Chapter 765: Old Man in a Whirl
Earlier, while Chen Ping'an was dozing inside the Ancestor Hall, the crowd outside quietly waited for the mountain master to appear.
For those cultivating the Dao, restful slumber is a matter of utmost importance. A human life is nothing more than waking and sleeping—when one comes, it is a great awakening; when one leaves, it is a great slumber.
Cui Dongshan tucked his hands into his sleeves and glanced at Jiang Shangzhen, whose temples were already frosted with white. Smiling, he said, "The sun and moon grind like ants, while this old man dances to and fro."
Jiang Shangzhen had just been expressing envy for Sword Immortal Mi's freedom from worldly concerns, while Mi Yu was genuinely admiring Chief Zhou's willingness to shoulder the burdens of righteousness. Hearing Cui Dongshan's sigh, Jiang Shangzhen laughed and replied, "Well said—a drunken night spent in an inn, raising a lamp to examine one's sword, asking if there is any injustice in this world."
Mi Yu was rather confused; he had lost out due to his lack of book learning. For no particular reason, he felt an urge to pose as a dashing hero and take a stroll through the jianghu below the mountains, riding a white horse and dressed in white, hoping to meet some lively and lovely female chivalrous figures.
Cui Dongshan then turned his complaints toward Cao Qinglang. Despite achieving the title of Lianzhong Sanyuan in the blessed land, all he had managed in the Great Li examination grounds was the second place in the new imperial examinations, landing only a position as a Hanlin compiler of the sixth rank in the Great Li court. This had made Cui Dongshan rather ashamed to boast to his grand-master during this trip to the Merit Grove in the Central Earth Divine Continent. The old man Dong from the Confucian Temple and Zhou Mi, the former mountain master of the Old Yufu Academy—those two terrible chess players—when they read a few of your examination essays, their evaluations were not particularly high. And what could my grand-master, who only holds the title of a xiucai, do about it? He had to ask Old Dong and Mountain Master Zhou to circle and annotate for you, so take it."
Cao Qinglang took the several "stolen" examination papers from the Great Li Ministry of Rites, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. Indeed, there were red annotations from Old Master Dong and Mountain Master Zhou on them, with many circles and copious notes. There was criticism, but not much; more often, they were words of praise carefully measured and proper.
In fact, it wasn't just Cao Qinglang's papers. All the palace examination answers from the top three first-rank and the second-rank jinshi of this session were swept up by Cui Dongshan and taken to the Merit Grove. After Old Dong had finished grading, he sighed with emotion: "Clouds steam and mists glow; scales gather in Great Li; a magnificent gathering—the beauty of mountains and rivers."
Cao Qinglang asked, "Little Senior Brother, when can I resign from the Hanlin compiler position?"
In fact, participating in the Great Li imperial examinations had never been Cao Qinglang's intention. It was Zhu Lian who had instigated it, and Master Zhong also thought it feasible. So Cao Qinglang had gone through the prefectural, provincial, metropolitan, and palace examinations step by step, eventually earning the title of second-place graduate. It seemed that within the lineage of the Sage of Literary Sects, the burden of achieving official scholarly merit had fallen entirely on Cao Qinglang's shoulders. And indeed, Cao Qinglang had not disappointed. Even after the Great Li dynasty returned half its territory, half the continent's scholars were still vying to leap over the dragon gate, especially with the Great Li court's unprecedented reforms—the joint metropolitan examinations in the secondary capital and the palace examinations in the capital—which attracted countless outstanding talents, all first-rate seeds of learning. Thus, Cao Qinglang's new title of second-place graduate carried immense weight.
Cui Dongshan laughed. "Resign from office for what? Later, I'll help you get a job compiling history books, and I'll block any evaluations from the Ministry of Personnel. Just think of it as a Hanlin scholar warming the bench for a few years."
Sui Youbian stood together with Master Zhong Qiu. One had resolutely abandoned martial arts to turn to cultivating the sword, vowing to ascend as a sword immortal. The other, surprisingly, had managed to cultivate Confucian divine abilities in the middle of his path, resonating with the principles of sages in the books, ultimately forming a golden core. Neither was ordinary.
Though Sui Youbian was taciturn with the other three from the scroll painting, she showed great respect to Master Zhong, offering her congratulations: "Master Zhong, forming a golden core with the air of a righteous gentleman from a Confucian academy is truly commendable."
Zhong Qiu smiled. "Only tend to the plowing, and ask not about the harvest. Let us encourage each other."
In fact, Zhong Qiu knew about that teacher from Sui Youbian's homeland. National Teacher Zhong had always been a voracious reader, consuming miscellaneous texts, jianghu secrets, and unofficial histories alike. That scholar had been regarded as a Confucian sage-like existence in the Lotus Flower Blessed Land, while also being a mysterious sword immortal of sorts. By the usual accounts in literati notes and unofficial histories, he would merely open his mouth, spit out a sword pellet, and with a flash of white light, heads would roll. And Zhong Qiu's description of "a civil sage and a martial grandmaster"—the so-called "civil sage" could actually be considered a later model of Sui Youbian's teacher.
Lu Baixiang asked Wei Xian, "Why haven't you taken on a disciple yet?"
Wei Xian replied, "I'll wait until your disciple takes on a disciple before I do. Young in age, high in seniority—that's a free advantage. If he still amounts to nothing, to hell with him."
Pei Qian suddenly spoke up, "Old Wei, you said that in battlefield slaughter, there's no such thing as formations like the one-line snake or the dragon gate—it's just about setting ranks and aligning rows, six words. In the end, everyone relies on their own skills, hacking with random blades back and forth. I never believed you before; I always thought you were spouting nonsense. But after I went to Golden Armor Continent, it really seems to be like that."
Wei Xian was silent for a moment, then rubbed his chin. "Such learned words—I don't usually say things like that. Could it be I said them after drinking?"
Pei Qian said, "Old Wei, please know when to stop."
Lu Baixiang laughed heartily. "Boundless capacity, boundless capacity."
Zhou Mili was whispering with Sister Nuanshu, secretly comparing how many melon seeds each had in their sleeves.
When Chen Ping'an walked out of the Ancestor Hall, he found everyone somewhat silent, looking at him with strange expressions. Chen Ping'an looked left and right, but nothing seemed amiss. He asked, puzzled, "What's wrong?"
Cui Dongshan murmured, "Senior Sister?"
By this, he meant that in such a critical moment, it was time for the senior sister to step in.
Pei Qian asked, confused, "What's up?"
Cui Dongshan sighed mournfully, filled with regret. It was a pity that the old immortal Jia from Qilong Lane wasn't present; if he had started things off, the family tradition would have been unstoppable.
Chen Ping'an quickly stepped forward. "How should we arrange things next? We can't all just barge in noisily, can we?"
Zhu Lian smiled. "It's best for the young master to decide."
Chen Ping'an hesitated. "Better not too rowdy. When we return the courtesy later, just one or two of you accompany me to each residence. We'll go down the mountain together first, and I'll call out names when the time comes. Once the important matters are done, people can leave."
In fact, in the small town, on New Year's Eve, there was a custom called "Asking the Night Meal." Every household would visit each other. After the New Year's Eve dinner, before dark, they would reset the table with food and drink. The strong young men would play drinking games and eat. The children wouldn't join the adults; they played on their own, forming groups, visiting every home to beg for candy and melon seeds, each carrying a small cloth bag. Unless it was a house with a grudge, the children would swarm in, shouting "uncle," "aunt," and for the elderly, they would be sitting by the fire that night. The children's forms of address might be mixed up, too high or too low, and the old folks wouldn't mind. If neighbors had bad relations, some children would wait in the alley outside.
According to the local dialect, "ask" and "dream" are homophones. So when Chen Ping'an first left on his travels, he had specifically discussed this with Little Baoping: was it "Asking Night Meal" or "Dreaming Night Meal"?
Among the more than ten guest residences, in one study, two sword immortals were admiring a couplet:
"Plum trees surround the house, thirty in number; books fill the shelves, two thousand volumes."
Shao Yunyan praised, "Full of the misty air of immortals—this is truly a celestial mansion."
A little money-grubber crouched in the main hall, slowly circling a pair of cloud-pattern armchairs. The young girl discovered that behind the chairs were seal-script characters reading "Pleasant wind and bright sun" and "Clouds open, moon bright." The chairs were new, but the characters had an ancient charm.
Two Madams were walking along a bamboo corridor. Madam Zuiyan looked up at a series of wind chimes under the eaves, dozens of thin jade bird shapes hung outside by fine green threads. When the wind rose, the birds fluttered, making a tinkling sound.
Madam Gui was looking at a fengshui stone outside the corridor, engraved with eight characters in running script: "Steep cliff stands alone, as if ascending to heaven." As if unsatisfied, someone had added four small seal-script characters in the lower right corner: "The stone is me."
In a pavilion in one residence, Liu Guibao of the Multicolored Sparrow Mansion was brewing tea. There was a zisha teapot with the base mark "Cold Rain," specifically used for drinking iced tea, with a private seal reading "Unspoken Marquis."
A giant landscape painting hung in the central hall, two zhang in length, with immense spirit. It seemed like a celestial scene from the heavens flying into this person's colorful screen.
It looked like the work of a painting master from the Central Earth's mountain world, a Mr. Fan. On closer examination, it still seemed so, with nothing amiss—the signature, seal, and private mark all perfect evidence.
But in fact, it was the old cook, who had taken off his apron, returned to his study, and holding two brushes in his hands and one in his mouth, casually painted it as flowers bloomed under his strokes.
It was nothing more than a few famous painting albums he had bought from the Red Candle Town bookstore.
All thirty-six guest residences on Jise Peak—from the architectural blueprints, the landscape layout, to every detail, every couplet and calligraphy painting, the selection of every desk ornament, the crafting of every bamboo or wooden chair, the firing of every teapot, every bamboo leaf bookmark—all were the work of a busy Zhu Lian.
---
At the first residence on Jise Peak, Chen Ping'an only brought along Long Life, the law enforcement elder, as they crossed the threshold.
These guests for the ceremony were Dong Gu and Liu Xianyang, the founding disciples of the Dragon Spring Sword Sect, and Wei Jin of the Wind Snow Temple. The relationship between the Dragon Spring Sword Sect and the Wind Snow Temple was known across the continent.
Dong Gu, who was born of a spirit creature, naturally had a very good impression of Fallen Mountain. Moreover, the expensive sword talismans were most frequently purchased by Fallen Mountain. Two of them—the sacrificial offering Zhou Fei and the Daoist friend Long Life—were almost addicted.
Chen Ping'an exchanged polite pleasantries with Dong Gu, his etiquette thorough.
As for Liu Xianyang, there was no need for formalities. So after sitting down, Chen Ping'an chatted more with Wei Jin.
Wei Jin said he wouldn't stay long at Fallen Mountain; he would soon head overseas. There were still many remnant demon beasts that had fled into the sea, perfect for practicing his sword.
Wei Jin also said that now in the Haoran World, with the times changing, many immortal opportunities were emerging accordingly. In Vial Bottle Continent alone, a floating lake had appeared out of nowhere. On an island in the middle of the lake stood an ancient building like a shrine, with a plaque bearing three characters—"Autumn Wind" was clearly visible, but the last character was only half remaining, a "si." The full name was most likely "Autumn Wind Shrine." But any qi practitioner who visited this site seeking immortal fortune walked in dazed and came out dazed, everyone empty-handed. All they knew was that inside dwelled a group of ethereal divine crows from the altars of the earth god, their beaks holding fallen leaves.
In addition, in the southern sea, an immortal ferry ship of at least half-immortal-battle-army rank had appeared, capable of cross-continent travel, with immense scale, like a mighty city or great town. On the ship was only a strange monk who seemed to be the incarnation of the Great Dao. But the ship's whereabouts were uncertain—whether one could board depended on fortune. However, all who boarded vanished like a stone dropped into the sea, with no one able to leave. Later, a female immortal from Flowing Cloud Continent named Congqian, along with a Central Earth sword immortal, jointly boarded to investigate. Yet even they couldn't detain the ship and nearly were "invited to stay as guests for a hundred years" by the seemingly young monk who was like a boundless being. They could only force their way out of a small world to return to the Haoran World.
The Autumn Wind Shrine in Vial Bottle Continent, the nameless ferry ship drifting in the southern sea, the Mountain City Sea-Viewing Tower in Golden Armor Continent...
After the Haoran World bordered the Wasteland World, immortal opportunities sprang up like bamboo shoots after rain.
Chen Ping'an naturally had no interest in the Autumn Wind Shrine, but if anyone from Fallen Mountain wanted to go down the mountain for training, they could try their luck—at least it wasn't as dangerous as that ferry ship.
Liu Xianyang personally escorted Chen Ping'an to the door and suddenly swung his arm.
Chen Ping'an ducked, bent, and charged forward in one smooth motion.
---
At the second residence, Madam Gui of Old Dragon City and Madam Zuiyan of Hanging Mountain.
Chen Ping'an brought Pei Qian and Chen Nuanshu to pay their respects and thank them. They sat facing each other on the long benches in the bamboo corridor.
Madam Gui was still gentle and graceful, calling Pei Qian to sit beside her, and pulling Nuanshu to her side.
So Chen Ping'an had to sit alone on one side.
He chatted with Madam Gui about the Golden Laurel Temple of the Green Luan Kingdom, because the old osmanthus tree on Azure Essential Mountain was undoubtedly a "Moon Palace species," somewhat similar to the Azure Bamboo of Cloud-Cloaked Mountain and the Bamboo Sea Cave Heaven.
Now that their identities had been fully revealed, there was no taboo.
Madam Gui smiled. "The six osmanthus trees on Azure Essential Mountain did indeed originate from my Osmanthus Island lineage. The founding patriarch of the Golden Laurel Temple was an unregistered disciple of Immortal Raft. The current temple master, Zhang Guo, counts as a third-generation disciple by seniority to Immortal Raft. Even Small Bucket should be Zhang Guo's martial uncle. Immortal Raft had a secret pact with the Fan clan's ancestor and helped refine the bamboo punt, allowing the ferry to safely cross the Dragon Trench. Osmanthus Island gave him a few osmanthus branches."
That old boatman of the Fan family, who concealed his name, was truly called Immortal Raft. He had long abandoned his surname and styled himself Star Boat Daoist. The old boatman counted as the unregistered senior disciple of the Three Patriarchs of the Jade Capital.
Lu Chen didn't acknowledge this dull-witted disciple, but his direct disciples, including Cao Rong and He Xiaoliang, all recognized this senior martial brother.
And this Immortal Raft had been unwavering in his devotion to Madam Gui. Chen Ping'an had experienced his infatuation when he traveled to Hanging Mountain on the Osmanthus Island ferry, and they had even tested each other's "Dao arts."
In fact, Chen Ping'an had a better impression of Immortal Raft's unregistered disciple.
But in terms of fame, Immortal Raft, only at the Jade Nether realm, was more renowned in the Haoran World than many Flying Ascension cultivators.
He was the same type of Dao cultivator as Liu Chicheng of White Emperor City—and of course, their own Fallen Mountain's Chen Lingjun was no slouch either.
In the Golden Laurel Temple, under a most ancient "Moon Palace species" osmanthus, a stone table had been carved into a chessboard by a certain sword immortal's sword qi.
The two who had initiated an impromptu chess game while traveling together to the temple were Daoist Immortal Raft and Li Tuanjing, the head of the Wind Lightning Garden.
Today, Madam Gui was clearing up a long-standing puzzle for Chen Ping'an about an "immortal trace." It seemed similar to the Crane-Riding City.
Chen Ping'an looked at Pei Qian and suddenly smiled.
In the Golden Laurel Temple, there had once been a hospitable little Daoist boy who went out of his way to give a charcoal-black little girl who came climbing the mountain a rather valuable osmanthus branch umbrella.
Pei Qian asked, puzzled, "Master?"
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Do you still remember that little Daoist boy?"
Pei Qian thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, he was with that young Daoist named Xu Borui, a real troublemaker."
Madam Zuiyan envied Madam Gui for being able to speak so freely with this dark-hearted and ruthless Hidden Officer.
But thinking of the Sword-Nourishing Gourd that Shao Yunyan had lent her, Madam Zuiyan felt slightly more at ease. After all, a smiling face doesn't invite a slap, right?
Why had Chen Ping'an placed her beside Lu Zhi? Madam Zuiyan knew very well—whether it was the original intention of the Summer Palace or the Hidden Officer's plan. He hoped that Lu Zhi, given her straightforward temperament, after coming to the Haoran World, would have someone to help her with strategies and advice.
Madam Gui spoke to him mentally: "Young Master Chen, regarding the matter of the Old Man Under the Moon's red thread, do you know its origin?"
Chen Ping'an smiled. "I've only heard that Liu Qi had a book of marriage records, something the Old Man Under the Moon used to peruse. When he selected two people and tied the red thread, they became a perfect couple. Whether they grow old together depends on the length of the thread."
Liu Qi.
There were once two groups of mountain-top grand cultivators in the world—the most underestimated and the most overestimated.
Among them, the Flying Ascension cultivator Liu Qi, because his song lyrics were so well written and widely circulated, but how the "Liu Tendon Realm" came about, and why there was a immortal fortune that let one leap to heaven overnight, hadn't spread across the Haoran World. So Liu Qi was considered one of the most underestimated cultivators in the mountains, especially at the peaks.
After Liu Qi returned from the Azure Divine Continent to his homeland in the Haoran World, he proved he was indeed the most underestimated Flying Ascension cultivator, perhaps without exception.
Out at sea, Liu Qi blocked the Throne Demon Yang Zhi, and it was said he overwhelmed her water-element lifebound divine ability with three hundred and sixty-five kinds of spells.
Finally, teaming up with a Vice Leader of the Confucian Temple, he successfully captured Yang Zhi, who had tried to flee far away, and confined her in a secret realm in the Central Earth Divine Continent.
Among the formerly overestimated cultivators were the Mohist Master who "could attack a city alone and defend a city alone," and Zuo You, who had never truly crossed swords with Pei Min.
However, after the Mohist Master's battle at Southern Bodhisattva Continent and Zuo You's multiple sword duels with the Fourteen-Realm Sword Immortal Xiao Xun, they no longer belonged to the "overestimated" category. Instead, they were replaced by the devoted Confucian Chen Chun'an, who had risked his life and destroyed the sun and moon on his shoulders—because even so, not only did he not manage a mutual death with Liu Cha, it seemed Liu Cha didn't even fall in realm, merely being intercepted by Chen Chun'an near a guixu on the southern sea leading to the Wasteland World.
Madam Gui said solemnly, "Be careful."
Chen Ping'an nodded. "I've been very careful."
Madam Gui glanced at Chen Ping'an's wrist.
Chen Ping'an smiled. "It's different."
He rose to take his leave.
Chen Ping'an suddenly smiled and said, "Madam Zuiyan, later I'll ask you in detail about the battles on Southern Bodhisattva Continent."
Madam Zuiyan's face stiffened as she nodded.
---
The third residence was all people from Northern Jambu Continent.
Chen Ping'an brought Cao Qinglang, Zhou Mili, and Chen Lingjun.
Little Mili came from Mute Lake; Chen Lingjun had crossed the river in Northern Jambu Continent.
Bai Shou greeted his good brother Chen Haoren in person at the door. As long as Pei Qian wasn't around, Chen Haoren was his good brother.
When they reached a courtyard, Chen Ping'an had one foot over the threshold and was about to pull it back to flee.
Liu Jinglong, Liu Zhiqing, and Xu Xingjiu were seated around a table piled with drinks.
Unexpectedly, Bai Shou had received instructions from his master and had already closed the door.
Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "We can drink, but just a taste—otherwise, receiving guests drunk would be improper. If it's really necessary, I'll come back after I've finished my rounds and drink with you to our hearts' content."
Liu Jinglong smiled faintly. "Drink first. When it comes to drinking, once you get started, anything can be said."
Chen Ping'an turned to look at Cao Qinglang, who shook his head. "Master, you know I don't drink."
Chen Lingjun beat his chest loudly, swearing an oath. "Drinking? First, you have to get past me! Rest assured, Master, I'll be responsible for carrying Mr. Liu and the others back to their rooms later."
Old True Man Huan Yun gave Chen Ping'an a Daoist salute.
Chen Ping'an smiled and returned the salute with cupped fists.
The two had first met in Cloud City—one selling talismans at a stall, the other with a keen eye.
Everything was understood without words.
Good encounters and good partings, mountains and waters meeting again.
Chen Ping'an apologized to Xu Xingjiu: he had missed not only Xu Xingjiu's wedding feast but also the mountain celebration where the other had inherited the city lord title.
Xu Xingjiu was very understanding and laughed. "Today, I'll have a drink with Mr. Chen first; then later, in Cloud City, I'll make up for it with another drink."
Xu Xingjiu wore a long sword at his waist—the "Slender Eyebrow" dharma sword gifted by Fallen Mountain. He lightly patted the sword hilt. "For the gift of the sword, I'll repay you with another drink when I find the chance, Mr. Chen."
Chen Ping'an just pretended to be dim-witted and turned to congratulate Liu Zhiqing.
The extremely handsome Liu Zhiqing smiled faintly. "Breaking into the Nascent Soul realm isn't worth making a big fuss over. One drink."
Chen Ping'an just smiled without speaking.
Drink, drink, drink—drink your ancestors' drink, you three drunkards. Drink on your own.
Bai Shou sighed. "I'm not like Mr. Liu. I'm just a minor sword cultivator, only a Golden Core opening a peak—so half a drink?"
Chen Ping'an said, "Half a drink? That's not enough. How about I bring Pei Qian along to drink a full one with you?"
At the mention of Pei Qian's name, Bai Shou felt his head split. He immediately changed course, switching sides with great righteousness: "What's the matter with you all? My good brother here is so busy today, with so many guests from afar to entertain. Drinking would only delay things."
Chen Ping'an sat down between Liu Jinglong and Liu Zhiqing and asked Shao Yunyan of Spring Chin Studio, "Studio Master Shao, how is Mr. Lu doing on Southern Bodhisattva Continent? Does Mr. Lu have any intention of establishing his own sect? If so, if he doesn't mind, I could serve as a sacrificial offering."
Shao Yunyan smiled and nodded. "Mr. Lu has been wounded in several battles in a row. He's already changed his sword three times, and his lifebound flying sword has suffered some damage, but his sword heart has been honed greatly. He's already seen the bottleneck."
Shao Yunyan sighed without hiding his feelings. "But Mr. Lu has no intention of founding a sect. He has already agreed to serve as a guest elder for Old Sword Immortal Qi."
Chen Ping'an nodded. "It's good that Old Sword Immortal Qi is willing to take root in the Haoran World, and even better that he's establishing his sect through solid military merit. It's only right for Mr. Lu to become a guest elder—both publicly and privately, both emotionally and rationally. If Studio Master Shao would follow Mr. Lu and also serve as a guest elder, that would be best. For Old Sword Immortal Qi's sect, that would be another timely help. Of course, this is just my personal suggestion."
Shao Yunyan smiled and nodded. "Since the Hidden Officer has said so, I'll give it serious consideration."
Liu Zhiqing reminded them, "Don't just talk—drink."
Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "At least let me finish the rounds first. I'm on my own mountain; I can't run away."
Liu Zhiqing smiled slightly. "The higher the realm, the more cowardly at the drinking table."
Chen Ping'an said, "Between me, Studio Master Shao, True Man Huan, Xingjiu, Chen Lingjun, and Little Mili, we can take on the two of you—wouldn't that be like a game?"
Xu Xingjiu was bewildered.
Chen Ping'an reminded him, "Old True Man Huan is now a guest elder of our Fallen Mountain. You and I are also half-matchmakers for you and Miss Zhao. Think it over, Xingjiu."
Xu Xingjiu sighed.
Liu Zhiqing thought for a moment. "Then add me in? Mr. Liu has a good capacity anyway."
Liu Jinglong reached out and covered a wine jug in front of him. "Forget it today."
Chen Ping'an narrowly escaped the place. After leaving, he took Mi Yu and Cui Wei to the next residence.
Actually, Xu Xingjiu had wanted to tell Chen Ping'an about a worry, his face full of guilt. But Chen Ping'an smiled and replied with a mental voice: "Don't worry, it's a small matter. Drink your wine and keep Sword Immortal Liu company."
Back in the courtyard.
Shao Yunyan asked curiously, "Jinglong, why did you let him off?"
Liu Jinglong began to drink, chuckling softly. "The world never lacks wine; it only lacks a reunion of old friends."
Xu Xingjiu asked in confusion, "Mr. Liu, that answer seems somewhat off topic."
Liu Jinglong took a sip of wine and said helplessly, "Xingjiu, Zhiqing—you two are both so devoted to loyalty. What can I do?"
Seeing Xu Xingjiu still worried, Liu Jinglong smiled. "Since Chen Ping'an has returned to Fallen Mountain, he'll surely handle things properly. What are you still worried about?"
Xu Xingjiu nodded, grabbed a wine jug, and said, "Mr. Liu, I'll have one first!"
Liu Jinglong rubbed his temple.
---
At the fourth residence, Mi Yu felt as though he had barely saved half his life from the Ancestor Hall on Jise Peak, and now the remaining half seemed precarious again.
And Cui Wei, who had been fierce in the battles of Vial Bottle Continent, seemed even heavier-hearted than Mi Yu. He took a deep breath before crossing the threshold.
Chen Li and Gao Youqing, the two direct disciples of female Sword Immortal Li Cai. Ju Xing and Zhao Mu, the two beloved disciples of female Sword Immortal Xie Songhua.
These four earliest sword immortal prodigies to leave the Sword Qi Great Wall—their temperaments, flying swords, realms, and family backgrounds—Chen Ping'an knew them all thoroughly.
And there were nine younger children.
Hidden Officer Chen Ping'an, Little Hidden Officer Chen Li, Smallest Hidden Officer Bai Xuan.
Bai Xuan stood with his hands behind his back. "Oh, isn't this the great Sword Immortal Mi, whose romantic interests span all nine continents of the Haoran World? I've heard your name for a long time, and seeing you in person, this face really is a flying sword—conquering all women."
Mi Yu waved his hand. "You flatter me, you flatter me."
Chen Li said with a grin, "It's such a shame that Fallen Mountain doesn't host a 'Mirror Flower, Water Moon' show."
Chen Ping'an smiled knowingly.
Mi Yu, Jiang Shangzhen, Cui Dongshan. In addition, Mountain Lord Wei Po and guest elder Liu Zhiqing.
Now that his private matters had been settled, shouldn't Fallen Mountain start hosting some Mirror Flower, Water Moon shows?
Mi Yu shook his lapels, willing to contribute his modest efforts for the sake of Fallen Mountain.
Nalan Yudie stared at Cui Wei.
Cui Wei seemed to have something to say but hesitated.
Cui Wei's teaching master was Nalan Yexing of the Ning Manor.
And Nalan Yexing did indeed come from the Nalan clan of Taixiang Street, and was actually a brother of the same generation as the clan head, Nalan Shaowei. But due to a personal grudge with rights and wrongs on both sides early on, he had broken ties with the clan.
So the Nascent Soul sword cultivator Cui Wei had some convoluted connection with the young girl Nalan Yudie.
Nalan Yudie looked up at Cui Wei and asked, "You didn't draw your sword in your homeland, but you fought desperately in foreign lands—why?"
The atmosphere immediately became tense.
Because all the sword immortal prodigies wanted to know Cui Wei's answer.
Cui Wei replied expressionlessly, "Before, I was afraid of death and wanted to survive. In the Haoran World, I wanted to live better, and I couldn't afford to fear death."
Nalan Yudie said "Oh," then lay down on the table, playing with a wooden fushou plaque.
Mi Yu gently patted Cui Wei on the shoulder and said mentally, "The children are still young."
Children see the world purely—black and white, good and bad.
Cui Wei replied mentally, "I don't blame them. The fact that they can ask such questions is what makes them sword cultivators of the Sword Qi Great Wall."
Chen Ping'an changed the subject and asked with a smile, "What about Sun Chunwang? Still practicing swords?"
It seemed the courtyard was missing only that solitary girl.
Yao Xiaoyan nodded vigorously, worrying, and lowered her voice. "Master Cao, Sun Chunwang seems to have gone crazy with sword practice. You need to talk to her."
Chen Ping'an sighed. "I'll have Cui Dongshan talk to her about it later."
It was Cui Dongshan's doing—the one who tied the bell must untie it.
Chen Li's eyes sparkled. "Hidden Officer, I'll soon be a Nascent Soul!"
Ju Xing, sitting on the steps, clucked his tongue.
Chen Li glared at him. "You have a problem?"
Ju Xing said, "Someone is a few years older than me. I can't do anything about that even if I don't accept it."
Bai Xuan squinted. "How dare you talk to the Little Hidden Officer like that? Don't you know Chen Li comes from our world-exclusive Hidden Officer lineage?"
But Chen Li said, "You're just self-proclaimed—not even half of one."
Bai Xuan immediately turned hostile, jumping up and cursing, "If you're so tough, why not suppress your realm and fight Ju Xing?"
Chen Li sneered. "What's so hard about suppressing your realm for a sword duel? Want me to take on you and someone else together?"
Bai Xuan thought for a moment and shook his head. "I've started practicing boxing recently. I'm a pure martial artist for now."
Gao Youqing felt some fear when she saw the young Hidden Officer. She wasn't as close as the other sword cultivators, nor did she pretend not to care.
In fact, she was older than the other nine children who had left their homeland later, and she understood better the meaning of "Hidden Officer."
Not to mention Flying Ascension City across one world, Chen Ping'an was the last Hidden Officer of the Sword Qi Great Wall after Xiao Xun. On the Sword Qi Great Wall, he wielded more power than even the Executioner.
Her brother was Gao Ye Marquis, and the Pang Yuanji she admired was from the Summer Palace Hidden Officer lineage—a subordinate of Chen Ping'an?
But Gao Ye Marquis had followed Flying Ascension City to the fifth world, and Pang Yuanji seemed to have gone to the Western Buddhist Kingdom.
Chen Ping'an sat down among them, feeling like he was sitting among a pile of children.
Mi Yu and Cui Wei remained standing.
After a moment of silence, Chen Ping'an only said one sentence: "When you grow up, come back to the Sword Qi Great Wall for a visit."
As for Flying Ascension City, it would open its doors in a little over seventy years. Every sword immortal prodigy knew that they would definitely go to that world. Whether to return to the Haoran World could be decided then.
Even children like He Xiangting and Yu Qingzhang, who had never spoken a word to the Hidden Officer, trusted Chen Ping'an. If anyone wanted to stay in that world, they believed the Hidden Officer wouldn't stop them.
---
Chen Ping'an brought Chief Sacrificial Offerer Zhou Fei and Sui Youbian to a residence that was all women.
Sun Qing, the master of the Multicolored Sparrow Mansion, and her direct disciple Liu Guibao. Li Fugu and Zhou Caizhen of the True Realm Sect.
That year, thanks to Daoist Sun, Chen Ping'an had left a dangerous immortal mansion ruin with some gains. He had once made a big deal with the Multicolored Sparrow Mansion, trading a large caisson he had painstakingly carried to Cloud City for a cunzhiwu spatial artifact.
Because of Liu Jinglong, the immortal Sun Qing had a faint smile; because of Yu Mi, Sun Qing couldn't really laugh.
Both master and disciple seemed to have fallen into the hands of this friend of Chen Ping'an's. Privately, Sun Qing would complain about her disciple Liu Guibao—why did she have to fall for a playboy like Yu Mi? She should have learned from her master, at least. Liu Jinglong was, after all, a gentleman of upright conduct.
Zhou Caizhen, the registered female cultivator of the True Realm Sect who had been renamed by Jiang Shangzhen, had grown up near the Book Splash Lake. From an infant in swaddling clothes, she had become a graceful young girl.
Zhou Caizhen smiled and called Jiang Shangzhen "Dad."
Jiang Shangzhen's face was tender, and he patted the girl's head.
The girl then curtsied to Chen Ping'an and said, "Mr. Chen."
Chen Ping'an smiled and nodded, giving her a small wooden box as a meeting gift. Inside were twelve bamboo leaf bookmarks, a "World Peace" nameplate personally carved by Chen Ping'an—now equivalent to a passport for Fallen Mountain—and a Dragon Spring Sword Sect sword talisman.
The girl took the box with both hands and thanked him. Chen Ping'an hesitated, then asked with a smile, "Are the views at Book Splash Lake still good?"
Zhou Caizhen curtsied again. "Mr. Chen, the views at Book Splash Lake are excellent."
Chen Ping'an said, "When you go out for training in the future, you could travel to Northern Jambu Continent."
Zhou Caizhen hesitated.
In fact, she didn't really want to travel to that "homeland" in Northern Jambu Continent, didn't want to go to Suijia City.
But it seemed saying so would make her seem cold and shallow. The girl didn't want to lie, so she grew uneasy.
Chen Ping'an smiled. "It's fine. If you want to go, no hurry. If you don't want to, that's fine too."
Zhou Caizhen breathed a sigh of relief.
She blinked, looking at this Mr. Chen, who had many stories connected to Book Splash Lake.
Every time Zhou Caizhen visited Green Gorge Island, she would pass the account room by the ferry, but it was always locked. Hongsu, Sister Lake Lord—everyone spoke of Mr. Chen differently. Her master Li Fugu, the current True Realm Sect master Liu Laocheng, the newly appointed Chief Sacrificial Offerer, River-Cutting True Lord Liu Zhimao, and Sister Sui—each had a different take on Mr. Chen.
Sun Qing clasped her fists and said heartily, "Mountain Lord Chen, doing business with you is never a loss. Anyway, whether our Multicolored Sparrow Mansion can become a sect within the next hundred years depends entirely on Fallen Mountain. We can even discuss becoming a vassal mountain of yours, like Pearl Hairpin Island on Turtle Fish Ridge. Then Fallen Mountain could lend us a few sacrificial offerers and guest elders to help us save face. Our Multicolored Sparrow Mansion has nothing special except many women. If any Fallen Mountain cultivator can win them over based on real ability—not by good looks—I'd be happy to see it and won't stop it!"
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Okay."
It was a pity Zheng Dafeng wasn't on the mountain; otherwise, he would be drooling by now.
In previous years, Mi Yu, under the alias Yu Mi, had gone to this Multicolored Sparrow Mansion, which made its living by refining dharma robes. He had brought them a superb dharma robe from the Golden and Jade City of the Wasteland World. Under sunlight, the gold and jade colors shimmered like peacock eye spots, earning it the reputation of "dividing yin and yang by water routes." Even the Throne Demon Yang Zhi's dragon robe used the refining technology of Golden and Jade City. By repeatedly disassembling this robe, the Multicolored Sparrow Mansion's dharma robe skills had advanced a hundredfold. With support from many immortals, including the Taiwei Sword Sect, Cloud City, and the Dragon Palace Cave Heaven, numerous mountain and river spirits of Northern Jambu Continent—especially the officials of the City God Pavilion and the Civil and Military Temples, such as the day and night wandering spirits—developed a strong liking for these robes. Most crucially, through cooperation with the Hemp-Bearing Sect, the robes were further improved. With the help of Wei Po from Cloud-Cloaked Mountain, the Multicolored Sparrow Mansion even made a huge deal with the Great Li dynasty, ordering over a thousand robes in one go. Over these ten-plus years, including the master Sun Qing and law elder Wu Jun, all the cultivators on the mountain had hardly any time for cultivation—they were all weaving like silkworm maidens.
This mountain business that brought in steady revenue made even the Qionglin Sect envious. They approached the Multicolored Sparrow Mansion several times in secret, wanting a share. They promised a large deposit of Grain Rain coins first, three times in total, each offer higher than the last. But Sun Qing refused them all. Not to mention their secret alliance with Fallen Mountain—if she were blinded by greed and agreed to that, she would have no face to see Mr. Liu again.
Sun Qing hesitated, then broached the subject directly. "As for Spring Dew Garden, does Mountain Lord Chen plan to completely freeze them out?"
This time, the ceremony invitation had not included Spring Dew Garden.
In fact, if not for that dharma robe business, Spring Dew Garden would have been Fallen Mountain's second-largest trade ally in Northern Jambu Continent, just after the Hemp-Bearing Sect. Even Cloud City and the Multicolored Sparrow Mansion would have taken a back seat.
Chen Ping'an shook his head. "No such plan. I'll make a trip to Spring Dew Garden."
Sun Qing said candidly, "Even an upright official can't settle family disputes. Let Mountain Lord Chen worry about that himself—I can't help. As for that old lady, I can't be bothered to argue with her."
Chen Ping'an smiled and said nothing.
Of Fallen Mountain's three commercial arteries, two were deeply involved with Northern Jambu Continent. One was the southeastern route, starting from the Hemp-Bearing Sect at Skeleton Beach and ending at Spring Dew Garden at the mouth of the Great River, with minor extensions connecting the Multicolored Sparrow Mansion and Cloud City. The other route ran from south to north, still via the Hemp-Bearing Sect, but mainly cooperating with Floating Lotus Sword Lake and the Dragon Palace Cave Heaven. It involved over eighty immortals' mountain peaks, big and small. Most of them did not have direct contact with Fallen Mountain, and many minor peaks still mistakenly believed that the southward shipments on cross-continent ferries were via the Northern Sacred Mountain Cloud-Cloaked Mountain and Oxhorn Mountain Ferry, then sold further south in Vial Bottle Continent.
During this period, there were two major disagreements at Spring Dew Garden. The first was when Fallen Mountain decided to reduce prices and cut profits. Spring Dew Garden wouldn't lose money, but would make very little, leading to endless arguments in the Ancestor Hall. The Spring Dew Garden master, a Nascent Soul cultivator, hoped Fallen Mountain could adopt a more moderate price—after all, ferry trips back and forth shouldn't earn just meager profits like flies. At the same time, the three allies who had been solidly united—Tang Xi of the Zhaoye Grass Hall, old Golden Core cultivator Song Lanqiao, and his teaching master, the old woman—also had internal disputes. Tang Xi agreed with the garden master, while only the teacher and disciple (Song Lanqiao and the old woman) threatened to remove their seats in the Ancestor Hall unless Spring Dew Garden relented. In the end, Spring Dew Garden weighed the pros and cons and chose not to lose the promising future income stream from Fallen Mountain, so they backed down.
After that, Fallen Mountain intentionally or unintentionally raised Cloud City's commercial status. And the Multicolored Sparrow Mansion inexplicably gained a treasure basin, seemingly only missing an Upper Five Realm cultivator to become a sect. This made Spring Dew Garden, which was wealthy but not yet sect-level, somewhat resentful. According to the quota, the dharma robes distributed to Spring Dew Garden should have sold out first, but for unknown reasons, many were backlogged there. This actually stemmed from a discussion in the Ancestor Hall. The "money god" of Spring Dew Garden, who had bad blood with Tang Xi, spoke many strange words about Cloud City and the Multicolored Sparrow Mansion. The old woman was also extremely angry, saying that the gaudy girls of the Multicolored Sparrow Mansion were treating them like beggars.
Song Lanqiao, who sat at the very back of the Ancestor Hall, felt helpless. His master was good at everything, but she was easily provoked by people's words. In person, some flattering words that shouldn't have been taken seriously would make her lose all reason. Moreover, Spring Dew Garden genuinely wanted to use Song Lanqiao's relationship with Chen Ping'an to ask the young sword immortal to help Spring Dew Garden earn more immortal money. On this matter, Tang Xi actually agreed with Song Lanqiao—the old woman shouldn't act that way. Friendship was friendship, business was business. But Song Lanqiao's private counsel was useless; when Tang Xi persuaded her, he was scolded thoroughly.
On Fallen Mountain's side, out of consideration for the old woman's relationship with their mountain master, they made two minor concessions. But Spring Dew Garden still found them insufficient.
There were many rumors and complaints. For instance, when Fallen Mountain helped Cloud City build a private immortal ferry dock, Spring Dew Garden even took offense, sending a flying sword message demanding that the dock be moved to a vassal peak of Spring Dew Garden.
The writer of that letter was the old woman herself; the recipient, of course, was Chen Ping'an.
After receiving that letter, Zhu Lian and Wei Po exchanged speechless glances, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
Chen Ping'an was aware of all these disturbances, which was why he intended to visit Spring Dew Garden personally—though it was along the way.
Sui Youbian sat beside Li Fugu. In the Book Splash Lake area, her conflicts with the second sect master Wei Ying were known throughout the sect. She had no dealings with Liu Laocheng or Liu Zhimao, but she could talk with Li Fugu.
Li Fugu was deeply emotional. That young accountant from Green Gorge Island seemed to have become a completely different person in the blink of an eye.
Calm, composed, and someone whose company was as refreshing as a spring breeze.
When Chen Ping'an rose to leave, Sun Qing suddenly said, "Mountain Lord Chen, you're not going to make a big scene at Spring Dew Garden, are you? Peace brings wealth."
Chen Ping'an suppressed a smile. "I know my limits."
After Chen Ping'an left, Sun Qing asked, "Fugu, Guibao, don't you think this kind of thing is tricky?"
Li Fugu said, "When sentiment and reason are mixed together, involving individual mountain peaks and money matters, it's actually very tricky."
Sun Qing said, "But how does he act like nothing's wrong?"
Liu Guibao said, "Master, have you forgotten what happened at the immortal mansion ruin? People like Mountain Lord Chen are born to solve troublesome matters."
Sun Qing thought for a moment. "All I remember is him hugging a bamboo pole and shouting, 'Wrong, wrong!'"
Zhou Caizhen asked curiously, "Are there stories about it? Can Sister Liu tell me?"
Liu Guibao then selected some things she could share and gave the girl a rough account of that perilous immortal fortune struggle.
Zhou Caizhen listened with a strange expression, unable to reconcile the gentle and refined Mr. Chen with the image of an old man in black.
Liu Guibao couldn't help but laugh and teased, "Your Mr. Chen is especially fierce at making money."
Zhou Caizhen shook her head. "You must be misunderstanding Mr. Chen."
---
Chen Ping'an, accompanied by Cui Dongshan, Wei Xian, and Lu Baixiang, walked to a residence where the atmosphere was extremely delicate.
There was a small stream gurgling past, and two groups of people stood leaning on the railing.
Li Er, Li Liu, and Han Chengjiang.
Lin Shouyi, Yu Lu, Xie Xie, and Dong Shuijing.
Yu Lu was watching the stream fish, intending to make a fishing rod himself.
When Xie Xie saw Cui Dongshan, her leisurely demeanor vanished.
Sure enough, after Chen Ping'an clasped his fists at Li Er, addressing him as "Uncle Li," Li Er smiled and nodded. Cui Dongshan immediately rushed over to Xie Xie, stood on tiptoe to reach her ear, and shouted, "Great Golden Core Xie, Great Immortal Xie!"
Xie Xie's body stiffened, her nerves taut, and she didn't move an inch.
Yu Lu waved at Chen Ping'an. "I'm going to find a bamboo."
With a tap of his toes, Yu Lu vaulted over the bamboo railing and the stream, running alone into the bamboo grove on the opposite mountain.
Chen Ping'an said to Lin Shouyi, "I went to the Great River Shrine earlier; you had just left."
Lin Shouyi nodded with a smile, not particularly enthusiastic—same as always. Probably even after a few hundred or thousand years, Lin Shouyi would still have that temperament.
Chen Ping'an said to Dong Shuijing, "Later, I'll visit you at your mansion in the prefectural city for a drink and ask for business advice."
Dong Shuijing smiled. "We'll have plenty to talk about."
Chen Ping'an clasped his fists at Li Liu and Han Chengjiang, smiling without speaking.
Otherwise, Lin Shouyi and Dong Shuijing would probably want him to drink with them today.
Li Liu smiled and nodded. Han Chengjiang bowed formally. "Greetings, Mountain Lord Chen."
Chen Ping'an had to bow in return. "Greetings, Mr. Han."
Lin Shouyi curled his lip; Dong Shuijing averted his eyes, turning to look at the bamboo grove. Bowing, bowing—why didn't you just bend all the way to the ground, Han? Wouldn't that show more sincerity?
Then Chen Ping'an took a walk with Li Er, moving away.
Li Er asked, "What about the movements on Parasol Leaf Continent?"
Chen Ping'an nodded. "They achieved the Stagnation Realm at Peace Mountain."
Li Er said approvingly, "Then I'll stay on the mountain a few more days. I can feed you punches without holding back."
Chen Ping'an's face showed embarrassment, but he nodded.
Li Er slapped Chen Ping'an on the shoulder, voice focused into a line: "Since it was Li Liu's wish, I, as her father, have nothing to say. Chengjiang's character is indeed good. But I shouldn't say this—you came home too late. Your aunt still regrets it. She keeps saying that if you had come back earlier, she would never have agreed to this match."
Chen Ping'an stiffly replied, "Uncle Li is now a father-in-law; you really shouldn't say that."
Li Er laughed, then punched Chen Ping'an's shoulder. "It shouldn't be 'feeding punches'—it should be 'asking for a duel at the same realm.'"
Chen Ping'an's shoulder tilted. "Of course it's feeding punches."
The Stagnation Realm has three levels: Spirit Flourishing, Returning to Truth, and Divine Attainment.
Chen Ping'an was only at Spirit Flourishing; Li Er was already at Divine Attainment.
Li Er said, "If you beat me, then it'll be up to you whether it's feeding punches or asking for a duel."
Chen Ping'an smiled bitterly, speechless.
Uncle Li's feeding punches were really heavy.
Cui Dongshan stayed behind to chat with Xie Xie.
Lu Baixiang and Wei Xian walked over to Li Er to ask about some principles of boxing.
Afterward, Chen Ping'an, with Wei Wenlong, visited the Hemp-Bearing Sect's money god Wei Yusong, Fan Er, Sun Jiashu, and Jin Su.
Fan Er stood at the door, waiting for Chen Ping'an.
Chen Ping'an hurried forward, smiling, and raised his hand to slap palms heavily with Fan Er.
Walking side by side, Fan Er lowered his voice. "I'm now a Grandmaster at the Fifth Realm of martial arts. Let's practice later?"
Chen Ping'an hesitated for a long time before just saying, "Spectacular breakthrough speed."
At this stop, they talked business. There was no lack of friendship—it was just that the friendship was in the business.
True friends, after all, are those whose relationship is bigger than money.
At Xie Songhua and Yuan Lingdian's place, Mountain Lord Wei Po, who was a guest of Fallen Mountain, acted as half a host.
Chen Ping'an brought Zhu Lian and Zhong Qiu to return the courtesy.
Yu Juanfu clasped her fists.
Lin Junbi first clasped his fists, then bowed—two forms of address, two ways of speaking: "Greetings, Hidden Officer. I pay my respects, Mr. Chen."
Chen Ping'an nodded in acknowledgment first, then had to bow in return, asking with a smile, "Are Cao Gun and Xuan Shen doing well?"
Lin Junbi straightened up. "I've seen them once each. They miss the Hidden Officer even more than I do."
Lin Junbi of the Shao Yuan Dynasty was no longer just a suddenly famous youth in the Central Earth Divine Continent. He was now a leading figure among the younger generation. Whenever the name Lin Junbi was mentioned, it always impressed others. Sword cultivator realm, his resume and achievements on the Sword Qi Great Wall, his personal talent, his Confucian lineage and scholarly heritage, his position as reserve minister of Shao Yuan, his handsome appearance, his immortal airs from the mountains, his exquisite chess skills, his elegant conversation, his pragmatic governance... all advantages, a flawless person.
Chen Ping'an reminded him, "Junbi, you still need to pass three trials: the heart demon at the Nascent Soul bottleneck, breaking into the Upper Five Realm, and becoming the national teacher of Shao Yuan—waiting for the slander."
Lin Junbi's expression was grave as he awaited the rest. The last trial must be the hardest.
Chen Ping'an said, "Do I need to say more? Of course, find a wife quickly. Don't stay a bachelor!"
Chen Ping'an's peripheral vision flickered to the woman beside them.
Yu Juanfu laughed angrily. "Question of fists?"
Lin Junbi nodded. "I bet on Miss Yu winning."
As long as the Hidden Officer agreed to a fist duel, Lin Junbi thought he would profit even if he had to pay to watch.
Chen Ping'an ignored her and said to Lin Junbi solemnly, "My chess skills have improved greatly. Later, I'll have Dongshan play a few games with you."
Lin Junbi looked resigned. What kind of logic was the Hidden Officer using?
Chen Ping'an said, "Miss Yu, thank you for taking care of Pei Qian in recent years."
Yu Juanfu shook her head. "On the battlefield of Golden Armor Continent, Pei Qian saved me more than once."
Chen Ping'an also shook his head. "That's not how the account works. Without you, Pei Qian's training outside would have been much harder."
Yu Juanfu teased, "Settling accounts openly?"
Xie Songhua said, "Strict household management, what can he do? Miss Yu should be understanding."
Chen Ping'an was very afraid of this female sword immortal from Ai'ai Continent and hurriedly took his leave.
---
After that, it wasn't really a courtesy visit anymore. He took Pei Xiang and Hongxia to see the Qilong Lane lineage.
The old immortal Jia Sheng, now a Dragon Gate realm cultivator, was at this moment, as if opening his heavenly eye, "watching" the mountain master. The old Daoist sighed emotionally, stroking his beard. "Observing the mountain lord's aura: the momentum is heavy but the qi is light; light qi means purity and nobility. Let alone the lofty realm and cultivation, just in the way of dealing with the world, the mountain lord seems one with heaven and earth, truly sublime."
Chen Ping'an was speechless.
Fortunately, there were no outsiders here.
They were all direct or second-generation disciples on the family register.
Yuanbao, Yuanlai, Cen Yuanji. Zhao Shuxia, Zhao Luan. Plus a cloud sprite named Yunzi, who had taken human form as a black-clad youth with narrow eyes.
Chen Ping'an reminded Yunzi, "Yunzi, from now on, Yellow Lake Mountain will be your place of cultivation. Hongxia volunteered in the previous Ancestor Hall meeting to transfer the water mansion to you. Also, take this chance to play a few games with Lin Junbi; it might help sharpen your Dao heart."
---
The last residence had only one person: Liu Zhongrun, the island master of Pearl Hairpin Island, solitary and alone.
Chen Ping'an brought Cao Qinglang and Little Mili to call on him.
After that, Wei Jin and Yuan Lingdian left Fallen Mountain first.
Li Er's family also went down the mountain, since they lived nearby—their ancestral home was in the small town.
When Han Chengjiang went down the mountain, his steps were a bit lighter. He felt that this Mountain Lord Chen was a reasonable scholar, and he was finally not being set up by Liu Xianyang.
The remaining guests would stay on the mountain for a few days.
In fact, for a mountain-clan establishment ceremony in the Haoran World, completing the formalities and return visits within a single day was practically a miracle.
Generally speaking, anywhere from ten days to half a month, or even one or two months, was normal.
One misstep—like being seated in the back, being slighted—would cause trouble. Or if the host didn't show up personally for the return visit, and even the law elder and chief sacrificial offerer had nothing to say, leaving only an ordinary earth immortal to handle it, many old families with old pedigrees would consider it a great insult. Or if a ceremony didn't have several Upper Five Realm cultivators coming to congratulate, or if there wasn't a transcendent immortal leading the observers, it would be a joke. Or if, after opening the Mirror Flower, Water Moon, a flying sword message would soon arrive from one's own mountain peak, complaining that the host sect was improper, since they hadn't seen their own patriarch at all, but someone from another mountain peak showed up too much...
In fact, if Fallen Mountain weren't Chen Ping'an's Fallen Mountain, arranging those Upper Five Realm cultivators' residences so "casually"—let alone the order of return visits—would have already broken many taboos.
They would have needed to consider that Yuan Lingdian was a high disciple of Fire Dragon True Man, Lin Junbi was the future national teacher of Shao Yuan, Yu Juanfu was from the Yu clan...
Afterward, several groups from Northern Jambu Continent agreed to return together.
Xie Songhua, with her two disciples, Yu Juanfu, and Lin Junbi, said they would go find the Autumn Wind Shrine together.
They'd travel part of the way with Fan Er, Sun Jiashu, and the others.
Lu Baixiang and Wei Xian each returned to their mountain peaks and military units.
In the end, Chen Ping'an couldn't escape the drinking. The night before, under the bright moon, after settling Xu Xingjiu, Chen Ping'an, Liu Jinglong, and Liu Zhiqing sat on the rooftop, reeking of alcohol, watching the moon together.
Cui Wei led the nine sword immortal prodigies to the Sword-Worshipping Terrace to practice. Sui Youbian, having decided to go to the Southern Parasol Leaf Continent branch sect, only requested that thatched hut there, because she had taken a fancy to a little girl and intended to accept her as a direct disciple. But Bai Xuan changed his mind, swaggered back to Jise Peak with a sword talisman at his waist, saying he'd learn boxing for a few days first—no need to hurry with swords.
Lin Shouyi, Yu Lu, and Xie Xie were interested in Zhaodu Ridge. Without being polite to Chen Ping'an, they each took a private residence there. To their surprise, each had a substantial collection of books.
Chen Ping'an didn't hide his favoritism either, reserving the best-located residence for Little Baoping.
Chen Ping'an went alone to Gray-Mist Mountain, where he saw Shao Poxian, Menglong, and Chunshui, who went by the alias Shiqiu.
That young girl from the Diaojiao Mountain ferry, now a woman no longer a girl, looked at the man in blue who was no longer a youth, and said she had figured it out—that there's no obstacle in the world that can't be overcome.
When she said this, her eyes were bright. In her hand, she clutched a small embroidered money pouch, which she raised gently and shook, saying she wouldn't give it to Mr. Chen.
Chen Ping'an only said one sentence: "We can survive many hardships, but that doesn't mean those hardships were right to begin with."
That woman curtsied to the blue-clad, sword-carrying man.
Chen Ping'an returned to Fallen Mountain and browsed the account books in the office, a habit of his.
In the office, besides Wei Wenlong, there was also Zhang Jiazhen, once a boy from the wine shop at the Sword Qi Great Wall, now a man of thirty.
Cao Qinglang, at the mountain gate, was reading a book with Yuanlai.
Cen Yuanji continued walking her stake-marching boxing practice, with Yuanbao accompanying her.
Yuanbao watched Cen Yuanji reading, while Yuanbao watched Cao Qinglang reading.
On Fallen Mountain, a group was patrolling, led by Cui Dongshan, his two snow-white sleeves flapping. Behind him was Chen Lingjun, imitating him, then Nuanshu, Little Mili, and an incense fire humanoid who had come to check in. From tall to short, they formed a procession.
Mi Yu, accompanied by Jiang Shangzhen, watched the Mirror Flower, Water Moon. Zhu Lian, hunched, hands behind his back, joined them.
The old cook chatted desultorily with Jiang Shangzhen.
Rain was the sound of homesickness.
Snow in winter was a fox-fur coat draped over the poor child of summer—beautiful to look at, but hard to wear.
For many years, she had remained in a mountain, cultivating in seclusion, not coming to see me.
Which mountain?
In my heart.
Mi Yu couldn't help but admire—truly worthy of the Grand Steward and Chief Sacrificial Offerer.
Chen Ping'an left the office and once again surveyed the mountains and rivers. Finally finding an opportunity, he saw Liu Xianyang wandering toward the small town to buy wine.
The long sword "Night Journey" was already hanging on the wall of the first floor of the bamboo building.
Chen Ping'an immediately went to the blacksmith's shop by the river. A round-faced girl in a cotton-padded jacket, cracking melon seeds, pretended not to know him.
Chen Ping'an sat on another small bamboo chair, brought his two fingers together as if picking up a tiny bright moon, and laughed. "Miss Sheyue, here, I'm returning this to you. The previous misunderstanding is cleared up."
Back at the Sword Qi Great Wall, after their misunderstanding turned into acquaintance, Chen Ping'an had accepted Sheyue's meeting gift: half a portion of moon essence.
Besides, it wasn't even five-tenths of the moon essence of a bright moon in the Wasteland World—nothing to regret.
Sheyue immediately went on high alert, turned her head to stare at this Hidden Officer. "Chen Ping'an, what are you up to again?!"
Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "I really did mistake you for Liu Cai."
Sheyue waved her hand. "Take it away, take it away. We competed in Dao arts—you win, I pay."
Chen Ping'an raised his hand, still determined to return it to her.
The round-faced girl had a flash of inspiration. "Consider it a congratulatory gift for Fallen Mountain's establishment as a sect."
Chen Ping'an smiled bitterly. "The gift is too heavy."
Sheyue's face flushed with anger.
Suddenly, with lightning speed, Chen Ping'an tucked away the moon essence and sat up straight as a ramrod. Immediately, someone crouched behind him and put an arm around his neck.
Sheyue watched in shock. Liu Xianyang was really something—low realm but plenty of nerve.
Liu Xianyang laughed. "Still daring to come to me?"
Chen Ping'an coughed. "I came to see my sister-in-law."
Liu Xianyang was taken aback, then loosened his grip slightly, letting Chen Ping'an say more.
Sheyue's face turned red. She stood up abruptly, unable to fight or out-talk him, so she stormed into the house in a huff.
Liu Xianyang dragged over a chair and sat beside him, whispering, "You're smart."
Chen Ping'an asked, "What's the situation?"
Liu Xianyang shrugged. "Just took one more look. Actually, it's a good thing. I smashed through to Jade Nether realm easily; the heart demons are more afraid of me than I am of them. They'll want to avoid me."
Liu Xianyang tossed a jug of wine to Chen Ping'an. They cracked melon seeds and drank together.
Liu Xianyang said, "Little Snotnose is doing pretty well for himself these days."
Chen Ping'an nodded. The City Lord of White Emperor City, Zheng Juzhong, the closed-door disciple of the world's greatest demonic overlord—not everyone could be that.
Liu Xianyang asked with a smile, "Was that your arrangement?"
Chen Ping'an leaned back and lay down. "How could that be? Probably Embroidery Tiger's doing. There's no affinity between the White City Lord and me."
Liu Xianyang was silent for a moment, then asked, "What do you think? One for each of us, or all together?"
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Then I'll take Sunny Mountain. There are many sword immortals there."