and rain.

Ye Yunyun threw a punch backward.

It hit Jiang Shangzhen square in the forehead.

She sent Jiang Shangzhen flying backward, falling to the ground and bouncing three times.

Not only Ye Xuanji and Guo Bailei, but even Lu Ying was somewhat surprised. Was this his level of cultivation? How did he get acquainted with Huang Yi Yun?

Ye Yunyun didn't turn her head. "If there's nothing else, I'll return to Old Lord Mountain."

Jiang Shangzhen struggled to get up. "There is something, something. This opportunity is rare. I must have a few more words with Sister Ye. Just a few words. I promise not to delay Sister Ye's important business."

Ye Yunyun said to Xue Huai, "You continue your training."

Xue Huai, who hadn't spoken, used sound condensation. "Master, regarding the Rouge Diagram matter in the Blessed Land? Should this disciple consult with a few familiar Jiang clan ancestors?"

Ye Yunyun said, "I have my own considerations."

Xue Huai didn't dare say more. The group turned and walked back towards the Snail Shell mansion.

Jiang Shangzhen patted his blue robe, shook his sleeves, and said, "No face left to speak of. A complete loss of dignity. Sister Ye has done me in."

Ye Yunyun walked to the railing and said, "Jiang Shangzhen, what do you think of Golden Summit Temple and White Dragon Cave? Can they truly help Parasol Leaf Continent?"

Jiang Shangzhen smiled. "Du Hanling is still somewhat of a local tyrant. The style of a ferocious tiger and mountain lord, reputedly the 'mountain monarch,' is quite fitting. With the support of the Great Spring Dynasty and having connected with the bigwigs of Vase Bottle Continent, even having greeted Wei Ying in advance, his conduct is smooth and flawless. So he will definitely rise. As for White Dragon Cave, it's far from comparable. It's not much of a dragon. It's more like a koi fish in muddy water, just good at playing both sides and going with the flow. Once it leaves the water and comes ashore, it will reveal its true colors."

Ye Yunyun was worried. "Has Cloud Herb Hall gone too deep in its involvement with them? Was it a mistake?"

Jiang Shangzhen leaned on the railing, languid. "Each place has its own opportunities; each time has its own circumstances. What was right yesterday may not be right today. What is wrong today may not be wrong tomorrow."

Ye Yunyun said, "Jiang Shangzhen, give me a straight answer. I'm not a Dao cultivator like you. I don't like beating around the bush with cloudy words."

She had come to the Jiang Clan's Blessed Land this time for three things: to pay respects to the old sect leader Xun Yuan, to ensure that Cloud Cavern Blessed Land would cherish Blossom Spirit Mountain, and finally to consult with Jiang Shangzhen on this matter.

Jiang Shangzhen put his hands behind his back, looked into the distance, and slowly said, "Ye Yunyun, have you ever thought about why I insisted on bringing you from Old Lord Mountain to this Yellow Crane Cliff?"

Ye Yunyun said, "I'd be glad to hear the details."

Jiang Shangzhen pointed into the distance, then lightly tapped the white jade railing with his finger. "To see a thousand miles further, ascend one more story. The Suppression stage has three levels: Surging Qi, Returning to Truth, Spirit Reaching. Climbing high and looking far, looking down on the world, with a spirit that moves mountains and rivers—that is Surge of Qi. You, Pei Axiang of Thunder God Temple in Bai'ai Continent, and that old scoundrel Wang Fusu of North Julu Continent have all managed to stand on the second floor by luck. But your foundation for Surge of Qi was too poor. You stumbled and crawled your way to the Returning to Truth realm. Pei Axiang is the worst off; it's like climbing up here with a hunched back. So the Spirit Reaching realm has become a luxury. Pei Axiang knows this bitter truth all too well, which is why he shrinks into a Thunder God Temple."

"Now look at your neighbor Wu Shu. He's very clever. Early on, he extensively read the martial arts secret manuals of the world, then focused on selecting and organizing hundreds of spear techniques from the Haoran World. This is another form of 'fist-cultivation' practice. He wants to broaden his horizons and also expand his spirit, wanting to open a path to the summit for those learning the spear in the world's martial path. You, on the other hand, obtained a half-martial, half-mysterious immortal wall-gazing diagram, and your heart became unsettled. You wanted to pick up Dao cultivation again, try to break through two consecutive realms from the Golden Elixir Realm to the Upper Five Realm. Use stones from other mountains to attack jade, trying to break through the bottleneck of Returning to Truth?"

"Have you forgotten what old Xun said to you? If a martial artist is not pure, even if the ancestral master gives you food, the rice in your bowl will only get less, and your martial path will only get narrower. Just now, you, Ye Yunyun, had the nerve to ask Cao Mo if he was a pure martial artist and how he broke through to the Suppression stage. To be honest, if he weren't here and hadn't heard you say that, he would have laughed himself to death. He would have just let you, Huang Yi Yun, think you'd won a great victory in a fist fight."

Ye Yunyun, upon hearing these words, showed no anger at all. Instead, her expression grew even more solemn. She listened to every word and engraved them in her heart.

Jiang Shangzhen smiled slightly. "To scheme with a tiger for its skin is to pull chestnuts out of the fire. But a gentleman's friendship is the sky high and the moon white. My good Sister Ye, yesterday's affairs are yesterday's affairs. As for tomorrow, you need to give it some serious thought. Old Xun had high hopes for you. He really wanted a Parasol Leaf Continent, where the martial fortune is quite ordinary, to produce someone higher than Wu Shu. If it could be a woman with good fists and even better looks, that would be best. The last time the three of us traveled together to Cloud Basket Peak, old Xun held your hand and earnestly spoke a lot of drunken words. For example, he said you must go further on the martial path than Pei Bei. Those were old Xun's drunken words, but they were also his heartfelt words."

Ye Yunyun frowned. "Did he say that?"

Ye Yunyun really couldn't recall. The thing was, that old Sect Leader Xun talked far too much in her presence.

Moreover, Ye Yunyun wanted to respect the deceased, so she had never felt comfortable complaining to Jiang Shangzhen about the old senior's lack of propriety.

She didn't remember what Xun Yuan had said, but she hadn't forgotten how he pretended to be drunk and held her hand.

Old Sect Leader Xun Yuan, besides going to great lengths to 'invite' her to Blossom Spirit Mountain in the Blessed Land, always looked at her with a wandering, dishonest gaze whenever they met. The old man liked to fawn over her, chattering incessantly, his gaze darting about, his eyes even busier. He looked like a young boy with a first crush, still bold. The accusation Jiang Shangzhen had unjustly leveled at Lu Ying earlier would be perfectly fitting for old Xun.

At such an advanced age, he still liked to watch the mirror-flower, water-moon shows. He even gave himself an unseemly nickname and threw money around everywhere. Fortunately, besides those in the Divine Seal Peak Ancestral Hall, few cultivators in Parasol Leaf Continent knew about this. Every time Cloud Herb Hall opened its mirror-flower, water-moon show, there would be a guy with the nickname 'One-Foot Spear' who would throw money and shout, 'Where's the Yellow Robe Yi Yun fairy? I have a Guyu Coin in my hand! As long as Mountain Lord Ye favors me with her presence, even if it's just a glimpse of her skirt hem, this Guyu Coin won't be wasted. If Mountain Lord Ye is willing to say a word, I'll sell my pots and pans, risk being struck off the mountain genealogy, steal money from the Ancestral Hall, and risk my life to scrape together a few more Guyu coins...'

You, Xun Yuan, were the sect leader of Jade Token Sect! Who would dare to strike you off the Divine Seal Peak genealogy?

Jiang Shangzhen squinted, couldn't help but think of that old man again.

Good wine often doesn't get a good drinker drunk, but a beautiful woman can get even a good drinker dead drunk.

"Old Xun, how did it feel to hold that beauty's little hand?"

"Excellent, excellent. But I was nervous earlier and was too shy. I only dared to hold hands, not squeeze. What a huge loss. First love timidity—still too young!"

Ye Yunyun glanced at Jiang Shangzhen, knowing he must be thinking of some amorous affair, definitely something she wouldn't want to hear.

Ye Yunyun asked, "Like Zhou Fei, are Cao Mo and Zheng Qian false names?"

Jiang Shangzhen smiled. "When you truly get to know Cao Mo, you'll find that he is actually quite sincere with people. As for using a few false names while traveling the world, it's the same principle as a Dao cultivator using an illusion technique to descend into the human world for amusement."

Ye Yunyun frowned. "You still haven't said why you deliberately brought me to meet Cao Mo."

Jiang Shangzhen smiled. "To forge a good affinity. Everything is difficult at the start. Once you have a good start, nothing is difficult anymore."

Ye Yunyun shook her head. "If it's a mountain force from another continent intent on reaping benefits in Parasol Leaf Continent, I won't befriend them. At worst, my Flagon Mountain Cloud Herb Hall will have nothing to do with them forever."

Jiang Shangzhen laughed. "Sister Ye, don't jump to conclusions. You might find that the two sides will have more and more opportunities to interact in the future."

Ye Yunyun nodded. "We'll wait and see."

If one only saw Jiang Shangzhen as a buffoon and a smooth talker, one would be making the greatest mistake of the ages.

Jiang Shangzhen had once said with a grin, 'My view on entering the mountain to cultivate is quite different from many mountain immortals. I've always felt that the closer you are to people, the closer you are to yourself. Cultivating in the mountains, seeking truth and forgetting self—it seems simple and natural, but it's actually not true.'

Xun Yuan had even once said to the Law Keeper Ancestor of Jade Token Sect with a smile, 'While Jiang Shangzhen hasn't yet broken through to the Upper Five Realm, hit him more, scold him more, throw chairs at him in the Ancestral Hall. Because later, you won't have the chance.'

The implication was that once Jiang Shangzhen became a Jade Pool Realm cultivator, the immortal realm of 'seeking truth' would be within easy reach for him. There was no bottleneck.

And once Jiang Shangzhen broke through to the immortal realm, in the Divine Seal Peak Ancestral Hall, even if outsiders came to scold and beat him, he would neither be beaten nor argued down.

At Divine Seal Peak, every meeting had only three items on the agenda: discuss major sect affairs, flatter Sect Leader Xun, and join forces to curse Jiang Shangzhen.

Ye Yunyun suddenly felt a little sad. The man before her seemed somewhat lonely and pitiable. He would probably only become more solitary in his Dao-heart in the future.

Jiang Shangzhen suddenly said, "Sister Ye, this year's Rouge Diagram first page—should I put you down? Otherwise, there will be too much controversy on the mountain. No matter who I choose, it will be hard to convince everyone."

Ye Yunyun greatly regretted her moment of pity. She sneered, "If you dare put me, I'll smash that Blossom Spirit Mountain as a return gift."

Jiang Shangzhen let out a mournful sigh and muttered to himself, "Rice eaten, I went along the mountain to see winter plums. Didn't see plum blossoms, but met Cloud Herb. The beautiful one stands tall, dressed as an immortal official in Daoist attire, with a face like a Bodhisattva, as if in the Moon Palace. The grass moves, the person moves too; the clouds depart, the heart departs with them."

Ye Yunyun sneered. "Good literary talent. You can fool a little girl like Xuanji."

But Jiang Shangzhen changed the subject. "In that Old Lord Mountain scroll painting, didn't you notice something?"

Ye Yunyun nodded. "The image of heaven, the form of earth. Golden Summit Temple uses seven mountain peaks as the Northern Dipper. Du Hanling intends to imitate heaven and earth and create a grand mountain-and-water formation. His ambition is enormous."

Jiang Shangzhen clapped his hands and laughed. "Sister Ye has a good eye. But you haven't seen far enough. It's actually 'seven manifest, two hidden.' Nine furnaces cook the sun and moon, an iron ruler commands thunder and lightning. Refining the water of the five lakes in the morning, boiling the Northern Dipper stars at night. Using Golden Summit Temple as the Celestial Pivot, carefully selected three 'Crown Prince' mountains as support, then using the other vassal forces to secretly lay out the formation, weaving a wedding dress for him alone. Now, he's only missing Peace Mountain and Heavenly Tower Peak. Once this Northern Dipper Grand Formation is activated, in the northern region of our Parasol Leaf Continent, Du Hanling can determine who lives and who dies. What do you think? Isn't View Master Du a true hero? In ancient times, the Northern Dipper was called the Emperor's Chariot, used to command orders, establish the four seasons, balance the five elements, and govern all; it was all tied to the Northern Dipper. With this said, doesn't my nickname for Du Hanling—Mountain Monarch—become even more fitting?"

Ye Yunyun was deeply shaken. "Du Hanling is only a Nascent Soul cultivator. How can he accomplish such a grand move?"

Jiang Shangzhen smiled. "Precisely because he is only a Nascent Soul, having such ambition makes me admire him."

And it's not like he, Jiang Shangzhen, was the only one skilled in suppressing realms.

Once this formation rose, even if it didn't encompass Peace Mountain and Heavenly Tower Peak but used two other locations as substitutes, it would still be a complete Northern Dipper Formation. Then, Jade Pool Realm Du Hanling, seated within it, would be equivalent to an immortal suddenly appearing in the world.

If Du Hanling succeeded in completing the 'seven manifest, two hidden,' perhaps hundreds of years later, an immortal old View Master could become more than half a Flying Ascension Immortal.

Golden Summit Temple had originally been a branch of the Daoist lineage that built towers to observe the stars. But View Master Du Hanling had intentionally concealed his lineage.

So, be it Immortal Han Yushu or the temporarily Nascent Soul Du Hanling, they were both far-sighted and shrewd individuals.

Unfortunately, they met him, Jiang Shangzhen, and a Chen Ping'an who would highly likely choose the northern part of Parasol Leaf Continent for his subordinate sect.

If Chen Ping'an's first action after leaving Cloud Basket Peak was to go to Old Lord Mountain's Ten Thousand Miles Mountains and Rivers Diagram, then it wouldn't just be 'highly likely' but 'certainly.'

Jiang Shangzhen asked, "Where did you get that immortal wall-gazing diagram?"

Ye Yunyun said, "I carefully examined its authenticity and the origin of the painting. There were no problems at all."

Jiang Shangzhen narrowed his eyes. "Trust me, then it definitely has problems. From now on, you must be especially careful of the guest elders of Flagon Mountain, or even a certain direct disciple. Remember one thing: never, ever easily agree to spar with Wu Shu. It's not to say Wu Shu has problems. But after the fist fight, with Wu Shu's usual heavy-handedness, you will definitely be seriously injured. Then Flagon Mountain will have big problems. At that point, even if Wu Shu has no problems, it will become a problem. It won't be a case of one stone killing two birds, but one stone killing three, four, five, six, seven birds, maybe. I was originally planning that after you sparred with Cao Mo, I would explain the situation to him first, then secretly follow you to Flagon Mountain. While you were recovering from your injuries, I would keep an eye on Cloud Herb Hall."

Ye Yunyun asked in a deep voice, "Is it really that dangerous?"

Jiang Shangzhen nodded. "The world is still not truly peaceful. The next hundred years will be the truly remarkable era when heroes and warlords rise together."

---

On the way to Cloud Basket Peak, regarding the placement of the nine sword cultivator embryos at Falling Mountain, Cui Dongshan roughly gave some of his views. He would teach Yu Qingzhang swordsmanship. Zhu Lian, the old cook, would take in the young cook Cheng Chaolu as a disciple, teaching him both cooking and boxing. Law Keeper Changming would take in Nalan Yudie as a direct disciple. Mi Yu would teach He Gu swordsmanship. Sui Youbian would take in Yao Xiaoyan as her senior disciple. Yu Xiedui would follow Cui Wei to the Sword Worship Platform to practice swordsmanship. Bai Xuan would be handed over to Cao Qinglang, and He Xiangting to Master Zhong Qiu. In summary, these children should preferably not be too young and have too seniority. Once they arrived at Falling Mountain, they shouldn't become the direct disciples of the Mountain Lord. They should practice on the mountain with the genealogy status of third-generation disciples of the Clear Iris Peak Ancestral Hall.

After hearing this, Chen Ping'an nodded and said, "This is a tentative plan. Whether it works out depends on whether both sides click. Accepting a master and taking disciples has never been a one-sided affair."

Cui Dongshan was greatly impressed. "The Master is wise."

Learning that Pei Qian had taken on a senior disciple who hadn't yet been officially registered, Chen Ping'an asked with a smile, "Is it easy to teach boxing?"

Pei Qian was a little shy. "Xiao Aman is probably a bit more diligent than I was when I learned boxing and copied books."

Cui Dongshan gave a thumbs up. "I have to say, Senior Disciple's self-awareness alone is something others find hard to match!"

Pei Qian smiled and waited. The Big White Goose was one of the few people who couldn't finish his accounts with just a few books. Similar to Chen Lingjun. Now that guy dared to boast that, except for his hometown, no one in the entire Northern March area could knock him down with one punch. But thinking about it, Pei Qian's expression darkened a little. She didn't know why the Dragon Spring Sword Sect had moved out of Dragon Prefecture and gone north of the Great Li capital.

When they arrived at the secluded private residence of the Jiang clan on Cloud Basket Peak, Cui Dongshan opened the mountain-and-water restrictions, and the three entered. Chen Ping'an found that it was a completely different scene, not the same place as his own bamboo forest dwelling.

Bai Xuan and a few others were squatting on the ground, rummaging through a small pile of rocks, helping Nalan Yudie inspect and select inkstone materials.

As soon as Cui Dongshan appeared, Bai X